Non-Marathon Run

After deciding to knock out either 15 or 16 marathons between Jan and Oct 2010 and doing a whole host of other things over the last few days I needed to go for a run.

I just wanted to do 3 miles but then 3 turned into 4.8 then 8.5. I can't remember the last time I ran more than double what I set out to do. Maybe it was the i-Pod, maybe it was running into a friend I hadn't seen in almost a year or maybe I just needed to go for a long run and clear my head. Not sure how much I could clear in a short run especially when I can't do that during a marathon.

I hit Rosslyn, made the turn to the Marine Memorial and then sat down at the Netherlands Carillon (my favorite vantage point of DC) and thought about the last few years here in DC along with the twists and turns. For some reason, I could remember some things like they happened yesterday, the good and bad. Not sure what brought it on and whether I got what I needed out of it but all I know is it was cut short after getting bit three times by mosquitoes.

As I went across the Memorial Bridge all I could do was focus on the Lincoln Memorial and then drifted back to an e-mail I sent 3.5 years ago to a friend describing my favorite running route in DC and all the landmarks it took me by. After coming off the bridge, I sat down on the steps overlooking the Potomac/Arlington got a glimpse of the last few rays of the setting sun poking through the clouds and then turned back towards the Lincoln Memorial and decided to run over there and sit there for a while.

Man, does the Lincoln Memorial ever not have crowds? Went to the back side overlooking the Potomac, soaked it in for a few minutes and then was off towards to Georgetown. After a few detours due to construction I was off across the Key Bridge and back into Rosslyn, and up the hill towards Courthouse. About that time my i-Pod died on me but I was nearly done with my play list so it didn't matter.

I guess after it died, I was able to think back on things and realize, no regrets, things happen for a reason, (it is what it is/too bad so sad - can't keep sulking about things because eventually it will eat at you for years), need to practice patience - I do at times but 100% of the time would be better, appreciate the things that I liked about DC when I first moved here and get back to that point, understand the basis of why I can be so insensitive and why I can't show emotion (observed couples on my run and one dude looked like he was crying in his wife's/girlfriend's arms - not saying I need to be that dude) -- basically get back to be the person I was in 2005 and early 2006.

God's Country Marathon (or Stomping of the Forest Tent Caterpillar Marathon)

38 Marathon, 29th State

Not impressed with this marathon (route - what we were running on/next to and minor items that added up)

- Only fourth marathon that driving was the primary mode of transportation to get to the marathon

-- In my effort to hit animals with my car, two mice ran in front of my car, got one, the other one was lucky

- Took 7 hours driving time to get to Coudersport, Pa from Arlington, VA - where is Coudersport? Not a clue except it was a long drive and the only radio station I could get was from NY

- Rte 6 in Coudersport is the same route as the marathon so I got to drive the course from Galeton to Coudersport

- Arrived at the hotel around 9:45pm, dropped my stuff off and went to get some gas and Gatorade

- Got to bed around 10:30pm only to wake up at 1:58am; 3:43am and 4:58am and then again to my alarm at 5:05am

- Got to the bus staging area located near the finish line at 5:30am and boarded the shuttle bus

- Arrived at the starting line, got my bib and then stood in line for 20+ minutes just to use the bathroom

- Made it to the start with about 1 minute to spare

- Wasn’t mentally prepared to run and really didn’t want to run, different feeling of not wanting to run like I get before every marathon

-- Usually don’t fare so well when I have a lot on my mind or when significant things happened in life

- First four miles were on a “closed” road but it wasn’t too closed with cars on the road as runners were attempting to make the turn-around at mile 2

- Stopped for about 40 seconds to let my GPS synch up but after a minute it didn’t so I gave up (it eventually did about mile 5)

- After mile 4, it was time to run on the shoulder of the road - open traffic with semi-trucks (Rte 6)

-- Rte 6 was open to traffic and spent most of my time running on the gravel just off the left side of the shoulder (we were running into traffic)

-- Took me 13 miles to realize that running on pebble/rock strewn uneven ground might lead to a blister (which it did ½ by 1 inch blister)

- Didn’t realize how slow I was running until I got to the half way point and saw the clock register a 1:45:46

-- 1:36 half two weeks earlier at Key Bank in which I set a 3:12 PR

- At mile 15 and the base of the hill, I guess I was tired of getting passed and looked forward to “Conquering the Hill”

- Next three miles ran a 8:58; 9:02 and 8:52 pace but passed six runners over those three miles and got comments from the spectators, "You really look strong!"

- At the top of Denton Hill gave Smokey the Bear and high five (and told him he looked bigger on TV)

- Crested the hill and ran the next two miles around a 7:10 pace passing a few more runners; from there on in, it was all “downhill”

- Seemed like every mile I passed another runner and was feeling stronger and stronger with each “roadkill” I passed or dodged (rabbits, opossum, etc)

- Seems fitting to mention that the Forest Tent Caterpillars now

-- According to the local newspaper, there was an explosion in their population this year

-- Apparently they have done a lot of damage to the trees/forests in the area of Rte 6 this year (very visible)

-- Must have been tens of thousands dead on the road, trying to cross the road or getting crushed by runners; they were everywhere

-- Not to mention the gray flies that were all over the place too

- Back to the marathon - stopped at an impromptu aid station near my hotel (it was a nursing home - not my hotel but the aid station); got some water and thanked a WWII vet (who was out taking in the sights) served in the Philippines and Korea and then continued on again

- At mile 24 I would pass my last runner of the race; around that time frame I started to get indications of cramping so I took a few walk breaks and that did the trick

- Turned the corner onto Main St and crossed the finish line in a time of 3:29:40

-- Good enough for a 1 minute negative

- Not pleased about the non-focused first half and my fifth place age-group finish (3rd place was 3:27)

- Pleased about passing approximately 10% of the marathon field in the second half and getting over “Denton Hill” with relative ease

--- Next up Leadville, CO

- Was told during the race that I have to visit the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon -- so I did

- Doesn't look like anything like the Grand Canyon -- looked more like the New River Gorge still impressive