The Delaware marathon was restarted 7 years ago because some members of the 50 state club couldn’t find a marathon to run in the state of Delaware. With that background, it’s not surprising that the field includes many 50 Staters and many Marathon Maniacs. Wilmington is close enough to home for it to be a driving trip and I was hoping the family would go with me. Generally, we like to spread out when travelling and I couldn’t find a hotel less than 15 miles from the start that included space for all of us. I settled on a small room a little under a mile from the start. We decided that this would be a better solo run, so I drove up on Saturday, ran the race, then drove home on Sunday afternoon.
When I checked into the hotel, I parked in the garage and found a back entrance. I had to navigate ballrooms and meeting rooms that were filled with barber shop quartets and men’s choral groups – not my typical running crowd. When I got up to my room, imagine my luck – the “Hospitality Suite” was right across the hall from me. After hotel stays in Baltimore and Charlotte where I was awakened to drunks in the middle of the night, I was thinking this place would be a disaster. It turns out the choral competition isn’t a noisy party crowd – thank goodness. Although I mocked the singers internally, they seem like genuinely good group of people who happen to pursue a passion that I have zero talent for … so good for them!
I traded emails with a maniac and agreed to meet up for dinner. About 8-10 other Maniacs were meeting at Joe’s Crab Shack – something that wouldn’t satisfy this vegetarian. I figured if Ryan wanted to join the big group at Joe’s, I’d just make a hasty exit to find something more filling for me. Ryan talked to the RD who suggested a little Italian place for a better pasta option. We met up and walked about a mile or so to our dinner spot. There were other people carb loading at the restaurant – we chatted briefly with them. Ryan was in from Detroit, working on 50 states. He’s pretty hardcore, training for a 100 miler over the summer. We agreed to meet up at 6:30 – so we could have 30 minutes to chat and get a picture with some other Maniacs.
At 6:30 on the nose, I met up with six other Maniacs (Dana Wentzel, Ryan Miller, Morgan Cummings, Rick Marzullo, Colleen Gendron Seise, and Jack Heely) – I only know this because Ryan posted a photo and tagged us all. In my circle of running friends, I’m the nut-job who runs way too much – among this group, I was the newbie. Morgan spent the night in her car after running a marathon in South Dakota on Saturday, then flying into Baltimore. After a whole two hours of sleep, she got her packet from a friend and got ready for the race. Every single person in the group had run more and more frequently than my measly marathon a month for more than ½ a year. In a way, I was humbled and in a way, I sort of felt like I finally fit in. Here were a bunch of people who made me want to push harder. Morgan casually said – “You’ve never run a double? – you have to try it, it’s a blast.”
They run three races – a marathon, a half marathon, and a relay. The marathon starts 10 minutes before the half. Each race is started with a cannon shot – it’s startling when you’re in the corral, but also surprising when you are just 10 minutes into the run and they start the half marathon.
The marathon course is two loops. It winds through downtown Wilmington, including the some recently redeveloped areas and some industrial areas before heading up to Brandywine Park through a few residential parts. I started the run with Dana and Jack. I ran near them for the first half. Jack was pacing Dana for a planned 3:50 finish. I was pushing my pace to stay with them, but it was nice company and the weather was cooperative. What started as a nice cool morning turned into a sunny and warmer mid-day. As I was finishing up the first lap, there was a guy playing drums by himself – a full drum kit, right on the course. When we crossed the mat for the second half of the race, I knew I was losing my energy. We made the loop through the industrial area and started heading back uphill. At this point, I knew I needed to drop my pace to be able to finish. When I got back up past Brandywine Park, I saw Michael Wardian with at least a 5 minute lead on the field. He was flying along with less than 3 miles to go while I still had closer to 11 left. As I ran this portion for the second time, I started chatting with a few of the 50 State Club members – all very friendly with great stories about their marathon travels. I appreciated their experience and perspective. This wasn’t my best day ever, but I was doing alright. It was nice to just talk with people. The sun was pretty hot, so I focused on staying well hydrated and getting to the finish.
