So it came and went faster than I had expected. After a Thursday night intramural dodge ball game, I awoke Friday quite sore but rested. By seven A.M. I was on my way to Baltimore Washington for my 9 A.M. departure. Before I knew it I was through Philadelphia on my way to Manchester-Boston Airport.
The only complication I had coming into this adventure was my inability to land a credit card in my hand (I'll tell you a story if you ask me nicely.) Using my guile I knew my next option UHAUL, why not? I took a taxi to the nearby dealership, quickly filled out the rental agreement, and I was out the door with a 15 passenger van.
After a bit of traveling I made it to the hotel. I dropped my bag and laptop off, and Picked up the directions for the packet pick-up. I picked up my packet then I was off, back to my hotel to rest it up.
I woke up, race day. I rarely get prerace jitters, I think it was more to do with not hurting myself than about finishing this race. So i checked out of the hotel, hopped into the UHAUL and it was off to the race site.
Before making it to the highway I had a stirring realization that I was not equipped for the rain/ cold the way I wanted to be. Therefore I needed to make a stop at the quaint local Walmart.
With no lines, and a swift feet I was soon out the door. Even so I approached the race site with plenty of time to spare. However all the time ticked away and the hoards began moving towards the starting line, then it started.
I knew I started out too fast, but I was so excited that it wasn't really that important to me. I tried my best to keep it at a steady but slow 10 mm or slower. I have this natural tendency to speed when I shouldn't. The beautiful scenery definitely makes it difficult. After maybe 9 miles or later I began to fade, however that was of little concern because I can recover quite quickly, especially with the hills on the course. After mile 19 I could feel that my IT Band on my right leg was becoming quite inflamed, and sensitive. I then decided to play it safe and walk it in to the finish. I finished in 5 hours and 23 minutes. After I walked through the finish line, I took in some treats, stretched a little bit. Then I dashed to the showers in the race shelter near by. Looking at the time on my watch I became concerned about getting to the packet pick-up for the Maine marathon. I rushed off to the van and on to Portland. The directions from I-93 to I-95 are quite simple however my directions were not. I arrived at the hotel in Portland a around 7 P.M, packet pick up closed at 7:30. I decided not to chance it. I picked up some food and a bottle of ibuprofen. Then I went to bed.
I awoke at 4:30 A.M the next morning to a warm shower and clear skies outside. It had been storming all night, so the clear skies were very welcome. The weather was a tad bit breezy and a typical fall temperature. Unsure of the area I parked at the nearest sign of life near the site. I guessed right because I parked in the gymnasium/ security building. I parked and entered the gym to find a short line for the race number and t-shirt.
I opted to take the 6 A.M start as I was unsure of my physical capabilities. I found the start line around 5:45. Amazingly I was quite relieved to be in the company of half of the previous day's field it seemed like. Everyone was laughing and joking and I kept me feeling great. I Stayed with the pack of 50 States/ Maniac runners for the first few miles as I tested my legs and stomach. As I stretched out I started to move out with a few other runners making a faster time. Around the 6 mile mark I decided that I had much more than I was giving the race. I couldn't necessarily run for very long but I was more than capable of running quarter and half miles at 8 or 9 minute mile pace. I had only seen one or two people ahead of me as I moved forward some more. I was moving quite fast with the exception of the hills on the course. Around mile 9 or 10 I began talking with a local who was running his first marathon. To this hour i'm not sure if he cared or heeded my advice but I none the less gave him a few common tips. We talked for a while and I slowed and he continued. Eventually I passed him around mile 14 or 15. I was unsure of how the turn around would operate. I was a wide almost mile loop. Making my way back I encouraged the other walkers, 50 States club and Maniacs out there. As I walked and ran my way back I began to loosen up and take it all in the scenery, the location, and the fact that I was within a spitting distance of a my first double marathon finish. Around mile 17 or so I saw the marathon leader, that moment was glorious because my goal was to have the leader pass me near the mid point. I soon advanced to mile 18 then 19 I was moving at a fairly decent pace. As I passed mile 19 and moved to the bottom of the hill I met up with the leader of the 6 A.M start. He was walking casually at a 14 or 15 mile pace. As with my nature I asked him why he was walking. He mentioned that the race staff had warned him that if he finishes before a 5 hours and 30 minutes he would be disqualified. Knowing that would be my fate was well I decided that I would be best if I did the same. We began walking and it seemed that we were still moving too fast. We moved onto mile 20 then to mile 21 and then between mile 21 and 22 finally the race leader passed. He must have had a 10 to 15 mile lead on the rest of the race. Eventually things became interesting as we progressed onto the turn around for the half marathon. Walking on we made it through to the 26 mile mark, we were still far from the 5 hour and 30 minute cut-off. Eventually reaching the finish chutes, I stopped my race watch at 5 hours and 13 minutes. As we walked off into the crowd the finish line usher began to question why we were doing what we were doing. We explained our scenario, he talked it over quickly with the staff and they let us enter the finish chute. My official chip time reads 5 hours and 17 minutes. In all honesty who knows what time I could have gotten had they let me finish when I wanted too. C'est la vie.
I stretched out a little bit, then I ran off to the van, grabbed a change of clothes and darted off to the showers. I quickly showered and made my way to the van. Cranked it up and departed Portland, Me. Quite unsure of how to leave and which roads to take to cautiously looked for I-95. I was unable to find I-95 but I knew how most large city freeways operated. I instead hopped onto I-295 and looked for a turn off for I-95. I eventually found one and drove south, not sure of how to find US-4 again I stopped off at a service plaza. I found a map that showed the correct route. I hopped into the van and headed south to the exit. I hopped onto US-4 west. My next step was to find I-93 I knew how to do that. I wanted however, to know how to find the U-HAUL dealership. I was unable to do, and was forced to wing it. At this point I was concerned largely about the time I had until my plane boards. I eventually found the correct exit around 3:17 P.M with a 5:00 P.M flight. I fuel up and return the U-HAUL, call the taxi service. Within 8 minutes the taxi arrived. I reached the airport and checked-in the lines were not long and soon I was waiting for my plane with plenty of time to spare. (There are specific detail that I am leaving out of this story that complicate things but I won't waste your time)
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