Well, this morning I am a little stiff and I do not know about getting in under the 6 hour time limit. This one in Columbia, Missouri, is a very hilly marathon with many challenging hills. The most difficult is just before the half. There is a very challenging hill at mile 24 too. The marathon starts with a long downhill, which will be the uphill at Mile 24 on the way back. There are many challenging hills in the first 8 miles. Then there are a series of rolling hills for a couple of miles. It is mainly flat for the next two miles, but the crushed rock surface makes it difficult to run on. Now comes that one mile hill to the half. The next 7 miles has many challenging hills. Now at mile 20 you lose the shade until the finish. There are challenging hills for the next 4 miles. The next half mile is flat then you have a long incline then two small hills the next 1.2 miles. The final half mile is a downward slant to the finish. Since I am hurting some still from yesterday, I decide to go out very slowly and try to stay at this pace through the first 8 miles. Then I will run as much as I can afterwards. I am hoping to stay away from the 15 minute miles. I very much want to finish under 6:00, but I do not know how my legs and feet will respond. It is to be even hotter today without any wind again. My first mile is 12:14. I start to feel some what comfortable, but there are many more runners ahead of me than behind me. I am just under 24 minutes at mile two. I am running alone with the next runner about 300 yards ahead of me with a small group about the same distance behind me. Mile 5, 57:04, I feel okay, but I am not used to running this slowly at all. Mile 6, 1:07, I still see the runner ahead of me. In Mile 8 I finally pass that runner. Now I see 3 runners ahead of me, but quite a ways ahead of me. This will become my goal to pass one runner at a time by just running steady. Just before Mile 10 the surface of the road turns to crushed rock. At Mile 10 I pass another runner. In Mile 11, 2:07, I pass three more runners. I pass two more runners in Mile 12. Now I come to that 1 mile hill that is so famous to the locals. Shortly after reaching the top I come to the half way point, 2:29:56. I am very happy with this. I was shooting to be under 2:35. I have been running very steady. I feel pretty good about finishing under 6 hours. More and more hills. It is just loaded with challenging hills. It seems neverending. At the aid station near Mile 17 there is a runner on the ground. Donna had picked him up. It was his first marathon and he was not ready for all these hills in such hot weather. We find out later he is in the hospital. He had asked is girlfriend to marry him at the half. Mile 18, I am told that I am in 109th place. There were something like 140 starters. I am still running around 12 minute miles. I am tired but I able to keep going. Donna has been following me throughout the course. She has made a point of having me wipe my face with a cold wet rag. Mile 19, I pass a few more runners. I guy picks up a couple of pacers, but he is pretty wasted. He is having trouble with this challenging hill in Mile 20. Mile 20, 2:52, this is where we lose the shade until the finish and the sun is brutal. I start running 13 minutes miles with these long hills one after another. Mile 22 is my slowest mile of the race. It is 14 minutes. Mile 23 has a long downhill, but Mile 24 is a killer. Somehow I run it in 13 minutes. Now the friendliest part of the course. I just keep going. At the top of the final hill is the turn for the final half mile to the finish. I just run as fast as I dare on this gentle downhill. I am the 95th finisher and 4th in my age group with 5:12:23. I was surprised with my finishing time and very happy. Many runners dropped out including two 50-staters who ran with me the day before. It was a very tough marathon on a very hot day. Next the Patroit Run on September 911th in Olathe, KS. It is only 10 miles away. It is a 9:11 run starting at noon and ending at 9:11pm. TomD

Tom, You did quite well considering the conditions and the course. 95th finisher & 4th in AG is really good, too. huskydon

Yikes! You used the term "challenging hills" no less than 7 times in your report. It sounds like a tough course, even if it was on a day you were fresh! Coming right after a 35 mile run, its amazing you finished so strong. But I have one question: why?

What an fantastic run the day after an equally powerful race. Wow

amazing! great job!

Double Wow. I think I am even more impressed with this race! You are indestructible! Good luck with the 911 run.

Nowor, Yes, I am now very healthy. I have gotten myself in very good shape for running this summer. I am the lightness I have been since my second marathon, which was 21 years and 263 marathons ago. So at 60 I am proud of where I am at with my running. CNYrunner. The bride to be did say Yes. Donna was able to talk to her. He was in pretty bad condition at the time. Wildchild, Why? Well, I love to run. This explain why I do so many. At marathons is my time. I am pretty well known and I always make many new friends. Some I see again, but most I hope I at least aspire to do there very best. As Spareribs pointed out to me before if I would run just a few marathons a year I could have much better times at my marathons. To me having 25+ marathons is more fulfilling than getting the very best times possible. I help many runners at runs and aspire many more. I love meeting new friends and this happens where ever I go. This weekend was a test run for my challenge of the year. Next month I will run two 50k's in one weekend. I have never done this before. It may actually be easier, since the tougher course is first. TomD

TomD you are our very own eveready energeizer bunny. I wish your log could be viewed. Way to go Tom!