Surprise! Marathon Race Report

There is more than one way to skin a cat.

Two weeks after I DNF'ed at the Carlsbad Marathon due to a re-strained ankle, I suited up yesterday at the Surf City Marathon. While it was sunny, calm and 60 degrees at Carlsbad, yesterday at Surf City, it was low to mid 40's, steady rain, and lashing winds, some to 30 mph. Great day for a marathon, right?!

I told no one I was doing this. Even E. (who was, conveniently, out of town). I knew that all the runners and others would've tried to dissuade me, and tell me that I was crazy.

Well, runners sometimes do dumb things. And I'm one of the dumber runners.

But I'm happy today. I didn't run for time. I ran purely for a shot at redemption.

Despite the weather and my still-weak (but healing very well) ankle, I finished in 4:13:06. I ran some of the fastest miles after Mile 23, and ran the last .20 at an 8:25/mile pace, weaving through hordes of half-marathon walkers, pumping my fist, grinning like an idiot, and screaming, "26 miles! 26 miles!"

At the end, I was so happy and felt so good that I could have kept going.

Race report coming.