State Number 23 - Runners Marathon of Reston

State Number 23 – Runners Marathon of Reston,

Reston, VA

 10 April 2016

 

Paper or plastic?  Over the past few years, this has become California’s eternal question.  Other states may face similar impasses; but in my personal opinion, I prefer plastic.

In the context of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), Public Resources Code §21000 et seq., the term “fair argument” is a legal standard for reviewing the appropriateness of a negative declaration as opposed to an environmental impact report (EIR).

We, as grocery shoppers, contend with the question of whether to use paper or plastic bags at the check-out stand.  California’s Supreme Court has ruled in Save the Plastic Bag Coalition v. City of Manhattan Beach that an EIR is not required as a condition precedent to local ordinances prohibiting plastic bags, throwing out the “fair argument” standard required of CEQA.

The troubling aspect of the decision was the Court’s conclusions concerning the potential impacts caused by increased paper bag use, i.e., air emissions, pollutant discharges, increased tree harvesting and increased landfill impacts.  In my professional opinion, the ramifications of this decision may confuse more than resolve the “fair argument” standard.

Putting aside CEQA law, in my opinion, it can be “fairly argued” that the Runners Marathon of Reston can be somewhat of a challenge to most runners, and the quality and organization of this event could be considered second to none with the nicest bunch of people you could ever meet.

Three hours after we left the friendly snow covered confines of the Garden Spot Village Marathon in New Holland, PA, we arrived at Reston’s South Lakes High School in time for packet pick-up and the pre-race pasta dinner.  The snow had disappeared not long after we left New Holland, so winter-like travel was no longer an issue.  The most direct route to Reston was via U.S. 30 and U.S. 15 through Gettysburg, Emmitsburg, Frederick, Point of Rocks and Leesburg. 

While riding in a shuttle van on my way to Dulles International Airport (IAD) from FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute in Emmitsburg in 2007, the Point of Rocks historical landmark piqued my interest as I rode by.  Since that time, I wanted to see what was actually there and what made the area a historical landmark.  Nine years later, I was afforded that opportunity so I made it a point to stop to see what the significance of that historical area was about.

The weather wasn’t very cooperative as we approached northern Virginia.  Remnants of the clipper that blew through New Holland earlier in the day were still apparent.  The skies were colored various shades of gray with a light precipitation permeating the cold damp air.  The boat launch ramp was empty and only two vehicles were parked at opposite ends of the parking lot with the leafless deciduous trees signifying spring had not arrived, contrary to what the calendar said.  Perhaps some adventurous souls were taking in the sights, but the thought of hiking around in the not-so-favorable environment didn’t appeal to me.  Besides, due to time limitations at the expo and navigating through the metro D.C. traffic, we didn’t have a whole lot of time to spare.

From what I read on the information sign, Point of Rocks is a narrow passage in the Potomac on the Maryland-Virginia state line that sparked a violent legal battle between a canal company and the B&O Railroad over who had control of the passage during the early 1800s.  The multitudes of legal disputes over the years finally lead to a compromise between the two transportation companies and allowed both to build on the right-of-way through the passage with a wall separating the two so trains would not frighten the mules as they pulled the canal boats up the river.

We arrived at Reston’s South Lakes High School about fifty minutes later.  The rain had stopped after the cold front moved through.  The northwesterly breezes had picked up which made for some bone chilling weather, but Sunday’s forecast called for clear sunny skies, with sub-freezing overnight temperatures.  I can handle the cold, but did not want any snow as in New Holland.

South Lakes High School appeared to have gone through a fairly recent renovation and served as the official start and finish lines.  The contemporary décor and style created a modern and attractive campus.  The school’s interior and the indoor cafeteria area reminded me of the 1985 movie The Breakfast Club.  Immediately entering through the hallway doors, various display cabinets on each side of the hallway caught my eye.  One, in particular, displayed memorabilia from alumnus and former Olympic runner Alan Webb who holds the high school record for the one mile run, clocking in at an impressive 3:53.43.

The cafeteria functioned as the venue for the pre-race pasta dinner and race packet pick-up, which was super easy and quick.  As part of each goody bag, participants received a ticket entitling them for a complimentary pasta meal.  There weren’t any vendors in the traditional sense, but various running merchandise was made available from the marathon sponsor, Reston Runners.

