State Number 42 - Hatfield-McCoy Marathon

State Number 42 – Hatfield-McCoy Marathon v2.0

South Williamson, KY

9 June 2018

“No feudin’, just runnin’” Yup, Version 2.0 complete and still one of my favorites!  No gunfights, no hangings, no pigs – just running.

The Hatfield-McCoy feud was a violent, long-running battle between two clans who lived in what is now coal mining country along the Tug River on the West Virginia/Kentucky state line during the late nineteenth century.  While few may know all the details, in the USA the term “Hatfield's & McCoy's” is a familiar metaphor between feuding neighbors, families, or even the successful lives of “Waylon, Willie and the boys” in Luckenbach, TX.  It ended long ago and today it’s the theme of an annual festival in the Williamson/Matewan area, of which this marathon plays an integral part.  For the second time, I feel honored to play a small role in this yearly commemoration.

I’m going to attempt to spare you from excessive dramatic expressions of how much I enjoy this marathon, but based on the title of this review, it might not work.  

I can say with most marathons, it’s usually a “one and done” event – glad to get in and glad to get out.  But I cannot say that with Hatfield-McCoy.  There’s something about it – the scenery, the friendliness, the challenge, the volunteers, the history – that draws me to repeat this marathon.  If it just wasn’t so difficult to get there.

"Almost Heaven, West Virginia, Blue Ridge Mountains..."

As the race begins out of the Food City parking lot in South Williamson, right away the beauty of the course immediately grabs the attention of everyone who begin the first couple of miles along U.S. Highway 119.  The huge tree-covered mountain, the vertical cliffs, and rocks towering above the highway are pretty remarkable.

I had two main objectives for this race.  First, I wanted to run up the entire length of Blackberry Mountain without breaking my stride, a hill 1.25 miles long with a rather steep, but steady, incline, and from what I hear and experienced, a lot of people walk it.  On my previous attempt, I made it to the top without walking, but barely.  The notorious hill is longer than what it seems.  

Second, I wanted to finish this tough and demanding race faster than my 2014 time – 4:59:30.  I desired to challenge my time goal while simultaneously having fun during the race, taking some photos I failed to do the first time around, and just enjoying the setting.  The way I see it, the earlier I finish, the more likely there will be food and drink left at the finish line.  Priorities are priorities.

Let’s back up for a moment.  This review should not be construed as a déjà vu moment.  I’m not attempting to rewrite, amend, clarify, modify or change anything about my original marathon review of H&M. 

According to the rules and guidelines of the 50-States Marathon Club (in their own words):

“If a race starts in one state and ends in another, it may be counted once for either the state where it started or where it ended.  If the same event is run on a subsequent year, the race may be counted for the other state.”

As mentioned, I ran this race in June 2014 (State No. 10, simultaneously becoming an official member of the 50-States Club), but I was caught up in a dilemma, deciding which state to count, West Virginia or Kentucky?  The decision to count West Virginia hinged on the fact that marathons in that state are not very plentiful – compared to Kentucky.  Moreover, traveling and trekking in and around “God’s Country” can be a little time consuming and problematic.  Thirty-two states and four years later, I can finally count this marathon towards the commonwealth of Kentucky.  Who knew I would ever come back to run this marathon a second time.

So, why am I doing this marathon again?  Perhaps the best answer, it WAS to be combined with Indoor Insanity Marathon (Winston-Salem, NC), paving the way for an exhausting double marathon weekend.  But when the indoor facility’s air conditioning system became defective, the race organizers decided to ultimately cancel the event.  What a disappointment!  Besides, I had no doubts or misgivings about running H&M a second time.

After an agonizing six-hour delay due in part to a faulty engine part (I guess the pilots noticed an illuminated “check engine” light during their pre-flight check) and shuttling back and forth from gate to gate, terminal to terminal, we finally departed LAX on a replacement plane for the long direct flight to Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU), arriving shortly after 2315 EDT. 

If our carry-on bag hadn’t been gate checked, we would’ve packed up and driven back home, forfeiting our trip.  The infuriating and frustrating Delta Airlines experience was enough to piss-off the good humor man, to put it lightly.  Enough said on that experience.

On a normal day, the drive from RDU to Pikeville, KY (our H&M lodging locale) takes approximately six hours.  In the meantime, we settled in for the night in Winston-Salem before embarking on our road trip through Appalachia to Pikeville. 

The beautiful four-hour drive to Pikeville took us through Mt. Airy, NC, Wytheville, VA and through the heavily forested scenic backroads of Appalachia into the coal region of Pike County in eastern Kentucky.  What immediately grabbed my attention are the massive highway and railroad excavations revealing precipitous cliffs exposing ancient horizontal layers of interbedded limestones, sandstones and shales. What fascinating engineering and geology.

We arrived at our destination hotel in Pikeville in time for a cool and refreshing swim in their sparkling pool.  The weather was sunny, quite warm and muggy with a tropical clammy feel.  The warm weather had me concerned and uneasy about marathon day – I don’t do well with heat, humidity and hills.

We arrived at the Belfry gymnasium around 1630 for packet pick-up and to partake in their complimentary pre-race pasta dinner held in the Belfry High School cafeteria for all marathon and half marathon participants.  I had a choice between marinara or meat sauce.  Remembering what had happened at the pasta dinner at First Light Mobile (State No. 9), it wasn’t a hard decision to make – I opted for the plain marinara sauce.  Superstitious?  Maybe, but I didn’t want to chance it. 

The pre-race dinners are always fun.  It’s easy to strike up a conversation with anyone about what else – running.  Those in the running community always have an interesting story to tell. 

Following our dining experience, runners enjoyed the attention-grabbing and informative H&M skit featuring “Devil Anse” Hatfield and Ran’l McCoy.  It’s an annual tradition for these actors, recounting the tale of the notorious feud.  In a cafeteria setting, the acoustics were less than ideal and there was too much annoying feedback with the microphone system.  However, I do appreciate the enlightening experience and education.  Four years ago, we watched the skit in the comfort and acoustically friendly setting of the school’s auditorium.

This great event features a full marathon and two half marathons.  One half is the “Blackberry” half and the other is the “River Road” half.  The Blackberry begins with the full and ends in Matewan while the other begins in Matewan and ends in Williamson.  Runners may do the full, one of the halves or both of the halves, earning a special double medal.

The marathon ends in the small enclave of Williamson, WV, so runners are encouraged to park in Williamson and ride the event’s shuttle bus from Williamson to the start line in the Food City parking lot in Belfry, KY, a quick two-mile ride.  Food City is also the title sponsor of the marathon.

