Colorado Marathon - RunMarathon

Started off smooth. It was not cold out, actually the perfect temp for a marathon. My hands stayed relatively frozen though for the first 16 miles. Originally planning on keeping the miles around 8:40 pace, I came out of the gate way too hot. After a few miles I had to relieve the morning coffee. With that out of that way I put in some more steady miles, slowly making my way around the banked curves of the road. The road is constantly banked around the corners and I think this lead to a lot of my knee soreness post-race. Anyways the scenery was beautiful, I was cruising my way through the first half with my brother, make a bathroom stop again, then I get the grumble in the stomach feeling. Hit the can at mile 16 (for the third time) and head on my way feeling refreshed and lighter :) Around mile 17 you wind your way out of the mountains and down the long straight road to Ted's Place where there is a Tour de France-esque crowd lining both sides of the course and crowding in on the runners. Many runners around me had fans in the group cheering for them. Once through the crowd it was a slow climb toward the turnoff for Bagel Hill. The only noticeable uphill in the whole race, took its toll on us and we walked close to the top and the aid station. Past the 20 mile marker and I am getting a good feeling. The mental halfway point of the race and my body feels pretty good(relatively speaking). My brother on the other hand was going South and knew he could not keep pace. He told me he was going to walk again and to leave him. So I did just that, feeling a little bad (I'm the one that got him into this), but knowing he is a big boy and can handle himself. I put in a few quick miles 21,22,23 I pass people fairly easily as the carnage was building the closer to the finish. Managed to hold my pace to the last mile, began losing it slowly, then was saved at the end by the crowd. I am never one to show weakness in front of a crowd so I rile up whatever I can inside of me and bring it in at a decent clip. A dude in an Alaska shirt came out of nowhere and blew by me sprinting for the finish from over 100m out. I can't believe he held a sprint for almost 200m at the end of the marathon. I certainly don't mind being passed in the chute by someone laying it all on the line. That was great to see.

Train a little more for downhill running.

Got the chip off, medal, poster, found Misty,Sara, and Jennifer and cheered for my brother as he brought it in well clear of 4 hours (his goal time). Clothes bag, put on clothes, bananas, beer, well deserved taco bell on the way home.


I have not trained at fast speeds much, something I will start doing more of now. I would like to qualify for Boston on this course next year if everything works out.


Great race in the town where I live, can't beat it.