State Number 22
– Garden Spot Village Marathon, New Holland, PA
9 April 2016
Why did the chicken cross the road? We all know the answer to this: to get to the
other side. But what if the road was
covered in slushy snow with hundreds of runners? Would the chicken get very far then? And should it even take that risk?
Over the years I’ve run in various climatic conditions such
as heat, cold, rain and wind. Prior to
embarking on our marathon excursions, it is customary for my wife and I to monitor
weather conditions at the host location so we can prepare accordingly. In the days leading up to our trip to New
Holland, PA, weather forecasts varied depending on what web site we looked
at. But one thing was consistent – it
was going to be cold with a chance of some kind of precipitation. Some said rain/snow mix while others (particularly
the local television stations) predicted a chance of snow. Naturally, we prepared for the worst case
scenario – snow.
Several years ago, I embarked on a red-eye flight from
Maui (OGG) to LAX, so I had an idea such a flight had in store. The first leg of this journey wasn’t much
different, but instead, involved a non-stop Alaska Airlines red-eye from LAX to
Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI).
Being as tall as I am, sleeping in an aircraft seat is
difficult for me since they don’t recline much and I can’t get comfortable due
to the seat and leg clearances. One
thing I found troubling were the flight attendants waking people asking if they
would like a drink or something to eat.
Really? Awakened with a question
like that I’m sure didn’t sit too well with other passengers.
We landed at BWI Friday morning around 0610 EDT. The sun was beginning to rise over the
eastern horizon with partly cloudy skies.
We were a bit sleepy-eyed coming off the plane (not to be confused with
Johnny Horton’s 1961 hit “Sleepy-eyed John”), but walking through the airport
provided some sense of alertness and awareness.
The restaurants, shops and kiosks in the airport’s
concourse were all closed and there was an eerie quiet except for the PA
broadcasts. I found it surprising how
many people were at the airport at that time of morning, either coming off a
red-eye or voyaging off to some destination.
We caught a shuttle bus just outside of baggage claim to
the Alamo rental car facility located just off the airport grounds where we claimed
a Chevy Sonic for our marathon expedition.
Before taking possession of our car, we informed the good-humored Alamo
attendant that we hailed from California and weren’t used to the colder
weather, let alone, snowy conditions. He
said that if it does snow, it wouldn’t stick to the road since it is too warm
and we shouldn’t worry. He informed us
that he used to be a cop and said if we kept speeds under 10 mph over the speed
limit, we wouldn’t be lit up. That was
comforting to know. Nevertheless, we
just had to be aware of speed cameras in and around construction zones along
the interstate freeways.
Typically, our excursions include running two
marathons in two different states as a way to minimize travel. Saturday’s Garden Spot Marathon was in New
Holland and Sunday’s marathon was the Runners Marathon of Reston (RMR) in
Reston, VA, northeast of Dulles Airport (IAD), about three hours apart.
We left the rental car facility around 0645 and headed
north on I-195 to I-83 via the Baltimore Beltway that led us into Pennsylvania. The sun was low on the horizon and gave us
fits with glare. The visors didn’t help
due to the sun’s low angle and we needed to be careful during the morning’s
peak hour rush in the Baltimore metro area.
I knew of a Pennsylvania Welcome Center/rest area just
past the state line and suggested we stop there to take a short nap before
proceeding. Besides, we had oodles of
time to kill before packet pick-up in New Holland, so the extra rest wouldn’t
hurt.
We exited I-83
into the Welcome Center a couple of miles past the Pennsylvania state line. At the visitor center, I picked up a
Pennsylvania map and some visitor guides to Lancaster County and City for ideas
of things to see and do as well as a Whatchamacallit candy bar and a 20-ounce
Diet Coke from the facility’s vending machines to take the edge off the hunger pangs
we were experiencing.
For the time being, the snack quelled
the beast inside me. Perusing
the visitor guide, I found that James Buchanan, the nation’s fifteenth
President, lived and is buried in Lancaster.
The city is also home to another attraction, the Rock Ford
Plantation. We made it a point to see
these landmarks on our way to New Holland.
Now that our hunger was curtailed, it was siesta
time. We both reclined our seats and tried
to get some shuteye. I found it
difficult with the sun shining through the window so I put a coat over my face,
but the sun only warmed the coat which warmed my face and made for an
uncomfortable nap. We, maybe, managed
about a half hour nap, but that was better than none.
