Iowa in the middle of summer, it was never going to be easy. The heat and humidity were draining and made for a tough run. The organisers did a great job though and made sure all the runners got the liquids they needed. State #48 achieved and it took a lot of pushing but we also got the sub 4. Other big milestones were that it was my 70th marathon and Leah’s 60th! Full report here.
We finished our longest streak of back-to-back weekends at Lake Placid, running 14 marathons in 14 weeks, all of which have been sub-4 hour finishes. We had a great time at Lake Placid and were reminded of how scenic New York State is, a completely different landscape from New York City. We also completed State #47, which while sounding so close to #50, is still a little farther than that as it’s sub-4 State #41. Full report available.
We returned to Wyoming to repeat the state for a sub-4 hour finish time. It was one of our slower marathons of the year so far but we managed to hit our target and achieve sub-4 state #40! The tough run was definitely helped by a huge spread of food at the end, with everything from fruit to pizza and beers. I’m not sorry to say that the fruit didn’t quite make it to our hands. Full write-up here.
*** We’re Titanium Marathon Maniacs!! *** Our 5th marathon in the month of May was also our 30th in the last 11 months, covering a combination of 30 different US States or Countries. This earned us the top level in the club (10 stars), a club formed for serial marathoners and a status level that only 2% of the members have achieved. When we first joined we thought this level was insane, but we now realise this goes back to limits being only what you believe them to be. Full race report is online.
We loved the Vermont City Marathon! Not only was it a great event and popular with the Maniacs group, but also with a long Memorial Day weekend we were able to actually relax for once after the run and truly enjoy the post-race beers. It also meant we didn’t feel even slightly guilty at consuming vast amounts of Ben & Jerry’s ice-cream at the original iconic factory. All the details are here.
Horse Capital was more like monsoon capital for us, but at least it was warm rain! We were so soaked it became funny, but there were also periods where the rain held off and we were able to admire the rural landscape in Lexington, Kentucky, as we ran by some 40+ horse farms and a lot of horses. Leah won a nicely crafted award for 3rd place in her age group and we checked off our 45th State. Full report now online.
No matter how many marathons we run, London is always special. This year I ran my best London Marathon to date, feeling a huge sense of accomplishment finishing in 3:38 and realising how far I’ve come since my first marathon at London in 2008 where I dragged myself to a 5:27 finish. The weather on the day was perfect and the amazing crowds seemed larger and louder than ever. Full details of a race that will always be remembered.
We managed to fly out to Indiana the day before returning to the UK for the London Marathon and checked off another US State. Always nice when unexpected plans come together and it had the added bonus of tiring us out for the overnight flight across the Atlantic. The most unique part about this race was the game of guessing the celebrity at each mile marker. Very inventive and a good way to pass the miles. Full details.
The Ohio River Road Runners Club Marathon, or the ORRRRRRRRRC Marathon as we called it, was our 60th and 50th marathons respectively. Located in a place in Ohio that no-one had heard of, we found a great event taking us through peaceful roads, past farms, corn fields and llamas. Leah won 2nd place in her age group and we notched up State 41. Full race report is here.
A return to Texas to conquer the sub 4 for Marathon #59 saw us head out to Irving, just west of Dallas. We had a laugh at some street addresses, enjoyed a well run event and came home with 3 medals between us. Full report is here.