The Mobile First Light Marathon was a very nice small city marathon, held on the coldest day in it's relatively short nine year history. There were fewer than 500 marathon runners, and perhaps an equal number of relay and half marathoners. At ten minutes before race time, I was in the lobby and bathroom of the adjacent Holiday Inn. Temperatures were in the high teens, with a brisk north wind. I made small talk with runners, most from out of town it seemed. Few pictures. Today was serious. Today was for time.
Shed my jacket and tied it inside of mile 1, shielded by neighborhoods and buildings. The jacket had been over the mountains, was patched by my wife, and I wasn't about to throw it away. Easy talk up until about mile 5-6. Talked to an Air Force radar expert about live oaks and the USS Constitution "Old Ironsides." Met a first time marathoner who worked in the local ship yards. Chatted with an ultra runner from Seattle about the Quad Dispsea 28.4 miler in California. I eventually settled in with a woman doctor from the Florida Panhandle. We exchange run stories and life stories much of the rest of the race. No surprise to those who know me. I always seems to end up in stride with fast women.
The middle third of the course is dominated by rolling hills up to elevation 200 ft or so, several parks and the University of Southern Alabama campus. Took in the scenery, and was surprised to see construction happening on a Sunday morning. A nice tall bell tower or carillon was going up on the campus, with piles of red clay soil everywhere. Dark blood red, a color you don't see up north in the earth. And in contrast to other places on the Gulf Coast, they bury the dead below ground.
The final 6 miles, "the second half" I am reminded by my running partner, are downhill or flat, but straight as can be back towards downtown Mobile. Cruelly straight, like you are standing still. Time to get quiet, time to dig. This always hurts. It hurts like hell when you are going for time, and you want nothing more than it to end. Mantras, mind games,count strides, run to the next stop light, focus on catching the guy ahead.
Final turn, final mile. Pick it up. Right foot starts to cramp, good blister starting on little toe. Damn toe socks are supposed to stop that. Push across the line. 3:40 and change by Garmin, even splits. 26.4 miles, not terribly long for gps. 5 minutes improvement, gotta be happy. Something in the tank, but not much. Horribly afraid of cramps and crash, so held something back just a wee bit. Not too much. I have to work next day. Say some pleasant goodbyes to new run friend and her family. Stumble off to the hotel for a hot shower. Hope to find out how my long time training partner did at Disney.
A good race that I would do again, with hopes of a warmer day. Weather on par with a normal winter day in Northern Illinois isn't what you expect for the Mississippi Gulf Coast in January. A well run, low key event that served to make me comfortable and relaxed. "Incremental improvement" continues.
-Larry
