2019 Cleveland Marathon

Scroll all the way down to the end of the post for the tl;dr version.

Prologue

I finished the 2019 Boston Marathon in mid-April and did a “reverse taper”.  I took two days off and started running again.  For a training program, I repeated the final 4 weeks in the Hansons Marathon Method.  Just like I did while training for Boston, I added about 4 miles to each long run.  Days after the marathon, I came down with a cold that knocked me out for a few days.  But by the end of April, I finally felt well enough to handle hard workouts again.  The Washington, D.C. region is getting a noticeable spring this year! Temperatures stayed in the upper 50s in the mornings on most days and I had a solid week of training.  As race day approached, I felt much better than I did in the days before Boston.  However, the weather forecast in the days before the race predicted a scorcher – the high temperature for the day would be close to 80 degrees!

Goals

Personal Records:

• Marathon PR: 3:22:56 (7:45 pace), 2013 New York City Marathon.
• Most Recent Marathon: 3:34:40 (8:12 pace), 2019 Boston Marathon.

I adjusted my expectations considerably based on the weather forecast and really just wanted to finish.

Achievable: Sub-3:53:00 (8:55 pace). In good conditions, I thought sub-3:35 (8:14 pace) would be a reasonable goal.  But based on the weather forecast, I adjusted my expectations considerably.  I thought I should be able to run my current long run for 26.2 miles.  Three weeks ago, that was about 8:56 pace.

Stretch: Sub-3:47:00 (8:40 pace).  When I’ve run other hot marathons, my time has been 15-20 minutes slower than I thought I could do in good conditions.

Strategy:  Given the expected high temperature, I planned to run by feel and try to keep an easy effort.

Course

The course goes through several areas of the city including Downtown, The Flats, Tremont, Ohio City, Cudell, Edgewater, and Lakewood.  Along the way, the course passes landmarks such as the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse (home of the Cleveland Cavaliers National Basketball Association team), Progressive Field (home of the Cleveland Indians Major League Baseball team), the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame, FirstEnergy Stadium (home of the Cleveland Browns National Football League team), and the West Side Market before ending at Cleveland Public Square.

 

 

There are water stations every two miles, approximately.  Gels are distributed at two points along the course and there are a few weather flags.  The largest crowds are downtown, in The Flats, and around West Side Market.

Playlist

I compiled 3 hours and 45 minutes of motivational music for the race, which more rock classics than usual.

Pre-Race

Saturday.  Flew into Cleveland early Saturday morning, pick up my rental car, and drove downtown.  I immediately parked across from the Huntington Convention Center and went to the expo.  

I only bought one item – a Brooks Hot Shot Short Sleeve Shirt with the marathon logo in the corner.  The organizers of a local race had a blow up of Ralphie from A Christmas Story, which is set in a neighborhood in Cleveland.

Next, I went to the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame because I was already in the area.

I finally checked into my hotel at around 1pm.  It was only then that I saw I had a coupon for $7 off general admission to the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame in my expo bag.  I walked around the area a little.  I briefly visited The Arcade.  I went to Starbuck’s for a bagel and banana for race day morning, and the baristas gave me some tourist tips.  Then, I went Heinen’s Grocery Store for lunch.  For dinner, I had pasta from the hotel restaurant.

Sunday.  On race day, I woke up at 4:45am.  Wished I could say I woke up feeling dangerous, but I was dreading the day ahead.  Getting ready for the 7am start, I ate a bagel, banana, and 8 ounces of coffee.  I also took an Imodium.  None of the local television channels were covering the race, but Accuweather showed it would be around 75 degrees at the start of the race and close to 80 by the finish.  Before leaving my hotel room at 6am, I grabbed a bottle of water that I could carry with me during the race.

I walked to the Cleveland Public Square, which is location for gear check and finish line.

The starting corrals were only a few blocks away and I arrived at around 6:20am. Mostly alone in the B Corral, a fellow runner approached and we chatted about the race.  During the conversation, I realized that I hadn’t used the restroom.  I left him abruptly and went searching for the facilities.  Normally, runners can use the restrooms in the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse but this year, the race had porta-potties.  There were well over 100 of them but each line had to be 20-30 runners deep!  I walked around Progressive Field hoping to find another option but didn’t.

