Chicago Marathon

Chicago, Illinois

Sunday, October 11, 2026

Signed up for this race and booked the host hotel, Hilton Chicago, a full year ago back in October of 2025.  And with good reason, as you can't book the hotel through the marathon site until you sign up for the marathon itself, and the Hilton Chicago was sold out just a few days after opening to marathoners.  This hotel was absolutely the right choice, being just across the street and a couple blocks away from both the start and finish.  

Friday:  Race day minus 2.  Arrived on Friday afternoon together with Matthew and Tom and Shara.  Flight was just OK, but it was direct from Providence and pretty short at ~2.5 hours.  Orange line from Midway Airport brought us into the city, where we checked in at the hotel before taking a commuter rail to the expo and packet pickup McCormick Place.  It was nice to get the packet pickup done with on Friday, which left Saturday for a chill relaxing day.  Enjoyable dinner a block away at Thai Spoon and Sushi.

The Chicago expo was fine and very easy to navigate, but I've been
to so many marathon expos now that I just quickly file through them.
I checked out the Chicago Marathon running hat, but it just wasn't my
color, so I'm good to go.  (Matthew is left-most in photo)

Checking in to the Chicago Hilton, I asked if there were any high-floor
rooms available (quieter, less traffic), and I received a
complimentary upgrade!  Matthew and I each had our own
bathroom in the room, which was nice as well.  This is the 
view from our 25th floor room.

Saturday:  Race day minus 1.  Slow and easy 3-mile morning run with Tom and Shara out along the waterfront as far as Adler Planetarium.  A lot of cement, but it was short and the best view we would have all weekend, including the race itself.  I had run Fun Runs here when on business conferences probably a decade ago, and actually remember the route and waterfront skyline views.

Near Shedd's Aquarium, looking back over Lake Michigan 
shoreline with the Chicago skyline in background.

Post-run I ate a big breakfast at the hotel buffet.  Not the best I've ever had and not the cheapest, but still pretty good.

Hotel breakfast was pretty good!

Just a few of the many stations at breakfast,
not showing the omelet station also included in price.

Post-run went with Tommy and Shara to a great little coffee shop, Paris Baguette, just a few blocks south of the hotel.  Vishak Malik from Soundrunner CT team joined us as we were wrapping up and it was good to catch up with him as we run similar times.

This place was fantastic!

For our pre-race dinner, Matthew and I have our ritual of a pasta dinner, while Tommy and Shara have a different ritual so we parted ways.  I had initially planned to sign up for the race pasta dinner for $50, but I procrastinated in registering and the prime slots were quickly gone.  I then booked the nearby Grant Park Bistro as they had several pasta options, but upon checking into the hotel learned the hotel was having a pasta dinner buffet themselves.  Right inside the hotel, no reservations, and coincidentally half the price of the race buffet.  Fantastic!

I was tempted to start with desserts first!
You know, carb loading, right?

Matthew and Andrew helping themselves to the nice pasta buffet.

Also included a salad bar.  A steal for all this at $24!
(Except that the hotel applied an $18/person food credit each day to our
stay, so we had a salad, pasta, and dessert buffet for $6 each!)

Race day:  I set my alarm for 5:30am (against a 7:35am race start).  As is often the case for goal races, I woke up ahead of my alarm.  Since it was just after 5, I relaxed a little before getting up and getting going with my usual ritual:

• Applying BodyGlide
• Putting on my race kit (all laid out the night before, including bib pre-pinned to my singlet)
• Race morning breakfast ritual (oatmeal using hot water from coffee maker, plus granola and chia seeds [all brought from home], plus 1 yogurt I took from previous morning's hotel breakfast buffet)

Race kit (or most of it) laid out the night before and
ready to go.  Several people asked me why my bib number
was so high.  I have no idea.

