Last sleeps at the Hotel Borg.  Last morn of sweet pastries & Skyr.

Bags packed, clothes readied – it’s marathon day.  Time flies when you’re hiking volcanos, mineral springs soaking, riding Icelandic ponies.  Lamb dinner.  B-I-G life 🙂

City Hall welcomed.  Passed my bags to Michaela.  Thousands of upbeat accents, stretching, ready to run Iceland’s capital city.  Paparazzi camera blitz – M snapped lotta quality shots.  Very much appreciated!  Generally, I solo-travel with an iPhone lens.  Thanks kiddo.

Runners queued, bunched closely together.  Walked over the start line (literally).  Soon after, a jog.  More space/less congestion, on-pace a half-mile in.  Cool temps, sunshiny skies.  Beautiful North Atlantic day.  City sights with the Halfers.  Perfect run weather.

Easy flat course; windy ocean breeze.  Race second-half: bike path, city park, suburbia roads.  Downtown looped last 10k.  Mile 20 burst of MUSIC, renewed energy/spirit.  Two quick miles, then steady to the end.  Push, PUSH, PUSH (I’ve got a plane a catch – HA!).

Moscow, Dublin, Milan, Reykjavík.  sub-4:30 time, my 4^th European FINISH.  Not bad for a kid from the sticks.

Shower, bus transfer, clock-race to the airport.  Life of a weekend marathoner.  So many spots on the Globe – but I’ll be back.

Goodbye M.  Miss your smile, your love of LIFE.  See ya December, Christmas in Connecticut – no scary YULE CAT, please ❤️

Reykjavíkur Maraþon Íslandsbanka 2019

 

1430    Keenan Haga  USA

00:27:48 (5 km)  00:55:09 (10 km)  01:31:55 (16,4 km)  02:02:50 (21,1 km)

02:58:46 (29,4 km)  04:00:27 (38 km)  04:29:02  +01:41:46  04:27:56

Reykjavík Marathon