2022 Erie Marathon
Prologue
My last marathon was the 2021 Boston Marathon. Unfortunately, I ran a disappointing 4:12:00, which didn’t re-qualify me for next year’s race! After running eight consecutive Boston Marathons, I left the finish line area wondering if I’d ever run the race again.
I chose the Erie Marathon as my next attempt at running a qualifying time. It occurred the last weekend to qualify for the Boston Marathon, and it’s flat. I knew training over the summer would be difficult, so I also invested in a high-quality treadmill and created a home gym.
For a training plan, I chose to combine the “Up to 55 Miles” and “55-70 Miles” per week schedules in Advanced Marathoning. I started training in May.
The first weekend of the training cycle, my boyfriend and I took a weekend trip to Massanutten. The terrain in that area is hilly, so I ran a double on Friday to fit in the miles!
Over Memorial Day weekend, we traveled to Atlanta, Georgia, to attend my niece’s high school graduation. The trip’s timing was terrible because I was starting the more challenging workouts, but I was so happy I could be with family for the occasion.
I had two months of consistent training, but daytime temperatures in Washington, DC, were reaching the 80s. So, I ran most of my hard workouts on the treadmill. I also ran for time rather than distance or pace.
My boyfriend and I went to Bethany Beach, Delaware, for the weekend in late July. I moved my long run around, but otherwise, the trip wasn’t too disruptive.
In early August, my boyfriend, his daughters, and I traveled to Bar Harbor, Maine. The trip included a peak mileage week, and I did all of my runs on the fantastic carriage roads in Acadia National Park.
I ran my first “tune-up” race in late August at the 2022 South Lakes 10K. I finished in 50:18 (8:06 pace) and went into the 2022 Erie Marathon thinking I may not hit my Boston Marathon qualifying time based on a popular race time predictor.
Heading into the race, I knew my training hadn’t been as consistent as I would have liked with all the traveling. And I ran almost all of my threshold and marathon-pace runs on the treadmill. Could my body hold a hard pace for nearly 4 hours outside on the roads?
Goals
Likely: Sub-3:57:00 (9:03 pace). This time is what I get after plugging my time from the 2022 South Lakes 10K into the McMillan Running calculator, and in the days leading up to the race, I resigned myself that I may not qualify for next year’s Boston Marathon. But, the 2022 South Lakes 10K was hilly and hot, so maybe this “likely” time is conservative.
Achievable: Sub-3:54:00 (8:56 pace). Looking at past races, it looks like my marathon time is about 0:50/mile slower than my 10K pace. So, again based on my 2022 South Lakes 10K pace, that puts me in this range – one minute slower than my Boston Marathon qualifying time.
Stretch: Sub-3:50:00 (8:47 pace). Using the race equivalence tables in Daniels’ Running Formula, this was approximately the marathon performance from my 2022 South Lakes 10K. This predicted time seems like an outlier, though.
Personal records
Grandmaster:
- PR and Most Recent Marathon: 4:12:15 (9:38 pace), 2021 Boston Marathon Marathon.
Master:
- Marathon PR: 3:22:56 (7:45 pace), 2013 New York City Marathon.
Course
The race takes place in Presque Isle State Park in Erie, Pennsylvania. It starts next to the “Beach 1” pavilion, approximately a half mile into the park. After about three-and-a-half miles, the course makes a loop around the outer area of the park before heading back to the start. Runners then go out again, make the loop a second time, and finish. The course is flat, with less than a 5-foot total change in elevation for the entire marathon.
There are 13 hydration stations with water and Gatorade at every mile, but there would not be energy gels. Cars are not allowed in the park until 11 am, so spectators are limited to the area near the entrance.
Strategy
Strategy: In addition to race calculators suggesting it wasn’t clear I was fit enough to run sub-3:55, the weather forecast showed rain for the race. Therefore, I decided to start the race in the 9:05-9:10 pace range and try to push the pace down to 8:50 after four miles. Then, I would hope I could do some upper-8:40 pace miles at the end.
Playlist
I compiled 3 hours and 56 minutes of music for the race, with certain songs serving as cues for me on the course.
Mile 0. “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” Israel Kamakawiwo’ole. I like starting my marathons with this hopeful song.
Mile 4. “Hello,” Martin Solveig featuring Dragonette. My local news station used to play this song in the mornings to start the day.
Mile 9: “Good Time,” Owl City & Carly Rae Jepsen. This song is also perky. I’m hoping there will be a crowd on the way back.
Mile 13.1: “24K Magic,” Bruno Mars. This song will play at the halfway mark heading back to the second loop. It’s celebratory and will remind me of my niece’s high school graduation.
