last update 1/20/2007
Welcome to the ECCP Marathon page.  If you know us and you run a marathon, you can get on here.
For each person who makes it, you'll at least get your time posted.  If we can get pictures they'll go up too. 
 And if you send us a story we can add that.
1/14/07 Latest Update:  Alex Moore goes out strong in his debut Marathon, but he bit off more than he could chew.
He went out in 1:13 which is 5:34 pace, but it wiped him out as he finished the second half in 1:36, 7:20 pace.
The balls were put out on the table and we respect that.  ECCPOLL welcomes Alex to #10 on the Performance
List.  He was able gain some invaluable experience and is upbeat about going for it again, see his recount below.
12/23/06 We got us a trials qualifier now.  Andrew Cook will be competing in the big daddy race come fall 2007.
Latest info on the trials from http://www.usatf.org/events/2008/OlympicTrials-Marathon-Men/
Text Box: The New York Road Runners (NYRR), the organization behind the world's largest marathon, leading advocate of American long distance running, and organizer of a year-round calendar of races in Central Park, will host the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Men's Marathon during the New York City Marathon weekend of November 2, 2007. The course is expected to be a criterium-style course in Central Park that will start and finish near Tavern on the Green. It will be the reverse of the loop used when NYRR hosted the USA 8 km Championships from 2002 to 2004. Athletes will run the loop five times, with distance added to complete the full 42.195 km of the marathon.
Tamara's dad, the 2:17 Croatian marathoner of the '70s said that the key to marathoning is to run 35k twice a month. 
He said that it doesn't matter how fast you run it, because you are just getting your body used to the distance, 
and this helps prevent the wall at 20.  Well, we're obviously not that fast yet, but Cook is damn close.
Marathon Top 10 Performance List
1 Andrew Wade Cook 2:19:48 Austin 2006
2 Scott Lengefeld 2:35:47 Chicago 2003
3 Vance Reyes 2:36:59 Austin 2004
4 Richard Begin 2:37:13 Sacramento 1999
5 Stephen Grease 2:38:48 Chicago 2003
6 Bryan Oubre 2:39:50 Chicago 2003
7 Todd Fox 2:40:27 Houston 2003
8 Brandon Beasley 2:44:35 Houston 2004
9 Stacy Chaston 2:48:43 Houston 2004
10 Alex Moore 2:49:09 Houston 2007
                           
Brandon Beasley, 02
Austin Freescale Marathon 2/13/2005 AGE 25 Bib 3896    
    10K Half 17 mi 23.2 mi Pace (min./mile) Clock Time ChipTime OverAll OverSex OverDiv
Time 0:39:39 1:23:23 1:56:10 2:51:48 7:23 3:13:42 3:13:40 255 237 40
Rank 115 96 171 281
Pace/mile 6:24 6:22 6:50 7:24
Text Box: Brandon had another rough go in Austin, but we're going to get him back on the horse for the fall.
Boston Marathon 4/19/2004 AGE 24   Bib 1254    
Times 5K 10K 15K 20K HALF Pace (min./mile) Clock Time ChipTime OverAll OverSex OverDiv
0:19:12 0:38:36 0:57:59 1:17:37 1:22:01 7:24 3:14:29 3:14:01 795 745 536
25K 30K 35K 40K Pace at Half
1:41:35 2:04:57 2:28:12 3:01:53 2:44:02
The 2004 Boston Marathon was quite a doozy.  Brandon had a spectator rub out a hammy cramp while he ate some cake and this slowed him down.
