Any marathon runners here?

[John Berger]

I'm a marathon runner. How many others out there have ever run a marathon and what was your experience? Best time(s)?



The first marathon I ran was in Jacksonville in 1997. I had started running earlier that summer and in October of that year I decided I wanted to run in the Boston Marathon. The Boston Marathon is THE marathon to run and that is largely due to two factors: It is the world's oldest annually run marathon (105 years) and you have to qualify to run in it. I qualified for Boston that winter and the experience was hard to describe. When I ran Boston the following spring, that was incredible. Many of you may not know this, but over 1 million people line the 26. 2 mile course. The entire area comes out and supports the marathon. What is really cool is the Red Sox play an early game that day and it usually gets over about the time the elite athletes are arriving in Boston. Lots of partying and lots of support.



My best time is 2:57:58 - Jacksonville (1998)

I ran the 2000 Boston Marathon in 2:59:08 on a cold day with a strong headwind. I had trained for and was trying to run a sub 2:50. Still was alot of fun. I had so much fun that 11 days later I ran the inaugural Country Music Marathon in Nashville. After a marathon once, my wife asked me what I wanted to do: I said that I was looking forward to the next one. She told me I was sick What's her point



Sorry so long

 

[sweeks]

John; You replied to my Lance Armstrong post. I'm a marathon/ultramarathon runner and started distance running in 1978. So far,47 marathon or longer distances. I've got an itch to try a hundred miler late 2002,we'll see. I've been concentrating on and enjoying my cycling more the last 2 years. That's the only sport I've got some speed in. Went to Boston 2 years ago and ran an ultra the day before the marathon. Winning time at Boston that year was 2:08. Winning time at the Ultra,6:30. Interesting contrast. Congrats on Boston and pace yourself for the longhaul. Steve W.

 

[Alan Reagan]

I'm more of a sprinter. Like when I'm on the backside of my farm and my 5 year old says I have a phone call. Know what I mean John, you rascal.



I started to be a marathon runner. I was dating a girl in West VA and her family didn't like me very much. One night after I dropped her off, her father and four brothers beat the stew out of me and took me to the train station and said they wanted me on the next train out of town. I said "No way!" Her father grabbed me and asked me what I meant by "No way!" I said, I'm going to catch the one that just left.



That was pretty my my running career right there.