I had not run in a full marathon since October of 2005, when I had a rather disappointing Chicago Marathon, coming in at a 4:21 time. I had high hopes for the 2009 Akron Marathon on Saturday, September 26th, though. Since the Chicago Marathon, I had lost 10 or so pounds, and I have been running year-round for several years now (I used to take winters off, but our treadmill changed that). My running partner (and boss) pushes me quite hard on our runs with a pretty aggressive training schedule. Last year, I trained with Jim for a marathon, but I was not able to run in one because of the cost (marathons can cost up to $100 to enter). Jim ran his marathon last year in 3:35, so I began to think that a 3:30 marathon was possible for me since we train together. Since my previous best time was 3:56 (in 2000), a 3:30 marathon would be pretty amazing.

Jim and I started the training quite early this year, starting serious longer runs in June. I also started training on a hill-intensive 7-mile loop for my regular (during the week) runs. Jim and I were joined by three other guys who wanted to run the marathon – Jason (who works at CVCA), Alex (a former CVCA student) and Angelo (a former CVCA student). The extra company was encouraging, and they were training for the Akron Marathon, which was earlier than the Columbus Marathon in which Jim and I planned to run. That helped push me and Jim. Jim also wanted to make sure we got more 20+ mile runs in this year to make sure we were in better shape. I only managed two of those runs because of schedule conflicts (Jim ended up with a staggering five), but both of the runs were fast and felt good and so were encouraging.

So, once I decided to run Akron (see below), I felt pretty good about my chances, and thought a 3:30 marathon was a very real possibility. I was certainly in the best shape of my life, and while I had some nagging left knee issues, they were minor and I could run through them.

A few days before the marathon, I was in the shower, thinking (I like to think in the shower). It occurred to me suddenly that I could run this race in honor of Meredith’s grandmother, Leona Wooster. Gram had been diagnosed with untreatable lung cancer in late August, and was only given a few months to live. Many people run marathons in memory of loved ones, but I wanted to see if I could encourage Gram by running in honor of her while she was still with us. It seemed like a great idea, so I resolved to do it, but I kept it to myself. One, I like surprising people, and two, I did not want to promise to run for Gram and then get hurt and not be able to run.

I was able to get a shirt made up that said “Wooster” across the chest, and I was able to hide it under an outer button-up shirt the day of the race. Meredith noticed I was not wearing my usual blue racing shirt and tried to see it, but I was able to distract her by telling her I was wearing white in case it got sunny.

Mer and I met up with our friend Nate, who was going to run the half-marathon. Nate is a fairly new runner (he started running last September), and he trained with me some. We were going to run together until the half and full marathons split around mile 11 or so. It is always good to have company for these things. Jim (my boss) was going to jump into the race at about mile 8 to run with me and help pace me. You are not supposed to do that, but Jim wanted to help me run (and he would get an 18-mile run in himself that way).

The forecast had been for rain, but it held off. It did drizzle lightly a few times on the course, and I heard that it really began to rain about a half hour after Mer and I left, after I had finished. I was most grateful for the lack of rain. It did make it humid, but at least Mer could stay dry (she was sick), and while I don’t mind running in the rain, I prefer to run when it is dry.

I’ll spare you all of the details of the run. The start is in the dark (it starts at 7:00 and sunrise was at about 7:15 or so). We do get to see the sun coming up as we run across one of the major Akron bridges (at mile 1 and at mile 2), which is pretty. As always, Mer was there to cheer me on, and I got to give her the traditional kiss on the cheek and an “I love you” at miles 3 and 10. It is very special to me that Mer bothers to come out and cheer me on to see me four times (start, miles 3 and 10, and finish) over 3+ hours. What a trooper. Mer did have good company with Nate’s wife, Rachel, and our friend Lis (who is married to a CVCA teacher, Matt, who was running the half).

Nate and I found miles 4 and 5 to be pretty tedious. That section was run out along a commercial area, so fan support was low since there were not really any houses in the area. The race was also along a major road that was along rolling hills, and it just seemed to take a while, and this section was part of my second slowest splits out of five sections of the race.

We met up with Jim at mile 8 as planned, and we had a good time talking. Nate split off at mile 11, with an outside shot of breaking 1:40 for the half. He finished at 1:40:52, which was only 24 seconds slower than my first half marathon in 2006 (which was along a flat and faster course). Nate had a great run, and I was happy for him.

