9.0 miles 1:32:09 (10:14/mile avg.)
I am off to a very good start; the temperature at the start was 51 degrees. A little warm for the Polarbear.15.7 miles 1:10:10 (10:28/mile avg.)
I make it through the Appalachian Trail, but over the last 3-4 miles, I roll my right ankle 5 times, fall once, and step on a rather pointy rock, which causes a deep bruise on the inside portion of the ball of my left foot.16.7 miles 8:19
I drop my Camelbak off after the cliffs, and this first mile on the towpath is fast.17.7 miles 8:07
I am trying to go slow, but there is a tail wind. Who knows, maybe I will run a 7:30.18.7 miles 9:16
I finally slow down to the pace I should be running for this section of the race. This towpath is already boring.19.7 miles 8:15
Oh no, I run another fast mile. My left foot feels like I have a massive hot spot/blister where I stepped on that rock.20.7 miles 9:17
I had wanted to change shoes, but I think I have outrun my support crew.21.7 miles 8:18
These quick miles keep popping up. My left knee is starting to be felt.22.7 miles 10:24
I have no idea where this mile came from. I am sensing more incline in the towpath at different points this year than I did last year. Maybe this mile was more uphill.23.7 miles 8:32
I over compensated for my last mile. I just need to keep them in between 9 and 10 minutes.24.7 miles 10:19
My support crew is waiting for me at the 24 mile stop, thank goodness. I sit down and change my shoes and socks. I don’t even want to glance at the bottom of my left foot. It will feel better when it quits hurting or goes numb. I take off my T-shirt since it is so warm.25.7 miles 9:31
Keep it steady.26.7 miles 8:43
A little fast, but this is all right.27.7 miles 9:57
I start to walk a minutes each mile, and it doesn’t seem to affect my time too much. I have lost too much water because of the heat (it is now about 65 degrees). Around 27 miles, I passed a Boy Scout troop camping beside the towpath. One of the adult leaders is Basil Moncrief, a guy who works where I do. The motivation of seeing him lasts for about a half mile.28.7 miles 9:55
My left leg hurts when I start running after walking for a minute, but I can feel my strength returning as I am able to get some fluids into me.29.7 miles 10:14
Okay. Maybe with the walk breaks I will just have to accept 10 and change until I get off the towpath at mile 42.30.7 miles 10:17
My left leg isn’t getting any better, and I still am dehydrated.31.7 miles 10:49
I cannot let these slip below 11 minutes per mile.32.7 miles 9:55
A little extra effort still works, which is a promising sign.33.7 miles 11:01
This is not good. The extra effort didn’t continue past the last mile. I begin to run the calculations in my head. Although I am on a sub-8 hour pace, I could still get an 8:30 if I only average 11-minute miles from here.34.7 miles 13:28
So much for all of my calculations. My whole left leg hurts. The foot is just there, but the pain seems to begin in the knee and radiate up and down the leg. At this pace, I could almost walk, which I begin to do.35.7 miles 14:35
A full mile of walking, not a bad time.36.7 miles 15:02
This is depressing, but my latest calculations figure that 15-minute miles will bring me in around 9:30.37.7 miles 16:23
Walking 15-minute miles takes a determined effort.38.7 miles 13:04
I try some running, but it isn’t very profitable.39.7 miles 13:05
This is extremely slow running, but in some ways it hurts less and in some ways more.40.7 miles 12:22
Here we go. Three of my teammates have now passed me. One was already ahead of me. That makes me our fifth and last scoring member. I have to finish or else one of the slugs will count as our fifth score and they are a couple of hours back.41.7 miles 17:03
Running is now too painful. It takes me a while before I am back into my 15-minutes per mile walking groove.42.2 miles 12:56
*half mile split. We get off of the towpath, and now it is just 8 miles on the roads to the finish. Walking will take me two hours, but I will finish.43.2 miles 15:26
I am really trying to push my walking pace.44.2 miles 14:49
I put back on a T-shirt and try to run again, but my left leg might as well be cut off.45.2 miles 15:47
Only 5 miles to go, and people are passing me left and right.46.2 miles 15:22
Here is the next to the last aid station. I am still trying to walk quickly.47.2 miles 14:48
Not bad, another mile under 15 minutes. At this rate I will finish around 9:40. I will try running the last mile or so.48.2 miles 16:53
Some uphill portions.49.2 miles 12:48
With a mile and a half to go, I decide to give running another try. I start very, very slowly and easily. Only the knee is hurting now, not the whole leg, really.50.2 miles 7:19
I re-pass a total of 16 runners in the last mile and a half. I am flying. I only wish things had been different. I finish strong, looking good (only one person wins, but everyone can look good at the finish).Official Finishing Time 9:34:40
269 out of 856 finishers
I realize later that evening that it is my IT band on the outside of my left knee that was causing the pain. I think it was strained by running more on the outside of my foot, which I must have done unconsciously due to the bruise/blister from the Appalachian Trail.
Darin
