Νενικήκαμεν, We have won

DNF. That is an acronym used in the world of foot races that I thought I may have to title this blog with. Even during the race I thought that perhaps this would brand my experience, but once I went past the 30k marker I knew that even if I walked I wouldn't have to use Did Not Finish as a description of this experience.
My Tokyo Marathon run ended Sunday at about 2pm, around 5 hours after I crossed the start line. I say about because I really don't know. There were so many people that, despite the start gun I didn't even get to the start until 10 minutes after the race had started, and the people were so thick for the first 10k that I didn't make good time (1hr 10min) and the lines for the bathrooms were so long that each of the two times I went cost me 10-15 minutes. So of my time for the marathon I can't say definitively. I don't know the official and I don't know what I really 'ran' but the time on my watch said 5hr 5min. In the end, I don't care. Sure, it would have been nice to run a faster time, like I expected, but I am really really happy just to have finished the race.

At 6am Sunday morning I woke up to take a shower and get my gear on. I was out the door to the train station, Aya guiding, by 730 and by 800 I was in the race area. Here I departed from Aya and awaited my start. By 850 I was in my 'block'(H) waiting to start the race. It was raining, windy and about 6C (43F ) which are not exactly ideal conditions for running, but at least I had 30,000 other people to share my discomfort with, which makes things a bit more bearable. At 9:12 I heard the official gun and the ensuing fireworks and everyone started to cheer. Slowly my group started to move. By the time we crossed the start 10 minutes had gone by and looking ahead and behind there was no end of runners. The first 10k seemed like a breeze. At this point the 10k runners split off (there was a 10k race attached to the first part) and the marathoners went on. It was also at this point that Aya and I had set up our first meet point, and there she was with her parents. Unfortunately because of the 10K runner's chute I could not go talk to them, but just wave, yell, and run on. Shortly after I took my first bathroom break and started to shiver as I cooled down in the line.
Starting off at 10.5k with my watch reading 1hr 20min was a little discouraging. I thought I would be making better time, but unlike in training I had to deal with people around me and could not just pee by the side of the path like usual. At about 13k I started to develop some trouble on my left ankle, it was sore and that had been a worry spot in training so I was careful to take it easy. Thankfully by 16k the pain was drifting into the background among a number of new pains. At 17k, as the course was doubling back on itself I got to see the back of the pack and realized that about 5k behind me the pack was thinning to almost no one. I was falling behind. It was here that I again took another bathroom break, the second and last of the race. At 20K I again saw Aya and her mother at our planned point, I am told her dad was somewhat beforehand yelling my name, but among the hundreds of people yelling from the sides I never heard him. At this point I thought, this race could go either way. I was feeling fairly good, but that ankle was hurting me and I was hoping that it and my finicky knee didn't decide to go foul.
Going into 21k I felt pretty good. I was into the race, my pace was evening out, and the race was evening out too. As I passed by the 26k marker and then again at 33k I noticed the back of the pack like I had at 17k, but this time it was a lot thicker, people were slowing down and dropping back. This was to be expected as this was the time for "the wall". I can't say exactly that I felt like I hit a wall, but at about 24k I started to get what I would like to dub the 'unending pain'. I never got really tired, but I did experience increasing pain in my knees. I had experienced this before in training, but only briefly. I was to know it on a new level this day. At 30k I marked my time at 3hr 20min which I thought was not so far behind my predicted goal of 3hrs, with the two bathroom breaks I took the extra 20min was to be expected. On pace and happy.
Going into 31k I was ecstatic. I knew I had already finished so to speak. I could technically walk the rest of the race and make it before the course closed, which if worse came to worse I would do. Things were getting rough and I took a couple brief walking/stretching breaks between here and 35k because my hams especially were getting tight and tired. There was also a building pain in my knees which I did my best to stretch out. By this point, among the runners I was among, about 1 out of 10 were dropping to walk. I was sympathetic, I too wanted to walk, but I was so afraid to walk for any amount of time that I kept going. At 35k, at the appointed spot, I found Aya and her parents. It was so good to see them. Dad gave me a tea and quick massage on the back while mom and I talked. 7k left to go, I couldn't fail.
Just as I was saying my goodbyes and turning to go I realized that my legs were no longer functioning. I tried to run, but hard as I might my legs would not rise properly. Slowly, like a train building steam, I went from a walk to a slow jog to a little faster to a little faster and finally a slow plod.
Going into the last 7k was such a strange experience. I was there, I could taste it, and yet the pain was so heavy I seriously considered stopping. As some cruel joke the planners of the race had set the course of the race to end with a series of hills. Many people, about 1/2 had started to merely walk up the hills, but at this point I recalled some advice given in an article I read. "keep running, if you stop to walk, you may never run again." After my little surprise at 35k I was apt to believe that and I only stopped to walk one time after I had mounted most of the hills and was going into a flat stretch. There is not much to say about that point on. I saw the family one more time at 41.5k, hit the finish, and then walked through the various check points as fast as I was able (really really slowly to be truthful). I met with the family and that is where one of the above pictures was taken as they helped me get my pants back on. I was freezing (calorie loss?) and my legs hurt so much I could not bend to put my pants on nor raise my legs to hand level. So, naturally I suppose, my parents helped me put my pants on and get me on the train to the hotel.
Everyone along the race was very helpful. People poured out in incredible numbers to cheer on the participants, there was hardly a bare spot along the entire 42k of the roadway's sidewalks and sometimes 5 thick. Some people had sugary treats for the runners, some tea, some miso soup, bananas, plums, coffee, beer (yes! one beer guy), rice balls, and more. There were many acts along the way from taiko drummers to dancers, hula girls, high school bands, musicians, cheerleaders and race groupies. There were lots of official tables for sports drinks, bananas, peanut butter sandwiches, and water. Besides all that, the racers that surrounded me were all polite. I was bumped quite a few times, but more often than not I received an apology and sometimes even encouragement. I have to thank all these people for making my race an enjoyable experience.
I have also have to thank especially Aya and her parents for coming all the way to Tokyo to see me run and cheer me on (not to mention massage me). I also want to thank Dan for trading running stories with me and encouraging me along the way. I did it. I did it Dan.
So, when is the next one and who is with me?