After 17 marathons, I have found my favorite. Perfect autumn weather and scenery, deer running alongside, small (only 500 participants) enough to keep your pace from the start. Well organized and wonderful volunteers, plenty of water stops and fruit, spectator friendly and a great track. A GREAT marathon. No wonder Runners World calls it one of their top three small marathons in America.
A great start at a 9:30 pace until around mile 12, then my lack of training (playing in Italy instead of training the month prior to the marathon) caught up with me. My partner Brian Scheer and I managed to keep a sub ten minute pace until around mile 18, when I realized a sub ten finish was not in the cards today.
Since I was struggling at that pace and it was Brian's first marathon, we
decided to ease up and just thoroughly enjoy the next 8 miles and cruised easily to a 4:30 finish. We both felt great afterwards and really had a fun day! Perfect weather and EXTRAORDINARY autumn colors.
More pics (a very special celebrity ran today) and updates later tonight.
Lance Armstrong (running under a pseudonym) ran the race and started next to me this morning. (Pictured in the yellow shirt)
