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| Elevation Map 1 | Elevation Map 2 | Elevation Map 3 |
I made it into Maine. I don't know why there isn't a highway into it and by that I mean a road that I could drive 50, 55 or 60 MPH as opposed to fast stretches and slow ones. Whatever the case, again in the rain, I got to my destination.
Unloaded, ate, relaxed and actually took a nice bath. That was awesome. Not all the places I stayed at, have one and I know perhaps ice would have been better but I don't care. Took a very hot bath. Nice and relaxed...
I then got on my knees and washed some of my clothes in the bathtub. Some of the stuff I had doubles for (i.e socks, shorts) but for others (i.e Marathon Maniac shirt, the compression pants I wore which did NOT chafe me). I then got creative hanging them and using the hairdryer on the them every so often to dry them.
Went to sleep early and woke up early again for the second part of the weekend. As usual, got there early. That's ok... This race starts at 7:45 and I wanted a close and easy parking spot as well as indoor plumbing. I also had to pickup my packet. Got there and checked in. Indoor plumbing is amazing. Even better is getting there real early and exploring the College. The advantage of that is finding another restroom that not everyone knows about. More on that later...
Back to the car and I see that a maniac is parked right next to me. Hey, it's Melissa and Peter. I met them in West Virginia. Cool. We talk. We get ready. Eventually they decide on indoor plumbing and well, I could always go again. We head into the gym and go downstairs. The line to the mens room now is long. I take Peter to the locker room area, further down the hall, where there are more stalls. No lines too. Awesome.
Eventually we line up. Next to me there are 2 couples. The first is the one I talked to after the New Hampshire race while I was changing out of running clothes. I passed them with my new friend right before mile 26. Near them was the couple who passed me and my friend right before that. Awesome.
We start. This race is much more crowded. This time they have a Marathon, Half Marathon and a relay at the same time. I think the relay part can seriously mess with a runner or help him. On one hand, you can always have a fresh pacer. On the other hand, why is that person running so fast at mile 20 when I don't feel awesome? I personally don't love it. It's awesome that beginners can be here but as I said, it can mess with your head.
Melissa who I know is more like a 5+ hour marathoner passes me. What?!? Turns out she always starts too fast. Her friend also went fast. These guys today are faster than they were in West Virginia.
I move off the beaten path, little pot holey, and into a soft gravelly area. Eventually I start talking to a father/daughter combo. The daughter eventually leaves dad. I run with him. Eventually he leaves me to find her. They are doing the half.
I start talking to a black guy whose name escapes me. He's there with his friend. They are doing the half as well. Turns out he used to live in Jamaica and now lives in NJ. Turns out he knew some of the Renegades. What a small world. Eventually we reach the half way point and he leaves me.
I make friends with a woman running her first marathon. The bibs are 4 different colors. You have the Relays, the halfer, the fullers and those doing their first Marathon. Nice. It was her first. We stay together for a whilw until she stops at a port-a-pottie and tells me to keep going. It will take a while. Oh well.
While we were still together I was examining the road we were on. It was a downhill. This became important as soon as I discovered the mile markers on the other side. Oh oh...Miles 20 - mile 16 or 17 were there. We have a long climb toward the end of the marathon. Not good.
I talk to different people. Things are good. We eventually do turn around this block and we do make the back track up the hill.
I keep switching people I talk to. The 4:40 pacer, "Mark Runner", chats with me a little bit before he leaves me. Turns out he remembers me from Alley Pond (did the BUS race). He's a Marathon Maniac and also knows the Freds. How many more times can I realize that it's a small world?!?
Still talking to different people. Eventually I made friends with a big white guy. His names escapes me too. We stay together. Nice conversation. We come up and pass Main Maniac #1 who remembers me from New Hampshire and also Larry Macon. Someone in their group tells us that there is one last tiny hill ahead of us and that we look great. I don't believe course descriptions so I take that with a huge grain of salt. Good thing too. More hills and more hills.
Most of the course is nice roads. Suddenly we emerge into a more city like environment. Not a good area per se. Eventually back to the lake that we did in the beginning.
I kinda want to beat 4:40. I did 4:37ish in New Hampshire and I really want to do sub 4:40 here. I rev my friend and I up. We go faster. We are about a half mile from the finish. My friend can't go faster. He sends me. I accelerate and pass people right and left all the way to the finish. I end up with 4:40:39. I'll take it.
My friend finishes and we hug it out. From there I grab some delicious pizza. Then Mark and I head to the food table and get a Chocolate Milk and some other goodies and I head to the car. I change clothes, hit the port-a-pottie and leave.
By the way, I did get a coke on the course. Yay...
If you read my New Hampshire report you know that whole crazy thing but in short, I drove to my Brother-in-laws house without stopping except for small pee stops. It wasn't easy but at least there wasn't too much traffic until closer to NJ. It was a good thing we changed our plans as I heard an hour and a half delay on the GWB.
When I got there, I fed. Let's see what "feeding" meant...
The night still didn't end. I then drove my mom with her car and Elizabeth drove our car. We got home and dropped kids off. Elizabeth walked the dog while I started the drive to Levittown. Elizabeth followed with our car. My mom doesn't like to drive at night. Elizabeth drove us back home. I woke up early the next morning and ran 6.5 miles with Jamey. I then drove Jeremy to Stonybrook. Once we got back home, we packed up whoever Jessie, my mom and the dog and drove to Manhattan for lunch at my sisters. No rest and relaxation for the wicked.
