Notes
Well, a total disaster. My first ever DNF at any race distance.
Started out about as planned in the low 14 MPM but kept getting slower and slower and then felt the groin pain start up where I have had that groin muscle strain for the past few weeks. I tried to keep going, but I was "running" at a pace of between 18 and 20 MPM. Even if I had been able to keep going I would never have made the cutoff.
I don't know if it contributed to my groin strain issue or not, but it seems that all the walking around I did the three days before the marathon didn't help me. I walked over 5 miles per day when I should probably have been resting my legs. Also, I was perhaps walking a bit faster than I would have been if I hadn't been walking with my sister, Pat "The Machine" Barreto. Of course, in Virginia Beach, there isn't much one can do that doesn't require extensive walking.
I had a bit of a similar issue in Berlin where I posted a very poor result. However, there I was reasonably fit but had spend the prior couple of days doing extensive walking. I think I am better off doing minimal walking around in the couple of days before a marathon.
Anyway, after I started walking I even got slower. It was a brutal grind back to the hotel. After having gotten hot and was sweating in Fort Story I ended up getting really cold facing the headwind back to the hotel. I wasn't generating the heat while walking.
I don't think I will do this one again. I don't like the race course change such that the start line has been moved several blocks farther north and the start coincides with the half marathon people. I might do the Snickers Marathon again (Albany, GA) which is also in March to which I can drive and which is held on Saturday, so just one overnight stay. Another option would be Lake Wobegon in May.