City of Oaks Marathon

Bottomline:  I loved it!  Good day all around!



Now, for those of you that simply don't have anything better to then read this boring blog, here is a little more detail.

I only decided to run this one at the last minute.  After Ridge to Bridge last Saturday, the top of my big toe was sore and I hadn't run.  But I thought it was feeling somewhat better.  Late Friday afternoon, Michael Forrester asked it I wanted in and I said "Sure!" thinking it would be virtually impossible at such a late date.  But then he said, "Your race number 768!"  Oh . . . . well . . .  I guess I'm doing it!  A little 'shoe surgery' and I felt like I had a good chance (Turns out I may do a career change and become a 'shoe surgeon' full time!!  My toe really didn't bother me much at all!)

The 'important business' lines!

Sunday was a cold fall morning, so I found my way to the parking area before 6 am and then just stayed in my car with the heater going!  Nice!  About 6:25 I headed to the start area, took care of some important business and just had a few minutes until the race started.  Only RMEC member saw was Eric Seale!  But other were there.  Just before the start I saw Susan Dumar and her friend, Lindsey, who I had met at Medoc!  That was pretty much the only person that I knew until I saw Ben Dillion as I was entering Umstead!  Even at the finish I saw no one I knew, except the folks I had met during the day!

Lindsey and Susan at the start

A satisfied Heed Drinker!

The City of Oaks marathon course is great!  No really spectacular scenery, but no ugly spots either!  Nice gently rolling course and the hills are fairly gentle.  Half marathoners miss the nicest sections, so next year you all need to step up to the full and see the whole course!

And the race organization seems to have done an excellent job with every detail save one . . . I really hate their electrolyte replacement drink - Heed!  Nasty tasting stuff . . . but not as bad as some drink they had a Grandma's Marathon a few years ago!  And I learned I liked the Hammer Gels . . . especially 'apple pie!'












I felt good from the very start of this race!  But I am now more convinced then ever that something very strange happened the week before at the Ridge to Bridge Marathon (R2BM)!  Ridge to Bridge is essentially an all down hill race from about mile 6 on.  How could I have gotten as tired as I was and finished with a 5:46 at R2BM?  Then, just one week later, run a 5:32 at City of Oaks and and felt like I could have turned around and run it again?  15 minutes lost at R2BM!!  No way!

The answer is simple: something supernatural happened the week before, as the last part of the R2BM ran at the base of Brown Mountain, the home of the Brown Mountain Lights!. (see my previous post if you missed this!).  That is where the lost 15 minutes is!  Either that or I was abducted by aliens at R2B . . . but they obviously wanted none of me and sent me back!