11 consecutive weeks marathoning, honestly feeling a bit banged up. Sunday’s run in Philadelphia will be marathon #47. Afterwards will get a one week reprieve, feast Thanksgiving with family, then finish out my 50 State calendar in Memphis at St. Jude’s.
Hold on – whole lotta weekend happenin’ before Sunday. Super excited to tour Philly – in particular, hafta/gotta/wanna see the Liberty Bell AND iconic Rocky Balboa statue. HAHA – yep, it’s true. The original Rocky flic is an all-time Top 10, probably watch once a year. Laugh if you will – but LOVE LOVE this film.
Flew out Friday (first snow of the season), hotel taxi’d post-midnight, 5 hours shut-eye – woke to sunshine. Late November in Philly, couldn’t have asked for better weather 🙂
Penn Center ⇨ Philadelphia Stock Exchange ⇨ Philadelphia City Hall ⇨ Declaration House ⇨ Independence Hall ⇨ Liberty Bell
Morning 2 mile jaunt down Market Street was like a walking tour of American Revolutionary history. WOW, WOW, WOW! Caught 20 minutes of two Park Service films…shame I didn’t have more time. Taxi’d to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, snapped a shot with Rocky – walked those iconic steps. No words.
Washington Monument ⇨ Franklin Institute ⇨ Logan Circle ⇨ Cathedral Basilica ⇨ Philadelphia Convention Center
This 2 mile walk-about highlighted the best of Philadelphia – its beautiful monuments, fountains, manicured parks & cityscape.
Bib pick-up at the Convention Center (for next day’s marathon), taxi’d back to my hotel (driver waited while I changed clothes), next stop: Walnut Street Theatre. Talk about a crazy FULL day. My friend Stephen had secured 2 tickets to ‘A Christmas Story’. AWESOME production, PERFECT kick-off to the upcoming holiday season (also appreciated sitting down a couple hours 🙂 ).
Founded in 1809, this National Historic Landmark theater is the nation’s oldest playhouse.
Post-show fine dining & a taxi ride home. FAAANNNTASTIC Philadelphia day!
Running 26.2’s gonna seem like a cake walk tomorrow – so much to see & do, LOVE LOVE this town!
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- first snow of the season
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- Penn Center
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- Philadelphia Stock Exchange
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- Philadelphia City Hall
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- Declaration House
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- Independence Hall
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- Second Bank of the United States
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- symbol of American freedom
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- iconic Rocky Balboa (sporting tomorrow’s Philly Marathon shirt)
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- “the steps” — WOW!
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- Philadelphia Museum of Art
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- Washington Monument Fountain
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- The Franklin Institute
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- Logan Circle
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- Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter & St. Paul
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- Walnut Street Theatre – oldest playhouse in America
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- Liberty Bell, Rocky Balboa…and theatre — jam-packed Philadelphia day!
Rocky theme song: ‘Gonna Fly Now‘
Over my Quest, have been asked: what’s your favourite race? Previously kinda limped thru a response: “every state is different…”
Mesa Falls‘ (Ashton ID) high on my list (scenic Targhee National Forest start); also, rank Grandma’s (Duluth MN) near the top – my first sub-4, foggy cool drizzle along Lake Superior in mid-June, amazing crowd support.
Got a solid answer after today’s run – favourite 50 State Marathon: Crater Lake Marathon in Oregon.
Always strong in the mountains. Felt the morning cold blow, wind blasting over the Lake. Stood strong. Watched the sunrise peek over majestic Crater Lake. Nothing like it, truly spectacular.
Low key 730am start – ok, go. Eased into the first 3 miles, relatively flat, few ups & downs. Was not fooled – knew hills were a comin’. Researched this run in advance (altitude range 5,980 to 7,850 feet); would be my most challenging marathon to date.
Steady 5-mile climb near mile 8 – no relief…slight, medium or steep – but all grades UP as we climbed the top of the Rim.
Found hills to be an age equalizer. On each climb, I’d pass young guns walking the upticks. Every downgrade, they’d fly past my heavy legs. Mile 19, mile 21 – UP again. Tagged two runners (Michigan & Jersey) miles 22 & 23, and soaked in my surroundings – HUGE ponderosa pine & sunshine. Heat kicked in, eyes salt-burned but flying on adrenaline this day.
Have never experienced such a beautiful run – literally ran Start to Finish in a National Park. Whatta journey! Still appreciate my other state experiences – but telling ya, Crater Lake is unmatched, really something special.
