Blessing of the Fleet 2021

Narragansett, RI

Friday, July 23, 2021

Background:  For a long time, it looked like this race wouldn't happen in person due to COVID and would only be a virtual race, again.  Last year, during the heart of the pandemic, almost no races were happening from mid-March until August, and even then, few and far between.  So last year, I ran the Blessing (on the Blessing course) as one of only two virtual races all year, and hopefully in my lifetime.

I checked the Blessing website frequently in the spring, which simply stated to the effect of "We have decided the 2021 Blessing of the Fleet will be virtual only ....  if we are able to hold it in person, we will do so."  Clearly they are able to hold it in person per RI law and lifted restrictions, but will they?  Finally, on May 22, I got a text from my Narragansett resident brother Kurt that they were opening for in-person.  YES!!!!  Signed up right away.

Besides me, an additional 1,610 signed up for the in-person 10-mile run, and 88 signed up for the virtual 10-mile run.  Why anyone would signup for a virtual event when there is an in-person version as well is completely beyond me.  (Not being judgmental, but I just can't relate.)  In the 10-mile walk category, 363 and 66 signed up for the in-person and virtual, respectively.

This would be my 19th consecutive Blessing (virtual in 2020), with mixed results in recent years (see chart at end of post) with some injuries/medical issues.  The irony is this year is my most serious medical condition ever, with long term wound healing issues after two surgeries on my head to remove malignant skin cancer, yet it has very little impact to my running.  I set a goal of sub-65, which I've only achieved in one of the past three years, but I'm feeling good.  

Race day:  As has the been ritual most of the years I've run Blessing, I had picked up my bib and shirt the previous weekend and Jana would drop me off at the school about 40 minutes pre-race and continue on to find parking near the race finish.  As I got of the car wearing my favorite color (blue) singlet and AC/DC blasting from a neighbor's lawn, I was feeling good and perhaps a bit lucky.

Singlet faux pas:  Jana had put out a WTAC singlet on the bed for me to wear, but I figured so few WTAC runners will be running tonight that I wore a blue singlet that I love instead.  I wear a WTAC singlet every week at the Fun Runs and many local races, so something different for today.  That was a mistake on my part.  No sooner had I gotten out the car that I saw a WTAC singlet and by the time I warmed up and got to the start line, I saw at least 8 WTAC singlets, and I suspect there were more.  One WTAC singlet wearer asked me, "Aren't you the president of this club?".  Ouch.  It turned out there were 25 runners from WTAC in tonight's race.   OK, lesson learned.

Miles 1 & 2:  No corral start this year for some reason, so it's every man for himself.  I lined up about 8 rows back at the starting line.  Just after the gun, a guy cut right in front of me, forcing me to alter my stride lest I likely trip and fall over him.  Another runner yelled at him, "Dude, you just cut completely cut this guy off!".  Apparently the perpetrator hadn't even realized it and turned around and said "Sorry" to me.  No biggie; it happens in crowded starts.

In past years, a bib number of 100 or under gained
you entrance to the front corral, so I was happy to get this.
But it turned out for naught, as there was no lead corral
this year.

I tried not to get sucked in to the typically fast first mile, but was only partially successful.  About 1/2 mile in, the crowded field started to spread a little and I saw Chris (he was wearing his WTAC singlet) move ahead.  Mile 1 split 5:51.  Faster than I was looking for, but it is slightly downhill as well.

Mile 2 was pretty uneventful.  A few younger guys passed me during this mile.  Focused on running my own race, but I may have subconsciously over-adjusted for my fast Mile 1 by running a 6:12 split for Mile 2.

Miles 3 & 4:  In Mile 3, I was passed by many runners, most together in groups.  Fortunately I noted that every single one of them was well under age 25.  Good for them.  Run your own race.  Slight downhill mile.  Mile 3 split 6:02.

