First Light Marathon... Race Ratings (#23)

Tagline: "If only it was as warm as the people are nice!"
Ratings...
2010 First Light Marathon

Registration Fee: $45 to $60 early ($75 late). Discount for 50-staters of 20% (mail in)!

Overall Race Rating (weighted): 3.1/5.0
Average Calculated Rating: 3.2/5.0

~ I would call this race a very quiet and peaceful run. It has a pretty course of southern suburbs through Mobile. The race organization can use a little work, especially if the race continues to grow (almost 10 years running).

Race Director: Let's place race director...
~What would I have changed if I were race director? For a course growing in size, there needs to be some sort of Gel on the course. Also, the expo needs a little work... if this continues to be part of a double marathon weekend with Mississippi Blues, they need to get a few more vendors. Also, I think there should be some sort of extra medal or Pin for those who complete both marathons--- I think this would be a great way to get more runners as well. This is the same weekend as Disney's goofy challenge-- this could be the ultimate challenge! Runners will come!!!

Event Organization: 2.5/5.0 (now broken into 2 parts, see below as well) As far as "event organization" we'll go ahead and include things like Host hotel, website use, ease of travel to the event and to the actual race, etc.
Distance from Airport to Expo/Race: 13 Miles (25 min)
Rental Car Required: Yes
~ The hotel/expo weren't too difficult to find, and the event was held in a pretty area of Mobile. The website was a little shotty-- slow, difficult to navigate, etc. The airport is also pretty tiny, so there may not be too many flights on the day you're looking.

Race Organization: 3.5/5.0

~ The start of the race is held at the hotel/expo area, so we were able to stay inside, away from the cold, until the race started. There were no GU/Gel stops, so plan on carrying your own. The rest stops were pretty well supplied-- even giving out chicken broth at points to warm the runners. I didn't notice a ton of rest stop... but I didn't need one. The race was pretty well blocked off with cones-- we didn't get the entire roads, but they blocked them pretty well and cars went by slowly, so we were safe.
~Post Race Food: (new sub catagory) There was a bbq-type food area after. You could get chicken/pork sandwichs with different kinds of sides and salads and cookies. They also had different cold and warm options for drinks.

Course: 3.2/5.0
~ I would describe this course as very quiet-- in a good way! It's a very calm, peaceful, pretty course through Mobile. You go through a lot of suburban areas with very pretty houses and lots of people along the way to support the runners. The course wraps through 2 universities and is relatively flat until you get to miles 15-18. There are a few hills at this point, which probably seem worse because of the marathon the day before. Nothing overly special, but still nice. The end is a little rough because its mile long straight aways along traffic.

Spectators: 2.9/5.0
~ Spectators are ok in this race. One thing I noticed was that police blocked off the streets for most of the race, but the last few miles seemed to be patrolled by a biker gang sort of group! Unusual, but kind of cool. Spectators were throughout the suburban streets. The campuses were quiet-- too early for the college students to be up.

Pace Group: /5.0
~ DNA

Runner/Corrals: 4.5/5.0

~ Runners were very friendly and fun. Groups started forming in the race at random for people to run together. One group I paced with for a bit, had a guy who was talking a mile a minute... suddenly he yelled out that there should be music and started to bust out "Eye of the Tiger" -- everybody joined in!! While running a pretty good pace. Pretty funny.

Expo: 2.8/5.0
~ The expo here wasn't huge.. but you could get a few items. There was one table with running gear/equipment and a few other tables with drink samples.
Swag: 2.7/5.0
~T-Shirts: The T-shirt is long sleeve and light blue, but its a regular cotten long sleeve-- not something you should run with too far. The picture on the front was ok, nothing special. 2.7
~Medals: The medal is a wooden medallion with a sticker of race information on the front. On the back, the medallions are painted by members of the L'Arche-mobile community (the charity the race is for). 2.7
~ Goodie Bag: There wasn't really a goody bag, you had the option to take some leaflets if you wanted them, but nothing extra.

Mississippi Blue and First Light Double... Post Race Thoughts

Wow, what a double! This past weekend I ran the Mississippi Blues Marathon (Jackson, MS) and the First Light Marathon (Mobile, AL). I planned this double as my "southern, warm, winter marathons"... guess what? It was FREEZING!!!!

You may remember my last double in NH and ME went very smoothly. Wheather was a little rainy, but overall I felt great the entire way through! The freezing temperature shot my race plan right out the door. Originally I had been planning to run pretty even for both... around a 4:20. That was I wasn't pushing myself, but I also wasn't spending too much time running and making myself tired. That so did NOT happen...

My Race (if you want to hear more about the races, and less about my personal race experience, please scroll down... I understand...)
Jan 9, 2010. Jackson, MS- 07:00. Temp: 18, with windchill, feels like 6 (acc to the weather channel). OMG... I've been avoiding running outside in Cinci when it has been in the 20's... and now I have to run in 6!!! Who DOES that? So I did what I thought was best and ran HARD. I ran hard for 3 reasons...

