The renewed debate about a sub 2 marathon

This morning, September 28, 2015 the men's marathon world record was broken!  Dennis Kimetto ran 2.02.57 in Berlin. Emmanuel Mutai has in close chase behind and broke the previous record as well. Breaking the 2.03 barrier will renew the discussion about the evolution of the record and whether sub 2 will be seen in our life time.  Let's assume at 41 years I have at least 30 more years in me. Heck, for argument sake, let's say we have 35 years to crack this record.  For sake of his blog, 35 years will be considered our life time.

Here is some math to chew on:
Dennis Kimetto 2:02:57 WR  

2.03 4.42 pace

2.00 4.35 pace 

58.23 2010 half current WR, 58.33 2^nd fastest half (sharing that the 58.23 is not a huge outlier)

(58.30 x 2)+ 6 min = 2.03 

A 6 min spread is pretty good for guys.  Elite and sub-elite women tend to be able to narrow the gap even more down to 4 min.  Mere mortal men are typically 8-12 min with some outlies.

Let's say guys are able to narrow the spread down to 4 min.  

(58.30 x 2) + 4 min = 2.01 4.37 pace. This is a 5 sec a mile drop from the current record.

To get down to sub 2, the half most likely has to get down to at least 58.

(58 x 2) + 4 min =2.00 4.35 pace.  7 sec per mile drop from the current record 

Beyond the math, unlike the women's world record where there are several women in the world running in the 2.19s but none close to the 2.15 Paula Ratcliffe world record, the men have a number of candidates capable of challenging the world record.  Right out of the gate, Chicago Marathon on October 12th has a field that could nail it.  But, to break the WR, realistically, you need world class marathoners as pacers because no one else can run that fast.  You need world class competitors. Emmanuel Mutai for example pushed the pace in Berlin and broke the previous record himself finishing second to Kimetto's world record. You need a course that is flat with few turns and good weather.  Over 26.2 miles, a few extra degrees of humidity, dew point, temps could slow you down 30+ seconds.  A windy day or the sun particularly shiny can slow you down too.


So is it possible that over the next 35 years the marathon world record will drop under 2?  I think so. It's a stretch goal for sure but mankind continues to do extraordinary things as we evolve.  The financial incentives are there making the marathon the darling distance event right now.  Elite competitors are now going for it right from the gun racing the heck out of the distance.  Over 35 years, a whole new generation of runners will come up the ranks with new goals and aspirations.  35 years is enough for man to evolve, specialize, and learn even more about how to push the threshold of man. 

I can't wait to see it unfold and will be cheering for all the incredibly talented racers who dedicate their lives to advancing the record.

Strength Training for Runners

I need to start by stating I am not a physical therapist. I am not a certified athletic trainer.  I am merely a runner who has been exploring opportunities to improve my running both for my own personal well-being and for the athletes I coach.  In the course of personal experimentation and learning from others, I now have a weekly strength routine I perform 2-3 times a week.  Before you embark on a strength program, I highly encourage you to consult with your coach.  If you do have access to a physical therapist or trainer, at a minimum, share with them your intended program. 

 Common Myths

11)      “I tried lifting but I got too much bulk” – Wow..really scrawny distance runner?  You are telling me the 30 minutes 3 times a week for a total 90 minutes a week got you big and negatively impacted your running?  I am not buying it! None of what I am sharing is power lifting or any type of routine where we risk losing you to a football team. If you run 50+ miles a week you are still going to be lean.  You might add some extra muscle but I assure you your upper body is far less strong than your legs given how much you run.  There is still a big inequality between the two. 

22)      “I don’t have time to do strength training and prioritize running at first” – Time management is real and in our sport, the best way to get better is to run.  I agree that in a pinch, run over anything else.  However, there are days maybe when you are thinking about a double or have some extra time for whatever reason that you could work in 30 minutes.  What I will share with you is a bit easier to do in a nice gym but a hotel gym or carving out 20 minutes at home is feasible too.  Maybe you strive to get to the gym twice and do 1 workout a week at home.