Relaxed back in bed until it was time to leave about 5:50am.  Packed my hotel key and 6 GU gels into my zippered back pocket, put two water bottles (one for Vikash as he requested) and an Untapped waffle into a drawstring bag I would throw away, and jogged the 0.4 miles to Security Gate 1.  Entered security just after 6am.  Easy peasy, quick and done.

Met up with Vikash and walked in with him until we parted ways as he went to bag check and I wasn't using bag check.  Next randomly met up with Jared and we sat and talked for a while to try to kill time.  Walked to Corral B, where ran into Tommy and Shara in the bathroom line.  It was long!

Did some more warm-up inside the corral, although it was more of a forced jog as you were running in a CCW narrow oval with many others.  Had more than enough time, and was ready for the race to start.  Some people brought throw away clothes, but since it was already 60℉ and humid at the start, I was warm in a singlet as it was.  After the national anthem, on a large screen we watched the wheelchair runners start at 7:20, and then the pros at 7:30, and we were scheduled for 7:35.  Because they stopped runners twice before I got to the start (evidently just to space them out a bit?), my start was at 7:39am.

Race goal:  Earlier in the week, Vikash had asked me my goal for the marathon.  The awkward question, right?  :)  I told him I was looking to go sub-2:55, and I was thinking somewhere around 2:52 would be nice.  The first few miles through the city the general plan was to run ~6:35, then drop into high 6:20s.  He was advocating for negative splits, but since I had never done this in my 30 marathons to date, I figured the math that if I was able to hold ~6:30 or just under until 20 miles and then didn't drop off much after that, 2:52 was possible.  I had run 2:57:46 last year on a much harder course at New York City Marathon, and my two goal races this summer and fall had gone very well:

• Blessing of the Fleet 10M (July):  62:08 [6:13 pace]
• New Haven 20K (September):  1:17:32 [6:14 pace]

BUT, it was 60℉ at the start with 88% humidity, and nearly 70℉ with full sun at the finish.  That I had not factored into any of my target planning, as 1) I didn't know how to, and 2) I didn't know at what point or to what extent the heat would impact my performance.

A yellow alert was issue for the marathon, as temps were above average and forecast to rise
into the 70s

Race start and first half:  Just the day before, Vikash and I had talked about running together as we had similar race goals.  We wished either good luck, but once we started, I never saw him again until very late in the race and I basically ran by myself the whole race.

For the full course of the Chicago Marathon, a blue striped line is painted on the course indicating the shortest possible route (i.e., the tangents).  I had all good intentions of following this closely, but that wasn't to be for a few reasons:

• The blue line wasn't exactly bright, and the paint was faded.
• The stripe wasn't so much a stripe as a dash every once in a while.  In other words, it didn't really stick out and you had to look for.
• For the early miles, due to runners around me, it wasn't really possible for me to follow the shortest route, and instead I was following the route of least resistance (i.e., when passing runners, I couldn't wait and follow a blue line).

Almost immediately, within the first 1/2 of the race, we hit the tunnels of Lower Wacker Drive.  I was forewarned of wild inaccuracies on GPS watches in this section, so I was pleasantly surprised to find my Mile 1 split on my watch remarkably close to the actual Mile 1 sign on the course.

We had so many section of this weird red rug,
which was placed over sections of road like this
that had steel grates.  I guess it was an improvement,
but you could still feel the steel grates through the rug.

I held to plan and ran the first 4 miles just north of 6:30/mile pace, and then dropped down into the high 6:20s, again according to plan.  The first four miles we were running through skyscrapers and downtown business areas.  It was fairly congested, and I was able to hit my splits, albeit having to move other runners.  

Just rounding a corner coming into the southern end of Lincoln Park in Mile 5, I hear "Jeffrey!".  It's Tommy 5K!  We give each other a word of encouragement as I move ahead.  In Miles 5-8 we run north through Lincoln Park and parallel to Lake Michigan, but unfortunately at no point during the marathon do we actually see the water.

