What a great Marathon. Both humbling and exhilarating.  Humbling when you think about the needless loss of Life.  Exhilarating when you see all the racers, support staff and folks out cheering.  Perfect day for a Marathon.  Cool, overcast and enough wind to keep you cool.  I used the 5 hour marathon pacer for this race. Lined up right behind the 5 hour group.  We started slow even for me.  It was just so crowded.  Just after mile two we got on a larger boulevard.  My pacer hits a 10:30 pace.  I guess he was making up the lost time.  Next water stop he stops and everyone drinks.  Once again he takes off on that 10:30 pace.  By mile 7 this is the pattern.  Stop for breaks and race to the next break.  I can’t race like that.  So for the next 8 miles the 5 hour group and I take turns passing each other.  At this point is a long steep hill over a freeway.  I hear the pacer say, we have banked a minute and a half. We will walk this hill.  Not me, I racewalked as fast as I could up the hill.  I was trying to put some distance between them and me.  I felt so good in high gear I kept up the pace to the finish.  Another easy feeling marathon.  I wore new model shoes.  Altra Torin 2.0’s.  Put about 40 break in miles on them the last two weeks.  I got a hot spot on my right inside heel.  Might have jumped the gun a little on using those shoes for a Marathon.  This was the most enjoyable Marathon I have done.  I relished every part of the race.  Soaked it all up.  Finished in 4:53:54.

Rob Robertson