December 14, 1996

20 years ago today: I ran 364 miles with no days off during December of 1996.  I only raced once that month at the Rocket City Marathon – Huntsville, AL on 12-14-1996.  Conditions were very good on race day with temps in the 40’s and very little wind.

 

The first 5 miles a pack of 10 rolled along running very even splits at 5:20 per mile.  The pack included me, teammate Dan Verrington, Jim Flint, Jerod Neas, Travis Walter, South African Potiphar Nkhoma, and masters runners Doug Kurtis and Russian Youri Mikhailov.  Flint and Neas took turns at the front leading us through 10 miles.  Walter, who had finished in 6^th place at the Olympic trials 10,000 meters earlier that year, then took the lead dropping Flint and Nkhoma as he upped the tempo.  I hit the half in 1:09:51.  Around 17 miles it was down to Walter, me, and Ben McIntosh who had been behind the lead pack until 16 miles. 

 

The pace increased with miles of 5:12, 5:14, and 5:15.  Walter threw in a 5:07 21^st mile and the race was over (he followed that with a 5:04 and three 5:06’s).  I kept it together but could not match that tempo.  I ended up running my 2^nd fastest time ever, trailing only my 2:19:28 from Columbus.  McIntosh fell apart after 20 and Verrington poured it on to take third in 2:22:37.  Dave Weatherbie took 20^th place in 2:36:01 to seal CMS as the team champs (by 40 minutes!)

 

1 CMS 7:18:28

2 Huntsville TC 7:58:29

3 Birmingham TC 8:18:37

 

1 2:18:28 Travis Walter 27M Wilmington NC $2000

2 2:19:50 Dave Dunham 32M Bradford, MA $1000

3 2:22:37 Dan Verrington 34M Bradford, MA $500

4 2:22:55 Doug Kurtis 44M Northville, MI $250+$1500

5 2:23:14 Liam Collins 25M Fayetteville NC $250

6 2:25:24 Jerod Neas 25M Lakewood CO $250

7 2:26:23 Mike Harrison 30M Virginia Beach, VA $250

8 2:26:58 Youri Mikhailov 43M Albuquerque, NM $250+$750

9 2:26:58 Potiphar Nkhoma 31M Altamonte Springs FL $250

10 2:27:29 Jim Flint 36M Hollister, CA $250

20 2:36:01 David Weatherbie 28M Cumberland, ME

883 finishers