33)      “I can’t do strength today because I have or had a hard workout” – I partially concede this one as no cross training in my opinion should ever detract from your primary exercise which is running.  When you are not running, you should be recovering and getting ready for the next run.  Strength workouts are merely supplemental to help your long term progress. But…where I disagree is again coughing up excuses.  If you are short on time for the week rather than skip a session, go the day before a hard workout.  Maybe you adjust the strength session to do less. Maybe you do the strength session later in the day after a hard morning effort or stick to push-ups and sit-ups in your house.. When you first embark on strength sessions, you probably will be fairly sore.  But once you get into the routine, the soreness is far less and you start to feel the benefits on your runs regardless of what day you complete the strength session.

Objectives

11)      Look at the professional running ranks.  At first glance you might think Mo Farah or Galen Rupp or Meb are slight guys.  They are trim for sure but if you observe a bit closer especially in a track race when they are kicking, you will see very noticeable definition in their arms and upper body.  Look at the stomachs of several of the elite female women like Jenny Simpson or Emma Coburn.  They have a core that most of us would die for!  None of this is by accident.  These athletes have a structured regimen that is an integral part of their overall training plan.

22)      Injury prevention – Especially for us folks in our late 30s and early 40s who spend time at a desk job.  We don’t fire off certain muscles a much as we did when we were younger.  As a result, we need to force dedicated time to maintaining these muscles and attempting to strengthen them before we have a substantial muscle imbalance that leads to an injury.  Proactively strengthen muscles BEFORE you are hurt and have to do rehab to get them back.

33)      Form and efficiency – I focus a lot of my strength work on activities that improve my running economy.  If my mid-section is more stable, I am going to be more efficient and use less energy.  This allows me to run farther at a faster pace with less energy.  I work on exercises that strengthen my arm drive so that when I need to turn on the after burners and kick hard at the end of the race, my upper body is a participant as well.

So what do I do?

I prefer to go to the Y because it forces me to focus and dedicate time towards my strength training.  I wear headphones and listen to music on my ipod shuffle so that I am in my own little world.  This works for me. 

For Core:

A strong core is a huge asset to a runner.  This is not just your traditional situps and stomach muscles but really all the muscles that are your mid-section.  Physical therapists love to pick on runners hip flexors as the left or right tend to be weak and lead to common injuries for runners.

For stomach specific I do a series of different type of sit-ups (on a mat, on a medicine ball), planks, and leg lefts on equipment at the gym.  Each time I go I do some variety of these and mix it up each time I go to the gym to work different muscle groups in my stomach.

Hip Flexor:

For hip flexor specific, I do two different types of one leg dips.  Basically I try to touch the floor in front of me while standing on 1 leg.  I usually do two sets of 8 on each leg.  The other on I do instead of what I just described is somewhat of a running motion where I dip one leg again while driving my arms.

I do squats.  Initially I did these without weights until I got comfortable. Over the last few months I have integrated in a bar that adds some weight over my shoulders.  I caution you to only do squats after profession instruction as you can really mess up you back doing squats improperly or exerting too much weight.

Additional – I usually do about 15-20 jumping jacks to help with lateral movement.  I also do what I call leg extenders (I am sure there is a more correct name).  Where I stand with my feet together and swing 1 foot away from my body while my leg remains stiff.  Left swings out left, right swings out right.  I do these again, about 8-10 reps for 2 sets.  If you have had hamstring issues or other body parts that have been problematic in the past, consult with a PT or trainer about exercises that will assist with strengthening these areas.

Legs:
There are different schools of thought but beyond the core strength I do not do anything with my legs.  My theory is running pretty much covers off on that.  I do 2-3 sets of 8-10 lunges. I also do a few form drills specifically with high knees where I exaggerate slow motion running form for about 8 times down and back.  Both of these activities are more form and motion than leg strength.

Upper body:

Especially when I visit the Y, I have a wealth of options and try to vary it up each session.  Sometimes this is based on what machines are available or what I feel like I want to do.

