Hatfield-McCoy & Run Under the Stars Race Report (6/12/10)

The idea for this trip was to knock out a third marathon in 90 days so my running pal, Todd, could earn his Marathon Maniac status. I’d long ago planned to run the Hatfield-McCoy marathon because it has a great reputation for being fun and the field was overflowing with Maniacs and 50 Staters.

A fellow Maniac from California sent out an email to all the Maniacs planning to run H-M with an idea for a “Daring Double” – to run a second race on the other side of Kentucky later the same day. I thought it sounded crazy, so I sent the email to Todd figuring he’d laugh. He thought it sounded like fun, if we could find a driver. Since the second run would put us about a 12 hour drive from home with very tired bodies, he had a good point. We recruited Dave as our driver. Since he was running a 50 mile race the week prior, so this seemed like an ideal recovery period for him; unfortunately, Dave’s feet blistered in the 50 miler to the point of putting him on crutches and out of work. With uncertainty about our driver, we asked another running pal, Matt, to drive us. Dave’s feet healed well enough for him to make the trip, but significantly limited his mobility. I can’t thank Matt and Dave enough for their sacrifices – each taking time away from work and family to support us. We left the Richmond area at lunch time on Friday for our drive to West Virginia. Along the way, we got to see the natural beauty of Western Virginia and West Virginia and we also got to see some of the poverty.

We rolled into town just as the pasta dinner was getting started and had a chance to eat prior to a skit that they put on to tell the history of the Hatfield-McCoy feud. The skit is fun and funny – with two characters dressed in period clothing with appropriate weapons telling the story. The hospitality in the pasta dinner, the show, and all our interactions made it easy to see why the marathon is popular. The people in the area aren’t runners, but they definitely appreciate having us in town. The race starts in Goode, Kentucky and finishes in Williamson, West Virginia – I doubt if you could live in either town and NOT be fully aware of the race. First, the towns are barely separate, they sort of run together each on one side of the river that separates the two states; additionally, there just isn’t that much of either town that would not be impacted by a few hundred runners on a Saturday morning. Granting that the runners were disruptive to the typical day, I compare the response I heard from locals here to what I heard from people in Charlotte, NC. In Charlotte, there was chatter in the paper and on the street questioning the street closures and inconvenience of the race. I’m much happier to leave my race / hotel / restaurant dollars in WV/KY where they made me feel like a guest, not an inconvenience.

After the pasta dinner, we posed for some pictures with the stars of the skit. They were the leaders of our teams. Each runner is assigned to either the Hatfield or McCoy team. I was a Hatfield and Todd was a McCoy. The teams compete for the fastest overall time. We got back to the hotel, 30 minutes outside of town in Logan, WV in time for an early bed time. We chose to stay outside of town based on past hotel reports of variable accommodations – it also helped when we added rooms. I slept well but not great. I was nervous in the days leading up to the trip, I think because of the double. My nervousness left, but I didn’t feel like I got a good deep sleep.

On race day, I was up early enough to follow my morning bathroom routine (thank goodness). We arrived at the start line plenty early after our 30 minute drive. We passed the sign on the highway that flashed a message welcoming runners to the “Expoo” and “26k marathon” race … like I said, not exactly a running community.

Because the race starts about 1 ½ miles from where it finishes, the organizers provide a shuttle service. We were amused that they use “Short School Busses” to shuttle runners. We joked about the short busses and the lead sponsor of the race: Food City. The sky was cloudy and looked like we could see rain at any time or it might hold off all day. The course includes a difficult hill from mile 4 to 7 ¼ - I held an easy pace going up the hill then opened up coming down. As we ran along, there were a number of historical markers that described events in the feud. When I got close to the half-way mark, the valley echoed with a loud boom. I thought perhaps the Hatfield-McCoy show included cannon firing. Within 10 minutes, the sky opened up and I realized that loud noise was thunder. I ran up on a woman who was re-entering the course after a potty break – she explained that since the birth of her child, she was trained to use the bedpan when the nurse turned on the faucet … and so, she had the sudden urge to relieve herself. You’ve got to love the candor of a runner in a marathon. We got absolutely drenched.

The course was full of water stops, at least every mile we found a table with locals. What they don’t know about running was disguised by their genuine hospitality. I passed by a house with about a dozen people on the porch – for each person who approached, they asked “Where are you from?” – I replied “Virginia” – they shouted back “Yeah Virginia” for a course with not a ton of fans out, they certainly do a nice job of cheering.