Text Box: Boston 2004, by Brandon Beasley Wow, that was the hardest thing that I have ever done. Oubre, Vance and I all bonked, but I guess I bonked the hardest. I did not see Oubre until 21 and when we passed all the hot ladies of Boston College I thought that we were going to make it. Oubre stopped I kept going, as you noticed I beat Oubre through that one split. However, at mile 22 I started to cramp and at 24 I grew a huge knot in my hamstring and not only could I not walk and could not bend my leg. Luckily there was some lady on the course who gave me a massage. After she knocked the knot out, I walked until 24.5 and slowly jogged the last mile and a half. HELL was the name of that race. Once I finished I saw Oubre again and he did not know he had passed me. If I go back to Boston it will be just to run without stopping not to run fast. Chicago in October! Beasley
Houston Marathon 1/18/2004 AGE 24   Bib 5642    
Times 5K 10K HALF 30K 37K Pace (min./mile) Clock Time ChipTime OverAll OverSex OverDiv
0:19:36 0:39:19 1:22:31 1:57:37 2:25:20 6:16 2:44:36 2:44:35 28 26 1
Brandon Beasley finishing the 2004 Houston Marathon
                           
Richard Begin, USM 97
Chicago Marathon 10/10/2004 AGE 29   Bib 358    
Times 5K 10K 15K 20K HALF Pace (min./mile) Clock Time ChipTime OverAll OverSex OverDiv
  0:37:46 0:56:31 1:15:36 1:19:50 6:28 2:49:55 2:49:44 276 259 82
25K 30K 35K 40K Pace at Half
1:34:57 1:54:43 2:15:39 2:39:15 2:39:40
Mr. Richard continues to push ahead while his competitor, Oubre, lurks in the background.  
Chicago Marathon 10/14/2003 AGE 28   Bib 1230    
Times 15K Half 15M 20M 40K Pace (min./mile) Clock Time ChipTime OverAll OverSex OverDiv
0:56:13 1:19:51 1:32:11 2:04:17 2:39:23 6:27 2:49:25 2:49:12 421 387 123
Chicago Marathon 10/13/2002 AGE 27   Bib 2200  
Times 15K Half 30K     Pace (min./mile) Clock Time ChipTime OverAll OverSex OverDiv
0:56:57 1:20:15 1:56:29     06:20 2:46:12 2:45:54 315 294 93
California International Marathon, Sacramento, CA   12/5/1999 Age 24  
Times           Pace (min./mile) Clock Time ChipTime OverAll OverSex OverDiv
          06:00   2:37:13 45   3
Text Box: California international marathon, 12/5/99, by Richard Begin Oubre, I am sure Stephen has given you the details on our marathon in Sacramento, so I will just give a short recap. I started a little faster than planned, as Stephen stayed back on "pace" I was hoping he would catch up, but he was too busy tieing his shoes and talking to the crowd. I did not loosen up until about 10 miles, because the lube was a little rough from the cold. From 15 to 20, I was in a zone, however a 5:30 split at 21 brought me back to reality. My legs went numb, so I decided to slow up and just finish the race. The next five miles really sucked, as I got slower and slower. I was expecting Stephen to come passing me at the end with his mad looking beard, but he was fighting his own battle. Anyway, you know the results. The race was great, but the trip was even better. Maybe you can make the next one. Keep training hard. Richard
                           
Stacey Ware Chaston, 94
Houston Marathon 1/18/2004 AGE 33   Bib 4848    
Times 5K 10K HALF 30K 37K Pace (min./mile) Clock Time ChipTime OverAll OverSex OverDiv
0:19:28 0:39:13 1:23:35 1:58:43 2:27:51 6:26 2:48:43 2:48:43 45 8 6
Most of us just know her as Toby's sister, but she could whup him in a marathon.
                           
Andrew Cook, 03
White Rock Marathon 12/10/2006 AGE 25   Bib 4    
Times 5K 10K 15K 20K HALF Pace (min./mile) Clock Time ChipTime OverAll OverSex OverDiv
  33:37     1:10:06 5:29 2:23:42 2:23:42 7 7 7
25K 30K 35K 40K Pace at Half
    1:58:08   2:20:12
Text Box: "Race went o.k. 2:23:41, hit the half in 1:10 and then faded the second half. It was about what I expected considering my training over the cross country season." Andrew
San Francisco Marathon 7/30/2006 AGE 25 Bib 6    
    7.5 miles Half 20.7 miles   Pace (min./mile) Clock Time ChipTime OverAll OverSex OverDiv
Time 42:52 1:13:13 1:56:35   5:36 2:26:46 2:26:45 1st of 4086 1 1
Pace/mile 5:43 5:36 5:38  
Text Box: Andrew Cook taking home his first marathon victory.
