I don't know though. I've run like 6 marathons and in 5 of them I've gone down in flames. So given the 83.33% likelihood that I will go down in flames, do I really want to have the ride of shame back with 20 people? Hmm.
You don't have to worry about that happening this time ... going down in flames at a marathon is my job.
all this talk about marathons and going down in flames is making me wonder what the heck I have gotten myself into.
Home Away From Home
With this group you don't want us to answer that. It doesn't stop with marathons, there is always something more, something longer.
MM#5768
"Anyone can do it in ideal conditions"- A quote from a true NE CN runner and friend.
Shouldn't there be some smack talk or betting lines or something going on in this thread?
yawn.
A list of my PRs in a misguided attempt to impress people that do not care.
Rob can we get an early line please.
Way to get on that Rob.
So I really just looked at the map for the first time. I've run much of this before and also biked. Looking at the course my first thought is "wind". We are generally headed north, with much of this on the ocean. The stretches on the coast could either really work against us (seemingly likely) or for us (seemingly unlikely). But with the course being point to point and headed north it seems that odds favor the wind being net against on the route. The Fortunes Rocks Beach stretch at 23 or whatever could be brutal.
You guys remember anything about wind? All you've talked about is hills.
The only wind you are going feel will be when Alicia blows by us.
No wind last year, low level clouds and fog.
Not likely, just going to try to hang in there.
The only wind you are going feel will be when Alicia blows by us. No wind last year, low level clouds and fog.
Very likely, just going to kick your asses and make you cry.
More like that.
"Beep, Beep!"
Even in the pouring rain last year this course was nice. Lots of rollers, wind was not a bother.
Life's journey is not to arrive safely to the grave in a well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways thoroughly used up, totally worn out and loudly proclaiming ... WOW! What a ride!
So, in my ongoing effort to stir up shit because you people are all hand-holdy and BORING, I offer this...
Andy vs. Egad...
This is a tough one to call, since Andy's such a wild-card. He's clearly got the natural speed and is a strong runner, and has shown tenacity and talent on some long training runs, but he's a rookie at this distance and his training cycle here hasn't been very long. Will he crush it the whole way or death march it in after going out too hot? As for Egad, he's clearly ready to do big things here, but he's looking to make a huge leap forward. Will all his hard work pay off? Which one crosses the line first? I give the edge to Egad primarily because he's done this before, he's trained really well, and he seems very focused. I wouldn't put money on it, though.
Lance vs. Alicia vs. Mike L....
Despite their visions of hippy-dippy hand-holdy communal lovefest running, this is a race. Lance has the edge in experience, but Mike has upped his game tremendously this time around, and Alicia is just scratching the surface of what she's capable of. In a year or two if she wants to she will be wiping the floor with all of us old farts. But not yet. Assuming they all do go out at 7:40 pace and have the discipline to stay there (and not run random 7:10s and 7:20s in there) until it's time to pick it up, this sets up to be extremely interesting over the last 6 miles. I'd pick Lance to come in first here, but I could be wrong. I could be wrong.
More riveting pre-race analysis of other key matchups to come.
Until then, discuss.
Well done; you should write a blog for a living. Of course, you do really like stirring the pot. It is all a mystery what will ultimately happen at Maine Coast but I would guess that there will be many leaving satisfied after a difficult winter and training cycle. Let's not forget that McCullough is running this marathon also.
Note to self after Boston. Nothing is a given, no matter what anyone tells you.
You didn't cross the finish line on your preview run I hope.
Actually we did not.
One, we had no idea where it was. Two, we were already at 20.7 with what must have been 0.3 or something to go so we called it good.