A few tried a true are:

a)      Bench press – 8-10 reps for 2-3 sets.  You are a distance runner so pick a weight that is reasonable.  You are not going to win a power lifting competition every so check your ego at the door!

b)      Lat pull downs are solid as are curls. 

c)       Pull-ups and pushups are typically mandatory for me. I now have a routine where at least a set of pull-ups or a set of pushups are a part of every session.  Push-ups in particular are easy to do anywhere so if you can’t get to a gym, no excuses as pushups and situps above can be done anywhere. 

d)      Running in place with dumb-bells.  Yes, you will look silly but imagine how silly some of these gym fellas look on a run when you effortlessly glide by.  You are out of your element in a gym and that is ok as it’s not your primary activity. Goal for here is to move your arms in a running motion like you are sprinting down the last 100m of a race.  You should focus on good clean, straight arm swing and repeat until your arms are tired.  Generally around 50 swing of your arm initially will tire you out.  As you get stronger, 70-80 swings and increase the weight. The weight should not be heavy. 5 pound weights for women and move up to 10 when you can. I am using 15 pds now and have contemplated 20pds but my arm swing gets too sloppy and awkward with the heavier weight which is what you want to avoid.

e)      Try different things – Most decent gyms have a number of free weights and machines.  Try 8-10 reps of 2 or 3 sets of a particular exercise and pick a few more.

Overall - Spend 20-30 minutes mixing in various activities.  While I big muscle guys stare at themselves in the full length mirrors, use your time efficiently and move on to the next exercise.  I tend to work in stretching, upper body, while I am resting from upper body, core, etc. 

Be patient!  You are going to have some initial soreness and you won’t see tangible results for a couple months.  However, after a couple months, you will feel smoother on runs, hopefully are staying away from some nagging injuries that bothered you in the past and you might have a few extra gears during a run that you previously did not have.  

Thank you Caitlin

Caitlin’s departure from the Charlotte area makes me sad on a selfish level because she has meant so much to me and our running community the past 5 years.  Yet, for Caitlin and her husband, Garrett, it is a wonderful opportunity to take another step forward in their career growth.  They will only be 2.5 hours east of Charlotte so visits/email/fb/twitter/phone calls are always still available.

Caitlin came to Charlotte after graduating from Wake Forest and lining up a job with Bank of America right out of school.  She and I met on Craiglist.  It was not a date and neither of us was trolling for some fetish sexual encounter.  We both were frustrated trying to locate a group to run with.  Either she or I posted a request out on Craiglist. I honestly can’t remember if I found her post or she responded to mine, but after we both did our own independent background checks to make sure we were not running with a serial killer, we met in front of Discovery place after work for our first run.

There are some folks that almost instantly on a run you know you click.  Caitlin is the gold standard for that type of feeling.  I immediately felt comfortable with her and looked forward to our next run.  At the time (2009), I was in my mid 30s and had just started to get back into running.  I had always run since college but over the 10 years proceeding, if I got out for 3-4 runs and averaged 30 miles, it was a really good week.  The marathon bug had caught me and I was in need of a steady training partner for motivation.  Caitlin was attempting her first competitive half at OBX after a terrific collegiate career at Wake Forest.

As we did more runs together, her energy, enthusiasm, and smarts got the wheels in my head turning and before long we had recruited several other local runners as regulars at our morning runs.  Before long, we figured, heck let’s call ourselves Charlotte Running Club to have some identity and grow this thing a bit more.   Charlotte already had a good group of runners but the scene was fragmented and folks did not have a forum to find each other, meet and train together.  CRC and the foundation we built helped provide the opportunity for folks to connect.

Anyone who knows Caitlin has a good story about an experience with her.  I am fortunate to have lots of great memories with her. Heck the name of my blog is a story about her (Uno Mas!). But the point of this blog is to say thank you!

Caitlin Thank you for inspiring me to believe even as I approached 40 and am know a master runner that I can achieve good results.  I have had lifetime PRs from 5k-marathon in my late 30s!  I have trained harder, farther, smarter than I ever did in college.  Most importantly, I have LOVED IT!  Her passion for running is contagious and somehow got me excited to get up at 5am to run track workouts at 5.30am.  I never would have dreamt that would be me!

Thank you for growing the Charlotte Running club.  We have a terrific running club that Caitlin was a huge part in building the club as a founder and multi-year board member. Who would have guessed that FB 7 min pace group would grow well over 100 participants and by posting a run request an hour before a run somewhere in the city that you most likely will have at least 2-3 runners show up!

Thank you for inspiring and encouraging so many women in Charlotte to improve.  Dalena, Michelle, Danielle…I could go on and on but all these ladies were good runners and Caitlin helped build their confidence, train and encourage them to be even better by being a good friend and role model of what is possible.  All three are now sub 3 hour marathoners among other accolades.

