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On The Road
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Bog Trotter 10K : Patrick Asay
WhiteBog Village :: Browns Mills :: Oct. 3rd
I awoke at 6am with a lick on the face from my dog Holly.
I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and remembered it was
Sunday and I had a race to do. I packed up my gear and
decided to take Holly after the look she gave me.
We arrived out at the WhitesBog village about 7:30.
I checked in and got my race number and shirt for the
Cranberry Festival Bog Trotter 10-K. Holly and I went
for a warm up and discovered a wet and muddy course
from the previous days rain.
We lined up at the start with about 25 other runners
at 9: am. As the starting gun fired we got off to a
fast start and briefly held the lead. By the time we
got to the first mile mark a tall man in a white T-shirt
had taken the lead. as we made the first turn we came
upon the first of many deep mud puddles that had flooded
the course. I felt the shock of cold water on my feet and
ankles and prayed that I didn't lose my flats in the mud.
For the next two miles we stayed in second place but always
within sight of the tall man in the white T-shirt.
The trail wound through the pine barren forest on sandy double
track dirt roads. We passed the 3 mile mark and suddenly I
realized that we were closing the gap on the leader. A short
time later we caught up and passed by the tall man in the white
T-shirt and his breathing sounded more labored than mine.
Suddenly I realized that I better pay attention to the orange
trail markers on the trees if I wanted to stay in the lead.
One thing was for sure I had never been in the lead this far
into a race and I was very surprised.
we continued to lead for the next several miles as the trail
came out of the forest and wound around the many cranberry
bogs on site. I kept saying to myself keep your pace and don't
look back. We passed the six mile mark and I realized this
may be my one and only chance to win a race. Sure, I've placed
in my age group but at 6' and 180 lbs. and 41 years old,
I'm not under any false illusions.
As we made the last turn I could see the finish line about
100 yards away back in the village. I yelled and screamed
go Holly go, as I moved my legs with everything I had left
on the muddy clay road. Ten yards from the finish line a man
steps out and flashes our picture. I break the tape and hear
a fat man yell from the crowd, "Holly sh*t, the guy with the
dog won." It dawns on me for once in my life, I sensed the
moment and I seized it.
Later Holly and I shared a banana as we basked in the sunshine
of a cool autumn morning. The race director called my name an
I collected my $50 award as the other runners mad a big fuss
over Holly and I think I saw her smiling.
The Walt Disney World Marathon : Patrick Asay
On Sunday, January 11th I participated in and finished my sixth marathon, the Walt Disney World
Marathon, in a personal best time of 3:38:43.
As I lined up for the 6 am start at Epcot, with over 16,000 other marathon runners, it was a
chilly 38 degrees. Fireworks exploded in the air as Mickey and Minnie counted down the start
of the 26.2 mile race. After running around and through Epcot for the first 3 miles we headed
north for the long road to the Magic Kingdom. As we ran up Main Street, in the Magic Kingdom a
little past mile 10, a large crowd had lined the sidewalks to cheer us on and I felt an
adrenaline rush. as I ran through tomorrow land and then Cinderella's castle, I smiled
remembering many great childhood memories in this park. At mile 16 we entered Disney's newest
park, Animal Kingdom enthusiastically being cheered on by spectators and Disney life size
characters. At mile 22 we entered Disney's MGM Studios Park and the course wound through
the back lot as cast members waved and shouted encouragement. As we headed toward the finish,
we passed by The Board Walk Resort and entered Epcot again. As I passed through the different
countries my legs felt very tight and I struggled to stay focussed. I heard a man yell "only
a mile to go you can do it" and I felt like saying, "easy for you to say" but I appreciated
the encouragement. as I approached the finish line, the crowd noise was at a fervor pitch
and as I crossed over the finish line I was overcome with emotion and pride and I realized
once again, that this is a humbling race.
The Philadelphia Marathon : Brian Downie
When I signed up for the Philadelphia Marathon, in August, I was a
little concerned about what the weather might be at the end of November.
Well, I got to the starting line on a perfect morning to run. It was clear,
44 degrees, and just a slight breeze at the start (8am). The temperature
would get up to 62 towards the end of the race, so even the spectators were
comfortable. The gun went off and the 6000 entrants started the city tour
from the Philadelphia Museum of Art, down the Ben Franklin Parkway towards
Center City.
