DNF at Houston.
Showed up sick and tried to run anyway. The pace was erratic over the first 8 miles and then the hired pacer dropped. The crowd was shouting that we were on pace to run 2:25 thus I thought we had acquired a 1:30 defecit from the poor pacing. I rallyed the troops to fform a pace line and ended up doing all of the work to make up the supposed defecit over the next 3 miles. I ran 4:55, 5:05 then 5:10 and started coughing. When I crossed the 1/2 Marathon at 1:10.00 I realized that I was ahead of pace and could relax but continued to cough. At mile 15 the coughing attack overwhelmed me and I had to stop.
Even though I sucked, it was the best marathon experience of my life. The folks at Houston know how to treat their athletes. | 