Back in the starting corrals, a woman sung The National Anthem before the announcer did a quick countdown and then we were off!

Weather

In the days before the race, the forecast predicted morning temperatures around 70 degrees and a high for the day around 80!  In fact, the temperature reached 84 degrees around noon.  Winds were out of the south sustained at 20 miles per hour.

The Race

Miles 0 to 4 (Downtown and The Flats)

The sun rising over the city was beautiful.  And, I appreciated the architecture of the historical buildings. Physically, I felt terrible but thought maybe carbo-loading and not running the day before were effecting me. At the end of Euclid Avenue, the course turned left.

Running 7:50 pace on East 17t Street, the 4:30 pacer (8:23 pace) passed me!  I wondered if my Garmin was playing trick on me but overheard another runner comment about it.  We arrived at the first aid station but I ran through it.  I ran past my hotel on Saint Clair Avenue and then down East 9th Street.  In the second mile, the course passed the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame and FirstEnergy Stadium.

The road zig-zagged until it descended into The Flats, an industrial area.  After a left turn, I saw my favorite sign on the course: “Open the coolers, dilly dilly”, recalling a Bud Light marketing campaign where locked coolers with beers were placed around the city and only opened when the Cleveland Browns won their first game in 2018.

There were lots of spectators in this area but they were mostly just standing around.  I ran through the second aid station, sipping from my water bottle instead.  I was definitely sweating but the heat didn’t feel too bad.  At Mile 3.5, the course crossed the Cuyahoga River on the steep Columbus Road Lift Bridge.

At Mile 4, the 10K runners go straight on Columbus Road while the half and full marathon runners make a left.

Splits: 8:19, 7:49, 8:23, 8:10.

Miles 4 to 6 (The Flats)

After the turn, I enjoyed the view of the area we just passed.  However, the sound of ambulances in the distance disrupted the peace.  Just before Mile 4, we were back in The Flats and going through and industrial area.  I continued admiring the bridges over the Cuyahoga River – crude but sturdy.  I started my first Crank Sports e-Gel just before Mile 5.  The course crossed another bridge and followed Canal Road to West 3rd.

Traversing a third bridge over the river, runners arrived in the south side of Tremont before Mile 6.  The course turned right onto Jefferson Avenue and we encountered a ridiculously steep hill.  Many runners walked it but I just slowed down.

Splits: 8:40, 8:14.

Miles 6 to 8 (Tremont)

In Tremont, I finally got a sense for what a residential neighborhood in Cleveland felt like and the people were great!  Many were just outside watching us go by.  But some sprayed runners with hoses or handed out water (or beer), which was welcomed because by then we’d been roasting for about an hour.

The course went up 5th Street across Literary Road and down 7th Street on the way to Lincoln Park.  I skipped water at Mile 7 because the aid station was too crowded but took two SaltStick FastChews.  I admired the beautiful Pilgrim Congregational Church.

It gave me a sense of peace and I thought, “You have everything you need to finish this race.”  Then, the course turned left onto West 10th Street.

Splits: 8:52, 8:15.

Miles 8 to 11 (Ohio City)

The sound of ambulance sirens ahead startled me.  I moved to the far left of the road to allow the vehicle through.  I got a quick view of the downtown area before the course snaked through a residential neighborhood to Abbey Avenue.  The 10K runners came up from Columbus Road and joined us, creating a crowded field.  At the aid station, volunteers handed out gels and the weather flag indicated “moderate” conditions.

This area had largest crowds since the beginning of the race.  I tried to channel their energy but I was so miserable that I couldn’t enjoy it.  The course turned onto Franklin Boulevard.  Blocks later, I saw a runner being treated by paramedics and it jolted me into the reality of how dangerous the conditions were.  I settled into a cruising pace and enjoyed the friendly spectators while eating a gel.

Just before Mile 11, the full marathoners go straight and the half marathoners turn right.  At the mile marker, I noticed my split for Mile 11 was way off.

Splits: 8:20, 8:41, 5:19 (Garmin measured 0.64 miles).

