The sound of rain pelting the window of my hotel bedroom woke me up at 6:00 on race day morning. I could still hear the wind and the rain, which on top of a couple tight hamstrings did not bode well for a stellar marathon.
Running this marathon was a question from the start. I wanted to run the Atlantic City Marathon, but the organizers never replied to my messages, so I contacted the race director of the Asbury Park Marathon, Art. Then on the Wednesday before race day, Lisa called me and said she and Raul would travel down from their vacation in NYC to come watch me run. I still hadn’t registered for the race and now I had to figure out how to get to Asbury Park. I squeezed by with only 20 minutes before the expo closed in time to register for the race. Which brings me back to race morning preparations. I took a hot bath with Epsom Salt and then rubbed my hammies down hard with IcyHot. Lisa and Raul met me in my room and helped me wrap my thighs in tape to keep them from falling apart during the race.
After party with my superb support crew, Lisa and Raul, in New York City.
More after party at Marie and Ford’s wedding in Fairfax, VA.
Follow this link to read the full article
The 113th Boston Marathon was filled with great expectations. It filled up in record time and it was my Boston debut as well with number 4918 from my Marine Corps time, just 11 numbers from Jen Brown.
Picking up my packet and visiting the finish area before the race.
Crowds lined the streets to cheer us on. there was a warm welcoming atmosphere in Natick. Kids and their parents were handing out oranges, bananas, lollipops, little cups of water and Kleenex. My goal was to finish under 3 hours, so I took advantage of the near 100 foot drop in elevation during mile 15 to run my quickest split in the road as I crested the hill about midway through the 16th mile. I ran a 6:44 for mile 16 with the hill.
The 2nd Newton Hill came midway through mile 17. 6:58 split. Mile 18 was a gradual 50 foot decent as I ran a 6:20. The 3rd Newton Hill came quickly after. At the 19 mile mark. I was still carrying my gel that I picked up in mile 16 and squeezed it in my left hand as I ran a 6:38 split.
Mile 20 is home of the infamous Heartbreak Hill, where runners most often hit the wall. the stretch on the course where Commonwealth Ave. climbs 75 feet over a quarter mile. run the first 3 hills, I felt a little tired, but I gathered my thoughts and ran through at 6:46. 2:55 finish. mile 21, I ran a 6:33 for mile 22.
My pace slowed to 6:53 for mile 23 as I was unable to let gravity pull me faster. the Red Sox vs Orioles game lined the streets as we entered Boston. Boston won 12‐1 and I crossed the finish under 3 hours.
Read the full report at the following link
It’s nice not to have the pressure of qualifying breathing down your neck for 26.2 miles when I ran the 2009 Houston Marathon. I ran my personal best in the 2006 Houston Marathon, 3:02:04, and really haven’t come close since. I trained the next 2 months preparing to run 6:40 pace to finish in 2:55:00. My first mile split was 6:46. The second mile had the first water station. I crossed it at 41:29, perfect pacing! I still had fresh legs under me, but after 5 marathons of running experience, I know how hard the marathon gets after 20 miles, so I kept with my strategy of running a steady pace. I ran past some of the Lamar High School cross-country runners (around the 6.5 mile mark. Mom and Marie were cheering for me at the 8 mile mark.
Mom and Marie made a superb supporting cast.
A little fast but still around the pace I needed to run. After running through West University I came to the half-marathon mark in 1:27:39. After going over the Westpark Bridge (the highest point on the course) I ran with someone wearing yellow racing flats. I picked up the pace after the water station around mile 15. I came through the 16 mile mark in 1:47:08. I ran the next two mile splits at 6:33 pace and crossed the 30k timing mat at 2:04:18. I had run a pair of sub 6:30 miles and was now 12 seconds ahead of race pace! I took advantage of this second wind and ran a 6:20 mile to put me 30 seconds ahead at mile 21. With a 6:25 mile my lead had grown to 44 seconds at 21 miles. I ran another quick mile at 6:33 to increase my lead to 51 seconds. I kind of felt like that having run my next mile in 7:17.
Read the full report at the following link,
Our pace leader ran us through the half in 1:33:36. With a little time in the bank, our chances of crossing the finish line with a Boston Qualifying time were looking good. We ran back toward the National Mall along the Washington Canal and under the cherry trees lining the Tidal Basin. Marie and Ford found me again around the National Mall.
The Marine Corps Marathon finishes on a small climb up to the Iwo Jima Monument
I got really thirsty during my run around the National Mall.
The marathon route took us across the I-395 and National Rt. 1 Rochambeau Memorial Bridge at mile 20. I dropped back a little from the pace group and ate the sport beans I had grabbed from an aid station at mile 19. Anne, my Ironman friend, hollered out to me from where she was standing at mile 26. I crossed the finish in 3:09:09, and received my finisher medal, proud to have qualified anew for Boston!
Ford fired up the grill and we ate bratwursts from Wegman’s with our cousin Russell who drove up from town to join us for the meal.
Marie and I slept in Monday morning and ate a leisurely breakfast before going into town.
Read the full report at the following link.
The Schwiet Life 