The kind folks at Food City are awesome and welcoming people.  Not only does Food City provide spreads of water, bagels, bananas, cantaloupe, watermelon, strawberries and grapes for the runners, they also allow runners inside the store to socialize in air conditioned comfort, use the restrooms or just to get out of the elements before the start of the race.

June weather in this part of the state is typically hot and humid, like a wet blanket with just a touch of a mist.  Coupled with the course’s unrelenting hills, runners can quickly fatigue, dehydrate or simply run out of energy.  But fear not, there are aid stations every mile to placate anyone’s thirst or nutritional needs. 

My concerns for the day grew by the minute as I wandered the parking lot, but I found that talking with fellow runners temporarily eased my mind from the anxiety.  At first, my goal was to break five hours; then, just to finish in under six hours.  With the temperatures expected to hover around ninety degrees, I reassessed my goals and decided just finishing will make me happy.

About ten minutes before seven o’clock, the race director summoned runners to begin lining up at the start line for some pre-race announcements and the singing of our National Anthem.  Devil Anse and Ran’l stood ready at the start line each clutching their double barrel 12-guage shotguns waiting for race director Alexis to signal the shotgun start (literally).

It was time, Devil Anse and ol’ Ran’l raised their guns pointing into the foggy steamy sky each simultaneously firing off a round, and the race was underway.

The first half:  (9:03, 9:01, 9:44, 10:13, 10:16, 10:18, 12:37 [stopped to pet the dwarf horses], 11:37, 9:14, 11:10, 10:07, 12:56, 12:53)

Race start

Under the foggy skies draping the Tug Valley, we headed out of the parking lot down U.S. 119 which I thought my pace was a bit too fast for the first couple of miles due to the slight downhill trend and towards the quiet hamlet of Toler to Highway 319 through Hardy towards the famous and dreaded Blackberry Mountain grade.  Runners pass everything from immaculate little cottages to old ramshackled mining camp homes with plenty of barking dogs and crowing roosters in the background.  Friendly residents sat on their porches sipping on their morning coffee cheering on the parade of runners.

One of the awesome things about the H&M Marathon is that the race organizers craft “Welcome Back” signs for all the returning runners and place them at various locations along the course route, which I think is a real cool and clever way to honor and recognize returning runners.  Knowing this ahead of time, I become attentive once on the course keeping a sharp eye in order to locate my “welcome back” sign.  Would I see mine?  

The first aid station was located at Marathon Mile 2 and was well-stocked and well-run by super friendly volunteers.  I was already drenched in sweat and looked forward to drinking several cups of water and Gatorade.

The next four miles consisted of varied rolling terrain, but nothing too difficult, but I relaxed my pace and huddled in with the ten-minute pace group (4:22 finish time).  I knew that time goal would be unattainable, but I wanted to hang on as much as possible to conserve some energy for the upcoming hill climb.

Profile of Blackberry Mountain

At Marathon Mile 6, runners hit the foot of Blackberry Mountain.  Suddenly, the road started heading upwards climbing about 750 feet in a mile and reaching the summit just after Marathon Mile 7 and the site of aid station No. 5.  My goal for this climb was to run at pace as long as I could tolerate and then walk, if needed.  I found that the ten-minute pace group charged ahead, leaving me in their wake so I was on my own.  Maybe if I had just slowed down a little bit over the previous miles, I could have made it up the entire hill running.  But as it was, I burned myself out about three-quarters of the way up and had to walk to the summit.  Besides, the temperatures seemed to be quickly rising making any kind of serious effort pointless.  By this point, I was beyond drenched in sweat, it was almost comical.  My shirt and shorts were literally clinging to my body with sweat dripping off the bill of my cap like a leaky faucet.  I could see myself as the world’s most efficient sweater, but seriously, body, you need to take it down a notch.



Road up Blackberry grade

On my way.

As happy as I was to not be running up the mountain anymore, the run down the steep gradient on the back side was actually harder for me and I’ve accepted the fact that I'm not a great descender.  I know the mechanics of descending a hill and letting gravity do its job, but that's a hard thing to do when you're literally running down a steep grade.  Anytime I got some decent speed, I felt like I was going to blow out my ankles, a knee or go careening down the steep mountainside due to loss of balance. Fortunately, neither happened, but I felt that the descent hammered my quads a little too much.

By Marathon Mile 8, and the base of Blackberry Hill, we were back to some gently rolling hills skirting Blackberry Creek.  I was handed the first of many ice-water soaked towels from the hillbilly aid station adjacent to the Hog Trial site near the community post office.  I squeezed out excess water over my head and placed the cold towel under my cap hoping the evaporating water would remove some of the excessive body heat, but with the humidity levels, evaporative rates tend to slow.

Blossom on the left

Runners made a left turn onto Highway 1056 en route to Matewan and the end of the first half of the marathon.  Along the way, runners pass by the “world’s smallest horses.”  I have no idea if they are actually the world’s smallest, but I made it a point to stop and pet the horses anyway.  But as I approached they were strangely skittish and would keep moving to the opposite side of their fenced pen.  The horses’ owner held one at bay (named Blossom) so I had the opportunity to pet her. 

I continued on down Highway 1056 passing by several markers commemorating the feud or some other major incidence.  As the heat kept rising, it gave me a reason to stop and read the historical plaques.  Damaging my health over a marathon is not in my set of playing cards, so a brief respite every so often was something I needed to do.

The next three or so miles consisted of gently rolling sections of two-lane roadway with irritating cambers in some areas, then through a narrow one-lane roadway and across the Michael Justice Memorial Bridge spanning the Tug River into Hatfield territory, Matewan, WV and the site of the Matewan Massacre brought on by a dispute between the coal miners and union organizers in the 1920s.

The course led runners on Matewan’s Main Street hooking around to Hatfield Street, thence onto McCoy Alley leading to the half marathon split (also the end of the Blackberry half and start of the River Road half).  As runners approach the split, one has the option of passing through the finish line and ending it with an official half marathon to your credit or continue on to the end in Williamson. With the blazing sun, heat and the stifling humidity, it wouldn’t surprise me one bit if some marathoners chose to end it in Matewan. 

I crossed the half split in a time of 2:19:29, hoping for a sub-five marathon, but as time passed, my hopes for such a time continued to dim and fade away.  