Mile 17: “One Moment in Time,” Whitney Houston. I planned this for the start of the second loop. This song would make me remember that I have one shot at this.
Mile 20: “Ready to Go,” Republica. This song will tell me that it’s “go time”!
Mile 22: “Down the Road,” C2C. During this training cycle, I’ve been thinking about the 2017 Eugene Marathon a lot, and this song will remind me of how joyful that race was.
Mile 26: “Coming Home,” Diddy featuring Skylar Grey. This song is the last song on the playlist.
I read that cellular service can be spotty on the island, so I downloaded the playlist to my phone the day before the race.
Pre-race
Saturday. On Saturday, I ran a “shake-out run” from our Airbnb to Presque Isle State Park. Along the way, I panicked when I saw a bunch of cars and runners with bibs at the Waldameer Water Park. Did I confuse the day of the marathon? The race director’s emails helped me confirm my race was on Sunday.
My boyfriend and I reached the park entrance and soon found the “Beach 1” pavilion. It was 1.6 miles from where we were staying.
After having lunch, my boyfriend, his girls, and I went to packet pick-up. We arrived around 1 pm. I was asked my name, assigned a bib, and then given a bag. The race also required a picture of each runner with their bib. There was a table with memorabilia from prior years for sale, but I didn’t buy anything. There was also a small table nearby with running-themed knick-knacks for sale, and I bought a magnet.
We drove around the island and visited the Perry Monument and the Presque Isle Lighthouse.
We had dinner with my boyfriend’s cousin’s family at a local tiki bar. There weren’t any pasta options, so I went with a black bean burger. When we returned to the Airbnb, I prepared for the race. I checked the weather forecast, and it still showed rain. My Garmin says I fell asleep by 10:15 pm.
Race Day. I woke up at 4:30 am and immediately went to make coffee. But, the coffeemaker was broken. I was livid! Thankfully, there was also a Keurig, so I made a cup of the weaker coffee.
By 5:00 am, I sat down and ate a bagel and banana. I also took an Imodium, unsure how many hours it took to take effect. I took breaks to pack a gear check bag with a light jacket, a poncho, flip-flops, Body Glide, tissues, eye drops, and lip balm. In my shorts pocket, I stashed my ID and bank card. I also put four Gu Energy Gels (two Campfire S’mores, one Mandarin Orange, and one Salted Lime) in a SPIbelt.
I left the Airbnb a little after 6:00 am, wearing a long-sleeve shirt and sweat pants for warmth. The race provided a flashlight to guide the way from the Waldameer Water Park parking lot to the start line, so I used it.
I surveyed the race start area when I reached the “Beach 1” pavilion at around 6:35 am. There were indoor bathrooms, but I got in line for the porta-potties. There were only 8-10 of them, so the wait was long.
With 10 minutes left, I ran over to bag check and left my sack on a table. I got to the corral as the pace groups started walking to the start. I stopped to ensure I had tied my shoelaces tight and then caught up with the 3:55 finish time pacer. I don’t remember when I felt so nervous before a race!
The race played the National Anthem. It was September 11th, so it was particularly solemn. At 7:01 am, I crossed the start line!
Weather
At the start of the race, the temperature was in the low 60s. It started drizzling at the beginning, and it steadily increased. By the end of the race, it was raining.
The Race
Miles 0 to 3 (Old Lake Drive and Peninsula Drive)
Given that my race strategy was to run the early miles at a 9:00-9:10 pace, I was content to run just behind the 3:55 finish time pacer. (Her sign read 8:57 pace, which seemed off to me.) I glanced at the runners around me. The pack seemed to be primarily women around my age. We’re all trying to qualify for Boston. I was carrying a 12-ounce plastic water bottle, so I ran through Water Stop #1.
The pack had been quiet during the first mile, but the chatter increased during the second. Our nerves were calming. I also noticed two younger women had joined the group just off to my left.
At Water Stop #2, I got trapped between the pack and the aid station. I remembered one of the downsides of running with pace groups – navigating aid stations. I pulled ahead and put some distance between the 3:55 pacer and me.
Closing in on Mile 3, I felt the pack gaining on me, and a woman in a London Running singlet passed me. I worried about whether I had made a mistake running harder than planned, but my pace felt pretty comfortable.
Splits: 8:35, 9:09, 8:57.
Miles 3 to 9 (The Loop)
At Mile 3.5, I sensed that the loop’s opposite side was to our right. I noticed a man walking toward a trail. Was he trying to cut the course? I decided to focus on my race and leave course-cutters to Marathon Investigation.
For the last mile, the two younger women, the woman in the London Running singlet, and I ran at almost the same pace. The two women were chatting quite a bit, so I created a story for them: they were college friends, now in their late 20s, and they agreed to run a marathon together before getting married and having kids.
