This might have been my toughest overall marathon in the end! My body is half broken and I have a torn left medial meniscus, just over 700 miles for the entire year, 3 weeks over 40 miles (the past 3), and zero races in 2016. This was the BIG 20 year for me though and I had to get it done. I figured and hoped to be able to run mid 2:40s this year on what I had, but my body hates me right now and I couldn't quite hold things together. My goal was to hit about 1:25 or a bit faster first half and then a 1:20 second half. I stayed controled the first half, but I was fatigued and didn't know how much I could push toward 6:00 pcae. I did run with Curtis Moore for a coupe miles before Veyo and Trevor Sharp came up on me at 12 and we ran about 4-5 miles together. Other than that I was on my own. Trevor ended up taking off and then at about 19 I could see him comin back, but then my overworked left calf started to fall apart. I had cramped last year in the last 2 miles and screwed my time up and was determined all year to not have it happen again, I was good at getting better drinks and electrolytes and training with them and was careful to use them, but my calf was still way bad. The right one started a bit, but the left one was bad. I even wore sleeves, which I think helped, but I had to really slow down still. The last 10k, with I have flown through in past years was some of the hardest 6 miles of my life, but with the Lord's help I made it through. I feel I could have went close to 2:45 without camping. I am not sure why the cramping? Either it was the Hoka Clifton (with I did cramp uop in last year), though I trained more in them, or the fact that my plantar and knee in my left leg are so jacked up that my calf was just done. I was almost emotional to cross the finish line at a slow trot. I have now become the youngest person to complete the St. George Marathon for 20 years! Now I have to try to get my knee rehabbed without having to get surgery, surgery is the last option for sure! Crazy that I have run that brutal course 20 times! I love it though and will be back to try again, hope next year!
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