The 2014 San Francisco Marathon started under perfect weather in July of this year. Conditions were nearly perfect. So why take so long to write a race report?
Normally, I’m far better about writing my race reports; After all, who wants to read a report about a race almost a month after the fact?
I’m not sure why it took my so long to start this entry. Probably because I had one of my worst races ever based on time and I wasn’t very happy about it. Although the San Francisco Marathon is listed as #15 on the 15 Toughest Marathons in the World, that still didn’t change my feeling that I should have finished at a far better pace.
Yes, I’ve gained weight. Yes, I am more out of shape than I have ever been. But that’s no excuse!
So I suppose it’s with the shame of a poor performance that I procrastinated for as long as I did. None-the-less, better late than never.
The 2014 San Francisco Marathon was a first for me, but it was also a first for Alison of Goldilocks Training who would be finishing her first ever half marathon.
Alison is not a runner. If you ask her, she will vehemently tell you she’s not a runner. She’s not against it; she just doesn’t view herself as a “runner”.
But as a leader of a boot camp who often teaches runners, a bit of street-cred was in the offing after I bullied her into doing the race in the first place.
Shin splints plagued her training and she flat out admitted to not following my training plan I slaved and sweated over for… hours… okay minutes before sending it her way.
She was determined, however, to get “a decent time” despite her challenges, and in that process, we ran a beautiful 2:20 half, despite starting extra slow to make sure just what pace she would be able to sustain. Beginning at an almost 12-minute mile, we separated ways at mile 12 on the course running a sub-9 minute mile even after having conquered some of marathon’s toughest hills.
My second half marathon, run alone, fell apart. By mile 20 I was tired and bored. Motivation was at an all time low despite street bands and spectators offering beer.
My wife became worried when the race app froze and quit working (apparently this happened to nearly everyone) and she was unable to track my progress. Fortunately, I was wearing Google Glass, and a quick text solved any worries.
I finished in my officially-worst-time-ever. As someone who has never done well or place well, racing “the clock” is starting to get old. I suppose a little more focus on proper training might help, but even so, there was little else I could have done better.
A finish is a finish. But I’m looking forward to returning to trail runs!
Photos
Results
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