It used to be I could do a multi-day, multi-race event series. Those days are so far in the rearview that they cannot be seen… they are assuredly not closer than they appear.
That said, if the field is small enough, everybody can be a big fish.
On a whim, I signed up for the first day of a five-day series in Florida. It was run by Bettie W, a woman I have raced with over the years, usually at the Mainly Marathon races held over 5 or 7 days, but now again at other events. Indeed, it was a mini-reunion of sorts this morning just before the starting gun (well, yell) as several Mainlyners and Multi-Day veterans toed the line. There was Kevin B who has racked up 1200+ marathons. Bettie’s partner Jim who has over 2400 marathons to his name… Lisa has just under 900 I think. Point is, some heavy hitters on the cumulative mileage front.
These small events tend to use a loop system to minimize disruptions to the area residents … and to afford a smaller need for volunteers as one central aid station can service the entire event. For the marathon, that meant 12 loops of a circuitous bike path that had some construction obstacles at either end. Again, I used to do these kind of things on the regular… but my body, mind, and soul isn’t quite where it was pre-Pandemic 2020 (which sadly we have to describe by the year given the likelihood of another pandemic here in the not-too-distant future appears more likely every day).
I didn’t take many photos – just one loop in fact – as I ditched my phone in my car during one loop so I didn’t have to carry it or have it in my pocket as I went round and round.
And you know how I said everybody can be a big fish? Well, if the field is small enough, even this guy can win the day.
I thought for sure some kids had beaten me (and by “kids” I mean three 20-somethings that seemed awfully fast to me). Maybe they ran the half… or maybe they dropped out as the loops can play tricks on you. But supposedly first place was none other than yours truly. And if that’s how 2024 goes out, well, that’s okay by me.