After our rest stop, we drove north on I-83 through the
City of York and onto eastbound U.S. 30 towards Lancaster. Our first stop was President Buchanan’s Wheatland
estate. Soon after we turned into the
parking area, it began snowing lightly. The
car was so warm, we ended up taking a second short nap before venturing out.
After our brief catnap, we walked over to
the Lancaster Historical Center to use the restroom facilities and to peruse
whatever seemed interesting. A tour of
Wheatland mansion set back the ordinary soul $15 per person, so we decided not
to tour the mansion. We instead walked
the grounds and peeked into the windows, took a few pictures and can now say
we’ve been there and done that. The skies
were clouding up and it was turning cold and windy, so it was time to dash over
to Rock Ford Plantation.
I set the address into my iPhone Google Maps app and
followed Siri’s directions. On the way
to the plantation, I noticed a sign that read “President Buchanan’s Grave” at
the Woodward Hill Cemetery’s Chesapeake Street entrance. I made a note of the location so we could see
the place following our visit through Lancaster Central Park and the
Plantation.
Lancaster County Central Park is the largest park in the
area spanning about 500 acres and located on the southern edge of Lancaster
City in West Lampeter Township. The beautiful
park setting is home to many activities for residents and visitors such as a large
pool, trails, gardens, skate park, environmental center and the most popular
attraction, the Garden of Five Senses with its beautiful settings of flowering
plants, trees, and a water fountain fed by a stream running down the hillside
with energy attenuators used to reduce in-channel water velocities. This garden lives up to its name by
stimulating all the senses. Interpretive
signs, also written in Braille, along the garden's meandering walkway explain
how each of our senses works and how we and other animals use them to survive. Our visit to this garden was short lived due
to the cold and windy conditions. Only a
few brave souls were out and about.
Just beyond the Garden of Five Senses sits Rock Ford
Plantation. The mansion is the preserved
18th century home of Edward Hand who served as Adjutant General to George
Washington during the American Revolution and sits on 33 acres at the
southeastern edge of Lancaster City surrounded by Lancaster County Central
Park. Rock Ford is widely considered to
be one of the best preserved examples of Georgian domestic architecture
surviving in Pennsylvania and the most intact building predating 1800 in
Lancaster County. Rock Ford offers
visitors an example of sophisticated country living during the early years of
our country.
We decided not to tour or walk around the mansion grounds
based on some signs indicating that the area is private property and
reservations may be required. No photos
were to be taken, however, we did sneak in some photos on our way out.
After leaving the park, we drove back to the cemetery to
see Buchanan’s gravesite. The cemetery holds
graves dating back to the 1850s. The
curvy narrow lanes and inadequate signage made the mission of finding the
gravesite rather challenging. I noticed
a hill/high point on the grounds and it would only seem logical that a
president would be buried at the top of the hill. I was right.
At the foot of his gravestone was a square and compass with an
inscription that he was a member of Lancaster’s Masonic Lodge No. 43.
It was time to have some lunch. My wife did some prior research for places to
eat in Lancaster and found Salt and Pepper Italian Bistro and Pizza. I entered the address into Google Maps and
followed Siri’s directions.
Unfortunately, she guided us to a wrong location into a condominium
development on the southeasterly side of Oregon Pike. The correct location was actually on the northwesterly
side of Oregon Pike tucked in a rather new residential loft/commercial
development.
Unique to this establishment, I noticed various salt and
pepper displays and light fixtures made from salt and pepper shakers, pasta
strainers and pizza plates. The menu
consisted of many scrumptious Italian dishes.
I decided on a Philly cheesesteak, wiz wit, hoping it was as delicious
as a cheesesteak I once had at Geno’s in Philadelphia. My wife had a slice of cheese pizza and a
plate of manicotti. Unfortunately, the
cheesesteak was not as good as Geno’s, but was rather delicious. I seem to compare cheesesteaks to Geno’s and
will hopefully find a place that serves better steaks than Geno’s.
We left the restaurant around 1230 and had ample time to
spare before the marathon’s expo at 1400.
We found a Walgreens where we picked up a few odds and ends for the
weekend before heading east on U.S. 222 towards Ephrata where we stopped at a
McDonald’s for a dollar drink and to burn time before the expo opening. Three teen-age girls giddy about receiving
their first McDonald’s pay check provided some entertainment in the meantime.
Around 1400, we left Ephrata for the twenty minute drive
towards New Holland. The Garden Spot
Village complex was just off Kinzer Road and was very easy to find, given that
New Holland has around 6000 residents.
Various tents were set up on the village grounds in
preparation for the marathon event.