As we picked up our bibs, a note was stapled to them indicating we were one of the participants who traveled the greatest distance and were eligible for a prize after completing the marathon with one caveat, if the runner from Washington State failed to show, we were deemed the winner.  I guess we were the “runners-up.”  The note indicated we traveled 2283 miles as the crow flies; I suppose Washington is a little more distant.  The red race tech shirts were of a simple, yet classy design displaying the marathon’s logo in the upper left quadrant. 

After our pasta dinner, the Courtyard Herndon Reston was our next last stop for the day to clean up and get some much needed rest after a hard day’s running in the snow.  We arranged our wet clothes and shoes over chairs and around the heater to dry avoiding the likelihood of mold and mildew spoiling our clothes.

The cloudless nighttime skies enhanced the radiational cooling as a natural way of maintaining Earth’s energy balance.  The light winds and dry air were the direct cause of Sunday morning’s sub-freezing temperatures.  We dressed in our cold weather gear and were equipped to take on the challenge of another 26.2 miles.

The outside air was cold and crisp.  Race and school officials deserve bonus points for allowing runners to hang-out inside the school to stay warm, have some warm drinks, munch on snack foods, and to use the indoor restroom facilities with minimal wait times before heading out to the east parking lot to the race start.

When it was time to head outside, a race official called for everyone to follow the lady holding a large “FOLLOW ME” sign over her head.  I thought it was a clever idea as she was there to lead runners to the start line from the school’s cafeteria.  What I found interesting is that she was holding the sign facing the wrong direction.  The sign’s message was visible from the front, not from the back where lined up runners could see.  It was synonymous to a pilot car leading vehicles through a construction zone.  Maybe next time the message could be printed on the front and back sides so everyone can see.  I know, a trivial thing.

Approximately 500 enthusiastic runners from around the country lined up at the start.  This marathon is put on by runners for runners, so one can assume that there are fast runners competing in this race.  Given that I ran the previous day, I counted on being in the upper quartile of runners.  I was there for a good time, so my finish time was unimportant, as long as it was under five hours, however.

I overheard others who have run this race before that it was a challenging two-loop course (half marathoners making one loop) with plenty of rolling hills balanced between bike paths and city streets.  I was excited for the challenge that was presented before me.  After the air horn sounded, we were off. 

Surprisingly, I was feeling pretty good at the start.  Immediately after leaving the school grounds and onto South Lakes Drive, the road grade changed from flat to a slight incline on Ridge Heights Road.  For the first 3.5 miles, I maintained a steady 9:30 pace trying not to fatigue myself any more that what I was. 

Just prior to Marathon Mile 4, the route departed off Twin Branches Road and onto the Turquoise Trail, a very scenic and tranquil paved biking/pedestrian trail through wooded areas and creeks.  At the trail’s entrance, just atop a steep downhill grade, was a man providing a variety of entertainment and support for all the runners who passed by.  He asked me if I was in need of a pizza and that he would have one for me on the next loop.  Of course, a steep downhill grade comes with the price of a steep uphill grade.  It wasn’t bad at first, but I knew that I would be walking on the second loop.

The next mile and a half was very peaceful.  All I could hear were the birds singing in the wooded area, runner’s footsteps and casual conversations among runners.  Near Marathon Mile 4 I passed by a deer feeding on some sapling leaves just off the paved trail.  He seemed content on eating his breakfast with no desire to be afraid of the runners.  Frankly, I was envious of the residents of Reston who have such great places for training and recreation.

Turquoise Trail

I was beginning to notice the bill of my cap was falling into my face.  As I reached up to adjust the bill, “sweat” ice had formed and small icicles formed as the sweat dripped off the bill and froze.

Just after Marathon Mile 5, the trail joined Lawyers Road for another 1.25 miles only to break off back to the Turquoise Trail.  The rolling hills on this section of trail proved to be somewhat of a challenge. 

Runners then had to share city streets once again for a slight detour to a turn-around at Marathon Mile 7.5.  Then once again back on the trail for the next 3.5 miles with several rolling hills and steep inclines.  The trail was quite curvy, so I cut each of the tangents and ran close to the chords as much as possible.

Around Marathon Mile 11.5, runners joined South Lakes Drive for a slight downhill grade sweeping back around the high school and once again onto Ridge Heights Road.  At that point, I upped my pace to around 8:30 per mile.  This was the beginning of the second loop as the half marathoners broke off to the left back to the school’s stadium track to the finish.  My half marathon time was clocked in at 2:11:59.

