The Ventura Marathon

I wasn't really prepared for this race, as I had forgotten I'd deferred last year's entry for this year. The day before I packed up as if I were doing a long run, put everything in the car, and drove 2 hours north to Ventura to packet pickup at the expo.

I was lucky to find free street parking, and walked down below the Ventura Pier. The organization was unclear and I had to ask twice where to pick up the packets. When I picked up my friend Ryan's and my bib I asked where the start was and they told me the wrong place. It was a little confusing. I had time to kill so I went to the "beer garden" which was the expo booths surrounded by a fence where people could drink. It was windy and chilly, but they were serving Firestone Walker, so I was able to have a wacky jack IPA while I chilled. I saw Luke and Nancypants so I got to visit with them for a little while, and had another beer with them, before I went to go get dinner and head to the hotel for the night.

I got up at 4am, ate my Inari for breakfast, and popped in the car to find parking. Because the Marathon started before the half there was plenty of free parking downtown and a short walk to the start. When I got to the area I thought was the start I learned the start was actually on the pier, so I went up and down the stairs a few extra times. Warmup I suppose.

Then it started. I was in the back of the pack, and the Boston runners took off. A little over 800 people ran the Marathon, and a mile in there weren't many people ahead of or behind me as we'd all spread out. It was very peaceful in the morning, which was nice, and I just went my pace. On occasion I'd get irritated when I could hear footsteps throwing off my own cadence. I took my salt every hour, and at mile 5.5 I took my honey stingers. There were water stops about every 1.5 miles, so I'd just run to them and slow down as I went through. I listened to my friend Liz' advice and held out my water bottle for them to pour water in so I wouldn't have to stop running but just slow down.

A few miles in the race, warming up at a nice pace.

I felt like I was flying the first 13 miles, so flat, and quiet. One of the people I run with at the Griffith Park Night Runners ran a 2:59 full marathon. It's crazy to think that he was finishing the race right as I started to get bored. I realized "Crap, I have to do that all over again." and tried to maintain my speedy pace. I was able to power up what tiny little hills there were when others walked, and called out to so many of my friends running.

There were no real spectators. There was a woman holding a sign I remember, and the aid station workers cheered us on, but that was about it. One girl had a rolling cheer station following her, and I was so thankful to be close to her pace to reap the benefits, but really it was just you, the road, a runner or two, the Ventura PD directs traffic, and the folks at the aid stations. It was a very quiet race.

At mile 20 it because a mind game. Things started to hurt. The flat road started to hurt my feet and my back. I wanted dirt. I wanted rolling hills. I wanted people yelling at me. I wanted something different. I was over it. I was 4 hours in and told myself "one more hour... oh God..." I really slowed down my pace, but I didn't want to stop running. I think I hobblewalked a few times through the aid stations. When I hit mile 24 I cussed and halted to a walk, swearing away at my feet aching and being tired and over it. I was bored and things hurt and I just wanted to stop, but I knew I had a bit more than a mile to go. When I hit mile 25 I did a pathetic run walk but managed to keep my walking to a minimum as much as it hurt. I was yelling at myself inside with irritation for letting the pain get the better of me. Sometimes your body just says no more though.

I had the finish in my sight, and was so happy to be done!

I could hear the finish line, so I picked up my pace, eager to stop. I saw the finish line and just held my pace to keep from throwing up. Then it was over. I Finished the marathon with my fastest time ever of 5:18:04. I was happy I did so well, relieved it was over, and in a bit of pain in my hamstrings and calves.

YAY all OW done OW

The medal was huge, and a bottle opener. I almost walked into Luke at the finish line so I visited with him and Nancy and Mitch, and got to meet my online friend Roadkill Bill. Sorry I was so tired Roadkill Bill!

The end!

After sitting down for a few minutes my friend Danny texted me that he'd buy me a beer if I showed up to where they were, and it turned out I was sitting right outside. I'm glad I went because they're a bunch of amazing people and really inspiring runners. We went and got shots after lunch, and hung out, and then it was all a memory and a PR.

A great lunch with some really inspiring runners!

Liz had the best idea with these breakfast shots. Yes, that's a shot of OJ with a piece of bacon

I don't know if I'll run Ventura again. If you want to BQ I hear it's great because it's flat and there are so few runners no one gets in your way or slows you down, and you have a lot of runners your pace. If you're not a BQ runner it might get boring, and it's very flat and lonely out there. But heck, that's what friends at the finish are for.