After winding through the hills, the half marathoners finish in the town of Matewan. The course is a little odd since it had almost no course marshals. The approach to Matewan seemed complicated. I chatted with a guy who had run this course a number of times, so I just followed him through the twists and turns. It was marked, but still a little confusing. As I left the town, I ran up behind a guy named Jerry that I met at the Blue Ridge Marathon in Roanoke in the spring. Jerry is over 60 and runs most weekends in the spring and fall. Jerry wears a shirt that says “Running won’t kill you. You’ll pass out first.” – it’s a funny line and most people comment on it. Jerry’s good to talk with – but he was having a tough day.

The showers came and went throughout the day. When we moved onto a dirt road, the rain filled the holes to create a minefield of puddles and mud. The real challenge is to keep your balance and pay attention to stay on your feet. It’s exhausting physically and mentally. The more tired I got the slower my pace. As we moved back onto roads, I heard a car come up behind me and it just hovered right behind me. I looked back to see a Sherriff – I knew I wasn’t the end of the runners, but it sure felt like it. That was a kick in the pants and helped me pick up the pace. I ran through the last mile as the rain returned yet again. High fives for the two guys who put on the skit as Hatfield and McCoy. I heard a loud call of “Snuggie Bear” as I was approaching the finish – it’s great to travel with friends.

I grabbed some food and we all met up to get back on the road. I had in mind getting a shower before travelling. I knew our schedule was tight, but I really thought I’d be able to get cleaned up. We decided to just get moving – the showers weren’t close to the finish and seemed like it would take us a while to find them.

Matt drove us out of town and we stopped for gas / food after not too long. I changed clothes in the bathroom. It was good to finally get my wet clothes off.

Our plan was to drive across the state of Kentucky, just about 7 hours. I thought it would be easy to fall asleep for a while, but I just couldn’t get relaxed. We watched a movie and cat napped, but otherwise, it was just a long day.

We arrived at the horse track in Paducah, Kentucky for part two of our “Bold Adventure” – the Run Under the Stars is a 10 hour endurance run. The run started at 8 PM (CT) which is just 12 hours after the H-M marathon started. We had almost two hours to get settled for the longer run. Todd and I started out together – both of us stiff and groaning. We both settled into a groove after that first lap. The track is ½ mile with a mat to track our laps. We ran in one direction for two hours, and then reversed direction. I ran for almost all of the first two hours covering about 12 miles in the first 2 hours. I felt pretty good about my progress, but I was losing steam. As we changed direction, I started to need more walking laps. I had the need to stop to use the bathroom – I headed over to the facilities – a urinal and regular toilet. Normally, this bathroom would accommodate two people; however a kid was in there with the damn door locked. I seriously needed to pee and used the outside wall – not pretty, especially in the heat, but it did the job. I was glad that kid wasn’t in there when I returned to drop a log. After about mile 15, I really had trouble running. My knee was telling me my running time was over. To “count” this run we needed to get at least 50k (just over 31 miles). I struggled through the implications of quitting – I was ready to let myself down, but not quite ready to let down Matt, Dave, and Todd. This was my “bottom” and I hit it hard – I didn’t want to be in Kentucky, I didn’t want to run, I didn’t want to do any of this anymore. As tired as I was, it took me a while, but I did the math in my head and figured I could walk the remainder of the night and finish the 31 miles. I didn’t exactly get a spring in my step – but I knew I’d finish. Matt came out and walked two laps with me – that was a real bright spot. I don’t remember what we talked about, but I do remember that I felt better about the work in front of me after we talked. He helped me try to run, but it just wasn’t working, so I continued to walk.

They brought in pizza, they had ice cream, soup, fruit, and all sorts of goodies. The volunteers were a great help getting whatever we requested.

I don’t normally run with an iPod, but I brought it just in case. I had a mix of music and podcasts. Each irritated me after some time, so it was good to have a selection. I found the more grumpy I got with myself, the more I talked with other people.

I chatted with one gal wearing her Marathon Maniac gear. I offered the obligatory “Looking Good” when she seemed to need a pick me up. She responded “I don’t feel so good” – then I really showed my age – she must have been in her late 20s – I quoted Saturday Night Live from the 80s with “It’s much better to LOOK good than to FEEL good, you know what I’m saying?” – she looked at me like I was toxic.

In the middle of the night, I was walking along; chatting with Gary Cantrell, he was recovering from knee surgery and was using Paducah as a test out for an ultra the following week. Gary has run an ultra every year for something like 30 years or more. He seemed to know everyone and was happy to chat for long periods with those nearby. He asked a very busty young woman how she was doing and she replied “I’d be doing a lot better if I didn’t have such big boobies to move around”. It was definitely an interesting experience. The whole group had such prolonged, shared misery that it gave us an odd, shared community.