The beginning of the second loop started pretty much the same as the first loop.  I was surprised I didn’t tire as much as I had expected, but I still had thirteen miles left.  The temperatures were rising, but still somewhat cold, but I didn’t have icicles dangling off my bill anymore.  My gloves came off and I was beginning to get hot.

The man at the start of the Turquoise Trail was still there motivating everyone who passed by.  I asked if he had the pizza he promised.  He quickly informed me that it smelled so good, he ate it and had nothing left but the greasy box. 

Bridge on Turquoise Trail

As I predicted, I walked the steep hill once back on the trail.  I began to tire after Marathon Mile 17 and the rolling hills took its toll on my energy level.

The last hill came just after Marathon Mile 23.  I picked up some food energy and a cup of Gatorade and started walking up the hill.  I was so fatigued, the thought of running up that hill, as I did on the first lap, was an ominous chore.  A volunteer at the food station encouraged me to run and didn’t want to see me walk and made that very clear.  So, I mustered up the energy to run, which made her happy.  However, as the trail wound through some trees and out of sight of the aid station, the running ended and I proceeded to walk back up to South Lakes Drive for the final downhill stretch to the school.  She said she didn’t want to “see” me walking.

I was on par to break the five hour mark and barring any unforeseen circumstance, I predicted my time to be around 4:45.  There weren’t many runners left on the course and I was pretty much on my own.  I figured I was at the back of the pack, but I wasn’t too troubled by that fact.  As I made the final turn into the school grounds, I saw the stadium track and suddenly gained enough steam to pick up my pace.

It was an exhilarating feeling to enter the track where Alan Webb broke the high school mile record.  I had to make nearly one lap around the track to the finish, but not at Alan’s blistering pace.  I positioned myself in the inside lane and picked up the pace as much as I could to finish strong in a time of 4:47:23 with a 10:59 per mile pace.

Age graded time: 4:18:09

Age graded score: 49.13%

After receiving my finisher’s medal and catching my breath for a moment, I proceeded up a nearby flight of stairs, ugh, and to the school cafeteria where I found my wife talking with a fellow marathoner while finishing up her post-race sandwich.  She was surprised I finished so soon.  I grabbed a sandwich wrap, a drink and some amazing baked goods for a great post-race lunch.  The spacious area of the cafeteria gave me the opportunity to relax and stay warm while conversing with other runners.  All the while, stiffening up which made walking to the car a little more difficult.



Winner's Mug

Before we left the cafeteria, we checked with a race official if we indeed won the prize for traveling the greatest distance.  It turned out that the Washington runner either did not show or did not claim the prize.  So, we each were handed a coffee mug printed with the Reston Runners logo.  A nice souvenir from a great marathon.



My rest break didn’t last long as we needed to get back to the hotel to shower and check-out.  Prior to checking in, we requested, and were granted, a late check-out because of the marathon.  However; as my wife went to the room while I checked out, the room key did not work.  I figured that the desk clerk didn’t program the card to account for the late check-out.  So, I received a new key and went back to the room to open the door.  Actually, what had happened was my wife went to the wrong floor and tried to open the wrong door.  The key actually did work.  Oh well, we were tired and really needed a shower.

After we showered, packed up and vacated the room, we drove over to Santini’s New York Deli on Baron Cameron Avenue for another lunch.  The décor was much like a sports bar with multiple TVs showing different sports games and seemed to be a popular spot for locals.

I had a Philly cheese steak and my wife had a slice of pizza and a hamburger.  Of course, my cheese steak sandwich was delicious and hot.  My wife said the pizza was good, but the hamburger was nothing out of the ordinary.

It was time to hit the road again with a 35-mile drive down the Fairfax County Parkway to the Mt. Vernon estate of President Washington situated along the banks of the Potomac River.  My last visit to Mt, Vernon was in 1977 as part of my Boy Scout Jamboree trip.  For some reason I don’t remember, a tour of the mansion wasn’t possible then, but we were able to walk the grounds.

Author at Mt. Vernon

The tour of the mansion was a lot different than what I had expected.  I envisioned large rooms, studies, libraries, servant’s quarters and parlors.  Instead, the rooms were quite small with intricate details and designs.  Also, the many bedrooms served as guest rooms for those who would drop by on a whim for the night or just to talk with the president.

