Why I wanted to run this race & Goals:
Discussed in detail here and here, but the basic gist is that I decided to run the Oakland Marathon about 2 months ago because I thought it would be fun and good training for the Big Sur International Marathon on April 27th. My goal was to enjoy the race and if the stars aligned, set a new marathon personal record (PR) by finishing under 4:32.
Pre-race:
I woke up Saturday feeling excited and nervous, which I took as a good sign. Later that morning, I took the BART to Downtown Oakland to pick up my bib and race premium at the expo, which took all of 5 minutes. Easy breezy! Then I met up with Danielle, Amanda, and Jess. I’ve known Danielle since moving to Berkeley about 9 years ago, but we hadn’t seen each other for over a year or two, so I was looking forward to catching up with her. As for Amanda and Jess, I met them both through social media (blogosphere, Twitter, and dailymile), so I was a bit nervous about how that would go… especially meeting both of them at once while also trying to catch up with Danielle. Luckily, these ladies were all really easy to talk to and the conversation flowed seamlessly, as is often the case when runners get together. We chatted for a long time, then let Amanda get back to her Zooma ambassador duties of woman-ing the booth. Danielle and Jess were both running the half marathon on Sunday, so we wished each other luck and parted ways.
The rest of the day was pretty relaxing, as I spent most of the afternoon hanging out with friends. As for pre-race fueling, I decided to do a couple of things differently this time around – which worked really well for me, so I thought I’d make note of it. I purposefully had a bigger lunch and a smaller dinner, both comprised of leftover pesto chicken and green salad. I had a banana and small slice of cake with lunch, washed down with Nuun. Dinner included sourdough toast with an egg over easy. As is my pre-marathon tradition, I re-watched Spirit of the Marathon on Netflix while getting my race gear ready and doing last-minute stretching and foam rolling. It was then that I decided that no matter what happened during the marathon, I would run with gratitude. It might sound cheesy, but I wanted to cross the finish line thankful to my body for making it through another 26.2 miles, instead of criticizing it for not performing the way I wanted it to. Another aspect of “running with gratitude” was to thank all of the spectators and volunteers out on the course. It was a win-win in my mind — not only would that contribute to the positive vibe of the Oakland Running Festival, but thanking others would help me maintain perspective even if I was suffering.
With a 5:00 a.m. alarm, I miraculously got myself in bed and asleep by 9:00 p.m. I slept soundly for 4 hours, then tossed and turned for another 4, which is about par for the course for pre-race sleep. At 5:00 a.m., I woke up, ate breakfast (2 PB&J’s on English muffins with a mug of hot water), and got dressed. The latest weather forecast called for cloudy skies through 1:00 p.m., with temps in the high 50’s/low 60’s, so I was stoked. Thinking it wasn’t going to be as hot and sunny as I previously thought, I went ahead and donned arm warmers (a.k.a. Target knee high socks with the toe seam cut) and black compression socks to go with my tank top and shorts.
The pre-race logistics were easier than either of the marathons and most of the half marathons I’ve run. I got to Oakland around 6:30 a.m. and easily found street parking about 5 blocks away from the start line. By 6:45 a.m., I was at Snow Park, having already done a short warm-up and a stop at the porta potty. I wandered around for a little while to kill time and dropped off my sweat bag a little early, since it wasn’t that cold. After doing some dynamic stretching, and I entered the relatively empty start corral at 7:10 a.m.
The least crowded marathon start I’ve ever seen. It did eventually fill up.
Excited to run Oakland!
An Oakland native sang the national anthem at 7:15, and then we waited… and waited some more. Those 15 minutes seemed to stretch out for hours. I was eager to start this race, and when they started playing George Clinton and the P. Funk’s “We Want the Funk” right before the race started, I relaxed a bit as I bounced to the music, along with the ~1000 marathoners and relay runners around me. It was definitely a good though unusual musical choice! The announcer started the countdown from 10, and at 1, there was smoke and horns blaring — the marathon was on!
The Race: (Broken down into 4 parts – equivalent to each leg of the marathon relay.)
