End of the Road Half Marathon

 

 

 

 

 

I decided to sign up for this race because of the unique course. It is held on an abandoned stretch of the Pennsylvania Turnpike and includes two tunnels. I was late in registering, which meant starting on the wait list the Monday before the Saturday race. The wait list cleared fairly quickly and I went from 17th position to next to register in less than a day and a half. Due to Covid restrictions the race was held twice allowing 250 runners each - in the morning and again in the afternoon. I entered the morning version, hoping for cooler conditions.

Course description
The lead up to the first tunnel is about .7 miles. This is a small climb (about 60 ft of total climb during this 0.7 miles). Sidling Hill tunnel: There is very little elevation change within the tunnel. This will be the warmest portion of the course as you will feel about a 20 degree increase in temperatures from the 40 degrees outside. Remember, in this tunnel you cannot see the other side when entering so lights are mandatory!
After the tunnel is where the elevation starts to really come into play. Athletes will descend quickly for a half a mile coming out of the tunnel and then have a steady gradual climb over the next 3 miles to Ray’s Tunnel. This will be a beautiful section of the course with awesome views, and picturesque fall foliage!
Tunnel #2 (Ray’s Hill Tunnel): This is the shorter of the two tunnels, but since you will be running out one side, turning around, and running back in, you will be spending close to 1.5 miles underground!
Retrace the route back to the start.

Runners coming for packet pickup had their temperature checked and were asked about covid symptoms and exposure. Masks were expected except when running and the start area was marked off to enable safe distancing.

The race started at 9:30 and the crowd quickly spread out. The tempurature was in the upper 50s. Almost immediately I was getting out of breath due to the uphill and the effort of starting without warming up. I knew I had to give myself a little time to adjust. My goal for the day was to keep the run enjoyable to the turnaround and then decide what effort to make on the way back which would be mostly downhill. I would like a finish time under 2 hours, but didn't think I was in shape to manage that.

I was carrying an old cell phone to get some photos and video of the course and was messing with that as I approached the tunnel entrance. My breathing was surprisingly loud on the the videos when I reviewed them later.

 

 

 

I'm wearing the orange shirt

There was a lady running just ahead of me wearing a skeleton shirt as I entered the tunnel. It got really dark in there and without anyone running the other way there wasn't much light even from other runners. The pavement, although wet was in fairly good condition so it didn't take too much focus to just follow along through the tunnel. Now and then someone would yell to make a spooky echo-ey sound and then others would repeat it. It seemed like about 5 minutes until some light started showing from the other end. It was far enough away that at first it looked like a white road sign reflecting light back our way. Eventually it was possible to recognize the shape of runners silhouetted against the bright tunnel opening.

Coming out of the tunnel I was still working a little harder than seemed good this early in the race. The downhill helped ease the effort a bit even while my pace got faster. I ran beside another "senior" runner from Wheeling and talked about the race, running in this unusual year, etc. His goal was a little faster than my wishful 2 hour mark. As our pace quickened we passed the skeleton shirt lady. The downhill gave way to the long uphill and the effort increased which meant the pace slowed.  He and I continued together until I took longer at the next water table/aid station. He went ahead.

As my pace slowed, the skeleton shirt lady passed me before the second tunnel and again I was trailing behind her through the dark.  More spooky shouts echoed here too. The second tunnel is shorter and light from the other end was visible right after things got dark. Shortly after leaving the tunnel was the halfway turnaround and a timing station. I saw the race clock showing 1 hour, 1 minute and some seconds. I was tired enough to doubt the second half would be faster.

As I made the turn I noticed a guy who could be in my age approaching the turn. Soon after I reentered the tunnel, this runner caught and gradually passed me. After exiting the tunnel and the course became downhill, I gradually caught up and ran alongside of him. We ran for a while without conversation until one of of broke the silence. My/our pace quickened again with the assistance of gravity. We talked a little about our running history. He is a former smoker and has been running for just a couple of years. I learned he is from near Johnstown and often trains with younger runners, something I also do.

We passed the lady with the skeleton shirt. I suppose her pace was more consistent than mine had been. Uphills seemed especially hard for me. We continued along making good time through the long downhill. As the course transitioned from downhill to uphill while nearing the longer tunnel another runner caught and passed us. It was a lady, but not the one with the skeleton shirt. I think this was the only runner to pass me after the shorter tunnel on the return trip. As the uphill wore me down and made me breathe harder, I took some walk breaks. Walking for a minute or so allowed my breathing/heart rate to mostly recover and I could transition back to running.

As I came nearer to the tunnel I saw a group of cyclists along the side, seeming to be waiting for the road to get clear of runners. I stopped at the water station before the tunnel entrance and my second half run partner entered the longer tunnel 50 or so yards ahead of me. I could barely see him ahead of me in the darkness. This longer tunnel was like the crest of a hill as the uphill leveled off and gradually turned to slight downhill. Soon after exiting the tunnel I rejoined my friend for the last 0.7 mile to the finish. As I realized I would probably catch up, I had decided I would not try to pass him before the finish.

Our pace was picking up a bit again even though we both expressed happiness that the "end was near". As the finish area became visible another lady runner caught and passed. We had discussed whether to let her pass and agreed the only way to stop her was probably to use a tripping tactic. On she went without us. But our pace picked up a little more and she finished only about 10 yards ahead of us. It seems to me I could have raced them to the finish and maybe gotten ahead of them both. But I had already settled the subject and was tired enough that I didn't care to try.

