The first and most important thing to note about the DeMar Marathon is that it is possibly the most well-organized, runner-friendly race that I have encountered. From the moment I entered the beautiful city of Keene on Friday, I felt welcomed by the town and the race organization.
The first stop was Ted's sporting goods store for early packet pickup, where the five ladies at the registration table sang "Happy Birthday" to me. How is that for a welcoming committee?
I spent Saturday morning exploring downtown Keene with my mom, who accompanied me on this trip for support and to celebrate my 40th birthday. In the afternoon, we drove the race course, scoping out the turns, terrain, and sights, so there would be no surprises for me the next day. The map we were given was excellent, the turns were already clearly marked, and the mostly downhill course was beautiful.
For those who enjoy country scenery, this course has it all - babbling brooks, farmhouses, a golf course, hills in the distance, colorful autumn leaves while running on residential streets, through parks and a cemetery, and even along top of a dam
Here's Mom and me at the W.S. Badger Company in Gilsum, the starting line for this point-to-point race:
The course runs along some lovely rivers and streams:
...and over the top of the Surrey Dam:
One mile was along a bike/hike trail, so that would remain a mystery until Sunday because we could not drive it.
Saturday evening's pasta dinner included a presentation by Gary Allen, a sub-three-hour marathon runner in five consecutive decades, which included inspiring stories from his experiences and about Clarence DeMar. At my table, I helped impart wisdom to a first-time marathoner and gained some from a veteran of races in almost all 50 states.
Adding that to the Friday lunch I had with my own personal marathon guru, Tim Norris, the man who helped me get started down the marathon path, and you can say I had all the mental tools for Sunday's race. I even got a pretty good night's sleep. I was content knowing that I did everything right for this race.
No comments:
Post a Comment