26.2 Doesn’t Get Any Easier
It wasn’t my fastest marathon and it wasn’t my slowest. But the Detroit Free Press Marathon is always a good one. Crossing the Ambassador Bridge into Canada at sunrise, running down Riverside Drive in Windsor lined with cheering families, suffering through the stale air of the underwater tunnel back to the USA, then cruising through historic Corktown, the beautiful homes of Indian Village, and enjoying the views from Belle Isle and the Detroit Riverwalk must be one of the best courses in the USA.
The last time I ran the full marathon here was 2010. That day started great but ended badly. I was overconfident and paid for it at the Wall and limped to the finish with my worst marathon time.
This year I was more cautious at the start but still struggled some after the 20 mile mark. Could have been the unseasonal heat, could have been any number of things but I think it was that I’m six years older and finishing a marathon is really hard! And finishing with a 9:00 minute pace is even harder.
I’m not sure if I’ll run another marathon but if I do, I know it won’t be any easier. But as they say “The race is not always to the swiftest, but to those who keep on running.”