I was ready to finish with 32 miles by my count. When I stopped and asked, the guy told me he’d have an update in 10 minutes. It was taking me about 10 minutes to walk a lap, so I did two more and ended up with 33 miles for the night. I stopped at 9 hours, so that’s technically 3 2/3 miles per hour – basically a slow walk. The Garmin ran out of battery after about 31 miles, it’s nice to know I can outlast my Forerunner.

We packed up our camping supplies and hit the road. We stopped at Waffle House for breakfast – I’ve never enjoyed a meal more. It was great to share stories with Dave, Matt, and Todd. I know I wouldn’t have done it without them.



Hatfield-McCoy Marathon

Time: 4:10:55

Course: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/36805878

Run Under the Stars (the first 31 miles on the Garmin)

Total Mileage: 33 miles

Time: about 9 hours

Course: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/36805867

Delaware Race Report (5/16/10)

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

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/

Knoxville (3/28) & South Carolina (4/10) Race Report

I was as shocked as anyone when my friend Todd said he’d join me for the Knoxville marathon. I thought he was crazy since he hadn’t run longer than a half marathon in about 4 or 5 months and crazy to give up a fast run on a fast course for a very likely new PR in the Monument Ave 10k. I was even more surprised when he told me he was planning to run both – with a detailed schedule that called for a fast run out of the A corral / quick drive home / quick shower / ready to roll. It fit with my schedule, so what the heck. Knoxville is not at all close to Richmond, so it was great to have Todd and Ashland Dave (via podcast) in the car. We had some trouble understanding why a two year old podcast showed up with us – Dave had republished a podcast on mental toughness. It was well placed for me, Knoxville was the most difficult weather that I’ve raced in and Dave’s thoughts were in my head.

Knoxville is gorgeous and it’s pretty clear as we approach our hotel (at the start line) that we are indeed going to get to run some hills. I put it just behind Baltimore for hills, with much less poverty and a better plan for starting the half runners with the full runners. After we check in, I walk into my room and immediately wonder where the barbeque is … I’ve landed in a recently rebranded smoking room, there are still three ash trays – when was the last time I’ve seen those stinky things. The smell is noticeable, but not the end of the world – if I can’t get a non-smoking room, I had already decided that I’m staying put, but it can’t hurt to ask. Answer: No other rooms available.

Knoxville is clearly a college town – lots of young people trying to look good for all the other young people. At dinner, Todd spots the guy (Michael Wardian) who beat me out for the National marathon the week earlier – I didn’t recognize him because he was so damn fast. I was just 2:14 behind him in DC, so I figured I had a good shot at winning this one since DC is closer to his home and Knoxville closer to mine.

We head out on the course, it is hilly. They used different color bib backgrounds to identify full / half / relay runners. It’s difficult to check, but most of the participants seem to be running the half. We crossed some train tracks and ran past a sewage treatment plant – that could have been a lot worse than it was – I’m thankful. As we get back to the area near the start line, about mile 13, I get the clear picture that it’s going to be a much lonelier second half than first. I met up with a guy around mile 15 who is running his first marathon – he lives in Knoxville and has done the half before. We chat about the finish, into the Tennessee football stadium, he explains that it holds just shy of 105,000 people – I’ve never seen a stadium that big and we get to finish on the 50 yard line. We run past the group of people in costumes – I remember the redneck (with toy gun) and the hot dog. The hot dog sticks in my head because the dude had an actual dog (live version) on a leash … and the dog is working hard to drop a log. The hot dog guy is laughing and that made me laugh too – I’m pretty certain this area is full of college students and I doubt they finished the Saturday night party … this is just a part of their celebration. Good fun!

The weather forecast was for “strong storms” around 2 hours into the marathon – as I hit mile 19, we’ve not seen rain, but it’s definitely going rain before I finish. There is an out and back section from 20 to 23 where I keep looking for Todd – I finally give up and assume he’s more than 3 miles ahead of me. It was a huge lift to see Todd – smiling … yes, that’s right, in person, I saw Todd Crider smile while running a marathon. Within the next 5 minutes, the clouds open up – the rain drops are gigantic and the wind is very strong. The street has about an inch of water. My Knoxville friend catches up and advises that the hill we are about to begin is pretty long, he’ll need to walk – I dig deep to climb the hill and cross the bridge. We run back through the main part of town with a few more cheering crowds huddled under awnings. The rain has let up, but it’s still pretty unpleasant. The temperature dropped at least 15 degrees – if I stop, I know I’ll get cold fast. We pass the start line (and our hotel) just before mile 26 – that’s kind of cruel, but worse is that the course takes you down a hill meant for hill repeats – I opened up to a glide then noticed at the bottom that we go right back up the same type of hill and still on the course. I held it together until 26.1 but I need a break lest I walk across the finish (as if) – short walk of 10 paces and I put together a stiff guy jog. We hit the entrance to the stadium and the adrenalin flows, I break into a sprint and pass one more guy. I cross the finish and forget to stop the Garmin. I just looked up like a kid in New York City gazing at all the skyscrapers. There are seats forever up to the clouds. The guy I passed thanks me for pushing him – he picked me out a few miles back and was stalking me. I finally notice the HUGE jumbo-tron with the finish line showing – that is pretty cool.