Austin Freescale Marathon 2/19/2006 AGE 24 Bib 20    
    10K Half 30k 35k Pace (min./mile) Clock Time ChipTime OverAll OverSex OverDiv
Time 33:07 1:08:27 1:37:44 1:54:21 5:20 2:19:48 2:19:47 17 17 4
Rank 15 15 13 13
Pace/mile 5:20 5:07 5:19 5:17
White Rock Marathon 12/11/2005 AGE 24   Bib 2514    
Times 5K 10K 15K 20K HALF Pace (min./mile) Clock Time ChipTime OverAll OverSex OverDiv
        1:10:36 5:25 2:21:58 2:21:58 7 7 7
25K 30K 35K 40K Pace at Half
        2:21:12
Twin Cities Marathon 10/2/2005 AGE 24   Bib 21    
Times 5K 10K 15K 20K HALF Pace (min./mile) Clock Time ChipTime OverAll OverSex OverDiv
  0:32:46     1:10:43 6:31 2:50:48 2:50:48 127 104 58
25K 30K 20 mile 40K Pace at Half
    1:55:32   2:21:26
Austin Freescale Marathon 2/13/2005 AGE 23 Bib 5271, ran as Wade Cook  
    10K Half 17 mi 23.2 mi Pace (min./mile) Clock Time ChipTime OverAll OverSex OverDiv
Time 0:39:19 1:22:01 1:47:01 2:24:39 6:09 2:41:03 2:41:01 35 33 1
Rank 106 78 71 43
Pace/mile 6:20 6:16 6:18 6:14
Text Box: Cook's Thoughts: For my last six I hit 5:20, 5:30, 5:40..... see the trend here I kept the last three around 5:45-5:40. The last six miles of the race was a bitch because of the 20 previous miles, wind, and hills. The sun had also popped out and it was around 75 degrees. Good for disc golf not for a marathon. In the fall I want to run the Twin Cities or Chicago Marathon. Twin Cities will be the US Marathon Championships and will also be a one day window for qualifying for the olympic trials. If the Marathon qualifying time is at 2:22 like last Olympics I think I'll have a chance. Ben Hooker watched the race with Knott and his dad, Tim. Here's what he had to say: i can tell you what i saw, but that might not be as insightful as what the racers were feeling. but here's my interpretation. 5 miles - saw oob and andy for the first time, since i got to the 2.5 mile point a few seconds late. they were talking and smiling and looked up and waved when they heard myself and my dad cheering. looked very comfortable. they were behind the first 9 women, however. beasley was already a few hundred meters behind them, but was running with his athlete so that didn't tell us much. 9.5 miles - they had just crested a pretty decent hill, but looked fresh and happy still. oob even ran over to my dad and i and gave us a high-5 as he passed. we were surprised at how good they still looked, well oob at least, since we figured andy was just jogging. they were now only behind the first 5 women, so we figured they were probably getting quicker or at least not slowing any. beasley was several minutes behind them at this point and didn't look too swell as he passed with his kid. 13.3 miles - the race had thinned out considerably by now, since everyone running the half marathon had just finished, and we got a better feel for where they really were in the race. they were still looking good as they passed, but this was to be expected since they just finished the easier half of the run. they were now only following 3 women and had passed many of the guys that were ahead of them at 9.5 miles, but oob's face was showing a bit of strain. we were still hopeful for them, though. beasley was not to be seen. 20.2 miles - andy came by first and was flying. he now looked like he was actually running and he said "i'm gonna run the last 6" as he passed and smiled. he picked off several people as we watched him run off in the distance, uphill and into the wind. that was at about 2:07. we then saw oob approaching and his was a different story. this time we didn't get a wave or high-5, but he did look up and smile as he ran past. we knew he had a bitch of a 10K left, but we'd seen oob endure worse before and wondered how much he had left in the tank this time. we then ran across the river to watch the leaders finish. 26.1 - andy came striding into view just as he passed 26 miles and appeared to have passed 100 people since we saw him 6 miles ago (it was probably more like 35 or 40 though). he gave us the gig em as he passed and looked a little worn, but not too bad. we then waited. and waited. oob came into view a couple minutes later and didn't look nearly as bad as we had expected. he didn't look up as he passed, but he said he didn't hear us either, so we'll give him the benefit of the doubt. overall, it was really fun to watch and we all thought the guys did great, but now we're ready to see what andy can really do if he races one of these. the first woman finished just over 2:30, so i think that should be his goal. well done guys.