The back part of the Akron marathon takes place along the Towpath (which is familiar territory for me and Jim), and then winds along roads through park lands and then neighborhoods. It is all very pretty, but what is very tough about the back part of this race is the hills. From mile 16 through mile 24, the course is largely uphill or along rolling hills. This includes a 1.7-mile-long hill from mile 16 though mile 18. For some odd reason, this uphill section was my fastest part of the race, a good 30 seconds/mile faster than my average pace. I guess I wanted to get the hills over with. Along about mile 20, Jim asked me how I was doing. I told him I’d be doing okay if the blasted hills would stop so I could get my legs back under me. I was getting pretty tired.

There was a steep two-block-long hill near the mansion Stan Hywet that hurt quite a bit. I put my head down and ran hard up it, and happily there was a water station near the top. Since I walk through water stations so I can get a good drink, I was happy that I could take a short walking rest. The course did take us through part of Stan Hywet’s gounds, which were pretty.

Along about mile 23, I was really hurting. I really wanted to walk, but I had two factors going on. One, I was racing for Gram, and along this section I told myself I could not walk because “I can’t give Gram crap.” If I was going to honor her, I was going to give her my best. Also, I knew I still had a real shot at breaking 3:30, but not if I walked anywhere outside of the water stations. Jim was also a real help along here. We were no longer talking much (I was too tired), but it was good to have him along. It also helped having people yell “Go, Wooster!” in response to my shirt; this section had a fair number of spectators, so that helped.

I took things one mile at a time, and Jim talked me though the last hill at mile 25. We turned the corner on to High Street, where the marathon finishes, and Jim peeled off right at mile 26 (the last .2 miles are fenced in by barriers for some reason). I am deeply grateful to Jim for his encouragement in the training and during this run. The marathon finishes up in the very cool Akron Aeros baseball field, and I ran on the the field and started pumping my fist in the air. I knew I had it. I finished the race, crossing the line in 3 hours, 28 minutes, and 20 seconds (3:28:20). That works out to a 7:57/mile pace for 26.2 miles, and I broke my previous best time by 28 minutes. I was thrilled. What a great race. No crap for Gram.

Nate had waited for me (what a guy!), and so he helped me to a seat and then he went looking for Meredith. He found her, and Mer took me home, tired but happy. Here are my stats for the race:

2009 Akron Marathon
3:28:20 finishing time, 7:57/mile pace
132 out of 1,421 finishers (top 9.3%)
113 out of 976 male finishers (top 11.6%)
15 out of 144 males, 35-39 years old (top 10.4%)

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Interesting story about getting to the decision to run Akron. I had planned on running Columbus, but it was looking like that was going to be expensive because Mer and I would have to get a hotel. So, I decided to run the Towpath Marathon instead. It was about the same time (October 11th), and was flat and fast, and so I would have a good shot at breaking a 3:30 time. I had told my friends who were training for Akron that they were nuts because Akron is so hilly. I figured you could not run a fast race in Akron.

So, I was out running my hilly 7-mile loop one day and was thinking about the race. I am a Christian, but I do not “hear” from God very often. This day, I suddenly felt as if I should not run the Towpath Marathon, but that I should run the Akron instead. I started making excuses in my head and tried to talk myself and God out of that idea. This lasted for several days, and finally it came to me that I was saying that I was putting a fast Towpath course ahead of what I felt as if I was being called to do. I was basically saying that the all-powerful God of everything could not possibly make me run fast on a hilly course, so I would have to run the flat course. I finally saw the flaw in that logic, and submitted; I decided to run Akron out of obedience to what I felt was God’s call. At the time I thought it was because Akron was a Saturday race and Towpath was a Sunday race. If I ran Towpath, I would have to miss church, in effect not honoring the (Christian Sunday) Sabbath (one of the Ten Commandments). That very well may have been a large part of it, but now I’m not so sure.

I ran the race in honor of Gram. I was able to send her my shirt (washed, of course), my finisher’s medal, and a letter telling her how I loved her. She got this package, and I am told it was a huge encouragement to Gram and Gramps, which was the intent. I was blessed enormously in knowing I was able to encourage Gram.

The Towpath Marathon, which I had wanted to run so I could have a fast time, was Sunday, October 11th. Gram passed away on Friday, October 9th. God wanted me to run the Akron Marathon because Gram was not going to make it to the Towpath Marathon. If I had disobeyed what I was sure was God’s call, I would have missed my chance to tell Gram what I felt and to bless her (and myself). I am still in awe at this. God is good – I obeyed, and was able to honor Gram and still break 3:30. Amazing. Thank you, Lord.