On May 3, 2026, I lined up for the DICK’S Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon with a sub-3 goal. I felt strong through mile 13 running with the pace group at around 6:52 pace. Then the wall hit like a freight train.
Undertrained at ~10 mpw, no gels, no breakfast, and a lingering cold — classic rookie mistakes. Glycogen depletion plus adrenaline fade = DNF.
Big lessons learned: fueling strategy, higher base mileage, and consistent long runs. Back at it with 10-milers at 7:00 pace and run club 3x a week. Pittsburgh Marathon 2027, I’m coming for that BQ.