The morning started out cool, but not cold enough. it was probably already near 60 when the race started at 7 am. By 9:30 it was quickly creeping near 80. By the time Cam came through the start finish line (9 miles in) he had already rolled his ankle which was slowing his progress. (Click here for a full course description and map) But, being the trooper he is he pushed through the pain and kept going where so many people would have given up at that point.
Heading south towards Devil's Backbone he was still running close enough to his pace time that he wasn't worried, but then the heat of the day pushed temperatures on Devil's Backbone into the extremes! For those of you not familiar with Devil's Backbone, it's an oven in any sort of warm temperatures! The red clay hogbacks and exposed rocks cook you from the bottom while the sun is cooking you from the top. There is perhaps 2 shade trees in the ENTIRE open space, and the rolling hills don't provide any relief except in the early morning hours. Cameron said that in the heat it took him 40 minutes longer to finish Devil's Backbone than it did last year when he was near crawling up the rocks from his bum knees. That's when you know you're in trouble. He had drank nearly 7 liters of water and another at least 2 liters of energy drinks provided at the aid stations, but he still stopped sweating sometime in the middle last half of the race.
But He FINISHED!!! It took him 7 hours and 8 minutes, but he DID IT!! And that's what counts. After the results were posted we found out that he was 1 of 88 people who finished the marathon, when 123 people were registered. So nearly 30% of the people running didn't finish. Which is why we are so proud of him for Finishing!!!
He's not very happy with his finish time, so he's still debating whether he wants to try and better it next year. But for now, the next races he has to focus on are the Xterra Challenge in Hawaii in Dec., and the Mini-Marathon next May in Indy. You Rock Cam!!!!!
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