Surreal. That’s the only way to describe the finish of the Blueberry Stomp 15K in Plymouth, Indiana. Run on Labor Day morning, the race (and its companion 5K) is part of the town’s annual Blueberry Festival. It’s the quintessential community run, with a course running through the heart of downtown before heading out to country roads punctuated with plenty of rolling hills. But it’s when you circle back to the finish that things get interesting. You see, during the time you’re slogging through the Midwestern prairie, the Blueberry Festival Parade is starting back in town. So when you run back down the main drag, the parade is running the opposite way on the same street. It’s safe – they still have a runner’s lane marked off with cones – but it’s also supremely odd. The sidewalks have people stacked two to three deep, you’re running right in front of them, but they’re not really watching you. Meanwhile, you’re getting an intimate view of the mayor, the local marching band, and more than a few Shriners. At any minute, you’re expecting to see Rod Serling handing you a Gatorade at the next water stop. I don’t know that I’d run it again. But I’m very glad I did it once.
Race report #5: 2008 Chicago Marathon
This was our first marathon here at Lactic and – considering the heat and an unexpected injury during our last long run – it probably couldn’t have gone any better. A questionable shin and record temperatures forced a very conservative start with an easy pace and plenty of hydration. Never hit the wall (or if that was the wall, it was relatively soft), just gradually slowed over the last 10 miles and cruised in at 4:54:24. Performance aside, we thought the race was very well-organized with plenty of support and, of course, an amazing group of spectators estimated at 1.2 million. Still sore, but would do another in a heartbeat as we figure we faced about as adverse conditions as could be expected and came out okay on the other side.
