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FLRC Newsletter - Sep 2003 |
| 50 States | |
On Friday, July 25, 2003, Sam and Sue Familo and I drove to Carrollton, Michigan. Sam and I would run the marathon while Sue would run the 20K. This was the first time I had left the United States since 911. The wait is very long at Customs as we crossed from Buffalo into Canada and then again to get back into the United States at Port Huron, Michigan. The trip took about 8 hours of driving.
Our hotel was located in Saginaw which is about 15 minutes from Carrollton where the marathon was held. The activities in this area are very limited. We were watching TV and learned they were having a Potato Festival in nearby Munger and a Sunflower Festival in Mayville which was also another nearby town the following day. At the Potato Festival we visited we were each given a bag of Michigan Potatoes. At the Sunflower Festival we were not so fortunate and did not receive any Michigan Sunflowers.
It was a very low key marathon. Packet pickup was held at our hotel for 2 hours and we were on our own for the prerace pasta dinner. We did learn 104 runners would be in the marathon. It was early to bed with the 6 am start for the both the marathon and 20K. Our much wished for sound sleep did not last long as the fire alarm went off at 11pm for an unknown reason. We had just gotten back to sleep when the wedding party members came in for a big celebration next door that lasted into the early morning hours. At 4am we were up and going and found the temperature outside already in the 70's with 100% humidity.
The course was very interesting. We knew it would be 8 times around the 5K course plus a short course for the marathoners in the beginning or end, which ever time you wanted to do it and you were on the honor system to do all 8 laps. They did have volunteers helping to count and record your progress for you as you slowly lost your mind and could not count any longer. The town was very small and the spectators consisted of a total of 6. I told them how happy I was that they were out to cheer me on and they told me they would cheer me on as long as I stayed ahead of their friend. You also became great friends with the volunteers at the water stops. They knew that I would want 2 cups of water each time I passed. The course was the main street plus a dead end street. The town was closed down for the runners and no one else was allowed on the course. The course was flat except for the 1 foot rise at the railroad tracks. Two hours after we started the 5K and 10K runner also started on the same course. It was good to look at some fresh energetic faces for a change. The marathon consisted primarily 50 state runners. Many I recognized from previous marathons.
The day continued to be very humid and the temperature just continued to get hotter and hotter with each step. This took its toll on all of the runners and the winning time was 3:07 for the men. Sam crossed the finish line with a time of 4:11:00 and I dragged myself across the finish line at 4:33:10. Sue was very happy to set a PR for herself in the 20K.
We were really beat from this marathon and decided instead of leaving immediately for home and driving 8 hours we would stay an extra night. As a result of this we left early the following morning and arrived home at 2pm. I slept for a couple of hours and then it was off to work for 12 hours with no time to compose my letter or e-mail till my days off later in the week.
A much needed long rest now with the next marathon not scheduled till September in Bismarck, North Dakota.
Happy Running,
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