With the flag of Newfoundland and Labrador waving in his hands, Dean Simon crossed the 2011 Miami Marathon finish line with a new personal record.
Training for three years to run a marathon distance, which is 42.2 kilometres, this was Dean’s fifth such competition – and with a final time of 3:27:41, he beat his previous best time by six minutes.
“(It’s) a great leap forward,” said the 43-year-old. “I'm a faster runner now than when I was in high school and university, so that continues to surprise and please me.”
Unfortunately he finished the competition without reaching the qualifying time for the Boston Marathon after experiencing dramatic fatigue, known by many runners as “hitting the wall.”
“The wall had come much later in the race than previous attempts, so my training was paying off, but I had started cramping at about 21 miles (34 km) and knew that I could not keep up the Boston pace,” he said.
“I'm a faster runner now than when I was in high school and university, so that continues to surprise and please me.” - Dean Simon
“So I pulled out my mini Newfoundland and Labrador flag and trotted comfortably down the last 100 metres, and just enjoyed the crowd.”
Dean continues to run an average of 75 kilometres each week and is currently training for a New Brunswick marathon on May 8. He hopes to complete that competition with a time less than three hours and 20 minutes.
He also maintains his goal of running in a future Boston Marathon.
“I look at it as when, not if I will make it,” Dean said.
