At Mile 19 Aid Station, the Frederick Steeple Chasers
Happy thanksgiving! I know Canadians had it last month and other countries probably have it on a different date or some don’t have it at all.
This day always slips by me so fast and that I am not quite ready to answer. The question is of course, what are we thankful for this year. It might be different for you.
So much have happened! I have done a few looking back year end entries already such as my blog aniversary not long ago (link if I remember or not too lazy).
Truly, it should be a day to pause and be grateful to our Creator — first of, a reason for being alive. Also it should be a time look at the meaning or purpose for our life. Further, we should be appreciative of life and the bountiful harvest of the year. I do acknowledge our pluralistic society. One can show appreciation toward life in other ways.
While running the JFK the past weekend, it occured to me, I was able to run it and I should not take it for granted. It was so simple. I was able to enjoy my run and that was a blessing.
The purpose of the race was not to see how fast we could do a 50 mile – I think the first place finished it in 5 and half hours. It took me almost twice as long. Time is important, but simply to be able to run it was an honor. I know a friend who ran this 8 times but this time did not finish under the time constraint, still it was an achievement for her to finish it regardless if it is under 13 hours or not.
The reason I was able to run it was a testament of being healthy. I wish I could run even faster, but they were saying how many people out there can run a 50 mile in one go! I did two 50 mile races on a back to back weekend. And I hope to do more this weekend and the next! I’ve reached a level a few years ago I would only dream of. I know I won’t be here at this peak for long.
Yes I am being thankful for good Health. Also during the run and it was such a long run. It brought to mind, like I wish I could get to heaven where everything is well and not more problems and such. Then I quickly came to realize that it is impossible. We can’t rush the divine time table. Like with my race, I know I would eventually get to the end. All I got to do is run my race.
Of course, we should be thankful for being able to breath, and do the things we enjoy. Things we can only do when we are alive!
Also, I had few friends who came out to support me! The first year, they were spectators and this year they ran along side of me. It was such a joy when they could come along and got the full taste of the ultra running experience!
There were a few other people I know on the course. Caroline, Trevor, Billy, Gretchen and so forth.
I was not trying to be mr. popular, but having people recognized me gives that validation, that I exist and I mean something to them. Caroline is a great friend who always reaches out to me and sharing with me her life story! There were a few others from the MMT community who are also very personal and endearing!
Similarly during the race, when I saw a runner in a funk, I told them, I see them and I am running with them through their lows.
I know someone who one said to me “I appreciate you!” and it just made my day. I can’t make a worldwide impact at once, but I if I can make a person cheer up, that will be enough! I told the runner, I see you! I don’t care if the runner then suddenly catch a second wind from my encouragements and then beat me to the finish. I have been in the lows too.
The year was not without troubles. I had setbacks, setbacks in my relationship with others, with my career, with my finance, and with my running. Especially with my running! I DNF’d three times (Devil Dog, MMT, and Iron Mountain). They left a hole in my heart. Oh, I am being dramatic! But it is true, sorrow does leave it marks. I compared myself to others. Why did that person is able to do it and I couldn’t? I can tell myself I will get stronger next time, but what if I can and won’t? Oh big woof, and too bad, some people tell me to get over it. I am thankful for the harsh critics too.
I guess, I have to be thankful for setbacks too. It humbled me. I am not always strong. I couldn’t always win. When I do and when I finish the race, it made it all so satisfying.
Because it means qualitative growth! I sometimes ask myself, have I improved at all? I could speak of running! I am getting slower and slower each year and it is heartbreaking to ask have I improved? JFK50 shown how my experience in my ultra running helps me finish the race. I was lucky to get a PR, but what more satisfying was realizing the experiences I gained from my previous failures.
There will be many more reasons to be thankful of and I will ponder them as I spend time with my family over the holiday. Yes, some will ask, why I am always talking about running even with the thanksgiving! it is because…well let leave it at that.
“Let us run the race set out for us with perserverance”
The quote was much an encouragement in my race, which was especially a very long race that went from sun up to sun down. There were plenty of time for me in solitude pondering on it. When I felt pressed of being too slow, I relaxed, knowing by being faster a bit would not bring me to the finish immediately. Yet at the same time when I started to walk and in my low state, I was reminded to press on to finish the race.
I did not have much a goal of what time I would finish. I ran a 50 mile under 12 hours the week before and secretly hoped i could repeat the feat. The race gave us 13 hours. I knew I could do it.
This time around I learned the history of JFK 50 Mile Ultra marathon Run and why it is called the JFK and how it became America’s oldest ultra marathon.
There are a whole bunch of videos online explaining all this, so I won’t repeat it in details. Also I am not good with dates and names. The race was inspired by John F Kennedy when he wanted to know if his marine officers could hike 50 miles under 20 hours due to a mandate he discovered that was given by another former president (one of the Roosevelts, I think it was Teddy).
Originally it was not a race at all but a military fitness evaluation, but many people around the country took on the challenge and started organizing events to walk 50 miles. Some youths in the town of Boonsboro, MD also took part in the challenge and later led to a formal event. After the president’s assasination, the event became a memorial run and now occurs every November. So, we lined up in the cold this weekend (25F, -4C), subfreezing tempersture, and once again run this to remember JFK and his push for healthier lifestyle for the average citizens.
I also have a piece of personal history though not any where as dramatic as the race history.
I ran this race in 2019 as my first 50 mile (link provided at the end). Why I ran was mentioned in that post. It was the hardest run I did at that time.
Couple of my friends wanted to run it last year, and might have been influenced by me (my friend David crewed me on my first 50). They signed up, but one of the guys got sick just two weeks prior to the event and he had to stay out. I stayed out too because of my busy race schedule, and JFK sandwiched between Stone Mill 50 and the Devil Dog 100, races I did and about to do again. David ended up only one running. We said we will try again this year.
So early this year in the spring, everyone was healthy and three of us said let do this for real. I, was conflicted because I wanted to run Stone Mill 50 and also the Devil Dog 100, which the JFK saddles between the two events. I was not sure if I could handle three hard races, so I did not sign up until Monday, just a few days prior the race. Luckily, they still took reservation (in former years, the race usually sold out).
I thought why not, I felt ready. Doing two back to back 50 milers should not be that hard. I boasted to be able to run a 50 miler any weekend in a few posts earlier, and let see if I could live up to my big talk.
On Thursday night after work, I drove three hours to Hagerstown to pick up my race package. Friday would be too much for me to fight traffic to get there, since I live in the Washington DC metro area and it is impossible to get anywhere fast on a Friday or any day as a matter of fact. I don’t like being rushed. I like to have a calm evening before my race.
Friday evening came while I was still getting ready after work, I received a call from my friend David saying they got in a car accident of a collision with a deer while on the way to the race event location (they were within 30 minutes from the race hotel). I got a sinking feeling, oh-no, not again and probably only me running it this time and we would have to redo it again next year.
They needed someone to pick up their bibs prompto or else they could not run. I was too far away from the race hotel at that time to pick the bibs up for them. Without a bib means no race. Plus, they still needed to have the car towed back home. It was not a good night for them. Couldn’t offered them much help, I said good night.
My two friends made it to the race the next day. They were able to get someone else from their hotel to pick up their race packages for them.
The morning of the race day was cold with temperature started from 27F and got to high 37F. It was pretty much a freezing temperature. It was much colder than the year I ran. 37 high was not exactly warm but the air was crisp. I like taking in the deep breath and let the cold air fill up my lung. It was so invigorating during the run.
