The FULL details

Here it is! The OFFICIAL result from Chiptime:

300 2855 Patrick S Taney, GUNTIME: 1:47:36 HM30-34 24/102 225 8:13 CHIPTIME 1:46:57 Buffalo NY

I thought I finished with a chiptime of 1:46:59-- but I was off by 2 seconds.

The story:

The night before the race was a little crazy. I had a house full. My parents were in town for the weekend to watch the race, also my friend Jenny from Rochester, who was running, and her husband spent Saturday night. I had a pre-race BBQ in which I cooked up hotdogs and hamburgers for the guests and whole wheat pasta for Jenny and I.

I stayed up waay too late talking and watching TV. We went to bed around 11:30pm.

The alarm went off at 4:57 AM!

I was a little pissed at myself because I promised to get at least 8 hours sleep. It didn't matter. I was pumped the minute the alarm clock rang. I had some pre-race jitters but more of it had to do with getting everyone to the start on time. We did.

There were not enough bathrooms downtown at the start line-- so I had to wait for what seemed like an eternity to go. I nearly missed the start-- in fact was running to get in line during the National Anthem.

Then- BANG! I was off. I felt great. The 7 or so friends and co-workers running the race with me all decided we would go it alone and at our own pace. It wasn't until 2 miles in that I saw any of them. I ran into my friend Jenny but moved ahead of her within a few minutes. I was breaking a cardinal rule-- one Glenn and Brian advised me-- in detail-- not to break. I was pushing hard right out of the gate.

I truly thought I was going about 9:00 /mile-- and believed I was consciously taking it easy the first several miles-- I wasn't.
I had several spectator friends along the way-- at different mile markers--- who said I was "blowing" through. All of my friends were WAAAAAAY behind me and I had no idea. I was going hard, fast, all the while thinking I was very slow-- I am still puzzled by that.

The course had changed at the last minute due to construction issues in the city. This was not good news. The new course, shared by both the Half AND Full Marathoners, had a lot more hills in it than the previous one. I think there were a totally of 7 hills. The old course had just 2! Most of the hills were highway overpasses-- and came in later in the race. Bad, bad news for me.

MILE 11: Can you say BRICK WALL! WOW. This is when I had realized I pushed TOOOO hard and ran TOOO fast. I was miserable. I wanted to walk sooo bad and despite HUGE crowd support from this point on had little spirit to continue. Somehow I pushed ahead with literally EVERYTHING I had left, which wasn't much.

This is me at mile 11.5:



I look deformed!

The last leg leading up to the finish line was FULL of people cheering. I had been told by everyone this is the best part-- a feeling like no other. For me, it wasn't quite that euphoric. I was in pain, frustrated, tired, and not feeling the "finish line" high I had heard so much about. I pushed too hard-- and this was my penalty. Yes I finished. Yes the time was decent. But I spoiled what should have been a superb moment and made it somewhat mediocre.

After I had received my metal, drank gallons of gatorade, and saw my partner, parents, and friends-- I felt great. I felt accomplished. I even had bragging rights-- beating everyone of my friends:)

So, the moral of this story: One you have no doubt hear time and time again DON'T push it in the beginning. When you think you have slowed your pace--slow it even more. Just have fun. Your first half should be about enjoying the experience especially the finish!

All in all-- I am glad I did this. I'm a better person inside and out and now ready for the next challenge.... The Full Marathon!

P.S. More pictures and video to come! These two are all I have at this point.

Also-- Thanks to everyone for your support before and after race!