Looking back at Marine Corps 2006

So, I went back to a post I posted in 2006 where I listed my split times for the race.  I don't actually tend to record my splits anywhere usually, but I did for this one race.  Here they are:

Mile 1:  13:07.8
Mile 2:  14:06.5    27:14.3
Mile 3:  13:04.5    40:18.8
Mile 4:  12:45.5    53:04.3
Mile 5:  12:44.5  1:05:48.8
Mile 6:  13:08.3  1:18:57.1
Mile 7:  12:58.5  1:31:55.6
Mile 8:  13:00.8  1:44:56.4
Mile 9:  12:46.0  1:57:42.4
Mile 10: 12:56.7  2:10:39.1
Mile 11: 12:48.0  2:23:27.1
Mile 12: 26:13.1  2:49:40.2 (potty break)
Mile 13: 13:43.6  3:03:23.8
Mile 14: 13:43.9  3:17:07.7
Mile 15: 14:15.7  3:31:23.4
Mile 16: 13:58.8  3:45:22.2
Mile 17: 14:35.1  N/A (missing mile marker)
Mile 18: 14:35.0  4:14:32.3
Mile 19: 14:01.4  4:28:33.7
Mile 20: 14:53.5  4:43:27.2
Mile 21: 15:23.7  4:58:50.9 (switch to 1:1s)
Mile 22: 17:53.6  5:16:44.5 (huge walk break)
Mile 23: 15:59.7  5:32:44.2 (back to 1:2s)
Mile 24: 16:02.2  5:48:46.4
Mile 25: 15:40.0  6:04:26.4
Mile 26: 15:59.2  6:20:25.6

At the finish line with a random marine
Marine Corps Marathon 2006

First, some explanations - Mile 12, on the National Mall, I took a ridiculous potty break where I waited in line and stood in line for about 14 minutes. SO SO STUPID, but looking back I'm glad I did it because this being my first marathon, it was the only race that my dad and his wife have ever come to. They were there, and I stood and talked to them while I waited in line and I'm glad I did because I don't think they really get the whole race thing and that spectating at a race often means standing around for long periods of time and then seeing your runner for 30 seconds.  If I were to pick a race to stand around and chit chat with my dad for the time it should have taken me to run a mile, well, it may as well be that one.

Mile 17 was missing a mile marker because a medivac had come in and blown the mile marker away, so I averaged 17 and 18.  After I beat the bridge, I switched from 2:1s to 1:1s, then pooped out and decided just to walk.  I eventually switched back to 1 minute run 2 minute walk and recovered some.

So, what's interesting is that I want to do between 5:30 and 5:40 in New York City.  That's a pace of between 12:35 and 12:58.  Look at how many of those early miles were at that pace... And I was in MUCH worse shape back then.  I've improved a TON since 2006.  I was going TOO FAST at this race for the first 14 miles!  No wonder I felt so terrible.  In my blog post at the time, I listed reasons why I felt so terrible between miles 14 and 22, and none of those reasons were "I went too fast at the beginning." Oh no, I blamed the course, the weather, and the fact that I'd lost my running buddies and was running alone.  I'm sure those things didn't help, but come on.

I feel so much better going into my 6th marathon than any of my previous ones.  Seriously.