Beijing Marathon 2003

After running Boston four times, I felt it was time to try something different.  I trained for a fall marathon, Chicago and Beijing were only a week apart in October.  I wasn't ready for Chicago, so I ended up running Beijing.

I was hoping for four hours, it's a nice flat course, and my training had gone well.  However, I learned another important lesson.  Track your running shoe mileage during training..

I don't know if it was the shoes or the composition of the running surface, but after only 9 miles, 1/3 distance, my hip started killing me on every impact.  This really killed any chances of getting a good time, but I did stumble through to the finish.  Too bad, other than the hip I never hit my wall, and had plenty of wind at the finish line.

I didn't have any cheering section to take pictures, so all I've got is the course map..