As we headed back to the starting line with 15 minutes to spare, Brian started leading us through Victory Park to get in the back of the line. I took on look down the street at the 5,000 or so people staring back at me and said, "AW, HAYELL NO!" I drew the line (you like that line?) and told him to follow me. We got to the front of the line and casually slipped in about 10 rows from the timing mat. We tried to look like we belonged there and not look too conspicuous, but the lady standing next to me took all of the attention. She screamed, jumped, laughed and waved at every camera that pointed itself in our direction. I think she had a large bet with someone that she would be on TV. She was literally bouncing everytime a TV camera would point our way. Incidentally, without even bouncing at all, Brian and I got 6 seconds of face-time on TV just as the race was starting. We have it recorded in HD for posterity. For those interested, it is 1:17 minutes into the broadcast. We are in the lower right of the screen at the race start. Brian is in red, I am in gray and we are the ones being passed by everyone. We did try to stay to the right, though. Those freaks in Pamplona have nothing on us. That was a serious mass of humanity. Anyway, the first mile went smooth. I was pacing Brian to get 10 minute miles for the duration. I am not a LOT faster, but when and if I ever do run it solo, my goal will be sub 2 hours, and I think that is attainable.
As soon as we got into a rhythm, I had to go to the bathroom. I didn't "over" hydrate pre-race, I think it had something to do with the windchill and shivering body for the 15 minutes before the race. Maybe it was the Gu I took 20 minutes before the race. I don't know, but I had to go..bad! We passed a few portopotties and I waited to see if the urge would pass.. like somehow I could take what was already in my bladder waiting to be furloughed through my urinary tract and somehow siphon it through my sweat glands. Now, I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV, but I am pretty sure I convinced myself this could actually happen. Alas, it did not, and by the time we came around a corner in Turtle Creek, I saw my salvation in the form of a thicket 20 yards off the road by a creek. There was a 'line' of men doing the same thing. I told Brian to keep going and I would catch up. Well, I did my business, took a huge sigh of relief and got back into the game. As I filed into the runners on the path, three women giggled at me, as they knew what I had just done. I told them it was good to me a man! I also told her if they was giggling because they saw me by the creek, I needed to remind them it was 39 degrees out with a north wind, and well, guys can be affected by that if they expose certain parts of their body to it. But, I digress.
I quickly caught up to Brian (he slowed way down for me, which was our pre-race plan in the event someone had to pause) and off we went. Kept a nice 10 minute pace and eventually Brian needed to go the bathroom. Here's where it got weird. We passed the 5 mile mark with the music blaring and the portopotties right there. We crossed the mat and he said he needed to stop. So I said, "I will be right here on the right side waiting!" Well, that's what I intended to say, but my frozen lips may have said something else. So I stand there, running in place for the whole YMCA song (yes, I did the arm motions for it), then for a Def Leppard song, then another song, but it escapes me. Why? Because that was a total of about 9 minutes of me standing there running in place and by song 3 I was concerned for Brian. So I watched EACH of the 8 stalls waiting for him to come out. Each stall emptied over the next 3 minutes, which is why I don't remember the song. I was pee-stall watching. I shrugged my shoulders and started out, because he had either fallen in or SOMEhow missed me when he exited. Turns out he came out, went LEFT to go through the timing mat again (maybe he thought he had to, I don't know) and he evidently passed me somewhere between me singing YMCA and Pour Some Sugar On Me. Sweet. I picked up my pace to a 9 minute mile for the next 3 miles, reeling in anyone on the right side wearing red. I loved this pace. Around mile 8 I found him and sprinted about 100 yards to get along side him. Remember the Kodak moment when the windshield wipers were in hyper-drive on the way to the race. Same look. From both of us. We couldn't figure out how we got flip-flopped like that, but we did. The rest of the race was fun...got a little sore around mile 11, but some of that was because slowing my pace down changes my gait and not for the better. Brian was really feeling it in his knee and I kept offering encouragement. A sample... Brian - "My knee hurts, my HR is 169, my foot hurts, my SHOULDER hurts (seriously), my calf is twitching.." Me - "Brian, I am very interested in hearing about all of these malady's, and I will share mine with you...in about 27 minutes. We have 3 miles to go. SUCK IT UP, BUTTERCUP!" He laughed, we laughed and on we went to the finish. We had plenty in the tank for a sprint, but we took our time and enjoyed the moment and the crowd cheering. It was awesome running with him, and I am glad we were only seperated for 3 miles or so. Incidentally, that was my fastest split. HAHA

Not a darn thing. Brian and I enter and participate in these races as a tribute to our brother, Steve, who passed away March of this year after a 3 year battle with Melanoma. He left behind a wife and 2 sons, aged 5 and 3. Our first fiscal year of running and racing is done together, and we agreed all distances greater than an OLY would be done side by side, stride for stride. After IMAZ 11/2008, we may decide to start looking at PR's, but right now we run and race as a 2 man team in remembrance of our big brother.

We crossed the line, and I am sure I am going to regret the retarded fist pump I did. It was impromptu, so I will chalk it up to freezing delirium. Is it poserish to rehearse a finish line action? HAHA I think I will stick to just crossing the line with a smile on my face. We got our mylars, visor (warning: mini rant. This just in, visors do nothing for shaved head folks like myself except create some really conversational tan/sunburn lines - rant over) and picked our finishers medals out of a box. I put mine on, in case someone there wasn't aware I had finished. Plus, that added strip holding the medal on my neck provided some much needed warmth. We then were directed and redirected and reredirected by security how to get inside for the food and beer, which we finally did. We got our stuff and looked for a place to sit. I found one and we sat down. I made a comment to the girl sitting next to me and I thought she looked familiar, but didn't say anything. Then, her husband sits down and I definitely know this dude. It's rgill (Raegan) from this site AND from my alma mater (Texas Tech) AND from my fraternity. What are the chances?? We caught up briefly and then I remembered his wife (SportySue), who was one of our little sisters for the fraternity. It was great to see them! They introduced us to Kelley (mom23) and Maurice (dad23) and we chatted for a few more minutes before it was time to go. I still had to go to work! As we got outside and headed for the car, we saw some of the full marathoners finishing, mixed in with some half-ers. Brian remarked out loud that we needed to look for Gaarryy, and we cheered some on for a minute. Lo and freakin behold, here comes GAARRYY! We started cracking up and screaming for him. His RR says he limped to the finish line, but the dude looked fresh and was moving VERY fast for having just run 26.1 miles. I was proud of him and we screamed until he got out of earshot. Then we finally made it back to the car. That night, on my way home from work, I cursed my car for not being an automatic. Every shift brought a fun, searing and short-lived pain through my left lower extremity. 2 days later, I am fully recovered and ready to run again. I may or may not do the full next year, as it is only 2 weeks removed from IMAZ. I am leaning toward just waiting for 2009 to do the full here in Dallas.


Left my HEELIES at home.


I think I already commented too much, but you didn't have to read all of that. Wait til my IMAZ report. hehe