Sometimes when a team has a bad game — a 40-point blowout loss or one with a high number of miscues and unforced errors — the head coach will either throw the game tape away or review it with his players and then immediately bury it (physically or metaphorically). Today I’m choosing that approach following a rough Nebraska Marathon experience.
In this analogy, I’m the head coach…and the players. As well as the critical media members.
I feel frustrated with my Nebraska Marathon performance for several reasons. My last sub-3 hour marathon is now almost two years ago (a 2:49 at CIM in December of 2018). I worked hard to get back after injury in 2019. In the past several months, I’ve recorded some of the best training of my life. A breakthrough was around the corner. I could feel it.
While my trip to Nebraska was quick, everything went smoothly. My flight was great. I watched Texas A&M upset Florida while 30,000 feet above Colorado. (I’m just going to ignore then lady who sat two seats over and coughed throughout the flight. Thankfully I had on an N-95 mask with a gaiter mask over it.) The Omaha airport was easy to navigate. I got my rental, picked up my bib at the Nebraska Brewing Company, and called in a dinner order to the restaurant next to my hotel.
I slept well. The start/finish line was right down the road, and the parking was close. My warmup went well, and everything felt great. I tapered more than normal and started the race feeling a great run ahead. I felt calm and ready.
When I told Rachel that my race had gone poorly, she immediately guessed I had stomach issues. I wish I could blame my bad race on bathroom breaks. for the first time in a long time, I had a perfect nutrition race weekend. No stops. No hint of an issue.
The course was almost completely along a levee trail, and the temperature at the start was above 60 degrees with 99% humidity. And then the sun came up. The views of fall foliage and midwestern hills was pleasant. Zero shade and the sun beating down on an abnormally hot October day for the Omaha area was not. And, similar to Las Vegas running, I felt like I had a headwind no matter what direction the course turned.
I felt good in the first several miles. But around mile 10, I could tell my body wasn’t handling the heat and humidity well. My shorts were soaked and suctioned to my legs. I could feel my shoes start squishing with sweat with each step. Suddenly I was gassed with 16 miles, with 16 miles left.
I hit the halfway point on pace for a 2:53:XX, but I was already fading. The final eight miles were a painful mix of walking and shuffling. I’ve focused on mental strength — reading books and putting what I’ve read to practice in my training. None of that helped me in the Nebraska Marathon. A sub-3 time slipped away. Then a BQ. Then every other sub goal I had for the race.
In the hours after I finished (official time was 3:25:25), I felt a frustration I haven’t known since I qualified for Boston twice without making the cut. The old negative thoughts crept back in.
“Why do I care so much about running…it clearly doesn’t care about me?”
“My fastest times are behind me. I will never get back to what I was running 2-3 years ago.”
I felt even worse on the plane flight home (which took off just three hours after I crawled across the finish line). Dehydrated with a headache and double masked again, I criticized myself harshly.
But I’m not going to sit in that disappointment. I’m frustrated. Not defeated.
Positives from today’s race: I finished my 57th marathon and crossed off state No. 38. I had my race weekend nutrition dialed in (might need more water during the race, but with COVID precautions, the Nebraska Marathon had fewer self-serve water stops). But no stomach distress at any point during the race is a huge positive for me. Running in an in-person marathon in 2020 is also a blessing.
I also made a friend on the course, and he suffered along with me … and then ahead of me as I walked in the final miles.
Now it’s time to move on. I’ve never raced well in the early fall. My best times have all come in cooler weather in winter or spring. My training base is big.
I believe the breakthrough is coming. Soon.
I’ve been at this low point before, reeling after a frustrating marathon I know doesn’t reflect my fitness level.
It’s the low spot that makes the future success more satisfying.
On to the next one.