Todd and I meet up. I kept him waiting for about 25 minutes. Wardian was third – still more than 2 hours in front of me. We walk over for an awesome post-race “party” – I think of it as food, but whatever. I love that they separated the marathon food from the rest, there is still plenty to eat and plenty of room. Todd and I hustle back to the hotel and head out of town. Our conversation in the car is almost entirely about the run, the weekend, future running plans – all the important things.

Fast forward two weeks – this is a different set up. The Kings Mountain Marathon was conceived of as a replacement for the Myrtle Beach marathon. When Myrtle Be-atch cancelled, there were some Marathon Maniacs and 50 Staters who were pretty upset – the cancellation forced them to change plans. The chief complaints were from two gentlemen who were planning to finish their 50th state on 2/13/10 at MB and one very nice lady from Nashville who was on track to finish 50 states before turning 50 with her last planned for Kona, Hawaii on 6/13/10. A very nice college track runner at Clemson offered to organize a race and barely met the qualifications of web site notice of 30 days or more about the race / named race director / measured course of 26.2 miles or more / published results. I knew the race was different when I got an email from one of the other participants looking to line up a pasta party with everyone. I explained to my wife that this would be a different experience with only 14 runners in the marathon, I was right on target. Most of the runners were 10 or more years older than me, so I actually thought I had a shot at winning this thing and finally, Wardian wasn’t trying to run in MY race – I guess that whole run across the desert thing was more important to him.

My wife and kids made the trip with me and we decided to camp. The race started in a South Carolina state park – so camping allowed me to walk up to the start line. I spotted the Race Director about an hour before the actual start. As people started rolling in, the RD allowed two people to start early – great flexibility. I spot a very fit guy who is just about my age. We start the race and I chat with the gal who is running her 43rd state today with a target of getting Alaska for 49 then Hawaii for 50 in June – that’s right 7 more states in 2 months – talk about a Marathon Maniac / mid-life crisis. The course is tough right at the start with a quarter mile plus climb. Diane falls back and I talk with the fit dude – Lee True. Lee tells me he led the 3:50 pace group at Shamrock a month earlier and he’s run a 3:10 PR – so I know I’m not going to finish first today. He really pushed me – we ran together from mile 1 to mile 20. The course followed roads in the state and national park switching from paved to gravel roads. One of the racers had shoe gators on to protect against the gravel (and keep pebbles out) – I’ve never seen that before. The course was a mix of rolling and killer hills – the toughest course I’ve ever run.

Lee tells me that he ran Seashore in December 2009 to a 5th place finish. He shared some great stories about the challenges from the weather / course on that day. Lee was using this as a long training run as a lead up to a 24 hour race in two weeks. As we were climbing a hill around mile 15, I just needed a walk break. Lee was in the middle of a story about his run in Boston. He stopped and I told him he was stronger and should carry on … without missing a beat, he said “not now, I’m in the middle of a story” … that was a real boost for me. We took a short walk, then back to the run. He finished his story and we continued running together for another 5 miles. We had seen dogs along the route – at mile 18, however, I saw a pit bull. As we approach, the pit came over to check us out. He seemed particularly interested in me. He came up behind and then I felt his cold, wet nose deep between my cheeks. He batted at my legs then left me alone. My son later asked me what that felt like – I explained that I was convinced that I would get to feel his teeth, so mostly, I was relieved. Of course, no one wants to have their ass sniffed.

The highlight of the run for me was as I approached the campground at mile 22. My 9 year old, Eric was waiting for me about 1/10 mile before my wife and older son, Brian. Eric ran with me (and was easily as fast). That was a big lift for me and great timing. He told me that I was in 2nd place – they were more surprised than me. They all headed back to the start / finish while I wrapped up a short out and back. I met him at 26.1 for the last push across the finish line. I was crowned Prince of the Road – with an actual plastic crown (pictures to come). We hung around for about an hour while others finished. I really enjoyed the personal attention in the super small race. Only one person in the race is not in Marathon Maniacs, so no one thought much about my marathon a month string.

Knoxville Marathon: 4:13:48
Knoxville Map: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/28526049

Kings Mountain (SC) Marathon: 4:22:36
Kins Mountain Map: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/29785793