My first Marathon. When training started some 18 weeks ago I was thinking I could be in the 3:30 ballpark. But training didn't go exactly as planned so I decided I would hang with the 3:40 pace group as long as I could. The pace group went out nice and slow, did the first 3 miles in 26 min. and change. The winds were gusting pretty good at the start, felt like 20 mph headwinds as we crossed over the interstate.

At around 12 miles or so the 1/2 Mary runners peeled off to the right as I was thinking, nice, they're almost done and we're not even half way. There were nearly twice as many Half Mary runners as full so things thinned out a bit which was perfect as we hit the trail.

I was able to hang with the 3:40 group fairly easily until about mile 18 or so. That's when they started to move away. I though maybe I oculd catch back up later but that wasn't in the cards. The trail portion was an out & back and the turnaround was at the 19.5 mile mark. Just so happens Barley's Brewhaus was just before the turnaround point, you could see the entrance from the trail. If I was going to bail it would be there, 100 beers on tap can't be wrong!

Made the turnaround got to about mile 21 and there it was, as advertised....THE WALL You just start fighting to keep a good pace to no avail. The body just slows down, the muscles feel 100 times heavier, your mind tells you it's time to walk. No Way, not me I told myself. Things really thinned out to where I was running solo it seemed. I'd feel the pitter patter behind me and eventually I'd get passed and half the time I'd get encouraging words. I had few to say being so exhausted other than a quick "thanks".

Mile 22 or so I could see circles around my eyes, you know that light headed feeling. I had 2 GU's and a couple of Shot Blocks by that time and was just hoping I wouldn't pass out. Hydration at that point I felt was good, was only in the 40's at that point.

I must have slowed to 10 minute miles during the last 4 because miles 22 through 26 seemed like an eternity. Many have said the last 6 are tougher than the first 20 and that was exactly the case here. I got the mile 25 and thought, wow just 1.2 more miles. Damn that last mile took forever. I thought I might be able to kick it in, no way. Not enough left in the tank. I think I mustered up some decent form coming into the finish but definitely not fast.

Not much. If I had gone out with the 3:30 group I would have had a very slow last half. If I would have gone out with the 3;50 group I probably wouldn't have been able to kick it in for a time better than 3:47.

I had never been so exhausted as I was after this race. The girl with the medal asked me a question, I have no idea what she said I was so out of it. I just leaned over so she could hang it around my neck. I grabbed a bottle of water then stumbled over to a chair so they could get the timing chip off my shoe. That was a bad idea, I could barely get back up.

Then I saw my friend Pete who finished some 8-9 minutes before me, told him how friggin' gone I was and asked him where to food was. I threw down a banana, ate some yogurt and chomped on a chicken sandwhich my wife brang me while I waited for a massage table to open up. Only had to wait 5 minutes or so. Man that was nice. I was actually able to walk to the car after that.


Insufficient training. Kneed pain limited my miles per week and pretty much took faster runs out. Given my preparation going into the race I feel I chose wisely in terms of pace. In March I only ran 86 miles so that impacted my preparation substantially in my opinion.


The race was well organized from what I could tell. There was plenty of volunteers who did an excellent job. There was at least 4 GU stations and more than enough water stations. Volunteers would shout out "gatorade first, then water" thinkgs like that. I was too out of it to really notice the after race festivities.