OBX (Marathon)

The boys had such a great time at the beach when I did the OBX marathon last year that they asked me to do it again this year. Since I love a good flat race, and since I wanted to do a marathon again, I agreed.

Training went well this year, just as it did last year. My awesome running friends, as always, kept me going through the harder workouts (hills for Dave!). This year, though, I was feeling just a bit stronger and fitter overall after having done the Raleigh Ironman 70.3 in June. In the past couple months, I’ve also added a TRX class, a couple days of yoga, and an amped-up swim schedule into my weekly routine that are probably helping me too.

Plus, the race conditions were just perfect. The weather was exactly what I would have requested: 50-ish at start and not much higher throughout; little wind and what was there was at our backs; solid cloud cover. I also made some great pacing friends along the way: Ed from Roxboro, NC, Harry from Stanton, VA, and Bob from Orlando, FL. Bob and I were together from Mile 16 to the end. I almost feel like I need to go have Thanksgiving dinner with him and his family.

All of these factors converged to make for a great day and to help me take about 15 minutes off last year’s time. I do more than appreciate and celebrate the epic PR, of course, but I most impressed myself with my consistency; all of the miles, start to finish, were pretty much the same pace. Again, I point to the 70.3 and cross training bonus on this one. Perhaps those other sports are good for something after all.

Finally, I must give my shout-outs. First: to my boys, who put up with all the training and the whining about the training. And then there are my running peeps. In particular, I have to give XOs to the folks who were with me every single week (or just about) of this training cycle: Karen, P-squared, Ellen, and Natasha; as well as to Margaret, Jen, Brice, Paul, Daisy, and Evan, who helped me push through some especially brutal long runs. And, of course, to Kim, Jason, and all of BCRC and the BCTC for the amazing support and encouragement.

I’ve said it here before, my dear friends, but I’ll say it again: Without you, no marathon.