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excellent read.
The Sao Paulo International Marathon
Date: June 4, 2006
Start time: 9:00 AM
Participants: 10,000 (5K, 10K, 42.2K)
Number of participants in the Marathon (42.2K) = 4,000. Half did not finish. The winner was a Kenyan. The second and third place finishers were Brazilians. An American placed in the top ten.
My first marathon is under my belt, and heeding the advice of experienced marathoners and a world class runner from Sao Paulo, I decided to scrap the watch and just run to finish. Since the furthest I had ever run in my entire life was 18 miles on a treadmill at Sonterra Country Club in San Antonio, I was told I’d learn that those missing 8.2 miles would be a different animal altogether. Best to run one marathon as a “test”, just to make sure I’ve got the spirit and heart for it, that my joints can hold up and so on. So on Saturday, June 3rd, I essentially bagged my strategy of running at a 7:50 per mile clip for 26.2 miles and decided just to run the course in a comfort zone, sort of like a tourist. Well, comfortable for 23 miles, but no matter how conditioned you are or how fast you are running or even jogging, those last three miles test one’s for ude and determination. I’m proud to say I passed that test and know that running at that 7:50 per mile clip in my next marathon, perhaps in San Antonio in November, “should” not be a problem.
I think that having traveled from California to Sao Paulo some four days prior messed with my internal clock, what with the four hour time difference. I kept getting to sleep at ridiculous hours like 3:00 AM and awakening at 8:00 AM. By Saturday I was groggy and a bit on edge once my lower back tightened up. I was irritatingly far behind on sleep. So the first pre-marathon battle presented itself- finding a way to get just one decent night’s sleep, which is everything to a long distance runner. I got a personal trainer at my hotel in Sao Paulo to stretch my back out for me Saturday evening, and I took two muscle relaxants called Dorflex. I got to bed by 10:00 PM, but by midnight still could not get to sleep even after having read over 100 pages of a novel. So Mariane gave me a couple of natural sleeping pills to aid. I think by 1:30 I finally drifted off. I had the alarm set for 6:30 AM, but I literally awoke at 6:29 AM, psyched as can be to run and thankful to have gotten a few zzzz’s, although I would rather not have had to take medications, albeit natural ones, which have a carryover effect.
After a light breakfast I caught a cab to the “Obelisco”, which is the tallest monument in Brazil, a tribute to the cons utional revolution of 1932. It is a beautiful structure resting in front of the gorgeous, green and flowered Ibirapuera Park, a park where I’ve had numerous great runs. I’d compare it to Central Park, but about half as big.
I was surprised at all the hoopla, the music, the promoters and the sheer volume of participants. Everywhere I looked there were finely tuned athletes, not just soccer moms. I asked a race organizer what the deal was, i.e. confirmed the starting time, location, where I need to go if I want to run the marathon in 3 hours and 30 minutes. I found the porta potties, did a few strides, and eventually made my way to the starting area and had a prime location at the front of the 3:30 section, except I had to use the restroom one more time. So out I went and in line I stood, and by the time I got back, my 3:30 section was already closed, so was the 4:00 section, so I had to get with the slower folks. Naturally, once the gun went off, I struggled just to find enough space to run, hence the lost 9 minutes or so in my final time, but as I will explain later, this should be considered in my official time. However, I may have lost double that amount of time as once I did break free I had to find the right pacing. Plus my GPS watch was off kilter as we ran through several long tunnels. But, again, I reminded myself that I’m in this to run and complete it, just to enjoy the experience and see what its like for the human body to be in running motion over a distance of 26.2 miles.
Having once read in Runner’s World magazine that a good, simple test to do to make sure that one is running below their aerobic threshold comfortably, I quietly recited the Pledge of Allegiance and did so as if I were stationary. So I knew I was well below the pace I’d want to run if I were in an all-the-marbles duel. Running down a wide thoroughfare in Sao Paulo and turning into the Sao Paulo Jockey Club, where the horses race, at mile 5, the sun started breaking through and I became thankful that I had applied plenty of sunscreen. At that point I realized that I was running too slow, even for an “experience” trot. So I upped the pace a bit. Leaving the Jockey Club and winding down some exclusive residential streets under countless species of giant tropical and oak trees, I felt terrific and thankful that my back was holding up and that I felt absolutely no tendonitis in my left knee, which flared up while doing a hard 14 miler through the Dominion neighborhood in San Antonio a couple weeks ago and again during a strong 10 miler at a park in Los Angeles. Physically, I felt great.
Since my watch was off in terms of pacing and I was a bit zonked out from the medicine the night before, I was unsure of my pace until I saw a pacer in orange gear. I strode alongside her at mile 12 and barely breathing hard asked what group she was pacing. She huffed and puffed that she was pacing the 4 hour marathoners. Oops. Not cool, time to pick it up some!
So I sped it up a bit more but reminded myself about the mystery 19th mile, the abyss which I had yet to explore. At the same time, no way I wanted to complete this marathon in over 4 hours. Even though I considered this more of a training run, I still have pride!
