It all went so well—until it didn’t—and then it did.

The plan was simple—don’t all great stories begin that way? I knew what I wanted from this race and what to expect from The San Francisco Marathon. At 5am as the sun was thinking about rising, I let @carleemcdot know the game plan: “We’ll keep a 9-minute pace, nothing over a 9:30… and I don’t want to see any 8’s (as in 8:XX/mile).” I let her know that there were 2-3 steep hills in the first half of that race that I anticipated walking. I had mentally prepared for this race almost down to every detail.

After the singing of the National Anthem and a ringing of the cable car bell, we were off.

Mile 1: 9:01
Mile 2: 8:34 – well, “no 8’s” went quickly out the window. Carlee and I laughed about this and we made a note to dial it back.
Mile 3: 9:14 – this included a hill at Fort Mason that I wanted to walk.
Mile 4: 8:39 – downhill after an incline, it happens
Mile 5: 8:51

So the first 5 miles we have three 8’s and two 9’s. Mile’s 4-5 have a slight downhill slope which makes me feel okay about seeing the sub-9s.

Mile 6: 9:19
Mile 7: 9:48 – Carlee grants an FB-live interview
Mile 8: 8:53
Mile 9: 9:50 – another steep uphill I wanted to walk
Mile 10: 9:34
Mile 11: 8:56

These were the out-and-back miles across the Golden Gate Bridge. It’s not an easy section of the course, but one of the most scenic and enjoyable.

Mile 12: 9:15
Mile 13: 9:27

First Half: 2:01

Perfect. There are some 8’s in there and some +9:30’s, but they line-up exactly with uphill/downhill segments of the course. 2 hours at the halfway point is exactly where I wanted to be.

I let Carlee know that the game-plan for the second half:

“We should see @fitfam6 around 17, then we have to get to November Project water stop at 22.5, and then we’ll see @g__n__b at 25, then we cruise home. We keep the current pace, and I don’t want to see any 10’s (as in 10:XX/mile.” That game plan right there gets us to a 4-4:10 finish

Mile 14: 9:37
Mile 15: 8:56
Mile 16: 9:25 – I feel a tightness in my left hamstring. I laugh and say “that’s weird. I wasn’t expecting that.” We walk for a few seconds to be on the safe side, it goes away. We continue on and I decide to shorten my stride on some of the uphill segments—still feel good mentally.
Mile 17: 9:53 – we stop for a photo with @fitfam6 and soak up the positive energy

At this point I tell Carlee that we have some uphill coming for the next few miles as we get ready to exit the park and that we’ll likely pick up a few seconds per mile, but once we exit after 19, we should have the downhill to take us to the finish.

Mile 18: 9:38
Mile 19: 9:36

At this point, the race has gone exactly as I was expecting.

Mile 20: 11:29

Until it doesn’t. My left calf seizes into a full cramp and I’m forced to stop all running immediately. I hobble to the side to stretch it out.

Mile 21: 10:41
Mile 22: 11:59
Mile 23: 11:07
Mile 24: 11:06

At Mile 22, I take an extra walk break, eat my final GU, and am moving as fast as I can without further aggravating my leg muscles that are dying to cramp at any minute. They haven’t gone to full-cramp mode again, but that could change at any minute.

At the November Project water stop, I give about 5-6 hugs to very familiar faces and their energy helps put me in a better place—they have magical powers.

Mile 25: 10:04 – we see @G__N__B and stop for a quick photo.
Mile 26: 10:04

26.2 Miles: 4:19:47

It was perfect until it wasn’t. But you know what? I look back at these splits and I’m damn proud. Considering I had a run-stopping cramp at mile 20 and a “slower” mile 22, the rest of it is pretty consistent as far as continuing to move forward.

Mentally, I was 100% in it. I knew that I didn’t want to walk and start clicking off 13- or 14-minute miles. I knew I could still pull off a time close to my 4:10 paper ceiling and I never gave up on it. Ask Carlee, she knows the “Pavey has quit” look.

Over the last two miles, most of my tightness had gone away and we were moving pretty consistently. Considering we stopped for a photo at mile 25, it looks like we kept a 9:XX pace.

As we approached the finish line and the final 10 yards of the marathon, I “sprinted” to finish in front of Carlee. I could hear her laugh/smile when I did it because we have had a running joke (pun intended) of trying to finish in front of each other at races. Her laughing at knowing what I’m trying to do brings a smile to my face as I cross the finish line (which was my A-goal). Mission accomplished. “Cross the finish line with a smile on my face.”

Pavey: 4:19:47
Carlee: 4:19:47

Damnit. I still can’t “beat the sign.”