I never trained as hard as I did for the first of the year marathons as much as I did for Eugene as I ran out of gas the last two years and in the three previous years I was under five hours by five minutes once. With a Garmin now I don't allow myself to lose track of time and get over five hours if I can help it, depending on running conditions. I did not run out of gas, but I was close and I was noticibly slower then Seattle which was a great last run last year, but still.....
I believe I did well on a "not flat" course (3700 feet elevation) to start the year. I know I will speed up as the year goes along so will not obsess quite yet :-) I of course loved finishing at Hayward Field and run the same track the famous Steve Prefontane ran on and it was a "along the river" course and nice enough, but I doubt I'll return as it remids me of Discovery somewhat, which is closer in proximity. I look forward to Newport a month after this run but do not like 4 weeks between marathons as I have to have a long run 2 weeks after a marathon, three is the perfect amount of weeks between marathons in my eyes. I drove 4 and a half hours home after the marathon, like running another one, not good planning. All in all I am happy as the first marathon of the year is like your first one ever and I trained well having my fastest training times in my life, so I hold promise of a PR before I age too much!
