In social media posts, I referred to my 11th marathon as the "worst marathon ever." That isn't fully correct. It was simply my time that was the worst ever, and the adjective slowest would have been a better fit. Because my eleventh marathon was also the most beautiful and possibly the most effective reminder of who I am.
One thing I saw was that there were people eating pizza and other refreshments near the finish line. I didn't stay long because I had a busy day ahead of me with my family. The next day, I learned from another member of my running team (Mickey Milers) that the post-race refreshment area had been packed up by the time the walkers finished. Only the timing mats were set up to keep track of their time. The race website stated that walkers were welcome to participate, so it's a shame they didn't get to enjoy the same rewards as the runners. I hope that in the future, everyone is treated fairly. Overall, it was a beautiful day for a run, and the race was enjoyable (though unfamiliar). Would I come back? Possibly, depending on my work schedule. Running a half marathon at Tyler Park, where I do a lot of training, isn't as exciting as it once was, but the atmosphere was great. I would recommend this race to people who do not train in this area because it provides a good challenge in beautiful surroundings.
Then there's the taper, learning to manage with limited miles, and catching up on sleep. I'm certain that I'll be able to keep my goal pace of sub-nine minutes per mile for the New Jersey Marathon. I'm crossing my fingers that I run a sensible and comfortable race. This served as a good warm-up for me. Thank you for taking the time to read this.
THE DCNR ACKNOWLEDGES THAT WE ARE SAFE TO PROCEED WITH PLANNING UNDER CURRENT GUIDELINES AS LONG AS WE OBSERVE THE RESTRICTIONS AND FOLLOW THE COVID MITIGATION PLANS IN PLACE. PLEASE READ THE CDC AND RRCA GUIDELINES FOR DETAILS. AS OF AUGUST 1, WE ARE PLANNING ON TAKING MANY OF THE SAME STEPS WE WILL TAKE IN SEPTEMBER FOR OUR UNICORN MARATHON/ALTERNATIVE HALF MARATHON. CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO ON YOUTUBE. If the race is delayed or cancelled, you will be offered a credit for future runBUCKS events or goods that is valid for two years.