I was struggling what to wear the night before at the hotel. I had planned out wearing a long sleeved of thermo underlayer shirt, a tee shirt from a previous marathon over it, a pair of shorts, a long pants on the outside, and another long sleeved shirt on top. Plus I would put on a hoodie, head buff, neck buff, and a pair of wool gloves. No rain was forecasted but I had a lightweight rain jacket along to double as a wind breaker. Note, it was almost exactly what I wore the last time (but that was 10-15 degrees warmer).
In the morning, I made last minute changed on the specific shirts and shorts because I did not like the material of the set I had, but the plan to dress in layers remained.
At the start line, I had to ditch my long pants because I felt it would be too hot. The shorts though made my legs cold. Later in the race, this was a correct call. It was perfect when the temp got to 35 F, just wee bit above freezing. There were a few others running in shorts. We were the minority.
I had to ditch my outer layer hoodie too about half mile in. I left behind my wind breaker. I was feeling over-heated. So I ran with a thermo under layer, a t-shirt on top and a pair of shorts.
During the run, when there was no wind, I felt a bit hot, but when the wind blew, I was cold. I was alternating between hot and cold. However, I felt choosing the thermo shirt was the right choice. It was super thin and light and comfortable and it was warm. It also moved over my skins so I did not feel sticky. I liked it to be a bit hot and the thermo did that. How do people come up with this kind of clothing? I am impressed. I wore this for hiking before but not for running, so this was the first time.
The race: Three of us started together. It was soon obvious we were not running at the same pace. My friend Dave stayed back with Robert. And by two miles when we arrived at the Appalachian Trail, I separated from them because I could run better on the trail. David and Robert had their stories to tell, I leave it as that since those are their stories. Basically, they struggled this year, (note that David could run faster than me, and David finished around in 10:45 last year, and hour ahead of my fastest time at the time).
Experience is a valuable tool. The first time I ran this I was inexperienced. I was well-prepared to run it but I was not experienced like today. This time around with three years more of trail running and ultra racing, it was completely different. I was more confident and relaxed. I was settled. Nothing would rattle me.
This year, I learned to endure patiently and not to push too hard in any part of the race. I let people pass me. I walked when the person in front of me walk. If the person became too clumsy on the trail then I would pass. There were a couple runners that scared me by how they moved on the trail. I had to pass them. I tried to kept my heart rate down. Run smart not hard. In a previous year, I felt the need to keep up with the person in front, and that was a stupid thing to do. This year, I let everything go.
I got off the trail after about 13 miles, 15.5 miles from the start, and three hours later, total time was 3.5 hours, arriving at Weverton by 10:05 am. It was not fast nor slow. I ran this portion half an hour faster last time. Why I mentioned? I ran this section in 2.5 hours the previous year. I was half hour slower this time around.
I stumpled couple times but did not fall (I was not wearing trail shoes). Once I reached the canal, I expected the faster runners from the rear to catch up. A few did but just a few, unlike the previous year when I felt the whole field passed me by. There were much fewer runners catching up to me this time. The people I ran with on the trail stayed with me till the finish. We were not by my side, but I recognized them whenever I passed or they passed me (we leapfrogged a lot). Runners moved up and down all the time but I could recognize a few of them.
None of them kept at my pace and I did not keep them either, so there was no chance for me to strike up a conversation. I ran the canal portion in 5.5 hours for 26 miles. Not bad at all. This was half an hour faster than last time. Based on this, it should be a wash (tie). But I actually got off the canal about 45 minutes earlier than last time. The math confused me.
I was not hurried. I told myself, I don’t need to chase anyone and I don’t need to fight for a position placement. This was totally different from the first year I ran this. If someone passes me, let it be so. I run my own race. I kept watch on my body. When I felt I became too focused (stressed) I would ease up. A couple times I took a walk. Whenever I walked, I told myself, don’t stay at the pace for too long. I think I kept my walking breaks brief to only 2 minutes each time.
Soon I reached the end of the Canal portion. The time was around 3:45. I do want a 5 pm finish now. We had about 8 miles left. I knew I had to be slow and steady. 8 miles could be as long as two hours. Unlike a previous year, I could still run. My feet were heavy but running was still possible. I ran with the same group of people I started with earlier in the day. No one was passing and I was passing no one. They were not letting up on the road portion, so I was not letting up either. It was funny that I was expecting someone to bonk so I could pass them, but everyone was holding up well. They were well trained. This time around, I did not see anyone bonking hard, like I did at Stone Mill.
With only a few miles left, we got to the finish line. Some sprinted in. I held my pace steady. I finished the race in 10:45:00 at 5:15 pm before it got completely dark. I was happy to finish in the “day time”. It was just a little over 5 pm but I was happy for set a personal best. At Stone Mill last weekend, I broke my own record by finishing a 50 miler in 11:16, and this week I broke it once again and got the record down to 10:45.
My two other friends were having much difficulty with their runs but they finished. One finished in 12 hours. The other finished 20 minutes later. We all decided that this is our last time, well who knows. I had fun. They were proud of their accomplishments too. The struggle was real for them. I was happy to able to have two more friends to be able to see and experience a 50 miler run. If I have time, I would go much into what this means. I was happy though my two friends were able to share in the struggle of ultra running and they completely it.
There were a few friends I saw on the course. Blaine, and Caroline were running this. Billy, Mike, and Gretchen were out there supporting. I like to mention them because they made my race special. I also met a runner Trevor, who ran Stone Mill the week before. He stopped and said, hey you ran Stone Mill too last weekend. It was a bond we share.
Running ultras is like life. I know I have a destination to get to. Sometimes being rushed doesn’t get us there sooner. Only way is to keep a steady pace.
Link is here to my 2019 race report. I reread it and found it interesting. I met up with Marnie at C&O 100 in April this year, and we were arguing who was pacing who at the JFK in 2019. She was correct to say she paced me. After reading the report, I had to agree. At the end, we happily concluded that we were pacing one another.
Stone Mill 50 mile race brings a close to my fall training season. It has been fun and a lot of grinding the past 10 weeks to get here. I know there are still four more weeks of fall, but weather is getter too cold for me to see that as fall. The fun of fall running is over after this race.
Recap, after my attempted of the Iron Monutain 50 mile run on Labor Day weekend, I had a bunch of training runs and couple races to prepare me for the Stone Mill 50. Readers have been bearing with me from one training run after another. This year, I avoided the dreaded slump of doing too much.
Stone Mill 50 was not a hard race in itself, due to it being held in the city (meaning lack of real technical trails and also closer to home) and a generous cut off time given (14-15 hours, 15 for those who started at 5:00 AM). I think it is doable and accessible to many first time ultra runners.
This race attracts both the seasoned and new runners. For a repeated runner like me, this race was like a reunion. I started to recognize faces of runners from other races such as my friend Ram was there, also, Coach Phil who hosted the Stone Mill training runs recognized me, and Dan who refilled up my water pack. I met a couple runners on the course who have done this 4-5 times. One person, this was his 13th time.
Iron Mountain, the race I did before this one, on the otherhand was much harder. As I wrote previously, I did not officially finished that race because I came in after 12 hours. That race challenged me to run Stone Mill 50 under 12 hours. 12 hour became a new bar for me to reach. You would think if I could run a marathon in 5 hours, doing in 12 hours should be easy for a 50 mile run. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work like that. Doubling the distance doesn’t mean doubling the time. Previous years, my times at Stone Mill were all over 12 hours. I really did not know how doable for me to aim for it.
