Vermont City Marathon

I'll let my miles tell the story. It was a tough day.
1mi - 5:34 - Running with Fyffe and Ferenc. Feel great. This is awesome!
2mi - 5:29 - downhill through the city. Loving life.
3/4mi - 11:09 - missed my 3mile mark. Ferenc pulling away from me. Fyffe dropping back a little. Running solo.
5mi - 5:40
6mi - 5:47 - heading uphill on the belt way. Feel great!
7/8mi - 11:13 - on the belt way. Hi Jen! Leaders looking good. Passed by a relay guy.
9/10mi - 11:22 (56:16) Feeling good. Nate brigham caught me and we ran together.
11mi - 5:37 - back through downtown high 5 Goupil and McKnight. I'm super pumped. Feel relaxed and confident. I'm gonna run a big pr today!
12mi - 5:49 through neighborhoods. High5 some kids. Nate brigham pulls away. Not worried feeling decent.
13mi - 5:54 - Am I starting to get slower? Hmmm. This could be a bad sign.
14mi - 5:53 - wind in my face near the lake. Saw an osprey. Getting a little worried that I am running the same effort but they are not 5:40's. This could be a bad omen. Don't panic. Breathing is relaxed.
15mi - 6:04 - Wtf? I'm over 6. I start thinking bad thoughts. My legs are getting heavy and the big hill is looming in front of me.
16mi - 6:24 - big hill. Drummers are awesome. I point at them and give them the thumbs up. I wish they were higher up the hill. Legs heavy but it's a hill I'll recover on the flats like I always do. Right?
17mi - 6:15 - Are you shitting me? I'm still in the 6's? My legs are officially fatigued. I still have 9 miles to go. I expected this at 24miles not 17. I now know for sure my race is over. Nobody is passing me though. Weird. I will drop out. There is no way I can finish.
18/19mi - 12:50 - I was gonna drop at 18 then 19. Too many people cheering for me though. The neighborhoods are hell. I am hot and thirsty and my friggin hips are killing me. I can't take the ice pops because they're not at an official aid station and I don't want to get dq'd even though I'm definitely dropping at 20. I gotta be smart. My legs are killing me and I want to live to fight another day. Where is that 20mile mark?
20mi - 7:07 (1:58:13) - I start walking into this aid station. Thank god. I can finally quit. The last 3 miles have been hell. I'm death marching. People start cheering for me. "Go #6! You look great!" Shit. I can't drop here. There are too nany people. I'll slog onward to mile 21- where there will be less people and I can drop out with a little dignity. My legs are fried and feel worse than dog shit.
21mi - 7:32 - my vision is a little blurry my hamstring cramped my stomach is a little upset, but I finally made it. I can now drop out. I'm a total failure and a big pussy. What a joke. Me an invited athlete? Ha! Well at least I can dropare out and the misery right here at this mile mark with almost no people. The people. They cheer and tell me I look strong and great and amazing. Those lying assholes! I think one even said that they were proud of me. Shit. I can't drop here. I better run on to 22mi to drop. There is no way I can finish. 5 miles will destroy my body.
22mi - 8:05 - my legs cramped again. I'm here the place to finally end this suffer-fest shit show. I walk into the aid station grab 3 cups of water and pour them on my head. The volunteers go nuts. I guzzle two Gatorade cups at once. They hoot and holler. I pour more water on my head then head off for the finish.
23mi - 7:46 - on the bike path. Hurting but not going to quit.
24mi - 7:24 - I'm having fun. Smiling from ear to ear. Legs destroyed spirits lifted.
25mi - 6:50 - This is awesome. I think about Elijah and I tell him there is no quit in this mo fo!
26mi - 6:48 - Kasie Enman flies by me in this mile. I tell her great job. She's tough! Almost done.
26.2 - 1:25 (2:44:07) 21st place. Wow glad to be done. First thing I see is Ferenc being interviewed and he's smiling so i know he had a good day. Matty p won and we chatted a while. Then I waited with Jason Porter for Jen to finish. I was pumped to see her break 4 hrs. I ran slow but had a great time and I will be back!