I finished all 26.2 miles in 5 hours, 15 minutes! Thank God for watching over all the runners in the marathon.  (See Photo Gallery)

Well, I finished.  I guess that sums up the physical aspect of my race.  I had originally hoped to break 5 hours and had thought this was a very realistic goal.  Actually, based on my training in the final weeks, I was secretly hoping that if I could maintain my training pace of 10 minutes per mile for enough of the race, I might get my time down as low as 4:30.

Like so many plans, this one turned out somewhat different in reality.  After cruising through the first 16 miles in a very steady 10 minute per mile pace, the wheels started to come off.  I slowed down between miles 16 and 19, trying to find the pace I could sustain to end.  But, at mile 20, every cliché you have ever heard about marathons kicked in for me.  I "hit the wall", "the wall hit me", and "a refrigerator dropped onto my back".

After walking through a water station at the 20 mile mark, I found that I could not start running again. It wasn't that I was exhausted, or out of breath, or that my legs were completely spent.  I just had enough pain and fatigue in the entire running system of my body that I just couldn't make it work anymore.  The only answer was to walk for awhile.

There I was, after all the training and planning, and a great first 3/4 of the race, walking down the street with people passing me on the left and right.  It was a miserable experience, watching it all slipping away through a dull haze of pain.  At mile 21, I decided I had to start up again.  With great effort, I took a shuffling running step, and got going again.  My new pace, barely above a crawl, was my road to the finish.

At the finish, I was met by my father, George Sr., and by the Pappas family.  Driko, Christine, Anthony, and Kosta Pappas served with us in Albania for 2 years before returning to the U.S. to treat Christine's breast cancer.  Christine, after chemotherapy, is now clear of cancer and it was very inspiring to see her and her family at the finish line.  They had flown in the day before from Denver, just to visit us in Detroit, and see me finish the marathon.  Our families enjoyed a blessed 3 days together.

It's easy to compare something like a marathon to the overall joys and struggles of life.  To plan and prepare to meet life head on, and then to realize that things really aren't under your control and we are all in the hands of God.  To be supported by friends and family, as well as by people who you may not know, but believe in what you are doing and join in your struggle.  These are the lessons I will take from this marathon back to our mission work in Albania.

Thanks to all who have supported us financially and otherwise for this event.  I want to do this again next year, and this time I really want to get down to 4:30!

 Photo Gallery            You still can pledge