This year was my third time running. Here is a Report from 2021. It’s gotten easier, I admit. And third time the charm as they say. Fast-forward, I did get it under 12 hours, finished it at 11:16:48. It was a PR (personal record or personal best), beating my previous fastest 50 mile run by 15 minutes set at JFK50.
This race is significant to me because the first year I ran this my grandmother passed away. Whenever I run this again, I remember her.
In a marathon, especially in our area, often there are runners who run their race for a fallen soldier. It could be quite sober moment when I come across them. During Stone Mill, I passed one runner who had a photo of a soldier on the back of his hydration pack. It dawned on me, I was also running for someone.
This year, I was excited to do again. Amazingly, two of my friends from my running club decided to join me. This always get me so excited.
The first year (SM2020) when I ran Stone Mill, the race was like a Mt Everlast for me. It was tough. I have not done a 50 mile on the trail before then. I still don’t remember how I got through.
Contrasting the first year, this year was much easier. A series of training run I did helped and so too were my prior years’ experiences. The number one thing was I did not get lost. My two other friends did like I did on my first year. They said the flagging was bad. I believe they were not used to the flagging system. Many Other races I did, the course usually flagged with streamers hanging from trees. The turns on this course were indicated by small rectagular flags on the ground. Two or more flags placed together means to turn. If they are on the left side of the trail it means to turn left and if they are placed on the right, to the right. However, flags could be easily missed if they are bended (or trampled) down or covered by leaves. I think that was a reason people got lost. I was used to seeing ribbons too but now I learned about flags, I began to like it too. I believe they are more predictable and you could run with your eyes down on the ground instead of constantly scanning the trees.
Another factor standing out was I was quick in my passing through at the aid stations. Drawing from my MMT experience (a race I did not finish), I learned to be as quick at the aid stations as possible. This stems from a change of philosophy that I have to keep moving. I skipped some aid stations when I didn’t need to stop. My longest stop was at near the midway at mile 24, I stopped there for 7 minutes to change socks and shirt. It was a bit too long I know, but I was almost a magnitude faster than last year. I might have used about 3 minutes at the food table and 4 minutes for changing my shirt and socks. Wet socks were hard to remove. The overall result was still a quick in-and-out, much quicker than previous years.
Now about the race, we arrived early at the race site at around 5 am, an hour before the race start. My friend David had just gotten back from his vacation in India a couple days before and so probably was suffering from a bit of jetlag. He almost couldn’t make it due to some complication with his travel. My other friend Alex hasn’t run for over a whole month and likely has not done any long training runs. Alex has done a 100K before, so this 50 mile distance was not much to fear. But I was worried for these two being out there and doing a 50 miler with me, having very little preparation, especially toward the end, as the time approaching cutoff.
About 200 runners starting and 150 volunteers supporting us. We were waiting for the go signal
The first few miles were uneventful. The sun was about to rise when we started at 6 am. I was surprised how early the sunrise was. I had expected that we would be running an hour in the dark but it was like 10-15 minutes after the start it got lighted. I had just entered the woods. We held a steady pace. We had 14 hours to finish (by 8 pm). The first mile was on the road. We ran down Watkins Mill Road to the Seneca Creek Trail. By 6:30, the sun was completely up. We had a beautiful sunrise. The temperature was unusually warm. I think the temp in the morning was around 60 degrees (15 C). And it would continue to climb to 70s. I like it hot but many other runners prefer it to be a bit cooler. For me it was perfect. I got a feeling I would do well on this run.
The trail was a bit muddy since much weakened Tropical storm Nicole that caused major devastation in Florida passed through our area just the day before.
My two friends were trying to keep their shoes clean and dry and they tried to go around mud puddles and such. For me, I ran through them. Mud is part of ultra runner life. I expected to have a lot of it. Fortunately, only a brief portion of the trail was muddy. Most of the trail in the later portion was on a ridge, so the trail drains well.
I stayed with my friends for the first 9 miles or so. We all skipped the first Aid Station at Rt 355 (mile 4), but they stopped at the second one at mile 9. I did not stop but went on ahead. They were quick though, by the time I left the third Station (mile 11), they had caught back up. I only grabbed a cup of soda at the third aid station, so I was out less than a minute. After that, I did not see them again until at the finish. I was hoping they could catch back up by the time I reached mile 24, but I was probably going too fast for them. Normally, they would be much stronger runners than me.
My goal always had been to get to mile 24 in 5 hours. This year I arrived at 5:03 elapsed time (11:03 am in real time). Compare to two other years, I was here around 11:45 am. So I was already 40 mins ahead the game. In a previous year, I stayed between 20 to 30 minutes at this aid station. This time I only stayed for about 7 minutes.
As I arrived, a volunteer found my dropbag where I have clean clothes and other things I want, such as an energy drink. I then instead of changing out stuff, took care of my fluid needs first. I might have grabbed some sodas and fruits and various of sweets and crackers on the aid table, just stuffing myself. Another volunteer was so kind to take my hydration bag and refilling the water for me while I ate. I also grabbed a cup of chicken broth. The salty soup was refreshing.
The ordering how I did is something I learned from MMT. Basically Water, food, then your feet, and everything else. It is the order of importance. At MMT, I did this in reverse, and so ended up did not drink or eat enough before leaving the stations and later low energy derailed my race. Stone Mill is a much smaller scale than MMT, and I know I could skip food if needed, but I still tried to perfect it, by taking care of my body. Water is the most important. I don’t need to drink it at the aid station, but I need to make sure my bag is full.
Lastly, I then went to change. I couldn’t let my body cool down too much. In my mind, I still have a marathon distance to run (26 mile), I couldn’t afford bonking now so I got to get moving as fast as I could. A volunteer I knew called out “Antin, you have stayed too long, get back out there!” I left the station in full agreement, first by walking and then started to do a slow jog, then slowly got back into my pace in a mile or so. The key to ultra running is don’t stop (this is my current philosophy). The moment you stop, you don’t want to start back up again.
In a previous year, this section was when I passed a lot of people because most people usually have hard time getting over the 26 mile hump because we usually trained to run a marathon and many runners, this is there first 50 mile run. They don’t have the ability to push much beyond their low moments yet at this point in time.
This section to me was always the most boring section. We were on the C&O canal towpath. The view is nice but because everything is far away, you don’t like you are moving at all. It was 4.5 miles to the next station. This year I did great by focusing and kept a good pace through the canal portion. I had help.
I ran with a runner (I think Jamie) and I recognized her from a few of previous races – such as at the MMT. She is a beast at ultras. She has done MMT like 4-5 times. And Stone Mill mutiple times. Same too for the Devil Dog. Plus she did Grindstone. She has seen it all. All these are races in my area and they are tough races. I wrote about these all the time. She is definitely my hero.
With Jamie pacing me, I got to Stone Mill Aid Station without a problem (mile 28). She didn’t mean to pace me, but we were going at the same pace. It helped to pass away the boredom. The next Station Rt 28 was about 6.5 mile away. This was my toughest section this year. In the previous year, this was the section I became alive and passed a lot of people because I had someone who held me to a good pace. Not this time. I was bonking and people were passing me instead.