Lastly, as we walked the guided pathway, we came up to George and Martha’s tomb.  It was a time to pay our respects to one of the founding fathers of our country, a Revolutionary War general, a Master Mason who set some of the District of Columbia’s famous building cornerstones, and a land surveyor who partitioned large portions of Virginia.

The surveyor display in the visitor center was my attention grabber.  I have been a practicing civil engineer for nearly 25 years and rely on the principles of land surveying as an integral part of my profession.  George was an avid professional land surveyor and learned the craft at a very young age, so viewing the old instruments he employed in his work and map making was a treat.  What a significant difference from the total stations and GPS technology surveyors use today.



Early surveyor tools

Visiting Mt. Vernon was a remarkable experience.  I was fascinated with the mansion tour and walking the estate’s grounds and humbled just how hard life was in the late 1700s and made me reflect upon the things that we Americans take for granted. 

We are truly fortunate to live in such a beautiful and free country, so why are we so unsatisfied and ungrateful?  In today’s mad world, we take for granted cell phones, 24/7 markets, fast food, cars, paved roads, electricity, friends, family, our job, and running hot water just to name a few.  We need to be more cognitive of the fact to appreciate the things you have before the time comes that will make you appreciate the things you once had.  If we weren’t so reliant on entitlements and work hard for what we have, we could be better off as a society.

The day was ending soon and we still needed to drive back to Baltimore for an early morning flight back to LAX.  On the way up George Washington Parkway, we stopped by the George Washington Masonic National Memorial in Alexandria.  I once visited the memorial in 1986 and found it to be a great place to learn about the various branches of freemasonry and the many artifacts from Washington’s days as a freemason in Fredericksburg Lodge No. 4, AF&AM.  The time was after 1700 hours, so it was unfortunate a tour was not possible.



Washington's tomb

George as early surveyor

With daylight waning, we made our way back onto the Capital Beltway, I-495, to the Baltimore-Washington Parkway which led us directly to our hotel, the Springhill Suites BWI an hour and a half later.

As we drove into the parking lot, a large bus was parked in the portico as baseball players from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore were arriving after their game with Coppin State earlier in the day, while cramming their bags and gear in the hotel foyer.  The solemn looks on the players’ faces spoke volumes about the outcome of their game.  I did check later and found they lost both games of their double header.

We woke up early Monday morning, turned in the rental car at BWI and caught our early morning Alaska Airlines flight back to LAX.

Overall, I really loved this challenging race.  The super nice folks really know how to put on a marathon and the pre-race pasta dinner was great during Saturday evening’s packet pick-up.



George Washington Masonic Memorial

The rolling-hilled course was a lot of fun challenging my endurance and fitness.  I particularly enjoyed making the two 13-mile loops required for the full marathon.  After the first loop, I knew what to expect on the second round which seemed to make the time go by faster.  The miles were clearly marked with the initials “RMR” painted on the pavement.

Running on the bike trails through the shaded forested areas was a pleasant experience.  The miles of the Turquoise Trail were quiet and serene, particularly on the second loop after the half marathoners finished their race.  My footsteps created their own beat, with a creek here, a deer there, perhaps glimpses of some other wildlife, the cool breeze on the path, children playing on nearby playground equipment, and locals out for a stroll or walking their dogs all under a blue sky.

The marathon may be small compared to most marathons, but I was impressed with the amount of spectators and the supportive volunteers staffing the aid stations.  The stations had plenty of water and Gatorade with a few providing bananas, GU, fig newtons and other snacks.

Finishing on the track where Alan Webb set his running record was a great experience.  It was too bad I couldn’t keep his pace for the final lap.  Finish line photos were available, but since I’m not the photogenic type, it didn’t matter to me.  Hanging out in the cafeteria post-race was an idyllic situation where runners could warm themselves, change wet clothes and grab some of the plentiful food and drink while talking with others about their race.  Great atmosphere and great experience!

The Turquoise Trail conveyed to me a biblical thought – Psalm 23: “The Lord is my shepherd; I lack nothing.  He makes me lie down in green pastures: He leads me beside the quiet waters.  He refreshes my soul: He guides me along the paths of righteousness for His name's sake.”