Downtown, Temescal, & Rockridge (miles 0-6.2)
When the race started, I tried not to get swept up in the excitement. I covered up my Garmin with electrical tape and concentrated on keeping my breathing in check and my effort easy/moderate. As the course weaved around Downtown Oakland, I jostled back and forth with the 4:30 pace group, finally passing them at the end of the 2nd mile. Shortly after mile 2, I took my first Clif Blok — so of course the first race course photographer was there to capture the moment of me chomping on it. Classy.
Flashing a thumbs-up with a Clif Blok in my cheek.
I really enjoyed this section of the course. Not only was I feeling good and fresh, but it was really fun to run through Temescal and Rockridge, two neighborhoods full of memories of delicious dinners and nights out with friends. I also loved seeing all of the people who came out so early in the morning to cheer us on — ranging from the typical marathon spectators to Oakland natives, out in their robes and cups of coffee in hand. It was also great to see a couple of familiar faces in the crowd, including RH and Laura, who were out on the course cheering for their respective partners.
At the out-and-back in Rockridge right before mile 6, I saw that I had gained on the 4:30 pace group – maybe 45 seconds or so? With the big climb ahead, I figured that they’d catch up to me at some point if they were to maintain a 10:17 pace, so I made my peace with that. As we turned onto Keith and passed the first relay exchange, I took a deep breath and got ready for the miles of hills ahead.
1st relay split: 1:02:25 (10:08/mile for 6.16 miles)
Montclair & Oakmore (miles 6.2-12.75)
Even though there was ~200′ of elevation gain in the first 6 miles, it was hardly noticeable – with the exception of the hill up 51st St. It was a different story as the course wound up Keith, then Broadway, where according to my Garmin, I climbed over 300′ in about a mile and a half. Still, I was determined to not walk, even if it meant slowing down to a crawl. So crawl I did.
To make the climb more arduous, the sun started peeking through the clouds. I raised my proverbial fist at Accuweather for the wrong forecast. The crowds started to thin out significantly during this section. Once I got up to Lake Temescal, there was a bit of relief from the climb. There was even a peaceful, leafy bike path, which was quite nice. This was followed by a section of small rollers with a net elevation gain as we traveled through the well-heeled and beautiful neighborhood of Montclair. It was really pretty, and *almost* made up for the effort. Around mile 8.5, the 4:30 pace group passed me, just as I had predicted. I kept them in my sights for another mile, but lost them as we went through downtown Montclair. I knew I could keep up with them if I pushed the pace, but I also realized that it was too early in the race to up the ante by that much. So I focused on my own effort levels and let them go.
I hit another steep section, followed by a relief-inducing downhill stretch, then another uphill portion. Just when I thought I couldn’t climb one more hill and was *thisclose* to walking, I saw the pinnacles of the Mormon Temple, which meant one very important thing: I was almost at the top! I don’t think I’ve ever been as happy to see a street sign as when I saw the one for Lincoln Ave., where I knew that a sweet downhill stretch awaited. But first, I had to climb just one more steep hill. A small group of spectators was cheering from the Mormon Temple parking lot, and I heard one man cheering me on with, “Still on your toes – NICE!” I gave him a smile and a wave, then let out the quietest “woohoo!” ever, since I was so out of breath, as I crested the hill. It was such a great moment – to triumph over all of that elevation gain without walking – and to get a beautiful view of Oakland and San Francisco from so high up. I took a few seconds to enjoy the moment and take a good look around before getting back to business.
I did not stop to take a photo, but this is representative of the view from the top of the Oakland Hills. (source)
The downhill was crazy steep. I tried to let gravity take over, but soon my left hip was aching from the pounding. My good mood from just minutes earlier was dissipating fast, but I tried to hold on to it as long as I could. Cheers of, “You got this!” and “Way to go, #916!” were just a few of the encouraging words I heard as I made my way to Fruitvale. It was getting pretty lonely out there, though, and by the time I got to the 2nd relay exchange, it looked like an oasis in the middle of a ghost town.
