Bird in Hand: An amazing experience

I wish times were simpler before COVID.  I ran the Bird in Hand half marathon in September 2018.  And of course, I met Caroline in Lancaster, PA for the experience.  I heard a lot about this race from other runners: "the medal is a real horse shoe" "it is something you have to experience" "the Amish can run" "some run in their filed boots."  All of those statements are true but cannot help you feel the experience that is the Bird in Hand half marathon.

The race takes place in Lancaster county, PA as a series over a weekend, starting with packet pickup and other race expo festivities on Friday afternoon and a 5K on Friday evening.  This 5K was a PR for me: 28:53.  Don't forget, this was pre-exercise induced asthma diagnosis.  My goal was to beat a young little boy who ran quite well.  

Caroline and I headed toward the race the next morning. The weather wasn't so great as it was a little muggy, wet, and we were not sure how long the rain would last. Thankfully, the rain stopped prior to the race start.  Port-a-potties were ample at the start and each had a motivational phrase inside.  I thought it was a great start to a race and what a smart idea.  Trapped in the 3x3 plastic portable toilet with a motivational phrase.  

The race course takes you through rolling hill farmland in Bird in Hand, Pa. There were plenty of corn fields throughout the race course as well as many of the community members providing support at the water stops.  Many of the community members participate in the run, too.  And wow!  They can run!  Some are in running shoes, field gear.  Women are wearing dresses and men are in their field gear.  This race is something to experience.

The entry fee for the race helps to support the Bird in Hand volunteer fire company.  5K participant race swag includes a t-shirt; half marathon race swag includes a t-shirt and medal; firehouse challenge participants receive a bonus item: race hat.

Staying in the area is affordable and more so when the cost of the hotel stay is split.  Parking on race day is ample - just make sure to go early to make it to the starting line in a timely manner and enjoy the race day. 

Post Race Selfie. Check out that medal!

5K Time (a new PR): 28:53

13.1 Time: 2:22:15

Travel Expenses:

Gas:  two tanks full with the six hour drive.

Lodging: Shared, Roughly $100 per person.

Dining: $200-ish over two days of travel.

Fire Company Challenge Race Fee: $110

Miscellaneous Expenses: I bought a pair of Louboutin heels.  Just happened to be near King of Prussia. Oops. Amount not disclosed here.

Estimated cost sans fancy red bottom shoes: $500.  Much less than previous travel since I drove to the destination. 

Curious about the gear, pros and cons? Here is a readers digest synopsis of my experience with this race:

Shoes: Topo Flylite 2

Compression: None

Pros: Rolling hills, easy to follow course, supportive community, great race medal, chill crowd, firehouse challenge

Cons: Humidity

Race injuries: None :)

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 running shoes.  I would travel to participate with friends.

Gettin' Lucky in Kentucky: Run the Bluegrass Half Marathon

I ran the Run the Bluegrass half marathon in March 2018 and somehow convinced the family to drive from New England to race country in Kentucky.  The race is self-proclaimed as America's prettiest half marathon.  The race course spans from the track and Kneeland through roads that take you to several horse farms and back to the track.  

I happen to be writing this in 2021 - on the same weekend as the race.  

The drive was a bit of a stretch for the kiddos - but there was a plan. Caroline was going to be in Kentucky with her family - so the kids could see each other.  I call that a parent win - kiddos enjoyed the visit.

The race expo was hoppin!  Some of the race memorabilia for purchase sold out during the expo.  I was hoping to add to the trucker hat collection.  Packet pickup was organized as well.  Pick up your bib, grab your race shirt, stickers, or any other swag.  Things were so well organized I would consider doing this race again!  And of course, it felt like a back-yard party at the expo.

Race day started off a bit on the cooler side, so I dressed up in way more layers than were needed.  Fortunately, the main building was large enough to hold a crowd of runners, support indoor lines in and out of the bathroom, and pre-race yoga.  A great start to a half marathon.

The Pre-Race Selfie

Race day was a bit chilly so I layered up - should have brought some throw-away items!  The course warmed up fast!  I stopped along the route to remove some layers- this caused me to lose a few minutes on the course.  So did a pit stop or two during the race.

The race course is a bit hilly - more on the back half than the front half.  Mile 9 was THE WORST.  The signs on the hill were entertaining and great motivators.  My favorite was "Ain't no time for Walken" with a picture of the infamous Christopher Walken.  

No race is complete unless you have a post-race medal-wearing selfie!

It was nice to have the family at the finish line and to see them cheering runners on.  I saw the fam right before I crossed the finish line 💗.  The kids asked what took me so long.  Ha!  My pace is a bit on the slower side.  After all, I don't really train...