1) It's been 6 weeks since my last one... with fresh legs, I thought I was running around an 8:30/8:45 race, but when I looked at my watch it was closer to 7:50. Oops
2) It was so cold I just needed to get it over!!!!
3) It was so cold I could NOT feel my legs (or the pain I was in) til the end.
I stopped twice in port-a-johns just to get my hands out of the cold wind and warm for about 5 minutes. It really didn't help. I thought for SURE I had frost bite on at least ONE finger. I ended the race around a 3:58! With the 10 minutes hand-warming stops, that was WAY faster than I wanted. Uhhhh Ohhhh

Jackson, MS- ~12:00. I've slowly warmed my hands up in the hotel sink- warming the water every few seconds. Then I took a shower as HOT as it would possibly got for 20 minutes... STILL NOT WARM!!! That race chilled me to the bone. However, a little bit later, my legs thaw out and I realize... ouch, I'm hurting a little. Maybe running hard to "get it over with" wasn't the best idea... I have another race in the morning.

Jan 10, 2010. Mobile, AL- 07:30. I'm lined up on yet another bitterly cold starting line with aching legs and a knee thats not feeling wonderful. Crap, crap, crap. Oh well, there goes the start gone and we're off!!! By mile 3 I realize that my whole body aches, but no matter the speed it's going to hurt the same. Oh so wisely I come up with the same theory to the race as yesterday "just run fast and get it over with!"... when will I ever learn!?!?!

Mile: 10. Not only do I ache all over, but my knee is realllly bothering me. It MAY have something to do with the new form I was trying to use (will discuss in a later post, but 3 words... Born To Run). So I decide to take it a little easier.... slowing down to a 9:15. Ok, this isn't so bad... just keep going.

Mile 19. The sun is actually starting to warm me up... YAYY!!!! I take off one layer. This is my 45th mile for the weekend and I'm sort of hoping to go on auto-pilot til its over. Bad idea #2 for the weekend. I go around a tight corner coming out of one of the universities and hit a rock. WHAM!!!! Oh hello ground!!! I don't even think I had my hands out. I was running then I was on the ground. My knee (the bad one) hit first and my ankle got caught on the rock. Loveeeeely. One of the volunteers tries to get me to a table to get somebody to pick me up. I yell at him (oops, sorry!!!!), get up, and hobble as fast as I can away. Ugh... 7 miles and all I can feel is a zinging in my knee and ankle. So I walk/jog the rest of the way to get this mess over with!!!! Not great, but I ended in a 4:45'ish... Oh well, next double we'll see if I can do better!

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About the Race... Mississippi Blues Marathon

Pre Race~ The expo was actually a lot of fun. There weren't a TON of vendors, but you could get everything you needed. Also... Bill Rogers was there giving a little speech of sorts. I told Wild Willie that I would love to meet Bill, but I didn't expect him to actually go get the man and bring him over!! New people scare me... especially new people who have won 4 Boston Marathons and made the sport what it is today. He chats with us for a while, we turn to go down stairs and see a man coming up. He looks AWWWFULLY familiar and gives us a little wave and a smile... it's Dean Karnazes!! Woah, I'm in dorky marathon idol heaven!!!
(Pic right courtesy of Bill "Wild Willy" Theis~ Steph, Wild Willy, Bill Rogers, and Pete!)

The Race~ COLD! Ok, not the fault of the marathon. They DID prep as well as they could, offering hot drinks at some spots and heated tents at the end! The course was kind of boring, but I liked the flat/rolling hill mix they had going on. The course was also VERY well guarded, with police men everywhere. And the volunteers? WONDERFUL!!!!... thanking us every mile for coming out and running! Seriously??? You're standing out here in 6 degrees handing us water and YOU are thanking US for coming?? Woah... holy southern hospitality!
(Left: Photo courtesy of Bill "Wild Willy" Theis)


Post Race~ Didn't stay much post-race, but the tents were warm with LOTS of hot food items, including soup, hot drinks, pizza, the works! OOH and the medal? Tooo cool! A guitar medal with a cool lanyard (pictures later).

Thoughts~ GREAT race overall with an obviously fast course. The race organization was wonderful, especially facing unexpected, abnormal cold weather! Great swag and very nice volunteers!

About The Race... First Light Marathon
Pre Race~ The expo here was a little lighter. 1 clothing/running stand and maybe a few people selling drinks. Prior to the race there was a hotel to hangout/stretch in and stay warm.

The Race~ If you're looking for a VERY quite, calm run, this is it! It was just relaxing and fun... well except for the falling part (but that's my own fault). The entire course is just silent... especially in the morning. The cars aren't really allowed on most of the streets we're running. The spectators were definitely fun- scattered through the race.

Post Race~ There was an entire lunch provide after the race! They had pork, chicken sandwiches, different kinds of salads, hot chocolate, cookies... yummm!!! They also had a heated tent for those halfies or early finishers... by the time I was done it was warm and not needed.

Thoughts~ A nice quiet race. Average course, but a fun run.

