Austin Marathon Race Review

The 2017 Austin Marathon was the worst race of my life.

The 2017 Austin Marathon was the worst run of my life.

But in running, as in life, sometimes things just don’t go your way.

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Purchasing via these links gives me a small commission at no cost to you. Please see my privacy policy for more information.

Austin Marathon Race Report

I admit that I had a bad attitude going into the race, as the forecast had been the same for two weeks: high 60s-low 70s, with a very high chance of rain.  (Read: ridiculous humidity)

I was hoping for the best– that would mean high 60s and rain.  I knew I was going to be sopping wet one way or the other, and rain is far more comfortable than high humidity.

Alas, it was 68 degrees Fahrenheit and 92% humidity when I left for the race.  

I knew it would be a slog.

I kept reminding myself that I had three goals for the Austin Marathon.

Goal 1: Run a sub-4:00 marathon.

Goal 2: Hold my position of 3rd place 40-49 Women in the Austin Distance Challenge.

Goal 3: Meet the Comrades qualifying standard (sub-5:00) marathon.

I knew if I met Goals 1 and 2, Goal 3 was met as well.

On the course of the Austin Marathon

Why I set off with a faster-than-I-should-be-going first 10K, I have no idea.  Wishful thinking perhaps?  I walked for one minute between the 3 and 4 mile mark, telling myself that would help me regulate my pace.  But when I hit the 10K in less than 57 minutes, I knew I needed to slow down and start taking regular walk breaks if I was going to survive.

From 10K to halfway, the course runs through a neighborhood of rolling hills.  I run on these hills all the time, but they’re some of the same ones that gave me fits in the Run for the Water back in November.  I opted to do a fast walk up the hills and run as comfortably as possible– which wasn’t very possible– in between.  As it turns out, I didn’t have the energy to run more than 4-5 minutes at a time.  I just felt flat…heavy…sleepy.

I was grateful to see some friends in this stretch of the course.  I could see them as I ran down a gentle hill, and it was uplifting to see them waving and hear their cheers. They sent me photographic proof that I was already drenched with sweat– and only around Mile 11!

After the half marathoners split off, the course and runners became eerily quiet.  It was clear everyone was struggling, and no one was in the mood for the friendly banter that normally marks race day.  Even for as slow as I was going (relative to my normal capabilities), I was working pretty hard.  It just wasn’t fun.

My husband and kids were waiting for me just before the 14 mile mark.  The fact that I actually stopped to talk to them and kiss each of the kids was the first sign I wasn’t having a good day.  I told my husband that if I didn’t need to finish in order to get my Comrades qualifier, I’d drop out.  I really felt that bad.  I didn’t care anymore about the Distance Challenge, sure that my terrible day meant I would no longer place in the overall standings.

I think the copious amounts of liquids I was drinking (water from the aid stations, Tailwind from the two bottles I carried for the second half of the race) were sloshing around in my stomach giving me a tummy ache.  I knew I needed to keep drinking, though, because I was sweating like crazy.

There were also people all around me cramping up…the likes of which you don’t normally see until closer to 20-22 miles of a marathon.

On I ran, despite my desire to just bag it.  I knew I’d see a few more friends as I continued the northern (and uphill) pull of the route.  It is always motivating to know that there are cheers just ahead.

One of my cheerleaders was my daughter’s oldest friend– they’ve been friends since birth– and she’d picked some lovely flowers for me.  That’s a race day first!  It was sweet to see her and her brother and mom, and I was glad for their support.

I trudged on, still running and walking, knowing I didn’t have to go any faster than a 13:30/mile pace to break 5:00.  Because I could do that math, I had zero motivation to go any faster than I absolutely had to.  I was holding steady around 11:15-11:30/mile, but it still wasn’t feeling easy.

My husband and kids appeared around 18 miles…I had just walked up a long uphill for my longest walk stretch of the race and my slowest mile at 12:10.  I still wasn’t in the mood for more PB&J, but I also still wasn’t in need of any cramp pills.  I had some electrolyte tablets I took every 30 minutes or so, and they seemed to be working well.  

One of the local running clubs, Gilbert’s Gazelle’s, was passing out sponges around Mile 19.  These were the greatest thing ever.  I was so sweaty and so salty.  I had worn a form-fitting tank top because of the heat, but that meant I had nothing to wipe my face the whole race.  That wet sponge felt so refreshing and put a tiny pep in my step.

Just as I was finishing luxuriating in the sponge bath, I saw my husband and kids again.  It was just before Mile 20.  I was moving a little better, intent on making good use of the downhill route profile to the finish. Shame there was a headwind at this point!  I waved to the kids and thanked them for their support.

In a normal marathon, Mile 20 is “halfway” even though there is just 10K to go.  In this race, however, I felt like I’d hit halfway at the 10K mark, and the next 20 miles were just an exercise in putting one foot in front of the other.  From 20 miles to the end, I knew I was fine on time for my qualifier.  I tried to focus on the good things— mostly that I wasn’t cramping— and just worked to get it done.

When I crossed the finish line in 4:42, I confirmed what I’ve long believed: it’s not any easier to run a slow marathon than it is to run a fast one.  The only upside is that I had almost no soreness afterwards, thanks to my slow pace and focus on hydration.

Reflections about the Austin Marathon

Shifting into low gear and grinding it out was the right choice for the conditions on the day.  And though it’s a forgettable finishing time, it meets Goal 3.

Late in the evening after the race, I checked the Austin Distance Challenge standings.  Surprisingly, I moved into second place!  From the finishing times of my fellow competitors, we all had a long, slow day out there.  So, hooray for Goal 2 being met!

As for Goal 1, once I saw the forecast, I knew that wasn’t really achievable. While it’s disappointing to be in good shape and get a day with disagreeable conditions, that’s just the way road racing goes.

I can’t say I’ll be back to run the Austin Marathon again for a while, but I am glad to have completed the Austin Distance Challenge.

UPDATE: I spiked a pretty high fever the day after the Austin Marathon. The following morning, I had an appointment with my physician. Thankfully, she is a runner, too. It turns out I had a raging urinary tract infection, which I had for at least three days. That’s right, I ran a marathon with a UTI. Good times!

Karen Shopoff Rooff is an ACE certified personal trainer and health coach with more than 20 years’ experience running marathons and ultramarathons. The Marathon Finish Line blog is for informational purposes. Please seek advice from a medical practitioner before engaging in a new fitness program.