Alpharetta (Ga.) Marathon: State #9

My 14th marathon - for my 9th state (TX, DC, NY, LA, AR, NM, ID, FL, GA) - is now in the books! Paula Boone of the 50 States Marathon Club was asking me where No. 10 is going to come in at, and that all depends on whether or not I have to go back to Vancouver the weeks of March 19th and 26th. (If not, I might be targeting either Olathe, Kansas or Ellerbe Springs, NC.)

Official Time: 5:17:08
My Watch Time: 5:17:06
My Chip Time: 5:16:18

Why "my" chip time? Because the event didn't have a starting mat at the beginning of the event for only about 1,000 runners?

The Alpharetta Marathon course is one of the hardest marathons that I've done. In fact, this is how I would rank them all:

1. Alpharetta (Ga.) Marathon '07
2. Austin Marathon '07
3. New York City Marathon '05
4. Little Rock Marathon '06 (Front half a gradual incline to the half way point. Flat for another mile. A climb to 16.5, sharp downhill to just past mile 17 and basically flat the rest of the way.)
5. Fiesta de Albequerque Marathon '06 (At 5,000 feet above sea level. Otherwise flat.)
6. City of Trees Marathon '06 (Boise, ID; At 2,900 feet above sea level. Semi-significant in mile 21.)
7. Marine Corps Marathon '04 (First five miles had inclines. After that? Pretty flat.)
8. Surfside Beach Marathon '06 (Flat. Hard-packed sand hurt the ankles, but left no thigh pain. The crosswinds absolutely sucked.)
9. Texas Marathon '06 (Almost as flat as a pancake, but four loops on concrete? Ouch.)
10. Jacksonville (Fla.) Bank Marathon '06 (Flat as could be.)
11. Houston Marathon '07 (See comment below.)
12. Houston Marathon '05 (This was easier because I didn't roast.)
13. Mardi Gras Marathon '06 (More flat than Houston. No underpasses and the one overpass you pass twice isn't as high.)
14. Austin Marathon '06 (Screamer downhill course.)

A 50 States Marathon Club member from Georgia, Terri O'Leary, who I met at the finish line shortly after she came in, said that she did the White Rock Marathon for Texas and that the hills on the course on Sunday were tougher than the Dolly Parton Hills. In fact, I said that mile 20 was Dolly Parton and Anna Nicole Smith (when she was alive) combined into one.

Waverly and I drove the course Saturday night and I knew that the back half was going to be tough. Therefore, I purposedly held back a little to make sure that I had enough to go through the back half OK, but the hills were a little harder than I had expected - especially from the mile 18 marker to the mile 23 marker.

Here are my time splits (and some added commentary):

The race started in downtown Alpharetta near City Hall. While Alpharetta is its own city, I would state that it is much like The Woodlands, just layed out a lot differently. It was very cold, but, of course, I knew that going in. Waverly and I got to the race start area a little bit early. I had grabbed something to eat at a convenience store that wouldn't upset my stomach as well as some water.

Packet and chip pickup was very easy. As I was waiting in the line to go to the restroom shortly before the start of the race, I saw Bill Rodgers. (He finished the half, at age 60, in 1:41:02.)

Mile 1 -- 10:07.63
Mile 2 -- 10:29.52 (20:37.15)
Mile 3 -- 10:30.67 (31:07.82)
Mile 4 -- 11:01.00 (42:08.82)

First significant incline and a water stop before the mile marker.

Mile 5 -- 10:49.04 (52:57.86)
Mile 6 -- 11:17.27 (1:04:15.13)
Mile 7 -- 11:06.37 (1:15:21.50)
Mile 8 -- 11:28.75 (1:26:50.25)

A right-hand turn at this mile marker would have taken me back to the hotel. A pleasant thought on a cold day (right at about 30 degrees with occasional winds.) I had these same thoughts earlier in Boise, but once again chose not to act upon them.

Mile 9 -- 11:07.63 (1:37:57.88)
Mile 10 -- 11:14.48 (1:49:12.36)
Mile 11 -- 10:59.52 (2:00:11.88)

Waverly was waiting for me about three-quarters into the mile and her plan was to run with me to the halfway point, which is where the finish area was as well. While I know anything can happen here or anywhere, we have a very specific plan to follow as it relates to her well-being (especially when we travel) and safety.