This race was a PR for me: 2:20:55 for a finish time without much training.  I have no clue how long my longest run was prior to race day.  I'm pretty sure I ran the Little Rock Marathon before this race.

Cannot leave Kentucky without some bourbon crafted by the race sponsor

Curious about the gear, pros and cons? Here is a readers digest synopsis of my experience with this race:

Shoes: Topo Flylite 2

Compression: I don't remember...

Pros: Felt like a party, race signs, perfect running weather, near Bourbon country, Half Marathon PR

Cons: Hilly back half 

Race injuries: Nada! I felt great 😁

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 running shoes.  I would consider doing this again but fly rather than drive.

Denial is more than a river

I started getting back into running in late 2017 and struggled a bit with hills and runs. My “summer” pace as I called it hovered around a 10:30 to 12:00 mile with the thought that hot and humid days were just going to be tougher runs because humidity makes it harder to breathe. I looked forward to spring and fall just so I could do a 9:30 mile for shorter runs. I accepted that while I liked hills, I would be walking up them to keep my heart rate down or walk at the top because my chest hurt too much. There were times my watch showed a 180+ pulse with me gasping for air and pausing to alleviate the tightness. This feeing happened on slow runs with fast friends, when I was sprinting toward the finish of several races, and the day Angie and Tracy said “you need to see a doctor. You sound bad” while running the Essex Steam Train Half Relay. The wheezing was loud in the upper airway but I felt my usual “normal” while running.

My friends told me I sounded bad in October of 2019. I did not see my primary doctor for a diagnosis until late March 2020. Denial is a powerful thing.

I reviewed my symptoms: rapid pulse, chest tightness, difficulty breathing, and symptoms alleviated with walking. Cough and runny nose were in there, but I realized this after the diagnosis.

The first step with the diagnosis was to try an albuterol HFA.

“Inhale two puffs 15 minutes before exercise.” Okay... I have some planning to do for runs. Know when I want to go out, use the magic “puffer.” Okay... I was skeptical since side effects of albuterol include a rapid heart rate and cough.

I was *finally* diagnosed with exercise-induced bronchospasm over a year ago (around the time the pandemic started) and continued to have disbelief.  My first run following instructions was proof that I was over-due for albuterol.  Going up the hill to complete mile one: not so bad. Stops to catch my breath: three in my three mile run.  Baseline: at least five stops sans albuterol.  There was also a change in heart rate zones.  Albuterol helped to lower my average pulse while running - so much for the side effect of an elevated pulse!  I was off to a good start.  I mentioned that cough and runny nose were part of the symptoms of exercise-induced asthma.  I did not notice these until after I started treatment.  I attribute this as self-awareness rather than being aware of the textbook reasons.  I noticed that mucous production was higher after a run - it seemed less with albuterol.  I also noticed that I did in-fact have a weak cough with a fuzzy feeling in my chest for 20-30 minutes after a run.  That fuzzy feeling is the bronchospasm.

I asked for Singulair at my next appointment to help reduce the need for a bronchodilator.  Can one pill manage the symptoms: yes and no.  Singulair helped control the amount of mucous.  I went from blowing my nose several times after a run to maybe once or twice.  Part of the denial aspect was having the mindset that adding medications was cheating.  I should be able to handle everything with exercise and the more I run, the better things will get, right?  Obviously, things did not get better.  Running continued to present the same breathing challenges until I added medications to support breathing.  This is not cheating, either.  Athletes use interventions such as bronchodilators and oral medications like singulair to decrease the work of breathing.

Using the phrase denial is more than a river encompasses the essence of my thought process.  I was in denial about the need to breathe just a bit easier.  I thought everyone felt like they were dying while running.  Maybe I was not strong enough and needed to lift more weights.  No one feels like they are dying while running unless it is race day.  My body should not have felt like I could not breathe on a regular run at my average pace.  Things have improved since starting on the breathing regimen.  I hope to break a PR 5K for me: Run a 5K in less than 27 minutes, run a 10K under 59 minutes, a half marathon in 2 hours, 25 minutes, and a marathon under 4 hours, 55 minutes.  The goals are achievable now that I can breathe easier.

Virtual ain't the same: Completing a virtual half marathon

 Virtual Half Marathon: Carlsbad Half Marathon 2020

I signed up for this virtual half to help me keep track achieve training goals and prepare Run the Alamo with Caroline in 2021.  Well, the great city of San Antonio decided it would not allow the race organizers to have a portion of the course because of COVID (yet allowed indoor sporting events).  The race organizers felt compelled and cancelled the 26.2 mile event and defer all 2021 registrants to 2022.  Okay... sigh.  Moving forward there are two 26.2 mile events planned in the near future: the Delaware Running Festival & Grandma's Marathon.  