Thank you on behalf of all the men who were your training partners and have run lifetime PRs.  I kid Caitlin that she is her own worst enemy with training partners.  She recruits men to push her in workouts and then as they consistently workout with her, they get better and become faster.  Several have gone on to do quite well in local races.  Heck, Caitlin was kicking my tail when we first met and I grew into a much better runner.

Thank you for your connections.  I have name dropped Caitlin a few times to help an athlete get into an event or have checked with Caitlin before going to a new city on vacation as to whether she knows anybody there.  All those experiences went well. 

Thank you for encouraging me to coach and for all the coaching you have provided to our running community.  Caitlin has the intelligence and experience to provide sound training advice to your athletes and to your coaching peers such as myself.  I know I can always engage Caitlin in a helpful discussion about training approach for current and prospective athletes that I coach.

Thank you for being a friend.  Above and beyond running, Caitlin listens, empathizes but also never feeds me B.S..  I actually find that type of feedback very refreshing.  Sometimes it is uncomfortable but ultimately healthy for a friend to just tell you objectively their opinion. From time to time I need that candid slap in the face to ground me.  Caitlin has the guts to do this and I am thankful and envious of her courage.

So this morning, June 29, 2014, our last official Charlotte run with Caitlin was just like it always has been. Caitlin showed up, high fived a few folks as a quick low key thank you gesture. We started off on the run and caught-up on various runners, running events, got a good run in, and had a lot of laughs.  Near the end of the run, she turned off before Dowd and shouted later as the rest of us headed towards Dowd. 

Runners/friends come and go as that is the fluid nature of our world. We win some, we lose some.  Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill, you just won the lottery getting Caitlin for the next several years!  Best wishes and I can’t wait until our next run.

Looking for a Summer/Fall 2014 Running Training Plan?

I find myself with some additional coaching capacity heading into Summer/Fall of 2014 so I am offering up spots on my roster of athletes.  As you contemplate summer and fall running goals, I would love the opportunity to help you achieve your running goals regardless of your current abilities.

Running Coaching Services

What you get
1) A training plan built toward your goal race.  Typically 10-16 weeks depending on the race.  I like to have several lead up races to help prepare you and to give you other shots at good racing experiences.  That way when you step to the line for your goal race, even if it is not your day, the weather is not good, you still have had a rewarding build up.
2) An email from me every Sunday that highlights the objectives for the week and gives you an opportunity to report back how your week went. The plan is an outline that typically tells states your target mileage (approx within +-5 miles for you), key workouts and long runs.  It is up to you when to do them.  You know your personal schedule better than me and I want each athlete to have personal flexibility.
3) I like to send you an email and chat before races just to have a good race strategy in place
4) You can email/text/call me any time during the week for questions, changes, etc.
5) Please be honest and direct with me.  If something is not working or you need a change, let me know and I will work with you.  If you are hurt, sick…I need to know so I can help adjust the schedule.
6) Most, most, most important is to have FUN!  Relaxed and happy runners are better runners and if you are not enjoying it, then something is not working and we need to make adjustments.

To Get Started
1) Contact me at: 704-241-0838 or email at amlinz@yahoo.com
2) I have some instructions in the plan workbook and a few sections I need your help to complete:
               a. Recent PRs over various distances
               b. Target races you have in mind (I will suggest a few races as well)
               c. Weekends/weeks you know are going to be rough or out of town
3) A little bit of history.  What has been your weekly mileage and approx how many miles have you run. Do you have any recurring injuries?
4) Payment once you receive your schedule and are satisfied.  Payment is per plan and not monthly.  The fee for marathon plans is a bit more than half marathon as marathon training cycles tend to be longer training cycles.

Tequila 400m Run-CRC Turns 5 years old

Charlotte Running Club turns 5 years old on Monday May 5, 2014. We unofficially celebrate the club birthday each year with the Tequila 400m. When we founded the club in 2009, the crew below was doing a 400m workout at JCSU in an massive (in fact kind of dangerous) thunderstorm. On our last 400m, we each took a shot of Tequila and then ran an all out 400m. Here is the original crew.

Where: This year we are aligning with the CRC official sponsored b-day celebration at Triple C brewery on Thursday May 8.  The Triple C run will start promptly at 6.30pm as it always does.  We will gather at 7.15pm post run with the race starting at 7.30pm. 