I felt bloated from the food and drinks I had at mile 24. Those were not digested yet. In this section I could not find my pace. I had to walk a lot. My time was slipping. Runners from the rear were catching up. Then Jamie caught up again to me about two miles out, but I latched onto her, she and another runner got me back on pace. I also had to do a restroom break behind a tree and that relieved the pressure/bloatedness I was feeling. After that I was able to run again.
Jamie paused at the RT 28. There were a lot people hovering at the RT 28 station, so I decided to skip it. It was a good chance to get ahead of them. I grabbed a piece of bread as I came through and headed out and I did not lose any time stopping. I was able to catch back up to people who passed me earlier. I remembered what Jamie said, that she normally finished Stone Mill in 11:30:00. It kind of giving me an idea of what my finishing time would be. I was definitely wanted to finish under 12 hours.
sunrise over the lake (and my finger)
We were on the Seneca Ridge Trail now, a part I was familiar with and liked it a lot. I was able to catch up with a few more runners. These (strong) runners were bonking here. They were big guys with long legs. They were walking and doing everything in slow motion. It was a common sight. It was a good opportunity to pass them. I swallowed some gummies and pressed ahead. Everyone was kind enough to let me pass. I said I tried to get it under 5 o clock and they cheered and encouraged me to go for it. I got to the next station where I refilled my water bag one last time. I might have used a minute or two off the clock. We had only 13 miles left to the end (in reality I think it was more like 15 miles). I wanted to be optimistic. I made good time to the next aid at Riffleford (9 miles left to the end. My goal was to pass Riffleford as quickly as possible since I already made a stop earlier.
I was quick with my stop at the station here too. My goal was to reach here by 3:00 pm, but I arrived at Riffleford at 3:15. My goal now was to finish the race by 5:00 pm. With 8.5 miles left I believed it was possible. They offerred me broth, but it seemed they had to heat it first, so I did not stay for it. I chugged some cups of soda and off I went along with a few runners. Here I met a fast runner. He beated me up the hill I wouldn’t see him again (he was like spiderman, with a few strides he disappeared up the hill). I was able to catch other four or five other runners on the hill, until I got to Meg, who was leading the pack. She was too fast for me to overtake. I asked if she allowed me to follow her. She did not mind. It was her first time doing Stone Mill. I tacked onto her leaving the rest of the group as we ran up another hill.
No others were in front of us. We had 8 remaining miles. This was long 8 miles. We were able to catch up to one more runner. In my mind it was like only 2 miles to Rt 355, however, Meg and I ran maybe another 4 miles before we got there. My goal was to get to Rt 355 by 4 pm so that I could have a good shot at finish by 5. 4 pm went by and were still not there yet. 4:15 passed. If I had any chance left, it would be now. We were still maybe half mile from the station.
I don’t know when we arrived at Rt 355, maybe around 4:20-4:25 pm. Meg did not stop at the station and I praised her for that but I was pretty much drained. I stopped at the station and said goodbye to Meg. She seemed too strong and likely could finish by 5 pm. After maybe a minute or so breather at Rt 355, I left knowing only 4 more miles to finish the race. I knew I could finish and I had to finish before darkness because my headlamp was not bright enough and I don’t want to be on the trail in the dark (I forgot to check the batteries before the race and so they were about to die and at the time I did not know if I had any spares — I only know I did have spares later on after the race).
Maybe about a mile later, I caught back up to Meg. She was walking. The two guys who left the station with her were nowhere in sight. So I was happy to pace with her again, hoping we might have a shot to catch up to them again. I assumed we might catch other runners when we reached the road. I could possibly pass her now and could finish with an earlier time (though 5 pm finish was no longer a realistic goal) but I like to remain with Meg. Meg’s goal was to finish by 5:30 pm. We had about an hour so I settled on 5:30 as well. I said to her we have only 3 miles left. We could run a 5K in normal condition under 30 minutes. So I told her, we don’t have to fast, we just have to keep going. She listened and responded. By 30 minutes later, (5 pm) we reached the wooden bridge where I knew we would be at the road junction soon, from there it was just a final hill climb up to Watkins Mill Rd. We got on the road by 5:06 pm. Meg was definitely tired. She was breathing heavily and walking from time to time even though the road portion was supposed to be easier.
To me, we had to finish strong. Here I believed I could run all the way to the finish. I told her, it was just a mile left. For trail runners, running on the road is not fun. We just had to endure it for 10 minutes max, and we would be back at school (our starting/finish location). I walked with her whenever she paused to walk but I said if she sees the school, we got to run to the finish. What thrilling to me was whenever I spoke, Meg was able to draw strength and she was pressing harder. I felt I was fulfilling my job as a pacer. It couldn’t be more than quarter mile away. We did it. She ran up the hill. We finished at 5:16, way ahead of our 5:30 goal!
It was a good finish. For me my goal was complete it under 12 hours. I was way ahead of that, coming in at 11:16. I still had what it takes to run fast. It gave me a boost of morale to attempt the Iron Mountain again next Labor Day where I will have to do that under 12 hours.
Runners coming in straining toward the finishing mat
My other friends finished too. One came 12:45 and the other about twenty minutes later. I was happy none were cut. I was happy for them. It was a tough run and they did it. They almost got me worry when we were near 13 hours.
conclusion. I stayed till almost to the last runner. They say the sweeper is coming. There was a woman waiting for her husband. We watched him on the map on the phone and saw him going down the wrong road. He did realize and backtracked and made it to the finish. Unfortunately, the official time already expired so his time was not counted. He was happy nonetheless. I was happy to celebrate his finish. It made my day. I found out later, he was one of the people I talked to earlier on the course, Jared. It was so cool to make the connection.
Things are kind of out of order. This post comes before my Stone Mill report. I tried to keep my November schedule simple but things are getting complicated. Not due to any outside factors but completely this is my own doing.
You see, I got a couple secret agendas going on.
Yes these are all about races if anyone chooses to guess. I don’t know why I do this to myself.
Initially I have only one race. Stone Mill 50, that was set in stone (pun intended), back in March or something. Nothing would change that. My fall schedule has been quite empty except for training runs.
Then you know I started to get trigger happy. I signed up for MMT on Halloween. That was no secret I wanted to redo that race.
Then, I also have Richmond Marathon that was supposed to take place on the same day of Stone Mill 50. I got a problem. I couldn’t be in two places at the same time. I knew this when I signed up for Stone Mill. I decided to ditch the Richmond Marathon for Stone Mill back then.
But the wheel in my head started turning. What if I run Richmond as a virtual race. I will still do 26.2 miles but I will do it on another day. I had it set to be the first Saturday of November. I would go down to Richmond to run it on the actual course. It would be fun. That was suppose to be a secret and after the run I will break the news.
Because I am writing this, so it did not happen. I signed up at last minute to run The Bobcat 11 mile run at the Catoctin Park (I don’t remember the actual name, might have been Cunningham Falls State Park or something). It was on the trail I did the Catoctin 50k, one of the hardest 50K I’ve ever done. As readers know, I love hard races. So I signed up. I said I will take care of the Richmond Marathon in another day (the following day was the plan). Bobcat was as amazing as it could be. It was probably the hardest 11 miles I ever did. I really wanted to write a race report for this, but life happened. Sunday came around and I was dead tired. There’s no time now.
Anyway, I still got the Richmond problem. Only weekends left are this coming weekend and the following, Thanksgiving. I don’t want to go away on Thanksgiving, you know because everything will be closed.