Digressing, I signed up for the virtual half pre-injury and completed it on a planned post-travel rest day.  The original goal was to complete it during the actual Carlsbad Marathon weekend.  But MTSS happened and my left leg had other plans.

My longest run since re-starting was for miles and I could not find my albuterol HFA today.  But, I finished under my intended goal of 3 hours.  So a short long run and no inhaler.  How did I do? Not bad - and better than my goal of three hours.

Lets start at the beginning.  How did I find out about this marathon?  Well, I was eyeballing Carlsbad for California but decided on another race that may fit my introverted tendencies.  Then comes along an ad on social media after searching for my version of a Goldilocks virtual half marathon because virtual runs are not the same.  Translated in my speak: which event has the best swag?

Two shirts, a bib, medal, and a pint glass?  Yes please! 

Preparation was supposed to be easy after completing a 10K in the fall.  My body had other plans after I stopped weighted workouts: MTSS or Shin splints.  The decision to stop running for a while was difficult but the worst case scenario: stress fractures, would mean no running for a longer period of time.  

I completed the run in the megalopalis of New London, CT because it is fairly pedestrian friendly and all the touristy spots to see along the way.  Watch time is not strava time! 

Mile 1: The United States Coast Guard Academy.

Outside the gates of CGA

Mile 2: Somewhere on the Conn College Campus

Hi from one of the mist expensive colleges in America :)

Mile 3: Outside of the Lyman Allan Art Museum

Mile 4: A neighborhood tribute

Black lives matter

Mile 5: A fountain on the corner of Bank and Shaw Street

A fountain donated to New London

Mile 6: I miss Fred's Shanty!!!

Can't wait for Fred's Shanty to open!

Mile 7: Missed one here!

Mile 8: So many geese!  Glad none of them decided to chase me.

Not a fan of geese.

Mile 9: Oops. Missed another photo here.

Mile 10: Only 5k to go and at the pier!  Wahoo!!!

City Pier, New London

Mile 11: The wall was creeping up here!  But hey, there is the whale tail!

The Whaling City!

Mile 12: In the neighborhood.  Just needed to run a few extra blocks in and out of streets to get the mileage.

Mile 13: In the neighborhood

Mile 13.1: Finished before the ascent up the hill.  Strava time is 2:28:04 over 13.15 miles.

Just a two block walk to the house.

The title of this post is Virtual ain't the same.  And it is not for so many reasons, not all are listed here.  The first being race-day excitement. Sure, you can do a virtual run with a group of friends sans large crowd, blaring music, and course support.  Sometimes we need those motivators to keep us going and pick up the pace on the course.  There is no archway at the end or a clock to tell you how awesome you were.  There are no volunteers to don on your medal, no one is handing out space blankets, and there is no beer tent waiting to take your ticket.  You make your own post-run meal.

I miss running at a festival or race.  My post run meal was a salad with beef brisket because I did not feel like going to a restaurant solo.  I finished half of my post run beer because the comaradarie of sharing a post run pint was not there.  The positive from the experience was goal setting with increasing the long-run distance.  

I cannot wait for the virtual run as the gold standard to end.  I miss race day crowds and people.

Cost:

$70 for a virtual race with two shirts, race bib, medal, and a pint glass.  Everything was shipped to the house.

Downside: I had to hunt a bit to find out how to post my time to the Carlsbad website.

The Gear: 

Brooks Ugly Sweater Christmas 2020 beanie

Brooks Adrenaline GTS 21 running shoes, color 193

Goodr Runways in Breakfast run to Tiffany's

Under Armour Cold Gear hoodie

Nike 7/8 running tights

Camelbak hydration pack

Race Injury:

Got one large blister on my right foot.

So, I went back to South Carolina

 Myrtle Beach Marathon, 2020

Running along the strip in Myrtle Beach

I traveled to Myrtle Beach as we were amping up for a lock-down thanks to SARS-CoV-2.  This would be the last in-person marathon I run for a while.

Travel day was noting too unusual.  Fly in, grab luggage. The hotel had not shuttle so I hitched a ride via Uber to the hotel.  Note: Caroline and I stayed in the hotel recommended by the race organizers.  Great, makes lodging easy to book.  The down-side is that we were not extended a late check-out after running 26.2 and the hotel was rude about storing out bags while we ran.  The race was held during the start of spring break/tourist  season to the beach town.  It was not overly-crowded, either.  It would be nice to grant the late check-out to race participants since we  are helping to support the economy in the area.

The pre-race dinner and post-race lunch were at Dirty Don's Oyster Bar and ate tuna tacos for both meals.  Plus had a pint with each one.  

I managed to score a Bloody Mary from one of the few race spectators.

