Clarence DeMar Marathon - #42

Well it is in the books.
Today I ran the Clarence De Mar Marathon that starts in Gilsum, NH and runs to Keene, NH.
I got up around 5 AM and headed to the finish line at Keene College to be bused to Gilsum.
The rain was coming down on my way over to Gilsum and continued all the way through the marathon.
This is a nice marathon that runs through some beautiful areas of New Hampshire. Along forested rivers and streams. Up and down hills, some large and real workers.
My plan was simple get to the finish line. I did!
Next was to run the first 16 miles in under 10 minute miles, I did !
The last I hoped to keep my remaining miles around 10:30 miles, I did!
My time was benefited by running sub 9 minute miles for the first 6 miles.
I felt great to around 18 miles when my current problem flared up (back). After suffering for a while I took a naproxen tablet at 21 miles. There is a long steep hill after 22 mile marker, so I was glad I took it.
I met some nice runners out on course. Lou and I ran in to the finish. We talked about many subjects including running, he's a teacher of middle school students, and of course finishing.
I would recommend this race as well run and a very nice act.
My finish time was 4:28:46 (not official).

Powder Mill Park

Made it to Rochester, NY for the night. Found a nice park with trails called Powder Mill Park.
Betty and I walked for about a mile, then I went out for a three plus mile run. Just ran time, but did not want to over do it.
Planned on 3 miles or around 30 minutes, but getting slightly off course added a little extra time. Tempts were 59 and a stiff breezes. Nice trails, and very few people out and about.
Tomorrow Keene, NH and Sunday run the Clarence DeMar Marathon. Later............................

15 miles and the back felt great.

I ran 15 miles at Kokosing Gap Trail near Gambier. I have been having lots of back pain of late, but today I did well and no problems. That's good news since I will be doing a marathon next week. Yes, the Clarence DeMar Marathon, Keene, New Hampshire.
On Sunday I did the Odyssey 6 Hour Run at Kenyon College. This race was off road, trail and cross country style course. A beautiful setting and a well run event.
The problem was I had major back pain within 5 miles. I trudged on and did a pitiful 24.8 miles. That gave me a nice 4th overall out of 42 entrants. However I was super chicked by Terri Lemke and Kim Boner who were 1st and 2nd. The 3rd place went to another male runner who ran the same distance as me, he just went home a few hours earlier than me.
Congratulations to Terri and Kim for a nice race as they never looked fatigued.

My cross country teams had a good day last Tuesday winning both boys and girls races at our home tri-meet. Bryan Derr performed well, as always with a new course record and an another win. Hadley Greer smoked the girls and is now finding her winning ways. She just a freshman, but acts like a junior high kid. So there is hope for her.

Ice Cream

Summer has been great for running and increasing the training, but the quality was not there. The other day a person close to me indicated that I may have gained some extra pounds. Low and behold the scale confirmed this outrageous fact.
While my training miles have increased so has my intake of ice cream. Summer is a time of ice cream and apparently I have partaken of one to many belly busters at Stake Shortstop.
So what to do......calorie count has begun again in earnest as I have a marathon in a little over 2 weeks. As anyone can figure this won't be a PR, but a completion for state #42. My focus race will be in November, the Rhodes Island 6 Hour Ultra. So I must lose 20 pounds by then and get much faster. No more ice cream, dam!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sunday I plan on running the Kokosing Odyssey 6 Hour Run near Gambier, Ohio. It is all on cross country course so I will use it as a long training run with the 1st half marathon at a fast pace and survive the remaining distance from there on. I would like to go at least 27 miles.
Fact: 1 Belly Buster = 1200 calories; the same as 9 Sam Adams.

Cross Country has been going well, the boys won an invitational last week, the girls came in second. Since then my #3 runner got injured and is hurting the teams scoring. Hopefully he will be better and we can back to our winning ways. The girls are looking strong, so thing are looking up for the end of the season.