Scranton, PA Steamtown

WHEN ROB AND I FIRST DISCUSSED DOING STEAMTOWN, WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE IDEAL BECAUSE WE BOTH HAD COLUMBUS DAY OFF AND WE COULD SAVE SOME VACATION TIME AND HAVE AN EXTRA DAY TO DRIVE. WE BOTH HAPPENED TO HAVE SOME COMP TIME AND WERE ABLE TO TAKE FRIDAY OFF. WE LEFT AT 4 A.M. ON FRIDAY AND DROVE ALL THE WAY TO YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO THAT DAY (850) MILES.

THAT GAVE US A SHORTER DRIVE ON SATURDAY MORNING. WE DROVE ACROSS PA AND THE LEAVES WERE AMAZING COLORS AS THE SUN WAS RISING. THE WEATHER WAS COOL SETTING UP FOR A PERFECT RACE DAY AHEAD. WE ARRIVED IN SCRANTON AND WENT TO THE HIGH SCHOOL TO PICK UP OUR PACKETS. I WAS A LITTLE CONCERNED THAT I HAD RECENTLY HAD STREP BECAUSE MY THROAT HAD BEEN SORE AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I HAD A RASH ALL OVER MY BODY. I WANTED TO GET CHECKED OUT BEFORE I RAN BECAUSE OF THE RISK FOR SERIOUS KIDNEY DAMAGE AFTER A MARATHON. WHILE ROB WAS LISTENING TO THE MARATHON LECTURE I WENT TO A LOCAL URGENT CARE. THE DR. TOLD ME THAT MY STREP SCREEN WAS NEGATIVE SO I FELT MUCH BETTER ABOUT RUNNING THE NEXT DAY. I WENT BACK TO THE HIGH SCHOOL, PICKED UP ROB AND WE DROVE THE COURSE. IT TOOK QUITE AWHILE AS WE HAD TO DRIVE TO FOREST CITY (THE START) AND TRY TO FOLLOW THE MAP. IT GOT A LITTLE TRICKY AT TIMES BECAUSE THE COURSE WAS WINDING THROUGH SOME VERY SMALL TOWNS AND EVEN USED SOME RAILS TO TRAILS. AFTER DRIVING THE COURSE WE DROVE TO WILKES BARRE TO OUR HOTEL. WE HAD MODEST RED ROOF INN ACCOMMODATIONS. RACE DAY MORNING WE GOT UP EARLY TO DRIVE THE 20 MINUTES TO GET ON THE SHUTTLE TO TAKE US TO THE START. WE PARKED NEAR THE FINISH LINE AND STARTED WALKING TOWARD THE BUSES. THE RIDE UP TO FOREST CITY WAS ENJOYABLE AND WE WERE BOTH LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING A GOOD RACE. WHEN WE GOT TO THE HIGH SCHOOL AS WE GOT OFF THE BUS, WE HAD CHEERLEADERS CHEERING US ON AS WE WALKED TOWARD THE ENTRANCE TO THE SCHOOL

WE GOT INTO THE GYM AND GOT BAGS FOR THE BAG DROP. STEAMTOWN DOES A GREAT JOB WITH BAG DROP.

THE RACE STARTED EXACTLY ON TIME WITH THE BLAST OF A CANNON. THE FIRST MILE WAS DOWNHILL WITH A HUGE STRAIGHT DOWN PORTION AT THE 1/2 MILE MARK. I CONCENTRATED ON KEEPING MY TARGET PACE FOR THE ENTIRE FIRST HALF (9:00/MILE). I HIT THE HALF SPLIT AROUND 1:59 AND WAS FEELING PRETTY GOOD. I MADE A DECISION AT MILE 14 THAT I WAS GOING TO CHANGE MY WALK SEGMENTS TO 4 MIN RUN AND 45 SECOND WALK BREAKS. I MET UP WITH A GUY NAMED ADAM FROM NJ. HE WAS EXPERIENCING SOME DISCOMFORT AND WE DECIDED TO RUN TOGETHER. WE RAN FROM THE TIME WE ENTERED THE TRAIL PORTION AROUND MILE 14 UNTIL AROUND MILE 22. OUR SPLITS STARTED TO GET SLOWER AS WE STRUGGLED TO KEEP OUR PACE CONSISTENT. WE PICKED UP ANOTHER COUPLE OF RUNNERS ALONG THE WAY WHO WERE HAVING SOME CHALLENGES. AT MILE 23, ADAM AND THE OTHER TWO LADIES WERE HAVING TROUBLE MAINTAINING THE PACE AND I WOUND UP LEAVING THEM BEHIND. I GOT A SURGE OF ENERGY AROUND MILE 23 AND MY WALK SEGMENTS BEGAN TO GROW SHORTER. AS I APPROACHED THE MAJOR HILL AT MILE 24, I WAS FEELING VERY EXCITED ABOUT MY NEW ENERGY. I DANCED FOR THE CROWD AND PUMPED MY FIST. I COULD SEE MYSELF FINISHING STRONG. MY 25TH MILE SPLIT WAS 9:40. THE LAST THREE MILES OF THE MARATHON WERE VERY CHALLENGING FROM A HILL STANDPOINT BUT I HAD THE EXTRA ENERGY TO MAKE IT THROUGH. COMING IN THE FINISH LINE, I WAS HOPING TO HAVE A DECENT TIME. I FINISHED IN 4:17:29 WHICH IS MY SECOND BEST MARATHON TIME TO DATE. SURPRISINGLY AFTER THE FINISH, I DIDN’T FEEL LIKE TOTAL CRAP AS I USUALLY DO. I PICKED UP MY GEAR BAG, FOUND ROB AND WE GOT ON THE ROAD TO COLUMBUS, OHIO. WE INITIALLY STOPPED AT A TRUCK STOP AFTER THE RACE TO SEE ABOUT TAKING A SHOWER AND DECIDED THAT THE PRICE WAS TOO HIGH ($10). WE FOUND A REST STOP A FEW MILES DOWN THE ROAD AND WASHED UP THERE AND CHANGED INTO FRESH CLOTHES. WE MADE TO COLUMBUS, OHIO THAT NIGHT AROUND 9:30 AFTER EATING OFF AND ON ALL AFTERNOON AS WE DROVE. I THINK THAT WE ATE EVERYTHING FROM MCDONALDS TO WENDYS TO ICE COLD COCA COLAS.