Packet pick-up was quick and easy.
Since my wife was pacing, her special packet and specially made pace sign
was at another table.
Each participant was given two distinct race shirts. One was a tech shirt to wear running and the
other shirt was for running around in.
The saying on the shirt read “The road is my happy place.” I think it should read “The road is my happy
pace” as a play on words as one can run whatever pace they feel like to be
happy.
New Holland, Seischwamm in Pennsylvania Dutch, lies in the heart of Lancaster County in Amish
Country. The city is bisected by Main
Street with other local and collector streets and roads. The agricultural rich area encompasses endless
farm land, barns, silos and stables covering the rolling terrain throughout the
county.
After we left the Garden Spot Village complex, we drove
to the Bird-in-Hand Family Inn in the hamlet of Bird-in-Hand just west of the
city of Intercourse. The hotel stay was
complimentary to marathon pacers, so who could pass up a free night’s lodging?
On our way, we encountered several Amish horse and
buggies sharing the road with other vehicular traffic. Each one had the distinctive red reflectorized
triangle on the back side complete with turn signal lights. I found this mode of travel quite interesting
and was fascinated with the Amish culture.
During my college days, I took a course in geography as
part of my general education requirement.
The professor I had completed his doctoral research on the Amish
culture. He lived in Lancaster County
during that time and was always lecturing about his experiences with the Amish
and that if one ever had an opportunity to visit the county and the people, it
was a must. I haven’t forgotten that
geography class nor the professor’s lectures, and nearly thirty years later, that
opportunity came knocking with the running of this marathon. The visit to Lancaster County was truly a
treat.
After we checked into the hotel, we strolled over to the
Bird-in-Hand Family Restaurant for a dessert treat. The restaurant was famous for Pennsylvania
Dutch home cooking. It looked to be a
busy place with many patrons either at the smörgasbord or ordering a la
carte. The restaurant gift shop
displayed a variety of locally made Amish foods, quilts and arts and crafts available
for sale.
As I browsed the menu, shoo fly pie immediately caught my
eye. I heard about this pie from my geography
class lectures, so I couldn’t pass up on the opportunity.
The molasses pie traditional with the Amish derives its name from the sweet molasses odor that attracts flies and, hence, must be
shooed away.
I ordered a warmed-up wet bottom version topped with whipped
cream over the gooey custard-like pie filling.
I had visions of it tasting like dark Karo Syrup my late uncle once poured
on his pancakes, so I was a little apprehensive at first. But after the first bite, the pie exceeded my
expectations and was absolutely delightful.
My wife ordered a slice of carrot cake with cream cheese
frosting with a side of vanilla ice cream.
The piece was rather large, but she said it was really good. Too bad I only had one slice of pie, I could
have eaten the whole pie – but I wouldn’t want to know the subsequent
consequences of partaking in such indulgence.
On our way back to the room, we noticed a horse and buggy
parked under a parking structure for such vehicles. I didn’t realize specialized parking areas
proliferate at area businesses. Duh,
it’s Amish country. Where else can one
park a horse?
 |
| Parking for one-horsepower vehicles |
Before entering the hotel building, we noticed a
maintenance worker loading tools into his van.
My wife declared we were from California and were not used to the cold
weather, as she was bundled up in multiple layers. He chuckled and surmised we must have been
from Florida.
After our passing encounter, we entered the indoor pool
area complete with two pools and a large hot tub. The temperature in the pool area was hot,
steamy and muggy, but was better than being outside. There was also an outdoor pool, but needless
to say, it was closed for the season.
The hot tub was relaxing with powerful jets to relieve
aching muscles. My wife had too much jet
time which caused her muscles to be a little sore afterwards. I had to get out within a half hour because I
was sweating and getting overheated.
The day was pretty much over and we were getting tired
from all the traveling and excitement the day brought. I don’t know if it was just being overtired,
from the in-room refrigerator noise, or from the heater, but we didn’t get much
sleep that night. The marathon started
at 0800, so being able to “sleep in” was pleasant.
When we woke up, I looked outside to find it wasn’t
snowing at the moment. I had hopes that the
forecasted Alberta clipper would hold off.
The news channels forecasted the front to come through the Harrisburg
area around 0830, so the likelihood of a snow storm was a real
possibility. All I knew is that it was
an experience we wouldn’t forget.
When we arrived at the parking area, volunteers were
directing traffic to a grassy area at the Garden Spot Village complex. That had me concerned. What would happen if it snowed and all the
half marathon traffic leaving the area caused a muddy mess? Would we be able to get out easily? That turned out to be the monkey on my back
throughout the marathon.