But guess what! I signed up for another race for this coming weekend. It is also a long story. I signed up after finishing Stone Mill. By the way, Stone Mill race report is coming out soon. I just can’t wait to post this big secret of mine. I will be running the JFK 50 miler this weekend! And I just signed up possibly to avoid going to Richmond.
So I am in between a rock and a hard place. I think I can do the JFK. I am healthy. I will finish. I am 90% confident I will be able to pull it off. Yes, I still have the Richmond problem. For now, I kick it down for couple more weeks.
I am both excited and it will be a challenge to run two 50 mile races on a back to back weekend. This race will be epic! I just don’t have the time to lay out why so. Just take my words for it. This is my first time to do an impulse race sign up. No no, my second time. I signed up last year Stone Mill at the last minute and this year I am doing it to JFK. I have gone out of mind. I need help!
Did I foresee this? Yes, totally, back in Spring, but I just did not have the gut to put them on my race schedule.
I was just thinking while showering, why I run 100 miles.
This has been explored before. I can’t think of the post and too lazy to search, but I am sure I talked/wrote about this probably in one of my race reports, e.g. SM-2021. Intetestingly, here now on the eve of another Stone Mill Run, I reflect on why I’m doing this.
I reread all my 100 mi race reports, and I didn’t mention it. Maybe it was assumed I know why I wanted to run long races before even signing up those big races. So here is it why I want to do them, kind of a summary.
For the challenge. I like running long races because they are hard. Maybe I feel happy when I overcome them.
Marathons no longer give me the same challenge like a 100 mile race does because with the time given in a marathon usually ranges from 6.5 hours to 7 hours, I can finish it without any worries. I run a marathon between 4.5-5 hours. Only on a very bad day do I need 5.5 hours. The chance of where I don’t finish is pretty small. So far, my record is perfect.
I moved onto 50K and I ran 50 milers hoping they would be harder. They are a bit harder but 99% of the time, I would finish those just like I would for marathons.
50K, I can run a 50K between 6-8 hours. My average is usually 7 hours. My most recent one on a moderately hard trail took me 8:45 hours and I finished just within the 9 hr cutoff, and that was an exception. I think most races give about 7-8 hours.
Fifty mile runs are much harder. I have done about 5-6 of these, I am confident I could finish any of them. Not as much of a leeway as a marathon, but I have not had any 50 miler killing me unless it was the very first one. Running the distance is not a problem for me. I finish them usually between 12-13 hours. I did not finish a recent one (Iron Mountain) because the time limit was only 12 hours, but I was very close in getting it. I was 20 minutes late. Most 50 milers I did, gave about 13 hours. I think that is the norm. As you see, I am pushing against the cutoff but usually I could do it.
I conclude that I could do a marathon or any distances up to 50 miles at any time. I could do them week after week without feeling too exhausting.
I generally don’t run two races within a given weekend, but I did it before, a marathon on Saturday and another on Sunday.
That is the reason, I want to attempt even longer distance, something that I can feel fear when I go into it. I mean I still get jittery when I do a marathon, but now about those 100 mile races, they are what I find challenging.
A 100 mile run gives the feel of desperation because the likelihood of failure increases many times over. It is weird to say this, but I want to feel afraid of a race. If you ask me about MMT, yes that race scares the living shadow out of me. I wasn’t afraid at the time, but now if you ask me if I am ready to do it again, I would have to pause, and say, let me think about that. Because the chance of not finishing is real.
There is the dread going into a race knowing likely you won’t make it out in time.
To-date, I only completed 2 one-hundred-mile races out of 5 attempts (GSER 1 &2, RockyRaccoon, RimtoRiver, MMT). That’s a 40% chance. Not a good odd compares to my other shorter distance races. Of those two times I did finish, I swore I wouldn’t try again. I guess I am addicted to the pain, so I have signed up again and again. I think I mentioned the trick I did was to sign up for the next one before running the current one. It is really another level harder.
No matter how confident I went in, in the middle of the race, there is a real temptation to tap out when you are offered a quick way to end it. I tapped out in the MMT and the Devil Dog. This is not the case for a marathon.
The longer format also has a different feel besides fear. It feels almost magical and even mystical. Yes there is the desperation too but when you see the sunrise and later the sunset and you are not even halfway through, I feel a sense of largeness / and being in an epic adventure. There is an other worldly feeling. It is an awesome feeling. I’m sure probably from the runner high or something, but there is the mystery of running through the night and darkeness. Maybe it is a feeling of loneliness and abandonment when the rest of the world is asleep. In the end, might be a bunch of emotions mixing up due to fatigue as well as sense of accomplishment as I get near to the finish. A 100 mile let you experience all the emotions over a long period. It is certainly an unforgetable feeling to see both the sunset and the sunrise during the whole 24 hrs.
Is there anything else? There are other things like having the bragging right of been there done that. Until I see the horizon, it was hard to say I am an ultra runner. I think I mentioned in some other post, about feeling belonging to a special group of people who did what I did. I did not get the same feel when I did a 50 mile as when I did a 100 miler. I have not done a 200 mile, so I don’t know how that feels. I can imagine how special that is. On one hand, there is nothing to brag about, but on another, it is a significant distance.
Along with being proud about it, there is also a sense of friendship (community) shared between those who did the race or finished that distance. There is a wide range of difficulty in 100 mile races, but still it is like in the community, we know what it takes to finish one. In a sense, it can be said the same about those who did a marathon or even a 5K. It makes me realize there are people (like my mom) who dream if they could finish a 5k.
There are probably other reasons like I just like being alone out there. I like to escape from my daily life and worries. I like to travel. I like to combine both things I like (hiking/camping with running). These are reasons I rarely think about but they are true of why I love the longer format so much. All the reasons are the same as given im a previous post on why I run – day502.
It is also a privilege. I met other marathoners, like Sanjay from my recent marathon, when I asked if he is aiming for a 50 states quest. He said he is old and not like me. We joked a bit of him never too old. It is what I fear too that age is creeping up on me. It is a prvilege my body can still allow me to do things that I might not be able to do some day not too distance away.
I haven’t even mentioned about the financial aspect. I could only do the things I do, because I have money side taken care of. Indeed, it is a priviledge. Plus time and opportunity. I think I mentioned somewhere, that I am glad to not being tied down by a family. Not that those having family can’t run, but it does make my training schedule a bit easier. All these factors remind me to always to be thankful, when I get to stand at the starting line of a race and even more thankful when I reach the end of it.
What are we suppose to learn from it? I was asking myself, how can I do better? This year, I failed three different races, a 100K (devil dog), a 100 mile (MMT), and a 50 mile (Iron Mountain), which was my first time of not being able to finish a race. They have been analyzed in many posts. I write race reports.
Yes, the races were hard to me. I was not adaquately trained. If I were a little stronger, etc. They were somehow beyond me. But have I considered what can I do differently next time to get them done? I wrote out a template in each of those reports, how I can tackle them next time. I even reassured myself, that I failed because I chose hard races that were designed to hit my limit.
As far as (life) lessons I can draw from a race, this is a tough question. I don’t really have an answer. I want to run and forget about them. Maybe one day when I can no longer run, I then can sit down and think about it more. The answer has to do with bigger question of why I am doing this and what it means to finish or not finish. I am grasping straws here.