A good crowd lined the streets in the early miles. The first 6 miles took us
through the downtown area, by City Hall, Penn's Landing, South Street and up
Chestnut Street. A climb over the bridge brought us over the Schuykill River
by the University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University and into Fairmount Park. Sparse crowds
lined the route as the hilly part of the course (one very good climb) took us by
the Zoo and Memorial Hall. Heading back towards the city, on West Park Drive, was
the half-marathon mark. Looping back past the start/finish area at the 14-mile mark
we were greeted with a large roar, as this is where the majority of spectators were.
For more than a mile, the crowd was several people deep, on both sides of the street.
Six miles out and six miles back on Kelly Drive past Boathouse Row, now it was time to
race. The climbs were slight, but at this point you start feeling every one of them.
From mile 17 to the turn-around at 20 in Manayunk there were three good climbs, short
and steep. The town of Manayunk really supports the marathon and it was a party atmosphere,
with bands, and a lot of cheering.
After the turn-around, the countdown begins. The final 10K. Few training runs go longer
than what you have run so far today, so this is where your body takes a real beating.
At mile 22 there is an overpass that you have to climb to get back onto Kelly Drive, and
if you are hurting going into this climb, it will be a difficult finish. Since very few people
are running the same pace at this point, What I like to do is just concentrate on getting to
mile 25 and let the crowd bring me home. This works again, as I hear the crowd at
Boathouse Row on the way back. It is a slight incline, but knowing that the finish line is
close, taking a look around, you almost forget you are in such pain. The last mile is around
a curve, so you can't see the finish line until you are about 100 meters away. A large crowd
greets you as you cross the line.
My goal today was a sub 3:00 marathon, and I wanted to run around 6:45 per mile. The first 6 miles,
through the downtown area were quick, as I stayed with a pack of about 15 runners. (Always easier
to run in a pack - I was just hoping we could stay together for about 20 miles.) We were running at
about 6:35 per mile. The next 6 miles we took to the hills, and the pace slowed a bit. I was still feeling
strong but the pack started to break up. Either the pace was too fast or the hills were too much. By mile 14
the pack was down to 3 of us and by 17 I was alone. I was still running between 6:40 and 6:50 every mile
and feeling good. As I hit the turn around in Manayunk, I had a 10K left and felt I had a shot at my 2:54 PR.
I tried to pick the pace up a bit but realized I didn't have enough to keep that pace over the final 4 miles.
I cut it back a bit, to avoid disaster and "enjoyed" the rest of the day. I finished in 2:56:33, which
was 6:44.3 per mile - close to the 6:45 I was looking to run. I was very impressed with the entire race -
the course, the sites, the crowds, the city. Today this was really the City of Brotherly Love!
The Baltimore Marathon : Jeff Ryan
It was the morning of Saturday October 18th. As I settled
into my starting spot for the Baltimore Marathon, I leaned over to my
training partners, Chris Madigan and Sean Reilly, and said “This is a
perfect day for running.” Who was I kidding? A perfect day for
running? I was about to begin the grueling mental and physical
task of running 26.2 miles. It was to be my second marathon, but I
was having serious doubts about what was to come.
The Baltimore Marathon was marketed as flat and fast with scenic
views of four parks and Inner Harbour. I honestly can’t say I
took the time to enjoy the parks or any of the so called views.
A large Toms River contingent was there to cheer us on at eight
and thirteen miles.
As the race progressed, the day became more and more comfortable.
The temperature at the start of the race was 42 degrees and by 11:00
it had risen to 58 degrees. I felt pretty good until I hit mile 22.
I didn’t know Baltimore was so hilly. Had I hit an extension to the
Appalachian Mountains? Mile 22 through 23 was a steady incline, and
my legs were beginning to cramp up. I began the mental battle, stop
or continue. As I started the “survival shuffle”, the fans lining
the streets helped me overcome the last few miles. I could see
Camden Yards and the Raven’s Stadium in the distance. The finish
line was near. We ran through Eutaw Street, past where Boog’s B-Que
Stand would normally be during baseball season, into what seemed like
thousands of supportive, cheering fans at the finish line.
I finished my second marathon in 3 hours 30 minutes and 44 seconds.
As of this writing, I am still trying to get my legs back to normal.
After the race, I did get to enjoy the beautiful Inner Harbour.
We had lunch at ESPN Sports Zone. I WALKED there!!
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