As I was coming leaving the neighborhoods and about to head back past the drummer, I noticed a large collection of Police motorcycles and eventually, I saw a gathering of Police Officers too. Wilmington had some Police around, but usually just one or two near some of the intersections – this was something different. I looked closer and saw that there was a guy in handcuffs and then I noticed that he had a race bib on. Since I had plenty of time on my hands, I wondered what could have gotten him arrested. I came up with two ideas: (1) he did something so heinous that they would arrest him for it – a purse snatching, flasher, or what; or (2) he had an outstanding warrant and they noticed that he was registered for the race – they waited until the second loop to bust him when he’d be more tired. I checked the local news websites after the race but saw no stories about it.
When I cruised into the finish line at 4:10:55 this was one of my best times. I enjoyed the race. It is a small field, so I didn’t feel lost or trampled. People in the neighborhoods were very supportive. I hung around the finish line looking for some of the Maniacs that I met earlier. I saw someone who had passed out get loaded onto a stretcher just shy of the finish line – they worked on him in an ambulance. The news reported that two people had heart attacks and were treated at local hospitals, both recovered. They also reported that more people were treated for heat issues on that day.
I headed back to my hotel, got a quick shower then visited with Aunt Bobbie & Uncle Larry – who live about 45 minutes from Wilmington before heading back to Virginia.
Marathon #12 in the books.
Time: 4:10:55
Course: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/33569322
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Monday, May 3, 2010
Blue Ridge Marathon Race Report (4/24/10)
I wasn’t planning to run the Blue Ridge Parkway marathon. When my running friend, Todd, asked if I wanted to run with him and Will, I was interested, but needed to back out of a Boy Scout camping trip. When my son, Brian, agreed that camping could be done without me, the trip was all set. Todd offered to drive the three hours to Roanoke. He arranged for us to stay with Will and his family.
We rolled into town and Will immediately took us on a preview of the course. I have never previewed a course before, so I was skeptical, but it really helped me on race day. Less than 2 miles from the start, we hit the first of what seem like endless hills. Will casually explains that there are even steeper hills coming soon. As we drove most of the course, I got really nervous. The hills were steeper and longer than I expected. As we crest the top of Roanoke Mountain, the concern shifted to the steep descents. Between Roanoke Mountain and Mill Mountain, there is a campground, the campground is locked up, Will assures us that the campground is flat. This matches up with the online report we read. As we came down Mill Mountain, I figured the rest of the course would be pretty flat, but it’s not. We covered the entire course except for a little section near mile 24 where you cross a little bridge and do a loop of about a mile. We drove to the end of the course, then went back to Will’s house.
We talk to Will about race preparation, this is his first marathon. He doesn’t have a hydration plan – no fuel belt, no water bottle. We explain that while they’ll provide water on the course, he’ll probably want bottles with him too. He jumps on the computer to email the local Fleet Feet shop – less than an hour later, our morning plans shift back a bit so Will can pick up his new fuel belt. I’m amazed that he could pull that off.
Kathy (Will’s wife) drops us at the start – such great hospitality. We go find our timing chips – for some reason, they don’t hand them out with the rest of the packet (that Will picked up for us). We had plenty of time, but I don’t think a separate chip pickup is a good idea.
The gun goes off and we head out. The first climb is long and I drop back from Will and Todd. This is definitely a part of the course where a pecking order is established – some people are picking up speed, I’m getting settled in. Near mile 4, the half marathon course turns around to head up Mill Mountain, while we head up the slightly taller Roanoke Mountain before coming back to conquer Mill Mountain too. Just before we hit the switchback road climbing Roanoke Mountain near mile 6, I feel an utterly empty stomach – I decide to take my earliest GU ever. The climb is really difficult and I hit my first walk stretch, but just a short one. Nearing the top of the mountain, a short out and back loop allows me to see Will and Todd – they both look great and I feel like I’m really struggling. When I get to the top of the mountain, the view is spectacular from two different directions. The volunteers are wonderful. I take the first of many banana slices on this course. After we split from the half marathon course, the group that I was near was very quiet. One guy was wearing a shirt that says “Running won’t kill you – you’ll pass out first.” Nearly everyone comments / compliments him on the shirt. I think we’re all convinced that we’re testing the statement. After the top of the mountain, I understand why Will and Todd looked so good – this down hill stuff is almost relaxing. I feel much cooler and I work on different running positions. When the hill is not too steep, I use the traditional lean forward / use gravity / float down the hill. For the steeper down hill sections, I find that I need to do something else, either I’m going too fast or my quads are noticeably stressed. I tried leaning back / pushing my butt down / picking up my knees – this seems to put stress on my glutes. I alternate between this “new” style and a more traditional breaking to control my speed. The course tour helped me because I have a pretty good idea of how long the down hill lasts and where the steeper portions are located.