2nd relay split: 1:09:08 (10:33/mile for 6.55 miles)
Lower Dimond, Fruitvale, International Blvd., Chinatown, & Jack London Square (miles 12.75-19.73)
I grabbed a Gu at the 2nd relay exchange, noticing that I was more worn out at this point of the race than I would’ve liked. It wasn’t even at the halfway point yet, but I was feeling depleted, both physically and mentally. Somewhere in this section, a Chinese guy in his late-20’s, with whom I had been leap-frogging, decided to make conversation. While I’m keen to do that sometimes as a distraction, this was not one of those occasions, especially since he was speaking to me in Mandarin. It’s hard enough to hold a conversation with a stranger at mile 13 of a marathon without having to do translations in your head! So, after a few exchanges, I told my new Chinese friend that I’m sorry, but I won’t be able to chat. He said no worries and trotted ahead. We kept seeing each other through about mile 23, where I passed him for good.
As it seemed “just down the hill,” I set my sights on Fruitvale BART station as the next goal destination. However, I grew impatient as the course meandered around the neighborhood streets for a while before I finally saw International Blvd. The sun was out in full force at this point and beating down on me fiercely. When I made another turn and finally came upon Fruitvale BART station, I was greeted by a small crowd of spectators and performers. Unfortunately, that would be biggest crowd I’d see for another 2 miles.
The next 30 blocks of International Blvd. were barren. This might sound overly dramatic, but I felt as if I was spiraling down hard and fast into a pit of despair. I decided that this would be an opportune time for me to turn on my playlist. As “American Girl” by Tom Petty blasted through my earbuds, my mood began to lift. I also came upon an aid station where one of the volunteers saw my empty water bottle and offered to refill it for me. I’m thankful that she was looking out for me because I wasn’t thinking very straight at that time and probably would’ve just skipped it, feeling that I was wasting precious time. It was somewhere on International Blvd. that I felt the first of many calf and foot cramps that would plague me for the rest of the race. The cramps never got out of control as long as I stayed on top of them by taking short walk breaks, so at least there was that. #glasshalffull
As I saw the streets tick down down to the teens, I became more upbeat again, especially with the thought of seeing the Gypsy Runner at mile ~17.3. I passed by our old neighborhood, where a rowdy group of street people cheered me on from the bus shelter at 8th Ave. Gotta love the local flavor. The marathon course merged with the half marathoners at mile 17, where the half marathoners were all walking (at about 15:00/mile pace), so that was a little odd. Shortly after the merge, I came upon 10th and Oak Streets, where the GR was waiting. I gave him a hug and a kiss, and we walked together for one block, then jogged for another. I told him how tired I felt, but that I was still in decent spirits. He left me at the end of the 2nd block, saying that he would see me at mile 23. Oy, that seemed like an eternity away!
I ran (with a few walk breaks) through Chinatown and Jack London Square without much enthusiasm, just ticking off the miles until I got to the 3rd relay exchange. The one thing I did enjoy was running through The Crucible‘s Arch of Fire, one of my favorite parts of the course, for the 3rd year in a row.
SO MUCH going on in this photo. Is that man taking a selfie? The lady behind me is going crazy!
3rd relay split: 1:16:10 (10:51/mile for 7 miles)
West Oakland & Lake Merritt (miles 19.73 to 26.2)
There was a decent size crowd at the 3rd relay exchange, where I grabbed another Gu. I saw Laura again, and was pleasantly surprised to see a crew of friends cheering for me at mile 20! They purposely hadn’t told me that they were coming out, and their presence lifted my spirits for a little while.
I was very happy to see these friendly faces at Mile 20! (photo courtesy of VH)
I also enjoyed seeing the fire-spewing horse (another favorite from The Crucible) as I ran down Mandela Parkway. Then, I came upon the awesome “aid station”/buffet at Brown Sugar Kitchen. I can only imagine the crazed look in my eyes as I approached the lady holding the tray full of oranges and haphazardly grabbed a slice. I also took a chunk of banana for good measure. Those fresh snacks rendered my half-eaten Gu impalatable. Despite all of these nice distractions, the cramps and walk breaks were getting more and more frequent. I had been downing at least one cup of Gatorade per aid station since the halfway point, but they did not seem to help much with the cramping. To add to my physical ailments, the top of my foot was beginning to hurt (I forgot which foot, so it must not have been that bad – ha!) and I could feel one of my toenails bruising. Fun!
