OneAmerica Mini Marathon Race Report

The chart tacked to my office wall had teased me since November. "You can do it," it said. "You oughtta be able to run this race in 1:43:30." What did it know? It was just a piece of paper, after all. And besides, I'd run the Mini eleven times, and never faster than an hour fifty. In 1995, I ran 1:51. Since that time, the defining goal in my running life has been to beat 1:50. It consumed my thoughts each October-May, and last year, my 1:50:36 put me on an emotional tightrope between setting a new personal best and STILL not being in the 1:40's. This race has ALWAYS reduced me to a walk at some point. 1:43 seemed absurd and impossible. But the chart, which I had downloaded from McMillan Running, seemed to have some science behind it. So, I decided I'd shoot for 1:48.

The difference this year is that I'm also training for a full marathon three weeks from now. Up until now, I had lied to myself that the Mini would just be a training run, and I didn't really have to worry about my time. All the weekend long runs, all the 6- and 7-mile tempo runs, the 1/2 mile repeats- it was all in preparation for the Big Race in 3 weeks, I had said. I am a big fat liar. Yes, I'm doing the Madison Marathon on May 24, but the closer my calendar X's got to May 2, the more I realized how important the Mini really is to me. The week leading up, when people would ask me what I expected to run, I'd sheepishly reply, "Oh, under 1:50." Only to my close friends and running accountability partners did I boldly proclaim that I'd love a 1:45.

So, I lined up at the start on Saturday with 35,000 of my neighbors, and the butterflies came like always. The forecast had called for cool temps, no wind, and a chance of spotty showers throughout the morning- pretty nice racing weather. It turned out even nicer. At the 7:30 gun time, it was 48 degrees F, and by 8:00, the sun was peering from behind the clouds.

The area before the start was more constricted than usual, as the new JW Marriott hotel is going up right at the corner of Washington and West Streets, and the fenced area around the construction site had an extra lane closed off. This made it slow running getting to the start- 2:30 from corral "D" (the fourth of 20+ corrals), but once we crossed the start line, it was pretty much free running. My problem, with my new 1:45 goal, is that I was seeded based on last years 1:50, so I really needed to run faster than those around me. 8:00 miles were the goal, so as soon as my D-Tag beeped across the start line, it was Go Time.

Mile 1 seemed fast- maybe because the race allowed headphones this year- but it wasn't. 8:06. Crap! I'm already behind. Well, I didn't panic too much, because I think I remember this mile was marked a little long last year. When mile 2 clicked off in 7:38, I relaxed a lot and settled into a groove. I headed west on Michigan Road, in pursuit of the 100 year-old Indianapolis Motor Speedway that I loved so much as a kid (and still do). The miles went by pretty fast, and I hit the 5-mile mark, on Main Street in Speedway, at 38:34, a 7:42 average pace. Perfect! I was putting time toward my 1:45 in the bank.

At about mile 5.6, you turn left into Indianapolis's most famous landmark, down under the track, and back up the only "hill" on the course, and you are deposited smack dab between turns one and two of America's Greatest Race Course. I took an energy gel just before entering the track, knowing this usually seems like such a long part of the course because of the boredom (It's really cool to see it the first time, but there are really no landmarks and few turns) and the heat radiating off the pavement(but not today). In my head, I calculated. Twenty minutes- that's it. Twenty minutes and I'm off the track. So, I enjoyed it this year. I looked for drivers and sports personalities. I cheered for the cheer squads. I set a new 10k PR in the process (47:45). I hammed it up to get my picture taken crossing the yard of bricks. And in 19 minutes, I exited the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and headed back out onto Olin Avenue.

This is the part of the course that gets me every year. I think it's because I grew up on the west side, in the shadow of IMS, and I remeber going downtown to see the Pacers play and the Indians, too. It always seemed like a long drive from Speedway to downtown, and now here I am, I've run 9 miles and I still have to run ALL THE STINKIN' WAY DOWNTOWN? So, I stopped and got some Gatorade, walked while I drank it and began running again. I hit mile 10 in 1:17:06. Wow, that means the 2nd 5 miles were 38:32 vs. 38:34 for the first five. Talk about an even pace, that is just how I want to run. For a moment, this insane thought goes through my mind- "Hey, if you just ran a 21:50 last 5k, you could be under 1:40!" HA! That would be my 2nd fastest 5k ever, and I've already run 10 miles today. I just need to be glad I'm on pace, and putting some time in the bank. So, I've cast that thought out of my mind, but I think, subconciously, it makes me run a little faster. That's a mistake.

At the water stop at I start to walk again, and then at about 11.5 miles. I tell myself just for a minute, but after about 40 seconds, I feel guilty and start running again. Mile 11 goes by in 8:03. Not bad, but definitely slower. I walk a little more in mile 12, maybe twice, but never more than about 40 seconds, and run an 8:29. All downhill from here!

On the drive downtown Saturday morning, I had a vision of crossing the line when the race clock said 1:46:04. If I do that, I would be well under my 1:45 target. But, mile 13 is cruel. She is painful. I stop to walk twice, again not more than a minute each, but I hate walking when I can see the finish line RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME! Finally, I pick it up and mile 13 takes an excruciating 8:38. I cross the line, and pump my fist in a bizarre blend of satisfaction and dissatisfaction, knowing I could have run a little faster. My official time was 1:42:56- a 7 minute PR, and about 30 seconds faster than my crazy chart on the wall had predicted.

The rest of my Saturday was filled with household chores while my mind went back and forth between happiness (wow- 1:43), disappointment (what could it have been if I hadn't walked?) and exhaustion. I wonder what it would take to get in the 1:30's?

By the way, the other difference this year- on Sunday, I skipped my usual post-Mini couch surf and went for a 9 mile run.

Thanks for reading.
Steve