The Sub-3:30 Marathon

The Sub-3:30 Marathon. It's not just another PR, not just a number measuring hours and minutes. While it is obviously both of those things, it's so much more than that to me. Running a marathon in three hours and thirty minutes was that impossible dream that I knew I could never attain myself. That was reserved for fast people, one of whom I was not. To back up my statement, know that I had a pretty solid reputation of consistently being the caboose at all the RCN Winter Race Series runs that year. It never bothered me to come in last place because I was ecstatic that I was able to participate in a sport where they couldn't put me on the bench for being last.

Besides, it's not like anyone could figure out who I was anyways.

In terms of improvement, 2010 was my best running year. Between the marathon, half, and 5K, I dropped a total of ninety minutes from my PRs. I ran three marathons that year: Green Bay, Equinox, and Rails to Trails. During that time of consistent mileage and hilly trail runs, about the only thing I had to do was to finish a race in order to PR.

It was also the first time I broke eight minute mile pace in a race. Without any major competition in the shorter of two events, I also won the women's race at the Run Lulu Run 5K, cruising along on my neighborhood course at what was then a blistering pace of 7:45/mi. I remember being so proud of that day. Incredibly proud. I think that was the moment I began to wonder what my potential was as a runner.

Over the course of many runs that summer, Matt and I talked about our goals. Whether due to coincidence or matching training styles, we continued to improve incrementally. His half marathon PR has always been twenty minutes faster than mine, whether we compare 2010 or 2016. Our third marathon of the year, on a rail trail in Wisconsin, was our big goal race and the first marathon we planned to run individually. Matt's goal was to break 3:30 for the first time, mine was four hours.  I thought back to that 5K PR I had worked so hard to earn. Matt wanted to run an entire marathon at that pace? Wow! I'd be a running rock star if I could run a 3:30.

Obviously, I take training very seriously.

Somewhere during that time, the 3:30 goal became mine. My lifetime marathon goal. I know many people make Boston their lifetime goal, but I had this one before I realized what the Boston Marathon was and what time I'd have to run in order to get there. What I wanted was 3:30. If I could do that, I could quit running those darn marathons and move onto something more fun like aqua aerobics. (Don't tell me that dancing around in a pool with a water noodle isn't fun!)

Of course, in the process, I fell in love with the most unforgiving road racing distance and now that I've met that goal, I can't imagine stopping because of some arbitrary goal. All I know is that I accomplished something that 2010 Karen could only dream of doing. I wish I could go back to 2010 and run alongside her on her weekly four mile tempo run at an eight-minute pace and tell her that her impossible goal isn't so impossible after all. Would she believe me? I doubt it.

Seven years after making that goal, I ran my first sub-3:30 marathon. For as big a milestone as I had inflated this time to be, I'm a little sad that I didn't notice it happening until I crossed the finish line. Unlike my first Boston-Qualifying time, there were no tears. I'd chased this goal for so long, I was so surprised that I just stood there, speechless.

I still can't believe it.

On this course? After an undecided spring season? Really?


This race was supposed to be a consolation prize, something to cheer myself up after having to bail on training and running my first 50 miler.  I'd say it worked!