Course route, from my Strava post

At Mile 8, the course turns around and heads south until the halfway point.  The only thing I can remember in this section is the long aid station section with synchronized speakers blasting out AC/DC's TNT!  I remember thinking at the time how I wish that could just be continued on the course.  It was always clear on fluids at the aid station, as not only did the water always precede Gatorade, but there was a sizable gap between the two so easy to distinguish the end of the water and start of the Gatorade, and furthermore water was served in plain white cups while Gatorade was served in green Gatorade branded cups.

I'm able to hold sub-6:30 through this period, before running through the half at 1:26:21.  While that would translate to a sub-2:53 if I could run even or negative splits (I never have in a marathon), I'm thinking sub-2:55 is a possibility at this point.

2nd half and finish:  Mile 14 was an anomaly in 6:15, as it was my only mile sub-6:25.  I really don't know why or how, but it would be my final sub-6:30 mile, as the mile splits ticked up from there.  I was then running in the high 6:30s through 25K, when I remember feeling really warm.  The sun was out in full at this morning, the temps were well into the mid-60s, but at least there were a number of sections where tall buildings blocked the sun.  

Somewhere early in the 2nd half, I rolled my ankle with an awkward foot placement into a pothole.  Lost my stride a bit for a minute or so, but not enough to be a factor.  Just awkward!

At about 30K, we entered Chinatown, which was pretty cool and there was a lot of crowd support here.  Between 30K and 35K, my pace just continued the downward spiral into the 6:50s.  One bright spot for me was a large Taiwanese flag with a big group of Taiwanese cheering for runners.  I yelled out "Taiwan hen hao!" (Taiwan is great!) to the clearly surprised people at that station, who gave me a thumbs up and cheered loudly for me as I ran past.

Somewhere around this section, I see and awkwardly step around a shoe (an unoccupied shoe!) on the course.  Immediately afterwards, I see a one-shoed runner running backwards on the course into the runners!  Well, I know what he's seeking, and I certainly don't envy him!

35K, about Mile 22.  I am cursing the English King Edward VII who extended the marathon distance in Summer Olympics 1908 just so his family could view the marathon at their place (Windsor), and this "26 miles and 385 yards" became the new standard, which Boston and other marathon then extended their distance to.  I am feeling just awful, overheated, and want to be done.  7K (4M) may be a short distance left, but not in this heat and condition.

Just after 35K, we head south on an OAB section before turning around and heading north to the finish.  This OAB section is only 1 mile in each direction, but it's discouraging to see runners heading towards knowing they are ahead of you and this section just seemed to go on so long.  I am totally done and blown up at this point.  At one water stop, I take three consecutive cups of water.  I try to count the kilometer markers as they come up quicker than the mile markers, but it's still a slog.  Between 35K and 40K, my pace is quickly reduced to 7:30 and then low 8s.  By Mile 24, I ran running 8:11 pace.  Ugh.  So many people around me are walking, some laying down, some stretching a leg seemingly in pain, and more than one vomiting on the sides.  This is not helping!

In the final two miles, I see Vikash go past me.  I have nothing left to chase after him or even shout out encouragement to him.  I go through the Mile 25 marker, and then a big "1 Mile to Go!" sign.  I check my watch and it's right at 2:52:00, meaning my maintaining my current pace north of 8 minutes/mile ensures I will finish north of 3 hours.

It's been a rough second half for me thus far, but I reflect on just how depressed I will be if I finish at 3:00:xx.  Can I pick up my pace at least 20 seconds per mile faster for this final mile?  I'm sure going to try.  I periodically check my watch and feel relieved when I see the average lap pace drop down below 7:45, but I don't want to leave this to chance in case I can't hold the pace in the final meters and I know the only hill on the course is coming up.

I make the right turn off South Michigan and up the only hill on the entire course!  The hill is all of about 20' so even in my weakened state and this late in the race it's a total non issue.  The hill is a bridge over train tracks, and then we take a quick left into Grant Park and the finish line is visible.

