Indy was Monumental: 13.1 to 20

My 13.1 split was the fastest I'd ever run during a marathon (1:22:0X), but I felt good about it.  I'd planned to go through closer to 1:22:30, but running with the pack was worth being a little fast; I always run much better with others than alone.  Even in hindsight I wouldn't change it because I don't think going out a little slower would have gotten me to the finish any faster due to the headwind/tailwind situation.  I would never recommend trying to bank time in a marathon, but I think sans wind I'd have run a more even split.

Halfway there!

Around 13.5, the course turned south and we were met with a headwind.  I tucked in behind other runners and didn't think too much about it.  I ran a workout with similar wind about a month before the marathon, but I didn't think about that until after the race.

Power of the pack

Should have known...

Our pack thinned little by little, and I always hated when someone fell off; I wanted every one of the 62 women in the elite field to finish under 2:45:00!  The miles kept clipping by, and during 16 and the "hill" it contained, my mind was racing with endorphins:  "Only 10 miles left!  You feel great!  You can do this!  Only about an hour more!"

I think it's pretty clear that Sarah D. was the
only one who saw this photographer

For awhile, we'd run a little south and then a little east.  Going south into the wind was rough, but we had reprieve from it.  As we got to about 18, the reprieve was pretty much over, and for the first time I started to really notice the wind.  It had picked up, we were fully exposed to it, the pack has broken up completely, and I'd already run 18 miles at 6:15-6:20 pace (sometimes when I start workouts in the wind at the beginning I think "this isn't too bad" but towards the end I think "it's terribly windy!", and this was likely no different).  I was following right behind Tawny, who abruptly went from looking super strong to slowing down.  I passed her and encouraged her to come with me, as I pressed on towards the ponytails in front of me, many of whom has fallen off the main 2:45 pace group.

I picked up my third and final bottle around the 30K, drinking some of it and holding onto the gel that I'd ripped off it, which I slowly slurped down over the next 4-5 miles.  I worked towards chasing down anyone within my reach to stay focused.

I passed the mile 20 clock in 2:05:3X, which was exactly where I was at in Grandma's, but I felt much stronger this time.  I told myself, "Just 6:20 pace for the final 10K, you can do that and more!"

The details continue here.