                           
Ann Grease, 00
Chicago Marathon 10/14/2003 AGE 25   Bib 5647    
Times 15K Half 15M 20M 40K Pace (min./mile) Clock Time ChipTime OverAll OverSex OverDiv
1:05:06 1:32:10 1:45:44 2:23:28 3:08:39 7:38 3:20:58 3:20:23 2566 298 78
Chicago Marathon 10/13/2002 AGE 24   Bib 33563  
Times 15K Half 30K     Pace (min./mile) Clock Time ChipTime OverAll OverSex OverDiv
1:07:12 1:34:01 2:16:29     07:30 3:17:15 3:16:17 2272 227 35
                           
Stephen Grease, 99
Chicago Marathon 10/10/2004 AGE 27   Bib 301    
Times 5K 10K 15K 20K HALF Pace (min./mile) Clock Time ChipTime OverAll OverSex OverDiv
  0:38:48 0:58:38 1:18:47 1:23:24 7:17 3:11:12 3:11:03 1334 1249 256
25K 30K 35K 40K Pace at Half
1:40:25 2:03:56 2:30:50 3:00:02 2:46:48
Team Aggie defeated Team Golden Eagle this year thanks to Stephen's gutty performance.
Chicago Marathon 10/14/2003 AGE 26   Bib 1845    
Times 15K Half 15M 20M 40K Pace (min./mile) Clock Time ChipTime OverAll OverSex OverDiv
0:55:56 1:18:30 1:29:48 1:59:27 2:30:23 6:03 2:39:00 2:38:48 214 198 82
Chicago Marathon 10/13/2002 AGE 25   Bib 33562  
Times 15K Half 30K     Pace (min./mile) Clock Time ChipTime OverAll OverSex OverDiv
0:56:38 1:19:19 1:54:19     06:05 2:39:16 2:39:10 190 179 64
California International Marathon, Sacramento, CA   12/5/1999 Age 22  
Times           Pace (min./mile) Clock Time ChipTime OverAll OverSex OverDiv
          06:13   2:42:57 62   4
                           
Audrey Fox, 99
Boston Marathon 4/19/2004 AGE 27   Bib 10595    
Times 5K 10K 15K 20K HALF Pace (min./mile) Clock Time ChipTime OverAll OverSex OverDiv
0:25:50 0:51:45 1:17:59 1:45:27 1:51:36 10:30 4:43:32 4:34:54 11585 3934 2547
25K 30K 35K 40K Pace at Half
2:18:24 2:56:14 3:37:50 4:20:28 3:43:12
Todd didn't help Audrey the whole way, but he was there at the end.
Boston Marathon 4/21/2003 AGE 26        
Times           Pace (min./mile) Clock Time ChipTime OverAll OverSex OverDiv
          08:44 3:58:53 3:48:38 8577 2131 1621
Houston Marathon 1/19/2003 AGE 25   Bib 5548    
Times 5K 10K HALF 30K 37K Pace (min./mile) Clock Time ChipTime OverAll OverSex OverDiv
0:25:37 0:50:18 1:46:33 2:31:51 3:08:08 08:05 3:31:57 3:31:36 568 59 9
Houston Marathon 1/20/2002 AGE 24        
Times           Pace (min./mile) Clock Time ChipTime OverAll OverSex OverDiv
          08:20 3:38:40 3:38:33 615 82 12
                           
Todd Fox, 99
Houston Marathon 1/19/2003 AGE 26   Bib 5547    
Times 5K 10K HALF 30K 37K Pace (min./mile) Clock Time ChipTime OverAll OverSex OverDiv
0:18:52 0:37:27 1:19:05 1:52:52 2:20:24 06:07 2:40:27 2:40:27 12 12 7
Houston Marathon 1/20/2002 AGE 25        
Times           Pace (min./mile) Clock Time ChipTime OverAll OverSex OverDiv
          06:13 2:43:05 2:42:57 11 11 5
                           
David Hefley, USM 99
Chicago Marathon 10/10/2004 AGE 27   Bib 2779    
Times 5K 10K 15K 20K HALF Pace (min./mile) Clock Time ChipTime OverAll OverSex OverDiv
  0:42:02 1:03:16 1:24:13 1:28:55 7:52 3:26:52 3:26:22 3013 2646 436
25K 30K 35K 40K Pace at Half
1:45:41 2:10:14 2:39:15 3:10:17 2:57:50
Hefley vowed that this would be his last marathon.  Let's hope he get's back on the horse in a few years.
