Kume Marathon

Since arriving on Zamami in August I have been religiously following a running training plan to complete my goal of a marathon finish this year. I timed the regimen around the Naha Marathon on December 2nd but also signed up for this weekend's Kume-jima Marathon just for kicks.

I had to take the Friday afternoon boat from Zamami to Naha, then join three other JETs to go to Kume on Saturday morning via a four-hour boat ride. The marathon started at 7:30am on Sunday and I was delivered to the start line about 15 minutes early. Of the 400-500 marathoners, I only saw four other non-Japanese and they appeared to be military, if haircuts are telling.

I started well and concentrated on going slow, but my heart rate worried me immensely, which probably didn't help the cause. I started at 117 and immediately jumped to the 150's, which is a level usually reserved for the hardest pushes on the steepest hills of Zamami. My HR never settled below the 140's and I can only attribute it to nerves and the bowl of granola and two plain pancakes I'd eaten 1.5 hours earlier.

My first 2k was completed in 12 minutes. I didn't do my math right and immediately thought I was 2 minutes off a pace of one hour 10k's, so I sped up slightly and reeled off two consecutive 10-minute 2k's. This was fine because my body was like that world record giant rubber band ball waiting to be attacked with a razor blade. My muscles wanted to go badly so I had to compromise.

I ran the first half of the marathon (21.1km) in 1:58, which was two minutes ahead of pace for my negotiable goal of a four-hour finish. I still felt extremely strong and argued with myself over when to "go." I took my second salt capsule (heavy sweating and plenty of fluids = loss of electrolytes) at 2:15 and about five minutes later felt like I could just sprint the remaining 16km to the finish. I said okay and went hard - perhaps a 10km pace. I knew it wouldn't last but I also knew not to push it, only to listen to my body. So I gradually slowed a kilometer later, at 27km, but still maintained a really strong pace. I was carrying a handheld water bottle which turned out to be key. There were water stops every 3km and at each I completely refilled the bottle, trying to mix the sports drink and water in a 1:1 ratio. I much preferred to drink at my own pace between stops rather than try to cram.

The last hill was at about 35km and I couldn't wait for it. The hills on Zamami have conditioned me to run almost faster up than down. When I hit the incline I realized another sudden burst of energy and blew by dozens of people, including many who were only competing in the half-marathon. I started to feel cramping in my quads on the downhill but shortened my stride and seemed to fix it. I just kept picking the pace up as the kilometers ticked down to the finish and the small crowds cheered. Many spectators beat on okinawan drums and everybody yelled 'gambate!' (good luck) or, for those learned in English, 'fight, fight, fight!' (and I acknowledged all of them).

I finished in 3:49.33. This is 16 minutes faster than my Pittsburgh and Palau Marathons, but, more importantly, I wasn't fearing death. I was still standing, conscious, and somewhat amiable.

Now, the numbers:
HR average: 159
HR range: 117-183
time spent above 150 beats per minute: 2:52
time spent below 120 beats per minute: 10 seconds
total ascent/descent: 380 feet (it's worth noting that I do 380' of ascent in the first 8 minutes of my Zamami runs)
high point: 82 feet

The picture is from the return boat ride. Our goal was to arrive early enough to get an inside seat. 30 minutes early didn't cut it, so we just sat in the aisles inside and eventually seats opened up (I don't know why?). But the boat was full of 'dead' marathoners and the picture is of uncomfortable people sleeping across rows of four seats outside.