I want to run even farther than a 100 mile. I know there are way longer distances out there. Some say, I haven’t really know what ultra distance is unless I try those longer ones. I have heard they are a world apart from the 100. I so far haven’t had the gut to step into a 200 mile world. I think once I did that, I would be fully initiated. Truth is I don’t know when I will be ready (initially I thought by next year, I should be ready). Many people are content to just stay at the 100 distance. Not sure if the 200 mile races are for me.
There are longer distances than 200. I want to run across Tennessee in real life (I have done it virtually for three years in a row). I think once you step into a distance measures in weeks, it becomes something else. Las’ races like HOTs and LAVS are something I dream of doing.
I also want to run/hike across the country. I wrote about this couple times this year. Initially it was my secret new year resolution (D479: self-talk), but now I believe I have to bring it a step closer to reality by having it in the open. Ultimately, I hope some day, I get to try running around the world (there are hundreds (maybe even thousands) others who attempted or finished). Just saying, I won’t be the first. I know the chance for me to do so is low, maybe very low, but still it is a dream if one day I can. It’s A bucket list thing — need to get luck (opportunity), ability, time and money together.
For those who don’t follow my blog, yes, I am couple months away from finish a virtual version of running around the world, called the CRAW (it deserves a separate post). I know it is not the same but it is like maybe 1 percent of the real thing, and is many times easier because there is no logistics to handle, but it really expanded my horizon to sense the vastness of the distance. It allows me to see the distance in a more concrete term, to know, whether it can be realistically done. I think if in real life, it would take about 10 years to walk/run around the world (it took us 3 years with 10 people each doing a portion). It feeds my dream to do the real thing.
The reason for running such long runs (multi day runs), no longer because of the physical challenge but for being a wanderlust. I feel the reason I would do something like that is to explore places and to go to places. Yes, running probably is least efficient way to accomplish it. The reason I would still choose running is to be out there as long as possible.
Of course, I run long races, because I enjoy doing them. Even if I fail to finish, I found them to be exhilarating.
PS. I just looked at a race Heart Land 100. They offer a 125 mi option and I am tempted to sign up for next year or one after. It is the wanderlust in me.
Halloween can mean a lot of things to different people. Candies yes, lot of them. Staying up, yes. Partying yes. For me, I’m boring, and didn’t do any of that. Instead…yes, it was about racing!
For me one of the most exciting and anticipating things this year and by somewhat an accident too, was signing up for a race on Halloween. No I mean “the race”, the one and only I have been talking about day and night, the MMT.
MMT registration opened on October 30 at 8pm! I wasn’t sure if it would be opened at midnight or in the middle of the day, but by October 31, when I so happened to check, 100 people already signed up.
At first, I said I was not going to sign up, not going to sign up. I didn’t know it was open but something in me kind of prompted me. You know that 6th sense of warning or weird feeling. So I checked the website. Note, I usually don’t keep checking a race website.
MMT scarred me. So there was no reason for me to anticipating it. I received enough of a beating from it this year. My schedule is already full when I finalized it a couple weeks ago. Well it’s kinda of full. Well maybe I could squeeze it in. But I had the other hundred mile lined up for next March. I promised myself only to do one big race a season. OBX one is pretty big. It is on road so it is a bit easier and there are no mountains to climb. So maybe it is time to do step it up and do two one hundred mile in a season! And I was thinking about running the C&O 100 too. Screw the plan. Hey let do 3 100.
But this MMT race is hard! It was super hard and I did not finish it last time. Maybe that was just a fluke you know. I got to try it a second time to be sure. I was so close to finishing it too, so this time I’m sure can tilt it over. I literally know every mile of the course. I will be so much stronger this time and I have been training whole summer already. I will be ready by May next year.
I said even though I am not going to sign up but I am gonna check out the website and see what’s new. I saw this!
What is this!? MMT registration is open! And what’s new this year is it added an extra whole hour to the cut-off — a 36 hour time cut-off! Last year we only had 35 hours. This time it is 36! One whole hour! I have not check the course yet, did they add an extra mountain for us to climb? Last time they shortened the time by removed one one of the mountain (Scothorn on the return trip, we still had to climb Scothorn going out). We worry about that later. I only needed just a bit more time (I was cut at the 34th hour at mile 95). Who know if I sit out next year, they might switch back to the 35 hour limit? Maybe this is the one and only chance I get of having a good shot at finishing this?
(Aside: I spoke with the former race director, Kevin, over the weekend when I ran another of his race Bobcat-11 and he was surprised about the changes! He was asking what time I got at the MMT. I did not want to disappoint him like na-na-na I got to run it on an easier time after he stepped down…so I promised I will finish it in 35 hrs next year, I think I can)
After checking the list of participants, Oh, they are in. My friends, my buddies. The list already had a hundred people! Let me be the 101! I got to sign up right now. FOMO kicking in fast (fear of missing out). I did. Oh and the price is so cheap too. It is two and half dollar for every mile. A bargain! A local fifty miler cost more than that! Money speaks.
Note, I am putting a positive spin on this. Hope y’all enjoy my rationalization. This is how sign up an expensive race ;)…More to come!
I signed up is all that mattered. Running part we will worry later. My readers will hear about MMT for another 6 more months.
what’s next…I didn’t do much over my weekend so nothing to write about. I did the bobcat-11, but it was like a fun run. Next week is the Stone Mill. Hopefully a report will be ready soon after.
Another week! The year is drawing to a close. There are a few more weeks yet. I have one more race, well two, no a few more.
I plan to do two races this weekend. Nothing big, but will (maybe) report on it next week — don’t want to jink it yet and also I don’t have the right feel for it (I see them as one event)…though likely I will do them. I paid for them, so gotta run them. I am not in a burnout mood like last year. I just finally felt I could breathe after a stressful time back in October.
The two real races left for the year is Stone Mill next weekend. I have been training week after week. I’m not worry. This race is one I am expecting to be fun, at least to me.
Then there is the Devil Dog that I have been avoiding in my blog. One day I will face it. It is coming by fast (less than a month out). I haven’t trained specifically for it. No plans. Nothing. Yet the Devil Dog is scary. Let leave it alone for now.
This weekend as of last year 2021, I was about to do my 100 mile run Rim to River in West Virginia. It was that race that brought me back alive. Now it seems ages ago.
Gotta go now. Unlike last year, this weekend will be low key. I am ‘tapering’ as I get ready for Stone Mill.
What a weekend! In a bad way. I worked over this weekend so i’m kind of dead (a zombie) now. There’s no partying for me tonight. Certainly absolutely there was no party over the weekend. I’m boring. My mom wanted to kipnap me to celebrate my birthday, but I escaped. Oh there was the MCM, Marine Corps Marathon, but I deferred it, so no, I won’t say anything about that, except lucky runners had such a beautiful race. MCM probably will be my tradition birthday run some day. Yes, next year.
I also did my training run over weekend. It was the last run before the race. What race? The Stone Mill 50.
This race originally was not too special. I did my first 50 miler at end of 2019. My first attempt of Stone Mill was in 2020, during the pararoma. My grandma passed away while I was running it. Last year, I did not plan to sign up but I believed after attending one of the training runs, I got hooked and did a quick sign up before the race, ah I remember, the friday of, they didn’t even have my bib ready (or at least the volunteer couldn’t find it)! Last year on this day my mom was in the urgent care (Kaiser) after suffering a stroke (she has completely recovered now). So this race now has a bit of personal history, both sadness and celebration!