We parked about 45 minutes before the start time. The snow was just starting to fall and was
beginning to accumulate on the lawn area.
We made a quick trip to the porta potties, but that only made our shoes
wet and feet cold. I knew that we were
in for a fun day in the snow. We spent as
much time as possible in the car, as were many other runners, keeping warm as
time permitted.
Just before the start time, we walked over to a warming
tent where we donned our plastic parkas to be used for warmth and protection
from the elements. The snow was
beginning to become more intense with larger and larger flakes. Visibility was declining and accumulations
were accelerating at a rapid rate. The
roads remained free of slush, though.
We all gathered at the start and a representative of the
Garden Spot Village retirement complex offered a nice prayer and sang “God
Bless America” in lieu of the National Anthem.
Many runners were singing along which made it kind of special.
With the snow continuing to fall, the
horn sounded and the marathon was underway, right on time. The course was fairly flat at the beginning
with the first hill coming at Marathon Mile 4.
It wasn’t steep, but rather a long steady climb for over a mile or
so. A slushy snow was accumulating on
the road on the downhill grade beyond the summit which made for slick
conditions and it was real important to watch your footing. The lead half marathoners were making their
way up the hill as we were coming down.
At the half marathon turn around just after Marathon Mile
7, the crowd of runners immediately thinned out to just a handful of
marathoners. A nice lady dressed as a Holstein
cow ringing a cow bell at the turn around was full of enthusiasm and cheering
all who passed by. She told me that she
will see me on the return. I thought,
“Ya, you won’t remember me.”
The East Earl Township landscape was beautiful with all
the snow. There was a quiet in the air,
excluding the headwinds whistling in the ears, which made the course quite
serene.
Idiot drivers made use of all the slush on the roadways
by willfully speeding up and driving through slush and standing water creating unwelcomed
cold showers for runners. I managed two
showers from such idiots.
With the soundless air, one could easily hear horses
approaching runners. They each had
beautiful gaits and were so graceful and regal pulling the Amish buggies behind
them. With all the horse traffic, ruts
in the pavement were a common feature, but did not affect my running.
The weather turned a little colder as the clipper moved east
which caused the Gatorade and water at the aid stations to partially
freeze. The snow made the Gatorade have
a slushy consistency which made for an especially cold refreshing drink. Of course, runners were able to just open
their mouths anytime and let the snow provide water or grab a handful of snow
from the side of the road. I know that’s
bad advice since that can lead to lower body temperatures and in a cold wet
environment, hypothermia is a possibility.
I crossed the half marathon point in 2:14, slightly ahead
of my wife’s 2:20 pace time. I was
running pretty much on my own occasionally encountering another solo
runner. Any conversations were
short-lived since our paces didn’t match.
Some runners were interested in my 50-state quest and how many I’ve
completed while others talked about memorable marathons and experiences. What else do runners talk about?
The snow intensity waxed and waned several times, but the
roads remained free of accumulated snow for the most part. However, the winds kept blowing and it was
nice to occasionally experience a tail wind.
When I approached the half marathon turnaround point, I noticed the “cow
lady” still cheering the runners. I have
to say, she did remember me as I passed by and told me so.
During my approach to Marathon Mile 21, I saw the
infamous “hill” everyone talks about. It
was easy going down, but now I had to pay the piper for that “free”
gravitational energy that assisted me earlier.
Since I still have a few miles left, I wanted to conserve
my energy, so I walked up the hill. I
could have slowly jogged, but it would have been the same speed as walking. As I cleared the steepest section, I began to
run again up the slight incline for another mile or so. A few people told me that it is all downhill
once I reached the top. That’s what I
was looking forward to.
I conquered the hill and reached the summit. My pace increased through the forested
section of the course as I headed down into the farm lands. The Garden Spot Village complex could be seen
in the distance and the finish line was getting ever closer. The snow was still falling, but seemed to become
wetter over the past hour as the air temperatures began to rise. I was amazed that I was able to keep my
plastic parka throughout the entire run.
As I approached the village complex, the anticipation of
finishing fueled my legs for a faster pace.
When I turned off Kinzer Road and into the complex, I felt my calf begin
cramp when I push too hard. I had to
immediately walk and hold back before it became incapacitating. For the final 100 meters or so, I was running
with a limp trying not to aggravate the muscle too much. I must have looked ridiculous, but I finished
with a time of 4:38:24.
