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tdassow
Member
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Joined: 18 Jun 2004
Posts: 199
Location: Way up North...
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 Posted: 06/19/06 - 03:27 Post subject: My First Marathon: (Mayor's Marathon, Anchorage, AK)
My first marathon and I am not sure what to think of it. My time was 4:13:32 and is about the same as my training runs, but I was hoping for a sub-4:00.
Miles 0 to 7: Pretty standard affair except that a moose tried to join the run, but luckily it was smart enough to not run with us. Ran 8:30 pace, a bit to fast but the course was mostly blacktop and easy to run.
Miles 7 to 15: Sado-masochism at it's finest. This part of the course is a tank-trail and extremely hilly. When rounding a bend, I heard one runner behind yell, "Oh my God!" when the hill did not stop but only got steeper, nearly running on all four at that point. I resorted to walking up the steepest, as did most runners around me. Another fine feature of this course is the gravel, which is not gravel, but pit run, (rocks the size of baseballs.) I knew this was going to wreak havoc at the end. Pace now decreased to 9:30.
Miles 15 to 20: Hurtin' at this point. Trying to stay alive, running real slow. Saw another moose, this didn't much care about all the commotion, to busy eating.
Miles 20 to 22: To avoid bonking, I resort to running for two minutes and walking for one. I am actually keeping up with most runners around me, a few pass, but I pass few too. At mile 22, my wife and kids cheer me on, they later stated that I looked great, which I find hard to believe.
Miles 23 to 25: More of the same, 2 on and 1 off, but my 2 minutes of running are increasing in speed; am actually feeling better now.
Miles 25 to 26.2: Run the last bit, except for the extraordinarily steep hill entering the residential neighborhood from bike path. Noticed that all other runners at this point are walking also. Finished the race at the wonderful track at West High, actually sprint the last 150 meters or so. Finished 4:13:32.
Pretty beat up, but feel great. Will I do it again? Yes. I would like to run another marathon, a flatter one, I would like to run a sub-4:00. The best part of the marathon are the people, the runners, volunteers, the whole environment is so positive. I feel privileged to run and enjoy the marathon with such wonderful individuals.
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good goin'!! It's an addiction.. the first of many 