I get to the section between the two mountains where we didn’t get to tour the campground. As I enter, it seems just like I expected, then we start to go up a hill, I start to lose my focus. The hill keeps heading up – not nearly as steep as other parts of the course, but I get frustrated and take a short walk break. As we head out of the campground, I get another banana. On the day, I take in a total of six energy gels (a new record) and eat between two and three whole bananas. The trip up Mill Mountain is longer and more mentally challenging. At the crest of the mountain, you run in front of the star on Mill Mountain – what a gorgeous view! The trip down Mill Mountain is steeper than Roanoke Mountain. I continue to experiment with running form.
I passed some people walking the half marathon. I thought they were spectators, but then I noticed their bibs. They offer a relay option for the race and I was prepared for the annoying relay behaviors – however, they have fewer than a dozen relay teams, so I didn’t even notice them.
After the two mountains, we ran along the greenway – next to a river. The course stays with the river for about a mile, then the course splits. I head off to the left and run along a series of strip malls for a couple of miles. I caught up to Will as we turn toward a more residential neighborhood. At this point, Will is having bad cramps, he can only run about 100 yards at a time – we talk for a bit and he sends me ahead. I remember that we hit a very steep downhill and I have the good sense to walk down just as the foot cramps hit me. At the bottom of the hill, I get back to a slower run. This neighborhood has sneaky rolling hills – since it’s near mile 20, so these hills are not your friend. I take my first energy gel from the race, an orange Hammer gel – that the volunteer kindly warned me had already been opened. The gel didn’t sit well as I felt nauseous for the next 30 minutes. I head back over to the greenway for my second pass and head toward the finish line. We take a trip through a park and I’m really dragging. During our pre-race tour, we couldn’t drive the park, but could see most of where we ran. The course then takes a turn across a small bridge and goes in a loop. We assumed that the course did not go across the bridge, so I’m a bit confused when the marshal sends us across. I see runners on the other side of the bridge, so I figure it’s just a short little out and back. When we head under the bridge on a long loop, I get pretty frustrated. Some people are out cheering and think my singlet is for the US Marine Corps instead of Marathon Maniacs. Their sincerity perked me up and I didn’t have the heart to correct them. I took another Hammer gel – this time Apple Cinnamon – seriously, WTF? – how about chocolate or something tasty. At least this one doesn’t make me feel like puking. I hit the bridge and stay on the sidewalk even though a lane is segregated by cones for runners. At the end of the bridge a police officer is directing traffic. The curb is about 6 inches, so I look for a shorter curb but find none. The cop has stopped traffic and calls out – “Get Moving” – go ahead, imagine what I was thinking. Fortunately for me, this was after mile 24, so I had zero energy to run my mouth.
Sometime after the 25 mile mark, I ran into Todd. He’s got his finisher’s medal and he’s heading back for Will. Todd’s quite a good friend. We have a brief chat which picks me up. As I get closer, I ask the volunteer for some info about upcoming turns – she did a great job of answering with just enough detail. When I spot the finish line, I kicked it up a bit but I really didn’t have a lot left in the tank.
I went back to cheer for Will. I was a little surprised that he and Todd came around the corner so quickly. Will was running which is better than I expected.
Post race I ran into a couple of Marathon Maniacs (MM), including Daniel Lieb who ran two marathons the weekend before and two the weekend before that. We agreed that this was the toughest for either of us. On the course, I ran with Maniac Ricky Scott who has run Pike’s Peak twice – he assured me that this was a challenging course, but not nearly as tough as Pike’s Peak. I also chatted a bit with Michael Pulley from Sportsbackers Marathon Training Team (SB MTT) and MM. Michael is working on 50 marathons by the time he turns 50 – it always helps to have a goal. This race was my fourth state in six weeks – that earns me another star / level with Maniacs, I’m up to *** / Gold Level.