Format: At 7.30pm, each racer will have a shot of tequila in hand (lime and salt will be available and optional). At the sound of the gun start, take your shot and then you are off running. First male and first female to the finish wins cash!!! Added $10 bonus to anyone you breaks Thomas Eggar’s course record.  Happy Birthday Charlotte Running Club!!!

Registration: 6.30-7.15pm - $5 cash gets u one shot of Tequila (bring milk if u are a non drinker) and a chance to win cash if you are the top male or female finisher. Find Aaron Linz or Caitlin Bullock to register.

Even if you don't want to "race", come celebrate and cheer! Please keep social media pictures to a minimum as we have certainly have fun at the event but it is not something sanctioned or we want to make too public given the nature of the activities.

POST EVENT FOOTNOTE:  Thanks to all that participated this year.  We had our best turn-out to date.  

4th Annual Cupids Revenge

4th Annual Cupid's Revenge is on for Feb 15, 2014 ------Cancelled - snow and ice :( 

Details:

• 8am Cupids Cup 5K race
• Run your guts out for the 5k. Do not save anything.
• 10 min to get water/gatorade/gu in you, drop warm clothes with Aaron
• 8.30am, off towards Providence road (approximately 1 mile from finish of Cupids Cup)
• Providence/Providence - ease into marathon pace heading towards the Arboretum
• Linz to be in the car with music support and water/gu at Fairview/Providence
• Approx 7.5 mile tempo to Arboretum Shopping center (corner of Providence and 51)
• Regroup in the Cinebarre parking lot (next to Taco Bell) for water/gu, dry clothes
• Optional 2-3 mile warm-down and transport back to Cupids Cup. 

Needs:

• Runners for 5K and Tempo.
• Runners who just want to do the tempo
• Pacers for the tempo
• Drivers for the tempo

If you are interested to help with an accurate head count, please email or FB:  Aaron Linz, amlinz@yahoo.com

This is a terrific marathon training workout especially for runners in the middle of a Boston cycle. Providence road is rolling much like the Boston course.  Working together in packs to help each other out with the tempo is a great way to accomplish this effort.

CAUTION:
This is a fun workout but advanced. You are attempting to push your body when your legs are already tired from a hard 5K effort.  Do not attempt this if you are not in shape.  Please discuss with your coach and/or see how it fits into your training schedule.  It will tire you out and require a few easy days to recover.
We have run along Providence road side walk which switches sides once and there are a few lights.
Cars >Humans when it comes to physics so even if you are jammin your tempo, be prepared that you may have to stop and wait for a light and/or break in traffic.  If you get hit by a car, you won't run very fast the rest of the year.

If you have not yet registered for the Cupids Cup 5k, here is the link:

www.CupidsCup5K.com

Everything you Do and Do Not Want to Know about MCM

Authors Note:  I was inspired by a few friends running MCM this year to share my experiences over the years with this marathon. My comments are a bit raw and unedited but thought they might serve useful to anyone who is competing this year or in future years.  Enjoy the race if you have the opportunity to run it.

Marine Corps Marathon (MCM)

The Marine Corps Marathon has always been special to me.  It is in the city I grew up in, I watched my father finish his only 2 marathons there, I have watched close friends complete it and I have completed it 4 times.  My very first marathon in 1997 was MCM.  I did not run another marathon one until 2009.

With 4 MCM finishes under my belt including a 2.46, I think I have some information to share about the event that might serve useful to those competing. My top advice is enjoy it!  The marines do a terrific job to ensure your race experience is excellent!  You run some of our most treasured national monuments and the fans are loud and tons of them. Take the time to thank a marine or two along the course and look up and smile that you have the opportunity to run in such a terrific event. 

Take the metro and get there early!  The closer you get to the start, the more crowded the subway gets.  Pre-purchase your fare card the day before if you want to avoid lines with fares.  I recommend putting on plenty of money to cover your trip to the race and money for after. I also recommend stashing $20 in your shorts.  In the worst case scenario, 20 bucks is a good backup to get you a cab, purchase another metro ticket on the course if injury shuts you down, food money after if your bag gets lost.  It is emergency money.

