Maine Coast Marathon 2013 – Race Report

Marathons: Paul #22, Leah #12, State #7 : Maine Coast Marathon 2013
12th May 2013, Kennebunkport, Maine, USA
Finish Time (Paul) = 3:40:19
Finish Time (Leah) = 3:47:39

Although I had run in the rain for an entire marathon in Berlin, Leah never had until this run. It was wet and rainy for most of the course, only really drying up towards the end.

As the race title suggests, we ran along the coast of Maine with some great views but also with the waves crashing on the rocks and adding salt water to the rain falling down on us.

Give Me More Sea To The Face

Apparently getting sea water in our faces makes for good running times. Perhaps it was the extra salt intake. Or the stinging of the eyes, causing a blind panicked sprint. Whatever it was, it was working and we were getting in some fast miles. We stuck together until around 20 miles, Leah wanted to ease off but I was feeling really strong. Our unwritten rule is that if one person could run a record time or do a sub 4 when the other person can’t, they should carry on.

I pushed on ahead and ran the last 6.2 miles of the marathon faster that any other marathon ever, past and present, as of time of writing (October 2014). I don’t know how I did it, I just had the determination and strength left. Since this race I’ve run one other marathon a whole 10 minutes faster than this finishing time, yet the last 6.2 miles were still slower than these miles that I ran at Maine Coast.

I managed to run them at an average pace of 7:55 and achieved a negative split (where you run the second half of the marathon faster than the first half). I crossed the line in 3 hours 40 minutes and you couldn’t wipe the smile off my face. I had tried desperately to overcome those 19 seconds for a 3:39 finish but I just wasn’t able to run any faster. To put it in perspective my last mile was a 7:17, which is the fastest mile I’ve run in any marathon at any point in the race. So I really was going for it at the end to try for under 3:40!

While stretching at the finish line I was sure Leah was going to come through any minute and we’d both be celebrating a double PR / PB. The minutes ticked on and eventually the clock went past her 3:46 record. A minute later she came speeding around the corner, crossing the line in an impressive 3:47

Bringing in a new record for the second time in the year!

Bringing in a new record for the second time in the year!

 

Elevation Graph from Running Watch

MaineCoastElevation

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