Inarguably Inaugural: the 1978 Cleveland Marathon (again)

This is a short excerpt from my book, Run a Lot. It comes up because I've been in communication with the Cleveland Marathon Race Organization about their upcoming 50th anniversary. I've made some minor modifications. 

I'm the one with the headband

The date was May 14, 1978. I lined up for the Inaugural Revco Cleveland Marathon. At the ripe old age of 25, it was also my very first marathon. 

I enjoyed seeing the sights of my hometown as we started near Cleveland State University and traveled out and back to the West Side of town and the western suburbs. I enjoyed the crowds cheering me on and the perfect marathon weather. I ran better than expected for much of the race. At eighteen miles, I felt so good that I picked up the pace even more. I did not have a time goal, but it was beginning to look like I might break three hours. But at twenty-two miles, I had hit the wall and was almost entirely shot. In the final miles, I hobbled over the Veterans Memorial Bridge (aka Detroit-Superior Bridge) and finally made it to the finish line. My time was three hours and four minutes.

After one look at me, the finish-line volunteers immediately placed me in the medical tent, where they covered me and fed me ice chips. My wife, Debbie, found me there. I said those now-famous words, "Never again!"

I did not make good on my pledge. A few years went by, but I began to run other races, including marathons. I’ve now done over 130 marathons and over 40 ultramarathons, and I’m still running those 26.2-milers. I’m planning to run the 50^th annual Cleveland Marathon in 2027. Hope to see you there.