The 2 mile stretch linking Mandela Parkway to Lake Merritt has always been my least favorite part of the half marathon course, so I knew I’d have to dig deep to keep my motivation flowing. I kept up with my run/walk pseudo-intervals, and made sure to high-five every member of Raider Nation cheering racers on beneath the 980 Freeway overpass. Slowly but surely, I made it to Lake Merritt where I saw the GR camped out under a shady tree. We walked up a short little hill together. I handed him my bottle and uneaten packet of Gu, and told him I’d see him at the finish. Only 3 miles left!
It’s amazing how, despite having run the Lake hundreds of times (literally), one lap can feel like an eternity. Even though I was determined to run the rest of the way, cramps shot through my calf whenever I got into a decent rhythm. With less than 2 miles to go, the 4:45 pace group passed me. I was slightly demoralized for about 10 seconds, but then decided that I didn’t care. I would just try my best for the rest of the race, no matter what the clock said.
Still managing to smile at ~mile 24.
The jog-cramp-walk cycle continued, and as I passed the last aid station, where there was a festive, beach party theme, I saw a familiar and friendly face to my left. It was Danielle, who had finished her half marathon and was back to run with me for the last mile! I was so glad to have her company.
Just to prove that I’m not the most vain person ever – a not-so-great photo during the last mile.
From frowns to smiles – Danielle kept my spirits and my pace up at the end!
To keep my mind distracted, I forced Danielle to keep telling me stories. We managed a slow jog for a significant chunk of the last mile until I got to the steep portion of 19th St, less than 0.2 miles from the finish. I knew that my calf would cramp up on the incline, and it did. The GR jogged over to us, and the 3 of us walked up the steep section together. Then, they left me so that I could run the very last section by myself.
Eyes on the prize…
YES!!!
As I crossed the finish line, I was overwhelmed by feelings of happiness, pain, gratitude, relief, and fatigue. More importantly, it was the complete opposite of how I felt at the end of MCM, where I barely registered the finish line because I was so preoccupied with my feelings of failure and negativity. I didn’t beat my MCM time, but I beat my MCM attitude, which is way more important in my book. Cheesy, but true!
4th relay split: 1:19:07 (12:13/mile for 6.47 miles)
I did it! Marathon #3 in the books! (That dude behind me, however, doesn’t look too happy.)
Post-race:
With a smile of sweet relief on my face, I high-fived several members of the ORF staff after crossing the finish mat. I limped through the finisher’s corral and collected a heat sheet, medal, bottle of water, and some salty snacks. The nice thing about a smaller marathon like Oakland is that finisher’s area is only about 20 yards long — i.e., they don’t torture you with a half-mile post-race death march. Within minutes of finishing, I had hugged the GR, posed for photos with Danielle, and reunited with my Mile 20 support crew. I also managed to spot and briefly chat with AL, who set a new half marathon PR, and KP, who had a good race despite a nagging injury. Although I would’ve liked to sit on the sunny grass to enjoy my 2 free 21st Amendment beers, it was getting late and my Mile 20 support crew was restless for some lunch. I grabbed my drop bag (without any delay or trouble) and we trekked about 10 blocks to a Vietnamese restaurant in Chinatown. Even though I was in a lot of pain, I knew that the post-race walk would be good for recovery. As with MCM, I wasn’t all that hungry immediately after the race, but the salty broth of the wonton noodle soup and the sugary carbonation of 7-Up really hit the spot.
With my #1 spectator and support crew, the Gypsy Runner.
Chowing down! (photo courtesy of VH)
I said after the race that the Oakland Marathon was my “personal worst but best overall” marathon experience. The GR called the “best overall” into question, and after some contemplation, I’d have to agree with him. I think that CIM is my best overall marathon so far — it was memorable (HELLO MONSOON), I enjoyed most of it, and it is still my PR. Not to mention that it was my first marathon and, therefore, will always hold a special place in my heart. However, I would say that Oakland was a close 2nd in the enjoyment category — the community support is just amazing and there is something special about running a marathon in your hometown (even if you don’t technically live there anymore). I’ve got more to say about my training and marathons in general, but I’ll leave that for a post-race analysis blog post. I’ll just sign off with…
(source)
Official results & Garmin stats:
time: 4:46:50 (10:56/mile)
558/820 overall, 176/303 F, 27/43 AG
About the race:
- Organizers: Corrigan Sports
- Cost: $95 for early registration (up to Nov. 1), $105 (up to Jan. 1), $115 (up to March 15), and $140 at the expo. They shared discount codes via their twitter account @oaklandmarathon, including 20% off in the week leading up to the race. I don’t know about the other distances, but I don’t think the marathon sold out.
