Not only was today my 34th marathon and 21st in a different state, it was almost seven years to the day of my very first marathon - the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C.
The weather was absolutely perfect for today's Spinx Run Fest Marathon and the day was beautiful, especially some of the scenery as the fall leaves are hundred different colors here. (The "on the course" scenery wasn't too bad either.)
The only person that I knew was Humble's Steve Boone. He was running his 493rd marathon so that the Chevron Houston Marathon will be his 500th in January. While we were talking, up walked Jeff Galloway. Sweet! Nice guy. Two weeks ago, Yasso and Ulrich. This week, Galloway.
The first four miles were on Greenville city streets. Part of the third mile, on Washington Street, had a couple of inclines on it that made it a little tougher than the first two.
Mile 1/2 - 20:30.19
Mile 3 - 11:55.83 (32:26.02)
Mile 4 - 10:17.71 (42:43.73)
The next five miles were on a paved asphalt trail system that ever-so-slightly went uphill. That meant that we'd get it back later!
Mile 5 - 10:40.62 (53:24.35)
Mile 6 - 10:49.28 (1:04:13.63)
Mile 7 - 10:41.83 (1:14:55.46)
Mile 8 - 10:49.14 (1:25:44.60)
Mile 9 - 10:41.53 (1:36:26.13)
Mile 10 navigated a road near Furman University and it was a little bit uphill as we left the asphalt trail. It would lead to a 7-mile loop that would drop us back at Furman and take us through the campus and around Furman Lake.
Mile 10 - 11:13.72 (1:47:39.85)
Mile 11 - 11:33.44 (1:59:13.29)
Mile 12 - 10:27.19 (2:09:40.48)
Mile 13 - 12:07.25 (2:21:47.73)
Mile 14 - 11:06.13 (2:32:53.86)
At mile 8 (not 9 where it was located on the course map), there was a porta-potty. However, I would have lost a lot more time because I would have had to wait for one person that was already waiting. I didn't know, though, where the next one was.
But just before the mile 15 marker, the next one appeared. I slowed down in mile 13 above to see if I could investigate going in the Green Valley Country Club.
I took a 3-minute, 43-second penalty. Yikes. Had I not had to take that, I would have been on a 4:48 pace until mile 21. Sad, but at the same time it kind of kept me jazzed through the race.
Mile 15 - 16:19.99 - 12:36.90 (2:49:13.85 - 2:45:30.76)
Mile 16 - 9:56.75 (2:59:10.60 - 2:55:26.51)
Mile 17 - 10:55.94 (3:10:06.54 - 3:06:22.45)
Mile 18 - 11:20.86 (3:21:27.40 - 3:17:43.31)
Mile 19 - 11:34.20 (3:33:01.60 - 3:29:17.51)
The next four miles is where a sub 5-hour time was made by not allowing any of those miles to slip over 12 minutes.
Mile 20 - 11:18.69 (3:44:20.29 - 3:40:36.20)
Mile 21 - 11:22.73 (3:55:43.02 - 3:51:58.93)
Mile 22 - 11:58.14 (4:07:41.16 - 4:03:57.07)
Mile 23 - 11:31.88 (4:19:13.04 - 4:15:28.95)
Mile 24 - 12:21.34 (4:31:34.38 - 4:27:50.29)
Mile 25 - 12:09.72 (4:43:44.10 - 4:40:00.01)
After we came off of the trail and back on to city streets, I had some fear that the 5-hour time might slip away. I fought off the urge to walk more than I did and gutted it out to get my time under 5 hours for only the fourth time ever.
Mile 26 - 12:08.04 (4:55:52.14 - 4;52:08.05)
Last .2 - 2:38.00 (4:58:30.14 - 4:54:46.05)
Very, very pleased with my effort today.
Literally was in tears as I placed a couple of post-race phone calls. If I'm successful with Rocky Raccoon in February, I'll share why. :)
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