Last, but not least, in reference to the abovementioned “fair argument” standard, this marathon was inarguably one of the best marathons I have run to date – all the better that an EIR is not required.  So, what should it be…paper or plastic?

 

State Number 21 - Chattanooga Marathon

State Number 21 – Chattanooga Marathon, Chattanooga, TN

6 March 2016

“Pardon me boy, is that the Chattanooga Choo Choo?”  Whether or not Glenn Miller’s 1941 hit made Chattanooga famous is up for debate, but wasn’t up for debate is the Chattanooga Marathon.

The weekend’s second marathon directed us up the northbound I-75 corridor to the Volunteer State where we volunteered to participate in this inaugural marathon. 

The drive from Albany to Chattanooga took us around five hours, largely due to construction around the Atlanta area together with the daily congested peak hour traffic volumes through downtown.  The HOV lane did afford us with increased average speeds; however, at times it moved slower than the non-HOV lanes. 

Before approaching Atlanta, I thought of using the I-285 by-pass around the city.  However, my Inrix iPhone app warned of congested traffic on the I-285 beltway around Atlanta as well.  I guess there are no easy ways around large metropolitan areas and one must accept the fact of overcrowded freeways.  After clearing the downtown area at the I-85 split, traffic was once again back up to normal freeway speeds all the way in to Chattanooga.

The expo/packet pick-up was held at the First Tennessee Pavilion near Finley Stadium on Reggie White Boulevard.  We arrived in time to pick up our bibs, shirts and other items before it closed at 1900 hours.  We still had on our running attire from Albany and we definitely didn’t look or feel at our best, but there weren’t many feasible options available.

At check-in, each participant was afforded a box of fried chicken strips from Zaxby’s.  Since closing time was near, the event staff told us to take what we wanted so they will have less to deal with at the expo’s conclusion.  We were hungry and couldn’t resist, so we each grabbed two boxes.

Each box contained three large pieces of chicken strips, dipping sauce and a 4-inch chocolate chip cookie.  Since our last meal was in Albany, we were quite hungry and looked forward to a meal after we checked into to our hotel, the Wingate by Wyndham Chattanooga off Shallowford Road in East Brainerd, twelve miles from the pavilion.

We heated the chicken strips with the in-room microwave oven.  The hunger I was experiencing made the chicken very tasty and delicious, especially with the spicy dipping sauce.  We satiated ourselves and felt much better after a shower and looked forward to some rest and relaxation before Sunday’s marathon.  Another great pre-marathon meal.

The alarm clock sounded at 0630 indicating it was time to accept the day’s tough challenges.  We ate some granola and a banana for some pre-race energy and drove down I-24 via I-75 to the finish line parking area.  The lots were full, but we managed to create a parking space in the fire lane area.  Others were doing it, so why not us?

Prior to boarding the shuttle bus to the race start, my wife made a quick trip in to the pavilion to exchange her tech shirt for a smaller size, while I waited to catch one of the available buses lined up against the curb.  Once the bus departed, it was only a five minute ride to downtown.

The early morning breezes swirling around the downtown buildings made the “feel like” temperature fairly chilly.  We kept warm in the Courtyard Hotel lobby where we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to use the indoor restroom facilities.  This also gave me some time to read the newspaper and watch the morning news on the lobby TV.  I turned on my Garmin Forerunner 310xt watch; however, the damn thing was stuck on the boot-up screen for some reason and was not able to locate any satellites.  Being in a building may not have helped with satellite reception, but stuck on the boot-up screen?  I wonder how many other 310xt owners experience the same problem.

A few minutes prior to the start, we made our way down through a parking structure corridor to the bag drop area and joined the exuberant crowd of marathon and half marathon runners.  My Garmin still wasn’t working and still stuck on the boot-up screen.  I performed a hard reset, but to no avail.  Nothing worked and was enough to piss-off the good-humor man, but I just had to live with it.

It was perfect running weather – cool with some scattered clouds – but as the day progressed, the temperature would undoubtedly warm up.  I knew the course was rather hilly and, besides, I just ran a marathon the day before, so my goal time is to finish in under five hours.  After the playing of our national anthem and a few valedictory words from the race announcer, we were off and making history with the running of this inaugural event.

My watch was still hung up on the boot screen after the start, but I kept it on with the hopes of it eventually booting up.  My mile and overall times were going to be jacked, but what can I do? 