Miles 11 to 13 (Cudell and Edgewater)

For us, the course turned right onto West 74th Street and then left onto Detroit Avenue.  The pack ran to the right side of the street but a few runners stayed on the left.  I realized, “There’s shade on that side!”  I ran over and took advantage, too.

[dropshadowbox align=”center” effect=”raised” width=”800px” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”4″ border_color=”#ec5614″ rounded_corners=”false” outside_shadow=”false” ]A few blocks later, I experienced one of the most heart-warming moments when three people, who looked like they’d seen hard times, were handing out bottles of water.  Yeah, Cleveland, rocks. [/dropshadowbox]

The course turned right into West Boulevard.  By now, I noticed I only had a few gulps of water left in my water bottle.  I decided to save it in case I really needed it later.  Next, we turned left onto Clifton Boulevard.  Finally, the course turned left onto Lake Avenue at Mile 13.

Splits: 11:52 (Garmin measured 1.4 miles), 8:33.

Miles 13 to 17 (Lakewood)

Lakewood is a suburb of Cleveland and had some beautiful homes.

[dropshadowbox align=”center” effect=”raised” width=”800px” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”4″ border_color=”#ec5614″ rounded_corners=”false” outside_shadow=”false” ] At the mat for the half, I checked my overall time and figured I was in for a 3:45 finish.  Given the tough conditions, I’d be satisfied with that. [/dropshadowbox]

I also knew if I quit later, it would be a long walk back to Cleveland.  A few blocks later, I saw the 3:30 (8:23 pace) pacer walking on the sidewalk.  “I knew she went out too fast.”, I thought.

This side of the road was slightly shaded, which provided a little relief.  By this point, I could tell I was over-heating and eased off the pace.  Just before Mile 14, close to the 2 hour mark, I took two more salt pills going into the aid station.  The weather flag read “low”, so I guessed the volunteers weren’t manning it.  I also realized the terrain was slightly downhill, which meant going back, it would feel uphill.

I lost myself in thought for the next few miles and just tried to manage my hydration and take another electrolyte gel. A triad of high school boys would occasionally run past me and then succumb to the heat and take a walk break.  Meanwhile, I felt the beginnings of a cramp in my left quadriceps muscle.

Finally, the first male ran by on the return trip to Cleveland.  It looked like he was jogging!  A long time later, the first female went by looking the same.  Seeing athletes in better shape than me struggling was a bit troubling.

Close to the turnaround, my spirit lifted knowing I was heading back!  I grabbed a cup of water at the aid station at the base of a bridge.

Splits: 8:58, 8:48, 8:54, ~9:32.  Half marathon= 1:50:30 (8:26 pace)

Miles 17 to 21 (Lakewood)

About a quarter mile after Mile 17 in the town of Rocky River, the course turns around.  There were red, white, and blue banners at the end of the road and coincidentally, “Born in the U.S.A.,” by Bruce Springsteen was playing on my playlist.  I tried to get the crowd going by lifting my arms in the air and it worked!  I felt a huge boost going up the bridge.

During the return trip on Lake Road, the temperature felt significantly warmer than it was on the way out.  By then, it was 79 degrees with a heat index of 81 and I was absolutely broiling under the sun.  Every few houses, a homeowner sprayed runners with water hoses.  Some also had sprinklers in the street.  Runners were wilting, but they didn’t seem as distresses as in the first half of the race.  Meanwhile, there were several runners run-walking near me.  I was doing all I could to keep going and their walk breaks made me want to stop.  I ate my final gel.

[dropshadowbox align=”center” effect=”raised” width=”800px” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”4″ border_color=”#ec5614″ rounded_corners=”false” outside_shadow=”false” ] I told myself, “If you get to Mile 20, you can finish this.”[/dropshadowbox]

When I got there, I did the math and realized I probably had another hour of running ahead of me.  I ran over 4 hours at the 2018 Boston Marathon and I did NOT want to run another.  All the while, I hoped the spectators telling me I could do this were right while knowing the ones who said I looked good were lying.

With Mile 21 completed, I finally drank the last ounces of water in the bottle I had been carrying and tossed it.

Splits: ~9:32, 8:54, 9:30, 10:21.

