Well, it's done and quite frankly it was the strangest race I have ever run. I just could not get into a groove during the first 20 miles. I don't know if it was something biological or something mental. I suspect it was probably a little of both. I started to feel better after mile 20 with the last three miles faster than the first three! I said a prayer to God and drank some Gatorade. As I progressed the pace slowly got faster, soon I was doing sub-6min miles by 23. Sasha came running up next to me and told me he was expecting an easier pace. I have to say that it was not easy for me either but things felt very different at this point. Soon a very sleek looking Kenyan runner looms into view... I start to have visions of 100 dollar bills with race numbers and singlets on! And oh my, then David Dantley. I thought this can not be happening... I start to run up on my toes and push ever harder and soon a soft din of the crowd starts to sing in my ears. I go into my little Prefontaine long kick mode and my lungs are just burning at this point. Soon the chute clock rushes up to me and then the switch just goes off, BAM! And just like that I drop over like a millstone at the bottom of the ocean. Thank you Lord for helping me at the end when I needed it most.
Thanks Salt Lake City for the cheers and thanks to my sponsor, MAXX properties who helped in so many ways. Sasha and Ted, thanks to you most of all for your expertise and friendship. PM-Felt ok so I went for a nice 5 mile recovery run this afternoon and then spent the rest of the evening with my family.
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