All participants began running down Broad Street with the half marathoners breaking off just after 1.5 miles.  The number of runners suddenly thinned after the split leaving more room to maneuver.  I was feeling pretty good with a slight soreness in my calf muscle from the previous days’ marathon.  I kept glancing at my watch, but still the same after the half break off.

Shortly after the break, voila, my watch was working!  I immediately started the timer and waited for the next mile marker to figure how much of a discrepancy there was.  The 5 km timing mat was my reference point and quickly calculated that I started my watch at Marathon Mile 1.8.  So I just had to adjust every mile by 1.3 to figure my overall distance.

The course meandered through the southern part of Chattanooga with a turn-around on Virginia Avenue shortly before Marathon Mile 5.

Just before Marathon Mile 6, runners passed by Clumpy’s Ice Cream Co. and the Lookout Mountain Incline Railway, a funicular train that climbs to the top of Lookout Mountain. 

As I ran by the Marathon Mile 6 banner, my distance was off by approximately 0.25 mile.  That got me wondering if something was wrong, but didn’t think any more of it and continued to plug along.

Around Marathon Mile 7, I had to make a pit stop to fix a sock problem that was plaguing my left heel.  A hot spot was beginning to progress into a blister, so it had to be dealt with ASAP.   I did not have a Band-Aid available, but once I stretched and adjusted the sock, it didn’t bother me again. 

It wasn’t until about Marathon Mile 8 I overheard a group of runners ahead of me questioning the validity of the distances between mile markers and their watches.  They made comments to a course official about a discrepancy of about a quarter mile.  I also chimed in about the same inconsistency. 

Yummmm

With that out of mind, it was time to focus on finishing the marathon.  I was beginning to fatigue around Marathon Mile 9 but fortunately for me, my leg pain wasn’t getting any worse.

I decided to walk up the hill at Marathon Mile 10 while munching on some food energy I picked up at the aid station.  At the top of the incline, Veterans Bridge spanning the Tennessee River came into view.  After a few tenths of a mile through a small development area on Battery Place, I approached the bridge.

The half mile over the bridge provided a great view of downtown, the river and the North Shore of Chattanooga.  The hard part of the course began.

The hilly terrain of North Chattanooga definitely tested my ability to overcome the gravitational challenges hills present.

The steepest hill came at Marathon Mile 13 as we turned up Falmouth Road.  I immediately began to walk as I was really getting tired.  Runners around me quickly exclaimed, “Oh, my God!  Are you kidding me?”  The half marathon split was about 0.1 mile up the hill, so I couldn’t look strong crossing the timing mat.  I crossed in a time of 2:12 ± (according to the clock).

Soon after, I was glad to reach the hill’s apex where I resumed running taking full advantage of the force of gravity.  This area of Chattanooga was very scenic with stately homes overlooking the Tennessee River and the beautifully manicured Chattanooga Golf and Country Club.  I was much more interested in hopping into a golf cart and playing a round of eighteen than running twelve more miles.

After finishing the North Shore route, it was time to cross back into downtown via the Walnut Street Bridge.  This fascinating one-half mile long bridge built in the late 1800s is testament to a modified camelback truss design and has functioned as a pedestrian only bridge since 1978.

Spectators, as well as those just out for a morning stroll, cheered runners as they ran over the old wood deck boards.  The protruding nails and the loose (and some rotting) deck boards were a constant tripping hazard, so I watched every step.

Once off the bridge’s approach into downtown at Marathon Mile 16, just a couple of blocks from the start line, the course turned easterly towards the University of Tennessee Chattanooga passing by the McKenzie Arena and the Chattanooga Confederate Cemetery, a final resting place for confederate soldiers who fought in the Civil War and a treasure trove of our history.  At that moment, I was able to hear screams and cheers in the distance.  I wasn’t quite sure what all the hullabaloo was until the campus quad area came into view. 

All passers-by were greeted with the super loud cheers of students from various fraternities and sororities giving and receiving high-fives and from UTC’s mascot, Scrappy Moc, upon entering the campus quad area.  The sound and support from the students lifted my spirits and gave me some much needed energy to pull me through the last nine miles.

After leaving UTC, the blister on my heel was beginning to become tender.  I stopped at medical aid for a Band-Aid, but they did not have one.  Apparently, only tape and gauze were in stock.  I knew that wouldn’t work, so I thanked the helpful, and apologetic, EMTs, re-adjusted my sock and continued on with my task at hand.  

