Saturday a.m. flight to Baltimore, tomorrow’s marathon a half-hour outside our Nation’s Capitol.  Celebrating George W’s birthday – not that George W [Bush 43], but the original George…George Washington, USA’s first President.

BWI touchdown.  Rental car pick-up.  Skies grey, hour ‘til the clouds rain SNOW.  After two weekends of high humidity & rain, welcoming cooler temps & powder.  Winter marathoning, never know what to expect so you pack for everything.

Marriott check-in just as the snow blew in.  King bed, cable TV, hotel heat cranked to 74° – Olympics on TV, I’m going nowhere.  Women’s Team biathlon, Mixed Doubles curling, Snowboarding & Ice Skating.  My Saturday night dance card completely FULL  ⛄ 🏂

Late race start Sunday – 10am, with same day bib pickup.  Weird time to schedule a marathon.  Do I eat?  Do I wait?  Gonna be out there mid-afternoon.  Do I pack a lite lunch & try to eat during the race?  Positives?  Plenty of sleep.  Post-race shower available at the Community Center.  Return flight doesn’t leave Baltimore ‘til 9pm.  Kinda got all day 🙂

Marathon #109, Maryland x2

10’til 10: everyone left the Community Center, pilgrimmed to the Start.  Layered up, no snow on the roads but plenty on the surrounding landscape.  Probably ‘bout a hundred running, small race organized by the DC Road Runners Club.  Marathon & relay, no Half.  No air horn/last-minute announcements.  Just followed the herd, we were running.  Past two marathons have been double-loop courses – not a fan of loop repeats.  TODAY: turn that attitude around, we’re doing THREE treks down the same path.  LOL>

First 2 miles UP.  Multiple switchbacks thru suburban neighborhoods, one constant: UP – followed by a series of rolling hills.  Winded, stopped at mile marker 4.  Lost the layers, dropped my gloves, striped down to short-sleeves.  Hill repeats have a way of warming the internal clock.  Sluggish, quads tight, warm – & barely begun my journey.  NEW PLAN.  Found my iPhone, turned on some tunes.  Not a day for internal reflections or runner podcasts.  Shuffled what was in my library, settled in & enjoyed the ride.

Hills – mostly rolling, one long grinder UP.  Been spoiled with flat trail or treadmill miles past 5 weeks, outta practice.  Muscle memory, I’ve got this.  Settle into the music, attack the top of each hill, don’t overthink/panic.  One moment at a time.

2:20 first Half.  Considering I stopped at mile 4 & changed clothes, not bad.  Looped past the Dept of Agriculture (all fenced off), again past the gun range (bit discerning to hear bullets each lap), then stopped/refueled…end of my second lap.

Miles 17 thru 20, dropped pace.  Lactic buildup, too many hill repeats…but on track to break 5 hours (haven’t broke 5 hours this year). Walked half of mile 21, did the same at 23.  Lumbered DOWN, legs like lead – rolling horse farms of Maryland beat me up this day.

Mile 24.5/biggest HILL of the day.  Reminiscent of Morgantown 2015 (West Virginia).  Pushed hard the last .2 (two-tenths mile).  Flat FINISH on a bike path surrounded by wintering deciduous trees.  Cut 8 minutes off last week’s time on a hilly course but…those are just excuses.  Missed 5 hours again, 13 seconds off.  Better luck next week (Saturday in Phoenix with Sis ).

Congratulated 4 runners I’d jockeyed back-n-forth the past lap.  No food, no post-race picture, no FREE massage.  Those perks ended 30 minutes ago – life of a 5 hour marathoner.  Overall: small race, good weather, GREAT volunteers.

Marathon in the Land of Mary, I give you a B-.  Be kind & remember the folks out there 5 & 6 hours (course cut-off time).

2018 George Washington Birthday Marathon

Greenbelt, MD    Feb 18, 2018 10:00AM

 

Results

 

Bib 164 K HAGA

Marathon, Solo » Louisville, CO

Finished 05:00:13