So I entered this kind of on a lark. I was amazed, frankly, how well I recovered after Beach-to-Battleship. And, since I knew I'd be in ATL anyway for turkey day, why not, right? This marathon was my first, back in 1994 and I had some pretty bad memories from going out way too fast and being way undertrained, so some redemption was in order. Back then, I struggled mightily to a 4:16.

My goals:
have fun
don't get injured
cruise in under 4:00

All of them lofty, cause A) marathons are hard; and B) I had just done an IM 3.5 weeks earlier; and C) I had just done an IM 3.5 weeks earlier.

But still, I figured with a 3:48 IM marathon under my belt...no problem.

So I started off easy, something like 8:50 in the first mile. After that I ran steady 8:30s-8:40s for the next 7, and then after making the right turn from Piedmont onto Peachtree, I picked it up (since I was feeling really good at that point). 8:10s got me to half way in just over 1:50. At that point, I had two thoughts:

10 minute miles get me home under 4 hours.
Even split gets me a PR.

Decisions....

I decided to maintain pace for the next 4 mile so, to Lennox, basically (where the Peachtree starts) and see how I felt. At that point, the course is sharply downhill for the next 3 and I knew I could knock off some decent splits whether I was hurting or not. And then it would just be a 10K to the.

I got to Lennox feeling great, and still ticking off 8:10s. So, maintinaing down the hills, I did the next three (including Cardiac Hill) in right at 22:30. There, I knew even if I struggled a bit I could get in under 3:40. But with each successive mile I ran under 8 minutes there, my pending PR sounded better and better. Finally, making the left turn from Peachtree, sub 3:36 was in sight. I powered up that last little hill and made the next right turn towards Turner Field, and just aired it out.

here's one thing I had forgotten: just how long that stretch was. Damn. I was hurting. Luckily, though, that stretch was all downhill and I was passing under the Olympic rigs (cool way to finish any race) and then the finish line was in sight. 3:35:36. Six minute PR. 41 minutes faster than I was 14 years ago.

Sweet.

Make sure my car battery was functioning?

Walk to the car and bum a jump.


I guess 140.6 3 weeks earlier.

Side note: holy cow...call me JeepFleeb! In the previous 8.5 weeks I've done:

Half Ironman
Half Marathon
Ironman
Marathon

If you're keeping track, that's 250.2 competitive miles in 60 days.