The second half:  (14:04, 15:18, 16:39, 13:05, 14:23, 16:43, 17:35, 17:17, 17:14, 17:08, 16:17, 17:21, 15:07, 13:36 projected pace [final 0.38 mi])

Marathoners continued on through the streets of Matewan, through the floodwall and back over the river into Kentucky’s McCoy territory and down a one-lane asphalt road (River Road).  The journey along River Road was a very quiet five miles with practically zero traffic with a few houses or dilapidated trailers visible from the road.  Runners were thin and spread out now that the half marathoners were fortunate enough to conclude their race.  

Lots of folks took the time to sit out in front of their homes or along the roadway watching and cheering all that pass by.  Shade was plentiful along this part of the course and the cool air radiating from the Tug River provided somewhat pleasant running conditions.  Knowing what was ahead of me, I relished my time in the shade and it delivered me with the energy needed to keep plugging along, albeit a slow pace.  

The continuous rolling hills caused my legs and ankles to begin feeling fatigued.  I took a couple of acetaminophen tablets to take the edge off my current pain levels and to give me a little boost.  Over the course of the day, I consumed enough fluids and electrolytes to prevent the discomfort of cramping.  

The swinging bridge

Bridge decking

Marathon Mile 17 was one of the hardest parts of the course, as the pavement ended and the road metamorphosed into a hilly, rocky, muddy jeep trail.  A couple of men sat alongside their ATVs offering rides to the golf course for $100.  I didn’t notice any takers.  How many runners carry money anyway?

As a “veteran” of this marathon, I knew what was in store along this section of roadway.  After about a mile of this gravelly and muddy section, the road ended spitting out runners through a hole in a fence entering the Tug Valley Country Club golf course at Marathon Mile 18.  Runners then paralleled one of the par four fairways along a rough but paved golf cart path leading up to the legendary swinging bridge over the Tug back into West Virginia, a signature part of the course.  Not surprisingly, the course seemed void of golfers – likely because of the weather.  The moisture levels of the fairways caused the dew point and humidity levels to rise considerably.  Along with the exposed sun, the intense heat index felt was enough to pierce my soul.

Personally, I believe the wood-plank decking of the swinging bridge makes for serious tripping hazards, especially up and down the two steep approaches.  Once off the bridge, I stopped at the aid station to munch on some delicious fruits and goodies and to restock my gas tank with ice water and Gatorade.  The staffers were so nice and friendly and were impressed I traveled all the way from California.  I wanted to stay and talk with them, but I needed to move along.

With a sense of revitalization and renewed energy from my nutrition stop, I hit the cart path once again, passing down a steep hill, under a pair of railroad trestles and back up a similarly steep hill that wrapped around a course maintenance building onto a local roadway.

Near Marathon Mile 19, runners approached another bridge leading back into Kentucky one last time.  I again stopped at the aid station for some water and fruit.  As I crossed the bridge, I seriously wanted to throw myself over the bridge railings into the cool waters of the Tug to end the misery!  I felt exhausted and the thought of seven more miles squashed my morale.

By now, at the Marathon Mile 20 mark, the sun was out in full force, it was really hot, and the shade vanished as quickly as it came.  I’ve been steadily losing time and I soon realized that a sub-five marathon was likely not in the books.  

I'd call them design demarcations of geometrical characteristics between two or more entities, not flaws.

The next four miles consisted of a rolling, cambered two-lane highway with two-way traffic.  Law enforcement personnel forced runners to hug the right side of the road for safety.  Roadway shoulders were non-existent, so I had to skirt the right edge line along steep embankments fortified with guard railing.

In the meantime, I dreaded for what lied ahead – the “McCoy Hill” at Marathon Mile 23.  This hill is touted as the last major incline of the course and seems to come at the worst possible time.  It goes without saying, I slowly walked up the hill while baking in the sun at the same time.  For me, it was a miserable experience and when I reached the summit, it was rejoice time.  I could “relax” and “enjoy” the final 5 km.

The two men runners cannot wait to see.

At long last I reached Marathon Mile 25 into some resemblance of civilization.  Over the previous twenty five miles, I was unable to locate my “Welcome Back” sign.  The eternal mile has to be one of the ugliest that I've run – a stretch along the busy Highway 119 in the blazing sun past fast-food restaurants (I so wanted to stop at the DQ for a frozen concoction) and over a stark concrete bridge into West Virginia once again, through the floodwall gates and to the finish line on Second Avenue in downtown Williamson.  I forced myself to begin “running” the final 0.2 mile, and, there waiting for me was Ran’l McCoy with his shotgun slung over his forearm reaching out to give me a much earned high-five as I crossed the finish line (I guess Devil Anse got too hot and left the scene).  Those men are at the finish line each and every year and they are always a pleasure to see.

I finished with a time of 5:52:30.  Much slower that what I had hoped for, but at least I beat my six-hour time goal I had made for myself soon after the half split.  I finished the second half with an unbelievable time of 3:33:01 – but I’m OK with it.

RACE STATS:

Distance: Marathon (26.2 mi) – my Garmin clocked it at 26.38 mi

Date: June 9, 2018

Bib No.: 4

Weather at start: 61°F, cloudy, muggy, no breeze

Gun time: 5:52:33

Chip time: 5:52:30

Average cadence: 137 steps per minute

Average pace: 13:22 per mile

Overall rank: 148 of 228

Gender rank: 85 of 113

Division rank: 15 of 20

Elevation: 1,201 ft gain / 1,165 ft loss

Half split: 2:19:29 (10:39 pace)

Average finish time: 5:34:39

Standard deviation: 1:22:44

Age graded score: 40.72%

Age graded time: 5:11:29

Garmin splits (unbelievable): 9:03, 9:01, 9:44, 10:13, 10:16, 10:18, 12:37, 11:37, 9:14, 11:10, 10:07, 12:56, 12:53, 14:04, 15:18, 16:39, 13:05, 14:23, 16:43, 17:35, 17:17, 17:14, 17:08, 16:17, 17:21, 15:07, 13:36 projected pace [final 0.38 mi]

I was immediately handed a towel soaked in ice water which I immediately wrung out over my pounding head and face to cool my internal furnace while I sat down for a few minutes to gather my thoughts before receiving my finisher medal.  A medic asked me if I needed assistance, but I told him I just need a minute to take a load off while a few other runners needed to be carted off to awaiting ambulances for medical treatment.  It was definitely super-hot, with a nearby bank marquee displaying a temperature of 96°F.

Note the temperature! 98 degrees!!

The finish line of H&M is one of my favorite of all marathons, although I’m not entirely sure why.  Runners finish in downtown Williamson (to be fair, there isn’t an “uptown” or anything else, but it’s their main street, so you get my point), and there are charming little shops all along the way.  The small quaint town has an old-fashioned allure reminiscent of the old days.

