Finally ... 26.2 miles
By Barefoot YOW
Four years into my barefoot experience and I've finally completed a marathon. I ran the Mad River Marathon in Vermont USA, on July 6th. It is near Stowe and Sugar Bush ski resorts, so there were some hills. The scenery was absolutely beautiful, as we ran through the Green Mountains region.
It is a rural route at Waitsfield Vermont. We started downtown along the Mad River and then headed up to the hills. There were lots of cheering fans for the first 2 miles and then pockets of people. Most notably were the cow bells. I knew I should have taken this sign a little more seriously ...
The first hill just seemed like it would never end. The gravel roads started around 4 miles and continued to 12 miles. It was a sandy packed gravel and it felt much better than the asphalt. The asphalt was warming up under the July sun and I was grateful that the course had so much gravel. The aid stations were great. Lots of water/Gatorade and cheering volunteers. The course was a bit of an out and back, which gave us a chance to both cheer and be cheered by other runners. It was a friendly atmosphere.
At the 13 mile mark I knew my time goal was shot. With 13 more miles of increasingly warming asphalt I went into survival mode. The painted lines and shady spots became my friends. The volunteers were fantastic and gave heartfelt encouragement. There was even a watermelon aid station. The last 6 miles was downhill. My hips and calves did not like the extended downhill, and began to cramp up. The last 3 miles became a run/walk. I felt wasted, despite taking lots of fluid and eating a couple times. I was going to finish and that was all that mattered.
We ran back into downtown, and my wife was waiting at the finish. She was cheering, waving a cow bell and screaming encouragement. I was about to finish.
Race directory, Dori Ingalls, was at the finish to congratulate me, as she did for every runner. My wife kept ringing her cow bell. I headed for the fruit and refreshments.
I was surprised that my feet were fine. Not a mark. My hips were a little sore. I chowed down on several oranges, and I took the opportunity to wade in the pool at the end of the race.
I had done it. My first barefoot marathon.