Steamtown Marathon

Well since about February I was trying to figure out what I would do to celebrate 10/10/10 and I couldn't think of a better way then to run a marathon, but where?
So after some careful consideration & many questions to my Marathoning Brother in Law I decided on Steamtown Marathon in Scranton PA.

I managed to lasso Cindy Marcelli into going with me on this adventure. Poor Cindy - hang a marathon in front of her and she'll sign up. She has no self control. ahahah.

Jim Cummings is the Asst Race Director and would send out his monthly updates & I swear I have never laughed so much as I did to his newletters, so much so I would have to respond in like. Which he felt the need to respond back. Ohhh the fun we had emailing each other about killer bunnies, rickety old bridges, peeing on wood piles, All sport being Dutch for Can't get another type of drink. I had to take slight offense to the mis-use of Dutch. Everyone knows that's not what Allsport means. ssshheesh.

Cindy & I started our adventure around noon on Friday afternoon, we managed to get stuck in every bit of traffic misadventure that could have possibly taken place on a sunny Friday afternoon. FINALLY at the boarder around 4pm we declared our citizenship and our intent to run in Scranton PA. to which our border guard said " ahhh Dunder Mifflin, say hi to Michael Scott" to which I replied " Who?" He could tell I was a bright spark, so he waved us through. Quickly. Obviously we were not a threat to the security of the United States of America.

As I drove the Tribute down the interstate and Cindy and I were chatting away I looked to my left & what to my wondering eyes should appear but an OUTLET MALL. They had an Adidas store, Under Armour, Guess, Coach, Charlotte Russe, LINDT... *sighs* ohhh it was heaven. So we walked out of the shops four hours later ladened with the odd bag or two. We arrived at our hotel in Clarks Summit some twelve hours after we started our Journey (which should have taken only 6 hours). It was six miles from the start line from the bus pick up in Scranton but it was a wonderful little hotel that served a breakfast from 6-10am THEY HAD A WAFFLE MAKER... Cindy was not leaving this hotel. So after some worry that they, the hotel, couldn't find our reservation ( many calls back and forth to the hotel on our journey) We camped down in our own beds in a nice quiet room outside of the elevators.

We ate our waffles the next morning and headed to Scranton to find the Expo & Jim Cummings, the very funny Asst Race director. And there he was, I could tell immediately - upon introductions we laughed and laughed at each other, but I can honestly say I rhoroughly enjoyed reading his updates and looked forward to the next one. I mean who reads updates right? Well with Jim's I can guarentee most runners did.

The expo was held in the new state of the art high school - which had me a bit worried & yes when Cindy & I got there, it was as I thought, rather small. However; all your runners' needs were met. They had shoes, clothing, nutrition & accessories of all types for sale. The Steamtown line of tech wear was selling like hot cakes. I picked up a rather nifty tech T-shirt myself. I would have made one suggestion, they could have really played up the 10/10/10 date a bit more. I mean it is a BIG DEAL. It's never going to happen again for a thousand years. Whoop it up fellas. Work it Divas. Alas not so much. However; they are really nifty regardless.

We headed for lunch there after; more by accident then on purpose. I sorta got lost and we ended up on Washington Street Plaza so we sat at Alfredos and had our pre carbo lunch. Then found more shops to check out. My goodness I can't get over the bargains in the States. Woohoo.

Then back to the hotel to relax at the Starbucks we had to walk 2 km to. ahah. Then head over to Rite Aid for more retail therapy and then over to Charlies for dinner. Yummy... food. hmmm Carb load food.

Back to the hotel again - do some race prep. Pin bibs to our shirts ( the bibs had the timing chip attached to it in some fancy schmancy way) so no more throwing your right foot over the pads to get a better time. Now it's bellys' first.

The weather was going to be 32 degrees in the morning and a high of 66 degrees by afternoon.
And with the injuries and lack of training I had - I was sure I was going to enjoy the 66 degrees for quite some time.

We drove down to Scranton & hopped the bus for our Start in Forest Hill, PA. We hung around the gym for a while until the start was minutes away, I managed to grab a couple of unused sports socks to put over my hands/arms for the first few miles of the run as it was cold ( apparently 32 degrees F is 0 celcius. Who knew) That's chilly. The start of the race was not a starters pistol - nope it was a fully functional canon. There was no mistaking this start.

The first mile was marked by an uphill, then followed directly by a down hill then an other uphill and, you guessed it, down hill.

