Forest City Marathon, London, Ont May 14, 2000 The day broke with clouds, and a medium strength wind from the west. It is a little cool. Steve got lost trying to get onto the UofW campus (and he grew up here!!!), but then found himself. We got there with plenty of time to spare. I spent extra time trying to get my right knee to feel ok, without much success. It was a small group of runners - I estimated at less than 500, and, shortly after 8am, we started. My knee was bothering me from the start. I contemplated stopping to try to massage/stretch it out, but I didn't. At the 1 mile mark I saw that I hadn't started my watch: what a goof I am. So I started it when the 10min/1min timer beeped, and I spent the rest of the race mentally adding 10min to my time. At the 4km mark I joined a pair of ladies, Shirley and Brenda, and ran with them. The racers quickly spread out, so that we were running alone most of the time. Past the 5km mark, northward bound through the streets of London was the worst part of the race for me. The strong wind in my face, my knee bothering me (I felt 'full' or swollen), and I had an upset stomach (possibly from the sport drink that I took at the first water station). I was not sure I could keep up with the ladies. At 16km, when the route turned back towards the UofW campus, I started to feel better. The wind was no longer in my face, my stomach settled down, and my knee settled down. We ran into the UofW campus, and then out again. Seeing the 10km race runners was a nice distraction! I started to pass people: I wasn't going faster, they obviously had started to enthusiastically. One man came blasting past us. I said "wow! he's really moving". He replied: "Yeah! I am really pissed off: I ran down the 10km routine, and added about another 5km to my race! Damn course wasn't marked and the volunteers didn't do their job!" I thought of the spot near the 5km water station where the routes split, and I knew it was his fault: the course was well mard. "Silly git" I thought to myself. At the 20km mark my pace was still good, about 30sec behind the 4:20 pace that I wanted to beat. There was a gradual uphill here, and, starting to get into rhythum, I left Shirley and Brenda behind. At the water station at the top of the hill the "10km route-running" man was stopped, and he did not pass me back: I guess he dropped out of the race at that point. A shame! The 21.1km mark came about 3min later than I expected, and I thought something was wrong - with me, or the course? I wasn't sure, so I marginally increased my effort level. I was now running west along the Thames River, right into the wind. It was hard work, but I was running strongly. I started to eat into the 3min I needed to get back to my desired 4:20 pace. In the riverside park, I started seeing XSNRG members coming back the other way: Martin, Steve, Marion, Bill; the first couple of them were nearly 9km ahead of me! WOW! I was still passing people: slowly reeling them in, passing them, and then proceeding to the next person or group! What an emotional boost that is. And no-one was passing me! The turn around was great, cuz I was still running so well, and feeling so good, and now the wind was behind me! I continued to pass people who were really moving slowly. I felt so good in running a good race plan. The sun was now making a few more appearances through the clouds, and it was getting a little warmer. My legs started to feel a little sore. At the 34km mark I tried to take my last Power Gel, and felt sick: just like what had happened to me in Toronto the previous fall; so I refrained from taking it. Back on the roads I started to struggle a little as my legs (quads) got sorer. But I did not start slowing down yet. I had nearly made back the 3min mysteriously lost at the 1/2 way mark. Someone finally passed me, but he was doing a relay, so that didn't really count! I knew I was struggling cuz I started to look for, and demaind the appearance of, the 38km mark. It was a gradual downhill to the 40km mark, and my legs were very sore now. I had gotten back to a 4:19:40 pace!!! But I knew I could not sustain it: I was hurting too much. So I died. My stride noticably shortened, and I took a couple of unscheduled walk breaks. Nearing the UofW stadium, a guy passed me. I tried to stay with him, but couldn't. I struggled into the stadium, was SO glad that there was no 'victory' lap. I couldn't really pick up my pace to the line. I crossed in 4:23:34, but I was happy! I had finished, and, had a negative split: 2:12:45, 2:10:45!! Yeah! I ran a good race plan, was able to pick up the effort and pace in the 20-38km marks. My 10km splits were quite consistent: 1:01:41, 1:01:42, 1:03:46, 59:52 (the last 2.2 km took me 16:19 - about 3min slower than it normally would have). I stayed emotionally stable and happy, with my eyes enjoying the scenery. I passed lots of runners in the second half, and that was huge emotionally! Other than very sore quads, I had no other pains, not even blisters on my feet! Very good. I wondered if the route was long because of the flooding of the Thames River. On May 31, at Marathon Dynamics Running Club, news spread that the route was 650m too long. Yes! If you assume I ran an even pace the whole way, my time to finish the 42.195km marathon distance would be 4:19:34 - a new PB for me! Yeeehhhaaaaa! But, If I take the 650m off of the end, when I was slowest, I get a time of 4:18:31. Even better! Nah, I will keep the 4:23:30 time as my time for this marathon.