Day 16: MCRR Virtual Medina Marathon and COVID 19-Miler

There was a change of plans. This here MCRR Virtual Medina Marathon and COVID 19-Miler was going to happen tomorrow (Sunday, May 17) and it was going to be done on a track. So much for planning. Instead, I did it today, and I did it on the Lester Rail Trail. Smart decision? Probably not, but you know how it is when those voices in your head get talking.

I’ve had good runs and bad runs on the Lester Rail Trail. I’ve done a lot of 24-milers here, but lately, the runs have been closer to the 18-mile range. Today the goal is four of the six-mile out-and-back loops, plus a little extra to make 26.2. Here’s the hour-by-hour play-by-play. Or should I say, blow-by-blow?

5:00 AM: I’m off. I’ve run in the dark here before, but today is a little different. The fog and gloom are thick, so the light from my headlamp reflects back and nearly blinds me. I turn it off within the first mile; it’s no longer completely dark anyway. After only a couple slower miles, I’m settling down to a ten-minute per mile pace. Had this been a non-virtual marathon (one that I’d tapered properly for, one that had other competitors, and one that is not in the middle of the Great Virtual Race Across Tennessee), I would instead be shooting for a nine-minute pace.

6:00 AM: I am returning to the car every loop to get water and gel. Since I can’t stop my watch (this is a race, you know), I have to make these stops fast and efficient. I suppose they are, but it takes more time than I’d like to get the stone out of my left shoe.

7:00 AM: Another stone. This is happening because I didn’t tie the laces tight. I didn’t tie them tight because I had that foot pain from running a long run here a couple weeks ago. Now that I’m near the half-way range, I manage to pick the pace up a little. Now, most of the miles are clocking at about 9:30. The fog is lifting a bit as the sun is rising.

8:00 AM: Over three hours in. I lament how I used to do a complete marathon in this amount of time. In more recent years, I’ve at least gotten to mile 20 by now. Today? I manage to hit mile 18 before the clock strikes three. But only barely. The good news is that I’m feeling well. Maybe I’ll be able to finish strong. There’s a stone in my shoe, but I’m getting proficient at taking it off, dumping it out, and getting it back on in a short amount of time.

9:00 AM: Only a couple miles to go, and I’m feeling just fine. Except for that newest stone, that is. This time I leave it. I’ve only got two to go.

9:15 AM: I finish in 4 hours and 15 minutes. My final two sub-9 minute miles were the best of the bunch. Still feeling pretty good, I get in the car and drive home, where I dump the final stone from my shoe.

General Info about The Great Virtual Race Across Tennessee 1000K
Info about my own participation in GVRAT