Last Sunday, I ran the 2023 Marine Corps Marathon — my fifth marathon and first with a sub-three-hour goal. The stage was set for a fairytale ending:
- I’m in the best shape of my life thanks to the Pfitzinger 18/55-70 training plan.
- The race is in Washington, D.C., where I relocated after college, and where my love and aptitude for running first blossomed. And it was the nine-year anniversary of my move to D.C.
- I’m familiar with a large chunk of the course, having run the Cherry Blossom 10-Miler and the Rock ‘n’ Roll DC Half Marathon.
- This was the last year I could use my Marine Corps Marathon registration, after deferring the past two years following the canceled 2020 race. Otherwise, I would have had to re-enter the race lottery hoping to be randomly selected as a registrant.
- My brother ran his first sub-3-hour marathon at the Marine Corps Marathon in 2018; how special would it be if I (literally) followed in his footsteps five years later?
Yet, despite these stars aligning, I fell like a crashing meteor. I did not achieve my goal, and I failed to PR, finishing with a time of 3:06:01—seconds slower than my previous marathon just seven months earlier.
What happened?
So, what went wrong? Well, I’m not one to make excuses, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge the role of the weather. The temperature at the start was a whopping 66 degrees with 89% humidity. You don’t need a meteorologist to tell you racing in warmer temperatures is more difficult. Specifically, it requires more oxygen which results in higher energy usage, increased lactate production, and a higher heart rate versus running at the same pace in cooler weather.
I maintained my target pace of 6:50/mile up until the 30k split (18.6 miles). But it was a battle from the start; it was clear the conditions were taking a toll on my body. And no matter how I focused my mind, with not enough left in the tank, I knew with roughly seven miles left I wouldn’t achieve my goal.
To say I’m disappointed would be an understatement. I religiously followed the Pfitzinger training plan for months. I nailed speed workouts, long runs, and regular runs six days a week as part of the 18 long weeks. With my March marathon PR at just over three hours and five minutes, I truly believed I would pass the finish line before the clock read 3:00:00.
I feel for all the runners who trained for months and didn’t even get the opportunity to finish the race. Unfortunately, less than an hour after I finished, Marine Corps Marathon officials announced they were closing the course earlier than planned due to high humidity.
The truth
Honestly, I almost didn’t run the Marine Corps Marathon. The forecast leading up to the race called for temperatures with highs reaching the 80’s on race day. The high dropped to 76, but it was clear the race would start in the mid 60’s with high humidity. I strongly considered running the Charlotte Marathon instead the following weekend. Ultimately, I stuck with MCM because it would a more meaningful experience to achieve my goal in the capital city I called home from 2014-2021 instead of a city I visited for one weekend 10 years ago. Oh, and as flights were cost-prohibitive, I wasn’t thrilled about driving 4+ hours each way, to and from Charlotte.
Weeks ago, I wrote that it wouldn’t really matter if I achieved my sub-three-hour goal at the Marine Corps Marathon. Of course, as with everything I write, I sincerely meant it. With normal race day circumstances, if I physically couldn’t run fast enough, then how could I be upset? But, of course, these weren’t normal circumstances.
So, would I run the Marine Corps Marathon again? Absolutely. It’s quite the unique experience running alongside monuments, Marines, and mobs of cheering crowds. This was my first large marathon and the support was phenomenal throughout the course, except for the barren, isolated highway stretch around mile 21. The Marines were friendly, supportive, and encouraging; it truly felt special when they placed a finisher medal around my neck.
Gaining perspective
Through my subpar performance on race day, and with the help of my wife’s perspective, I was humbly reminded that part of life is accepting that many things are out of our control. And there’s a lot that can go wrong when you race 26.2 miles, regardless of how hard you train. Just ask pro Emma Bates who stepped in a pothole on the racecourse of this year’s Chicago Marathon. As part of her stellar race recaps on Instagram, she acknowledged the pothole isn’t to blame but the misstep flared up a plantar issue. Bates finished in 13th place after needing to slow her pace and stop a couple of times.
It’s important for me to remember, as philosopher Epictetus said, “It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.” Call it cheesy, but it’s one of the few quotes I live by.
So, how do I react following a soul-crushing race day? The day after the Marine Corps Marathon I registered for my next marathon, held in early spring 2024. (I’ll save the race announcement for a later date.) Knowing I’ll build off the solid training foundation I built over the past five months and get back out there next year and try again to reach my sub-three-hour goal is all I need to keep going. Like I said more than four months ago, the greatest disappointments lead to the greatest motivation. And you can bet I’m more determined than ever to shatter my PR and destroy the three-hour barrier. I hope you’ll come along for the journey!