I really enjoyed the race. It was well organized and very well supported. The volunteers were awesome. This was easily the most difficult course that I’ve run. I had the marathon walk for the next few days. I needed all the water and all the GU that I carried with me. The uphill really took a lot out of me. The Hammer Gel and HEED served on the course was just nasty and they used plastic cups for water. The plastic cups didn’t allow you to easily take them on the run. Race organizers deserve a ton of credit for pulling off a great inaugural event so very smoothly. The limited accessibility of the mountain portion of the course meant the organization needed to be thorough and done in advance. My very minor complaints are chip pickup on race morning (rather than part of the packet pickup) and an odd late race split / loop that could have been better marked / marshalled.
Thanks to Will and Kathy for putting us up … and putting up with us.
Time: 4:27:00
Course: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/31141455
Next marathon: Delaware on 5/16 - http://www.delawaremarathon.org/
We rolled into town and Will immediately took us on a preview of the course. I have never previewed a course before, so I was skeptical, but it really helped me on race day. Less than 2 miles from the start, we hit the first of what seem like endless hills. Will casually explains that there are even steeper hills coming soon. As we drove most of the course, I got really nervous. The hills were steeper and longer than I expected. As we crest the top of Roanoke Mountain, the concern shifted to the steep descents. Between Roanoke Mountain and Mill Mountain, there is a campground, the campground is locked up, Will assures us that the campground is flat. This matches up with the online report we read. As we came down Mill Mountain, I figured the rest of the course would be pretty flat, but it’s not. We covered the entire course except for a little section near mile 24 where you cross a little bridge and do a loop of about a mile. We drove to the end of the course, then went back to Will’s house.
We talk to Will about race preparation, this is his first marathon. He doesn’t have a hydration plan – no fuel belt, no water bottle. We explain that while they’ll provide water on the course, he’ll probably want bottles with him too. He jumps on the computer to email the local Fleet Feet shop – less than an hour later, our morning plans shift back a bit so Will can pick up his new fuel belt. I’m amazed that he could pull that off.
Kathy (Will’s wife) drops us at the start – such great hospitality. We go find our timing chips – for some reason, they don’t hand them out with the rest of the packet (that Will picked up for us). We had plenty of time, but I don’t think a separate chip pickup is a good idea.
The gun goes off and we head out. The first climb is long and I drop back from Will and Todd. This is definitely a part of the course where a pecking order is established – some people are picking up speed, I’m getting settled in. Near mile 4, the half marathon course turns around to head up Mill Mountain, while we head up the slightly taller Roanoke Mountain before coming back to conquer Mill Mountain too. Just before we hit the switchback road climbing Roanoke Mountain near mile 6, I feel an utterly empty stomach – I decide to take my earliest GU ever. The climb is really difficult and I hit my first walk stretch, but just a short one. Nearing the top of the mountain, a short out and back loop allows me to see Will and Todd – they both look great and I feel like I’m really struggling. When I get to the top of the mountain, the view is spectacular from two different directions. The volunteers are wonderful. I take the first of many banana slices on this course. After we split from the half marathon course, the group that I was near was very quiet. One guy was wearing a shirt that says “Running won’t kill you – you’ll pass out first.” Nearly everyone comments / compliments him on the shirt. I think we’re all convinced that we’re testing the statement. After the top of the mountain, I understand why Will and Todd looked so good – this down hill stuff is almost relaxing. I feel much cooler and I work on different running positions. When the hill is not too steep, I use the traditional lean forward / use gravity / float down the hill. For the steeper down hill sections, I find that I need to do something else, either I’m going too fast or my quads are noticeably stressed. I tried leaning back / pushing my butt down / picking up my knees – this seems to put stress on my glutes. I alternate between this “new” style and a more traditional breaking to control my speed. The course tour helped me because I have a pretty good idea of how long the down hill lasts and where the steeper portions are located.
I get to the section between the two mountains where we didn’t get to tour the campground. As I enter, it seems just like I expected, then we start to go up a hill, I start to lose my focus. The hill keeps heading up – not nearly as steep as other parts of the course, but I get frustrated and take a short walk break. As we head out of the campground, I get another banana. On the day, I take in a total of six energy gels (a new record) and eat between two and three whole bananas. The trip up Mill Mountain is longer and more mentally challenging. At the crest of the mountain, you run in front of the star on Mill Mountain – what a gorgeous view! The trip down Mill Mountain is steeper than Roanoke Mountain. I continue to experiment with running form.