Final result:  2:59:10, 3137 overall (out of 54,601), 9th in age group (out of 1,130), 4th American in age group.  Result link here.

While I didn't hit the time goal I had set for myself, I got in a sub-3 at age 62 on a warm day, and I got my 3rd star in the World Marathon Majors, so I can't complain.  Matthew had a tough day out there and decided to cut his losses and focus on NYC Marathon on November 1.  Shara killed it with another PR in 2:54!  And for my Tommy, it was pretty amazing that he finished at all given a lengthy injury period and almost no training, but he did and in a very respectable 3:15!

I was real sore for the rest of the day, and just took some needed downtime.  Lunch ended up being take-out consumed in my hotel room.  Went to visit Shedd Aquarium in the afternoon.  Rented a bike to get there as my legs were sore but the downside was I had to keep stopping for all the marathon crowds.  In the evening, the four of us took an Uber to have deep-dish pizza.  I don't think deep-dish pizza is my thing, but I'm glad we went as it's always good to sample the local food specialties.

Small aquarium, but nice

Woke up Monday morning very hungry, so while I was tempted by Tommy and Shara's offer for a return visit to the Paris Baguette Bakery Cafe, I "needed" something more filling and enjoyed another hotel breakfast buffet.  After breakfast, and after finding and tipping our very friendly and very nice hotel room attendant, it was off to Midway Airport for an uneventful flight home.

This was my first time flying Southwest, as up
until this year, you couldn't even book seats!  This is
definitely a no-frills airline.  I think I selected one of the
best seats on the plane, as at least it gave my sore legs a little
bit of stretching room (above).  The way that they setup
their exit rows is a bit strange and they seem to be 
pinching pennies to jam cramped seats in tightly.
---
Oh well, fortunately it's just a short flight, so tolerable.

Epilogue:  Three World Marathon Majors stars down, three stars to go.  (I'm not even thinking about the newest additions beyond six stars at this point.)  So what's next?  I feel like I "have" to have something on the race schedule to keep me engaged in running.  That's just me.

Five days after finishing Chicago, I received the following e-mail:

Next marathon stop:  Tokyo, Japan!  Stay tuned ...

New Haven 20K 2026

 

New Haven, CT

Monday, September 7, 2026

The Labor Day tradition!  Or so it would seem to me, as this would be my 5th consecutive New Haven 20K.  20K seems like a logical distance, as it follow the popular 5K and 10K in progression.  But this distance is actually an anomaly, at least in road running.  For kicks, I performed a quick search on Running in the USA to show all races in the Northeast US that are 20K.  Ten of them come up, but nine are trail races.  So what's the tenth?  New Haven Road Race 20K, of course!

Over 2,000 toed the combined start line for the 20K and half marathon, but to my above point of 20Ks not being popular, about 3/4 of the runners were in the half!

Writing this almost two months post-race now, I'll just hit some bulleted highlights that I can still recall as well as a few photos:

• Warm-up with Brady and Matthew on the paved Farmington Canal Heritage Trail, until Brady needed a pit stop.  On return to the start, I needed a pit stop myself.  Upon exiting the porta-jon, several runners told me they were astounded as they watched me tell Brady firmly "Sit.  Stay."  and he was there sitting waiting for me when I came out.  One said his dog would've been long gone in that situation.
• Lining up just before the start of the race, I noticed two parked cars just ahead of the start line partially blocking runners' routes, despite clear no parking signs for the event.  Then just five minutes before the start, at police orders two tow-trucks appear and quickly remove the vehicles.  I often wondered what happens in big races to make sure roads are clear and now I know!  It was impressive.
• There were a few speakers before the race, including the Mayor of New Haven.  OK, government officials often speak at big races.  But then the mayor finished speaking, went through a barrier, and lined up with other runners, before going on to place in his age group!  That was cool.
• The gun went off, and we started in decent weather at 60℉ and little wind.

