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Comments: Finally! I have defeated the Air Force Marathon. In 2008 and in 2012 I blew up at Mile 20-21 (and finished in 4:18 and 4:16). NOT THIS YEAR! After discussing things over with some BT folks I decided my best course of action would be to hang with the 3:55 pace group for the first 20 miles and evaluate how I felt at that point. So that's what I did. I made sure to walk the water stops to get in at least a cup of gatorade or water at each stop and then I would make sure to catch back up with the 3:55 pacer. The first few miles were a little rough because I had to pee, but once I took care of business I settled in and felt good. I was mainly worried about my legs cramping up so I made sure to frequently take hits from a bottle I was carrying that had 7 GUs poured into it. Around Mile 13 I started feeling really good but I stayed with the 3:55 group until 19.5. Then I just said the heck with it and went. I can't begin to express how much fun the last 6-7 miles of this race were for me. In my previous two attempts these last 6-7 miles were a death march. From 19.5 I just went. 8:33, then 8 flats, then down to 7:45 and 7:30. And I just remember being so mad. I was literally out there cursing the course out with every step. Like when I got to the Route 844 uphill onramp at Mile 22 or so: "NOT THIS YEAR YOU POS Route 844 hill! THIS YEAR I'M KICKING YOUR ASS" I blame the endorphins and the caffeine in the GU. But I was pumped up. I knew I was gonna finally get the sub-4 monkey off my back and in a big way. Wow those last 5 miles go much faster when you can run. I crossed the finish line with a chip time of 3:48:05 a PR by 28 minutes. Funniest sign: "I bet you wish these last 4 miles were furloughed" What would you do differently?: Maybe I could have gone 3:45 if I went out a little faster. Obviously I had a lot left in the tank. But I was leaving nothing to chance this year. No more blowing up at Mile 20.  Post race
Warm down: Got my medal from a Colonel, grabbed a banana and a water, hugged my wife and parents and drove as fast as I could to a Mexican restaurant. GIVE ME ALL THE NACHOS! What limited your ability to perform faster: Nothing. Event comments: They could do a much better job with parking. I was at a gate by 6AM and still didn't reach my parking spot until 6:30. Last updated: 2013-04-08 12:00 AM
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United States
Air Force Marathon
60F / 16C
Overcast
Overall Rank = 444/3103
Age Group = M30-34
Age Group Rank = 0/
Trained using Road Running for Serious Runners Schedule A (Peak 40 mpw). Ate a bunch of pasta and rice the week before. Woke up at 4:30 ready to rock. After sitting in traffic for much too long had an emergency bathroom break in the parking lot next to a minivan I hope was unoccupied. Made it to the starting chute in time for the National Anthem. Boo to the sequestration for killing the flyover.
It's a marathon. Can I count my walk from the parking to the starting line?