Yes Sir, May I Have Another

Well, I've done it again. I signed up for another marathon today. In 199 days, I'll be running another 26.2. I am hoping to shave 15 minutes off of my time from just a week ago.

ILLINOIS MARATHON done

THE INAUGURAL ILLINOIS MARATHON (my first)
Chip Time - 4:00:30
First 20 miles, ran like the wind
Last 6 miles, ran into a wall

Friday - checked out the expo and talked to Bart Yasso about how I could get one of those illusive runners world t-shirts. he told me they put them in the boston goodie bags (i'm not getting one that way), but he also said they are going to start selling them in a couple of months. had a plan in my head to go out with the 3:50 group, I even meet the pacer and filled out the 3:50 pace bib. got the kids to bed and dozed off around 10.

Race Day - beautiful spring morning. sunny. 37degrees and a light wind. new $10 nike singlet from tjmaxx and a pair of worn in mizuno shorts. gloves & long sleeve t-shirt at the start (to be thrown after mile 1).

Starting Line - Found the 3:50 pace stick popping up in the crowd and kept it in sight. The gun went off and I got caught up in the moment and lost the stick. I had my 3:50 pace group bib pinned on my back and found some others who had one as well. People were yelling "Justin, are we going to stop or walk through the water stops" and "Hey Pacer Justin, are we going to hold out pace or speed up at mile 2" and I realized that these people thought I was the pacer guy (although I didn't have a pacer stick with a 3:50 slapped on it). After explaining that I was just a runner trying to get through my first marathon in 3:50 I settled into a group of 3:50ers without an offiial pacer. We looked left, right, and ahead but coulnd't find him, oh well.

M1 - 8:55 pace
M2 - 8:55
M3 - 8:44
M4 - 8:54
M5 - 8:35 I broke from my group here and sped up a bit, because I had to pee. There were only 5 of us together, but I figured I could find them later. I never found them, or the pace group, so from here on out I was basically on my own (which is bad, because I do dumb things when i'm on my own, that's why I like the idea of a pace group so much)
M6 - 8:38
M7 - 8:37
M8 - 8:36 quick pee stop at the port a pot
M9 - 8:36
M10-8:56
M11-8:43
M12-8:49
M13-8:24 I did so good up to this point then started talking with this lady and pushed my pace too hard the first of three dumb miles
M14-8:13 stupid
M15-8:28 ignorant, why did I read so much about not going out too fast, just to go out too fast?
M16-8:36
M17-8:48
M18-8:50
M19-9:09
M20-9:30 i can see the great wall of china standing before memy
M21-9:22 caught up with a guy that I ran with and talked to for the first four miles and we stuck it out together
M22-10:22 my new buddy and I walked the water stops and trudged along
M23-9:49 t
M24-10:08
M25-10:17 the 4 hour pacer guy caught up with us and gave us a little boost of energy
M26-10:30
F.22-10:01 finished on the 50 yard line of the University of Illinois football field.

So, my finish time was 4:00:30 / 9:11Pace
I think i'm going to go for a 3:45 this November in Indianapolis. The Phitz plan is looking better and better.

Go ahead and give me some attaboys, but some criticisms are deserved too.
btw-my buddy from kentucky (above, left) that I was planning on running with, ran a 3:08 and BQ'd. this was his first marathon. wow!