Long time no see. Let’s go ahead and talk about what happened.
I DNF’d this year’s Vancouver Marathon a bit after 25K. Circumstances have KO’d me from this marathon for the third time (2018, 2022, 2026).
Conditions were dangerously warm for this time of year, reaching 78°F (26°C) with suitable humidity for a 50°F dew point. While I was certainly in shape to run the marathon, I was not heat-acclimated to these race conditions after a winter of training in Seattle. During training I had one or two runs in similar heat that lasted 6-7 miles.
I wore a sun top and a hat to protect my skin from burning and diffuse some of the heat. I had two 18oz flasks with water and Maurten 160 in each on a belt, plus Maurten 100 gels to take every hour. I walked through all available fluid stations and took water at each. Hydration and fueling were no problem and done according to the plan that I had practiced in training. My heart rate was mostly in the high 140’s, higher than I was hoping to hit early on but in line with my desired intensity.
I took it easy (any pacing ambitions I threw out the window pre-race) and felt fine until 11K, right after climbing the Camosun hill (which I managed just fine). Suddenly I struggled quite a bit to keep running, my heart rate began sitting 150’s, so I decided to walk a bit under shade to regroup. I was able to resume and continue running through the forest into UBC, so I presumed that was just a rough patch… though 11K is rather early to have one of those.
I began to drag a bit before the big downhill in UBC at 18-19K, though I safely took the big downhill with no problem. However, I eased up at the bottom and then I once again struggled to run. I took fluid at the 21K station and walked a bit extra, but resuming running felt no better this time. Jogging Sunset Beach to the 23K turn, I began to assess whether or not finishing was safe and do-able.
I took the 2nd hill in West Point Grey as everyone around me was walking it, but I had to give in and walk myself halfway up. Once I made the turn into Kitsilano at 24K I removed my sun top to get some air circulation and cool off. I walked some more, essentially deciding then and there to surrender soon, just figuring out a good spot to step off the course. As if 2nd-hand validating my decision, multiple people along W 4th were sitting on the sidewalks getting medical attention.
Cheering crowds at 4th and Alma made that a poor spot to drop, so I resumed a run out of respect, got around the corner and a couple blocks out of sight on Alma, then stepped off at the corner on W 2nd and removed my bib.
I took a long, reasonably relaxing walk east under shade through Kitsilano back downtown, with occasional glimpses of the nearby course as struggling runners continued. I felt relieved and not all that disappointed. That was the correct decision.
I spent an active but otherwise relaxed week in Vancouver enjoying the city, and had a good time anyway. I didn’t give this year’s marathon a ton of thought. I knew even before the forecasted hot weather that despite my best training efforts I would not be 100% trained to run it, and I ran it to enjoy the course and see where I was at fitness-wise for the distance.
It was disappointing to see the forecast shift to hot, abundantly sunny weather as the day approached. I knew I wasn’t heat acclimated and this was at best going to be a calculated struggle to finish. I know I’m fit enough to run a marathon in optimal conditions, and not terribly far away from being heat acclimated and fully trained for the distance. (Plus, one silver lining from dropping out early is that I recovered more quickly and could safely resume training sooner)
Road marathons shouldn’t be run in these conditions, especially in the spring after most runners have spent the winter training in much cooler conditions. Faster runners, visitors from hot climates, people who did all their training on treadmills in warm rooms, colder blooded leaner runners who do well in hot weather, all had a great day. The rest of us struggled.
Looking back, though this year (after waiting three years to once again run the marathon distance) there was no way I would have done so… the best decision in light of the forecasted heat would have been to drop down to the half-marathon distance. Despite all distances being sold out, RunVan did allow registered runners to switch distances at the Expo, and in fact there was a huge line at the change counter for people who wanted to drop down from the marathon to the half.
Going forward, if registered for the marathon, that’s probably what I will do. While it’s a crowded race, especially in the finish line area, the half marathon also starts early at 7am, which diffuses problems with hot days… plus of course it’s only half the distance, which is easily do-able in hot weather.
I seriously considered nixing my annual tradition of doing this marathon, since climate change is going to make this hot weather in May more typical for Vancouver (this is the second straight year they ran the race under warm abundant sunshine). RunVan should consider breaking tradition and moving the marathon back at least to April, but they probably won’t unless there’s multiple heat-related casualties at a future marathon. RunVan is great at learning from mistakes, but unfortunately history has shown they have to stubbornly experience the mistakes first before they can learn to avoid them.
However, I’ll probably register next year. Obviously I really like this marathon, and if the conditions are suitable it’s one I really want to run. You never know how the weather will turn year over year, even given that Vancouver got hot in back to back years for the race. It could well be overcast and rainy next year, which (while I can’t speak for others) I would gladly run in. It’s not a big deal for me to register, book hotel, confirm days off from work… and just cancel/defer out the week before if the forecast once again calls for hot sunny weather.
Also, RunVan hosts other races throughout the fall and winter (e.g. The First Half, The Great Trek, Granville Island Turkey Trot), and I can travel to Vancouver for those whether or not I skip the marathon. Plus, I can always drop in for a weekend just to do a long run if I desire. I’ll get to visit and run there no matter what.