Original pilaster to Ferger Place

The next 4.5 miles were somewhat humdrum.  Older residential sections interspersed with commercial and industrial developments dominated the scene.  However, as I headed towards Marathon Mile 23, I was unexpectedly treated with a run through the Ferger Place Historic District.

An informational sign at the district’s entrance said Ferger Place was founded in the early 1900s and serves as the first gated community south of the Mason-Dixon Line and features rare architectural styles.  This beautifully preserved neighborhood was once home to the wealthy and government officials.  Although not gated today, the original pilasters still exist. 

The streets in the U-shaped subdivision are named Morningside Drive, Eveningside Drive and Ferger Place.  Of course, Morningside is on the east and Eveningside on the west.  Several of the residents were kind enough to offer runners cups of cold beer.  I took up their offers for some much needed carbs and as a pick-me-up for the last 5 km. 

While appreciating the neighborhood, the land surveyor within me pondered how Tennessee law treats ancient subdivision maps and plats.  California uses the Subdivision Map Act contained in the Government Code.  Does Tennessee use something similar to California law?  Is a certificate of compliance all that’s needed?  That’s a topic outside the scope of this tome and can be discoursed at a later time.  For those who REALLY need to know, see when a map is not a map.

Making a left back onto E. Main Street, I was happy to finally be less than three miles from the finish.  My energy level was drained, my calf was sore and one thought was on my mind – to finish in under five hours.  I could only guess at my time, but I had a sense of where I stood.  The last two miles seemed like an eternity, but I kept pushing.  When I was able to hear the cheering crowds massed around the finish line area, an adrenaline rush kicked in as I rounded the penultimate turn onto Broad Street. 

I made the final turn onto Reggie White Blvd. and right there in my view was the Marathon Mile 26 banner.  The finish line was in sight and I can truly say, “I was almost there.”  I saw the race clock in the distance ticking away – it was under five hours – yay!  I picked up the pace and finished strong with a time of 4:53:55, an 11:14 pace.

Age graded score: 47.65%

Age graded time: 4:26:12

Upon receiving my finisher’s medal, I walked over to some shade to cool off and texted my wife I was done and where to meet up with her.  After talking with a couple of young girls about their earlier one-mile run and how happy they were to receive a medal, I walked into the pavilion and found my wife.  She had just finished her complimentary food truck meal and was sitting in the sun trying to warm up.

My complimentary food truck meal consisted of two carne asada tacos.  It wasn’t much, but other food was available and needless to say, I took advantage of the post-race food, chocolate milk and coconut water.

We spent about an hour just lounging before leaving for the hotel to clean up and see the sights around Chattanooga.

Although we had some post-race food, we were still a little hungry.  Now that the race was over and traffic was back to normal on the city’s surface streets, we ate a late lunch at The Terminal Brewhouse across from the Chattanooga Choo Choo Hotel and museum.

Chattanooga Choo choo on Track 29

After much internal deliberation, I settled on the Philosopher’s Burger consisting of ground lamb seasoned with cinnamon, oregano and other spices with feta aioli and onions with a side of chipotle whiskey baked beans.  The burger was quite delightful.  One taste of that burger was analogous to Plato sitting at our table educating us on his western philosophical works.

As we were preparing to leave, a runner from the Chattanooga area, with his bib still plastered to his shirt, came up to us and asked if we ran the marathon.  This was his first marathon and finished in just over four hours.  He was quite happy with his time (as he should be on that course) and was out celebrating with friends.  When he walked, it was evident he had the “marathon shuffle” and he struggled making his way down the staircase to the ground floor.  We weren’t too bad, but we can relate to the shuffle.

The Chattanooga Choo Choo depot across the street was our next whistle stop to see the classic train on display, on Track 29, of course.

Lookout Mountain was our next destination, an upscale community of around 2000 residents, to visit Rock City Gardens (actually in the State of Georgia) and Point Park in the Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park. 

Rock City is known for its ancient rock formations, famous gardens and the stunning panoramic views of seven states.  Unfortunately, Rock City closed its doors at 1700 hours and we arrived a few minutes before.  So a visit to the Seven States overlook and the ancient rock formations will have to wait for another date and time, if ever.  So, it was back through the maze of streets through the community to Point Park.  The sun was beginning to set and we didn’t have much time to spend visiting the park, so only a few photographs of the area had to suffice.