Mile 12 -- 12:00.62 (2:12:12.50)

11 could have been short and 12 could have been long because I don't believe that I slowed that much for Waverly, who had a little trouble as the last part of mile 12 had an uphill and I was maintaining a pace that was just faster than her best pace for a 5K.

Mile 13 -- 14:53.59 (2:27:06.09)

After the mile 12 marker, I had to keep my pace and momentum. I thought about just going on and not waiting for Waverly when I got to the water station before mile 13. She knew to make it to the half area and then wait for me to come in; however, I remembered that she had my belt, which Gu in it for the back half, and three (3) more Extra Strength Tylenol. So I waited a minute for her to catch up at the water station and ended up taking another two (2) to get everything together.

I was a little challenged, but we have an agreement that what happens on the course, stays on the course - and that is why Dad and daughter have a very healthy relationship.

So aside from the additional three minutes, I was basically on plan for 11 minutes a mile. Conservative. I was hoping to do 12 minutes per mile on the back half, which would put me close to 5:01, 5:02.

Mile 14 -- 11:18.42 (2:38:24.51)
Mile 15 -- 11:30.27 (2:49:55.18)
Mile 16 -- 11:37.97 (3:01:33.15)
Mile 17 -- 11:45.06 (3:13:18.21)

These miles were nice and steady and primarily flat. The end of mile 17 had an incline in it.

Mile 18 -- 13:48.01 (3:27:06.22)

I probably burned close to two minutes at the aid station half way through this mile so that I could get fluids in me as well as my second Gu.

Mile 19 -- 12:30.99 (3:39:37.21)

Semi-steady incline early in the mile and a water stop late in the mile.

Mile 20 -- 12:42.75 (3:52:19.96)

Steep downhill which I zig-zagged down and then a very, very steep uphill followed by, after a right hand turn on to another road, two staggered, but short inclines. It is one of the toughest miles - besides the Grouse Grind that I've ever experienced. I thought here though, as a positive, that I was 10 minutes ahead of my first-ever marathon, Marine Corps, at this same point.

Mile 21 -- 12:59.44 (4:05:19.40)
Mile 22 -- 11:41.32 (4:17:00.72)

Was wiped out in mile 21, but found a little strength on the downhill to drop a mile back under 12 minutes.

Mile 23 -- 13:48:12 (4:30:48.84)

Had a long incline here followed by a short incline and after a right hand turn and a little dip, there was short steep hill to climb to finish off the mile.

Mile 24 -- 16:32.67 (4:47:21.51)

At the aid station just beyond mile 23, I basically called it a day when I did the math of 15 minutes per mile for the remaining three to realize that I woould have about a 5:15 day on a tough course in not so pleasant conditions (although it was sunny the whole day.)

Mile 25 -- 13:43.52 (5:01:05.03)
Mile 26 -- 12:15.10 (5:13:20.13)
Last .2 -- 2:57.50 (5:16:17.63)

I mustered up enough strength in the last 1.2 miles to bring the times within reason. I was motivated by a pair of women to try and keep up with them - they were doing a 3/1 and I shared with them that what kept me heading to the finish was an incredible 11-year-old daughter waiting for me there.

Waverly was waiting at the mile 26 mark and she got the chance to cross another finish line with me. In fact, she has been there four of my last five marathons or more (Sunmart, Houston, Austin and Alpharetta.)

Running up hills and into a constant headwind, at times, is like running in the humidity or at altitude. I know I personally didn't help the resistance issues with my size. :)

It was shared with me though by a fellow runner that "a doc in the medical tent afterwards said that running into a wind as strong as it was last weekend takes the same energy and fluids as running on a hot day." I'd reasonably believe that.

This race was extremely well-supported by its volunteers and the police and fire departments of the towns of Alpharetta and Roswell, who kept runners safe on the course. As I approached an intersection, I knew that I was able to keep my head down and run on through because they had it monitored so well.

The race T-shirt was a long sleeved one with a nice, clever design on the front and the medal was nice and well-done, for what it's worth.