Slowed on the cruel 2-mile finish UP but did not stop, did not walk – I stayed strong.
Breathing laboured & heavy, volunteers at mile 26 promised the last 2-tenths were flat…and straight ahead. Crossed with a smile on my face. Planted on a nearby tree stump — no fancy Finish digs, my 36th state finish.
Most challenging, most rewarding run ever. FANNN-FRICKIN-TASTIC day!
2015 Marathon
1 Sergio Morales, 2:53:38; 2 Gary Krugger, 2:53:38; 3 Kyle Hall, 3:07:38; 4 Stephanie Cooke, 3:32:52; 5 Richters Warnick, 3:37:46; 6 Scott Schwasnick, 3:39:59; 7 Mark Albanese, 3:40:44; 8 Jonathan Seiber, 3:43:53; 9 Thomas Hallberg, 3:49:59; 10 Angela Wells, 3:51:44; 11 Micah Harpel, 3:53:38; 12 Jeffrey Schulte, 3:57:34; 13 Stephen Guynn, 3:58:45; 14 Timothy Hamn, 4:00:31; 15 Josh Wood, 4:01:10; 16 Alyssa Bowers, 4:01:24; 17 Beth Henderson, 4:04:58; 18 Geoffrey Rabie, 4:06:01; 19 Paul Andrews 4:07:00; 20 Jessica Armstrong, 4:07:15; 21 Ryan Stansfield, 4:07:49; 22 Jennifer Arrowsmith, 4:07:49; 23 Aaron John, 4:10:43; 24 Darryn Zawitz, 4:17:25; 25 Tobin Turner, 4:17:40; 26 Joe Binevento, 4:19:58; 27 Jonathan Richards, 4:19:40; 28 James Salge, 4:20:17; 29 Adam John, 4:23:07; 30 Louis Pahnke, 4:25:02; 31 K R Haga, 4:25:39; 32 Irwin Hosea, 4:25:49; 33 Gerald King, 4:32:17; 34 Jeni Hous, 4:34:37;
Hiked Mount Hood, trail ran Warm Springs, marathoned Crater Lake Nat’l Park – leaving a HUGE fan of Oregon.
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- Finished 31st overall – WOW! Bring on the hills, STRONG today. Everything’s clicking – mountains & marathoning…perfect combo!
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- “Like No Place Else On Earth”
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- multiple forest fires ablaze, 30 miles away
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- towering Ponderosa pines (mile 22, 23 & 24) – INSPIRED!
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- The Pinnacles (mile 25)
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- warm finish: eyes burned, salt collected ’round my glasses
Continental DIY ‘waffle machine’ breakfast at Klamath Falls’ Super 8 — started Friday B-I-G (ya’ll know, FREE is for me) 🙂 — then travelled north on Highways 97 & 62, today’s ‘bucket list’ destination: Crater Lake Nat’l Park.
Like No Place Else On Earth
Crater Lake has inspired people for thousands of years. No place else on earth combines a deep, pure lake, so blue in color; sheer surrounding cliffs, almost two thousand feet high; two picturesque islands; and a violent volcanic past.
It is a place of immeasurable beauty…
Started at the Visitors Center & tutored myself of everything Crater Lake before veering east on Rim Drive, travelling counter-clockwise ’round the Lake. Best view of this volcanic wonder? Less then 2 miles from the Visitors Center. Seriously.
Parked an hour+ & soaked in the landscape. Ponderosa pine, pristine blue water — trapped snow melt from thousands of years, no water inlet or outlet from the Crater. Natural, untouched by man.
Lunched in Rim Village. Stopped at Watchman Overlook to best view Wizard Island — organically created after Mt Mazama’s eruption 7700 years ago. Today was about taking it all in. Tomorrow I’ll be up-close & personal — marathoning the Rim from Watchman Overlook to the Pinnacles, including a 5 mile grind UP past Llao Rock. Will be my most challenging marathon to date.
Finished the day with a Wet Wubba at Wubba’s BBQ Shack. Early to bed, early to rise — tomorrow, my 36th state run 🙂
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- out of the desert, now surrounded by massive pine
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- check out that horizon – FAAANNNNTASTIC!
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- Wizard Island (foreground), created after the collapse of Mt Mazama
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- tomorrow I’ll run the height of Crater Rim (8,000ft+ elevation)
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- “Like No Place Else On Earth” – no words, stunning
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- trip highlight: pristine blue water & Ponderosa pine – WOW WOW WOW!
‘bucket list’ destination, Crater Lake