Can you see seven states?

On a side note, I am very skeptical one can see seven states from Rock City, especially North and South Carolina, Kentucky and Virginia.  My calculations indicate that in order to see all seven states listed, the viewer’s elevation must be around 9500 feet.  At Rock City, the elevation is a mere 1200 feet above Chattanooga, not high enough to see points beyond 40 to 50 miles, at best.

The road down into Chattanooga led us to Ruby Falls and right to the funicular at the bottom of the hill.  There we stopped at Clumpy’s for a homemade ice cream treat to top off our day.  Just a few hours before, we ran past the place.

Point Park entrance

It was getting late in the day and time to head back up I-24 to the hotel and rest up for our early morning drive back to Atlanta for our flight back to LAX. 

For an inaugural marathon, I got the impression the organizing committee “gave it their all” for this event and to make it memorable for everyone.  The marathon’s web site is user friendly and informative. 

The course was hilly (one of the hilliest I’ve completed), challenging and tough and likely not a BQ course for everyone.  Participants were encouraged to park near the finish line area and catch a ride on the shuttle bus to the start, which was only a few minutes away.  Transportation was well organized and we did not experience any hang ups.

Although we arrived at the expo toward the latter part of the day, it seemed to have limited vendors.  Maybe because it was at the end of the day.  The extra boxes of Zaxby’s chicken was a pleasant surprise – especially because I was so hungry.

Hats off to the local law enforcement for providing excellent traffic control.  Without their support, our safety would be compromised.  The friendly volunteers, spectators and ample water stations made this a great event.  The enthusiasm of the race organizers were commendable and this marathon should be a great annual event for Chattanooga in future years.  In a combined event, a majority of participants choose the half marathon so marathon runners may be running alone, but the course was well marked.

The course provided runners a tour of the various regions of Chattanooga, especially the North Shore and the Ferger Place District; however, the course could be redirected around some of the more run-down or industrial areas.  I know, easier said than done given the recertification process.  The three highlights, at least for me, were running across the two bridges (what else from an engineer), the uplifting spirit and inspiration from the UTC students, and finishing.

The tech shirt and finisher’s medal were somewhat plain and lacked any style.  Perhaps in the years to come, they will become more attractive with more fashionable bling and designs.

Not long after we settled in back home and taking pleasure in checking off another state, a notice was sent out from race officials that read:

“On behalf of the Chattanooga Marathon Planning Committee, I would like to sincerely apologize to the runners of Sunday’s Inaugural Chattanooga Marathon full marathon. As you may know, the full marathon was short by 0.28 miles because the St. Elmo turn-around was placed 0.14 miles before the certified course turn-around. Please know that the certification was not the cause but rather the placement of the cones that resulted in the discrepancy.

On Sunday, a few local athletes informed me after their run that they thought the turn-around was early. After hearing this, we requested Garmin files and found, after reviewing the files on Monday, that there did appear to be an issue.  On Tuesday, we went down to St. Elmo and got the exact distance of the shortage and began responding to inquiries via phone and email.”

That message only confirmed my uncertainties of the course’s distance after the turn-around point.  It is unfortunate that this marathon may not be accepted as an official marathon towards any kind of certification; however, Boston is willing to accept it using a projected finish time.  In my professional opinion, if runners endeavoring to run all fifty states completed this marathon acting in good faith with the confidence and trust this USATF certified course was laid out correctly, it should be counted – with or without a projected finish time or the distance covered.

I am not assigning fault to anyone, but mistakes can and do happen; everyone makes them occasionally, it’s inevitable when there are different levels of human involvement.  We can be open to them, learn from them and use them to better ourselves the next time.  With that said, the race organizers did offer a reduced entry fee for the 2017 running to all 2016 marathon participants provided they completed the course with an official finish time.   

They weren’t compelled to offer a discount, but I consider that to be honest customer service and a way to better themselves for next time.  This marathon was an inaugural event and bugs will undoubtedly transpire.

It is unclear whether or not I will run Tennessee again in the future as a make-up run, but one thing is certain, I did have a great time in the Volunteer State.

“Chattanooga Choo Choo, won’t you choo-choo me home?”

All aboard!