Here's a Map of the course.
Maybe he took a gamble because the race was scheduled for the second day of spring. I don't know. In any case, it is what it is.
What is it actually? It's a race put on by the Savin Rock Triathlon club. It's always been a half-marathon and a 5K. This year they had open registration and your choice of either a half-marathon (1 loop) or a full marathon (2 loops).
About 2 weeks before this race, I got a message from Michael Fred. I met this Marathon Maniac at the Lincoln's International Birthday Marathon. He and his wife were doing it too. Cool. I checked with Ed to see if he was interested but no interest. Anyway, I asked Michael if we could go together. They were coming in from Wantagh and basically had to pass my house. He said no problem and that was that. Cool. I'd rather go with people if you know what I mean. More fun that way.
Michael and Maria picked me up and we drove down. Nice people. He's a (big) chef at a boutique hotel in Manhattan. He also is a recovering alcholic. Apparently he had bad pancreatitis and the doctor told him he was either quitting the drinking or dying. His wife gave him a similar ultimatum with quit or don't come home because I don't want you to die. Cool. Sober for 11 months. Took up running. Sounds a lot like CJR. Anyway, the 2 of them make quite a couple. They have 2 kids around the same age as mine as well. Maria just joined MM with Lincoln's Marathon. Nice.
A few days before the race, Elaine Acosta, also contacted me asking for details about the course. Couldn't tell her anything as I never ran it. Still, she decided to come to the race by herself with Tomato, her new red car. From the messages on Facebook, Ninja is directionally challenged and as she wasn't coming with her boyfriend Tom (Dragon) people were worried. Actually she texted me in the morning freaking out as her GPS suddenly told her it will take her 3+ hours to get there from NJ whereas mapquest said 1 hour. Luckily it fixed itself.
Anyway, we're driving, talking, enjoying the company. I tell them about Elaine when I see a red car in front of us to our right. As Michael overtakes her, I see Elaine and I open the window to scream hello. How cool is that?
Anyway, on we go. Almost there. Get off highway and it's weird because Elaine isn't following us anymore. GPS says we are here while we are in the middle of the suburbs. Oops... Mike didn't put the right address in. Some confusion. No biggie. An extra 5 minutes. We are early anyway so that's cool.
We get there and parking already seems tight. We find a good spot anyway and we go to check-in. From there to the huge lines of the indoor plumbing. Maybe we should have gone outside to the porta-potties but there is something beautiful about indoor plumbing that just calls us. Still, the line is huge even for the men but then I hear 2 women talking that there is another bathroom "over there" and I get Mike and Maria to follow. Cool. Much smaller line. Inside there are 2 stalls and 2 urinals. Problem tho... One stall does NOT have a door. The guy in front of Mike and me says that he went to the Army and doesn't care and takes that. Yuck. I wait till the stall with the door is free. Lots of open spaces tho and I do like my privacy so I position my jacket and shirt so that NOT everyone can look inside. Oi. Still, not happy and now stomach is upset. Should have taken immodium... Didn't. Awesome. Mike apparently didn't care about the stall door either. Cool for him. Not for me.
Anyway, we go look for Maria. She left her phone in the car. We keep calling her name near the ladies room door. Turns out only 1 stall operational (I think). Bottom line is she went to the other restroom. We go back to the car to get ready.
It's cold. It was supposed to be 30's at the start and going up into the 40's with the sun coming out. Doesn't seem that way right now. Winter gear... ;(
We line up for the start. They are running 5-10 minutes late and we are cold. Sucks. Finally start. Very narrow area. Normally I would run on the grass but that is either all snow or all slush. I know it's going to open up but right now it's very narrow.
Finally opens up. I run on/off with Michael. Cool. Make friends with Sarah Davies who is planning on doing TGNY. My stomach is "there". Neither good nor bad - just there. As of right now, very aware of it. Hopefully things will be ok. Still early on tho.
Pretty soon after we start, the snow does too. Big snow flakes. Right there with the headwind into our eyes. Along with all the slush, it's not comfortable to run in.
So, this is a 2 loop course and there are 3 or 4 hills. Unfortunatly some of them are big. The downs, as usual, hurt me more than the ups. The ups just suck. The downs upset my stomach. Ran a little with "the cowboy" but now just with Mike. We approach 10.5 and the water. Windier. Stomach not happy. No choice.
I see a deli but there's no public restroom. Sucks. I go to the Oyster restaurant next and they're cool. TMI moment but I will make it quick. Brown water... That's all I have to say.
I'm out and back on the course. The slush is worse as there's more snow now. I finish the first loop. Not feeling things...
Talking to people. Trying to turn the day around. Someone tells me that my bib is almost completly ripped off. Sheesh. They didn't put the plastic thing on it to protect it. Nice. Considering that's my chip that would have been horrible. I fix it as best I can by making new holes in it. Hopefully it will stay.
I'm all alone now. Not happy. Almost miss a turn but someone makes sure I'm on track. I see someone up ahead. What?!? Seems like Michael isn't having a great day either. We are back together. Cool. I see someone clearing her driveway and ask about a coke. Success! A little stale but it felt good. We move on. Life is alright again.
Mile by mile we progress. Eventually a female runner, Yvonne, catches up to us. We talk and the three of us are together. Nice.
At one point we are running when we see a woman trying to leave her driveway but is stuck because of the snow. Without saying anything or even a glance, Mike and I peel off from Yvonne to help this woman. She's a little startled but then understands what's going on. We get her out. The first car that had to wait because of us, waves to us. The second car opens their window and a little old lady blesses us.
Yvonne is standing there with her mouth down to the ground. She is floored that we both stopped to do this. Who does this anyway? We (apparently) do.
We continue. We trade on and off with this guy. I don't remember his name anymore but we joke about where we are from. On and off...
In a small world moment: Turns out that Yvonne did the Bahamas Marathon (Jealous!!!) and she met JC who is Maria's brother. Cool.
Yvonne isn't liking the signals from her stomach at this point. Mike tells her that there is a porta pottie about 1/2 a mile down the road. I ask how he knows and he said that he stopped to pee in the bushes and about 150 feet later he got to it. He recognized the area. Cool. We get there and I give Yvonne my bag of wipes. I had 2 with me anyway. Told her I didn't want it back. We wait for her and she is very relieved after that. Lots of pressure out.
We continue when suddenly the sun came out. Weird. Not snowing anymore and now there is steam emanating from the black top. Very surreal.
By the way, Larry Macon is on the course too. Superstar.
Anyway, again to the 10.5 mile marker and the woman there has Oreo's. This aid station was manned by cheerleaders. Anyway, Yvonne and I take a few. Awesome. Only 2.5 miles left. The slush is almost completly gone. VERY very strange. Look at some of the pics I posted and you will see the snow conditions we had as I know no one will believe me.
I point out some green parrots to them. There are 2 nests on either side of the road. Cool stuff ala the original Queens half-Marathon.
Almost over. Almost over. Our time will suck but that's ok. Somewhat of a sprint to the finish and I get an even 5:00:00. OK.
Hugs and water and medal and we go inside. The RD's daughther is serving homemade baked ziti. I have 2 servings. Heidi doesn't believe me but I did...
Maria finishes, we take a picture with Elaine and we head out. The Freds decide to take another NYer with us so that's cool. As we head to the car, I see people coming in with crates of soda. Perhaps a cold picnic. I ask for one and am granted a can of liquid gold.
We drive home. The other dude lives in Brooklyn and all he wants is a subway. They drop me off at home after getting off the Throgs Neck Bridge and then tell the guy they will drop him off at home in Brooklyn. Wow!!! Seriously nice people here.
