In this photo from Windsor, I’m obviously still smiling, floating inches above the Canadian soil and hanging on to a sub-6:30 minute per mile pace. I had originally planned on keeping a 6:30 pace from the gun. My racing partner Joe Deighan said he’d do the same. That first mile was 6:20 then 6:15. I slowed down as Joe continued to push the pace up and over the Ambassador Bridge.

Our pace changed during the next 21 miles.

Still, I hung on for a 2:52:59 finish, almost beat a bonking Kenyan, and qualified for a pilgrimage to the Boston Marathon.