3/13/16 - One City Newport News Marathon
3-13-16- One City Newport News Marathon, VA
First let me say, this is a very well run event and I am shocked there were so few runners running the full marathon (?). I know it was only the second year and the Shamrock in Virginia Beach is the following weekend, but this is by far a runner’s marathon! There is also an 8k and marathon relay run at the same time.
Here is my marathon report:
This was my first marathon of 2016 and part of my goal of getting a Boston Qualifier time (Male 40-44 = 3:15) this year. I have had a strong training plan starting back in mid Dec after a disappointing Philly marathon. A lot of the plan was to build up the miles, really do the speed work and cross training while using heartrate to determine effort. I set my goal to run a 3:20 marathon.
The reason I picked this marathon was because it was at a time of year where depending on the outcome I could most likely get another spring marathon in before the heat of summer and it worked well with a planned family trip. The course looked pretty flat (my GPS showed very little gain) and the field of runners seemed to be the size (around 1000?) where I would not be fighting other runners from the start. Cost was also very reasonable.
We traveled down from NJ on Sat and arrived at the expo around 3pm and from the set-up I was sure that there were going to be a large (1500+) number of marathon runners. The expo was mid-size and was held in a community center that was easy to find and get in and out of. Most of the booths appeared to be local ‘medical/health’ types and did not have much appeal to me as I was looking more for running gear and manufactures to learn what is NEW. I was able to get my bib, shirt and bag and walk the expo in about 15-25 mins. Again, very nice set-up and ready to handle more runners!
We decided to stay in Williamsburg for the night as there are plenty of hotels and prices are really cheap this time of year. There is also plenty to do there if you want to kill some time (shopping, eating, history, William & Mary, etc.). I highly recommend the restaurant ‘Food for Thought’ as this place is packed in the offseason also. They normally have a nice list of vegan and vegetarian options along with the normal meat dishes. They will also accommodate your diet if needed. The other reason we picked Williamsburg for our hotel was that this is a point to point race and the starting line is about halfway between Williamsburg and Newport News (less traffic).
Race morning- We drove to the starting line as it was held in a large park and there was plenty of parking for those that drove and families wanted to watch the start. Most runners took the shuttle from the finish line. There were bathrooms in the park and also a line of pot-a-pots. Temps were in the 50’s and very comfortable.
All the runners mingled near the start and when the word came, we moved into position and let the hand-bikes go off a few minutes ahead of the 7 am start. There was very little positioning to get your proper ‘pace’ spot at the start and this is when I started to realize there were not many runners. We were promptly started on time and we were off down the roads of the park that had a little rolling hills and curvy path.
We soon exited the park and at this point the field opened up as the lead pack pulled away and I hung in the second pack as I wanted to maintain a pace that did not push my heartrate up too fast. I gave out a few inquiries to the folks around me and everyone stayed pretty quiet. We ran through and industrial area and soon came out on Rt. 60. They shut down ½ of Rt. 60 so traffic could still flow on the other side both ways. This is good to note if you have friends trying to see you along the way as they can almost ride right alongside you most of the course and leapfrog to the next viewing spot.
One of the many great things about this marathon was there were water stations almost exactly every 2 miles, so it was easy to tell when the next one was coming up and where you were. Some had just water and others had Gatorade + water (I only went for water, but made sure to drink at least one cup at each stop. I did not have a problem with hydration at this event. I should also mention that there were quite a few spots where spectators had water or full water bottles out for runners as you passed by (even shots of liquor if you wanted, LOL). There were GU gels on the course, but I did not partake.
Overall crowd support: I was in the front top 30 runners for most of the race and I have to say I was impressed with the number of supporters there were out on the course. Sure there were folks that were moving from one point to the next to see their runner, but there were also a lot of locals and homeowners out on the curb cheering us on. There were not many stretches where you went more than ¼ mile without a supporter. They were very nicely spread out over the course. Yes, the closer you got to the finish the more there were.
At mile 6 you turn and head into some neighborhoods and the course continues on nice curves and shortly after you come to the first relay exchange. The course marshals did a good job of keeping the relay and marathons separated so you did not get slowed down. (Btw, it was easy to pick out the relay runners as they had to pass a strap to the next runner, so if you saw a strap you knew they were a relay runner and you could relax and not feel pushed by their fresh legs.)
