We haven't gone away for any hiking adventures since we returned from Montana, but we have traveled a bit for our running. I thought it might be fun to update you on that aspect of our lives as it looks like that is the most active we will be for awhile.
First, we stayed in Maine but traveled to Portland for an overnight in October of 2010. This was the race that was motivation for summer training in Montana.....the Maine marathon for Glen, and the half marathon for Terry. Leading up to the race we were both fighting some injury issues, but we toed the line with only a few jitters.
We went with friends from school, took the kids, and made it a weekend. The kids stayed at a hotel, we took the camper and camped right at the start/finish, and we enjoyed some great pre-race pizza at Portland Pie with Kristen S. and her family. Kristen teaches with Glen, and was part of the original group of people we signed up with. She had a great race, and we hope to do more things like this with people from school.
Kyle, Emily, and Paul volunteered to work a water stop. That was fun knowing that we would see them on the course both on the way out and on the way back. The course starts and finishes on Portland's Back Bay. It then is an out-and-back course traveling into Falmouth. Course map Caitlynn Wilson also was playing support crew and biked out to ride part of the course with Glen.
Glen ran a great race and qualified for the Boston Marathon with a time of 3:19:50. Terry was excited to finish her first run of 13.1 miles in 2:22:53 while fighting hip bursitis caused by tight ileotibial bands. (Physical therapy soon to follow would fix her up)
In one of the greatest computer jams of all time, Glen missed the chance to register for the Boston Marathon for 2011. So, we were on to plan B. We decided to travel to Virginia Beach to do the Yuengling Shamrock Marathon(Glen) and half marathon(Terry). Shamrock Marathon
In order to escape the Maine winter for a nice long weekend at the beach in March, there was much training in the cold and snow to be done. Unless your name is Terry. Then there was much training on the treadmill to be done.
We had a great time at this race. It is done very professionally, and it was a blast to be around that many runners for a weekend. The whole town is seemingly geared up for the race weekend. We found some great restaurants to eat at, ran the boardwalk along Virginia Beach, shopped in the little shops, and explored the runners expo. We stayed in a condo right near the finish line.
Race day dawned as a cold, windy day. The half marathon starts before sunrise, so there was much shivering prior to the race start! The half started an hour before the marathon, so Glen came to the start and took Terry's warm clothes back to the hotel before going to his race. It is nice to have a support crew!
Despite the strong winds, the course was a fun one, and we both enjoyed the race. Our times were respectable, but we were both a little disappointed. Glen ran a 3:21. Terry ran a 2:12:54--ten minutes faster than Portland.
It would be fun to come here again with some friends. The finish line party was awesome. Free beer, Irish stew, live music, and right on the beach.
Now we are back home and training again for the next round. Glen is hoping to better his time in order to have a chance to enter Boston on the first day of registration. He is training to run the Quebec City Marathon on August 28th. Terry has taken the jump and registered for the full marathon at the Maine Marathon in Portland, October 2nd. Let's hope for a fun summer of training with some races and camping thrown in.