Chicago Marathon 10/14/2003 AGE 26   Bib 4620    
Times 15K Half 15M 20M 40K Pace (min./mile) Clock Time ChipTime OverAll OverSex OverDiv
1:00:14 1:24:56 1:37:25 2:13:11 2:51:24 6:57 3:02:21 3:02:02 997 899 219
                           
Christian Henricksen, 97
Houston Marathon 1/19/2003 AGE 27   Bib 4794    
Times 5K 10K HALF 30K 37K Pace (min./mile) Clock Time ChipTime OverAll OverSex OverDiv
0:20:32 0:40:29 1:25:52 2:01:42 2:32:33 06:41 2:55:15 2:55:15 51 49 11
Chicago Marathon 10/13/2002 AGE 27   Bib Bandit  
Times 15K Half 30K     Pace (min./mile) Clock Time ChipTime OverAll OverSex OverDiv
1:03:45 1:29:01 2:06:40     06:41 2:55:00   589 - 629 ? ? ?
Although Christian bandited the race,  by running with Oubre we were still able to get a picture of him.
Text Box: 11/9/98 San Antonio marathon, by Christian Henricksen (written in sections over a few years) First thing's first: congratulations to Grease on his solid 2:42. He had told me that he was going to run a conservative race and it sounds like he did. For any of you future marathoners, that it unquestionably the best way to go about it on your first time out. If you don't agree, maybe the following story will change your mind: The day was November 9, 1998. It was a cool and crisp San Antonio morning; ideal for the marathon. I was in great shape. I had been training with the A&M Cross team as student assistant and had had been running p.r.s (25:30 8k) I had been putting in around 90-100 miles/week for a couple of months with good quality. If my training was lacking something, it was quality long runs. I had gotten in a few 20's, but they were at a slow pace. The day before the race, I went to look for a nice singlet. I went to the Run-a-Way in San Antonio and ran into the owner. He offered me a singlet and shorts if I would wear them in the race. Apparently, he thought I would do well and would be a good person to represent his store. Boy, was he in for a surprise. That morning I felt good. I wasn't too nervous but I had no idea what to expect. If I had known what was coming, I probably would have spent a considerable amount of time throwing up in a trash can. My plan going into the race was to go out "conservatively" -- you know, 5:50's. I thought I might have a shot at running near 2:30 and figured 2:35 was well within my reach. The first mile was VERY easy in around 5:50. I was in about 12th place at the mile (1,500 in the race, top 5 was money.) I was running with this 40 year old guy, Robert Yara. He was sub-2:20 for the marathon and 29 min for 10k in his prime, but that was a while back, and he hadn't touched me in any race that fall. He said he was going to try to run somewhere around 2:45 and suggested that I should probably go ahead without him. So at about 1.5 mi, I left Robert and ended up running the rest of the race alone. My next 2 miles were around 5:45 pace. 4 and 5 were 5:50's. I came through 6 miles in around 5:50 pace. I had passed a few people and was in about 7th place but was still well off the lead. I had expected to start feeling bad at around 13 miles, but I was already feeling uncomfortable... at 6 miles. It was not going to be a good day. I continued through the next few miles of hills at around 6:00 min pace. If I remember correctly, I went through 10 miles at around 58:30. I was running a good pace, but I knew that I wasn't feeling as good as I should. I tried to dig in a little the next 3 miles and catch the runner that was about 30 yards ahead, but it was not to be (I found out later that the asshole was only running the first 18.) My legs were getting tight and my pace began to approach 6:10s. I recovered briefly and got back under 6:00 for mile 13, but that was the last recovery I was to make. I came through the 1/2 at 1:18. That's 2:36 pace; a respectable time. However, it was much slower than I had hoped to be at that point, and there were other problems ahead. I had been feeling the need to find a bathroom for a few miles, and I knew that I wouldn't last another 13, so when the opportunity presented itself, I took it. I jumped into a park bathroom just after the half. I took my best speed-dump but still lost a minute. Robert "I'm only going to run about 2:45 today, so you might want to go ahead" Yara had been closing the gap on me for the last few miles and he