After weaving through the neighborhoods and a few roads along parks you pop back out on Rt. 60 at the half marathon mark. At this point I had been able to maintain the pace I set my goal at and I knew if I pushed it a little harder my BQ might even happen today. I felt really good and again my heartrate stayed under control. This was a little shocking as I thought it would have raised up with the pace I was holding. Also at this point others runners started to drop back to a slower pace.
Not sure what the temps were at this point but you could feel them climbing. Mile 16 you enter into Christopher Newport University and loop around onto Museum Dr. This has some incline and decline to it and the road has a major crown to it, so pick your path wisely. At this point one of my toes HURT, but it was not enough to slow me down. I had to focus on the run and get through it. There was a water station as you came around the lake and entered onto Boundary Rd that had some more incline and decline, but the bigger issue was this road has not been paved in some time and some would consider this a trail. It put me into more pain as I had to switch on my trail running ‘hopping’ over the terrain. I passed a hand bike that was struggling with the terrain and incline. As I came out of this road I got to see my family that was there to cheer me on and all I could say was: ‘That SUCKED and foot is killing me!’, lucky for them this is also where you do a very short out and back, so they got hear me yell it one more time………… J
At this point you are back on Rt. 60 and you get that feeling that the end is near as you pass the 20 mile marker, but the heat was really starting to come on strong and the there is a slight incline for the last 6 miles. I really started to feel it here and my pace dropped. My heartrate also started to climb slightly. All I could keep doing was calculating my finish time based on my pace and I knew I was going to beat my goal of running a 3:20 marathon, but I also knew if I could just find some sort of kick for the last 5 miles I could come in well under the 3:15 time and maybe even have the 4-5 min buffer I need to ensure I get into Boston for 2017. It was all a mental game from here on in…….
Running up Rt. 60 you leave and loop around through a neighborhood and then back on 60 for a little and you loop through a park and back onto 60. As I past the water stations I would grab 2 cups of water, one to drink and the other to clear the dried salt from my eyes. I felt good, but at the same time I had to dig deep. With about a mile to go, there is a slight decline and again you feel the end, but at this point I gave up on trying to figure out my finish time and just run. There was a little jog over to Washington Ave and I saw the 26 mile marker, but could not see the finish……………….but then I saw a whole bunch kids running 90 degrees from the direction I was running, so the finish must be around the corner? At this point I put a major kick in and I was flying! (After I finish, my family says I looked like I was running 100 meter dash!) I turn the corner and see the finish arch and the time……… 3:15:00 and there is no way I am getting in under it. I put in all my effort and finished in 3:15:12! 12 FREAKING SECONDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Yes, this was the chip time…) The large crowd at the finish really helped in getting me in! Thank you Newport News!
After going through the finish shoot, I took a moment to get my legs back and proceeded on and got my medal. Shortly after I had volunteers shoving water and food at me. Note to race directors: when you finish a marathon, the last thing you want is for someone to shove water bottles and food at you! When, I am ready for water, I will come get it. Also, I could not understand why they were giving out the warm water bottles when you looked over and saw pools full of water bottles under ice?
There were many congratulations going around from runners who finished before me and after and it just felt good. I hung out and waited for my family to get around the finish area and we headed on down to the sidewalk to the festival.
Newport News put on a great after party!!!!!!! With live music and a lot of locals out for a good relaxing time. One of the coolest features I liked about this race was that on your bib you had a food ticket that you could take to any of the food trucks at the party and choose from the options they had for runners. I will not say what I got as it really is not in my diet…………………….. I am a sucker for peanut butter ;-)
Overall, this was a great event and I was shocked when I learned that there were only 386 marathon finishers. This event should be much bigger!!!!!! It is a very runner friendly event with great on course support and supporters all along. The after party was a hoot and my whole family had a good time. I hope this event grows and depending on my calendar next year, I may be back. If you are looking for a spring BQ, this is the event for you!
Results:
Time: 3:15:12
Overall Place: 20th of 386
Male Place: 18th
Age Group: 4th
Shoes: Saucony Zealot
Fuel:
Pre-race: Bananas, 2-Mama Chia Pouches, Vega Sport Protein bar, Vega Sport Pre-Workout drink, coffee.
