Roger and Jack were here again. This time Roger was going to run too. He has not run for 5 weeks. He hopes to break 6 hours. I let him know that last Spring I went 5 weeks without running and ran a 4:48 the Lincoln Marathon. I predict that he betters that, since this is a faster course. He is also a little faster than me. This will be Roger's 491st, Jack's 192nd, and my 272nd. This is Jack's 47th state. Number 48th will be at Philadelphia, #49 at Myrtle Beach, and #50 at Nashville next April. I will be at Nashville and try for Myrtle Beach. Roger finished his 50 states last year at Honolulu, Hawaii. It is in the 50's at the start and the 70's at the finish for some runners it reached 80. Without cloud cover or much wind. This one is on a bike trail much of the run, so there is more shade than yesterday at Wynne, AR. My goal is to better 4:15, which may be a stretch. Jack and I both intend to run 9:00 minute miles as long as we can. Roger is going to use the Galloway method. Jack and I run together for the first couple of miles then Jack takes off. I tell Jack that I will see him in the final 10k. I am running around 8:45. Mile 3 I start running with a small group wanting to break 4:00. I tell them, that I will not break 4:00, but I will run under 2:00 for the half. As we go the group becomes smaller and smaller. By Mile 6 there is just two of us, Derald and myself. This is his 4th marathon. He trying to break 4:00 for the first time. The weather is nice with plenty of shade. The course reminds me of the trail that I run my long runs on in Kansas. We continue to run a very steady pace. Mile 10 we are at 10:30. We are running really well. The Half is 3:58, but I am tiring. Shortly afterwards I drop back. Then I catch up with Jack. I greet him and keep going. He is running well just a little slower than I am. Although I am tiring a bit I am still running under 10 minutes and feel okay otherwise. Mile 15, it is getting pretty hot out. Mile 16, I am still doing okay. There is no pain. Then all of a sudden Jack is going by me. He is going at a pretty good pace. In a little over a mile he slows down and I go by. We greet each other. At the end of Mile 18 there is probably the biggest hill, which is and bridge going over an interstate. It is nice seeing the cars below. We go over this bridge again near Mile 24. The runners around me become fewer and fewer. Mile 19 is my first mile over 10 minutes, 10:01. Mile 20, I am at 3:06. It is 12 minutes slower than yesterday. Mile 21, there is a turnaround. Now I will get to see Jack and maybe Roger. Jack is 6 minutes behind me and running steady. He looks and seems fine. Mile 22 my miles are nearing 11 minutes, but I am not sore and I am passing runners still. Then I see Roger 30 minutes behind me, but what surprises me is how fresh and happy he looks. It is as if he is on a training run with friends. We high five each other. Mile 23, I am still running steady with a 3:39. My time is starting to look more like a 4:15, but I know there will be something left to better 4:15. Mile 24 is just under 3:50. I am tired, but my legs seem to feel better so I pick it up some. I am passing runners pretty steady now. So many are having trouble with the heat. It is not bothering me nearly as much. Mile 25 I am just under 4:00. There is a small group of volunteers. I ask them if their finish line is mobile. One of them assures me it is not. Here I see a runner walking with a young boy. Possibly a grandfather being paced by his 8 year old grandson. He has been walking for 3 miles. With less than half a mile to go I joke with a volunteer again. "Well, I can not get lost now." He says, "No, the finish line is on the other side of that building." It was just a block away. I see a young gal running ahead of me. So I follow her. We run through a barrier and turn to the finish line. Guess what, she had already finish and was getting out of my way. Here I am running to the finish on the wrong side of the ribbon. As I get on the other side of the ribbon she tells me she is sorry, but it was my error. Just another one of those times, not being able to think after 20 miles of running. It very common with me. As I near the finish Donna is waving and then taking my photo. As I reach her she yells out "I Love that Man." I point at her and yell "I Love that Woman." I finish at 4:10:50 clock time and 4:10:25 chip time. We wait for Jack and Roger. Jack finishes at 4:18 and Roger came in feeling good with a 4:42. The four of us go to get food and stay for the awards. Before the awards they got Roger and Jack up on stage. Roger is the president and Jack is the secetary of the Century Club (one hundred or more marathons/ultras) in England. Our Century Club is a version of there's. They were giving out 1st place awards only. The first place award in my age group was a 3:59. The others will be mailed. I do not know if I placed or not. After a couple hours at the awards it was time to leave. Donna and I were off to home, less than 3 hours. Roger and Jack had to drive to Memphis to catch there flight for tomorrow. After such a fun weekend with them it was so very difficult to say good-bye. At least I will see them sooner this time. They were both at my 250th in Des Moines last year the last time were saw each other. They will also come to stay with us sometime next year for a Kansas Marathon. We live less than 20 minutes from Missouri too. Next is 6-hour Nathaniel's Run on November 22nd at Prairie Village, KS. It is about 10 minutes from my home. Then the next day I will run the Gobbler Grind Marathon a full 4 miles from my home. Pretty nice to have two runs on the same weekend so very close to home. TomD

As I near the finish Donna is waving and then taking my photo. As I reach her she yells out "I Love that Man." I point at her and yell "I Love that Woman."

Aw, that's so great! I'm just amazed at the schedule you manage to keep. This one sounded like an especially meaningful weekend. Congratulations. (Gotta keep on the correct side of that finish line, though! )

Tom, congrats on #272! Does this count just marathons, or ultras as well? You're a serious maniac - how do you manage to run so many back-to-back marathons and ultras, without any taper or anything? You're in amazing condition. Sounds like a fun weekend with Jack and Roger. Thanks for the RR!

Another fine marathon, beating your goal. Another two marathons in one weekend. Another get together with friends. Another marathon with Donna's support. Congratulations, Tom. TomS