Two Cities Marathon
Fresno-Clovis, CA
3 November 2024
Running is more than just a workout. To me, it’s a lifestyle, a therapy session, and sometimes, a source of moving meditation. Whether you’re a seasoned marathoner or just starting your journey with a few steps, running has a way of transforming your body and mind.
Like many, I started running to get fit. I wasn’t an athlete growing up, and the thought of running felt like a daunting task. I hated running during my school days. After I graduated college and began my professional career, I laced up a pair of sneakers and decided to see how far I could go. It wasn’t far, but it was something.
It wasn’t until 1999 I became somewhat “serious” about running. Day by day, I noticed small improvements—an extra block, a quicker pace, and eventually, the realization that I enjoyed it and ran my first marathon in 2000.
I ran my last marathon in June 2019, completing my fiftieth state. I had a few more marathons planned subsequent to that run, but the COVID scamdemic unnecessarily shuttered those plans. Looking back on how daunting a marathon can be, I realized marathoning may not be my run of choice and, instead, considered focusing on the half marathon.
Deep down, I’ve had a long-standing desire to qualify for Boston. Now that I’m in an age group with a manageable qualifying time and, with the nudging of my wife, I threw out the notion of sticking to the half marathon distance and registered to run the Two Cities Marathon.
The Two Cities Marathon is a beloved annual event, attracting both seasoned runners and newcomers. This race weaves through some of the city’s most scenic neighborhoods, parks and trails offering participants a well-rounded Central Valley experience.
With a 20-week training schedule in hand, courtesy of the BAA, I set a goal to run a 3:50 marathon to earn the coveted blue “I Qualified for Boston ” shirt. With a few tweaks here and there, I stuck mostly to the schedule.
As marathon day approached, I had a bit of trepidation whether I could sustain an 8:45 pace needed to hit the qualifying mark. With my training progressing, I felt it wasn’t quite enough, but would give it the old college try. If I fail, there’s always another marathon.
The Expo/Packet Pick-up
The Well Community Church campus in north Clovis served as the venue for this years’ expo. Upon arriving at the church, a long line wrapping around the campus quad greeted runners. I wasn’t quite sure why the line, but later found the line was for runner number lookup. But since I knew my bib number beforehand, I proceeded directly to the marathon bib pick-up table. Inside, confined to the worship center floor, the small serpentine-shaped layout offered runners the opportunity to peruse the merchandise as various running and fitness vendors pitched their products to grab your attention.
At the swag table, volunteers stuffed plastic gear bags with advertising flyers, an event short-sleeve tech shirt, and the coveted sweatshirt hoodie, unlike in previous years, were only given at the finish line. A runner had to earn it back in the day.
Let’s do this
All Two Cities races start and finish at Clovis Community College. My wife and I arrived an hour before race time to better secure a relatively close space at one of the college campus’ VIP parking lots. The cool, cloudy weather made for an ideal mid-autumn race. Any threats of race day precipitation were not in the forecast.
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| Early morning light |
Diesel-powered portable light towers illuminated the staging and starting line areas in the pre-dawn hours. During all the years I’ve run Two Cities, race organizers make certain they never skimp on porta-potty facilities at the race start. This year was no exception. With short lines, runners were in and out in just a few minutes. Behind the porta-potty community, runners crowded around the bag drop tent waiting to relinquish their clear plastic bags crammed with jackets, sweatshirts and other personal effects.
The race began promptly at 0630 with the entire field of marathon and half marathon runners beginning with the same starting pistol. I positioned myself towards the middle of the queue following the 4:05 pace group.
At times, a marathon feels good from start to finish. I felt pretty good this day and hoped this would be one of those days, but I wasn’t banking on that thought. Runners paraded down the college entrance road(basically a prolongation of Fine Avenue) making a left turn onto Beyhmer Avenue before a hard right onto Willow Avenue towards the “final mile” timing mat. I wasn’t focusing on my pace, but rather directing my attention to the two pacers leading the 4:05 group.
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| Course Map |
As I crossed the “final mile” timing mat, I glanced down to see a split time of 9:15. Perhaps a little fast, but within reason.
Some runners flew by me weaving around slower runners or those who continue to walk two or three abreast in the middle of the main group as they comfortably chatted, impeding the flow of runners around them. All the while, the voice of experience whispered knowingly in my ear, “these are the early ‘fun’ miles – enjoy them while they last.”
Once the number of runners eventually thinned out, I continued following the pace group. It didn’t take a genius to know they were running way too fast. One pacer told the other to “slow down, you’re running way too fast!” I agreed, but as the lead pacer seemingly ignored the comment, he raced on ahead, as the other pacer slowed to the required 9:20± pace.
Around Marathon Mile 10.5, more or less, marathon runners veered off Friant Road onto the vehicular roads within the confines of Woodward Park at the Fort Washington Road intersection, eventually merging onto the Eaton Trail, looping back to Friant where we entered the park.
I was feeling good and continued with the pace group, crossing the 13.1-mile timing mat in 1:59:36. It was at this point the pacer noticeably slowed his pace. Whether he was tiring, I don’t know, but I guess he was just banking time for the final 10K when the marathon really begins.
As the course made a left turn onto Sheppard Avenue, it was 3.5 miles of passing and weaving around the slower half marathon runners, some struggling, some saying affirmations and motivating themselves for their final three miles. I know the feeling.
The jaunt into Clovis. The Old Town Clovis Trail is a hallmark for the region’s major recreational trails, such as the Sugar Pine Trail and the Dry Creek Trail.
Shortly after the sixteenth mile, runners veered right onto Willow Avenue and onto the Old Town Clovis Trail for a 2.5-mile trek into downtown Clovis.