passed me during my badly-needed bathroom break. I would not see that son-of-a-bitch for the rest of the day. He ended up running an incredible negative split and finished with a time somewhere around 2:30 for 4th or 5th place and the 1st masters spot. I came out of the bathroom and continued on my way, MUCH tighter than before. It was around 14 miles that the course passed the Run-A-Way store. As I ran by, the owner (who had given me the free clothes) offered me a bottle of PowerAde and a packet of Goo. I ate some of the Goo and nearly yacked on the spot. I tried to wash it out of my mouth with the PowerAde but couldn't handle that either because it was so sweet. I threw both on the ground at the feet of the owner of the store and continued on my way. It was about this point on the course that I saw my uncle. He was preparing to run the second half of a 2-man marathon relay team. Later, he made an observation about my appearance at this point in the race. He said, "You really didn't look so good." At the time, his observation was more accurate than he could have known. I don't remember much about the next 3 miles. I do know -- based on later analysis of my watch -- that I had slowed to around 6:30/mi pace. The next thing I remember is a group of 2 or 3 people passing me around 16 miles. One of the people turned out to be Gary Brimmer. Most of you don't know him, but I hate that guy. He would always insist on calling me ' that tall, skinny kid.' And he didn't mean it in a nice way. It was at about this point -- with 10 miles to go -- that the phrase 'Just Finish' first entered my mind. I was no longer racing, I was struggling to 'Just Finish.' I must have repeated that phrase to myself about 10,000 times over the next 10 miles... the longest 10 miles -- EVER. Again, I don't remeber much about what happened between 16 & 20. The previously mentioned watch analysis indicated that I continued to slow down. I hit a few 6:40's and then a few 6:50's -- slowing approaching the dreaded 7 minute miles. It was just before 20 miles that I heard someone call out my place: 8th. I was in 8th place!! I couldn't believe it. I was running terribly but I was still in 8th place. Apparently, as soon as someone would pass me, one of the other lead runners would dropout. I hit 20 miles in right around 2 hours. I don't remember the exact seconds, but I do remember thinking that if I could just run the last 10k in 40 minutes, I could run 2:40. 2:40 was slower than I was hoping for but that would still be a really good time. And hell, 10k in 40 minutes; that's nothing. I could do that while holding my breath. If I could just hold my pace for another 6 miles, I would do great. 2:40 in the bag, no problem. But ooh, it was not meant to be. After a little more than 20 miles, I made a turn in the King William District in San Antonio and was feeling okay. Then, the first sign of the horror that was about to overtake me hit: THE CLAW! As I made the turn, my right arm cramped from the elbow down, causing my hand to distort into a nasty claw. The cramp held for about ½ of a mile. Not a good sign. Finally, the cramp released and I continued along my merry way. Over the next few miles, my pace slowed to over 7:00/mile – already over my 40 minute 10K pace. Too bad. Who cares? I just wanted to finish. Oh, I just wanted to see the finish. At this point, the course made its way out to a little turn around at 23 miles by one of the missions. This allowed me to see Robert Yara, Garry Brimmer, & the gang fly by me in the other direction as I plod along in what had become nothing short of a death march. They, of course, all shout their encouragement. This did not help, however, because the look in their eyes betrayed their true thoughts: “You poor, young idiot, that’s what you get for not respecting the marathon.” So I finally hit the 23 miles turn around. My pace had probably slowed towards 9 minutes/mile by this point. Then, a wonderful thing happened. As I was approaching some railroad tracks, a train could be heard in the distance. Unfortunately, there would be no sprinting to the tracks to beat the train. You can’t imagine the effect that such an event had on my fragile psyche. Just thinking about it, I want to cry. I came up to the train and was forced to stop – the absolute worst thing that