Start of the 2026 New Haven 20K

• I went out and ran 6:1x for 8 out of 12 miles, only dipping below 6:10 on downhills and only above 6:20 on uphills.  Every single mile on a GAP basis was between 6:02 and 6:17.  Very, very happy with that!

In Mile 7, about halfway through the course.
(Pics by Jana)

• Went back and forth for 8 miles with this older Hispanic guy who I could hear approaching each time because of how loud his foot strikes were.  It reminded me of this woman in the Honolulu Marathon that kept going past me and then I'd pass her, and she slapped her foot down so hard and loud with each footstep that I nicknamed her "Clippety Clop", as it sounded like a horse as did this guy.  I wasn't sure if the guy in this race was in my age group, but when I repassed him for about the 4th time 7 miles in, based on how hard he was breathing relative to me, I had a good feeling he wasn't coming back again.  It turns out that neither was he coming back again, nor was he in my age group!
• I closed my final half-mile in a 5:44 pace, which cemented a very rare negative split race for me!

Approaching the finish line
(Race photo)

And we're finished!

Final result:  1:17:32 gun, 1:17:28 chip, 132nd overall (of 595), 1st in age group (of 18).  Full results here

• I closed my final half-mile in a 5:44 pace, which cemented a very rare negative split race for me!
• This was my 5th consecutive New Haven 20K, and my 2nd fastest.  
• 88.4% age graded!
• Very happy with both this race result as well as how this went for a tune-up race in Chicago in five weeks.
• While waiting for awards (it was a long wait), I met the 2nd place AG finisher, Frank McKelvey of Delaware.  Nice guy!  We had a good chat and respective race recap and also learned that both of us are running Chicago!

To the victor go the spoils, which in this case were:
1) a loaf of sourdough bread (it was good!),
2) a champagne split,
3) a $20 gift certificate to a local running store

Block Island Triathlon

New Shoreham, RI

Saturday, August 1, 2026

It had been 9 years since I last participated in the Block Island Triathlon.  Back then, you could sign up the day before and get in, but times have changed.  Last year, I tried to get in, but it had sold out a few weeks ahead of the event.  So this year, my friend Tommy 5K and I tried to get in almost two months early, but alas it was already sold out.  I e-mailed the race director, who added me to the manual waiting list and said I was pretty high on the list, and Tommy did the same.

Fast forward to six days before the race, when having heard nothing again since early June, we each got a phone call that we were in!

Race day, I got up at the ungodly (for me) hour of 4am, ate my usual pre-race breakfast of oatmeal, granola, and berries, and headed to Tom's house to pick him up on the way.  Everything was pre-loaded in the car the day before, including my bike rack and bike.  We parked in the state lot because it is among, if not, the cheapest, and had plenty of time boarding the ferry before it left.  I got a bagel with cream cheese and coffee on board the 6am slow ferry, which was a special ferry running just for the triathlon.  We saw and caught up with a few other Westerly triathletes we know, including Mark Burbelo and Dan Lathrop, as well as Bruno Trombino and his son Joe.

The 1-hour ferry ride was smooth, and after disembarking at Old Harbor, Block Island, we used the visitor restrooms and casually rode the mile out to the town beach on Corn Neck Road for the start.  We were both surprised that the vast majority of triathletes seemed to be walking with their bikes for the mile to the start, but I'm not sure why, and didn't want to add a mile of walking pre-event.

Since we rode and the majority walked, we beat the majority to check-in, and thus there were practically no lines for check-in or body marking, and we were quickly off to setup in transition.  I would be starting in Wave 10 (of 10) waves today.

Very fast and easy check in early the morning of the race

My simple transition setup, with my bike lined up under my bib number
(#480) on the rack.

I changed out of my street clothes into my tri suit, and then Tom and I went for a mile warm-up run heading north on Corn Neck Road.  Slow and easy 8-minute pace.  When we finished, the transition area looked very different, as in much more crowded, and especially so in my area:

This was wrong and rude on so many fronts, including that the person's
bike wasn't even in the right spot for his/her bib number, and that they
just rudely put their bike wheel right on top of my towel and gear.

