It's been five days since the Delaware Marathon.
I feel good.
Content.
Maybe I should back up a bit...
I walked into DE mentally thinking that this would be a conservative race for me. My plan would be to run with Mark the first lap (9:00 minute mile pace) and then maybe, MAYBE, pick up the pace into the second, third and fourth laps. My fear was that my knee would begin to tighten around five to thirteen miles into the race and then what?! Slow and steady wins the race... right?
No. It only lasts two miles.
Into the second mile, Mark and I were running an 8:40 mile and it felt comfortable. I told Mark what we were doing and he agreed that the pace felt good. I knew that this was not what Mark wanted to run his miles at and I feared that I may be subtly altering his plan. Mark wanted to run a sub four hour marathon and I would hate to effect that negatively. As I was pondering this, I heard Kenny's voice in my head, "Run your race, Mikey. You never know what is going to happen." Then I thought of my favorite quote by Steve Prefontaine, "To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the Gift." As I thought of Pre, we hit our first water station, Mark lagged to grab a cup and thought of one thing - What have you got to lose? RUN!
3:36:39 into the marathon, I crossed the Finish Line.
Totally depleted.
In pain.
Happy.
I didn't get a 3:15 and Mark didn't get his sub 4:00... at least not on this day.
On to Chicago
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