I was pleased to meet my so-called time goal, and even more excited that I had plenty of time to relax, grab my Mason jar finisher’s award and chowing down on a delicious BBQ pulled pork sandwich, sweet juicy watermelon and drinks.  Just too bad the Mason jar wasn’t filled with some locally produced moonshine – I could have used a drink.

The H&M Marathon is a fantastic race, but can be very difficult and challenging.  Runners really are made to feel welcome by the locals as well as the organizers and volunteers.  It has just about everything you could need (unless you thrive on big expos, massive crowds and big entry fees).  The only drawback is that it takes some effort to get there, but well worth it.  You even get a great history lesson thrown in at no extra charge! Booking a room early is usually a must, as lodging in the Williamson/Belfry area is limited and the nearest hotels are thirty minutes away.  If you like to sleep on cots, runners are even permitted to camp out at the Belfry fire station for a nominal charge.

We flew into RDU for one main reason – to complete a double marathon weekend with North Carolina.  But, that was not to be, so we had to supplement one activity for another.  Our supplemental activity?  How about some whitewater rafting on the New River!  Sure, it may be not as strenuous as a marathon, but it’s a much cooler strenuous activity in another way.

My wife and I stumbled upon “Adventures on the Gorge” during our marathon visit in 2014.  We decided to partake in the gravity zip line adventure which was an awe-inspiring and exhilarating experience.  But, as we drove down the narrow canyon roads of the New River Gorge to swim in the New River, we witnessed several rafts full of thrill seeking individuals wrapping up their whitewater adventure.  We second guessed ourselves and wondered if we should have done that instead of zip lining.

Fast forward to 2018.  Now with a second chance, we were armed with the perfect opportunity to indulge ourselves with a whitewater rafting trip.

Note the words "Hanks Last Stop" on sign

Donned in our river attire, we showed up at the adventure campus with some whitewater experience under our belts.  Since the morphology of each river is different, I had no clue what to expect on the New River, the turbulence, hydraulic jumps and the wave trains from the supercritical flow regimes.

View of the gorge.  New River Bridge in background.

Fayetteville.  Had to stop here again for some pizza pies.

After an introduction, safety demonstration and description of our excursion by one of the expedition guides, we were in for a great six-hour adventure tackling an assortment of Class II to Class V rapids.  With a river flow of several thousand cubic feet per second, I felt a little apprehensive about climbing into an inflatable raft traversing Class V whitewater, but with an experienced guide at the helm, I was in it for the long haul and looked forward to getting wet.  With seven of us in a raft, we were in store for a great time.

Vickie, the bus driver, dropped us off near the hamlet of Thurmond, an old mining and railroad town, on the banks of the New River, about sixteen river miles upstream from the take-out base area.  The road to Thurmond passes by the Skyline Drive-in just outside of Oak Hill, WV,  the place where Hank Williams was found deceased in his car on New Year’s Day 1953.

After our six-hour whitewater adventure complete with a delicious lunch, including an unplanned rain and thunderstorm thrown in for good measure, it was off to a rather cool destination in rural North Carolina, Mt. Airy.

Andy's house

With Andy and Opie.

Mt. Airy?  What’s so cool about that place?  I believe most know, whether they admit it or not, happens to be the birthplace and home to the late Andy Griffith, and the setting and inspiration for Mayberry in the classic 60s TV sitcom, The Andy Griffith Show.  Yes, you may call me a square, and I’m not embarrassed to admit, that sitcom is one my favorite classic syndicated television programs.

It takes me back to a simpler time in life, a time during my childhood days of living in a small town.

Our final day included walking around “Mayberry” seeing Floyd’s Barbershop (I even planned for a haircut, but “Floyd” was out on vacation), Opie’s Candy Store, Snappy Lunch and the Andy Griffith Museum.  I even hopped into the motorcycle sidecar Barney acquired for the department. 

It’s not hard to create a scene in my mind watching Barney yelling, wielding the “Big Iron” attached to his hip, absent one bullet, of course, at the town drunk, Otis, as he is once again arrested for public intoxication.

We left Mayberry in the early afternoon for a two-hour drive to Raleigh to catch our Delta flight back to LAX.  This time, no delays at RDU; however, our early arrival into LAX was met with a thirty-minute delay sitting on a taxiway, sweating in that stuffy aircraft air waiting for a gate to open.  Just our luck.  I learned one thing, arriving early doesn’t pay off.

LIKES / WHAT WORKED:

• Great course throughout Eastern Kentucky coal country and surrounding communities. 
• The two men depicting Devil Anse and Ran’l and enduring the sun and heat near the finish line high-fiving runners as they cross the timing mats.
• Very well organized event from the expo (even though it is small) to the multiple aid stations along the course.
• Super friendly volunteer support and residents, some using their hoses to spray runners with cold water.
• Medical support along the course and at the finish line. 
• Thank you to the medical professionals concerned about my well-being at the finish line.
• Hats off to the great spectators displaying their support!
• Mostly shady course for the first sixteen miles or so.
• Easy parking in Williamson.
• Nice event shirt and a finisher’s keepsake Mason jar to store moonshine.
• The finish line food, BBQ sandwiches, drinks, watermelon, bananas, cantaloupe and water.
• The race organizers not cancelling the marathon due to heat indexes and black flag warnings.
• FINISHING!!

DISLIKES / WHAT DIDN’T WORK:

• No, I did not see my “Welcome Back” sign 😩, but my wife found hers 😊.   
• The heat and the humidity.  I know, those are some elements that cannot be controlled.
• Hot and exposed for most of the second half of the course.
• Street pavement conditions – abrupt edges and muddy gravel sections of River Road over the second half.

Final thoughts:

I love visiting God’s Country and the Williamson area.  I can argue that this race is still one of the best races ever and I’ve run some spectacular marathons.  Of all the marathons under my belt, there is literally no competition in my mind.  I’m glad I came back again this year because it firmly cemented my feelings that this is undeniably one my favorite marathons by far.  There are a lot of good races out there, but in my personal view, this is probably the most fun you’ll have running 26.2 miles – putting aside those extreme meteorological conditions.  

It is evident there’s history between the two families, and that alone is enough to lure history fans interested in seeing the places the feud made famous.  Running this marathon is a great way to do just that since the course leads runners into regions where some of the feuding incidences happened.  For history fans like myself, this is an unrivaled quality because you’re getting a personal look at the setting where some of the most famous Kentucky/West Virginia events transpired.  I think of this marathon as a quick-paced history tour.