The course was flat as advertised and the crowd was not bad - not too much traffic.  But the spectator race support was not there.  You get used to this as a runner and it helps with motivation.  There were a couple of golden nuggets with this marathon: the post-race party was chill, finishers medal and tank (yes! two race shirts).  I still sport the finisher tank on summer run days.

His sign says "No Melt Downs"  Best one of this race!

Come prepared with a cooler weather set of clothes and a warm day set.  I was cold & windy for most of the run due to the overcast day and high humidity.  The sun decided to peek and wind died down toward the end of the time I was on the course.  Go figure.  

Sporting the Finisher Medal

The post race party was chill.  Pizza was served and runners were able to get up to two refreshing beers to help wind down after  26.2 miles of man-powered road time.

Chip time: 5:13:41

Only 0.2 miles to go - and I'm taking a selfie?!?

Travel Cost

Airfare & Parking: $600

Uber Rides: $40

Food: $150

Swag for the kiddos and DH: $100

Estimated cost: $1000

Curious about the gear, pros and cons? Here is a readers digest synopsis of my experience with this race:

Shoes: Altra Torin 4

Shades: A throw-away pair picked up at a race expo

Race Day Shirt: Raw threads Bamboo mix Hoodie from the Nightmare Before Christmas collection

Compression: CEP Compression sleeves

Pros: Flat course

Cons: Limited flight options from Myrtle Beach to Connecticut, hotel refused a late checkout during the early states of tourist season

Race injuries: Some sore muscles, the usual blisters

Rating: 2 out of 5 running shoes. If you are looking for a flat course to BQ, then sure. The lack of late check-out for marathon runners contributed to this being a less-than-desirable race. If you want to get South Carolina as part of your journey to run a marathon in all 50 states, then go to Charleston.  The city has more charm  and better dining options.

Got my kicks running the Route 66 Marathon

Running crowd in 2019: Route 66 Marathon

I ran my ninth Marathon in my ninth state in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I picked the race because it was recommended by Runners World magazine. Supposedly, it is a 26.2 mile block party. Spoiler: Yeah, it is!  And yes, this is one of the reasons I wanted to travel to Oklahoma to run this race.

Tulsa is a neat town.  I met Caroline at the airport on flight day and chatted while she was waiting on her dad.  He was running this marathon in his 66th year!  Wow!!  That is pretty amazing because 26.2 miles in one run can wreck your body.

Wait, what is this antiquated device?

Plan ahead if you are not a local and are travelling for this race.  The half and full marathons are popular and hotels in the area are booked a year in advance.  Downtown Tulsa is pedestrian-friendly, so pick a hotel close to the start/finish areas and to dining, and that provides shuttle transportation.  There is no need to rent a car with the transportation and Lime scooters in town.  Consider downloading the application before you travel so you can use a scooter on the fly.

The race draws a large crowd and some streakers in the sense of repeat runners.  This is the first marathon where I saw both Marathon Maniacs and the 50 States Marathon have their own booths and separate tent.  I was one shy of running my 10th marathon and had yet to pay for the Marathon Maniacs membership.  Expect a lot at the convention: packet pick-up, getting your race shirt, and any other swag you can.  There was also an opportunity for puppy cuddles at the expo.  

Proof I was at the expo.  Are you ready to run!?!

The pre-race dinner was fun - I met up with Caroline, her dad, and Caroline's friend, Loan.  We had our carb load (beer required!) as well as sharing stories about life and prepare for the next day.  

Race day was COLD.  Like 30 degrees cold.  I was not prepared to layer up so much.  Thank goodness for the heated tents that came with the VIP package the DH purchased for me (a birthday present).  Members of the 50 states Marathon Club and Marathon Maniacs also had access to these - as long as they donned a wrist band given out at the expo.  You never know what kind of weather you are going to get- the 2018 marathon had ice, so I'll take the cold start as a bonus.

This race is magical.  There were unicorns!

The finish line was warm and I was not prepared because I did not pack sunscreen!  It was close to 70 degrees at the finish.  Yeah, big temperature difference from the start.  Lesson: pack two sets of clothes or some throw away layers.

Why is it so hot?

Not only did I complete a marathon, but it was an Ultra Marathon!  26.5 miles of self-powered movement.  Obviously, the goal was to finish, not accomplish any PRs for a couple of reasons: Jell-o shots, block parties, beer, shots, and the Center of the Universe detour.  But hey, I finished!

Miss Unfortunate at The Center of the Universe

Time on the course: 5:13:27.  The post race Bloody Mary (at the indoor after party) was soooo delicious!

Post race indoor party thanks to VIP access.  Not pictured: Post-race Bloody Mary

Travel Cost:

Flight: $600 plus airport parking

Travel food: $200 since I stayed an extra night

In-town transportation: None; Walked everywhere!

