USAF Marathon Take 3

USAF Marathon, Dayton OH

USAF Marathon experience #3!! The weather at the start was much better than last year's rain...no rain and a bit warm.  I love the start of this marathon.  The full marathon runners go out first and then an hour later the half-marathon runners go out.  The hour difference makes such a big difference in establishing my pace at the beginning of the race.  This year my goals were to finish with OTHERS. This would hold true for the 5K the day before the race and the marathon. 

If you look back at my blog of the USAF Marathon last year, you will see my special story of running the marathon for my good friend Denny.  The photo on the left was us last year a day after his surgery and the day I finished the marathon.  I made a pact with him, that I would leave my finisher medal with him and come back the next year and run which ever race at the USAF Marathon with him.  Well the pact was completed with the running of the 5K this year, photo on the right.  What a humbling and special moment for Denny, it was equally humbling for me.  If you have kept up with my running you know that each race I do is either dedicated to someone, a cause or I just simply want to help someone get across the finish line.  It was awesome to come back a year later and walk/run the 5K with my brother-in-Christ Denny! Brother you did awesome! I can't wait to see what you are planning for next year.

Next up was the marathon.  I came back this year as a member of the Whiteman Running Team and a sponsor for the Air Force Enlisted Village.  We had a great group of runners and one of those was my first sergeant.  We had discussed a few months before the race that we would run it together and cross the finish line together regardless of the time. This was his 2nd Marathon (He did one 10 years ago). 

As we were waiting for the start of the race, I met up with my good friend and Ultra, 100-miler finisher Brian Burk.  All three of us wanted the same finish time (Brian finished the race much earlier than we did ).  So we were off and on a good pace.  With the goal of getting him across the finish line, I had my first sergeant establish his time which was 4 hrs or less.  After 13 miles we were ahead of that with a half time of 1:55.  It always amazes me how the body changes as the race progresses and this would be no different.  At 20 miles he started to cramp severely in both calves, which then moved to his thighs.  There were times he would scream out in pain.  It was so tough to watch and I truly felt horrible for him.  We walked/ran the last 6.2 miles, but as you see in the below picture we crossed the finish together and YES he can always say he was 1 step ahead of me :):).  What an honor and blessing to run with my first sergeant.  I'll bet there are not too many Commanders out there that can say they ran a marathon with their first sergeant. 

So what a weekend at this year's USAF Marathon, it was all about giving back to OTHERS!  How rewarding.  The weekend was truly a blessing for me, one I will never forget.