Why a 40 minute 5k to start the marathon?

While i wait for Fun Guv'nor to upload some great pictures of the marathon, let me fess up to an embarrassing moment.

i had to pee.

i had to pee as soon as the horn went off to start. i'm not sure what i did different from any other race, but it was cold. i did have a bottle of gatorade standing in the corral to start, and then, i had to pee.

i thought as i ran it would go away. Noo, not today. It was a bit chilly.

At 2-2.5 miles, i saw a couple port-a-johns, so...

i stopped, and waited in line, and waited, and waited.

As thousands of runners went by...even Lisa noticed me as she went by, waved, and i think, giggled as i stood waiting for my turn, rocking for foot to foot, heavily into pee-pee dance mode.

I swear i thought when i finally got out of the port-o-potty i would be the last person in the race. Less the 10 people behind me in line.

So finally, finally, i get in and start doing my business, when the old churning belly feeling kicks in and i realize it's better here then down my shorts in three miles sooo....a little bit more time to my stay....

eventually....

So now, i'm out hitting the streets again and noticing i'm with the 5:30 pace group.

It may have been a little earlier then expected, but i put the hammer down there. I ran, i had 12 minutes to make up, and thank god, 24 miles to do it in. But, hell, i just had a long break i was good to bust out the longer strides. Plus, there seemed to be a little added bounce in my step.

Being a sub 9 minute miler,it feels great when running with people over 10 minute mile. I felt like i was flying passed people. For the next 18 miles, ran at 8:40 per mile.

I estimate my pace time was increased by 25 seconds, due to the stop.

My goal, make up enough time to be halfway at 2:10, which i did, and finish with a 2:00 second half. I was real close.

At the 12-13 mile marker i ran in front of the 4:30 pace leader. That was a great feeling.

Anyway, thanks Bob, for hoping i was helping another runner at the start. i wish it was the case.

Plus, although i think i may have finished under 4 hours, it's hard to say because i was so focused on slowly picking up time. i might not have pushed so hard had i not had to stop.

Regardless, the race was amazing.

So eventually more details will follow as i get some pictures to post as well.

More less embarrassing details, This tops it for me.

Thanks for reading