Tomorrow. It’s gonna happen. Really.
Another long hike adventure, returned to Camp & received word. News of a ‘marathon’ buzzing around Camp. No taper. No pre-race pasta dinner. One of the camp engineers (manages machines/generators) told, he & another marked 42K course today with orange flagging — 7 miles over frozen ocean. Guides formally announced our event at dinner. Much of camp support staff would be gone participating in the race. Those of us not carrying a rifle, assigned bear spray. ATV & drones would be used to monitor & report results back to Camp. Insta-excitement from the news made it difficult to sleep. Clear sunny skies forecast. July 5th. Top of the World. Canada’s Northwest Passage.
Woke early. Sat quietly outside. Waited for the sound of generators, announcing start of the day. Backpack ready. Layered. Start banner positioned outside the Lodge.
Safety announcements, SHOT GUN start. First 7-8 miles knew well; been running these hills EVERY day for a week. Unfair advantage? Excitement of the day, nip in the air, wind/gusts, hills — solid 2nd, distant behind the lead. Maintained my position on the climbs, caught easy on the DOWN. Steady strong near shore. SUPER windy to the Half, where few folks dropped & transported back to Camp. Handed a turkey/pesto sandwich. Fancy food in the Arctic. Nice!
Waited for folks, ate my lunch, toilet break. Guide asked we’d enter the ice as a group together. Assured surface was frozen. Advised we were not alone. And… since I didn’t feel comfortable running with a rifle, I waited 15-20 minutes & ran with the pack.
Running on ice! & not slippery. Snow pellets frozen to its surface, create a grit/tread. Lead guy [young Canadian kid] led us out. We’d jump over cracks on the surface. Water bright blue like glacier melt, reflection off ice. Actual ocean water (in the distance) dark, foreboding. waves churning. Where/when/how you gonna get this chance in life again? HUGE SMILES. Just WOW!
Lead guy stopped. Pointed. Polar bear! Far but visible on the ice.
Back on land, regrouped by a whale carcass. Eventually, reconnected with my morning run route (course would go long by 2+ miles). Walked the HILLS but finished strong. Helps it’s ALL DOWNHILL back into Camp. LOL> Experience well beyond expectation.
Unlike Antarctica… a quick lukewarm shower awaited. And… ‘the American’ got to speak at dinner! Less loud & proud, more thankful/life-grateful to hosts. Congratulated our young marathon winner — & thanked him for carrying a rifle.
Told our audience: it inspired me to RUN faster! ❤️
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- Northwest Passage
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- cold water refuel
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- POLAR BEAR
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- Arctic Ocean
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- DREAM marathon 🏃
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- BACKBONE 🐋
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- Narwhal medallion
Polar Bear!
8 day run-break after a mixed-result Mainly double. Unloaded my truck, cleaned weeks of laundry, bought East Coast groceries — & enjoyed a GREAT first week with FAMILY. 2-year-old has a solid on my heart.
This week, Bangor. Crazy long drive past Boston, Portland, Augusta — to eastern Maine. Road signs reflecting ‘NB’ Canada locations further up the highway. Heavy overcast, light drizzle. 2 days ago, Bangor recorded an all-time high of 96. High heat would have put this marathon at risk. Add-in East Coast humidity… brother dodged a bullet. Bring on the RAIN! Bib pickup, motel check-in, dinner, early sleeps.
Still working thru a hip injury/pain. Lotta runner excitement — pulled from that energy. Lost majority of field at the Half turnaround. Popped in earbuds & logged couple more on-pace miles. Course alongside a rural highway. More traffic on a Sunday morning than you’d expect. Music kept me steady.
Weather forecast? Heavy rain by 9am. And... they weren’t wrong. Last 15 miles. Chose to run without a jacket, hands got cold but… count myself SUPER lucky. Summer HEAT vs heavy rain? No brainer.
Mile 23 meltdown. Laid back/stretched on a large rock. Downed a bag of chips. Long break… 5 minutes. Needed to pull together the mental. Followed 2 runners outta the aid station. Followed their run/walk routine. Company. ALSO… easier to navigate trek back to town as a group of eyes (poor course signage, crossing traffic). Scenic last mile along the Penobscot River. Moving well, ready to get it done.
2 Maine finishes in 2 weeks. Hung ’round & cheered on fellow marathoners. Whoop whoop 🙌
Couple weeks ’til my next 26.2. Next up: HOLIDAY WEEK in New England — happy 4th, y’all!
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- Paul Bunyan statue
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- Bunyan in Bangor
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- Maniac Dan
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- inaugural year
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- FAMILY smiles
Great Bangor Marathon — Bangor ME
Super blessed & appreciative yet... feeling it’s the trip that never ends. Truck still loaded with belongings I packed weeks ago in Colorado. Visited my Mom & Bro in Arkansas, Sis in St Louis, family in Connecticut. Pup has come & gone. Started my 2nd ‘double’ Mainly series — Independence & New England. 11 days, 11 states but struggled, mixed results… in/out of walk-in clinics. Missed PA. Shortened 50K day in Mass to marathon distance. More trail, lotta hills, East Coast humidity.
Checked-out of the swankiest of all my Mainly lodgings. 4-minute drive to Day 5 start. Lush tree canopy, overcast skies, high humidity & summer mosquitoes. It’s a plague we don’t suffer in Colorado. Sweet blood, warm body temp — next series will pack repellent. No drama, learning experience. I’d travel to Maine with unicorn-whelps sprouting outta my forehead. Why the face?! LOL>
Lotta laps on single-track trail. Wooden bridge crossing, scenic/aged/spoke New England. Trail congestion dissipated after majority of runners finished 13.1 mile distance, gathered their medal. Second-half far faster than the first, another ‘negative split’ day. Check, done. Ready ready for one last 3-hour commute. Would stay in Wells, on the Maine coast. Lobster roll, early to bed.
Day 6. Last day runner goodbyes (always tinge of sadness) & faster than expected last day finish in Sanford ME. Hung ’round & cheered on my Mainly mates. But honestly, heart was elsewhere…. couldn’t wait to see my best pup Ro. Reunited at last. Summer has BEGUN!
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- New Hampshire
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- The Common Man
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- Maine
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- finished 10 of 11
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- Father’s Day ❤️
New England Series — NH & ME