With my pacer slowly gaining on me as my legs accumulated fatigue. I preserved a slower pace and focused on a 4:20 or better finish. With the time I banked over the past 15 miles, it was completely doable, as long as I kept ingesting my stash of energy gels every 45 minutes along with a dose of caffeine/acetaminophen when my quads grew fatigued.
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| Festus |
After nineteen miles, the trail merged onto Clovis’ Pollasky Avenue, the homestretch to the turn-around point. My pace remained constant as I made my way into downtown, crossing the 19.8-mile split with a time of 3:06:27. I tipped my hat to the statue of Festus Hagen (Ken Curtis), who moved to Clovis in 1980, of Gunsmoke fame between Fourth and Fifth Streets as I approached the turn-around point.
The final 10K. Some marathoners say the marathon is a 20-mile warm-up run immediately preceding a 10K race. I finally made it to the end game and my goal was to see how much, if anything, I have left to push it back to the barn.
As I reentered the Old Town Clovis Trail, I felt an intermittent stabbing pain in my left quad. It would come and go, but I began to worry. I administered my dose of acetaminophen hoping to quash the pain and discomfort. This was the time I pulled out my tools like positive self-talk and visualization, something to keep my legs moving. I focused on my finish time and on short-term goals like reaching the next mile marker or landmark. I knew it would hurt and will be hard, but I knew I could do it.
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| Cottonwood Park at Mile 22 |
My quad pain become more pronounced with every left foot strike as I returned to the Old Town Clovis Trail. With the inclines emerging from the trail’s three tunnels, the stabbing pain forced me to walk with my facial expressions saying it all. I could not ignore it. My mile pace justifiably slowed to just over eleven wincing minutes per mile.
With only two miles left, I pushed through the pain, telling myself I’m going to finish with a time I haven’t seen in a long time. As I turned back onto Behymer Avenue, I could see the finish line gantry giving me the strength to finish strong. I gave all I had during the final quarter mile. As I glanced down at my Garmin, I was surprised to see I was cruising with an 8:44 pace, finishing with a time of 4:17:43.
RACE STATS:
Distance: Full marathon (Garmin measure 26.27 mi).
Date: 3 November 2024
Bib No.: 206
Weather at the start: 50°F, Cloudy with a light northwesterly breeze
Gun time: 4:18:19
Chip time: 4:17:43
Average pace: 9:50 per mile
Overall rank: 265 of 568
Gender rank: 219 of 390
Division rank: 9 of 17
Age graded score: 58.30%
Age graded time: 3:30:53
Mile splits (approximate): 9:15, 8:59, 9:03, 8:56, 8:54, 9:05, 9:04, 9:02, 9:20, 9:13, 9:21, 9:12, 9:05, 9:21, 9:39, 10:21, 10:43, 9:51, 10:03, 10:22, 10:48, 11:03, 11:02, 11:13, 11:35, 10:57, 8:44 (remaining 0.27)
LIKES / WHAT WORKED:
• Pancake flat course.
• The cool temperatures.
• Very well-organized event from packet pick-up, the multiple aid stations along the course.
• Super friendly volunteer support.
• Good theater at the finish.
• No significant climbs.
• Easy parking race morning.
• FINISHING!!
DISLIKES / WHAT DIDN’T WORK:
• The pavement conditions on the Dry Creek Trail.
• Being annoyed with my quad pain during the last 10K.
As I crossed the finish line of marathon number 72, I felt surprisingly good (except for my quad). I appreciatively accepted my finisher’s medal under the watchful eyes of the wonderful volunteer medical teams, who carefully observed finishers for any signs of medical needs.
A volunteer handed me a bottle of water as I exited the finish corral to the post-race gathering area to meet up with my wife.
Following any marathon, my appetite is typically non-existent, but this time I was a bit hungry. A post-race staple of Two Cities is their traditional breakfast foods consisting of breakfast burritos, bananas, halos, pickles, beer, wine tasting, assorted snacks and sports drinks. The food assortment wasn’t the same as in years past, but enough to satiate my appetite for the time being.
As my wife and I sat eating our breakfast, it struck me again, as it does at every finish line – what a crazy hobby we share. Running a full marathon can be a traumatic experience. Every long-distance run can be a physiologically jarring and exhausting endeavor requiring weeks to fully recover. And no matter how well one prepares, the one detail no one can control is the weather. For that I was grateful since early November weather in Fresno can be foggy, rainy, stormy or warm.
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| Another one done! |
Why Run the Two Cities Marathon?
1. Cool Weather: Typically, Fresno in early November often has ideal running conditions, with crisp morning temperatures.
2. Accessible: The course is flat, making it ideal for beginners and seasoned runners alike.
3. Community-Focused: The race is known for excellent aid stations, local volunteer and spectator support and lively entertainment.
4. Finisher medals and swag: Runners receive uniquely made medals, tech shirts as well as a quality hoodie.
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re looking to qualify for a bigger race or just want to take part in a supportive community event, the Two Cities Marathon has something for everyone. From the scenic course to the welcoming atmosphere, it’s no surprise why this marathon has become a popular Central Valley choice for both local and visiting runners.
Unfortunately, this wasn’t the day to celebrate a BQ, but I tried. In the days following the race, the pain in my quad lingered. I know I have some work to resurrect a BQ. Now, that it’s winter, I can place additional emphasis on my training with a second chance to BQ at REVEL Mt. Charleston Las Vegas in April. With a good base under my belt, it’s no excuses.
If you’re planning to run the Two Cities Marathon, happy training, and enjoy the journey through Fresno and Clovis.
“In running, it doesn’t matter whether you come in first, in the middle of the pack, or last. You can say, ‘I have finished.’ There is a lot of satisfaction in that.” – Fred Lebow, New York City Marathon co-founder
As always, it’s onward and upward.
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| Obverse |
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| Reverse |