can happen when your legs are ooohhhh sooooo very tight. There was no sign of the end of the train, but there was a small little bridge that the train went over before intersecting the course. So out of desperation, I hiked down the rocky hill and under the bridge. The footing was horrible and I stumbled and nearly fell several times as I made my way back to the road. That obstacle cleared, I began to run again… or at least tried to, but the legs were even tighter than before. My next mile was probably run in 9-10 minutes or so. My legs were twinging with almost every step, threatening a cramp at any moment. By now, people were passing me in a constant stream: first good runners, then slower ones. How it came to this after the 90 and 100 mile weeks, I may never know. But this worst of it was still to come. The last 2 miles may have been the worst 24 minutes of my life… yes, 24 minutes. As if on cue, I hit the 24 mile mark and the first real cramp hit in one of my hamstrings. As it hit, I jumped into the air with a cry of pain and had to start walking. From this point on, the cramps came every 50-100m. A cramp would hit, I would stop, rub it, and walk it off. When the cramp eased, I would run until the next one hit. As I would start to run again, my legs would twitch with the threat of the next cramp. I was on the verge of tears. I would hit my legs with my fists at every twitch to try to prevent the next one. It must have been a pitiful sight as I ran the last 2 miles, crouched over, hitting my legs, and yelling “STOP IT!” at the top of my lungs with each blow. But my legs would not listen and I would inevitably jump and scream as the next cramp would hit, walking it off until I could run again. I remember the look on the faces of the spectators and other runners as they passed me. They all seemed to think that I was insane. “Why the hell is this psycho pounding on his legs and screaming at himself?” I wish I had video of that. So one way or another, I walked, hopped, and jogged my way to the finish. Why? I have no idea. I should have stopped somewhere between 6 and 26 miles, but was overcome by stubbornness and stupidity. The finish line finally made its way to me after about 3:03. The first 10 miles was in around 58 minutes and the first 20 in 2 hours. The last 10k took nearly 63 minutes, with the last 2 in 24. James and Milli were waiting for me at the finish, each with a look of pity of their faces. James asked me if I wanted his coat. “You’re blue,” he said. I replied that I wasn’t cold and they went back to watch the finish. As soon as they left, I began to shiver so violently that the shivers would be better described as convulsions. I just wanted to lie down but couldn’t bend down to the ground. Somehow, I made my way over to some stairs and lied down on them, still shivering violently. I don’t know how long I was there, but finally, Sean or Aaron (I can’t remember which) came over to me and said I should go to the First Aid tent. I agreed, but couldn’t get up. I just lied, there shivering, on the verge of an emotional break down. I think I started to finally cry at this point, feeling that my lowest point had been reached. The Sean/Aaron person lifted me off the ground and drug me to the First Aid tent. The paramedics couldn’t figure out what was wrong with me, so they just left me in the heated ambulance, covered in blankets, until the shivering began to subside. Eventually, we made our way home. My bedroom was more of walk than I could manage, so without showering, I passed out on the couch. I drank as many fluids as my body could hold following the race, but still couldn’t piss for 8 hours. I suppose I had become dehydrated. It was 4 years before managing another marathon. For San Antonio, I ran several 20 mile long runs and logged 80-100 miles a week in the months leading to the marathon. Before Chicago, I had a long run of 13 and logged 6-20 miles a week, with the exception of one week at 40. In San Antonio, I ran a miserable 3:03. In Chicago, I ran a relatively pleasant 2:55. Go figure. The moral of the story: Go out slow in the marathon. Training is optional.
San Antonio Marathon 11/8/1998 AGE 23 Bib ?  
Times 10 mi Half 20 mi     Pace (min./mile) Clock Time ChipTime OverAll OverSex OverDiv
0:58:30 1:18:00 2:00:00     06:59 3:03:00   ? ? ?