Finally, Mile Splits!!! (and a bit of a recap)

Ok, so I've analyzed the mile by mile splits of my marathon.
Best mile: 6.
Worst mile: 24 (as expected).
Most curious suprise: My times actually started decreasing from 24 to the end. The last .2 miles was actually run at a 11:38 clip. Wow.

Mile 1 10:47.1 10:47.1
Mile 2 13:28.8 11:32.7
Mile 3 09:36.5 11:32.7
Mile 4 11:40.4 11:40.4
Mile 5 11:27.5 11:27.5
Mile 6 09:26.0 09:26.0
Mile 7 11:06.6 11:06.6
Mile 8 10:28.4 10:28.4
Mile 9 11:47.4 11:47.4
Mile 10 07:17.1 11:34.1
Mile 11 15:51.2 11:34.1
Mile 12 04:32.1 11:54.0
Mile 13 19:15.9 11:54.0
Mile 14 12:23.5 12:23.5
Mile 15 13:53.9 13:53.9
Mile 16 12:36.8 12:36.8
Mile 17 12:39.0 12:39.0
Mile 18 13:48.0 13:48.0
Mile 19 13:56.2 13:56.2
Mile 20 13:43.3 13:43.3
Mile 21 13:42.2 13:42.2
Mile 22 14:36.1 14:36.1
Mile 23 15:30.5 15:30.5
Mile 24 16:22.9 16:22.9
Mile 25 14:34.4 14:34.4
Mile 26 14:06.6 14:06.6
0.2 02:19.7 02:19.7

Total time: 5:30:58

Final 0.02 Pace: 11:38.3

The first column is the actual splits recorded. I missed the Mile 3 flag, so mile 2 is long. I shut mile 10 down early for some reason, so 11 is long. Same with mile 12--I don't run a 4:32 mile. So, I took the two consecutive miles and averaged them to get good statistical data.

This is what the marathon looks like (if this works, otherwise make your own chart)



Mile 6 is legitimately 9:26. I remember looking at the watch and saying to myself "Whoa! Key it back a little!" There isn't anything particularly special about that stretch of pavement except it's where I passed the fat Elvis (who wasn't really fat, but certainly wasn't the young Elvis, either). I must have just fallen into my groove. Just after mile 9 I passed my church. I didn't get a good look at the crowd, but someone was right there yelling "Way to go Joe Breda!!!" That was a pleasant suprise.
Right before mile 10 is where I had communion on the run from the Anglican church. They were also sprinkling holy water on us. That was nice of them. I figured since I was skipping church (though there was plenty of prayer) the least I could do was have communion.
Miles 22, 23, and 24 I was clearly running out of steam. I guess that's what they mean by "the wall". That's when the cramping issues began. Not so oddly enough, mile 24 is when my lovely wife arrived with the bananas. Yum. Times started dropping after that and culminated in the kick assest finish ever. That's right, the best pace since mile 11. I ran by Bill Dwyer on that little stretch who told me I was handsome. Damn right I'm handsome. Can you say adrenaline? Can you say "Finish Big"? That's right, we're all Kenyans.
Despite the cramping issues and the tank being pegged right on "E", I knew good and well that I was going to finish. I had a big smile plastered on my mug for the last 10 miles. There was no stopping from that point. I was on top of the world. I had some real long conversations with my cramping muscles, but that was the only cussing going on Sunday. I was finishing. I knew it. It felt good.
I wish there were more stories from the road. There's only so many times and ways I can say "and the crowd was awesome" and "damn, I felt good right there".

With that in mind, I've been thinking about what my worst stretch was and I think I've figured it out. It was Sunday through Wednesday last week. Yea, I know the marathon didn't start until yesterday, but by the time the marathon started running the 26.2 miles was just a technicality. When I wandered into the coral a few seconds--maybe a minute--after the gun (yes, I missed the start) there was no question in my mind as to whether or not I was going to finish this thing. But from Sunday to Wednesday there were real doubts as to whether or not I could or would or should do this thing.

That was the low point. Once I shut that door Wednesday night, the game was on. There's a reason I was smiling at the end. There's a reason I was smiling at the begining. It may have taken me 5 and a half hours, but I owned that run. 4909 people may have finished before me, but that doesn't matter. I straight up owned it.