- Course: First half is VERY hilly and the 2nd half is very flat.
Total elevation gain according to my Garmin: 1000′
- Parking: Paid and free garages available. I found (free) street parking 5 blocks away near the Oakland Library (14th & Madison).
- Aid stations: Plenty of aid stations, spaced about 2 miles apart. All of the aid stations had both water and Gatorade except for the first one, which only had water. There was supposed to be Gu near each relay switch, but I didn’t see any at mile 6, so I was glad that I brought my own. There were also impromptu stations set up by neighborhood families and a really nice one in front of Brown Sugar Kitchen, handing out everything from fruit to desserts.
- Bathrooms: At least 3 different groups of porta potties at the start/finish area. There were no lines at the ones on Alice St., but they didn’t have any toilet paper either. The ones I’d recommend would be the small group of 10 porta potties behind the charity tents that no one was using. On the course, there were ~3 porta potties at every aid station.
- Swag: An attractive half-zip premium, nice medal, reusable clear bag, and an iGift bag with coupons, most of which I won’t use. All racers over 21 were given 2 drink tickets, good for either 21st Amendment beer or Barefoot sparking wine.
Pretty medal and nice race premium. The sleeves have thumb holes – my fave!
- Post-race food and drinks: Plenty of water, Gatorade, fresh fruit, Dole fruit snacks, and small bags of salty snacks (pretzels, Cheetos, Fritos, and Doritos).
- Post-race party: Various musical groups performed, including Oakland native Sheena E. The post-race weather (high 60’s and sunny) was fantastic for sitting around the park.
- Other notes/summary: Due to the small field, location, and organization, this was the easiest race logistically out of all 3 marathons I’ve done. The course does a great job showcasing all of Oakland – geographically and demographically. My only critique is that miles 13-17 of the marathon course are quite lonely; perhaps more could be done to get spectators or musical groups on that stretch between Dimond District and Lake Merritt BART station. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: the spectators are wonderful. You can feel the Oakland pride, and the community support is definitely my favorite aspect of this race. This is not an easy course, but definitely very interesting and enjoyable!
Howdy! My name is Jen and I live in the San Francisco Bay Area. I like to eat, run, and blog, but not usually at the same time.
Running Tangents 
Admittedly I’ve never been pregnant, but I can’t imagine there would be many more emotional ups-and-downs involved than what you just went through. Great job on a badass course! And way to persevere through it all (especially the boredom of International Blvd). I’m particularly impressed that you had the presence of mind to recognize your bib number in someone’s cheer… I never have the slightest clue what my number is, much less whether someone’s yelling it as I run by.
I should learn race-day nutrition from you, I usually go into “stomach lockdown” mode during a marathon. I can’t handle Gu, not because it affects my stomach, but just having to tear open the package, squeeze a gritty paste into my mouth, somehow swallow it and then wash it down with the obligatory shot of water takes roughly the same number of calories that the Gu provides. Shot Bloks are so much more user-friendly… and no water required!
I read “aid station/buffet at Brown Sugar Kitchen” and thought maybe you’d had to wait for an hour to get a cup of water, ha. Seriously though, if they’d been handing out their cornmeal waffles and apple cider syrup at that aid station, I’d be the first in line to register for Oakland 2015.
Your next marathon goal (after Big Sur, that is) should be to get Tim out there running 26.2 with you. After all, the couple that runs together… um, has funs together? And “Gypsy Jogger” just doesn’t have the same compelling ring to it.
Wait, you’ve never been pregnant??