During the race: 5 Cliff shots, 1 Trial Butter gel pack.
First let me say, this is a very well run event and I am shocked there were so few runners running the full marathon (?). I know it was only the second year and the Shamrock in Virginia Beach is the following weekend, but this is by far a runner’s marathon! There is also an 8k and marathon relay run at the same time.
Here is my marathon report:
This was my first marathon of 2016 and part of my goal of getting a Boston Qualifier time (Male 40-44 = 3:15) this year. I have had a strong training plan starting back in mid Dec after a disappointing Philly marathon. A lot of the plan was to build up the miles, really do the speed work and cross training while using heartrate to determine effort. I set my goal to run a 3:20 marathon.
The reason I picked this marathon was because it was at a time of year where depending on the outcome I could most likely get another spring marathon in before the heat of summer and it worked well with a planned family trip. The course looked pretty flat (my GPS showed very little gain) and the field of runners seemed to be the size (around 1000?) where I would not be fighting other runners from the start. Cost was also very reasonable.
We traveled down from NJ on Sat and arrived at the expo around 3pm and from the set-up I was sure that there were going to be a large (1500+) number of marathon runners. The expo was mid-size and was held in a community center that was easy to find and get in and out of. Most of the booths appeared to be local ‘medical/health’ types and did not have much appeal to me as I was looking more for running gear and manufactures to learn what is NEW. I was able to get my bib, shirt and bag and walk the expo in about 15-25 mins. Again, very nice set-up and ready to handle more runners!
We decided to stay in Williamsburg for the night as there are plenty of hotels and prices are really cheap this time of year. There is also plenty to do there if you want to kill some time (shopping, eating, history, William & Mary, etc.). I highly recommend the restaurant ‘Food for Thought’ as this place is packed in the offseason also. They normally have a nice list of vegan and vegetarian options along with the normal meat dishes. They will also accommodate your diet if needed. The other reason we picked Williamsburg for our hotel was that this is a point to point race and the starting line is about halfway between Williamsburg and Newport News (less traffic).
Race morning- We drove to the starting line as it was held in a large park and there was plenty of parking for those that drove and families wanted to watch the start. Most runners took the shuttle from the finish line. There were bathrooms in the park and also a line of pot-a-pots. Temps were in the 50’s and very comfortable.
All the runners mingled near the start and when the word came, we moved into position and let the hand-bikes go off a few minutes ahead of the 7 am start. There was very little positioning to get your proper ‘pace’ spot at the start and this is when I started to realize there were not many runners. We were promptly started on time and we were off down the roads of the park that had a little rolling hills and curvy path.
We soon exited the park and at this point the field opened up as the lead pack pulled away and I hung in the second pack as I wanted to maintain a pace that did not push my heartrate up too fast. I gave out a few inquiries to the folks around me and everyone stayed pretty quiet. We ran through and industrial area and soon came out on Rt. 60. They shut down ½ of Rt. 60 so traffic could still flow on the other side both ways. This is good to note if you have friends trying to see you along the way as they can almost ride right alongside you most of the course and leapfrog to the next viewing spot.
One of the many great things about this marathon was there were water stations almost exactly every 2 miles, so it was easy to tell when the next one was coming up and where you were. Some had just water and others had Gatorade + water (I only went for water, but made sure to drink at least one cup at each stop. I did not have a problem with hydration at this event. I should also mention that there were quite a few spots where spectators had water or full water bottles out for runners as you passed by (even shots of liquor if you wanted, LOL). There were GU gels on the course, but I did not partake.
Overall crowd support: I was in the front top 30 runners for most of the race and I have to say I was impressed with the number of supporters there were out on the course. Sure there were folks that were moving from one point to the next to see their runner, but there were also a lot of locals and homeowners out on the curb cheering us on. There were not many stretches where you went more than ¼ mile without a supporter. They were very nicely spread out over the course. Yes, the closer you got to the finish the more there were.
At mile 6 you turn and head into some neighborhoods and the course continues on nice curves and shortly after you come to the first relay exchange. The course marshals did a good job of keeping the relay and marathons separated so you did not get slowed down. (Btw, it was easy to pick out the relay runners as they had to pass a strap to the next runner, so if you saw a strap you knew they were a relay runner and you could relax and not feel pushed by their fresh legs.)
