Jill (my wife) and I had planned to try and stay together for the first 15 or so and if one of us felt good then go on and go. We started out and it was a perfect day for running, cool, but not to cool and no wind. I ran this 2 years ago and the wind was tough. Jill and I ran the first 13.1 fine we kept our pace right about where we wanted it and both felt good. I did walk just a short distance around M8 while she hit a bathroom break. I walked so she would not have to kill herself to catch up. But anyway we made it to the half and then around M16 I could tell my energy was fading. I was hungry and just slowing down. Jill was hurting in the legs but her energy was good. We plugged along to M18 and once we hit the mile marker we walked a mile. At mile 19 we got back to running, but not very fast. I was able to plug along. Jill would be a little ahead of me, she would start walking and I would catch her and we would run. We contined with this till M21, where she said we should walk another mile. We only walked about 1/4 and started the slow run again. I knew Jill was being nice and staying with me and told her several times just to go on, but she stayed with me and kept me moving along. At about Mile 22.10 my GPS stopped on me and the timer as well, so I had no isea of what pace and if we would still be able to go under 5 hours. We had hoped for a 4:30-45 time, but also knew anything under 5 was do-able for the training we did or did not do. Now back to the race, we got to M23 Jill leaned over gave me a kiss and said I am going. A lady cheering said that is what you need now go finish. So with 3 miles to go I kept a run/walk thing going. About 1/2 mile or less from the finish we passed our hotel made a little left and the finish is in sight. I of course ran the last little bit and as I got closer to the finish I could see the clock at 4:59 ish. I knew it took us a minute or 2 to cross the start so I knew I would be under 5. Got my butt across the line and got my medal and there was Jill. She ended up beating me in the last 3 miles by about 7 minutes. (I know girl power and all that, I think it was the coaching she gets from me in the training)
After a hug, got my lunch bag they where handing out with snacks and my finisher hat as well.

TRAIN, we did not do our 20 mile run and I really think the long runs during training make all the differnce.

Being slow?