2010 Double- Marathon... Race RUNdown (#22 & #23)

*** Reminder, I'm still looking for a team name for the Bataan Death March (marathon). I haven't had a SINGLE bloggy suggestion... so YOU could be the winner of that virtual high 5!!! Submit your suggestions in the post below***

Those 6 weeks flew by fast!!! That's the last long break I'm planning to have until I finish my 50 states. Here at Stephanie's Marathon Challenge, we're* gearing up for the start of the 2010 marathon year... kicking it off with a bang by doing a DOUBLE this weekend in Mississippi and Alabama.
*By "we" I pretty much mean myself... oh and my mom. So lame, aren't I??

Inspiration Points...
1. The Cincinnati Galloway group will be sending a small contingency to run the race... ROAD TRIP! I'll be traveling with Pete (a 50-stater in process), Wild Willie (ALMOST done with his 50), and Mrs. Wild Willie. MB is meeting me in MS and we're going down to AL.
2. First race in 6 weeks... and with 6 weeks off im VERY nervous to run a marathon again. After about 2 weeks of no racing I thought I had lost all of my fitness level... seriously its like a nervosa for marathons!
3. This is my second double... if this one goes as well as the last one, I'm going to do at least 2 more!

MS Race RUNdown...
Mississippi Blues Marathon ~ Saturday Jan 9, 2010 (#22)
Jackson, MS
Registration Fees: $70 to $80 early ($90 late, $110 at expo). Discount for 50-staters of $10!
Year Running: 3
2010 Expected Field: ???
2009 Field: 454 Finishers
... Females: 157 ... Age Group: 13
2008 Avg. Finish Time: 4:42:56
Weather:
HOPEFULLY warmer than Cincinnati! It looks like it should be sunny, but a high of only 30 degrees. EEK... so sick of the cold already! Although, I think the "30" may be deceiving-- 30 has been the "high" for th race and some indicate it was "hot and humid" last year. Hmmm a hot and humid 30-degrees??? We will see...

Course:
"The course is challenging! It includes hilly areas and straight flat sections, so be ready!" - MBM website. Some say the course has "HILLS" and some say it has "rolling hills"... I guess that depends on where you're travling from. I'm fairly used to hills in Cincinnati, so hopefully it won't be overwhelming for my first race of the weekend. This course, like a few others, ends on a 1/2 mile UPhill... UGH. Hopefully it won't matter because I'll be taking this race "easy."

Race 411: This is only the 3rd running of this race and it's getting bigger every year. There have been some cosmetic rough points in the race last year, lets see how they do to clean them up...
~ In the past there have been no CLOCKS!
~ Post-race food looks good! Pizza was on the menu last year! YUmmmm
~ Last years "T-shirt" (day glow vests) were not warmly welcomed... I've seen a few notes indicating that the volunteers T's were better than what they had offered to the runners at the expo.
~ Music should be a pretty big part of the race, but I guess this race doesn't meet up to Nashville or other "Rock n Roll Races."
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AL Race RUNdown...
First Light Marathon ~ Sunday Jan 10, 2010 (#23)
Mobile, AL
Registration Fees: $45 to $60 early ($75 late). Discount for 50-staters of 20% mail-in only
Year Running: 9th?
2010 Expected Field: 1250 for the marathon, half, and relay
2009 Field: 371 Finishers
... Females: 109!!! ... Age Group:  (wonder why only a third were women???)
2008 Avg. Finish Time: 4:25:50
Weather:
The weather looks to be sunny with a high of 40. That sounds PERFECT. If a southern 30 degrees feels warm, I'm sure a sunny 40 degrees is going to be great! Lets hope it stays that way.
Course:
Sounds like this is a pretty scenic (historic towns, college campuses & big oak trees), looped course with a couple of hills, but mostly flat-- one expecially bad hill at mile 17. Following mile 20 there is one last hill, then a downhill cruise to the finish. Marathonguide as 4.5 stars out of 5, so it sounds like a winner!

Race 411:
~ What is UP with the lack of women in this race? Less than a 3rd were women last year! Quite unusual, considering I saw a couple of marathons with more women than men in 2009.
~Long sleeve Tech Tees!!! I LOVE them
~"Unique" wooden medals- hand decorated by special needs children, I'm not sure yet if this is a pro or a con...
~Money goes to charity!!!
~Fluids stations ad something "different'-- acc to a runner. This just may be the opinion of a newer runner who isn't used to things like "Head".


Race Plan:
Just coming back from a long break and I haven't been doing as much running as I would like. The cold has forced me inside to "Eliptisize" my life away... so we'll close our eyes, hope, and jump into these 2 races. I'm going to try for the same plan as my last double. Although I'm running with a little less practice, I'm a lot more fresh after the break, so I should be ok. The last double I did I ran about a 4:25 and a 4:20... and felt like I could push myself more if I had more food!!! Big lesson learned there. If I'm feeling good I'll try to run my second a little faster. Most importantly... the goal is to finish both races :)