Donna had to work, so I drove the six to southeast South Dakota by myself. I had my best time here last year of 4:07. It was very hot, but it was in July last year. My goal is bettering 4:34, which is my best time of the year. If everything goes right, I feel that I could better 4:24. I may need a little help from the running gods though. This course has rolling hills here and there, but no challenging hills at all. It is 1/3 pavement, mostly in the beginning, and 2/3 gravel. The first 10 miles are flat with some rolling hills. The first couple of miles you run along Swan Lake. You are on the highway from mile 5 to mile 9. Here you go through the town of Viborg, pop. 800+. The local theater had Iron Man playing on its billboard. It was kind of fitting for the day. Miles 11 and 12 are the worst miles for hills. There was a small patch that was muddy and rock, less than 1/4 of a mile. The next couple of miles you go along the lake again and then do a short 1/2 + call the keyhole, it is a short out and back. You run on a little curving to mile 16, where you run the next 3 miles on gravel out in the open with crop land on both sides of you. In mile 20 you are on a paved road for one mile. Then turn on a gravel road at Mile 20. This part to the finish I like. It is gravel for the next 3 1/2+ miles with a few small hills and you can see a long ways. Just before Mile 23 you go over a small quaint bridge. Some say they caught a breeze there, but it is only a few feet higher than the road. As you near Mile 24 you go through the keyhole again. Shortly before you leave it you hit Mile 24. Now you take the pavement along the next 1+ miles along the lake again. with 3/4+ miles to go you are on pavement again with a rolling hills, the last one being just after Mile 26, but a nice down hill for the final 50+ feet or so. Here you have the option to ring a loud bell so others on the course can here it or just to celebrate a little. My goal is to go out around 9+ minute miles for the first half. Then take it a little easier, especially out in the open. Then hopefully pick it up sometime after the turn at Mile 20. I hope to place. Last year I finished second in my age group. It rained, 3 1/2", from around midnight to 5:00am just before the marathon. So everything is wet, but none of the marathon was flooded, which has been a problem for the area so far this year. The first mile I run a 8:32, so I slow a little. The second mile is 8:41 and Mile 3 is also 8:41. Then I run a series of 9:15 to 9:30. I take Mile 11 and Mile 12 a little slower for the hills and the muddy patch. I finish the half just over 2:01. My goal was to be between 2:00 and 2:05. I am feeling pretty good. At Mile 15 the bottom of my left foot is bothering me. Then at Mile 17 I can feel gravel in my right shoe. The sun starts to come out. It appears the on and off rain this morning will not happen as it clears up. At Mile 19 I feel pretty bad. Although the next mile is on pavement it is my slowest mile of the marathon. My left foot does not like this pavement. At the turn at Mile 20 I feel good and remember how I got faster each mile and so great. Just that thought made everything seem better. Mile 20 is 3:14. If I can just run steady, I can break 4:24. At Mile 21 I am having trouble keeping the sweat out of my eyes. A young gal passes me. At Mile 22 I pass a young guy. He is walking, but he is smiling and says he is okay. I keep running my slow steady pace. I see that small bridge then I am at Mile 23. The heat is really bothering me, but I am still running and I am at 3:47. I see my friend, Richard a fellow 50-stater, come out of the keyhole. He is about 9 minutes ahead of me and looks good. We are in the same age group. As I leave the keyhole I see the young guy that I passed earlier. He tells me, that he is okay and has only a little ways to go. He still has that big grin. Mile 24 I am at 3:58. I am on the pavement again. I finally see that I have been bleeding for quite awhile. Both my nipple are cut and blood has come down both sides of my singlet. Mile 25 I am at 4:09. All I need to do now is keep running and I will break 4:22. The sweat keep running into my eyes and into my mouth. The fellow in front of me is walking. He keeps looking back, but all I want is a 4:24 I hope see me keeps him running his best. Finally the final turn to the finish. I come across the finish shortly after that fellow with a 4:22:28. I am elated. Next is Maryville Marathon in Maryville, MO, on June 14th. TomD

WooHoo! Smashed that 4:24!

wooohoooo!! nice job TomD!! congratulations on beating your goal!!

Nice job, Tom. You beat your goal and got your best of the year in spite of the heat. Congratulations. TomS

Way to go Tom!! Sounds like you recovered well and ran better than your goal for this one. That sounds like a fun marathon to run! Hope you recover quickly and are ready for next weekend in Maryville! You are one tough guy. John

Stinging sweat, bleeding, hurting feat, strong finish...sounds likejust another TomD day. Congratulations on beating 4:24.

Wahoo! Broke 4:24 with some to spare! Congratulations. For the nipple thing, try some medical tape. Since I started putting on two small patches prior to runs I have never had a problem. Well, never when I remembered to do it.