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.

2^nd 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