Cindy & I kept our pace to about 6-6:30 pace and managed nicely for a long time. I felt really good but knew that at some point this would not be the case & I had better enjoy this moment. We managed to pick up a hanger on by the name of Hank. Hank lived 38 miles from Scranton and hadn't trained "really" for the marathon, albiet his second year running it. He regaled us of stories about how his wife was the runner and he just "took it up" and beat her at the Disney Marathon a few years prior. He would sprint off to go pee then sprint to catch up with us. Not at all annoying. Then make calls in his cell phone at the 10 mile mark. Well at that point I needed to be shot of him. Nothing personal Hank - but your sprinting and talking while I'm struggling to not throw up from the pain in my leg is making me even more sick to my stomach.

Oh yeah did I mention from about the 3 mile mark my leg was aching like a son of .... Yeah so Hank had to go.

Cindy & I both dove in to the nearest port o potties and when we emerged a minute later Hank was gone. phew.

I popped a couple of tylenol at this point and prayed that they would work sooner than later. At the half way mark I had a feeling that it could be a long race. For me at any rate. Really it was okay because the support through out the course is beyond belief. Everyone is out and cheering, they had their own water stations & cheering sections. It was unbelieveable. WOW. WELL DONE EVERYONE!!!

We ran across a couple of runners around the mid way point & she was crying her eyes out. Her husband running with her, trying to console her. Cindy & I were as well. She was just overwrought with emotions. I said not to worry I would be having my little breakdown by mile 15. And sure enough.... as we entered the trails I told Cindy to go on ahead & have her own race. I wasn't going to be long for this world. I mean the most I had done was Aug 22nd running 30 K at the Midsummer nights run. Then lots of swimming and spending a couple hours at a time on my elliptical. All really great cross training, but it doesn't prepare your body completely. So I had my little cry as I saw Cindy for the last time. And continued on - running with a lot more walking.
Then by mile 17 it became just walking.

Man is walking hard.

Really hard.

I tried to maintain a 9 min / km pace. In some instances it was more than easy enough. Other moments when I just felt like I couldn't walk another step it was the hardest pace to maintain. At 21 miles I had a brownie. It was the best brownie EVER. And I managed to pass a few people as well, so I started to feel a bit better about myself & my abilities. Then when I got passed by Poopypants I about lost it. This fellow ran like well... his name says it all. There was no way I was going to come in behind a Poopypants. NO WAY. So I started my own personal race, I really started to dislike him. Again no reason, it's just me folks, you know me by now. I'm slightly competitive at times.

When the 5 hour mark of the race hit - all I could think about is with any luck Cindy managed to finish yet and how much longer would it take me. I was having a few problems doing the conversion from miles into kilometres but figured I'd be done at 5:30 which would have worked if the miles were actually kilometres. ACK. Oh well. At mile 23 you enter into Scranton itself - through the friendly neighbhoods. They had sprinklers going, water tables, a huge street party the whole way through. That really lifted my spirits. I felt a bit of a spring in my step and I actually ran a bit here and there. Hurt, but I still ran. And there were some pretty significant up hillls happening as well, and well at that time of the race everything felt like Kilimanjaro.

I started to round the corner nearing the 25 mile mark I was greeted by a very friendly gentleman saying and I quote. " You may not have qualified for Boston but you qualify for a beer" and pointed me in the direction of the beer table some 300 metres down the road. I cried every step of those 300 metres. Thanks buddy cuz I didn't feel horrible enough. Sometimes it's just better to say nothing at all. You know?

I said no to the beer table and continued on to the next mile marker. I could hear someone behind me & thought I can NOT be passed by anyone else - so I started a conversation with the fellow. He was injured as well. started walking around the 16 mile mark, his hamstring was giving him grief. So we chatted away keeping each other company & me keeping an eye on his pace. I could hear my name, I thought I could hear my name. It was Cindy about 500 metres from the finish cheering me on. As soon as I could see her I told my walking buddy to try some running and we'd run it in. He was a no go. So off I went. As I run up Home Stretch Hill they were taking the sign for it down. Rather sad...

I could see the clock and it was edging near and nearer to 6 hours I sprinted as best as I could and made it in at 5:56. Not my best showing at all - but I made it.

I collected my medal and my pieces of pizza, the pizza was bigger than the medal. Now you all know I'm a bling ho ... so I thought the bling for 10/10/10 would be something awesome. However; the shirts at the Expo should have been a warning to me about the medal. It is something underwhelming to say the least. I'm not being ungrateful - honest. But 10/10/10 they could have done some much more.

I would highly recommend this race to everyone - it's a top 10 race if you want to do a BQ time.

It's extremely well organized & the support along the course is outstanding. This is definitely on my list of races to run again when I'm at 100%.

So until the next race... or adventure.... take care.