We still had plenty of time, and rather than throw a temper tantrum or get upset, I simply moved my bike to the outside of the bar, the furthest it could be, and then I moved my towel and gear on the outside (to the right of) my bike to give myself a little more space.

The swim:  As I mentioned, I'm in the 10th of 10 waves, each one separated by one minute, with an additional three minutes between the last women's wave and the first men's wave.  So I watch the women's waves, and then take the opportunity in the lull to get into the water with my wetsuit and just get a little acclimated, especially as the swim is by far my weakest leg.

When Wave 8 starts, I get in line, as that means just two minutes to my start.  The countdown, the whistle, and we're off:  a short dash through the sand to and around a red flag in the sand, and then a beeline for the water.  The course is very short.  As usual, I get kicked, hit, and run into some swimmers, but I'm used to it now and not fazed.  I just alter course slightly and continue on.  After rounding the first buoy, I start swimming again only to quickly literally hit a ... boat?  What the heck?  Oh, I see the problem.  I am between a swimmer in distress and the rescue boat coming to help him.  I work my way around the front of the boat and continue on to the next buoy.

Just when I think my own swimming form is bad, I see people doing the backstroke, treading water, etc.  The rest of the short swim (about 300 yards today) fortunately is without any further issue, and I have quickly reached the shore and am running out while taking off my cap, goggles, and unzipping my wetsuit.

Photos by Jennifer Brightman

 

Swim time:  7:14 (310 out of 440)

The bike:  After a long T1 (swimming and transitions are something I'm just not fast at), it's time for the bike.  The traffic is stopped on Corn Neck Road in both directions, as we cross the road coming out of the beach parking lot (transition area).  Sure, it's a small island, without a lot of traffic, but on a beautiful mid-morning in prime tourist season in August, with the police stopping traffic and no alternate options to get to and from the north light, it gets pretty clogged up!

This is a 2-loop 12-mile course, and I wonder if this is the limiter that is forcing a cap on the number of participants in the tri.  The entire time I had bikes around me, and sometimes cars coming close, so I had to be uber vigilant.  Nonetheless, I only had one person pass me the whole time, and I believe that the was the lead female starting her 2nd loop as I was starting my 1st.  Perhaps that was because of my start pretty far back between being in the last wave and also being a slow swimmer, because there were certainly plenty of faster bikers than me, but they never passed me.

Bike time:  41:40 (78 of 440)

The run:  We knew it was going to be high tide today (actually, credit to Tommy for letting me know ahead of time), and so it really wasn't a surprise to us when the RD announced that the beach run was being cut short today, as that was the same experience we've had in previous editions when coincidentally occurring at high tide.  About 1/2 mile was cut off, meaning the usual run of about 4 1/4 miles was 3 3/4 today.  The result was not optimal, as the sand was sharply sloped up from the water's edge, and then there was a very narrow footpath to run on and avoid sharp slope on the water side and soft sand on the land side.

When I was going from the start, runners were coming back at me on my left, and with many wearing shoes they were reluctant (or refused) to run in the shallow water even just ankle deep.  Not once, but twice, I collided with runners coming at me because they refused to give room.  

One advantage of running barefoot
is you can just run straight lines
through the water
(from Jennifer Brightman)

After the 1st (southern) turnaround, running barefoot up towards Mansion Beach, I just ran at the water's edge barely into the water to give myself room, especially because I was quickly passing runner after runner (again, due to starting in the last wave, plus being a back-of-the-pack swimmer).  Initially, I was counting the runners as I passed them, but after 100, I stopped or maybe just lost count.  Approaching the northern turn-around at Mansion Beach, I saw a huge American flag and thought that would be the turnaround point.  But as I got closer, I saw that would not be the case!  At lunch later on, Tommy related that he had the same experience.  It wasn't too longer after that when I did reach the actual turnaround, and headed back to the beach pavilion and finish.  Other than the sometimes awkward slope running, I felt good all the way to the finish.