At Mile 4, I pass the Presque Isle Lighthouse. It had been so bright the day before when we visited, but now it was gloomy under overcast skies.
My split at Mile 5 was fast, probably because I was trying to keep up with College Friends and London Running. But, I told myself, Trust the science! At least one race time calculator said I should be able to run a marathon at this pace! (At the time, I thought it was the race equivalence tables in Daniels’ Running Formula, but it was the McMillan Running Calculator.)
The night before, I reviewed some notes from a previous marathon and remembered how important it was to take in calories. I started a Gu Energy Gel after 45 minutes into the race, just after Mile 5. I also grabbed Gatorade at Water Stop #5. (I would take Gatorade every 5 miles after that.)
I saw my favorite sign on the race at Water Stop #6. It had a picture of Christopher Walken and said, “This is no time for Walken.”
At Mile 7.25, I looked for the Perry Monument but could barely make it out in the cloud cover.
I tossed my water bottle at Mile 8. Typically, a 12-ounce water bottle will last me until the half marathon mark, so I was concerned.
Around that time, College Friends pulled away from me, and I got behind two other women running together. After I saw one runner pass something to the other, my story for them was that they were in the same running group and promised to support one another for the entire race, no matter what happened.
Splits: 9:02, 8:47, 8:52, 8:56, 8:42, 8:56.
Miles 9 to 16 (Peninsula Drive and Old Lake Drive)
Trees and marsh mark the bay side of the park. By this point in the race, the drizzle had turned to light rain, so the landscape was foreboding. I could tell many runners were starting to slow down from the conditions.
Just after Mile 10, I ate another Gu Energy Gel, followed by Gatorade at Mile 10.5.
I didn’t feel great during miles 10 and 11. I knew this sometimes happened after I ate a gel, as my stomach worked to absorb the carbohydrate. I hoped this minor slump would pass. But, it wasn’t easy knowing I would have to go through this section again. But, my pace didn’t slow by much – I was still running a low 8:50 pace. And the 3:50 pacer wasn’t too far ahead of me. I counted the seconds between when he passed a specific spot and when I did; it was under a minute.
At Mile 11, I started to see more people. It was great feeding off their energy. I made it through the first loop!
I saw my boyfriend at Mile 12, and we clumsily high-fived. He told me I was running well, and it was nice to hear the confirmation.
Moments later, I went to pass College Friends, and they seemed annoyed by me passing on the outside. At this point in the park, there were cars on the opposite side of the road, and perhaps they thought it was a risky move on my part. Soon after that, I also passed London Running.
The course turn-around occurs at about 12.8 miles. It’s a hairpin, but the course wasn’t crowded, so I managed it drama-free.
I didn’t see a Mile 13 marker, but my Garmin pace was 8:36! Whoa! What is going on here? My boyfriend yelled something about the 3:50 pacer. He must know my competitive side well because he knew I had been tracking him, too!
I crossed the half marathon mark at around 1:56. I did some calculations in my head and if I managed to do the second half a little slower – say in 1:58 – I would still finish in 3:54! Qualifying for Boston is a real possibility!
But what about that 3:50 pacer? I thought, If I could string some 8:44 miles together, I would probably catch him. I pushed the pace during Mile 14, and my legs rebelled. I chastised myself. No secondary goals! Your goal is sub-3:55 and a Boston qualifying time!
To recover, I turned my Garmin to my overall pace and tried to focus on finding a comfortable pace again. When I saw my next split was well over 9:00 pace, I regained my concentration. There’s no such thing as a Boston Marathon qualifying effort, just time.
Just after the 2:15 hour mark, during Mile 14, I started a Gu Energy Gel (Cherry Lime). It tasted awful because of the caffeine but I slowly choked it down.
Splits: 8:36, 9:02, 8:47, 17:17, 8:47, 9:23. Half marathon: 1:55:53 (8:51 pace).
Miles 16 to 22 (The Loop)
At Mile 17, I pass the Presque Isle Lighthouse again. Even though I wasn’t feeling great, I noticed that I was passing a lot of runners. After months of running in hot and humid conditions, I concluded that the rain was causing problems for people.
Perhaps out of an abundance of caution, I thought about how I could still become dehydrated despite the cool conditions. Maybe that explained the slump! I searched my shorts pocket for the SaltStick tab I had brought. In the process, I found the piece of sidewalk from Columbia Pike that I had brought with me. It helped me remember all the miles that I’ve run this training cycle and in the past. You can do this!
At the next water station, I was ready to wash the salty taste out of my mouth, but when I reached for a cup, it was empty! I wasn’t too thirsty, so I would get some at the next stop.
