At mile 13 I was still on goal pace but struggling, around mile 14 I found a $20 bill on the road and felt better, by mile 19 I knew I was crumbling but managed to look good and be nice through the Hooters Rest Stop-until for the first time ever I realized I had daughters the same age as those girls then I felt old and slow. Very late in the run I was having trouble running at all, and started to have real pain in my left arm and shoulder, chest-pectorals area-I ended up immobilizing my left arm by holding my wrist with my right. I would run a bit then walk, by mile 21 I had given up and accepted a 6 hour marathon, at mile 23 even the elderly Asian lady with back spasms had left me behind and I was staring down a 3 mile run that I should be able to "jog" in 27 minutes but knew I wasn't. Anyway somewhere along the last 6 random strangers start asking me if I am ok, instead of the usual "your doing great!" even police officers directing traffic start looking at me funny and that got in my head a little-I never had pain in my arm/shoulder like that except on my aero bars for a very long time, then it was even over both shoulders. The last mile or so it subsided a little. I took fluids at every aid station except one that was too crowded, took oranges and ate 3 cliff bars that I carried but I think now I needed more salt-pretzels or salt tablets, it was pretzels that fixed me up at Redman but I had forgotten that stuff

I don't know. I had two very good training months in Oct/Nov but two not so good one in Aug/Sep. My head was not in the game during late Aug/Sep. I thought I had laid a really good mileage base, 1400 miles this year so far, much better and faster than last year yet I was 48 minutes slower than last year a a full hour off my goal pace. I had a couple of 50 mile weeks in Nov and 2 decent 20 mile runs at a 4hr pace, several 16 and 18 milers too. I heard others complaining about their races, one lady in the elevator who coaches marathons and did her 14th one said this was one of her worse. The "pre cold front humidity" was a bigger impact than I thought.

First thing is to get inside, the cold front was arriving, 4 hours too late, as I finished but long after I was capable of taking advantage of it and running. I got my clothes grabbed some pretzels and chocolate milk and sat on the floor. As soon as the pretzels were consumed-two bags, the ache in my neck, arms, jaw and chest, subsided-the chocolate milk did something nice too-not sure what and I marveled at the runners drinking free beer and chocolate milk. then I begin my search for the train-a bit cruel as I was sort of disoriented and wondered end to end on three floors of that convention center before I ended up one a train home. I noted so many runners at train stations huddled in their space blankets against the cold and was glad I brought something to wear. Listened to other runners stories on the way back, found my truck, my parking ticket for parking in some sort of VIP space which i will ignore and headed for Little Caesars in Denison to try out my Susan B Anthony's-as expected the cashier was suspicious of them but another customer got excited and bought them from me and home I went. I got plenty of sleep but missed the "snow"


Whatever the hell happens to me at mile 19? And that bizarre pain in my arm. I guess now I appreciate what other people are saying about salt tablets, I always assumed these were cold weather people who can't handle the heat, but my sweat rate was through the roof. 8 weeks of solid-marathon focused training isn't enough-even with an Iron dist tri to build on, 16 would be better with a few more 55 mile weeks.


They did a good job with this race this year. The venue, course, starting line all great job. They do a good job engaging the neighborhoods too-plenty of fan support and cheering. It was probably great spectating weather if not good running weather. High Points: Easy DART access, random $20 bill on the ground, Hooters girls, even if they are too young to behave that way, well organized.