After weaving through the neighborhoods and a few roads along parks you pop back out on Rt. 60 at the half marathon mark. At this point I had been able to maintain the pace I set my goal at and I knew if I pushed it a little harder my BQ might even happen today. I felt really good and again my heartrate stayed under control. This was a little shocking as I thought it would have raised up with the pace I was holding. Also at this point others runners started to drop back to a slower pace.
Not sure what the temps were at this point but you could feel them climbing. Mile 16 you enter into Christopher Newport University and loop around onto Museum Dr. This has some incline and decline to it and the road has a major crown to it, so pick your path wisely. At this point one of my toes HURT, but it was not enough to slow me down. I had to focus on the run and get through it. There was a water station as you came around the lake and entered onto Boundary Rd that had some more incline and decline, but the bigger issue was this road has not been paved in some time and some would consider this a trail. It put me into more pain as I had to switch on my trail running ‘hopping’ over the terrain. I passed a hand bike that was struggling with the terrain and incline. As I came out of this road I got to see my family that was there to cheer me on and all I could say was: ‘That SUCKED and foot is killing me!’, lucky for them this is also where you do a very short out and back, so they got hear me yell it one more time………… J
At this point you are back on Rt. 60 and you get that feeling that the end is near as you pass the 20 mile marker, but the heat was really starting to come on strong and the there is a slight incline for the last 6 miles. I really started to feel it here and my pace dropped. My heartrate also started to climb slightly. All I could keep doing was calculating my finish time based on my pace and I knew I was going to beat my goal of running a 3:20 marathon, but I also knew if I could just find some sort of kick for the last 5 miles I could come in well under the 3:15 time and maybe even have the 4-5 min buffer I need to ensure I get into Boston for 2017. It was all a mental game from here on in…….
Running up Rt. 60 you leave and loop around through a neighborhood and then back on 60 for a little and you loop through a park and back onto 60. As I past the water stations I would grab 2 cups of water, one to drink and the other to clear the dried salt from my eyes. I felt good, but at the same time I had to dig deep. With about a mile to go, there is a slight decline and again you feel the end, but at this point I gave up on trying to figure out my finish time and just run. There was a little jog over to Washington Ave and I saw the 26 mile marker, but could not see the finish……………….but then I saw a whole bunch kids running 90 degrees from the direction I was running, so the finish must be around the corner? At this point I put a major kick in and I was flying! (After I finish, my family says I looked like I was running 100 meter dash!) I turn the corner and see the finish arch and the time……… 3:15:00 and there is no way I am getting in under it. I put in all my effort and finished in 3:15:12! 12 FREAKING SECONDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Yes, this was the chip time…) The large crowd at the finish really helped in getting me in! Thank you Newport News!
After going through the finish shoot, I took a moment to get my legs back and proceeded on and got my medal. Shortly after I had volunteers shoving water and food at me. Note to race directors: when you finish a marathon, the last thing you want is for someone to shove water bottles and food at you! When, I am ready for water, I will come get it. Also, I could not understand why they were giving out the warm water bottles when you looked over and saw pools full of water bottles under ice?
There were many congratulations going around from runners who finished before me and after and it just felt good. I hung out and waited for my family to get around the finish area and we headed on down to the sidewalk to the festival.
Newport News put on a great after party!!!!!!! With live music and a lot of locals out for a good relaxing time. One of the coolest features I liked about this race was that on your bib you had a food ticket that you could take to any of the food trucks at the party and choose from the options they had for runners. I will not say what I got as it really is not in my diet…………………….. I am a sucker for peanut butter ;-)
Overall, this was a great event and I was shocked when I learned that there were only 386 marathon finishers. This event should be much bigger!!!!!! It is a very runner friendly event with great on course support and supporters all along. The after party was a hoot and my whole family had a good time. I hope this event grows and depending on my calendar next year, I may be back. If you are looking for a spring BQ, this is the event for you!
Results:
Time: 3:15:12
Overall Place: 20th of 386
Male Place: 18th
Age Group: 4th
Shoes: Saucony Zealot
Fuel:
Pre-race: Bananas, 2-Mama Chia Pouches, Vega Sport Protein bar, Vega Sport Pre-Workout drink, coffee.
During the race: 5 Cliff shots, 1 Trial Butter gel pack.
