Luckily after a late nite of TV (NCAA March Madness stops for no one), enjoyed my latest marathon start to date – 9am. Scored off-street parking near the Start, then waited inside Cape May’s historic Congress Hall with a thousand new friends.
Lotta sunshine, check. Lotta wind, check. Cold day (27°F), check. All the makings for a new PR 🙂
Hats off for the National Anthem; then ran seaside down Cape May’s boardwalk, UP the short bridge past the US Coast Guard Training Center, another mile to Wildwood. Lotta runner traffic ‘til the 10-miler split off, followed by 2 more miles of boardwalk.
Posted a 1:48 Half – good pace. Maybe, possibly, sub-4 today?
Happy time: Saw my friend Stephen in Stone Harbor near mile 17. Super motivating. Many thanks!
Unfortunate: Miles 23-25 were a slog – lotta headwind & no spectators as we ran thru ‘new construction’ neighborhoods…wood-framed in-process homes, hammers, drills & work crews. Odd setting; lost focus.
Last mile, GORGEOUS – ran oceanside on Sea Isle City’s boardwalk. Seemed I could see the Finish for miles.
2nd sub-4 finish of 2015. Boo-yah! 3:55:10 – 11 seconds faster than my previous PR in Indianapolis last November. Great way to kick off my ‘7 week, 7 marathon, 7 state’ challenge. FAAANNNTASTIC!
Next weekend’s adventure? Charlottesville, Virginia – home of Thomas Jefferson.
Ocean Drive Marathon
Haga, K R 3:55:10 Louisville, CO, USA
12:50am flight departure to Philly – another crazy early start to save a buck. Snagged 3 hours of sleep, picked up my rental, then hung for an hour waiting on my friend Stephen to arrive from New Hampshire.
Spring is the season of weather extremes. Upper 70’s in Denver, 33 degrees this morning in Philadelphia. Forecast for tomorrow’s Ocean Drive Marathon – wind, temps hovering just below freezing (27-32°) & sunshine. Yep, all the elements for a new PR – LOL>
Philly Airport to Atlantic City Expressway to NJ’s Garden State Parkway – 2 ½ hours later, scenic Cape May, New Jersey. GORGEOUS…so THIS is why folks crowd the Jersey Shore. Bib pick-up in Wildwood, hotel check-in, then google-searched for lunch. Most businesses are seasonal on the Shore, many not opening ’til mid-April or May.
Cold temps & snow squalls meant no long walks along the ocean – but didn’t deter today’s pre-race destination: Cape May Lighthouse.
Cape May, Portland & Cape Hatteras (NC) are represented on most every ‘lighthouse’ calendar. So for me – being a HUGE fan [of lighthouses] – today’s experience was a “must see”. AND for a few bucks, Cape May allows you to actually climb its lighthouse. Crazy cold & windy at top – but well worth the trek UP its spiraling flight of stairs.
White caps, sand, sea gulls – and frigid cold temps – practically, paradise. Nothing slowing this runner tomorrow 🙂
What a cliff diver must feel just as he pushes off – that’s the feeling in my gut, knowing what I’ve signed for, knowing what’s ahead.
Fear & excitement, same time – how will my body hold up? Can I run injury free? How far & how often do I train when running full marathons over 7 consecutive weekends? Can I stay consistent with sleep & not blow nutrition – different airports, different time zones, racing in unpredictable weather, travelling from New Jersey to North Dakota?
Breathe, then…break a grin – good or bad, this experience is gonna change me.
- 03/29/15 Ocean Drive Marathon NJ
- 04/04/15 Charlottesville Marathon VA
- 04/12/15 Go St Louis Marathon MO
- 04/18/15 Garmin Oz Marathon KS
- 04/25/15 Kentucky Derby Festival KY
- 05/02/15 Wisconsin Marathon WI
- 05/09/15 Fargo Marathon ND
week’s training inspiration – Steve Prefontaine & Everest