4:30am alarm, quick shower, hotel check-out, then parked in a public garage on Market Street, awaiting my 7am marathon start.  Windy day so ducked inside a nearby shop alcove [with 2 other runners] ‘til 15 minutes of the gun.

Pre-warned today’s course would be hilly but found myself wanting to run; started quick with the 3:45 boys.  Paced ahead on flats, they’d catch me on the hills.  Hill, after hill, after hill.  Long slog up, steep pitch down.  10 miles, they were gone.

4 hour crew passed at mile 18, 4:15 pacers mile 23.

So many hills.  How did John Boy Walton make that walk to school every day?

Wind continued to blow.  Never saw a marker for mile 25.  Thinking mile 24 would never end, felt whooped & began walking up the final hill.  Lady with a stroller shouted encouragement – Finish Line is only .2 miles from the top.  BEST surprise ever 🙂

Crossed the ticker – no sub-4 this day, but I’ll take it.  A finish is a finish, 24 states done.

15 minute sit-down, located my rental, then barreled back to DC (2 ½ hours away) for a 3:50pm flight.

Rental car return, flight check-in, security – then using a handicap bathroom stall, changed out of salty race clothes.  Sink splash-bath, brushed teeth, washed my face, then boarded a plane to Chicago.  Shamefully, that’s as clean as I would get this day.

Life as a marathon runner – not so glam.  Next weekend, St. Louis.

Miller Lite Charlottesville Marathon
Charlottesville, VA USA

173     K R Haga         4:29:17