Miles 21 to 24 (Edgewater)

The water at the next aid station after Mile 21 was so cold that I could barely drink it, so I poured most of it on my head. About a half mile later, the course turned left onto Edgewater Drive.  A sign read: “If you pass out I’ll pause your Garmin.”  I smiled and tried to get my legs going again. I remained in awe of the beautiful lakefront houses.  There were two female run-walkers nearby – one in a green tank top and one in orange – and I tried to keep up with them.  The one in orange gradually pulled away but the one in green stayed in range.  Every time I caught up to her, she was starting to run again.

Before Mile 23, the course turned right and hugged Edgewater Park.  At the next water stop, there were more volunteers than runners and it felt strange.  There was finally a downhill and I lengthened my stride to take advantage.  A second wind!  But around Mile 24, the road went uphill as it climbed West 73rd Street and that effort felt wasted.

Splits: 10:14, 9:42, 9:47.

Miles 24 to 26.2 (Downtown)

At the top of the hill, the course turned left onto Detroit Avenue.  Steps behind the run-walker in the green tank-top, I thought, “Pass her now and you’ll drop her when she stops next.”  Predictably, she stopped at the next water stop.  But steps later, I felt my energy crash and some deep, primal instinct forced me to slow down.

At Mile 25, a group of kids were taking off in some type of relay, which was a bit of an annoyance at this late stage of the race.

My heart sunk when I saw the Detroit-Superior Bridge ahead.  “This is the hill that everyone warned me about.”  It wasn’t terribly steep but it felt like a mountain.  My legs had nothing left.  After cresting the bridge, I clicked off Mile 26 and subsequently crossed the finish line.

Splits: 9:45, 10:41, 2:22 (10:18 pace).

Result

My time was 3:57:09 (9:02 pace) [Log Details].  It was my second slowest marathon.  I was the 281st finisher out of 1,394 (top 21%), 75th woman out of 534 (top 14%), and 11th out of 57 in my age group (top 20%).

At the end of the race, my Gamin measured 26.7 miles!  I reviewed data from other finishers on Strava and saw a lot of measurements around 26.4 miles, so I ran an extra quarter mile somehow.

Post-Race

Crossing the finish line, I came to an immediate stop.  I felt a wave of nausea run through my body, so I jogged a few steps.  I spying a wheelchair and momentarily thought about sitting but thought the sick feeling would probably pass.  Walking through the chute, I took water and chocolate milk but didn’t want any food.  I worried I might faint so I lingered around the volunteers.  After I few minutes, I sat down on a curb in Cleveland Public Square.  I thought about joining the finish line festival for a beer but feared alcohol would cause me to pass out.  Maybe 15 minutes later, I felt well enough to walk back to my hotel.  On the way, I grabbed a bag of ice from a volunteer and walked with it on my head.

Later that afternoon, I saw the news that a half marathon runner died just short of the finish line.

On Monday, I stuffed myself at a cafe in Tremont for brunch before visiting the West Side Market and some of the places I ran past during the race.  After a pensive stroll along Edgewater Park Beach, I headed to the airport and back home.

Epilogue

This race was pretty high on my list of tough marathons.  The competition is stiff because I also ran the 2012 Boston Marathon and 2018 Boston Marathon. My first ultra-marathon, the 2018 San Diego 50 Miler, was a sufferfest, too.

If this race was a week or two earlier, I think it could be a destination event – it was well organized and there’s just enough to do around downtown for a three-day weekend.  But, the weather turns warm by mid-May.

What’s next for me?  I’m going to take a few days (or even a week) off and am not planning to train seriously again until mid-July or early August.

Abridged Version

This race was pretty high on my list of tough marathons.  If the race was a week or two earlier, I think it could be a destination event.  It was well organized and there’s just enough to do around downtown for a three-day weekend.

I finished the 2019 Boston Marathon in mid-April and did a “reverse taper” before training again.

Based on the warm weather forecast, I adjusted my expectations considerably and just wanted to finish.  The spectators were fantastic – spraying runners with hoses and giving out water.  In the final miles, the temperature was 84 degrees!  My time was 3:57:09 (9:02 pace) – my second slowest marathon.