3:57 Magnum
Don't ask me how it happened. I finished the Richmond Marathon -- my first marathon, mind you -- just under four hours, with a time of 3:57!
I had some great support! Pache surprised me with shirts for all the kids that said "Dave Lemen Rocks, The Fan Club", and Kris and Derek came out to meet me at the important points, the 18 mile mark and the 25 mile mark. Jen was over-the-top supportive, and the kids were excited about the race too. And I have to give a special thanks to Rachel and Jesse, who couldn't be at the race but sent pre and post-race cards AND post-race alcohol! And then, of course, there were all the good people of Richmond, who lined up along the course in some chilly weather to cheer us on with unbounded enthusiasm.
I ran with my heartrate monitor, and my intention was to keep the number somewhere between 165 and 170. Well, as soon as I started, my competitive instincts (or demons) took charge, and I found myself running between 175 and 180. I knew I was in trouble around mile seven, when I started asking my fellow runners if they were shooting for a specific time, and the answers I got fell between 3:30 and 3:45. I knew I needed to back off just a hair. There were some bitterly cold and windy stretches, but in general, the weather was great for a run.
The only down side was that the music sucked! With the exception of one band at around mile 21 that was playing some awesome music that was fast and loud, the others were playing slow ballads, blues, folk music, and classic rock that made you want to start walking!
My legs are super-sore and stiff, but I had an awesome time, and even now, I'm sure I'll want to do it again!
Posted November 13, 2004 7:16 PM