I prefer Bloks over Gu, but I’ve also almost choked on Bloks towards the end of races, when I’m getting out of breath very easily. Maybe I’ll chop them up into little bits…but then that will make them hard to transport…sigh. The thing I do with Gu is I take small “bites” to make it more palatable. It also makes water less of a necessity. Sometimes I’m “sipping” on packet of Gu for a whole mile.
A thousand people is tiny! *deeply envious* Good job on the mental adjustments. It’s something i’m still working on myself.
I approve of the Shot Bloks. And of the Shot Blok in mouth photo. Happens to me all. the. time…
Your new Chinese friend is hilarious. I can barely make conversation in English during a marathon, let alone in my very rusty mother tongue/ second language. (Perhaps I should run Oakland and get some practice.)
And interestingly…I’ve cramped in every single marathon I’ve done; I wonder if anyone’s ever studied exercise-induced cramps and ethnicity…
Thanks, Grace. Mental adjustments continue to be a work in progress. I guess that’s why makes this whole running thing such an addicting challenge for me. As for the cramping – you know, this is the only marathon where cramping has gotten in the way of my running. Since I don’t usually have this problem, it makes me think heat was the issue. (Marathons #1 and 2 were done in ~50 degree F temps).
Jen this is a great recap…and a great race. 26.2 is SUCH a long way to run and most bloggers skim over this, you’re actually honest about how flipping far it is. Even though you were slower than you wanted, you ran a great race mentally – you paced yourself, you didn’t give up when the pacing group passed you (which I probably would have done), you fueled well, you finished with a smile. I honestly think that these recent marathons are good lessons for what will be a really fantastic PR marathon in the not too distant future.
Thanks, Cathryn, for the very kind words. It would be great to run a marathon PR, but until then, I figure that I might as well enjoy the experience. 🙂
There’s a lot to say about this post, but I was mostly drawn to your humble, yet fatigued “woohoo” response. That little moment is so indicative of a runner’s psyche that I can’t help but laugh when I read about it and when it happens to me. Spectators are great — they’re out there, almost selflessly, cheering for complete strangers, and you want to repay the favor. But with such a long distance and HILLS to boot, sometimes we can scarcely do anything but maybe throw a polite fist in the air.
Sounds like you really enjoyed running through such familiar terrain. It’s this bias that keeps the Chicago Marathon as my favorite race ever — I’ve walked almost every single stretch of it at some other point, so it’s flush with memories. That definitely helped keep a positive mantra playing in your head, even as things got a little tougher than you would have wanted.
This race will definitely make you stronger for Big Sur. Keep an eye on that prize — looking forward to reading all about it. Congrats!
Thanks, Dan! Having spectated at CIM last year, I can relate to the thankless “work” that spectators do just to put a smile on runners’ faces. I think even when people just nodded and smiled, I took it as a silent, “Thank you!” And I agree about running on familiar terrain – it’s a good way to keep one’s mind distracted in a positive way.
I’m very much looking forward to Big Sur!
I love this recap! It is such an interesting marathon…the course and the crowd… You did GREAT!!!!!
My favorite part of this recap (aside, of course, from the overall upbeat and thorough nature of it) is that pic from the Arch of Fire…truly nailed it with the caption…SO MUCH going on there!!!! LOL
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed the recap and the photo caption. Speaking of recaps, I had you “with me” during the hills as I recalled your posts about the relay. That was such a doozy!
Ah, sooooo glad to see that you finished this race with a smile on your face & found lots of positive things about it! I have to admit that I am probably not brave enough to race the full at Oakland (though I do always love the fire arch / fire spewing creatures). Congrats on powering through & finishing strong!
Thank you, Angela! Luckily, you get ALL of the fire spewing sculptures on the half marathon course – no need to climb up to Montclair for that part!
Awwww… this recap is awesome. *You* are awesome. I’m so proud of you for having such a positive mental and emotional experience. I think that’s actually the hardest thing to do about 26.2 — it’s so easy to let it become something other than an awesome experience of pushing yourself to your own edge on that day. I agree with Cathryn that you’ve banked some awesome lessons re: how to master this distance which are just waiting to jump out and reward you (perhaps when you least expect it…).
