Marathon: An Annual Test of Fitness: 

After countless miles of solo, self-supported mountain and desert trails, this should have been easy.  No.  Two months of constant infections, a swollen knee, and a fall on ice three days before the event.  I was not prepared.  The first thirteen miles went right on schedule, until a six mile hill took the strength from my legs.  It was not pretty but it did reinforce my own mantra:   Success means relentlessly showing up.