I don’t know about the uphills, but Steamtown is notorious as a promoter of its downhill orientation and, as the author of this blog can attest, that’s not necessarily a good thing for a marathon. The course demands the ability to handle the abuse that downhill running can cause and so requires a good deal of specialty training. I understand that Boston’s downhills are what get you, and that’s a reason I would never do that race. I’m awful on the downs.

This thread did come into my mind today in the last mile of a 10-miler on Pondfield Road, falling apart, thinking, if I stop I’m going to have to come on here and admit it and become the subject of a mix of sympathy and ridicule. So I kept going. Cause as they say, there’s no crying in baseball.

That said, I did have to stop and walk a bit during Steamtown (first and only marathon) towards the end. I had never walked once in training, but my feet were a mess and I didn’t drink enough at the end. Even so, I was surprised at how the walking didn’t harm my time that much, I still got a BQ with padding. Of course, I’d love to never have to walk again, but I no longer find it to be a shameful thing, as previously imagined.

But I appreciate the points you make nonetheless.

*If that’s what you’re talking about; I’ve seen the video of Paula relieving herself, but not Jones.