Post Marathon High

To respond to Alex's comment on the previous entry - yeah, the marathon was an overwhelming success. There's something truly addictive about a sport that lets you learn so much from experience. Although I don't feel that I am in the same condition I was in last spring, and certainly the weather this year was 100% ideal, compared to last year's hell on earth experience... the fact that I have now surrendered enough testosterone to run even splits made this marathon seem, I dare say, easy.

The weather was beautiful. For a runner. Overcast, dark skies, with the temperature hovering around 16C. I set out at my goal pace, around 7:40 min/mile, and I stuck with it. So often, when someone of seemingly lesser ability springs past you in the early stages - the temptation is to chase. After all, chasing is what got us to this point in our evolutionary path. If you couldn't chase, you didn't live.

In my brief history as a distance runner, chasing has led to death. If you chased, you barely finished.

I placed my trust in time. SO often I have heard the adage: "seconds at the start turn into minutes at the finish"... I have spent numerous hours listening to Steve tell me to slow down, enjoy the scenery, and remember the faces of those spry chasers when they sprint past, because you will see them in pain towards the finish.

This time, I followed everyone's advice.

The miles flew past.. Technologie got me through it. iPod, GPS, and well, Technologie (more on this later).

Points of the course that seemed endlessly awful last year, went by too fast. I was admiring the trees, awed by waterfalls, smelling flowers and enjoying the faces in the crowds.


A light sprinkling of rain began around mile 18; a welcome addition to the natural air conditioning of the day. Helped to wash the salt from my eyes.

Mile 20 came and went without notice. How disgusting is that. And so did its closest friends, 21, 22 and 23. At that point, the full marathon merged with the half, and the roads were full of people.

The final 3 miles were about surging ahead - because at mile 23, you're allowed to chase. Pick a coloured shirt up ahead, and tie a rope around them. With each step, pull them closer. Each coloured shirt was a distraction, leading to the demise of miles 24 and 25.

And then there was just over a mile to go.

And that distance disappeared as well. Mile 26 melted away in 7:35.

The sprint to the finish was a blur. No crawling allowed. Final time: 3:28:15. A new PR.

After everything in the last year... surgery, no job, new job... it could not have been more of a success.

Whats next?