When you hit the Pentagon, be prepared to walk a lot!  It actually is a good warm-up but note that the start line is close to 1.5 miles from the Metro stop.  You basically follow the heard of folks. 

Wait to use the restrooms. A lot of folks dive off to the nearest ones at the Pentagon and as soon as you get into the bag check area.  I recommend checking in your bag and then the last porta johns at the far end of the lot before you head up to the start.  At the start there are limited opportunities.  Like all smart marathoners, I encourage you to bring you own TP.  A lot of times you don’t need it but it is cheap and easy to bring your own.  Throw it if you don’t need it but good backup.  Also think thru what warm clothes you will need after the race so that you can pack them in your bag.  You don’t need a lot but a warm sweatshirt or long sleeve shirt will be fantastic especially if you have a long subway ride back home.

MCM is a good race to set aside some old clothes that you don’t mind parting with.  Once I check my bag in, I usually carry a water bottle and small snack (nutrigrain or another gel) up to the start along with keeping on warm clothes.  At the start of MCM, you will see mass shedding of clothes.  The Marines sweep it all up and it all goes to charity.  Because you are waiting at the start for over an hour, it is important to stay warm and get a little bit of food/water in you.  Worst case you pitch the food.  I have even started the race and thrown off a long sleeve a mile or 2 into the race which is also very common in this event.

Once you reach the start, if you are a sub 3, there are 2 sides to the street to start on.  Over the years the top folks elect left or right.  It doesn’t matter and I would tend to recommend left.  It is a little easier to pop over to pee on the metro fence on the left and get back into your spot.  Left takes you over a small over pass where right does not but the distances are the same and by Rosslyn you are all together.  I usually like the left near one of the sides.  It gets a bit crowded but if you are fast, you have every right to be up there.  I recommend you be as far up towards the front of your respective corral.

If you have to do more than pee, off to the right, there are some woods.  As the race gets closer to the start, you will see a lot of action down that way that none of us are proud of but you got to do what you got to do sometimes.  At worst, if you are still having some stomach issues, MCM has plenty of potties usually at all the water stops.  Just plan your stop and try to make it quick and efficient.

Usually there will be a fly over of some form of a military airplane or helicopter and then the actual start is a cannon going off.  There is a large wheelchair and disabled category that goes few minutes before the rest of the field.  I will mention them a bit later.

Cannon goes off and you are on your way.  Maintain YOUR pace!  It is so easy the first mile of this race to get very excited.  Don’t weave in and out of traffic if you did not get a good starting spot.  It’s 26.2 miles so you have time to ease into it.  You do not want to waste energy the first couple miles.

Rosslyn is about mile one and the crowds are HUGE!  Coming out of Rosslyn you will hit one of the biggest hills on the course.  Just maintain your pace/effort. You might be a bit slow on this mile but that is ok as you have a big downhill coming up.  Most of the idiots who go out too fast start to die at this point already.  You will also start to pass a few of the wheel chair and disabled participants.  Pretty easy to stop feeling sorry for yourself when you see how determined these competitors are.  They are a true inspiration.

Sprout run is about mile 3 and is a large downhill.  Two things..you can go about 5-10 sec faster than your avg pace but don’t over do it as no reason.  Run tangents down this hill but be HIGHLY aware of your surroundings because the disabled participants pick up a ton of steam coming down the hill in their chairs.  I have seen a couple crashes with runners/chairs and a few near misses. 

You cross into Georgetown and make your way out alongside the Potomac.  This is a bit of a lonely stretch.  I have heard the course changed this year to eliminate one of the sharp terns and is now going to go up Rock Creek park towards the zoo.  Another big uphill however, you come straight back down.

You will eventually make it back to Georgetown where the crowds are usually huge.  Once you depart Georgetown and go past the Kennedy center (should be around mile 10), the race pretty much flattens out the rest of the way.  Again, maintain your pace and hang in there the first 10 as a lot of folks work way too hard at MCM the first 10 which is the toughest elevation on the course.

As you parallel the river heading towards the Jefferson monument, again the crowds will be huge.  You are heading towards Haines Point which back in the day used to be 20 miles.  Me and Billy Shue have an awesome picture that was published in the Washington Post a few years ago of Billy and I crossing thru this part of the course. I had a fist pump in the air and yelling to encourage the crowd which was easily 10 deep thru the particular section.  I felt like a rock star and enjoyed the moment.