This year I am happened to recruit two of my friends to run this. It will be two weeks from now, so knock on wood nothing will happen to us. My friend David probably gave up (deferred) his NY Marathon entry to run this. I am touched. I truly believe he can do both (like on back to back weekends). This guy could finish a 50 mile under 10 (while I am trying to beat 12 hours). He seemed modest in his approach but if I were him, I run both.
The other guy Alex also super athletic. He said he won the age group award in a race. He probably could run it under 10 hours too.
I don’t really need to do a training run myself but I know if I don’t go to them, I am too lazy to train on my own.
So it is the end of the month and our company needs to close its book, which means a lot of work for all as we try to get everything done and recorded for this month.
I was stressed out. But on Saturday, I showed up bright and early at the trailhead with several other people. This week run was long but the number of people coming out was fewer than previous weeks since there were two 50K races happening this weekend in our area. Most of the guys (and gals) normally came out were in those races. I, in fact, contemplated running one of them (PB&J 50k and the Patapsco 50k).
The weather was beautiful. We went from around 35F to 65F during the day. I really wanted to be back out the next day to do it again.
I put in 20 miles plus 5 mile hiking around Cloper Lake (I renamed it as Seneca Lake). The run itself, I was not putting too much effort into it. I was kind of the last guy in the pack. Mostly because my mind was occupied by work.
I so happened to roll my ankle, because my mind was else where. First the left, then the right, and then the left again. Finally, while hiking, I really put too much force and I rolled it the third time on my left and boy was that painful.
First time, didn’t hurt. Second time, hurt a little. Third, it was ouchie ouchie limping pain. I walked it off. Now they are better, but still there is a bit of soreness.
Sunday, I did not go back out. It was a beautiful day. Here are some pictures.
On the Seneca Ridge/Greenway Trail and at the Seneca State Park, where I will run a 50 mile race in November
We hope we will have such nice weather on race day. Enough with all the training runs. Happy Halloween!
Race Recap: NJ Marathon, 11th state. One last far away trip for this year. I ran surprising fast.
Maybe couple months ago, I heard of Atlantic City Marathon from Vanessa on SheRunsByTheSeashore. I got a promo code from the blog and signed up. New Jersey is a new state for me and it is also within my driving distance. I tried to save money recently of not flying to races after my trip to Michigan. My trip to Oklahoma was canceled due to cost. NJ seemed like a good replacement. I thought this was going to be an inexpensive marathon.
I was looking to cross off more states on my marathon list before the year ends. This year I had run in Minnesota and the Michigan. Minnesota was a planned race from the start but Michigan and New Jersey were not part of my original plan. Oklahoma was in the plan but plan changed. I knew of Ann Arbor race since last year from a local runner whom I met at the Laurel Highland race. Somehow things just worked out and I got to go there at the beginning of October, just a few weeks ago. The plan for New Jersey too fell in place at the last moment. I kind of kept it quiet since this was a last minute thing, I did not want to be too upset if I didn’t get do it.
One reason why I thought I was done for the year after the Michigan Marathon was I don’t like running in the cold. Winter (or late fall) marathons usually have to deal with the colder weather. We already had some cold morning here (35 F, near 0 C). I don’t like it.
Plot twist, I made a new friend during the race (Sanjay), and he asked if I will join him at the Philadelphia marathon (Nov 20) — I think he meant next year. I told him I will think about it. Anyway…I will think about it.
The forecast today for the race was 55-60F, with rain (50% chance) to start around 7 am and lasting for the whole day.
I could stand the temperature (it was warm and stayed steady) but the rain was a complication and made it hard to plan for what to wear. I could run in T-shirt and shorts like the day before.
However, I don’t like being wet. I could add a long sleeve on top. Still the rain could make that useless. I would be cold. I thought about wearing a thermo shirt –I have those thin nice ones from my hiking days– that could keep me warm even when wet. But I worried of being overheating. I could also throw in a rain jacket (I recently brought one of those super thin and light but durable wind and rain jackets for running/hiking) that hasn’t seen actions yet. I was afraid the rain jacket will definitely make me overheat. I still could get wet inside from my own sweat because I know, I wore a rain jacket while hiking and running before, and I would be wet from sweating. Basically, I was back to square one.
In the end, I decided to do layering. It did not take long for me to feel it was too warm, so I removed the outer layer and went with just a t-shirt and shorts. The race had not started yet. I thought I could drop off the extra clothes at the bag check-in, but I forgot to bring a bag to store my clothes.
I had assumed earlier they would provide us a clear plastic bag at the bag check-in. I didn’t know the bags they gave at the package pickup was for the bag check, because they were not the clear plastic bags normally used at a lot of other races – we had a black hangbag instead to put all our race stuff at the convention. Actually, they allowed us to use any kind of bags and I saw some checked in even backpacks and luggages — the airplane carry-ons (this was normally not allowed at other races for security or weight or storage reason).
Without having a bag, my option was to take the extra clothing back to my car or just donate them to charities by leaving them on the course. I don’t like littering but this is what other runners normally do at any races. They would leave their extra shirt and jacket at the starting corral, hoping the stuff would still be there later when they finish (or that someone will dispose it for them). It was a reason some even made temporary jacket out of a black 50 gallon trashbag so they could ditch them any time without remorse.
There was also the wind, because we were by the seashore, it was strong from time to time. It was around 15-mph (ish) and might be up to 25 mph or at least seemed so to me. They were not gentle breezes, but good gusts for flying kites. Mentioning this because the environment is what could ruin my enjoyment of a good marathon and a reason also I avoided running race set by the seashore in the past. Weather makes a race unpredictable. I just remembered my running friend David told me exactly this when he did it a few years ago but it went out my head until now that I finished it.
It was fine for me to take my clothes back to the car, because the walk wasn’t too far. I came almost 2 hours early to the race, so I was not going to be late. (Tip: park in Caesar’s Colosseum. Their spaces are wider than Bally’s).
It was good the start line was right in front of Bally’s and we could stay inside a building to stay warm.
I was familar with the area. I was there the day before. I arrived to New Jersey on Saturday afternoon after my morning training run for Stone Mill. I did about 20 miles during the training.
By the time I reached Alantic City, sun was about to set. I got my race package and decided to explore the boardwalk.
Hotels in Atlantic City were too expensive for me. I did not book early so it was expected, but even if I received the host hotel deal, still it was not something I would pay for. I am sure they were good rooms but I couldn’t afford 200+ for a night, plus all the resort and parking fees on top etc. I think $200 was the minimum. The average was maybe around $300 and up. Even the Days Inn there was too expensive for me (I don’t remember, but I think it was around $250). If I could affort the host hotel price, then the race would have been right at the front door. I ended up staying in Absecon, about 6 miles outside. The price was much more reasonable there.
Tolls on the highways were at another level – I think I spent over $100 on tolls going to NJ. In my state we don’t have many toll roads but this is starting to change. NJ has tolls for many years and I knew this, but still it was a surprise at how many times I needed to pay. I had an EZ Pass so I did not need to stop, and the fee was automatically deducted from my account. Yet, I know my trip was expensive.
Gas (petrol) I paid was probable near $200. I drive a truck. Over all, my transportation cost was higher than my entry fee. I felt I was robbed blind by NJ before even gotten to their casinos. So NJ took all my gambling money. I was not going to gamble, but still, it decided I didn’t want to give away any more of my money. If I have to redo — I might take a bus or train and it would have costed me less.
