Savin Rock Marathon State #48

West Haven, Connecticut

March 23, 2019 

Well, shoot me now, 2019 is not making it easy to finish the last few states. I guess it is my body, not the year, that is giving me troubles. As soon as one ache or pain clears up another issue crops up, challenging every last fiber in me to continue. Connecticut is the 50th state, I have set foot in, but it is my 48th marathon state with Ohio and North Carolina still to come. North Carolina was supposed to be my first indoor course last summer, but thanks to a broken air conditioner, it will earn the distinction of being, the last, my 50th marathon state (June 2019). Flying Pig in May gets to be little old state 49 instead of our 50th state. That final state still lingers down the road and feels elusively far in the distance with many challenges yet to complete between now and June. 

When a walk~true story~to the mail box is a challenge, the thought of running for hours at a time is pure insanity. Complaining; however, is quickly replaced with gratitude as I realize how blessed I am for the opportunity. I am beyond grateful to still be pursuing the final finish line even if it is not the way I envisioned it (strong and fit). Our remaining trips depart from the local airport, eliminating the exhausting three hour drive to the airport in exchange for non-direct flights. Our first flight lands at LAX where we spend three hours in the lounge.  Comfy chairs, food and cocktails make the time evaporate before boarding our night flight to New York. Once on the flight, time does not evaporate nearly as quickly.  We return to the terminal for a repair to a seat which adds an extra hour in our uncomfortable cramped row, but eventually we land on the east coast. 

We take a frantic drive through the boroughs of NYC to Flushing Meadows for a tour of Billy Jean King's US Open Tennis Center on a cold rainy day.  In it's 50th year it is cool to walk through the locker room of legends before entering through the tunnel into the stadium of Arthur Ashe Center Court. It costs $3,500 an hour to play on the famous court. How fun to walk on the court where so many hard

fought games of tennis determine the US Open champion year after year. Tennis, a passion of mine in my younger days, provided hours of delight watching matches on television. After the tour we make the mistake of driving to get a slice of pizza. Don't Drive anywhere in New York especially after being up all night, it's a bad combination. Thankfully, we scarf down a pizza slice without getting a ticket or scratching up the rental car even though knocked off side mirrors seems rather trendy in the area. Double parking, honking drivers, siren's wailing and unmercifully angry drivers make our time in New York stressful.

Next level meaning to parking on the third floor..

Can't wait to find out the cost for all the tolls we pass through on the way out of town. With all that revenue please fix the potholes!!  Finally, we make it to New Haven, CT. After doing all the driving I head straight to bed and my husband gets our shirts and bibs before we share a pizza in the room. Miraculously, we sleep really well. Doesn't lounging over crystal clear warm blue water in a hut somewhere like Bora Bora sound like much more fun?? Snorkeling and swimming with the fish and turtles is my kind of paradise.  Oh what a nice dream...but now as the alarm goes off it is time to go out into the cold wind and run mile after mile...

The 8 a.m. start allows for ten hours of sleep making up for the sleepless Thursday night. A small race allows for easy parking just before the race begins. Our only concern is the cold and the wind, but we pack for cold weather and are ready to get the two loop course done. The first time around there are enough runners counting the half marathoners to not feel lonely, but the second loop is another story. I am bundled up and struggle along mile by mile. I have been dealing with a random pain in my back right rib cage for the past two weeks. It makes running difficult. I feel every step and only logged a few miles coming into the marathon. Nonetheless, I take off in the first mile thinking I am going fairly fast only to be shocked as my watch reveals a ten minute first mile. It is as fast as I can go and it is still a minute faster than my last run at home. The pain in my back causes me to run slowly with limited arm swing. I have to keep myself from  twisting to minimize the pain. I focus on getting to each mile marker and anticipate the hills that begin after mile four and continue through mile ten. The hills give me a chance to take a few walk breaks. Once I complete the first 13 mile loop, I drop my big sweatshirt and take Tylenol in preparation for the second trip around. The second loop is desolate except for the one lady in the bright orange sweatshirt. I follow her all the way to the finish

line. Two loop courses are nice; runners can anticipate exactly what to expect the second time around.  The race is so small that the roads are open to traffic the entire way and there are only a few volunteers directing runners. It is easy to get lost without other runners to follow, but there are police officers at all the major intersections. Runners need to be extra vigilant about cars. As the second half rolls along I am feeling better, my pain has subsided somewhat or am I just numb? Either way I enjoy the second loop more than the first one even though I am alone much of the way. The aid stations are well-manned with encouraging volunteers, water, Gatorade and Gu. Once the miles of hills are complete, ocean views come into sight for the last three miles. I am able to pass a few tired runners, but never catch the lady in orange. She finishes fifteen seconds before me. She started walking in the last mile I thought to myself~don't do that I am coming for you...but once she spots me coming on a turn she picks up her pace. I pass a guy named Torpedo albeit a very slow moving torpedo in the last half mile as he struggles along, but he picks up his pace and finishes just behind me. The race seemingly impossible in the beginning eventually becomes just a statistic in the log book!  I conquer the hills and the cold wind to cross another finish line...but I still haven't conquered the demons that chase me.

After the race we stop to eat before driving to the hotel otherwise I fear we will not be able to climb back into the car. We are that exhausted. Although we have done this so many times before, all our energy is used up. My husband has been coughing for the last month and I am struggling with annoying back issues. We manage to soak in the hot tub before crashing for the long long night. I can't find a comfortable position for my back, every sneeze and cough hurts. Yale is a few miles away, but we can't even muster the desire to even drive by the campus. We recharge and prepare to take on NYC again this time via train and foot.

Yes...that is an airplane in the middle of Times Square!

Sometimes it is important to traipse around a big city in order to appreciate the ease and comfort of our small town. The vibrancy and excitement of New York City makes it a great place to experience the buzz of humanity in Times Square and be mesmerized by beautiful voices in a Broadway show! 

But there is no place like home and the lure of peace and quiet welcomes us home. It is a soothing reassurance to be in ones own familiarity as we easily roll carry-on bags straight out of the airport to our awaiting car parked right outside...pulling into the driveway after a thirty-five minute ride home never felt so sweet.