The H&M Marathon is a small low-key “hidden treasure” and is a spot-on description the race director Alexis and his dedicated team of volunteers do in the heart of Hatfield-McCoy feud country – except that no feuding takes place, just running.  I am blown away by generosity of all the people who came out to cheer or volunteer to hand out course-side treats like watermelon, grapes, oranges, bananas, candy, sponges and rags dipped in ice water, ice water/chips, pickles and even fried chicken.

I don’t know what it is about the course, but you’re just surrounded by mountains, and everything is so green, and at the start, there’s typically this kind of early morning fog that appears like it’s shrouding the mountains in a clandestine manner. 

Usually, June weather in the Tug Valley is hot and humid.  With the area’s unrelenting hills, there are water stops every mile either to cool or nourish your inner self.  Even though my finish time certainly reflected the heat related struggles I had throughout the second half of the marathon, somehow I savored each and every mile.  There is no time limit to complete the marathon and the course remains open until the final runner high-fives “Devil Anse” Hatfield or Ran’l McCoy.

Yes, getting to Williamson does take some effort, but once you arrive, you’ll be in for a treat – a diamond in the rough, so to speak.  The race organizers and all the volunteers are incredible.  The course is both beautiful and interesting, and you get a lot of really unique special touches that you just don’t get at the bigger marathon events.  Whether you’re a Maniac, Fanatic or a Fifty-Stater or just want to do something different, run this race.  It's worth the trip and see how far you can run with a stolen pig.

I think hillbillies are actually pretty smart, because they live in a setting way more scenic than I do. Just saying. 

One must remember, be in by dark and if you see a pig, look the other way.

Onward and upward!

State Number 41 - Buffalo Marathon

State Number 41 – Buffalo Marathon

Buffalo, NY

27 May 2018

 

Sticking to any long-term goal can be a challenging assignment, especially when one of them is to run a marathon race in all fifty states.  If one lacks focus and drive, the frenzied pace of the early years may eventually stall as other life commitments take precedence.  For a left-coaster like me, it never helps when your remaining states lie in the heart of the Midwest or the smaller states of the east coast and New England.  Traveling to these states can take hours of planning, if you want to make efficient use of your time.

The goal of my quest is still very much alive and I fully intend on getting to that ultimate finish line.  I may be still running, but I’m not in any kind of perennial marathon shape.  I’d be lying if I have never thought about changing gears by hopping on a bicycle sometime.  I find that biking is fun in a way that running rarely is – easy, or at least much easier.  When you’re used to long runs, it’s literally a breeze to bike for an hour, or even twenty miles.  Just like running though, if you bike long enough, you’ll eventually meet thresholds that test your heart, legs, and lungs.  But I’m staying focused and I will continue running towards that proverbial goal line.

I anticipate reaching the end of my 50-states goal towards the end of 2019.  At one point, I thought I could complete my pursuit by 2018, but cramming too many marathons into each of the preceding years was way too much for my old body to handle without affecting my structural and skeletal integrity.  Then the goal became 2019, hoping any side quests won’t change the nature of my final homestretch.  At the moment, there’s some debate about which state will bear the honor of being State No. 50, even though I’m very, very close.  In times like these, I can always use a good motivator, and I know just where to find it – in a map, of course.

Original plat of Buffalo

Call it “motivational cartography” if you will.  I’m a map guy and I love maps.  From the basic road map; to FEMA’s flood hazard maps using GIS platforms; to USGS quadrangle maps; or even ancient record plats.  In my profession, I use them on a daily basis.  Sometimes I’m amazed I chose engineering as a career over geography, but at least the two professions can be characterized as overlapping Venn Diagrams in many ways.

Readers of this space may know that after every new state I complete, I occasionally include a color-coded map at the end of my writing with a shiny new addition.  It’s usually a pretty rudimentary map grabbed from a semi running-specific web site for Fifty Staters.  I find that there aren’t many web sites devoted to crafting color-coded maps used to track progress.  Now, with RaceRaves, fashioning an attractive map is at one’s fingertips.

Its functionality, interface, and its dedication to the running community now make it one of my go-to running sites.  However, their latest map creation addition to the user experience is, for a conformist runner like myself, their best so far.

From my perspective, the RaceRaves web site makes a pretty damn good map emphasizing anyone’s running adventures and for those on a 50-states quest has a colorful and easy-to-use map to track their progress.

Now, I have a great source of motivational cartography showing me the meagre real estate I have left to conquer my monumental quest.  As of this writing, using the new map creator tool, my most recent 50-states map takes on the following rendering (omitting the countless half marathons run in California and one in Hawai’i):

 

My wife and I embarked on our New York Memorial Day weekend excursion with yet another dreaded red-eye Spirit Airlines flight from LAX to Cleveland (CLE).  Regarding the comfort department, the utilitarian airline makes no guarantees as to the coziness and well-being of its passengers.  Sleeping upright in non-reclining seats takes a talented individual or someone who can turn out like a light.  I’m not one of them.

Feeling a bit sleepy-eyed, we arrived at CLE around 0630 EDT, caught a shuttle bus to the rental car facility, seated ourselves in a new Nissan Altima (with an added bonus – new car smell), drove off the lot and found our way to I-90, skirting along Lake Erie’s lakeshore for a scenic three-hour drive to Buffalo. 

Warm, humid tropical weather greeted us as we arrived in Buffalo.  The warm temperatures had me a little apprehensive, but there was nothing in my power to prevent that.  All I could do was to prepare myself for an impending miserable Sunday.

We arrived at our hotel shortly before 1000 EDT.  Bordering on a slight case of overtiredness, we sauntered over to the expo hosted by the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center for packet pick-up and concomitant race swag just a few blocks from the hotel.  The fifty or so exhibitors and purveyors of merchandise filled the second floor’s main exhibit hall offering running accoutrements, entry fee discounts and enticements to some other marathon event, apparel, accessories, free samples, massage chairs and various thingamajigs. 

As usual, in an effort to minimize unnecessary carry-on bag volume, we have a tendency to shy away from purchasing anything at expos, but rather browse and try free samples as if we were in a Costco store.  After that, it’s generally a B-line to the exit doors.

However, this year, the expo featured a small line-up of speakers, compared to previous years.  Unfortunately, due to extreme weariness, low energy and exhaustion from our cross-country travel, basically on the threshold of dozing off in my chair, we could only muster enough energy to sit through the first speaker, Melissa Kahn, who spoke about her expedition from obesity to competing in a triathlon in Nepal’s Himalayan Mountains, of all places. 

