Odessa CrossRoads Marathon - Oct 2, 2010

Split	Time	Elev. Gain	Elev. Loss	Calories		Comment
1	0:09:33	0	19	155		Good fiirst mile. Nice weather starting off. Compared to other races, it did not take long to work my way to the starting line. Could be due to the fact that there are only 60 individuals with enough horse sense to run a marathon in Odessa.
2	0:09:44	0	4	158		Continuing a nice warm up pace. Lots of half marathoners in the pack enjoying life. I on the other hand know the perils of what lies ahead.
3	0:09:19	0	2	158		Picking up the pace to my goal pace. Decided during mile 2 to gradually increase and then back off to a 9:15 pace. We'll see how that plays out.
4	0:09:06	16	0	157		Sun is coming up. Feeling good about my pace and comfort level.
5	0:08:55	9	8	156		Putting the sunglasses down. Nice weather still, but not the most scenic marathon I have run. First sub-9 minute mile. Thought I had learned my lesson about "banking" time.
6	0:08:25	15	0	157		Sub 8:30 mile. Now we are cooking. Sure, I know it's only mile 6, but I am flying. Anyone with a lick of sense would know better.
7	0:08:14	0	4	159		At this pace I am sure I resemble the roadrunner and would surely catch Wyl E. Coyote.
8	0:09:02	36	0	157		Entering into a stretch of vast nothingness.  Mesquite trees and pumpjacks are the options for scenery along a 2-lane country road. As we run, we catch a glimplse of what we will see on our return. Miles 23, 22, 21, etc.
9	0:08:55	21	0	156		Still an excellent pace. The group has thinned out and we can see Ratliff Stadium--the conclusion for our Half-Marathon running friends.
10	0:09:00	23	0	157		Thankful for water stations at each and every mile. On pace for the race I would like, but lack of training will soon rear it's ugly head.
11	0:08:58	7	14	157		Not much to look at
12	0:09:03	5	0	157		Even less to look at
13	0:09:10	5	0	157		Entering Ratliff Stadium for a lap on the track. Feels like I'm in the middle of Friday Night Lights.
14	0:09:24	4	0	157		Endured a ridiculous incline on the ramp leaving Ratliff. Our numbers of runners has dropped by about 80% and for those of us running the full, it does not get any easier.
15	0:09:26	0	0	157		Glad to see a house or two, thrilled to be in a neighborhood.
16	0:09:55	5	7	155		Back to desolation. Reminds me of my first 12 mile run on the country roads of Goldthwaite. Thanks Jen for starting this madness.
17	0:09:58	4	7	153		This is our turn around mile. Sun is up and temperature is rising. I realize it is going to be a long next 1.5-2 hours
18	0:10:26	0	0	150		Pace has slowed. Beginning to walk through water stations.
19	0:10:27	4	0	152		Approaching Ratliff Stadium again for the long stretch towards the finish line. Felt a tinge of cramping in one of my hamstrings.
20	0:11:41	0	13	143		First 11 minute mile. Not a lot of people around.
21	0:13:48	5	0	121		We have entered the land of 13-minute miles. Substantial amount of walking. Very little running. Hoping to avoid cramping as my legs are shot.
22	0:13:54	0	10	123		Have now gone from walking through the rest stops to walking the mile and trying to run through the rest stops.
23	0:11:30	10	23	151		Made the final lonely turn as we head back to crossroads church. Just dropped off my dignity at the last aid station as I hobble toward the finish line.
24	0:12:13	0	18	139		Would kick myself for not training better if I could raise my leg high enough.
25	0:13:28	0	31	128		Trying to muster up the energy to run across the finish line.
26	0:13:10	6	9	127		We seem to be running away from the finish line, which is demoralizing when all I want to do is cut across the field (maybe even rile up a rattlesnake to bite me and end my suffering).
27	0:03:26	0	0	52		Able to find the strength to run (using the turn loosely) for the last 200 yards.
Summary	4:30:21	176	169	3,949		Was not pretty and most certainly could have been worse. Glad to put this race behind me and hoping this gives me an advantage for the White Rock Marathon in December.
					Summary:  This was the 2nd running of the Odessa Marathon, and numbers were up from last year, there were only about 65 full marathon runners. Aid stations at every mile were nice, and some miles those were the only signs of life you would see. Very flat course, which is nice if you are trying to reach a goal (mine was survive and finish).  First 14 miles were great, last not so much. There is work to do, and we will press on in hopes of significant gains for the rest of the season.
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