Marathon #10

Ahhh, October in Chattanooga, Tennessee! Running 7 Bridges, the reason I trained for a marathon. This race will always be a sentimental favorite.  There is much speculation among runners how the race directors rarely get the distance correct.  I have run this marathon 4 times, only once was it off measurably.  That year I got 27.3 miles without getting lost along the way.  This race covers 7, now 8, bridges in the Chattanooga area.  The course is beautiful, through downtown, across all those bridges, and along the Tennessee River.  There is a LONG section along the main highway that I don't like, but the rest absolutely makes up for it.  This year, because of construction along river walk, we had to run that highway section a second time.  I lost my pace group around the 16 mile mark. I was just tired of hills at that point.  Around mile 20, I just wanted to give up.  I think I was worn out, physically and mentally.  I got passed by a couple of guys who initially started in our pace group, but fell back early.  That kind of spurred me on. I sucked it up, and finished under six hours.  I was in the 5:30 pace group to start.  I was ready to give up the marathon a month goal at this point. David, however, was not going to let that happen.