Also, I agree with you on Oaktown pride. I *love* this race for the spectators and the scenery. The Raider Nation is one of my favorite parts — I *also* make sure to high five the whole line of folks, so I was happy to read that you did it when I couldn’t this year!
Finally, your mandarin-speaking buddy story cracked me up. E and I agree that after about 12 miles, I am officially dumb, and it just goes downhill from there until I manage to get the appropriate amount of calories absorbed to reset my brain-sugar (often it takes an hour or more post meal). I often have trouble with basic running math, splits, distance left, time left, ordering food, making basic decisions about directions, identifying what I want, etc, in this state (in English!). Can’t even imagine how extra difficult it would be to try to think in another language in that state…
Yay – thanks, BT, for your awesome comments. 🙂 You make a good point — I think it’s really hard to get into the mindset of “well, this is the best I can do on this particular day” for a marathon, because so much time is put into training, as well as money for registration, travel, and lodging. It’s a big deal with a lot riding on it. I think I was able to be more relaxed about Oakland because I didn’t really train that hard for it, it was local, and I got a comped entry. Oh, and because I LOVE the people that come out and the city itself.
Also, I’m glad I’m not the only one who doesn’t want to speak foreign languages in the middle of a marathon! I was actually pretty coherent at the end of the race, and ended up being the group leader navigating us to lunch! So maybe it shows how much mental/physical energy I had on reserve (and that I didn’t push myself as hard as I could have).
I ran this race too, with no long run preparation. I wore a GPS watch for the first time, and was fascinated to see the end result: An almost straight line of decreasing speed from start to finish, with a couple of miles walking at the end. I did manage to get up to 11mph on the downhill, but that was just a fun little sprint. This wasn’t my fastest race, but it was the closest to a normal Sunday run i’ve had in a marathon, and felt just fine after the race and was running again the next day. That’s a far cry from previous marathons where I can barely walk for days. Running for 26.2 miles through your local neighborhood really does connect you with where you live.
Funny, that sounds like my experience too. I was “racing” only parts of it and my recovery has been very quick. Thanks for stopping by and leaving a note, and congrats on finishing a tough marathon course!
I truly believe that attitude is EVERYTHING, and I’m so happy that rocked the positivity during this race. I remember seeing that Mormon temple on that hill (how can you miss it, really?), and I can’t even believe that you had to run up that high! I think your Chinese friend is my favorite part of this story. I’ve never had anyone try to carry on a conversation with me during a race much less in a different language, but I can’t even imagine what kind of concentration that would require. And I hate that even your “Proof I’m not vain” picture isn’t that bad. You take really fantastic race photos.
Onto Big Sur!
Thanks, Amy! Trust me, the race photos have come a LONG way. It’s funny that you mentioned the Mormon Temple, because when I tell locals about the race, that’s always the part that gets them too – not just how high it is, but how far it is from Downtown. One of my friend’s responded with, “Wow, I never realized that’s how far a marathon was until you just said that!”
Great recap — I loved reading it. Congrats on a great race on an intimidating course!
Thanks, Kimra!
This is a very great RECAP. Very inspiring experience and very motivating. I’m glad that you finished the marathon safely, I hope you won’t be suffering any leg cramps, foot aches and etc. God bless you!
Thank you!
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[…] goals, but I definitely had a much better racing experience at Big Sur than I had in at MCM and at Oakland. I haven’t had a good long run this whole training cycle, so it felt great to still feel […]
[…] chafe once, doesn’t mean it won’t chafe another time. I wore the same outfit for both Oakland and Big Sur. Oakland = no chafing at all. Big Sur = OUCH. I blame the […]
Reading this blog in prep for the 2015 OM tomorrow. It is so helpful and encouraging for my first 26.2. Thank you for taking the time to post. I too hope to be “running with gratitude” tomorrow (up up up those hills)!
Glad to be of help! Thanks for leaving a comment, Karen, and best of luck tomorrow! Maybe I’ll see you out there – I’m running the relay as part of Team Crazy Cat Ladies. 🙂
[…] my 4th consecutive Oakland Running Festival event. In 2012 and 2013, I ran the half marathon. Last year, I tackled (or got tackled by) the full marathon. This year, I ran the 4-person marathon relay […]
[…] 2014 – full marathon […]