And it only took 9 tries.......

Well after running nine marathons in six years, I FINALLY broke the four hour mark!   Here are my official results:

 Whitney Mallory

Your division: 30-39 F

Your chip time: 3:53:50.8

Your gun time: 3:55:00.3

Your mile pace: 8:55

Overall place: 374

Your gender place overall: 134

Your division place: 54

I can't believe I actually ran a marathon in 3:53.    You would think that after training for four months I would have had more faith in my ability to actually do it, but I think that deep down I was very doubtful that the race would go as I planned.    But, before the race, I can honestly say that I was genuinely okay  with any outcome because training for this race was a huge part of my sanity during Peter's absence.  So I knew that I had already reaped the benefits of my training regimen, with or without a good race result. In addition to filling up large gaps of time and giving me daily and weekly accomplish-able goals, training for this race gave me 2-3 hours a week of freedom.    (THANK YOU SHANNON!!!!)   During my weekly long run I would listen to a sermon, spend a long time praying for friends/family/situations that I don't normally make time for during my morning quiet times, listen to praise music, and sometimes, just chat with God.   Tell him what was on my heart and mind and give him time to respond.   It was always exactly what I needed.   I would drop Susannah off at Shannon's feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, frustrated, depleted, and inadequate.  Then I would return feeling loved, rested, revitalized, treasured, organized, and focused.   So even though I didn't really think that I would accomplish my training goals, I went into the race knowing that I had already gained so much more than a race time would ever give me.   I had spent time with Jesus and that was enough reward for me.   Any good results from the race would just be icing on the cake.    Lucky for me, God decided to give me some really delicious icing!  

While I have run 9 marathons, I have only run 3 for time.   My first was Disney and I was trying for a 4:15.   I finished in 4:40.    My second was in Nashville and I was trying to break 4 hours.   I walked/limped/jogged the last 5 miles and finished in 4:29.   My second attempt to break 4 hours was in Washington DC and I, once again, went out to fast and bonked in the end, finishing in a disappointing 4:10.   So, this time, despite promises and plans to run a smarter race, I was still shocked when I actually executed my plan, and ran (mostly) even splits.   I did everything exactly the way I had planned it.   I ran the first mile very slow and easy.   Then I picked it up incrementally for the next few miles, but kept myself at a conversational pace.   I even ran with a couple of other people and chatted with them to make sure I was still breathing easy.   After eating my first half of a power bar at mile 7, I put my earphones on, wished my new friends good luck, and settled in to what I was guessing was a slightly sub 9 minute mile.  (I decided not to use a GPS and just go by mile splits......this was definitely the right decision for me.)   

For the next hour, I listened to a sermon on Galatians 3-4.   The end of the sermon was about how God sees us as his children.  He wants to be our Dad.   Our "Abba Father."  The pastor gave an illustration of how he took care of his little girl when she was hurt and in the emergency room.    And I could feel God saying to me that he was going to be so proud of me at that finish line......He was going to swoop me up in a big hug and tell me how much he loved me.   This image of God as my loving Daddy, my doting father, that cares about all the aspects of my life, even my middle-of-the-pack marathon performances, carried me through the next 5 miles or so.   I had expected to need/want to turn on music after the sermon was over.   But I felt so incredibly energized that I decided to pray instead.   I could almost physically feel the prayers that I knew were being prayed for me.   (Thanks to all my friends and family......God answered your prayers)   I spent miles 13-20 the way I had spent so many of my long training runs.....just hanging out with Jesus.   Thanking him for his blessings and asking him for his help and guidance.   It was awesome.   

During this time I ate the other half of my power bar, stopped at a porta-potty, and refilled my water bottle.   This would be a good time to give a big shout out to the organizers of this race.   Everything was impeccably run....from the shuttles to the website to the water stops to the expo.....it was so runner friendly.   And the weather was perfect too......low 60s and cloudy with a very light mist/drizzle the entire race.  

I should be clear that I didn't feel amazing the entire time.   There were definitely times when I would start to feel crampy (I battled a side stitch from mile 14-17) or tired, but as soon as I refocused and started praying, I would feel my energy surge.   It was really amazing.   I don't know if I have ever felt the power of prayer in such a tangible, physical way.  Around mile 15 I passed the 3:55 pacer.   This felt great because it was an encouragement that I was executing exactly as I had planned.    

Around Mile 20, we had to run by the finish line which was really, really discouraging.   I put my music on but could still feel myself slowing down a bit.   While I had been passing people throughout the race, I was starting to be passed as well.   I was not a fan.   But speeding up just seemed too daunting because I knew I had over 5 miles left.   I just kept plodding along though, reminding myself to keep pushing and run with courage.   Around mile 21, I caught a pink flash in the corner of my eye and realized it was the 3:55 pace group.   They had caught me!!!    This realization sent a power surge from my brain to my legs and before taking off, I said to him, "I'm going to do everything I can to keep you behind me."   And with that, I was off.   I found one of my favorite songs on my iPod, turned up the volume, and focused on keeping my stride short and quick.   It worked and the last few miles I passed more and more people.   Susannah and Peter were at mile 26 and seeing them gave me another energy boost so I actually sprinted in to the finish and stopped my watch with a 3:53!!!  I did it!!!!  

Pre-race I sent this to Peter so he would know what shirt to be looking for.  

And here we are post-race.   Susannah didn't want to be in my lap because I was so sweaty, but I made her so we could have a picture.  ;)

Here are the splits from my watch.    I forgot to hit the split button on my watch once at mile 16 and then from 22 until the finish, but I managed to get most of them. 

9:29 (warm-up mile, exactly like I planned)

8:29

8:42

8:57 (mile 4 and 5 were almost completely uphill)

8:59

9:37 (stopped to refill my water bottle during this mile)

7:57 (must have subconsciously sped up to make up for the time lost at the water stop)

8:36

8:56

8:35

8:59

9:37 (porta-potty stop)

7:39 (once again, trying to make up lost time)

8:53

8:47 (This is where I missed the mile marker, so this is just the avg of mile 15 and 16. When I saw the 17 

8:47 marker, I thought "what a cruel joke".   Then I did some math in my head and felt a surge of joy.)

9:04 (Another water-bottle refill)

8:58

8:56

9:13 (This was that demoralizing mile where we ran by the finish line.   And I finished my last power bar.)

8:48

8:54

9:14

9:14

9:14

9:14 (I really wish I had remembered to hit the splits on the last 4 miles, but I was too busy forcing my legs to go.   I could have sworn I was running faster than 9:14 though.   I was passing so many people.   Just one example of how miles 21-26.2 are the twilight zone.) 

Final time:  3:53!!!!!!!   

**After proofreading this, I realize that I probably should have stated my race plan at the beginning since it was different than what I had been blogging the past few months.   I trained with a race pace of 8:31 and a goal of 3:43.   But, due to the cold that I battled the week before the race and my history of over-estimating my abilities, I adjusted my plans the last few days before the race.   My race day goal was to break 4 hours, with hopes that I could break it by 5 minutes or a little more.   I wanted to take the first mile super easy, the first 15 miles comfortably, and have enough energy in the tank to pass lots of people in the last 6 miles.   And, PRAISE GOD, that is exactly what I did.   It was a perfect race morning.