Just before the finish,
from Jennifer Brightman

 

Right at the finish!
(from Shara Bousquet)
(Note clock reflecting start of 1st wave,
mine started 13 minutes later)

Run time: 27:27 (6 out of 440)

Full triathlon time:  1:20:58 (1st of 15 in age group!, 34th out of 440 overall)  Full results here

Pretty psyched with both a 1st age group finish, as well as top 10% overall finish.  To be clear, Block Island Tri is not a super competitive one, but you race who shows up, and I did!

Really fun day out on Block Island,
where Tom also won his age group!

Fun rest of the day decompressing with friends Tommy and Shara and their three daughters.  Finished up the day catching up with BI Sport Shop owners Jim and Marion Ortel, before boarding the high speed ferry back to the mainland.

Pigging out on an ice cream sundae
post-race.  It was a delicious indulgence!

Blessing of the Fleet 2026

Narragansett, RI

Friday, July 24, 2026

I believe last year (2025) was the first year that the Blessing sold out, I think in a few months.  There is currently a total capacity of 4,000 runners and walkers combined, set by the town of Narragansett.  This year it sold out in one week!  There was a lot of discord, from no notification as to when registration would open, to no waiting list, to no ability to transfer bibs.  I generally agree with these criticisms, but fortunately I was checking the Blessing site in March when I saw that registration would open April 1, and I put it on the calendar and let others know.

Thanks to Jeff Vuono and Eileen Lassek for picking up my bib and shirt, along with picking up for many others.  Between this year's shirt color (purple) and the material (cotton), I'm not sure I will ever wear this shirt, just not my thing.  Not that I have any shortage of running shirts!

Race day:  Fast forward to race day.  This year will be my 24th consecutive!  And yes, I registered for and ran in the Blessing virtual COVID edition in 2020.  To avoid a repeat of the year when I actually forgot to bring my bib, had to turn around and go back home, and started the race 12 minutes late (yeah, pretty bad), this year I had everything laid out and packed 24 hours ahead of time.  We got the to the race about 5:15pm (6pm start), and Jana dropped me off on South Pier Road once she ran into police barricades.

My "race kit" laid out the night before,
and ready to go.

Walked the 1/2 mile to the start, then jogged out to the real bathroom I use each year on Boon Street. Had an Untapped waffle and my final pre-race sips of water, discarded the trash, and jogged to start line, where I ran a few strides.  Aerosmith's "Walk this Way" is blasting as I line up, about 4 rows back with Tommy and Shara.  Awesome motivational music!

I am wearing my New Balance Elite v5, pretty much brand new with just 3 miles on them from a recent WTAC Fun Run just to wear them at least once ahead of race day.  I bought them for Chicago Marathon upcoming in Chicago, and up until Chicago, to keep them fresh in their "sweet spot", I will only be wearing them at my two goal races:  Blessing (this race) and New Haven 20K on Labor Day.

New kicks!

Race start:  I pull slightly ahead of Tom, Shara, and Jared Dybas.  The first two I will not see again during the race.  The first 1/4 mile is hard enough with the crowded start, but then I see local Paul Weigle out in front of me, arms stretched out to the side, as he's talking and laughing with his buddy.  I'm all for all paces and abilities in this race, but he certainly should know and understand that he shouldn't line up at or near the start line in such a big race (he ran a 1:47+, 10+ minute pace) in the front.  Maybe it's the race's fault for not putting self-seed timing line-up signs?  Anyway, I run awkwardly wide of him and his buddy as I shake my head and keep moving.

1/2 mile in, I see Jana in her usual spot at the corner of Boon Street and South Pier.

Great photo, thanks to Jana!
Note Jared (white singlet behind me) coming my way.

