Marathon morning. Slept later than norm – stayed at the event’s host hotel, short walk to Narragansett Pier. Dark red ball burned over the Atlantic, smell of salt, sunrise. Beautiful marathon start.
The Ocean State Marathon has a long history in Narragansett as the site of the ORIGINAL Rhode Island Marathon. It has been our goal to honor this tradition and bring back a GENUINE Rhode Island Marathon. Not only does the race start under the shadow of the iconic Coast Guard house at beautiful Narragansett Town Beach but the course itself boasts sweeping vistas of Narragansett Bay, beautiful windy roads, historic homes and awe-inspiring bridges.
20 degrees warmer than Saturday – not crazy hot, but should finish before the sun cooks. Biggest concern today? Left my meds at last night’s dinner spot. No anti-nausea, no pain pills, nada. Suck it up buttercup – cancer or not, gonna/hafta hit it hard like everyone else. Steady hydration, stay mentally strong. 26.2 miles. I’ve run 70+ of these, one foot in front of the other. Ready ready to go.
Cool morning air, nice flat couple of miles. Oceanside run, miles 5 & 6 – big seasonal waves pouring over the surf, shared road with locals walking their dogs. Pretty sizeable hills at miles 7 & 10. North Kingston [Amtrak] station at marker 14.
[#DNF’d three weeks ago at 15 – yep, that’s still crowding my head. Breathe, move on.]
Stomach cramping, dropped pace. Eyed a 50 State cap ahead – caught the ‘flower lady’ & stayed with this early-start veteran thru mile 21. Run buddy Carolyn often thinks she’s a talker. Nope…’flower lady’ now she was a talker. Turned off my tunes & appreciated her candor.
No emergency vehicles, no aides to flag down, no options, no excuses. Hurled at mile 22. If I wanna stop, gotta find a way to the Finish. Jogged/walked/slogged the course remainder. No bobble-head trophy, no top 10 Finish – yet worthy of a medal & marathon finish #74 🙂
Ocean State Rhode Races
SUN OCTOBER 30 2016
NARRAGANSETT, RI US 02882
79 K R HAGA M Louisville CO 5:15:09
Hotel shower, late check-out, return flight outta Providence – but not before a quick 20 minute trek to Point Judith. Over time, have seen more ornate/unique lighthouses on both US coasts but Point Judith was my first. Will always hold a special place in my heart.
Next weekend: Huntington, West Virginia
-
- smell of salt, ocean sunrise, beautiful Start
-
- marathon #74, second in Rhody
-
- Point Judith strike-a-pose
Started the month with a marathon #DNF. However after 2 late race additions & tomorrow’s 26.2 mile trek in Rhode Island, October’s shaping up to be one of my strongest. On track for a third 200+ mile month.
Friday night flight to New England. Started Saturday admiring fall colour, spent the afternoon beachcombing.
As many times I’ve started my weekends in New Hampshire, you’d think I’d run out of new adventures. Breakfast at a local sugar house? FAAANNNTASTIC idea! (thanks Stephen) pancake of the month or stuffed French toast? cinnamon rolls or donut holes? So many choices. HUGE gift store – every imaginable use of maple sugar. Sasquatch – yep, he’s there too.
Parker’s Maple Barn in rural Mason NH. Add to your must-do list, well-worth the country drive.
Quick hour thru Massachusetts – cut right thru the middle, Worcester to Woonsocket. I-95 to Providence, Highway 4 past URI (state uni), hugged the coast to ‘Poor Man’s Newport’: Narragansett RI. One of my favourite NE haunts – LOVE LOVE this place.
Hotel check-in, marathon bib pick-up. Check, done. Spent remaining daylight walking the Bay.
Coast Guard House to Town Beach, North Beach Pavilion to Pettaquamscutt River (where the Narrows empties into the Atlantic). Cool overcast day. Neither I nor the gulls seemed to mind ‘jacket weather’. Watched a local ocean-cast for bluefish. New England LOVE.
Early to bed, early to rise…but little sleep this nite. TV trapped/Halloween [movie] marathon. Cut it off after Halloween 2…just not the same without Jamie Lee Curtis. PLUS got my own Halloween marathon scheduled in the a.m. 🙂
-
- all roads lead to New Hampshire
-
- YIKES!
-
- pancake or stuffed French toast?
-
- New England sugar houses — highly recommended 🙂
-
- covered country bridge
-
- first bib pick-up, then beach
-
- LOVE LOVE this place!
-
- bluefish ocean-cast
-
- gulls didn’t mind ‘jacket weather’
-
- early to bed, early to rise — marathoning tomorrow a.m.
bluefish ocean-cast (Narragansett RI)
Late Monday a.m. start – didn’t wake ‘til 8 (slowly settling into lazy vacation life). Yogurt, handful of nuts. Day’s first stop: the Pilgrim Monument.
— The Pilgrim Monument was built between 1907 and 1910 to commemorate the first landing of the Mayflower Pilgrims in Provincetown on November 21, 1620.
— The Pilgrim Monument is the tallest all-granite structure in the United States. The granite came from Stonington, Maine, and each stone is the thickness of the wall.
Toured the tired lighthouse museum. Hasn’t really changed over the years but I go every visit – LOVE history, LOVE our American story. Climbed 116 steps to the Monument top & took in its ocean view. Stunning. Best way to start a Monday morning 🙂
Walked Commercial thru P-town’s West End; met up with a local kayaker just past the Causeway. Paddled to the tip of the Cape three years ago. This trip toured Provincetown’s extensive water estuaries. Launched 2 hours before high tide, meandered thru tall field grasses…like something from the African Queen. Water fowl, fish, green crab & [salty, edible] pickle grass. Beached on a sand bar & enjoyed a short swim while waiting for the tide to come in.
One final dinner, one last evening show – then sadly, vacation time came to a close.
Tuesday morning ferry, another beautiful sunshiny day — AND 4 hours playtime before my airport return home. BOSTON! Day choice: Public Garden and a local cemetery. [Honestly] it’s the history that interests me, not crypts & dead bodies. Samuel Adams, John Hancock, Paul Revere – these early revolutionaries & signers of the Declaration fill our school books.
WOW, whatta summer! Visited both coasts of Canada, family vacationed in St. Louis, road-tripped thru Yellowstone, pony-trekked the Tetons…then ended ‘heat’ season, celebrating the big 5-0 on scenic Cape Cod. #noregretlife
-
- 116 steps to the TOP!
-
- sunshine & ocean – who doesn’t love Mondays?
-
- in 1620, Pilgrims first landed here (before Plymouth Rock)
-
- Provincetown Causeway
-
- launched 2 hours before high tide
-
- sand bar beached & enjoyed a swim
-
- European green crab
-
- our Nation’s 1st Chief
