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???" 🙂
Congrats man!!! One of Kevin’s statements that I have learned to believe: Never make a major decision while going up hill. “i.e. – I will NEVER run a marathon again!” HA HA HA!!!!
Great job!