Mile 7 split: 7:48 marathon time: 54:21
With the 3:30 pacer in front of me, I began making it a target. I was slowly approaching the large group of inexperienced runners with some natural talent, and before I knew it I was passing them. Still a little bit nervous as to whether I was going too quickly, I pushed on ahead and made my way to the embarcadero; one of my favorite places to run in San Diego. As energetic and fast-paced as I felt, I knew that I most definitely would not last for the entire race, so I whipped out one of my power gels and took it down, slightly choking on it because they aren’t as good as you would think.
Mile 8 split: 7:52 marathon time: 1:02:13
Running through the embarcadero is one of my favorite runs to do. Besides the one downfall, tourists, it is a very picturesque run that shows off some of the better parts of San Diego. Many people tend to take San Diego for granted. But on foot running through, it forces the unappreciative to look around and see why so many people visit. Tall buildings of downtown rise above, creating shadows onto the waters of the harbor. Looking across the harbor, you catch a glimpse of the quaint and little town of Coronado. Seaport Village has many of the little shops that parents love, but kids dread on summer vacations (save for the candy and magic shop). Along the path, different artworks are present every few yards. They reflect a more edgy side of San Diego, create something unique and eye-catching. For a runner, they give you something to pace off of, in addition to being something that distracts you. There are famous pirate ships and of course the famous aircraft carrier museum, the Midway. With nothing but a cool breeze, it is difficult not to just let yourself go and run through such enjoyment.
Mile 9 split: 7:42 marathon time: 1:09:56
Several weeks ago, a few friends of mine and I participated in the La Jolla Half Marathon. Most of us struggled through the race, finishing better and worse than expected. One of us, on pace to run the race of his life, didn’t finish. At about mile 9, we found out, Bryan had passed out on the side of the race course where he was hosed off and then rushed to the hospital. Later it turned out to be low blood sugar and dehydration.
It was through this mile that I feared the worst… that I was going to pull a Bryan. Drinking the day before a marathon is the worst thing you can do for your hydration and blood sugar levels. And while Bryan didn’t drink the day before the race, I scared myself even more because not only did I drink, but I was running twice as far!! Constant daydreams ran through my head in mile 9 of dropping to the ground, hitting my head on the curb, etc. After all, I was on pace for the race of my life.