One of the lonely stretches on the course is from 13 through about 15 which is heading out of Haines point. There are a few spectators that come out there each year and setup music but it is a place where you still have a lot to go so your motivation might not be at its best.  Stay focused and deal with the wind if it is blowing a lot out there.

As you near 16, you are experiencing some of the biggest crowds on the course and you are heading around the mall area that has some of the best monuments.  Use these miles as encouragement.  The signs are fun to read and there are usually a few marching bands and high school cheer groups.  This portion is all flat so if you are feeling good, your splits should be good.  This is also where some of the best race pictures are taken.  As a cool keepsake, you will get a picture of you running with one of the major monuments in the background.

Mile 20-22 is the hardest stretch in most marathons but particularly tough at MCM.  You are leaving the district and heading across the 14^th street bridge towards Crystal City.  The crowds are thin, the racers are spread out, you are feeling rough.  All I can offer is hang in there and think about the big picture.  Don’t throw away 20+ miles of a good race just because you are going to hurt for a bit.  Think of the disabled folks out of the course..there is a guy who usually does the race on what appears to be a modified skateboard.  He pushes the whole way with his hands!  I have battled that guy several times.  Think about how much more desire and effort he is putting forth!

There used to be a guy near the end of the bridge before Crystal City dressed in a grim reaper costume with a sign that said “The end is near”.  At the time I have wanted to deck the guy because I was in no mood for jokes but it is very clever looking back.  You feel like hell is upon you and you are nearing the finish.

As you enter Crystal city, it is more gut check time.  Sometimes it is a bit windy.  Competitors starting back on the bridge through this section tend to pull up for all kinds of reasons.  Stomach issues, cramps, just done. I always try to tell myself to focus on passing folks.  If you are catching and passing folks you most likely are maintaining a decent pace.  The crowds are usually supportive and usually there are folks handing out water bottles and other forms of support.  Eat/drink/slurp whatever you need at this stage to keep your body going!

Leaving Crystal city and heading to the Pentagon parking you have about 2 miles to go.  You can almost taste the finish!  The wind sometimes is very strong in the Pentagon lot but again, keep it together as you are almost done.  You have one sort of uphill where you have an onramp to Hwy110 which is the final stretch in.  It feels a lot bigger than it is.

With about 1.5 miles to go, your body hurts like hell.  I have done 14 miles and I can tell you the last 6 suck no matter if you are walking, running a PR or anything in between.  It only gets better when you cross the finish line so you might as well try to get to that finish line as fast as possible.  For MCM, the last mile is fairly flat, wide open road and you can run pretty fast if you have anything left.  Just be careful as I have seen folks victim to leg cramps along here and have to hobble home to the finish.

The last 385 yards of MCM are special.  The marines line the hill and while it is a steep hill, you have marines supporting you, the crowd and often there are wheel chair competitors who are working 10 times harder than you to make it up this last steep hill in a chair.  MCM films the finish of every competitor and often calls out your name as you sprint home.  Give it every last bit and finish with pride!

Once you are done, you get the very cool MCM finisher medal.  It is one of the best out there in my opinion. They also offer tons of medical support so if you need it take it.  I highly encourage you to get your picture in front of Iwo Jima memorial.  As you are walking out the of the finisher’s shoot, you will see it.  I have to admit I have shed a few tears here before being greeted by close friends who finished and getting a picture together in front of one of our nation’s most spectacular monuments. 

Once you get your picture, as you are heading out of the finishers shoot, the marines offer up a ton of items in a goody bag.  Sports drinks, water, banana, cookies, etc.  Grab it all as you might really be in need of it because it might be an hour or two before you hit your hotel.  The metro is terrific but after you wait in line and get back to where you are staying, the extra drink and food you got at the finish is very helpful.

The finisher shoot spills out in to Rossyln where you can get your bags, reunite with your family, take advantage of the finishers festival, etc.  The Rosslyn metro stop is there and will be unbelievably crowded but still the best way out.

What a race!  If you have the opportunity to stay Sunday night, get back to your room, have a pizza, nap and then get out and walk our nation’s capital.  It is a wonderful city and has plenty of places you can celebrate Sunday night before you head back home on Monday.