I wanted to stay and listen to Fitz Koehler speak about strength training for runners and how to improve one’s pace, but we were in dire need of a nap, so we left after Melissa’s presentation.  Fitz is also a prominent finish line announcer and I looked forward to her announcing my name as I approached the finish line.  The marathon race directors wrapped up the day with a Q&A session.

Smokehouse burger

Following an interesting excursion for an unchained pre-marathon meal consisting of a smokehouse burger and a pasta side at My Tomato Pie in nearby Amherst, it was time to hit the sack for a well-earned rest.

During the week, I received emails and text alert messages informing runners of the likelihood of hot and humid weather and to be mindful of heat hazards and to stay hydrated throughout the race.  The weather forecasters predicted higher than average temperatures for the marathon with a slight chance of thunderstorms late afternoon.  The thunderstorms failed to materialize, which was a good thing.  The last thing I wanted was the marathon to be canceled due to lightning or black flag conditions.

Marathon Sunday in downtown Buffalo turned out to be a rather warm and balmy morning with mostly cloudy skies and temperatures in the mid to upper 60s.  Visual clues in the clouds voiced threats of rain and possible thunderstorms.  Even though I live in a warm and arid part of the country, I dread running in the heat, especially humidity, but I’m going to give it my best shot and learn from Colorado – start out easy with an untroublesome pace group. 

The recent Colorado Marathon afforded me an opportunity to run aggressively, but it turned out to be something resembling an epic letdown.  It was downhill and supposed to be cool so aspirations for a potential PR were in the offing, but it was not to be.  My “aggressive” running served me well to a certain extent, only to bonk in the end.  Going out too fast should never be an option for me anymore.  

I huddled in the mass of runners with the 4:30 pace group led by two pacers, Cindy and Matt.  If, for some chance, I drop out of their group, there are other groups spaced ten minutes apart up to five hours.  Cindy paced the half marathon (2:15) while Matt set the pace the full, but ultimately ended up passing the torch to another pacer near the half split.

Race announcer Fitz

Almost 4900 runners, and perhaps just as many spectators, flooded the streets of downtown Buffalo.  All around me, fidgety runners prepared for the annual running of this marathon, shaking sleepy legs, stretching and taking deep cleansing breaths to enhance their circulatory systems with oxygenated blood.  Catchy rock music echoed throughout Niagara Square and the deep bass thuds had this peculiar motivational effect on me as I set out for yet another 26.2-mile adventure throughout parts of a city completely unknown to me.  Fitz energized the crowd with her motivational messages and her inspiring oratorical verbose. 

Somehow, for the first time in many races, I felt nervous for some reason – probably because of the heat and the prospect of a finish time in excess of five hours.  My objective is to log a decent time with a pre-determined pace group.  Logging a good time is something I hadn’t done since the Louisiana Marathon and every marathon I’ve done since then had either been classified as a training run or part of a tough weekend double. 



Big Brother is watching!

Alas, the time has come – the singing of our National Anthem.  High above Delaware Avenue, Old Glory gently wavered in the slight morning breeze suspended by two aerial ladders courtesy of the Buffalo Fire Department (BFD).

The first half:  (10:07, 10:09, 10:01, 10:24, 10:33, 10:08, 10:12, 10:21, 10:19, 10:15, 10:28, 10:30, 11:47)

Dazzling start

At 0630, the feverish runners crowding Niagara Square were given the green light as we shot out of the starting gates in a northerly direction up Delaware Avenue under the fanfare of an unexpected pyrotechnics display.  Sparks of red, white and blue grabbed everyone’s attention with oohs and aahs.  The sound of Queen’s We Are The Champions resounded out of stereo speakers serving one purpose, rousing the excitement of everyone crossing the starting line.

The marathon begins and ends in Niagara Square, considered to be the central hub of Buffalo and the influence of Washington, D.C. is readily apparent in its design – a signature feature of Joseph Ellicott’s radial street patterns.  The McKinley Monument, a 96-foot tall marble obelisk pointing skyward between four sleeping lions and turtles at its base, marks the center of the city with Buffalo’s major streets converging upon it.  Surrounded by a large circular fountain, the obelisk stands out despite many surrounding buildings surpassing it in height, an awesome structure that defines Buffalo’s early history.  In the background stands the awe inspiring city hall building, a 30-plus story Art Deco structure, housing an observation deck where one can view the city from a bird’s perspective.

City Hall behind obelisk

Right from the start, I could feel the warmth and sultriness of the air penetrating my soul paralleling the feeling I had at the Donna Marathon in Jacksonville, sans sore legs.  The first miles of my marathons are usually tackled at an easy comfortable pace – but today, I wanted to be out for something more, but the ambient conditions warned me to hold back forcing myself to heed the advice I learned from Donna.  I told myself, “It’s going to hurt and it’s going to be unpleasant, but I just have to plod my way to the finish.”

There are a host of websites that aim to predict your potential marathon finishing times based on your shorter and, typically, faster run times.  For too long my projected times had sneered at me, taunting me with what I believed were hopelessly fast times.  Typically, I run a five-mile course in under 45 minutes.  From these prediction websites, I should run a marathon around 3:50, which is bordering on the absurd.  

I have my excuses for falling short of this lofty time – but maybe I’m built for shorter distances and my tall stature needs more calories.  I don’t do enough fast long runs.  Almost all of these are some variety of “I can’t.”  Maybe on a cool cloudy day I’d give it a shot, but on this warm sultry day, I wasn’t even going to try – I surely didn’t want to poop out in the earlier stages of the run.  I pinned my hopes on a pace group leading the way to a half-way decent time.  I have to admit, someday I’d like to prove myself wrong as well as proving some meaningless prediction algorithm right.

At the start, the course proceeded up Delaware Avenue with a slight incline.  The pacers led their group of runners at a slightly faster pace than the requisite 10:18 per mile.  I felt the effects of the gradual gradient in my increased running effort.  Within a half mile, sweat immediately began to pour off my face as if I had dunked my head into a bucket of water.

At Marathon Mile 2, runners veered left onto Chapin Parkway, a beautiful historic district lined with early twentieth century Queen Anne, Colonial and Tudor Revival homes fronting a tree-lined 200-foot wide median parkway encompassing numerous mature elm trees and cast iron decorative luminaires and granitic curbs.

At the Parkway’s terminus, runners rounded the traffic circle at the historic Soldier’s Place to the Lincoln Parkway only to turn back around at the 5 km mark of the course.  Thence, it was back through the Parkways retracing our steps to Marathon Mile 4 before making a right turn onto Linwood Avenue in the direction of the starting line and the 10 km split.

