Potomac River Run

Missy very generously offered to get up early Sunday morning to give me a ride to the race and back. As I was not sure how incapacitated I would be afterwards I took her up on that extremely kind offer. It wormed up for the race day to give about perfect weather. Due to me forgetting my energy chows and going back to pick them up after starting out and misinterpreting one direction instruction and circling around instead of arriving comfortably early I had to dash over for the package pickup and ran over the start line as they were playing the national anthem. I was still registered for the 9:00 start time although I had signed up to change it to the early start, but they were fine with changing for anyone who wished to change at the last minute. They just asked if anyone was there who was changing their start times and wrote down the bib numbers as we were about to start the race. This is a small race; the trail can’t support too many people so the permit allows a limited number of runners. They do not use timing chips and wrote down peoples bib numbers at the tune around spots. Everyone was nice and friendly and helpful as one comes to expect at races.

The trail is flat and very beautiful. I am found of trail runs. I had hurt my ankle slightly several weeks earlier and tried to balance finishing my training schedule and allowing the ankle to heal. It still had some tenderness and I was concerned about putting so much stress on it in the race. I used a slight brace and was happy not to have made it worse off by the finish.

I was quite tired by the last quarter of the race and unfortunately slowed down. My lags, feet, toes, and sides all hurt well before the end. I was very happy to see the finish line. It was also a relief to have Missy there to drive me home. Thank you Missy! I did not have any plans for the rest of the day except rest, rehydrating and restoring my electrolytes. I had some cramping in my feet and calves that afternoon. I was sore but OK by the evening. As planed I took off the next day to rest.

The Potomac River Run race is a good and beautiful race and I plan to return this spring for a half marathon.

Marathon

1176  285 Licia Scearce      F52 Silver Spring MD      4:44:04  Full 8:00:00

The Potomac River Run Marathon

She did it. I knew she would but good gracious knowing it and seeing it are two different things.

I got up at 530 and headed down to Silver Spring to pick her up.

She was carb loading in the cold dark predawn kitchen.

Off we drove to the C&O tow path. I made a wrong turn and got us there just about 5 minutes from the start of the race. Licia raced to registration and back to the car with exactly 2 minutes to spare.

She then ran to the start line to run for the next 4 + hours.

The weather was nearly perfect 55-61 throughout the race. It was overcast and the trail was flat. The support crews were as friendly as I've come to expect from race support. It was a beautiful place to run and the off road tow path surface was nearly perfect.

This was a good race to select for a first marathon.

I went home and got the cheering section then returned to the race. We were all so excited about this marathon and so proud of Licia.

After some cheering (and no Licia because she was faster than expected and we missed her) I took the kids home for nap time. I returned just in time to cheer her finish.

Then it was all walking and bananas and strange blue pancakes.

Licia is the first of us to finish this major goal.

She was heroic. She deserves our praise and adulation. She is so cool!!!

Licia will run her Marathon this weekend

Have a look at this blog on the Potomac River Run .

She is the first one of us to do this.
I will be there cheering her on.

The weather looks good. Cool in the morning and up to 61 by mid day.

Go Licia GGOOOOOO!!!