As about the whole casino scene, they built the whole city on the basis that people will come to gamble away their money. But with the pandemic and worsen economy, nobody goes there any more and their business model is in serious trouble. I think also because a shift in demographic. There is the online competition. The boardwalk was pretty empty even on a Saturday night to my surprise. It was not that fun when most people decided to stay away. Of course, I still enjoyed my race, but I had expected to have some fun the night before. Yet it felt like a ghost town.
About my race: The course was interesting, though some questioned about this. Looking at whole it was flat as a pancake. We had couple early climbs over overpasses. Everyone was running up the hills. I was so proud of them and it’s rare in marathons to run the hill. Of course, if you are trained for it, you could run it.
Everyone started together at 8:00 (half and the full). To me that is kind of late, but it gave me enough time to get ready. We went to the northern end of the boardwalk and then turned into the streets, looped around Borgata and other casinos there. Then we ran south to the end of the island. The half marathons turned around about halfway of the boardwalk to their finish back at Bally’s. The full marathoners continued on south on an out-and-back and we looped around city on the south side, probably Ventnor. Some think this was boring. For me, it was fine. I like looking at the seashore while on the boardwalk and at the casinos and condos. True, if I do this a second time, it is maybe a bit boring. Also I found it was interesting a lot of street names are familiar to me — because they were used in the Monopoly game.
What got to me, was how long the race was. I know 26.2 is always 26.2 but at times it seemed, I was not moving because the landmarks did not seem to change much. We have a few tall buildings and though I was moving fast, the scene seemed to change slowly. I finished around 4:21:05, strava said it was my 4th fastest marathon. Sure. I was happy with my time. For comparison, I finished in Michigan with 4:30 and in Minnesota with 4:19. In Newport News Virginia with 5:01. I forgot my time for Salisbury Maryland (4:52) These are marathons I ran this year.
AS: We had a lot aid stations. Course marshalls, and volunteers were especially fun and helpful. I found them more enthusiastic here than in many of my other races. They cracked jokes and all. Crowd support was good enough for me. This isn’t a New York Marathon, so I didn’t expect people to line along the roads for the whole way. We had bad weather, but a lot people still showed up. Maybe the course covered an area smaller than most marathons I ran (like the Newport News), so people were able to get to various points on the course easily. I think everything was within that 5-6 miles (we had a lot of loops and out-and-backs). Maybe this was a reason why some found the course a bit boring.
Something particular to this race was the boardwalk. Running on it mostly is like running on solid ground but occasionally, some boards might give way a bit and they squeak. It was just a little but it can be scary when the board shifts underneath. Of course, planks could become slippery when wet. There was that concern.
Lucky for me, I beat the rain at least the heavy portion. I had a few drops at times bit remained dry. For the 5 hours or later finishers, they ran in the real rain and it got a bit heavy. My friend finished a little after 6:00 and was drenched and he was cold, even though he wore wool cap and couple layers of shirts (exactly how I would have done). I was just lucky I did not have to suffer like him and others.
We had plenty of gels at selected aid stations. I know those were not cheap and was glad this race provided them (I have done race where gels were not given out or very little provided). Gels helped me through this race. I did not bring my own this time. I think I at least used them 3 times (like at Mile 6, 17, and 21).
Pace. I started out fast again (at 10:00 pace – min per mile) like my last marathon. I got a bit faster by 5-6 miles and until I passed the 4:10 pacer, so I was probably running at a 9:30 min mile pace. By mile 17 though, I was no longer keeping up the pace. By mile 21, the 4:20 pacer passed me back, and at this point my pace was down to 10:30 min mile. To me, it was fine. My goal was only to finish under 4:30:00. We had 5 more miles to go. The wind was strong at the time (storm was brewing). My legs were tired. This was probably not smart of me to have run 20 miles for training the day before. (Stone Mill training run, which I have been doing for the past few weeks)
Exactly, why did I do that? If I tapered I probably could run this faster, but I kind of wanted to pile on a lot of miles. I know Atlantic City Marathon was not the last race, since I have Stone Mill coming up and then Devil Dog. I need a lot of miles. So both Saturday 20 mile and the Sunday Marathon also served as a training run. A good training run. I called it the 3rd training run.
post race. I did not get my free beer (It was provided) but that was fine. We were at a casino so beer should be plentiful. There might not been much finisher food except a banana (I didn’t check out the Casino’s restaurant – the Yard, where they were directing people to go for finishing prizes). I was waiting for a friend and rain came down heavy. After he came in. We just went home because we were wet and cold. I was dry (because I changed my clothes while waiting) but cold nonetheless.
Lunch: The casinos around were pretty cool. I am amazed with buildings so definitely was a paradise for me. Everything speaks of luxury and money. There were some good restaurants around like Hell Kitchen at Caesars, but I wanted something cheaper and I was more for comfort food, so I wanted to travel outside to where the locals (real) people eat.
The rest of the afternoon was spent driving home (I left around 5 pm). I-95 is always crowded. It is the only north-south highway on the east coast. It was slow going. I ran into traffic going there and had traffic coming home. I didn’t have a good experience from my drive because I was mad at drivers of staying in the outside lanes and driving 15 mph below the limit. I think because of the speed camera or weather. There were other reasons too. I was keep getting brake checks by people whether intentionally or unintentionally who knows. I felt people did not know how to drive. I was having my road raging moment. Maybe it was the race mentality of needing to get to the finish fast. I was finally relieved when I got back to the DC area where people were driving more “normally” (leaving at that). They did say DC and NYC have the worse drivers in the country. I was happy to be out of NJ. I’m not admitting of being a bad driver.
I put this in because, the race itself was good, but many other things (at least for me) were not as enjoyable as my other races, such as my hotel was not as good (though the staff was friendly) and I liked my pillows. I did have a good night rest before the race. Matress, curtains, the carpet, and lighting were more to be desired. I guess it all comes down to money. I think that was the theme for this race. I paid to drive fast. Need to pay for a nicer hotel, etc. Need to pay to have fun. Need to pay to have good food. I could have stayed at a 5 star hotel versus a 2-star that is operating like a $50 motel. Same for a lot other things.
I have an axe to grind with NJ. I rarely traveled up to New Jersey and New York even though it was just a few hours away.
Bottom line: I enjoyed the race but other things were not so great. If I had more money, then yes, it would have been a blast but for me looking for a low key no frills race, I got what I paid for.
Happy blog anniversary! This is my fourth year on the platform. I started around 2018 (first Hello).
I looked back the previous hello world entries, and last year was kind of thick (I said a lot in that entry).
Hello World is my way of starting a new blogging year of finding or determining what I will write in this new season.
No surprises, I will be doing the same as I have been doing — that is I plan to run a lot and write about them. I already planned out for the next year. I haven’t signed up for races yet but I am likely going to do those races. (mentioned in day496)
This next year will be like the past few years. I will make moderate improvements in challenging myself to be at the next level. There is one secret – I plan to go oversea…no not exactly over the ocean – just to Canada. We will see if I could pull it off. (race schedule)
meta – I changed the layout of the site because I was tired of finding fixes for the twentytwentytwo theme that has been messing up the site. I concluded that the things I needed to do would require me to get a business level plan from WP to have access to the CSS layering in order to disable the default title/tagline/images.
In awe 