What A Day In Columbus!

It was a chilly morning in Columbus...to be a spectator!! But my oh my, was it a great day to race!  Nothing gets me more excited, nervous, and on the verge of tears like a marathon!

I have watched Ryan run or joined him for countless miles over the past few months and I believed he was ready to go.  Then again, it is the marathon and so much can happen.  We talked before the race about what I thought he could do.  I gave him what I believed was some pretty solid marathoning advice.  I told him he was in shape to run 5:30 pace, but it would feel easy and he couldn't let himself get carried away and run under 5:30's.  He agreed.

The gun went off and along with a wonderful firework display the streets quickly filled with runners chasing down their goals.  I held back tears and biked to mile one to see the first mile split. I quickly met up with Nicole and Jeffy (Jeff Sigmund), also on bikes to spectate. I was thankful to have them along!  We had 4 people we were really looking to watch, and numerous others to cheer for mixed in there.  Verrelle and Jesse, in the half, Ryan, and Heidi, who was looking for a sub 2:43 and her ticket to the Olympic Trials.  As you may assume they all looked great at the mile.

We watched miles 2 and 3 and still everyone looked awesome.  Then we headed over to mile 8.  While at mile 8 we watched a group of ladies stand in the middle of the road, obstructing the tangent, and despite having an athlete in the lead mens half pack run into one of them, would not get off the road.
Verrelle came through looking good, and on PR pace.  Jesse looked strong and still on pace.  Ryan came through under pace and looking good, but in no mans land, and I wished he was around some other guys.  At this point the ladies still had not moved out of the road, and I can get a little feisty when I am nervous.  I walked over and asked them to move, they informed me I was rude.  I said some choice words that cut to the core of what I believed would get their attention, and they moved. It wasn't my finest moment.  Sometimes the first time I hear the stuff that I am saying is as it comes out of my mouth.  Not pretty. Finally with a clear tangent to run Heidi came through!  She looked like she was on an easy run!  We hopped on our bikes and quickly got to mile 12.

We arrived just in time to see the lead half guys come through.  Shortly there after Verrelle came through and we knew he would be under 1:07!  Jesse was next and he looked tired, but I knew he would still run a respectable race. Ryan came along and he was with Joey, one of his former teammates, and Matt Folk, a good marathoner from ohio. Ryan was still under pace, and this was making me a little nervous.  I started cry/laughing and Nicole assured me that everything would be fine.    Before we knew it Heidi was coming!  She was under pace and looking great!  We cheered and got excited about how well this was going for everyone we were watching!

Heidi making it look easy (photo by Tayler Blake)

Ryan looking good and still enjoying the race! (Photo by Tayler Blake)

We rode along the course and stopped to cheer a few times, then decided to head over to 22.  Ryan came through in 10th place and looked rough.  I would later find out why.  You see he had decided to throw what his coach told him out the window (hehe I am his coach) and just go for it when he felt good...at mile 8.  He started running low 5:20's-mid 5 teens.  It seemed like a good idea, but not anymore.  I left Nicole and Jeffy while trying really hard not to cry.  I was doing a bad job of not crying though.  I get soooo emotional watching others and understanding their pain.  Nicole text me how Heidi was doing and I think I said out loud "Oh my God, hang on Heidi, you are going to do this!".

At mile 24 Ryan was in 12th I followed behind him watching and choking on tears over the next 2 miles.  He stated at 24 that he wanted to walk, his quads were visibly misfiring and I told him no, I don't care how slow you have to run DO NOT WALK!  He hung in there and finished just shy of his goal of breaking 2:30. He ran 2:30:37 and I was a very proud wife and coach!
I rode back to 26 miles and waited to cheer for Heidi.  She looked so tough!  I reminded her to turn those tired legs over, that she was tougher than she thought right now, and she was about to be an Olympic Trials qualifier!

What a day!  Verrelle and Jesse ran well, Ryan got a taste of how fickle the marathon can be, and still ran great, and another one of the ladies I love punched their ticket to the 2016 Olympic Trials!  I felt overwhelmed by how amazing the day went and enjoyed chatting with them both after.

Another inspiring weekend.  I am so proud of all of you!