I was cruising along at a nice 12.5 min mile and I was on time for a 5 1/2 hour finish with some kind of dilusion that I cold pull something out at the end and maybe may sub 5. All of a suddent I hit the 1/2 point and my time drops down to 15.3 minute miles! How on earth could that happen? I totally fell apart somehow and I don't know what it was.

It was hot and very very good runners were slowed down so I can take some comfort in that. I did finish but I feel like I ran very very poorly and I am frustrated because I have been training and focused on this since July and I feel like I let myself down and I feel like I trained too hard to accept a 6:20 minute finish.

I was venting to a fellow marathon runner who gets to the finish line in 1/2 the time it took me, and he said that fatefull sentance to me.....
"so, are you going to let 6:20 be your best time"

Let loose the competative beast in meeeeeeeeeeeeeeee