Race Expo Purchases: Snagged freebies for the kiddos

Hotel: $300-ish, possibly more for two nights

Race Entry Fee: Around $100

VIP Package: A gift :)

Total cost: $1200 for two days of travel.  $1300 or more if you include the VIP package.

Curious about the gear, pros and cons? Here is a readers digest synopsis of my experience with this race:

Shoes: Altra Torin 4

Shades: Goodr OGs in Pool Party Pregame

Race Day Shirt: Raw Threads Long Run from the Toy Story 4 collection

Compression: CEP Compression sleeves

Pros: Jello shots, manageable hills, pedestrian-friendly city

Cons: Limited flight options from Tulsa to Connecticut.  I stayed an extra day to get a flight that arrived at a reasonable time.

Race injuries: None... but I see the predictor of future injuries in one of my pictures.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 running shoes.  I would go back to repeat the state as a half marathon.

New England Green River Marathon: Two states, one race

Running under the covered bridge in 2019

I signed up for this marathon on a whim and a facebook ad.  I have a desire to run one race in 50 states and this one qualifies for either Vermont or New Hampshire per the 50 States Marathon Club rules.  I will most likely not every qualify for Boston, nor do I have the desire to, so, why not enjoy the race experience and get Massachusetts out of the way?

I was able to encourage some of my friends from the Mohegan Striders (AKA "the family") to make a trip from Southeastern Connecticut up to Greenfield, Massachusetts.  The desire to run this marathon was strong, so I continued to check the marathon website to see when registration opened.  Registration closes fast due to the small size of the marathon.  I probably will not runt his marathon again until 2022 or 2023 (thank you, CORONA VIRUS).

I found a sweet AirBnB for the family to rent for the trip (bonus: late check-out!) and confirmed all arrangements with the family. Yeah!!!  Don't expect to find an elaborate listing of hotels to stay in the area. The race is small and you will find something that meets your needs.

The marathon took place on Labor Day weekend in 2019.  Prepare to wake up early to take a bus from the finish line to the starting line at Marlboro College in Vermont. The ride takes about 45 minutes to get to the start. Be prepared to have a chilly start and a tepid finish.  The race is small enough to bring layers to shed and have stashed with the bag drop-off crew at Marlboro college.  There are also plenty of port-a-potties at the start line.  There are a few scattered throughout the race, with the one after the covered bridge being the most popular one (jmho) because I had to wait to relieve myself.

A few things happened on this trip: the family adopted matching sunglasses.  We made an impromptu trip to Sound Runner in Glastonbury because I needed compression sleeves since I outgrew my bright blue pair.  Guess what said "buy me?"  A pair of Goodr OGs in color Nessy's Midnight Orgy.  

The Family: TeamNoTraining and Gigi on race morning

Race day started early (not unusual for a marathon) and a bus ride up to Marlboro College in Vermont.  As I mentioned earlier, it is a chilly start.  The race directors kept the registration around 500.  I think it was capped at 450 in 2019 - but there were not this many finishers.  One of the family members on the trip decided not to run due to an injury (but she biked over 50 miles).  The course is serene and it was well-controlled with the race cap and marathon-only crowd.  Yep, no half runners allowed based on the course design.  There are no out and backs - just a one-way trip from Vermont to Massachusetts.

Covered bridge selfie :)

Not the best selfie... But covered bridge!!!

One of the other bonuses was the packed gravel.  Normally, my legs are beat up with running on pavement. Not so much with this race.  I expected to have pain with the downhill since most of my marathon training involves up and down hills.  You get a lot of that with the packed dirt/gravel.  It is awesome.  

I'm usually social on a race course - take it for what you want, saying hello to a fellow runner is not a bad thing.  Make some small talk and move on.  Gigi and I met a runner who was completing her first marathon after injury.  She did well and has an amazing life story.  

This is also the race where Gigi recommended I see my physician about Exercise-induced bronchospasm.  She and I were in the last couple of miles- where I should be able to handle a faster pace, especially after a comfortable run-walk.  But, I could not handle going beyond an 11-minute mile.  The heart rate would go up and breathing tanked.  This was something I was used to and thought it was normal.  Apparently, this is not normal.  More on that in another blog post.

The marathon was finished in 5 hours, 1 minute, 6.8 seconds.  Gigi was an amazing running partner.  She partied in the back, got puppy cuddles, and encouraged a PR.  The post race party was pretty chill.  Good food, interesting maple-flavored drinks, and beer.

We finished!  Gigi was awesome!!