The clouds began to break enough permitting the sun to peak through momentarily along the tree-lined segment of Linwood Avenue.  My trepidations began to grow as the temperatures (air and body) steadily crept upward, as did the dew point.  I accepted the fact a brutal day awaited me.   

Realizing the pace leaders marched their group out a little too fast, the pacers relaxed their strides during Marathon Miles 4 and 5.  My sweat levels remained constant, and at each aid station, I drank about 4-6 ounces of water and/or electrolyte fluids, so I wasn’t all concerned about developing hyponatremia.  Besides, I carried with me a bottle of GLUKOSE energy drink for times I need a quick pick-me-up.

The next two miles led runners through an unshaded section of residential Buffalo crossing I-190 to the Buffalo Yacht Club.  Here, runners advanced along Amvets Drive through LaSalle Park along the Lake Erie waterfront to the Erie Basin Marina to Marathon Mile 10.  By the time I hit the 15 km split, I accepted that I needed to roll down the window and toss out my race plan, hoping no one would see me littering the marina grounds.

At this point in the race, the heat and humidity began to take its toll on my body and my fatigue level began to rise geometrically.  My legs told me they were done, and somehow, I was okay with that.  My legs did some good strong work over the last few months and if they wanted to take a day off, then I was going to roll with it.

BFD fire boat

I rolled past Marathon Mile 10 onto Erie Street for a quick out-and-back on a narrow man-made breakwater peninsula towards and around the Erie Basin Marina Observation Deck.  In front of the observation deck, a BFD fire boat floating in the lake water proudly displayed multiple streams of water shooting out from the onboard nozzles.

Leaving the marina area, runners dashed past the Buffalo Naval Park with views of the battleships moored at the docks and by the KeyBank Center, home to the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres, winding around some downtown streets to the half marathon finish in front of the convention center.

As I inched closer to the half marathon split, I really struggled and felt awful.  I lacked any kind of motivation or energy.  I was hot and sweating profusely.  I was no longer able to keep up with the 4:30 pace group and I was fraught with a huge mix of emotions.  For the sake of my health, should I call it a day?  Should I carry on and gut it out to the end?  Unlike any other marathon I’ve run, I seriously considered a marathon DNF, but collecting a half marathon medal just didn’t sit well with me.

I had to make a snap decision – make a right turn onto Pearl Street for the second half or stay to the left of the barrier leading to the finish line.  That finish line looked enticing, but I was in it for the long haul!  I’ve come this far and did not want to come back to New York again.  There was more of Buffalo I wanted to see, so I stayed to the right of the barriers and turned onto Pearl Street, crossing the half split in a time of 2:17:43.  With the event’s six hour cutoff, I had well over three hours to complete the second half.  So, I pressed on.

The second half:  (12:06, 13:23, 11:06, 10:38, 12:36, 13:12, 12:47, 15:27, 14:06, 13:04, 14:12, 16:32, 12:51, 10:48 projected pace [final 0.43 mi])

One of many murals along Hertel Avenue

The second half began with nowhere near the enthusiasm I had at the start of the first half.  Not long after calling it a day, I took two acetaminophen/caffeine tablets shortly after the first half split to take the edge off my surprisingly few aches and pains.  Besides, the caffeine usually provides an extra boost that lasts for a couple of miles.

The next three miles consisted of a straight course with a slight uphill ascent to the grounds of the Forest Lawn Cemetery.  Given my mile splits, it was evident I took it slow – until the caffeine took effect as I entered Delaware Park.  It was like a second wind, I was feeling as if I was running strong throughout the park grounds.

We exited Delaware Park at Marathon Mile 18 and looped back through some residential neighborhoods.  The kind residents in the area took the liberty to spray water onto the runners who wanted it, either with misters, sprinklers or simply using their thumb over the hose outlet.  I relished every “spray station” available and it felt great – for a few seconds anyway.  Just if someone could’ve dragged their hose and followed me to the finish line.

Around Marathon Mile 20.5, runners re-entered Delaware Park near the zoological gardens.  My pace seemed consistent with each mile stopping to walk at each aid station dumping water over my head or lapping down two to four cups of water and Gatorade, while consuming some energy gels every so often.  When ice was available, I would fill up my cap and place it over my head for a long-lasting cooling effect.

Marathon Mile 24

Runners once again crossed paths with the Soldier’s Place roundabout, but headed in the direction of Colonial Circle to the 40 km split on Delaware Avenue a few blocks past Symphony Circle.  I thought, “Just two short kilometers to go!  I can do it, pain or no pain.”

Just past Marathon Mile 25, I came upon a group of people under an EZ-up tent handing out Dixie cups of beer.  One guy kept chanting, “It starts with a ‘B’ and ends with an ‘R’.  What do you want?  BEER!”  He proceeded to hand me a half-full cup, which I couldn’t refuse, and drank it.  The cold wonderful tasting beverage was just what I needed, giving me the additional fuel I needed to round out the final mile of this monster.

The eternal mile felt like it went on forever – similar to the Maine Marathon.  I couldn’t think of anything other than how badly I was hurting.  I thought of a guy I saw a few times on the race course with a shirt that read, “Where the f**k is the finish line?”  I have never felt that way as strongly as I felt at that moment.

My Garmin beeped as Marathon Mile 26 passed, but my watch was about 0.2 mile short of the actual mile markers, so I had less than a half-mile left as I entered Niagara Square.

First, it was around the large traffic circle surrounding the McKinley Monument, then down a demoralizing short out-and-back section with a course marshal informing runners they had 300 yards to go.  “Less than a lap around the track.  Relax.  Finish with a smile.  Repeat.” I told myself as I kept plugging along.

I stepped up my pace, smiling to hide the pain and discomfort and attempted to appear strong as I rounded the final corner into the finish line chute on Franklin Street crossing under the gantry in a time of 5:11:47.