Turn right onto Ocean Road, and my first mile split is 6:01.  Faster than my target 6:15-6:20, but it's just the first mile, and it's downhill.  Time to rein it in a bit.

Towards the end of Mile 1, about to turn onto Ocean Road
(From Rhode and Track Photography)

During the next three miles on Ocean Road, I did indeed rein it in, with a 6:20, 6:10 (another slight downhill), and 6:23 for Miles 2, 3, and 4, respectively.  Jared passed me early on in Mile 2, and then we spent the next three miles either in lockstep or with one of the two just slightly in front of the other.

Turning onto Route 108, this is usually the hottest and hardest part of the course.  But this year, it was actually mostly clouded or shaded and honestly not bad!  These two miles have an almost imperceptible uphill as well, but it didn't seem to impact me today.  I passed Jared early in Mile 5, expecting him to quickly catch right back up to me, but that didn't happen and unbeknownst to me at the time, I wouldn't see him again until after the finish.  I remember years ago thinking this stretch goes on "forever", but over time, I've gotten used to the few landmarks on this section of Route 108, including knowing exactly how many traffic lights remain before we turn off.  Miles 5 and 6 splits were 6:14 and 6:21, respectively.

Turning off of Route 108 into the darker shaded neighborhood, I realize I'm feeling pretty good for being 60% through the race.  Less than four miles left!  I see Chris Garvin in this 7th mile and between that brief motivation and getting close to the proverbial "home stretch", I'm excited and pick it up a bit.  6:05.

Early in Mile 8, I pass the two young women I've been trailing for pretty much the entire race.  I'm unaware of Jennifer Brightman there photographing and she captured and sent me a great pic of me striding down Kinney Ave before the left turn onto Gibson.  A short 1/4 mile or so on Gibson, which is chock full of screaming spectators.  I do hear my name called a couple of times, or at least I think I do, but I'm just focused on the run.

Love this photo in Mile 8
from Jennifer Brightman!

Running up South Pier Road, two things were memorable to me:  1) running past the party house right near the start, and they were blasting .38 Special at the time, and 2) Keith Ballard calling out to me from beside his trademark VW van, just before my turn onto Avice.  Avice was the usual party-land with jello shots and a drink station with a sign "Not Water".  Since I'm going for a time, I bypassed both amusements.  Last year I lingered and slid on a kids' slip-n-slide into a refreshing cold pool of water.  Apparently this year with the water ban, there were no slip-n-slides and no water slides, but I didn't even notice as I was totally focused.  Miles 8 and 9 were a pretty fast 6:11 and 6:12, respectively.

Final mile:  Turned off Avice onto Kingstown Road for Mile 10 to the finish.  Saw Chris Garvin again!  It's go time!  Making the final turn by Pier Ice Company, I was surprised to see, catch, and pass Steve Brightman.  He clearly was not having a great day.  Picked up significantly for a final split of 5:45!  (It's a downhill mile, but still a GAP of 5:49, so by either measure my fastest mile.)

Final result:  1:02:10 gun time, 1:02:08 chip time, 48th overall of 2,487 runners, 1st of 60 in age group.  Full results here

From finish line video

I finally did it, by running my age at the Blessing: 62 minutes at age 62. This is something that Keith of the Wakefield Running Company says that very few people ever accomplish. 

Crossed the finish line, turned around, and was surprised to see Shara right behind me!  She finished just 20 seconds behind me and also won her age group.  I've already used my $75 winnings to Wakefield Running Company, and bought a lot of race nutrition supplies for my long runs leading up to Chicago.

Photo just after first 4 WTAC runners came in
l-r:  Shara, Jared, me, Tommy

And a few more post-race shots of Team WTAC finishers:

Really fun race in unusually comfortable weather.  I'm already looking forward to my 25th consecutive.  I'll close out this race report with the following.  

1st overall on an age-graded basis!
87.6% is my highest thus far for any of my races this year.