Age graded score: 50.72%
Age graded time: 4:10:05
As I walked around the finish line fence, I noticed my
wife finishing right behind me fulfilling her pacing job requirements.
After receiving our finisher medals and grabbing a
thermal mylar blanket, we immediately walked into the athlete’s tent for some
food and refreshments. There were all
sorts of food vendors, dishing out chocolate milk and milkshakes, soup, omelets,
sandwiches, cookies, chili, recovery drinks, etc.
It wasn’t long before we began to shiver after we sat
down in the food tent for some much needed recovery food. Getting out of our wet clothes was our first
priority. We headed over to the medical
tent for some warm air, coffee, hot water and heat packets instead of walking
to the car. The warm air from the
portable heaters felt great and the exothermic reactions of those heat packets created
incredible heat and had the potential to burn sensitive skin.
The EMTs and medical staff were so accommodating and
helpful to everyone trying to avoid hypothermia. Some people were copiously shivering, while
others were not. We were not at that
point, but needed a little warmth before we made the onerous trek back to the
car. It was such a joy to have helpful and
supportive staff and I expressed my appreciation to them as we exited the tent.
The walk, or should I say run, back to the car was rather
difficult. The cold air and wet clothes
immediately caused us to shiver. Once we
entered the car, I turned on the heater, but that took a while for the engine
to warm up enough.
Getting out of wet clothes in a
car is not easy, but we had no choice.
But once in dry clothes and with heat coming out the dashboard vents, we
felt like a million bucks…a few bucks at least.
 |
| Feeling like a few bucks |
As expected, vehicles leaving the grassy parking area
created a muddy corridor. I wasn’t too
concerned since the car had front-wheel drive and if I didn’t stop, we would
get out. I stepped on the gas and didn’t
let up. Mud was flying all over and when
we finally reached the pavement, I was relieved. We made it!
All that was left was the three hour drive to Reston, VA via Gettysburg. After a few final pictures in the snow, we
were on our way to the RMR.
On our way out of New Holland, we stopped at Palermo
Pizza and Italian Restaurant for a bathroom break. The odor of pizza permeated the surrounding
area and made me hungry, but we forged ahead and resisted the enticement. After a stop at a McDonald’s drive-through for
a dollar drink, we headed down PA Highway 23 (aka New Holland Pike) towards
Lancaster. We noticed the sodas were not
very cold and contained very little ice, so I stopped at a nearby parking lot
and loaded our cups with snow for a slushy diet coke. How resourceful is that? It hit the spot.
Overall, the Garden Spot Village Marathon is a smaller
but super wonderful event on a beautiful course through the Amish
farmlands. The organizers do a fantastic
job of taking care of the runners with swag and amenities usually not found at
other marathons. The proceeds of the
marathon help fund the Garden Spot Village Benevolent Fund to help cover living
expenses for residents who face difficult and unexpected challenges.
The medical personnel, staff, and the numerous volunteers
were exceptional with generous aid stations complete with Gatorade, water,
energy gels and goodies. Spectators were
pretty much scarce; however, which led to some lonely times on the roads. But, hey, as the shirt says, “The road is my
happy place.”
Although the weather conditions were unquestionably less
than ideal, I still had a great time and I’m glad I ran the marathon and
wouldn’t trade the experience for anything.
The few idiot drivers splashing water on runners as they drove by were
quite rude, but then again, I guess those folks needed something to excite
their mirth. I hope they got their just delight
in their exploits.
Don’t take too lightly the rolling hills in the
area. Without adequate hill training,
they can zap your energy for the final push, especially challenging the “hill”
at Marathon Mile 21. I wouldn’t say this
course is a BQ course, but if property trained, one could either PR or BQ. The saying on the finisher’s medal, “I
conquered the hill” is apropos.
Stay alert for the horse and buggies. Runners can usually hear the clippity clop of
the horses as they march down the roadway in a majestic fashion, assuming they
are not tuned into to their devices.
There are road apples on the road, but the wet weather caused them to
dissolve into the water and wash away, so they weren’t a problem. But in dry weather, they could be a nuisance.
Finally, I give high marks for the race director who made
sure his pacers were well taken care of with complimentary lodging and allowing
my wife to pace a great marathon. If I
lived in or around Pennsylvania, I would make this marathon an annual event.
What about the chicken?
In order to avoid the risky behavior of crossing the road, it stayed in
the coop out of the elements. Smart…very
smart.
Es gebt viele schwatze kieh, awwer sie gewwe all weissi
millich. Gott segen eich.
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