 

RACE STATS:

Distance: Marathon (26.2 mi) – my Garmin clocked it at 26.43 mi

Date: May 27, 2018

Bib No.: 75

Weather at start: 66°F, cloudy, muggy, light southwesterly breeze

Gun time: 5:13:54

Chip time: 5:11:47

Average cadence: 151 steps per minute

Average pace: 11:48 per mile

Overall rank: 908 of 1112

Gender rank: 529 of 654

Division rank: 43 of 52

Elevation: 384 ft gain / 390 ft loss

Half split: 2:17:43 (10:30 pace)

Average finish time: 4:28:19

Standard deviation: 0:49:50

Age graded score: 45.27%

Age graded time: 4:31:31

Garmin splits: 10:07, 10:09, 10:01, 10:24, 10:33, 10:08, 10:12, 10:21, 10:19, 10:15, 10:28, 10:30, 11:47, 12:06, 13:23, 11:06, 10:38, 12:36, 13:12, 12:47, 15:27, 14:06, 13:04, 14:12, 16:32, 12:51, 10:48 projected pace [final 0.43 mi]

I hunched over for a moment to gather my thoughts and to thank the Lord for giving me the strength to complete my mission as medical personnel descended upon me to check on my health status.  It gave me a good feeling knowing those kind professionals were there to assist anyone in need.  I was fine, but needed to wait for my legs to stop screaming and for my brain to start working again.

At the finish

I proceeded slowly up the finish area to receive my well-regarded and hard earned medal and a bottle of cold water.  There were even some Buffalo Bills players handing out medals.  I suppose they were the “lesser known players” since I had no clue as to who they were.  Perhaps because I am not a Bills follower, nor really a fan of the NFL, for that matter.

There wasn’t one dry spot on me as moisture continued to drip from my shirt and the hem of my shorts as I methodically made my way to the second floor of the convention center to join the after-party festivities and to meet up with my wife who saw me finish on the jumbo Tron.  The only escalator was locked in the down position, so, I had to unpleasantly walk up a flight of stairs to the second floor.  I was, and looked like, a mess as I set out to sample some pizza that has already assumed room temperature, cookies, pretzels, apples, bananas, and chocolate milk.  After enduring over five hours of total misery, I was happy to be away from the outdoor elements and into an air conditioned environment.

After 26.2 miles, I always find it tough to get moving once again after sitting idle, but we mustered up enough energy to slowly hobble ourselves back to our hotel.

No Standing?  What are you going to do about it?

We showered and took a refreshing break before loading our aching bodies into our car for a visit to Niagara Falls.  We couldn’t pass up on the opportunity since we were in Buffalo.  Who knows, it’s unlikely I’ll ever get another chance. 

We unfortunately forgot our passports, so a walk over into Canada was out of the plan, but viewing the falls from the US side was still amazing. 

At the time, I wondered if Niagara Falls was worth the hassle.  Finding a parking place near the state park in total gridlock was enough to piss-off the good humor man.  My patience wore thin and after an hour, we lucked out and found a spot on a not so nearby street.  It wasn’t in a bad location, but after running a marathon, together with the heat, we found it uncomfortable to walk to the viewing areas.

As I walked around the state park area, I looked for barrel vendors, but didn’t seem to find any.

Eluding and avoiding the huge crowds cramming the pathways throughout the state park while finding ways to view the falls was annoying, but I believe it was worth the effort. The fog-like mist of the falls provided cool and refreshing reprieves from the blazing heat.

While viewing the falls, my first thought was picturing those who have tumbled into the abyss in a barrel or some other contraption.  Seeing enormity and power of the water spilling over the ever-changing precipice, easily dissuaded me from doing some stunt like that.

On our way back to the hotel to wrap up an active day, we pointed ourselves to one of Buffalo’s Deep South Taco restaurants for a taste of some Tex-Mex cuisine.  My spicy one-pound chorizo burrito hit the spot.  Three and seven pound burritos were also on the menu, but I can’t imagine hammering down a seven pound burrito.

We slept in the next morning before our long drive back to Cleveland for our flight back to LAX.  We arrived home safe and sound and ready for our next challenge at Kentucky’s Hatfield & McCoy Marathon.

LIKES / WHAT WORKED:

• Great course throughout the city of Buffalo and surrounding cities.  Somewhat flat course with occasional uphill gradients.  What goes up must come down.
• Very well organized event from the expo to the cooling buses along the course.
• Volunteer support and residents using their hoses to spray runners with cold water.
• Medical support along the course and at the finish line.
• Air conditioned luxury buses parked at various locations along the course allowing runners an opportunity to cool themselves if they so desired.
• Thank you to the medical professionals that were concerned about my well-being – even though I felt as if I didn’t need any support.
• Hats off to the great spectators displaying their support!
• Mostly shady course.
• Easy parking, even though we walked from the hotel to the start/finish line.
• Nice long-sleeve quarter zip shirts, personalized bibs, and a finisher’s keepsake key chain and bottle opener.
• Pyrotechnics at the start and the patriotic theme of the event.
• The indoor after party with plenty of air conditioning, pizza, drinks, beer, chocolate milk, bananas, apples, cookies, bagels, pretzels and water.  And, a jumbo Tron to view runners crossing the finish line.
• The race organizers not cancelling the marathon due to heat indexes and black flag warnings.
• The patriotism on display during Memorial Day weekend.
• FINISHING!!

DISLIKES / WHAT DIDN’T WORK:

• The heat and the humidity.  I know, those are some elements that cannot be controlled.
• Hot and exposed for a good deal of the course.
• Long straight stretches of road and repeating those stretches two or three times.  I like turns onto various streets with diverse scenery.
• Street pavement conditions – broken pavement, potholes, alligator cracking, abrupt edges, etc.
• Only one escalator in the convention center’s stairwell.  Either that one escalator goes up or it goes down.  After a marathon, negotiating a flight of stairs can be a daunting task for some individuals.  Why not two escalators?
• The out-and-back segment at Marathon Mile 26 off the traffic circle on the south end of the McKinley Monument.  I know it’s an inconsequential part of the course, but I didn’t like it.

Final thoughts:

The Buffalo Marathon advertises the following on their website: “Flat and fast with one of the highest Boston qualifying percentages in the country.”  I had really hoped to finish Buffalo on an exciting note, once again it was just not the day.  While I may never (and probably will never) know what it feels like to have the “BQ” credentials after my name, I can see why they advertise this.  To my knowledge, I do not recall a major hill during the course.  There were slight inclines here and there, with one significant hill in and around Delaware Park, but the slight inclines that started the course, were the slight inclines going the opposite direction during the middle and also end of the course.  So there were times on the course where the slope helped you pick up speed and make up for lost time.  But when you’re tired and worn out beyond belief, I found that the slight downhill gradients don’t do much for me.

Would I recommend this marathon to others?  Yes, I would, but prepare yourself for any kind of weather.  It can be unpredictable.

I know for sure, I’m not a hot-weather runner.  My performances verify that fact.  Even though I didn’t return home with the time I had hoped for, I can still pat myself of the back for gutting it out during a difficult marathon (at least for me) and for a job well done.

Onward and upward!