Curious about the gear, pros and cons? Here is a readers digest synopsis of my experience with this race:

Shoes: Altra Torin 4

Compression: CEP compression sleeves 

Awesome race shirt: Raw Threads flowy tank from the Toy Story 4 collection.  Stretch wanted to let his behind catch up.

Shades: Goodr OGs in Nessy's Midnight Orgy.

Pros: Downhill, no leg or muscle pain (thanks to the packed gravel/dirt), chill post-race party, running on dirt

Cons: Not enough puppy cuddles earlier in the race.

Race injuries: Toe blisters

Rating: Five out of five running shoes.  The family is planning to make this an annual trip!

GO! St Louis

Here we go again! Marathon travel to Missouri!

Race: April 7th, 2019

I believe this was my third trip in four months.  I paid for travel, the race, and promised to contribute to lodging, yet continued to experience the infamous leg pain when running.  *sigh*.

I signed up for this race to join Caroline on her Journey and had hopes of running under the infamous St. Louis Arch.  The race organization updated racers on how flooding impacted the race and needless to say, the race was re-routed because of mother nature.  Re-routing is better than cancelling given that I am writing this after the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

Travel day was uneventful considering I just flew to the middle of the country from the east coast.  Took an uber to the hotel situated near Busch Stadium.  The location wasn't bad - just a walk from some touristy stuff to do!  The race expo was a bit smaller than I expected but did not deter from the over-all experience.  My one complaint about the expo: shirt swapping was allowed at the packet pickup area.  Nooooooo!!!  I ended up getting a large and was a bit frustrated because I how have a shirt that looks stupid on me.  It would not be so bad if I lived near the race but I traveled to completed this.  Digressing back to the good of the race expo... There were plenty of shuttles from the hotel to the expo for packet pick-up prior to race day.  Bonus: the hotel allowed for runners to have a late check-out and a happy hour.  I know Caroline and I had a pitcher of something...

The pre-race meal consisted of sushi and beer.  Beer is mandatory :)  Sushi to avoid high trans fats.  

Next is race day...  And one must take transportation to the starting line in one of the larger parks in St. Louis.  The inside was crowded but warm - a must for the chilly race day start.

Who choses to travel and get up early on a weekend?  Marathon runners. 

We're in the starting corral!

I knew I would run this race a lot slower than previous ones due to injury, so I tried to volley a bit with the 5:30 (yep) pacer.  The pacing team in the back was great and made it known he had a bit of fireball with him to help with warmth and sanity.

Posing for race photographers as one should do.

One of the pros to this race was the free photos.  So yeah, I posed for at least one during this race.  And posing is a requirement for those of us partying in the back of a race.

Marathons are like mullets: business in the front, party in the back.

The race ended in another one of the city's parks. Plenty of carbs, water, and beer to consume after completing 26.2 miles on foot.  I ended up walking back to the hotel after the race.  Not ideal but much needed to help with post-race recovery.  

Post race selfie.  Who cares about time. I just completed 26.2 miles using my own power.

Finish time: 5:28; Gun time: 5:34.  Trailed that pacer by a few minutes!  I could use that fireball, now!

Curious about the gear, pros and cons? Here is a readers digest synopsis of my experience with this race:

Shoes: Altra paradigm 4 (I adopted this line as the over 15 mile running shoe- plenty of padding).

Compression: Purchased from a large on-line retailer

Pros: Organized, shuttle trips to the start line and race expo.  The course is fairly flat with some windy areas, and there were FREE race day photos.

Cons: Pretty sure the injuries did not improve. Shin splints, no fractures.  Mother nature caused the course to be re-routed.  No running under the arch due to the weather.

Race injuries: The usual blisters and missing toe nail.  Nothing once cannot handle.

Rating: Four out of five running shoes.  I would not do this race again but would recommend it because of the organization and flat course.

Is it worth the price? The Asheville Marathon

Finally finished! Need to catch a plane now.

My answer: No.  And here is  why: The race fee and lack of need for police support.

I will admit, I was initially excited to run on the Biltmore estate given that this is a place of American Royalty.  If you live close to Newport, RI, then you can see the expanse of summer manse from families like the Biltmore's, Vanderbilts, and Drexlers.  The race slogan is "run in America's largest back yard."  It is a back yard filled with vineyards, ponds, and gardens.  None of the vineyards are in bloom, nor are the gardens.  I hardly think running through hibernating foliage is worth the race fee: $150.00.

The race expo was held in a hotel outside of the estate.  It was small and well-run. I purchased a pair of lucky socks since the race was held on St. Patrick's day.  The race expo has the usual packet pick-up and an additional station to obtain your shuttle tickets.  Read the fine print with this race: there is a fee you have to pay for being shuttled to and from the estate.  This is in addition to your race fee, folks.

