Year 2025: A Tale of Four Half Marathons

 Hello, it's me! I just realized this is my first blog entry for the year...In 2024 posts I alluded to a mystery issue with my right hamstring that wouldn't go away. I finally got an MRI, which revealed I had torn the biceps femoris longus, (one of the hamstring muscles), and it had atrophied. When I asked how much of it had atrophied my ortho just looked at me squarely and said, "all of it". When he told me that the entire muscle was gone I was actually relieved because it was an answer to what was happening to me whenever I would start my run. It was like I had no control over my leg and I would run spastically, like I was going to fall. If I built up anxiety over it it would make it even worse. In my head I worried I had some weird muscle or nerve disease. Within a mile I would settle into a somewhat normal running gait, but it wasn't until I went to PT that they explained to me how my brain had to learn to connect to the other muscles now doing all the work. When I asked how long it would take to fix this problem they didn't have an answer, and now I know why. It's a part of my pre-run ritual now, and some days are better than others. I can see that it's more of an anxiety issue now, so my handling of it is getting better. (FYI I still do leg weights and other exercises to strengthen the compensating muscles).

Early in 2025 I ramped up to full marathon mileage and got a few long runs in, but my body felt too beat up, so I dropped down and decided to focus on half marathons, which worked out great! As much as I love running marathons I'm just not sure my body can go there anymore. 

Half Marathon #1: San Diego Half Marathon (3/23):

We're scared of THE ONE BIG HILL

Not that I need a race to entice me to visit San Diego, and if I did I would choose the La Jolla Half over this one (it is my favorite half), but overall this is a great half marathon. I chose this one because I was looking for a half marathon in March and came across it. The last time I ran that far south in the city was back when we did the inaugural Rock and Roll marathon back in 1998! It turned out that Jacky, who I run with, was also going to be running it, as she was in San Diego for work! It was still dark when we started heading towards the starting line and I didn't think I'd find Jacky, but when I came across the bridge she was standing on top of a concrete pillar and spotted me right away. At this point my anxiety was full tilt (this is something I never used to have, so it's very unsettling to say the least). There were too many people and no free space for me to do my pre-race jog ritual, so I explained to Jacky that she should go on without me, as I may have issues with the first mile, but she would not comply! The funny thing was the race started and we were immediately immersed in conversation so much that next thing I know we were well into the first few miles of the race with zero issues. It was interesting to run in this area, some of it familiar, but most of it not. Jacky had run this race before, so she knew all about the ONE BIG HILL, around mile 9, so she refused to leave me until she was sure I was going to be ok once we got to it. When we turned onto Washington street and saw IT I just laughed out loud. Outrageous! I told Jacky I would be ok and I'd see her at the finish. Heading up and up and up as far as you could see, I turned around and looked back and had my moment. God, I love running. Just look at where it takes you! From here the race got even better, as it ran through a very cool neighborhood called Hillside, followed by a sweet downhill to the finish. 

I'm not sure I'd stay downtown again (pretty sketch when there are hookers leaving your hotel pre-dawn with you), but I would love to run this race again! Bonus-it's San Diego, my favorite city!

Half Marathon #2: Jersey City Marathon and Half (4/13):

The trickery!

You can only get this shot from Jersey City!

I'm going to take the credit for finding this marathon for Toby and Robin (for their 50 state quest). It's not well known, as it's only on its fourth year. I was very excited about this one because Jersey City is directly across Manhattan via the Hudson river, so it's a relatively inexpensive way to tour NYC. Bonus! The course itself has mixed reviews, and I think that's fair. It's good, but not great. I think it could be better, and I anticipate improvements moving forward. First, the positives: no car needed! We stayed in a hotel within walking distance to the expo, start, and finish, and also right next to the PATH, which takes you across to NYC. The race logistics were easy. The race was well executed-no complaints! I loved the medals, as they have a hinge with a door, revealing an etching of the course. My favorite of the four I got this year. Toby and I spent the next couple of days touring NYC, which was a blast. The cons: the course itself has way too many turns, especially the full. Not only is it a 2 looped course, but the second loop runs in reverse. There are some hills, but overall I'm not sure I'd ding it for being too hilly, but keep in mind I only ran the half. The biggest disappointment for me was running in Liberty State Park. I spotted the Statue of Liberty just once, in the distance, and never again. Also, it's not a "park" park, just a rural, somewhat boring stretch of land. Maybe they call all areas without buildings on them parks up there? At any rate I was relieved to turn around out of there and back to the crowds along the course. The streets were in pretty rough shape. Lot of potholes and uneven asphalt. This messed with me a lot. There was an out and back stretch where I wanted to spot Maggie and Robin, but I had to keep my eyes on the road because  it was really choppy along there. The timing of all the turns never worked out to where I could see Toby, so that was disappointing too. 
Overall I would recommend this race! Don't expect scenery, but expect a lively, fun course!

