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Sam and I bungled into the start line so near
the front it was criminal. What you see of these other people
is all I ever saw as they hit Warp 1 from the get-go. |
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My now-famous (at least for me) shot of the crowd
behind me at the start line. These are the runners that
would run over my broken body if I slipped. Notice the guy
with the Gu hat on: "Can you hear me now? Good." |
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Again, I'm way too close to the start line for
my ability. Mike Dove, the Big Sur Training Clinic Coordinator,
is front left with the white gloves on. |
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Lieutenant Sam "Old Man Navy" Chance
looking too excited for what we are about to endure. |
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AND WE'RE OFF!!! OK, they're off and
I'm just a ping-pong ball on the leading edge of a tidal
wave. I ran my first mile in 7 minutes (a blistering pace
for me who planned for and delivered a 9 minute average
pace). |
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Do not be fooled by the stunning beauty. Pain
lurks ahead. |
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The weather shaped up just for this day and it
was another stunning morning for the Big Sur Marathon. Hurricane
Point is in the distance. |
 |
You see I still have no idea how to pose for a
mid-marathon picture. But the little disposable camera did
a decent (but not great) job of capturing the moment. |
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Looking back on the incline after Hurricane Point.
My legs were aflame at this point but I was still on pace. |
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Not a bad pic for a crappy little camera. It looks
like a postcard. |
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I think this was Bixby Bridge. At least I struck
a half-way acceptable pose but truth be told, I was happy
to be immobile. |
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The post-Hurricane Point downhill was like a kid's
slide. You just let gravity do its thing and it was just
plain fun! |
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This was taken by a professional photographer
who will sell you his work for the low low price of, well,
let's just say it wasn't a K-Mart Special. But in a few
years I'll forget the cost and still have the photo (or
so he justifies his little extortion scheme!!!) |
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Here I come running down the chute. I'm really
hoping the cops are pulling the red car over because it
was mighty distracting, me being delirious and all. |
 |
Check out the calf muscle!!! Maybe the only time
I've ever seen even a hint of definition in my calves but
maybe the massive cramping had something to do with it.
Whatever the reason, I'm almost to the end, not that it
matters to the guy in the green shirt. Sorry to bore ya,
Bud. |
 |
Here are the Sbragias, their kids, and my kids
waiting for me to finish up my "jaunt." |
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Sweet success! My goal was to finish under 4 hours.
I missed it by 16 minutes last year so there was a vendetta
afoot. Notice the lack of sweat on my arm which meant I
was, you know, empty. |
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My family is literally holding me up in this picture
minutes after my finish. The box of food Carrie is holding
was too heavy for me to lug around. |
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This is the best smile I could muster. I was unimaginably
happy but my body was a bit perturbed at the shredding I
just delivered to it. |
 |
NOT the same pic but one from the Sbragia camera.
Thanks, Chad! |
 |
We walked to the car and it was good for what
was once my legs. Notice the propped pose I'm sporting.
At this point, instructions from my head to my legs were
mere suggestions. |
 |
"OK, Jason, you can move now. Come on, you
can do it..." |
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A great shot of a great poster my family made
and held up at the end of the race. The medallion is to
the left and and my watch showing the finishing time is
on the right. |
