Despite a trying two weeks leading up to the Wineglass Marathon, yours truly completed his first marathon yesterday. A relapse of my knee injury two weeks ago and a pesky cold last week had me considering ditching the attempt as late as Thursday. Oddly though, I drew great strength from the list of excuses I had garnered. The pressure I had put on myself was off. I could find satisfaction in simply finishing.

Corning, NY was a 5 1/2 hour drive from Boston. Those of you familiar with Ithaca and upstate NY know the setting. Rolling hills, trees decorated with early fall color and green valleys dotted with small town Americana. The forecasted rain was kept clear of the race course paving the way for blue skies and 65 degrees. Nice for the spectators, a bit warm for the runners (hey, no comments from those of you crazy enough to run a marathon in volcano laden Hawaii).

The first nine miles were enjoyable. I was caught up in the moment - finally running in a marathon! The pure thrill I felt squashed any pain I may or should have been feeling. Just past the half way point, the thrill was gone and the reality of facing another 12 miles seemed to weigh me down. By mile 18, the 8:15 mile pace I had been faithfully maintaining was decaying. The course took an uphill tendency through miles 19-21 and I knew my tank was empty. The last five miles were truly magnitudes more difficult than the previous 20. I found my last bit of strength when a race volunteer shouted "3/4 of a mile to go!" with about a mile left in the course - somehow a bit of inaccuracy didn't seem to bother him. I made the effort to cross the finish line running rather than displaying the awkward, limped shuffle I had relied on for the past few miles - had to make it look good for Jen and the race photographer.

Official time elapsed 3 hours 47 minutes and 4 seconds including the 59 second pit stop I made. Funny, growing up in Indiana, I never quite appreciated a corn field like I did at mile 19.