Asheville is a cute southern tourist town with some posh buildings, ambiance of wealth, and funky restaurants.  Caroline and I met up at the airport, went to the expo, then parleyed what to do for dinner.  We agreed on tacos.  Because, tacos.  We had dinner at the White Duck Taco Shop where bonus: the pre-race beverage was a Cheerwine slushie.  I considered this a win being a southerner displaced in the northeast.  There are some southern-isms I miss that cannot be found above the Mason-Dixon line.  But digressing, the food was great as well as the beverages.

Fast forward to race day, and here is where things go awry (at least in my humble opinion).  Caroline and I wake at our usual 2 hours before the race, get ready to embark to the shuttles about an hour and a half before we need to be at the start.  The bus ride was not so bad- it was a usual state of quiet except for the diesel motor changing pitch as we ride through the estate.  Keep in mind this race starts as spring is starting so it is off to a cold start.  The down side: there are not many places to access a toilet or warmth at this point. Hello shivering for an hour.  Side note: I wore layers to shed and was too cold.  We eventually found a covered are with propane heaters to hover around until it was time to walk to the starting line.  There were several announcements (nothing unusual) about the race, then came the request to make donations to support the post run beer.  OH HELL NO, they did not!  I just paid how much to run, no police support needed, a portion of the race fee is a donation, and you want me to donate more?  No.

Pre-race selfie.  Sooo cold!

The first few miles of the race were not so bad.  There are a lot of  out and back loops.  No big deal - mapping out a USATF course with exactly 26.2 miles is challenging.  But the off road areas of the course are concerning.  I found the roads on the back portion - near the vineyards - to be too worn from work vehicles.  They were so uneven that I treated them as if I was running a technical trail.  One of the portions of the trail had bulky gravel - I tripped several times because I lost footing. 

I also missed my original flight because I thought I could run faster than I planned.  There were limited options leaving Asheville. 

Breakdown of the expenses:

Race Fee: $150

Shuttle Fee: $20

Airfare: $500 + $150 fee to change flights

Hotel (split): $125

Rental (split): $40

Dining: $100

Running gear purchased: $50

Airport Parking: ??? Cannot remember if I flew out of Hartford or Boston

Total estimated cost: $1100 - $1200 plus donations for the post race beer 😉

Curious about the gear, pros and cons? Here is a readers digest synopsis of my experience with this race:

Shoes: Topo Flylite 2

Compression: Sleeve purchased off a large internet retailer.  Last use for this one! My legs are now too big. 😂

Pros: Race swag: great long-sleeved t-shirt and buff/gaiter.

Cons: cost, uneven dirt roads, asking for donations for the post-race beer, cost, lack of warmth pre-race, limited flight options to Asheville.

Race injuries: Recurring shin splints and toe blisters.

Rating: 2 out of 5 running shoes because of the cost, limited flight options, continual requests for donations, need to purchase additional shuttle tickets to enter and exit the estate, and lack of warm areas pre-race.

I'm going to (not Greenbow) Alabama!

Mercedes-Benz Marathon

Race Date: Feb 10, 2019

I have a HUGE obsession with Forrest Gump - only watched the movie, should read the book.  I also mentioned this in my review of the R'n'R Savannah marathon.  But digressing.  The course for the 2019 marathon was moved due to construction on the I-29 bridge.  Argh!!!  No worries though.  It was not the end of the world.  

Birmingham is a neat southern city with a chill vibe, great food, and of course southern hospitality.

Caroline and I stopped by the Birmingham Museum of Art - Free entry, donation suggested.  The museum had an impressive display of blown glass by Dale Chihuly.  There were other displays- but my excitement focused on the contemporary artist rather than classical items. It is worth stopping here since it is close to the race expo and recommended lodging.

Fast forward to marathon morning - it was brisk!  I highly recommend some throw-away long sleeve items.  Race morning was chilly as you would expect for a southern winter/pesedo-spring.  I enjoyed the course and am sad to say that I will need to repeat this race for the marathon.  The course is a double-loop, so keep this in mind if you are not a fan of laps.

I started the race injured and opted to go for the half at the turn for the full.  My leg was bothering me to the point I feared that I would be leaving Alabama in a cast. There was no penalty for doing this  (yeah!!!).  Several volunteers told me I was on the wrong path, too.  Much better experience than during the Mississippi Blues marathon...

The post-race party was HUGE - you had a choice of pulled pork or chicken sandwiches.  Opt for the pork - after all, you are in the south.  Don't expect much for the post-race beer.  I think it was a bud light or something made by inBev.

Endurance races are known for the draw of elite athletes. The ones I met during the trip were friendly and happy to hear about your finish times.  Just remember: your race is your race.  Be proud of the time you finished the course because there aren't too many people crazy enough to spend part of their day running a half or full marathon.