I passed some people walking the half marathon. I thought they were spectators, but then I noticed their bibs. They offer a relay option for the race and I was prepared for the annoying relay behaviors – however, they have fewer than a dozen relay teams, so I didn’t even notice them.
After the two mountains, we ran along the greenway – next to a river. The course stays with the river for about a mile, then the course splits. I head off to the left and run along a series of strip malls for a couple of miles. I caught up to Will as we turn toward a more residential neighborhood. At this point, Will is having bad cramps, he can only run about 100 yards at a time – we talk for a bit and he sends me ahead. I remember that we hit a very steep downhill and I have the good sense to walk down just as the foot cramps hit me. At the bottom of the hill, I get back to a slower run. This neighborhood has sneaky rolling hills – since it’s near mile 20, so these hills are not your friend. I take my first energy gel from the race, an orange Hammer gel – that the volunteer kindly warned me had already been opened. The gel didn’t sit well as I felt nauseous for the next 30 minutes. I head back over to the greenway for my second pass and head toward the finish line. We take a trip through a park and I’m really dragging. During our pre-race tour, we couldn’t drive the park, but could see most of where we ran. The course then takes a turn across a small bridge and goes in a loop. We assumed that the course did not go across the bridge, so I’m a bit confused when the marshal sends us across. I see runners on the other side of the bridge, so I figure it’s just a short little out and back. When we head under the bridge on a long loop, I get pretty frustrated. Some people are out cheering and think my singlet is for the US Marine Corps instead of Marathon Maniacs. Their sincerity perked me up and I didn’t have the heart to correct them. I took another Hammer gel – this time Apple Cinnamon – seriously, WTF? – how about chocolate or something tasty. At least this one doesn’t make me feel like puking. I hit the bridge and stay on the sidewalk even though a lane is segregated by cones for runners. At the end of the bridge a police officer is directing traffic. The curb is about 6 inches, so I look for a shorter curb but find none. The cop has stopped traffic and calls out – “Get Moving” – go ahead, imagine what I was thinking. Fortunately for me, this was after mile 24, so I had zero energy to run my mouth.
Sometime after the 25 mile mark, I ran into Todd. He’s got his finisher’s medal and he’s heading back for Will. Todd’s quite a good friend. We have a brief chat which picks me up. As I get closer, I ask the volunteer for some info about upcoming turns – she did a great job of answering with just enough detail. When I spot the finish line, I kicked it up a bit but I really didn’t have a lot left in the tank.
I went back to cheer for Will. I was a little surprised that he and Todd came around the corner so quickly. Will was running which is better than I expected.
Post race I ran into a couple of Marathon Maniacs (MM), including Daniel Lieb who ran two marathons the weekend before and two the weekend before that. We agreed that this was the toughest for either of us. On the course, I ran with Maniac Ricky Scott who has run Pike’s Peak twice – he assured me that this was a challenging course, but not nearly as tough as Pike’s Peak. I also chatted a bit with Michael Pulley from Sportsbackers Marathon Training Team (SB MTT) and MM. Michael is working on 50 marathons by the time he turns 50 – it always helps to have a goal. This race was my fourth state in six weeks – that earns me another star / level with Maniacs, I’m up to *** / Gold Level.
I really enjoyed the race. It was well organized and very well supported. The volunteers were awesome. This was easily the most difficult course that I’ve run. I had the marathon walk for the next few days. I needed all the water and all the GU that I carried with me. The uphill really took a lot out of me. The Hammer Gel and HEED served on the course was just nasty and they used plastic cups for water. The plastic cups didn’t allow you to easily take them on the run. Race organizers deserve a ton of credit for pulling off a great inaugural event so very smoothly. The limited accessibility of the mountain portion of the course meant the organization needed to be thorough and done in advance. My very minor complaints are chip pickup on race morning (rather than part of the packet pickup) and an odd late race split / loop that could have been better marked / marshalled.
Thanks to Will and Kathy for putting us up … and putting up with us.
Time: 4:27:00
Course: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/31141455
Next marathon: Delaware on 5/16 - http://www.delawaremarathon.org/
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