Lincoln Marathon Race Report

Another beautiful Spring day in Nebraska, another year running the Lincoln National Guard Marathon and Half Marathon!

David and I rode our bikes to the start of the race, as we do each year.  Since they recently moved the start line, to accommodate more runners, we need to change where we rack our bikes!

The weather on the Saturday before the race was terrible!  Our 11yo daughter, Alahnnah, ran the KFRX Mayor's Run and it was miserable.  It was about 35 degrees with 20mph winds and rain.  We had discouraged the girls from participating - but when a kid tells you "Mom, we signed up for it, we need to do it" - you have to do it.

Miss A giving me "the look"

Thankfully, Sunday was a little better.  The temps were hovering around 40 and there was no rain.  The wind had died down a bit, but it was still chilly!  I dressed in a t-shirt and a jacket when last year I ran in a tank top!

When we got to the race, we lined up waaaay in the back near the 5:15 pace group.  This was my very first time running the Full Marathon!  David ran with me and planned to leave me at the halfway mark and finish while I went on.  I warned him that it would be the slowest half marathon of his life!  Didn't matter to him.

After waiting about 45 minutes, our group crossed the start line.  We ran easy and chatted.  Lots of costumes and people to look at.  Many in our area were first time half marathoners.  It's very inspiring to run with people who are doing it for the first time.  

Loved the shirts this year!

We used the 10/1 run/walk ratio that I trained with and things were going well.  The 5:15 pace group was doing a little dance with us as they would pass while we walked and we would then pass as we ran.  The spectators along the course were amazing!  The first group that I saw with tissues was a wonderful sight. Snot rockets are okay in training, but really hard to do while running with 10,000 people!

There were people playing live music, folks with speakers hooked up playing Eye of the Tiger, lots of kids giving high fives, people with jelly beans and gummy bears...Lincoln is a wonderful spectator event.  David and I ran along and had a ball.

Around mile 5, I needed to stop.  We waited in line for 4 minutes to use the bathroom, but I figured that was okay.  I just wanted to finish, afterall.  The 5:15 pace group was long gone by that time, bu I knew the 5:30 was back there somewhere. 

After the 10k split, we turned to the west and the wind picked up.  My stomach also started some shenannigans.  Around 7 miles I had to stop again.  It was so bad that I almost didn't make it.  When we got back on the road, I noticed that the 2:55 half marathon pace group was close by.  Hmm...that's not good.  Where is the 5:30 pace group?

More than that, WHAT TIME IS IT?  

Around the 10 mile mark, it occurred to me that I was in jeopardy of NOT making the 10:30 time cutoff to finish the Full Marathon.  At 10:30, they barricade that portion of the trail and re-route you into Memorial Stadium to finish as a Half Marathoner. 

With 2.8 miles to go, we had 30 minutes to make it.  We tried.  We picked it up as best we could.  We past at least 100 people pushing to get there and still make it so I had enough gas left to go another 13 miles.

Missed it by 5 minutes.  Barricades were up, police and race officials were there.  My day was over.

As we headed into the Stadium, the song that was playing was "You Can't Always Get What You Want."  Fitting.  I decided to stop sniffling and cross the finish line side-by-side with my constant supporter and biggest fan.  

More in a different post on how I feel about the whole thing.  Still a little numb.  And frankly, I have a Century Ride that I need to get training for.  I don't have time to sulk.  It sucks, but as I always tell the kids - you get what you get and you don't throw a fit.

I STILL got a medal. :)