Official finish time 1:59:37 and splits First half 1:01:51 second half 58:46. 2nd of 5 M65-69
Garmin gps mile splits (total distance showed 12.91 miles)
9:16 8:51 8:35 9:22 9:50 9:51 10:00 9:14 8:46 8:32 10:12 9:16 8:36

Virtual Boston Marathon 2020

 

 

I ran the 2020 Virtual Boston Marathon Saturday morning Sept 12 with friends Jill and Paul. My training for this race was marginal, but I exceeded my expectations for the day. My finish time was a little faster than I hoped and the physical discomfort wasn't so bad.

 

 

We ran on the Cumberland Valley Rail Trail with our start and finish at Britton Park, Shippensburg. We ran three 'out & back' laps each beginning and ending at the park. I had planned the course with lap distances of about 10 miles on the first lap and 8 miles on second and third. We had drinks and nutrition set up at about 2 mile intervals. The out and back course which repeated on a 4 mile section meant we could see each other in passing even when not running together.

We had great support and encouragement from family and friends. Jill's husband Mike and son Donovan biked the course with encouraging words, mobile music and water for anyone who needed it. Paul's wife Greta was there start to finish at Britton park with uplifitng and fun posters, cheering, etc. Their daughter and family came to cheer for their Papa with more handmade signs. My dear wife Rose was there too to support me in another marathon - my 18th I think. Friends Anna and Kristin came to support us too. And many people using the trail realized what we were doing there and gave us friendly encouragement. We saw and greeted 2 other runners wearing race numbers for their virtual Boston.

 Another major source of inspiration and support was the Hyland's Family. I joined the Hyland's Boston Marathon team as a legacy runner this year and Jill has been a team member for I think 3 years now. There was so much mutual encouragement through social media - about 40 team members shared our virtual marathon experience. We received a generous supply of Hyland's homeopathic products to help us perform well. Their leg cramps remedy is well known and we all used it for our race. Products to help with health, recovery, sleep, sinus symptoms and more helped me to train better and race better. Thank you Hylands!

 

 

Jill had stated that her goal was a finish time under 4 hours and ran in first place start to finish. Paul and I had said that we wanted to finish the distance without injury and give a respectable effort. We had not stated a goal time before we started. I had serious doubts about my ability to run well for the distance due to a recent ankle sprain and curtailed training. Paul and I ran together for most of 2 laps/18 miles. We each told some of our life stories related to family, work, and running. Our early pace was in the low 9 minute mile range. As time went on our stops at our aid locations pushed our average pace slower into the upper 9 minute mile range. The aid stations were spaced well, but were unattended. That meant stopping/taking time to find our supplies in the cooler and taking in gels, fluids etc before resuming the run.

I was ready to leave the park before Paul after lap 1 and my friend Anna joined me for the first 3 miles of lap 2. Paul caught up before the middle of this lap and we finished lap 2 together. By this time I decided to carry a water bottle and drink on the move to make aid stops quicker than stopping to drink all I needed. As we came into the park his daughter and family were there; his grandchildren were holding signs and everyone was cheering. My sweet wife Rose was there and helped me refill a bottle before I started out for the third lap.

 

Paul was ready for lap 3 and started a little ahead of me and stayed ahead all the way to the finish. But my friend Kristin joined me for that lap and ran the final 8 miles with me to the finish. We've run together numerous times and her company was a help to keep me working toward finishing and occupying my mind with conversation rather than my increasing discomfort. My ankle was aching, my quads were tired and sore. On this last lap I walked for a couple minutes after each of the 3 aid stops. Although the effort increased and some body parts complained, I was able to run well enough. My energy levels had also held up well.

 

Eventually Kristin and I crested the small hill to the last road crossing, just six tenths of a mile from the finish at the park. This is a place where in past training runs I would race my wife Rose to the park while she biked. There was no racing this time but we did hold pace or maybe picked it up a little. I could see our group as we rounded the last bend before the park. Jill and Paul and all of our supporters were there and cheered me in to the finish. 

Since I had laid out the course including marking a proposed finish line, I ran to that line even though my watch had already recorded more than the marathon distance.

 

 

Jill had finished in 3:52, ahead of her sub 4 hour goal. I think Paul's finish time was 4:10. And my watch showed 4:24:04 for 26.5 miles.

Virtual Team Photo

Hylands Team Signature Map

Boston 2020 - training starts again

I first started training for the 2020 Boston Marathon in late December 2019. The race was scheduled for the 3rd Monday in April, consistent with long standing tradition. This time I had been accepted as a legacy runner on Hyland's 2020 Boston Marathon Team.  I was excited to go to Boston as part of a team.

In March the Covid-19 pandemic caused the Boston Athletic Association, the city of Boston and race sponsors to reschedule the marathon for the 3rd Monday of September. My training switched to a mostly maintenance approach until mid May when I restarted my training plan.

And in late May the race was changed again, this time to a virtual marathon to be run individually in the second week of September. My training shifted back to a less serious level as I considered whether to be part of the virtual event. (I have also been busy related to family members moving out of state.)

Registration opened for the virtual race on July 7th and I registered to participate.  Now with 2 months till the race date window, I am again starting to prepare to run a marathon. At this point my goal is to complete the 26.2 miles, but not to race it.  I will probably use a run/walk approach and join up with some local Hyland's teammates to set our race route and run on the same date.

There is an effort underway by Hyland's to get team members together for the virtual race. I am eager to find out what develops from this.  Joining up for our own event would be very fun.

Pressing toward a finish line that has been moving has made for a very different running year thus far. Let's all keep moving forward.