Pain is weakness leaving your body. USMC

What a great day for a race. Great temperature.

Rode to the start of the race with Paul and Teena. Met many of you from the blog which was nice. However, I spent too much time visiting and not enough waiting in line for the potty. This meant that I was still in line as the race started. I was not worried knowing that the chip timing is what mattered. It was still difficult to see the masses start and go. When I finally got started  I had a good race, but not a great one. The splits and comments were as follows:

Mile	2009	Comment
1.0	0:07:19.8	Best first mile at St George
2.0	0:07:39.1	Passing lots of people because of my delayed start
3.0	0:07:17.2	Feel fast because I continue to pass people
4.0	0:07:07.5	Finally find Teena, thanks for waiting
5.0	0:07:46.5	Still going strong
6.0	0:06:48.4
7.0	0:07:40.3
8.0	0:08:13.5	Feel okay going up Veyo
9.0	0:08:56.4	Fall into a trap of pacing with those around me
10.0	0:07:18.2	Kick it back up, but hard to adjust
11.0	0:08:20.1	Hard to keep my pace around without others to pace with
12.0	0:08:04.2
13.0	0:07:43.8	Pass the 3:45 group
14.0	0:07:56.0
15.0	0:07:20.4
16.0	0:07:11.5	Finally the steep downhill
17.0	0:07:34.4
18.0	0:07:56.0	I hate this mile
19.0	0:08:07.3	I hate this mile
20.0	0:08:10.1	I know I need to start dropping some 7:00s for a 3:20
21.0	0:07:17.1	Nice mile
22.0	0:08:39.1	Where did my energy go
23.0	0:08:02.2	Lost my motivation knowing 3:20 slipped by
24.0	0:08:09.8	Too slow
25.0	0:08:16.5	Again, too slow
26.2	0:10:34.4	Worst finish at St. George in my last five, but still my 5th best marathon.
TOTAL	3:25:29.7

Resting. Ran six yesterday and felt okay after the marathon.

I want to thank everyone on the blog and Sasha for this resource, however, this will be my last post. I have decided not to continue to use the blog.

I am grateful for everyone's encouragement and the friends that I have made. I believe that this blog can really help those who want to improve accomplish that if they will take advice and listen. I also believe that because runners are so competitive, especially those willing to submit to 26.2 miles of pain, those on the blog need to pay better attention to their personal needs.

I know that my body has been able to take alot of pounding and miles. However, I continue to see those on the blog who are hurt or injured. I believe that some of this is the pressure felt from the blog. Everyone needs to realize that there are limitations and everyone's limitations are different.

I would encourage anyone to use the blog to improve, but would caution them not to use the blog as a competition. Build at your own pace and don't make unhealthy comparisons. I personally can look at Sasha's time with wonder and awe. I am sure that I will never be able to achieve what he can. I know that part of that is my inablility to dedicate myself like he has. However, some of it is pure genetics and I will never be able to compete at that level because of that either. (And believe me I am okay with that.) I still can look at those who can and marvel and applaud.

Again, I thank Sasha for his time and resources, and those who have befriended me and helped to encourage me. I look forward to seeing you on the trail and at races.

Good Luck and Run Healthy.