getnthinr
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jun 16, 2006
- Messages
- 1,008
Before I collapse from exhaustion, heres my OBX Half Marathon report.
My kids had a day off from school on Friday, so I took my two 14-yr-old daughters with me to the Outer Banks for a long weekend. Friday, we toured the NC Aquarium on Roanoke Island (Manteo NC), then drove to Corolla and climbed the 214 steps up to the top of the Currituck Light (light house).
Everywhere we went, we saw signs on restaurants, stores, and churches welcoming and encouraging the marathoners. This event really did seem to have strong community support.
On Saturday, the girls and I did the 1.2 mile fun run the deal for participants was they were to walk 25 miles in the weeks before the race, then on race day, they were to complete their marathon and get a medal. The schools in Dare County actually competed for the largest number of students participating per school in this marathon, but I didnt stick around to see who won. The (plastic) medal we got (because parents were encouraged to participate as well) was as cute as a button! One of the race organizers said they planned to change the medal every year to encourage kids to participate again and again.
One of the benefactors of the OBX Marathon, in fact, is a private foundation that provides improvements to the Dare County school system and this race was a brainchild of theirs one aspect of a goal they have to help kids develop a lifelong habit of healthy active lives.
Sunday was marathon day. Id originally planned to do the full, but given my recent problems with PF, I decided Id better back off a bit and switch to the half. As my friends say, many folks make it to the Disney marathon start line under-trained, but no one makes it over-injured. So Sunday morning, overcast and gray, my brother (who joined us Saturday night) and I headed out to the start of this point-to-point race. The halfers would travel from the giant sand dunes at Jockeys Ridge, through the upscale neighborhoods at Nags Head, across the Washington-Baum bridge (5.3 miles long and 65 feet high), then past the quaint shops and homes of Manteo to the finish.
We were still well away from the parking area for the start when traffic came pretty much to a complete halt and it was only a few minutes to race time. My brother told me to jump out and run ahead and hed park the car somewhere and see me on the course. The race had already begun when I arrived, but because it was chip timed and the half start was coordinated with the marathon start (13.1 miles away), I knew I really didnt have anything to worry about. I crossed the mat and heard the beep-beep-beep and knew I was officially on my way.
There were lots and lots of walkers in the half. Normally I dont really get into passing folks, but this time because I had my W.I.S.H. shirt on and I started after everyone else, I had a mission to give them the encouraging message printed on my back! I got so many compliments from folks who understood the message both the fear of finishing last and the acknowledgment that even a dead last finish was better than letting their fear prevent them from starting at all. I heard so many Thats great, Thats so true, I love your shirt! comments.
To fast-forward a bit I had a really good day, though my time sort of reflects that I ran to the start before I actually started. There were quite a few locals cheering us on from sundecks and sidewalks, despite the early hour and dreary skies. At around 8 miles, it started raining, and by the 10-mile mark, it was pouring. (I dont know how the race photos will turn out all the photographers on the course had their cameras wrapped in plastic.)
(You can actually see the bridge in the background.)
My shoes were so soaked that my shoe liners balled up inside them. I ended up run/walking the last 3 miles or so with my shoe liners tucked inside my belt. (Not so great for my PF, Im sure.) I came in at 3:03:48 (chip time). Not my best time, but not bad for sloshing through the water.
I really enjoyed this area, and the race. I may try to make this a regular stop on my Disney training schedule.
My kids had a day off from school on Friday, so I took my two 14-yr-old daughters with me to the Outer Banks for a long weekend. Friday, we toured the NC Aquarium on Roanoke Island (Manteo NC), then drove to Corolla and climbed the 214 steps up to the top of the Currituck Light (light house).
Everywhere we went, we saw signs on restaurants, stores, and churches welcoming and encouraging the marathoners. This event really did seem to have strong community support.
On Saturday, the girls and I did the 1.2 mile fun run the deal for participants was they were to walk 25 miles in the weeks before the race, then on race day, they were to complete their marathon and get a medal. The schools in Dare County actually competed for the largest number of students participating per school in this marathon, but I didnt stick around to see who won. The (plastic) medal we got (because parents were encouraged to participate as well) was as cute as a button! One of the race organizers said they planned to change the medal every year to encourage kids to participate again and again.
One of the benefactors of the OBX Marathon, in fact, is a private foundation that provides improvements to the Dare County school system and this race was a brainchild of theirs one aspect of a goal they have to help kids develop a lifelong habit of healthy active lives.
Sunday was marathon day. Id originally planned to do the full, but given my recent problems with PF, I decided Id better back off a bit and switch to the half. As my friends say, many folks make it to the Disney marathon start line under-trained, but no one makes it over-injured. So Sunday morning, overcast and gray, my brother (who joined us Saturday night) and I headed out to the start of this point-to-point race. The halfers would travel from the giant sand dunes at Jockeys Ridge, through the upscale neighborhoods at Nags Head, across the Washington-Baum bridge (5.3 miles long and 65 feet high), then past the quaint shops and homes of Manteo to the finish.
We were still well away from the parking area for the start when traffic came pretty much to a complete halt and it was only a few minutes to race time. My brother told me to jump out and run ahead and hed park the car somewhere and see me on the course. The race had already begun when I arrived, but because it was chip timed and the half start was coordinated with the marathon start (13.1 miles away), I knew I really didnt have anything to worry about. I crossed the mat and heard the beep-beep-beep and knew I was officially on my way.
There were lots and lots of walkers in the half. Normally I dont really get into passing folks, but this time because I had my W.I.S.H. shirt on and I started after everyone else, I had a mission to give them the encouraging message printed on my back! I got so many compliments from folks who understood the message both the fear of finishing last and the acknowledgment that even a dead last finish was better than letting their fear prevent them from starting at all. I heard so many Thats great, Thats so true, I love your shirt! comments.
To fast-forward a bit I had a really good day, though my time sort of reflects that I ran to the start before I actually started. There were quite a few locals cheering us on from sundecks and sidewalks, despite the early hour and dreary skies. At around 8 miles, it started raining, and by the 10-mile mark, it was pouring. (I dont know how the race photos will turn out all the photographers on the course had their cameras wrapped in plastic.)
My shoes were so soaked that my shoe liners balled up inside them. I ended up run/walking the last 3 miles or so with my shoe liners tucked inside my belt. (Not so great for my PF, Im sure.) I came in at 3:03:48 (chip time). Not my best time, but not bad for sloshing through the water.
I really enjoyed this area, and the race. I may try to make this a regular stop on my Disney training schedule.
Great race report. Loved the pics. Glad you had a great time with your girls and that you went with the 1/2 as opposed to the full.
