Albany Marathon

Finally I've gotten a marathon in after all the training throughout the summer , fall and winter . New York Marathon was suppose to be the main one for me but we all know what the outcome of that was . My wife and three girls came with me to watch me run which I'm very thankful for cause without them I wouldn't be as strong as I am today . I want to let my girls see what hard work can do if you put your mind to it and I want to impress them in any way possible . It was very cold and windy that morning so Julie and the kids dropped me off at the start and they decided to go back to hotel and watch me finish due to the weather .
I did a half mile warmup and tried to stay warm as much as possible .Took in my O2 Gold and muscle fuel which I was afraid I was gonna forget about. We line up and I'm ready to start running just because I'm tired of shaking to death . I think I burned over 100 calories from shivering . Finally the cannon goes off and three Kenyans and some other guy take off in front . I stayed about 50 yards behind them coming to the first mile . They went out in 5:30 while I came through in 5:43 . Felt easy . I thought the lead pack was gonna take off but they slowed to figure each other out and it took me nearly 8 miles to pull in beside them . I could have easily pulled in with them earlier but I wanted to stay patient . . One fella name Chris kept running on the shoulder of the road everytime there was an opportunity . I asked him after the race if he was nursing an injury or just saving his feet . He said yes he was saving his feet for the final miles . I figured running on grass would slow ya some but he took second overall with a 2:21:38.
Throughout the race I started taking in gels and fluids every chance I could . As we hit the halfway in just under 1:15:00 all 4 guys took off leaving me running solo . I think they dropped a 5:00 pace the second half . I had a feeling they was gonna do that .They looked too comfortable early on . So I'm running by myself in which I was afraid of . Coming up on mile 17 a grabbed a bottle of muscle fuel I set aside on the course that morning . I put a paper bag over it so no one would tamper with it . Still hitting 5:45 miles and all of the sudden I need to take a quick break for the port-a-John . :30 gone there and I got back going and near 20 I saw one of the Kenyans in sight . Well I figured he knew he wasn't in for the money so he slowed and took it in easy . Right when I was about to pass him at 22 I had to stop and vomit all the water I took in . I was feeling ruff between miles 20-22 and I had to get that stuff out of me . That knocked me off about :45 . My goal that day was either sub 2:30 or at least break the old age group state record of 2:32:18 .
I passed the fella and knew my 2:30 was out the door and I started to slow to 6:20 miles the remainder but was feeling rather good . My last mile coming in was close to 5:55 . Even though I've only ran 6 marathons prior that was the best I've felt coming in to the finish . I finished pretty strong with a 2:32:58 .l Forty seconds from state record . Only of I didn't take in those liquids . I should have known since it wasn't a warm day but fear from previous marathons of energy depletion . But best part of day is my girls yelling "Go Daddy !!" at the finish . i was looking for them as I was coming and couldn't but could hear them . I know I'm capable of a 2:28 or better . I just gotta put in the miles , train and race a little smarter . That's my goal for Boston14 .