The Perry Monument was still obscured. Don’t give up the ship, the flag said. I couldn’t give up. A woman on a bike cheered for the woman ahead of me before riding off. I want some encouragement!
Once I regained my composure, I started running 8:50 miles reasonably consistently.
Before Mile 19, I passed my favorite water station again. I think they were happy to see a runner looking so good.
Mile 20! I took Gatorade at the next water stop. I waited until I was closing in on Mile 21 before taking my final Gu Energy Gel (Mandarin Orange). It went down easy, and I washed it with water at the next stop. I told myself nothing else would go in my stomach for the rest of the race.
Meanwhile, I continued to pass runners as if they were standing still. It seemed everyone else was slowing because my pace was unchanged. The woman on the bike cycled next to me and said I was going great. I smiled.
Splits: 8:57, 8:43, 9:11, 8:47, 8:57, 8:53.
Miles 22 to 26.2 (Peninsula Drive)
It was pouring rain by 10:30 am. My feet sloshed through puddles and my thighs tightened from the cold. I told myself, Just stay on your feet.
Although I felt confident, I did calculations in my head. I probably had 3 minutes to spare in these final four miles and still get my Boston Marathon qualifying time.
During Mile 23, I mouthed the words to the song Unstoppable as I ran through the water. Everyone around me was fading, but I was like a Porche with no breaks.
Passing Mile 25, I did another calculation in my head. You could run an 11-minute mile and still make my time. I felt a wave of relief. I could finally believe that this was going to happen.
I saw my boyfriend and heard him yell, “9 minutes to Boston!” It didn’t feel real. All my doubts – so many long runs over 10:00 pace or on the treadmill. It had been enough.
At Mile 25, a spectator said something, and my eyes welled up. Did he know how much this meant? At the turn-around, I felt a second wind and started running as hard as possible. In past years, runners needed to run faster than their Boston Marathon qualifying time, and I thought, This is your cushion.
At the turn-around, I saw the 3:55 pacer right behind me. Alone. I was happy that I believed in myself enough to leave her.
Splits: 8:40, 9:17, 8:44, 10:32 (8:31 pace).
Post-race
My legs felt like jelly when I stopped. A volunteer congratulated me and directed me to the finish area. I saw an ambulance and a runner receiving IV fluids.
I was able to get my checked bag. My boyfriend met me. I realized I didn’t get a mylar sheet and I didn’t put one in my bag check.
The post-race bag had a Subway box with a turkey sandwich, chips, cookie, and a banana. The bag had my medal.
We walked back to the water park. I got a white jacket from my checked bag. We talked about the race and how it unfolded. We drove home. I took a shower and my skin stung.
Long uphill walk to the water park.
There was a sign in our Airbnb, “Every sunset brings promise of a new dawn.”
Result
Time=3:52:29
Pace=8:53
I was the 429th finisher out of 755 (top 57%), 130th woman out of 275 (top 48%), and 12th in my age group out of 31 (top 39%).
It was my fastest marathon since the 2019 Boston Marathon and I qualified for next year’s Boston Marathon with 2:31 to spare!
The winner was Kyle McKinley, who completed the race in 3:32:58. A man from my hometown finished second! On the women’s side, Joy Knesnik finished first in 2:48:44.
Epilogue
On Monday evening, I rushed too quickly to get to the kitchen and stubbed my toe on the coffee table. X-rays showed it was broken! It’ll be close to two months before I’m cleared to run again.
At the end of the Boston Marathon registration period, the race tweeted that everyone got it!
Before the race, I had already decided to stop blogging weekly. With everything going on in my life, it’s just been too hard. (At one point, I fell behind by over a month!) But, I will still do race reports and work on updating the topical pages, which have become woefully outdated.
Until my next race report, thanks for reading and enjoy your running!
Abridged Version
I chose the Erie Marathon because I needed a Boston Marathon qualifying time and heard the course was flat. I did most of my hard workouts on the treadmill, so I had doubts about how that would translate on the road. The McMillan Running Calculator suggested I could run sub-3:57:00 (9:03 pace) but looking at my past 10Ks and marathon times, I thought sub-3:54:00 (8:56 pace) was achievable.
I started the race with the 3:55 pacer but left her after only a few miles and ran on my own. I was running so well by the half marathon mark that I thought about trying to catch the 3:50 pacer but quickly regretted that attempt. After a slight slump, I regained my composure and steadily clicked off 8:50 pace miles until I realized I had built a bit of a cushion for my Boston Marathon qualifying time.
I finished in 3:52:29 (8:53 pace). The evening after the race, I stubbed my pinky toe on the leg of our coffee table and broke it, so I won’t be able to run for several weeks. But, the race announced everyone with a qualifying time was accepted into next year’s race!
