Sunday morning, I ran the Wichita Marathon…my 6th marathon overall.  Here's what I remember:

• Sat 10p — [The night before, in Derby KS] "It's so weird going to bed on a Saturday night without thinking about giving the message the next day.  Will I be able to sleep?  Hmmm… Zzzzzz…."
• Sun 7:25a — [Arriving at the Derby Rec Center] "I can feel my adrenal glands starting to work.  I've got to walk around or something to work off the tiniest bit of energy."
• Sun 7:50a — [Walking out to the starting line] "Man it's freezing out here.  I can't wait for it to start.  I have NO idea how I'll do."
• Sun 7:57a — [At the starting line] "Kev, can you believe we've go the front left spots on the starting line?  I love small town races."
• @Mile 3 — "Am I the only one checking my watch for pacing?  I'm ok with that, I guess.  Maybe that's my role out here for all these guys shooting for sub-3-hours…"
• @Mile 5 — "I THINK I feel ok, but the bottoms of my feet are really starting to hurt.  Is that a bad sign with 21.2 miles to go?"
• @Mile 7 — "I have to go to the bathroom now?  Are you kidding me?  Maybe I drank too much water pre-race.  Maybe it'll just go away…"
• @Mile 8 — "Nope…it ain't going away…and my feet are still being pounded…"
• @Mile 13 — "This run into the wind is a NIGHTMARE.  I'm using up my energy way too fast."
• @Mile 14 — "Absolutely no one is around me and I'm in a field.  Maybe I can go now…?  Nope…"
• @Mile 15 — [As I turn south, to an uphill, into the wind] "Stop and wait for those 3 guys behind you.  They're only 40 meters back.  But you've GOT to organize a peloton of runners (Kev's idea!) to work together.  'Hey guys [I tell them…not ask them…], let's get in a line & have every guy take the lead for 100 yards, then fall back…we've GOT to work together here." [No one says a word, but they instantly form a line…we take turns running into the wind.]
• @Mile 17 — "Ahhhh…heading north again & WITH the wind.  Much nicer now."
• @Mile 18 — "Where'd everyone go who was going to shoot for sub-3-hours with me?  I'm barely hanging on to pace, and I'm in front!"
• @Mile 19 — "I'm starting to really labor…feeling a little dizzy…in the past, I waited until 23 or 24 miles before this happens.  Will I be able to sustain this?"
• @Mile 20 — "I see Cathy again on the course, cheering like crazy for me.  She's awesome.  But now she looks worried.  Because she's seen how I look.  :-)"
• @Mile 21 — "I feel like I'm hanging on by a thread.  I wonder if my thread will break.  I've just to stay with this guy running his leg of the marathon-relay-race.  Stay on his hip.  Stay on his hip.  Let him cut into the wind for you…"
• @Mile 22 — "Dear God!!!  If you get me through this, I promise I won't take ANY credit for finishing it.  I'm trusting YOU!!!"
• @Mile 23 — "Keep 6:50…keep 6:50…keep 6:50…"
• @Mile 24 — "I will NEVER run another marathon again!!!"
• @Mile 25 — "Mfjalfjdff…ldsfkadf…where am I???"
• @Mile 26.2 — "I cannot believe it.  I made it.  2:59:13."
• Sun 11:00a — "I feel 90 years old.  I cannot walk…I can only shuffle.  Where's that port-o-potty???"
• Sun 3:30p — "Hey Cath, I wonder what my next time goal should be???"  🙂