I approached that infamous 19th mile in the middle of the University of Sao Paulo campus, which was surprisingly large and very well laid-out. It seemed forever that we wound our way around its streets until finally, at mile 19, a veteran Paulista, or Sao Paulo native, told me that this uphill is tough but that thereafter its all flat. I hit mile 19 feeling good, feeling strong, and feeling inspired. I even thought of doing a big kick and getting my pace below 8:00 per mile, but again, I reminded myself to be disciplined. My greatest weakness as a runner is my compe iveness at times. Even in training, I simply struggle to run at a pace slower than 8:00 per mile. But I held to my plan, that I would save it until mile 23 then see how I felt.
In approaching mile 23, I encountered a big crowd of supporters, and one American guy had a megaphone and was encouraging people along in English. Throughout the entire course, every three miles there were volunteers handing out awesome closed cups of water, which is great as you can open and chug one and carry another to consume later. Nothing worse than running a race in which you are handed open cups, half of which you lose splashing it up to your mouth on your first sip.
Throughout the race I saw several people walking, and more than a few laying down receiving medical attention. 26.2 miles under the sun will exhaust some folks. Thankfully, I was not one of them. In fact, at mile 23 I started to feel that compe ive voice telling me “I told you so. I told you that you could’ve done this at a sub 8:00/clip. After those training runs of 9 miles at a 6:55 per mile pace, you decide to loaf along at 8:50 per mile.” But I tuned that voice out and kept to my goal. I will admit that at mile 25, with one mile to go, I felt that this was the moment of truth. My breathing was light, my muscles were fine, but my feet and ankles were sore as can be. I can imagine that merely walking 26.2 miles would be annoying, even jogging, but running is tiresome. I also realized that there is a fine line between running one minute slower or faster for me in a marathon.
I crossed the finish line in 3 hours and 46 minutes, according to my running chip attached to my shoe. In major marathons and running events, the organizers give each runner a chip to attach either to their shoelaces or to keep in a pouch, which activates via a sensor once you actually cross the starting line. There are also sensors placed in four locations throughout the course to eliminate the risk of cheating. Since I had to start way in the back, my actual running time did not even start until about 7 or so minutes after the gun.
I felt proud to have run 26.2 miles, and while I did exactly what I set out to do, which was to hold back, just complete the distance for the experience, and really race the next one, the compe or in me was disappointed when I ran into a buddy from my Brazilian city, Uberlandia, whom I’ve beaten in two 10 kilometer races. He ran in 3:09. But he has experience and followed a pacer. Plus he’s about 45 pounds lighter than me, which really starts to make a difference in races over 9 miles distance.
Still, it was a truly a fantastic, incredibly satisfying experience. I believe that I will run probably four more marathons in my life, all time-oriented. My goal for the next one, again, perhaps in San Antonio, will be to run it faster than 3:20. By the fourth, I want to be below 3:10. Then I’ll be satisfied.
More proof that I held back- I was able to get back to my hotel, pick up my bags, get to the airport, fly home to Uberlandia and enjoy a couple of beers. Today, the day after, I can’t wait till my next marathon. Now that I know that my body can withstand the punishment of 26.2 miles of pavement, the sky’s the limit!
excellent read.
Thanks to both of you for taking the time to read my ramble! I appreciate the props. It was a fun time. I sort of feel like the Spurs, though - it was a great season, but should've gone further! ha ha
You spin a great yarn, Grande. Congrats on your accomplishment!
Awesome! Thats pretty bad ass David. And Mel is right, you tell a good story.
Thanks, guys. And especially coming from Manny, who is the king of smacking down soft takes, that means a lot! lol
That's pretty bad ass Grande. I have the Ironman on my list of things to do before I die, gonan take a lot of work
Dude, I'd never smack down anything about running 26 miles. Thats about as hardcore as it gets.
Congrats Dave!!!!
at being able to run close to 7 1/2 minutes a mile.
My wife and I did one about 3 yrs ago with the The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team In Training (Link) and ran for a little girl who had cancer in my daughters class. We had never done any type of running and they help you train for it. We ran the White Rock in Dallas, I had shin splits through out training so I was never that conditioned. My wife stuck with me and finished in a little over 5 hrs. It's an awesome feeling crossing the finish line.
It was great reading your experince, I hope to run another without any problems.
jcrod, that is wonderful to hear that you and your wife ran for such a great cause. Keep up the running, my friend!
Awesome story David. Sounds like quite a memorable experience.
Pistons<Spurs, thanks! It was lots of fun, but the next one in San Antonio will be even funner!
A marathon is one experience I know I'll never have in this life, and I completely admire anyone who can get through one. Congrats!
Nice. Longest I've ever done is a half-marathon. Too chicken (and now probably too old) to go the distance.
But running 18 miles on a treadmill is tougher (or at least would be for me) than running a marathon!
Shoogar, running 18 on the treadmill was a must because it was during one of those May heat/humidity waves in San Antonio. The problem is hydration and location. The outdoor route I would've run wasn't appropriate for stashing water bottles or gatorade. So I decided to just knock it out at the club. Actually, since there are TVs and headphones in front, it wasn't too bad. But, yeah, I much prefer outdoors.
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