Saturday, October 20, 2007

Sioux City Iowa "Lewis and Clark" Marathon Results

The marathon has passed into the annals of the history of Bremner. It was not a pretty event. Running only about 10 miles a week doesn't bode well for a 26.2 mile race. The course spent a lot of time on concrete bike paths for the first 10 miles. At mile 12 we saw our first hill. Not too bad, but I had to let go of the young Army medic I had been talking to for the previous five miles. Running his first marathon he qualified for Boston with a 3:07. This after training in Iraq by running five mile loops around the base at 4:30 A.M.!

After the halfway point I knew it was going to be a hard day. As someone passed me he asked me if I knew how bad the hill coming up was. I told him I thought we already passed the hill. "There is supposed to be an even bigger hill at mile 17". Well, at least I had something to look forward to. At the 16-mile mark the hill began. With the exception of a couple flat spots here and there it continued relentlessly for a full two miles, zapping whatever I had left in my legs. I slowed to 8 and 9 minute miles and eventually even 10 minute miles. At mile 20 Forrest Gump passed me--someone dressed like Forrest with a fake beard and long hair. I gamely caught back up to him and passed him. I got beat by a hot dog in the PPA--that was humiliating enough--but Forrest Gump? Well, that only lasted until mile 22 where he passed me and proceeded to bury me.

Time: 3:31
No age group award

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