Mile 4 goes by Scarborough Beach.  This should help the mile go by quickly while stealing glances of the ocean, but I forgot how long it is after Scarborough Beach before you make the right-hand turn off of Ocean Road.  It's the next turn, right?  No.  On Knowlesway, there is a slight uphill before finishing the mile.  6:19.  I'm now thinking my Miles 5 and 6 will be 6:30ish.

Miles 5 & 6:  Onto my least favorite and typically slowest section of the race:  the dreaded Route 108.  This is a four-lane highway usually baking in the sun and heat, and where until recent years you were confined to the breakdown lane, making matters worse as you start to come up on back-of-the-walkers here (the walking field starts one hour earlier).

Fortunately in recent years runners (and walkers) now have the breakdown lane PLUS one full lane of northbound traffic coned off for their use.  This helps greatly and pretty much eliminates having to weave around walkers, with the possible exception of coming into water stops.

This year there is no heat, no sun, and little humidity at 68%.  In fact, there are occasional rain sprinkles during the race.  What a difference!  In my 19 Blessings to date, this year was my 2nd fastest Route 108 run, second only to my PR (60:52) in 2015.  Mile 5 split 6:06, Mile 6 - 6:16.

Mile 7 & 8:  I'm happy to turn off Route 108 and run the shaded Kinney Ave.  Mile 7 split 6:06.  In Mile 8, I can feel my form is breaking down and try to keep it going strong.  The intersection of Gibson and South Pier Road is the place where the most spectators are congregated.  This is a double-edge sword as the crowd excitement does help keep me motivated, but yet they keep edging further into the street making for a tight turn.  Mile 8 split 6:16.

Mile 9 & 10:  I can smell the finish now.  OK, not really, but I can feel it in my grasp.  Passing back through the start line, I am looking forward to the adjacent usual party house with music and especially getting sprayed with a hose for those that want it.  Oh no, no hose this year.  I see two boys with super soakers, so I get their attention and point to my chest.  Yes, they both nailed it, or nailed my chest rather.  Oh, that felt so good and made me feel good too!  Downhill and then uphill to Avice.  

Avice Street is the Land of the Freaks to me.  A spectator from a house party runs across the street right in front of me, and then turns around and starts to run back.  He is going to be smack dab in my path, but fortunately other spectators yelled at him and he looked up, saw me, yelled "Sh!#" and got out of my way.  Dude, there is a race going on here; pay attention.  Then a young kid asked me if I would play on his huge inflatable slide; I told him maybe after I finish.  Finally, there is a table with cups of liquid for runners, labeled "Not Water".  Not sure if shots or beer.  I'm no prude, but seriously, what runners are taking this during a race?  Not that are taking their time seriously, I would venture.  Mile 9 is done.  6:18.

Final mile.  Let's kick it in.  Having the finish line so close now keeps me going, but I am surprised to find out later that my final mile is a 5:49!  Does that suggest that I left too much out on the course and could've gone even faster?

Moving so fast that I'm just a blur as I approach the finish.
(It couldn't just be that the photo itself is blurry, right?
Don't burst my bubble.)

Done.

Final results:  1:01:42, average 6:07 pace.  84th overall of 1,453 finishers, 2nd in age group (of 137).   Full results here.

Post-finish:
(l-r:  My brother Kurt, 11-year-old niece Lucy,
and some old half-naked guy)

Crossed the finish line and caught up with so many runners, many of whom I hadn't seen since pre-pandemic.  Went to get oranges and grapes, but alas, fresh cut fruit this year was replaced by dry packaged goods.  I get it.  I'm just thrilled that the in-person race actually happened.

Post-race observations:

• First and foremost, just psyched that the Blessing in-person returned this year!
• I figured I had a pretty good shot at breaking my somewhat soft goal of sub-65, but was honestly surprised (and thrilled!) that I ran sub-62.  Was this just a freak perfect storm with the favorable weather, or if I actually trained for this race, would I have a chance at my advanced age of going sub-60, or at least taking 50+  seconds off and going sub-60:52 (my PR)?
• Great to see so many runners that I know, and so many of them running quite well!
• Looking forward to running Blessing #20 next July!

3rd fastest in 19 starts