It was 4:40am and we were enacting the "Run Run Rudolph" scene from the movie Home Alone. We originally planned to leave home by 5am. There were
a lot of us and by the time we left home, it was already 5:20am. The drive to
the Spaulding Gymnasium (Keene,NH) was expected to be an hour and 15 minutes.
We were driving through local routes that were
dark, hilly and foggy. So we had no way of making up for the delayed start with
speed. I still had to pick up my bib and my race packet. Without the bib, I
could not participate in this marathon. I had to make the last bus, which was
scheduled to leave at 6:45am for the starting area of the Clarence DeMar Marathon.
I knew that I was at risk of missing the marathon. A combination of getting up
very early, the anxiety of possibly missing this marathon and the excitement of
running this marathon was making me want to puke. There was a lot happening in
my mind during our drive to Keene,NH.
We reached the Spaulding Gymnasium at 6:36am. I had
9 minutes to get out of the car, run to the gymnasium, get my bib and then run
to the bus stop. So I did just that as soon as we came to a stop.
The gymnasium had a good amount of race staff
there. They saw me rushing in and also noticed my anxiety as I ran into the gymnasium. "Its ok. You are ok. Don't worry." is what I heard while
the lady across the table calmly asked my name. She quickly found my bib and gave
me my race packet. She said "don't worry, they won't leave you
behind."
I felt at ease. I pinned the bib to my t-shirt and
started walking towards the bus stop. I was now in line waiting for our bus.
This allowed me to get myself together. I started chatting with some of the
runners. There seemed to be a lot of repeat runners in this race. There were
also some, like me, that were running this marathon to prepare for an ultra
marathon in the weeks following this event.
We got on the bus at 6:55am. The bus dropped us off at WS Badger
Facility in Gilsum, NH. It was approximately a 20-minute ride.
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| WS Badger Facility, Gilsum NH |
At 7:45am, the runners were instructed to make
their way to the starting line. The starting line of the race is a
10-minute walk from WS Badger Facility to the Spring Street. The genius of
this walk was that it warmed up our bodies and got us ready for 26.2 miles
ahead of us.
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| Starting Line for Clarence DeMar Marathon |
The marathon started at 8am sharp. All my systems
were a GO and the Clarence DeMar Marathon had begun.
This marathon starts off flat but quickly becomes a
short uphill climb. After this short climb, the overall elevation drops until
the finish line by approximately 515 feet. Even though the marathon course has
an overall drop throughout, it is lined up with rolling hills that have an
average climb but a longer drop.
I have been running for 3 years now and I have run
8 marathons including an Ultra-Marathon to date. My running has always been
around the feel of the body. I have read a lot about the science of pacing but
never incorporated it into my marathon runs. Even for Clarence DeMar Marathon,
I focused on the principles of running by the feel of the body or what some may
call "miles in the bank". This meant that I run as many miles as fast
as I can for as long as I can and then suck it up until the finish line. This
has put me in trouble with every marathon but it has also increased my range of
running faster for longer distances.
I was running my fast pace from the start and was
enjoying it. This course does a great job of showcasing the region's fall
foliage. There were times during the run when I forgot that I was running a
marathon. My mind was lost in the scenic glory of the mountain ranges around me
with its splash of foliage colors and clouds coverings.
This course was covered with deciduous trees that
make up the New England area. These trees were getting ready for the winter.
The leaves had a good mix of gold, yellow, orange, pink, purple, green colors on
them. I was enjoying this course. I felt good and my pace was fast.
The course hits the Surry Dam at the 11th mile.
It's a quick back and forth on the Dam but the Panoramic view from this Dam is
a sight for the sore eyes. This view is made up of the grandness of the Surry
Lake, mountain ranges, foliage colors, colonial homes and parked boats. Right
after the Dam, we hit the Bretwood golf course and this is when the sun started
to make its presence felt.
The second half of the race starts right here. This
is when you start to notice the Jekyll and Hyde personality of this
course. This course transitions from a tree lined course in the first half to a
very industrial course in the second half.
It was becoming hotter by the minute and
the remaining miles did not offer much protection from the sun.
At mile 20, we entered a bike path, which offered
some shade from the sun.
We hit the Greenlawn cemetery at around the 23rd
mile. The concept of running through a cemetery this late in the marathon was
very interesting. I was very tired by the time I hit the cemetery. Its steep
hills did not help me feel any better. I slowed down a lot and distracted my
mind by looking at the graves around me, its designs and the engravings that
made each grave unique.
The cemetery path led to more residential
neighborhood before it touched the finish line. I crossed the finish line
strong. My son was waiting for me by the finish line and as soon as he saw me,
he started running and we crossed the finish line together.
My overall time was 4:24:31
There was ample food and water at the finish area
for a runner to help recover. The runners have access to a gymnasium after the
marathon to clean up. I also took advantage of an excellent massage service
that is offered to all runners.
Overall, this was a very well organized race with decent size crowd
support and an excellent course and a dedicated and a nice race staff.