Half Marathon #3: Revel White Mountain, NH (5/4):

Entire course was breathtaking

I am going to blame my 50 state quest for the reason why I chose this race. I had never run a race in New Hampshire. When Toby ran the Clarence Demar Marathon in 2022 I was injured. With 12 states to go marathon-wise I have resorted to finishing up the quest with halves. Toby was game to throw a half marathon run into his training, and Anil was running the full marathon! 

If you're unfamiliar with Revel races their schtick is they are ridiculously crazy downhill courses, which before Boston changed the rules, would help people run faster times to qualify for the Boston Marathon. The elevation drop in this particular race isn't as dramatic, as it's "only" a drop of about 2800 ft, and the half is a lot less than that. The course runs through the White Mountains National Forest, which is absolutely gorgeous! This is the second prettiest half marathon I have ever run! (No half will ever beat La Jolla, sorry). 

The one bad thing about this race is you have to get up painfully early, and when I say painfully, I mean for ME, which is beyond painful for the normal person. Like 3:00 AM. You have to load up on busses to take you to the start, where you're dumped off into a parking lot for at least an hour. Not to mention that it was raining, but luckily it wasn't raining too hard, and it wasn't freezing cold either. Toby and I went out to the street to try to jog around, but they made us come back into the crammed parking lot. When the race started I did have anxiety to deal with, as it was wet, but it didn't take long for it to go away, and I ended up enjoying this half the most out of the four. The downhill, at least for the half, was a definite advantage. My last mile was the fastest! I will say this. For the first time I had FOMO for the full marathon and if I could run another marathon I would really really want to do this one! After the race the three of us drove to Boston to spend the night before heading home, which was fun even though it was pouring rain the whole time!

Half Marathon #4: Visit Casper Marathon and Half (6/1):

yawn

Crossed just under the 4 hour wire!

True bad asses!

Wyoming....oh boy. As far as my short list of dreadful half marathons go, this is second, only to that nightmare in Odessa (maybe I should have packed my pink wig...IYKYK). We had to do it. We needed the state! Robin needed it too. Let's start with the positives. As far as elevation goes, it's the lowest in elevation for Wyoming marathons, at 5,000 ft. Everyone affiliated with the race, including the volunteers, were beyond friendly and enthusiastic about their event. I was seriously hoping it would rub off on me. Logistically, it wasn't too hard to get to, considering. We flew into Denver and did the 4 hour drive because after the race we spent a few days in Fort Collins, Colorado, visiting Bill and Ginna who had just moved there. Sadly, the town of Casper has seen better days. A one night stay there was enough! Choosing a marathon in June is always tricky, and sure enough it was going to be a warm one. 

We got bussed up to the start (yes I said up, because this course had hills, lots of them. None of them were too bad though. When we were jogging around before the start I decidedly did not have FOMO. I wasn't even sure I wanted to run the half!  I really struggled with this race, both physically and mentally, the worst battle to have! It heated up so fast and with no shade there was no respite from the sun's assault. I found myself walking a lot of the hills. My heart rate was beyond crazy. I caught whiffs of cow manure. I found myself cussing internally about not being able to find arrows for the path or not getting directed to turn left to split from the full. I was sick with worry for Toby and Robin. Usually Toby doesn't worry me, but he was battling a hamstring pull and watching him jog around the parking lot prior to the start wasn't comforting. I will say the finish area was lively and fun! They do a great job working with what they have! Anyhow, Toby and Robin did finish ok, and we hightailed it out of there to Colorado. Oh, and the color theme for their race shirts and medals was bright pink, which didn't go over well with Toby, but I liked it! The bonus of doing this race was that it led us to Fort Collins, where we were so impressed that we have decided to move there!

I'll try to post more on the regular, but half marathons just don't deliver as much material to work with, ha. I do have half marathons lined up for 2026, and I feel the urge to ramp up to marathon mileage and see how it feels. With regard to running future marathons I'll circle back to the question, "Is this how it ends"?  Will I answer definitively, or again with "for now"?