I have run 9 marathons in 9 different states.
Ohio. North Carolina. New York. Virginia. Tennessee. Alabama. Georgia. Pennsylvania. West Virginia.
I am one state away from joining the 50 States Marathon Club. 1 STATE!
But before I go on and on about how excited I am that this HUGE goal is almost within reach, let's talk about this crazy West Virginia race I just ran.
#1 most important fact: IT WAS HILLY.
3 hills. 6 hills per loop. 12 loops.
At mile 21, those hills became mountains. I did something I have NEVER done in a race. I walked the hills.
but I finished. All those hills. All 12 loops. All 26.2 miles.
The particulars: this race is part of a 7 day series, the Appalachian series, hosted by Mainly Marathons. There was a HUGE 50 State, Fanatics, and Maniacs presence at this race, which makes perfect sense considering you can act like a fanatic or a maniac and run a half or marathon everyday for seven days.
The course went through a park that had beautiful views of trees with leaves that actually change color! The sun was shining but it was still cool and crisp. Pretty much a perfect day. The volunteers were amazing, super supportive and encouraging. My fellows runners were excited, encouraging, and kind. They made the hills bearable.
The cool thing about running a loop is that you become so obsessed with what number loop you're on you forget all about the miles. The first 6 loops flew by. Loops 7-10 were a little rough and the last 2 were all like "YEA! I'm almost done!"
The medal is pretty freaking awesome.
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| modeled by my adorable son |
As I get deeper and deeper into this 50 State quest, I will definitely consider running another Mainly Marathons series. Though small, it is a great way to get the mileage and states you need while surrounded by wonderful and dedicated people.
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