Rock 'n' Roll Savannah Marathon (2021)
What a strange turn of events.
We arrived in Savannah later than we wanted to on Friday night, and I made it just in time to pick up my race bib at the convention center.
As I was getting ready to get a good night’s sleep before the big race, I received a text message from the race organization letting all the runners know that the weather was expected to be bad and temperatures would be lower than usual. They encouraged us to plan ahead.
After a restless night listening to the storms outside, I got myself ready and headed out to meet up with some friends who also made the trip to run the Rock ‘n’ Roll Savannah Marathon as well. We had made arrangements to take an Uber to the start together.
In the Uber, we received another message from the race organization:
Honestly, it was a bit of a shock to read this on our way to the start. I immediately began thinking about all the hard training I put in over the past couple of months and planning to go out and set a marathon PR. But, dwelling on what was but no longer is, is an exercise in futility. So, in the course of a crushing minute, we decided we’d run the 1/2 marathon and go try to set our PRs there.
We got out of the car and were instantly drenched in the cold rain and blasted with wind. It was 6:30 AM, and we’d need to wait it out until the 7:30 AM start.
We made jokes and hopped in place, trying to remain warm and positive, until finally it was 7:25 AM, and we made our way to the corral.
The clock struck 7:30 AM—and the race didn’t start. So we stood there for about another 15 minutes while race personnel informed us they were handling some final course and safety precautions.
…
Eventually, the race began, and my buddy Darin and I decided to go out hot immediately. No need to be too conservative early on when you find out you’re only running half the distance you trained for. It was time to see what the legs could give with a little less restriction.
Honestly, I wish I remembered most of the race, but much of it was a blur.
I recall us crossing over a big bridge early on, traveling through some neighborhoods on the city's outskirts, and eventually making our way into downtown Savannah at roughly the 5-6 mile point.
We were almost halfway into the race when I noticed that our splits were pretty much on track for a sub 1:30 finish, but we’d have to keep pushing the pace. I had been talking to Darin through most of the first half, making jokes and having fun with the crowds as we passed them. But, at mile 7, I started to go into a flow, and I decided that talking would no longer serve me.
From mile 8-11, I remember running hard but feeling great. My pace quickened, and I was passing runners ahead of me with relative ease. I didn’t know how close to the lead pack I was, but I didn’t feel too far off. So I just kept chasing the next runner ahead of me until they were behind me, and then I’d reassign the goal to the next person ahead.
At mile 11, with 2 miles to go, I accepted that there was no slowing down or stopping. I would keep this intensity no matter how uncomfortable it became or how hard my chest was pounding.
I passed the mile 12 marker, and I just kept pushing. The beauty of the city was a blur, as were the shouts from the crowds. I had tunnel vision, and I felt like I was deaf.
Then I saw it—the finish—maybe a quarter mile down the stretch. I looked at my watch, and I was at 1:29:01. Only 58 seconds left to hit my goal!
I kept turning my legs over as fast as I could until I blasted through the finish line.
1:30:25.
I missed my goal by 26 seconds, but I still set a PR for my 1/2 marathon time.
This race was a very interesting experience for a few reasons:
Suffering - I talk about it often, but this race, although shorter than most distances I’ve raced, provided a great deal of suffering. Between the waiting in the cold rain and winds pre and post-race to the intensity required to set my PR, there was plenty of suffering to go around. Reflecting now, I’m grateful for the suffering, as I usually am, because it has led to a greater appreciation for the effort, the memory, and the comforts that followed once the race concluded.
Adapting - I’ve written about adapting to the things that life throws at us, and this experience was another great test of adaptation. Our logistics got messed up on our drive down to Savannah, the marathon got canceled the morning of—which pushed us into a new race altogether—and the weather was far from ideal. Given all these variables, we still showed up, ran our races, and had great results.
Consistency - I believe consistency is the key to success for any worthwhile endeavor. Races are an awesome tool for assessing progress as it relates to running performance. If I’m being fully transparent, it’s mind-boggling to me that I was able to run a 1/2 marathon in 1:30. Surely, I’m not an elite. But, to transform from being binge drinking, cigarette smoking non-runner just 4 years ago to a person who completes a 100 mile run in under 24 hours and a 1/2 marathon in 1:30 is truly incredible to me. Consistency has allowed me to realize and actualize my potential, and Savannah was just one more personal example of the power of being consistent in my training and my life.
