Sounded great to me and I needed to get in my 22 mile training run the same weekend so why not run most of Amica with a friend? Plus, we could make a weekend away of it in a beautiful town. Well . . . sometimes things don't go as planned.
The Amica Marathon website now reads "In some of the worst imaginable running conditions, over 2,500 runners finished this year’s Amica Marathon . . . The perseverance of all runners, volunteers and fans was truly admirable, we look forward to seeing you all, and better weather in 2010!". Here are some more details about the weather: the forecast told of 48°F (which is normally perfect for running a marathon), 100% rain, and 28mph northeasterly winds gusting to 40. Yes, we'd be running in a what out here in New England they call a nor'easter. If you are uneducated about a nor'easter Wikipedia describes it as: a type of macro-scale storm along the East Coast of the United States, so named because the winds come from the northeasta storm. These storms include thick, dark, low-level clouds that often block out the sun (check) and the precipitation can range from a torrential downpour (check) to a fine mist (I wish). Low temperatures (check--though actually ideal for running without the next point) and high wind gusts (yes, this point--check) are also associated with a nor'easter.
Regardless of this--I realize "shit happens, it is how you handle it that matters." We handled it by running, laughing, and smiling. I won't say my friend wasn't disappointed, who wouldn't be, but as she put it "I didn't train for 16 weeks to not run". Plus, I learned another valuable lesson--while the selection of one's running apparel is important and can make or break your comfort level, sometimes some good old bodyglide (think vasoline but way better) and a vinal poncho are all you need. (I'd like to thank the runner that felt too hot in this at mile 3, I also thought I would remove the poncho a couple miles into my run, but well, then came the wind).
Don't you think I look like a caped super hero? No?
Here are some blow by blows and photos from the course. . .
My friend left to go get on the bus to the starting line and I continued to listen to the rain and eat my peanut butter toast (a fabulous pre and post race treat if I do say so myself). My husband and I drove to Starbucks for coffee and so I could use the bathroom one more time. We watched the runners take off and jumped in the car to "race" them to the 4 mile mark. The 3 mile and 4 mile marks were just across from one another with portapots in between. As soon as we saw the lead runner hit mile 3, I jumped out of the car and hit the portapots and then cheared on runners before jumping to the 4 mile marker and watching for my friend. (My husband in the meantime drove the course out of town to our warm dry house--he noted later that the course was beautiful and maybe in better weather we could return.) I was watching for my friend and chearing on the runners. I had my eyes peeled for her white long sleeve shirt, and then. . . I saw her face, and what appeared to be a black vest--nope no vest, she had wisely found a trashbag and made a vest out of it. While sportier than my poncho, a gift from a passing runner, could she fly faster than a speeding bullet with her vest? She pulled two handwarmers from her gloves for me and off we went:)
I joined her at the perfect time because within a half mile we watched beautiful huge waves crash along the rocks on our right while viewing gorgeous homes on our left. Into mile 2 for me and almost 7 for her, we turned into the wind and I realized the poncho was here to stay. We were essentially headed into the wind until we finally turned around at mile 21. Plus, by now I'd stepped into enough puddles, or splashed myself with my own feet enough that my shoes were completely soaked. I believe it was at this point that my friend beemed a smile at me and realized she was in fact running a marathon!
From mile 7-10 ish we ran by mansions. Some people were singing behind us and we joined in until we realized they were almost done with the half-marathon and well the chearfulness faided a bit for us:) Running by the mansions was fun though--here's what the Breakers (built by Vanderbilts) and the Marble house look like on a sunnier day. . .
Well, if the wind was bad before, the last mile or so surrounding the half marathon point was the worst and this was the only time I thought I might have to pull out the stops to keep Kathey moving. See, to add insult to injury, the marathon runners were routed to go right past the half marathon finish line and practically through it in a river 2" deep which could not be avoided. We actually had to ask around to figure out where the marathoners were supposed to go--into the wind again was where and through one more unavoidable and rather large river into the second half where the wind actually howled for a quarter mile until we turned a corner.
We started our first of two out and backs making a good climb uphill from 17.5 until the top of 18. We'd see the crest of that hill again on the way back, but this time we were running into the wind. We made it "up and over" and onto a small second hill. Here was passed fellow a Wicked Running Club member coming out of the turn around ahead of us and cheared for her. It is always nice to see a familiar face. Suddenly my hands were freezing and I realized my cotton "throwaway" gloves were still on and soaking wet with the hand warmers acting as little pockets of water inside--I ripped off the gloves and kept on trucking. During these double digit miles, we passed more "starter castles" and large open lawns with fancy iron gates, even if smaller scaled compared to the mansions. I recall a white house along the coast with bright ocean blue trip that was stunning and looked like a postcard from Greece to me.
We hit mile 20 and cheared a little--my friend was in unchartered territory and while her hamstring was angry at her, she seemed to be right with the world. We even picked up the pace. My friend claimed after the marathon that mile 20 was her favorite point in the marathon and that she felt great:) We proceeded back along the opposide side of the road we had already traveled chearing on almost every runner we passed along the way. At mile 25.75 I told her she was on her own and took off (finally sans poncho) to beat her to the finish and chear her on. Unfortunately, I encountered a maze and even running at top speed didn't manage to see her cross the finish--a disappointment but I didnt' want to run in with those who were official runners. The camera man at the finish line had also given up on the weather and missed taking my friends photo--not cool Amica!
With lots of shivering, a quarter mile walk to the busses, and a short drive back to the condo she was staying at (with buttwarmers on again)--the event was over. She was beaming and teary eyed and I, I had earned my way into my taper weeks where I would run as intensively but fewer miles and prepare myself for my own marathon less than 3 weeks away!
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