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Before the start, I waited until the last possible minute to take off my
warm-up gear. At 6:50 I stuffed my pants and jacket in the drop-off bag and headed
to the start line in my shorts and trash bag jacket (Damn it was cold) to
find the 4:30 pace group at 6:55. I spotted the sign and headed straight for it,
only to find that there were no breaks in the barricade to let me in. There
was no time to go find the real entrance, so I jumped the fence as close to the
pace sign as I could. The crowd was packed tighter and tighter as more people
jumped the fence. At least that kept us warm. I could not get anywhere near
the pace group. I could not even see the pace leaders to see what they were
wearing, which would make them harder to spot later. Once through the start line,
I started trying to catch up to the pace group. I knew one of the pace leaders
was Mandy, the AF coach who lead my Saturday runs with the 9:45 group, so I
started scanning the crowd ahead looking for anyone with pigtails. I finally
caught up to her after the first mile.
I managed to keep up with the 4:30 pace group until 6th street where someone
was handing out fresh baked cookies. Yum! Everyone said don't try anything new
on race day, but my stomach had been growling for the last mile so I had half
a cookie and I immediately regretted it. I slowed down a little bit, then the
sick feeling passed quickly. I thought I had lost the pace group. The 4:30
pace wristband told me I was still on target, so I just tried to keep the same
pace. Then I was suprised at the Lake Austin Blvd turn-around a few miles later
to see my pace group was only 20 seconds ahead of me.
I stopped at the mile 17 water stop for a drink. But when I started to run
again, I couldn't. My legs were suddenly sore and I could only manage a brisk
walk. This was rather sudden and unexpected, since I was feeling pretty good
just before the water stop. Is this the infamous wall? I stopped to stretch it
out. Then I heard a familiar voice. I turned and saw Jim Linquist's 4:45 pace
group across the street coming the other way down Lake Austin Blvd, a little
more than a mile behind me. I realized I was not going to make my 4:30 goal, so I
decided my new goal was to stay ahead of the 4:45 group. With that new found
motivation, I took off. My new mantra became "I gotta stay ahead of Jim". Each
time I stopped for a water stop it was harder to get going again. Each mile
was getting slower and slower. In the 22nd mile, I heard a familiar voice in
the distance yell "four-forty five" and I knew the 4:45 pace group was leaving
the last waterstop, and closing in fast. The pace group passed me at mile 23. I
tried to keep up but couldn't. My new mantra became "I can keep this under 5
hours". I skipped the last few water stops for fear that I would not be able
to get it started again, and finished my first marathon at 4:51.
Thanks to all the AF coaches.
John Frierson
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