Travel Expenses: 

Airfare: Roughly $500.  I'm used to paying about this for a weekend trip.

Lodging: Split, close to $100 or $120.

Food: About $100 including alcohol.  This can be more depending on snacks and length of the trip.

Transportation: Estimate about $50 per person

Registration: $100

Estimated total: $900 just for travel, lodging, and the race.

Curious about the gear, pros and cons? Here is a readers digest synopsis of my experience with this race:

Shoes: Topo FlyLite 2.

Compression: Purchased from a large on-line retailer.

Pros: Free art museum (and Chihuly blown glass!!!), Selfie with Forrest Gump!, Great race volunteers, sporting a Benz logo, race day shuttles to and from the post race party, no penalty for dropping to the half during the race, well-organized, friendly elite athletes.

Cons: Cost of travel, cold start to the day.

Race injuries: Shin splints.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 running shoes.  I'll end up doing this race again since I was injured the first time.

Going to Jackson, Mississippi

 Mississippi Blues Marathon

Race date: January 27th, 2019

This was not my favorite race for a large number of reasons.  The biggest being running 26.2 miles with an injury.  Mine happened to be medial tibial stress syndrome, AKA: Shin Splints.  They hurt a lot, so much to the point I thought I would not finish this race.  Getting the bias in check while writing this post took some effort.

Jackson has southern charm that you would expect when traveling below the Mason-Dixon line.  This is also a smaller southern city (I should note my expectations of a southern city are Charleston, Atlanta, & Savannah) so don't expect a sprawling megalopolous with a ton to do.  Do expect some good food and libations.  Caroline and I met up at the usual airport hub with pre-arranged flight times.  Went to the race expo - where there was a shipment delay with the shirts (oh no!!!).  This wasn't a big deal.  The smaller expo happened to be less than a half mile from the hotel. 

Then moving forward to the pre-race meal.  We dined at The Manship and had libations here.  I was like a school girl when I saw Stone Brewery's Xocoveza available.  We ate, imbibed, and took and Uber back to the hotel.  

Marathon planning tip: watch the weather.  The evenings around this race are a bit chilly, hence taking an Uber one mile back to lodging.

Moving forward to race day: It was chilly.  Make sure to have throw-away layers.  Lululemon happened to be a race sponsor and have drop-off boxes on the course.  The promise was to bring these items back to the finish line to grab at the end of the race (unless you wanted everything donated).  

This race is small - not a bad thing if you're not a fan of large crowds - and is also a preference of mine.  My starting line complaint was having the marathoners through 5Kers start at the same time.  There could be more organization as I almost tripped and stumbled into a few walkers at the start of the race.  Keep in mind, I am not a particularly fast runner and steam rolling people at a starting pace of 10:00/mile just does not feel right.

There is plenty of entertainment for the non-elite athlete marathon runner in the form of collegiate bands, bringing out the inner band-geek in me.  

One of my sticking points was the lack of motivated volunteers & signage to direct a turn for the half and full marathon runners.  This was the only time I missed a turn off and accidentally added another mile to the distance run for the day.  Apparently I am not the first person to miss this, nor will I be the last (with the 2019 course).  

The police officers assigned to the course were awesome as well and great motivators to the runners. You would easily be greeted with a smile for saying hello or thank you to any of them on the course.  Then there are the race signs since crowd support was meh.  

One other thing to consider with this race are flight options.  Flying to & from a place like Hartford limits options into and out of the area.  Departing and landing from Boston expands flights home but adds to drive time and cost of parking.  Crossing the finish line was already a task due to injury at 5:36:30. Caroline was waiting in the car - ready to go to catch her flight. Post race shenanigans were a bit limited here.   

Travel expenses:

Hotel room was split, so roughly $100 each person

Race entry: $115 

Flight: Expect to pay $500 for a smaller airport plus parking

Rental car was split, so roughly $20 - $50 per person

Uber: varies.  

Dining while traveling: Expect at least $100 - $200 per person

Estimated cost for the weekend: $1000 for travel, lodging, food, and race entry fee.  Keep in mind, the cost of lodging and a rental were split.

Curious about the gear, pros and cons? 

Here is a readers digest synopsis of my experience with this race:

Shoes: Altra Paradigm 4.0

Compression: A sleeve purchased from a large on-line retailer

Pros: Small race, great entertainment, southern charm, race shirt

Cons: Starting line was not organized, not having flashier signs for the half and full split

Race injuries: Ran with shin splints and cried a bit on the course

Rating: 3 out of 5 running shoes due to limited flights into and out of the area, poor labeling for the half and full split, and starting line.  I'm a one and done here.  Police support and collegiate bands were awesome!