professor at Castleton, and I agreed to start with
now. “6:40 pace, lets reel back a little. Averaging
7:30 pace and see how we felt at the half. That
7:08, not bad.” 6:40 pace?!?!? Averaging 7:08?!?!?
would give us a 2:30:00 finish if all went well. I
I really wanted to get to the finish line so I
I
wasn’t able to wear my Oakley’s with the rain so
could change into dry clothes, but would I make
t was 4:45 am and the alarm was going off. I
I had to listen to myself huffing and puffing and
it to the finish cranking up the pace to this
spent the night in Rutland at my friend’s house
the splashing of feet through the unavoidable
level? We backed off slightly and I felt reassured
to shave an hour off what would otherwise be
puddles right from the start. I looked around at
that I could go the distance. Time for some
a 4 ½ hour drive. We were headed to Hampton
the wet feet all around me. Asics, New Balance,
nourishment I thought and grabbed a gel pack.
Beach for the Eastern States 20 Miler which at
Mizuno, Nike, Loco, Brooks, as far as the eye
the time seemed to be a daunting challenge.
could see; so many different styles of shoes
Mile 10 came and went and I was still feeling
The previous week I ran nearly 17 miles in 2
pounding the pavement. I wondered if any of
good. Again Matt slowed the pace. With 10 more
hours, but was it enough? At the starting line I
those shoes were any more impervious to the
to go I knew that anything could and most likely
was somewhat intimidated. Twenty miles of 40
water than my Newton’s.
would happen. We let a couple runners go by
Eastern States 20 by Dave Burrows
degree wind driven rain and nearly 600 runners
and I wondered if we would pick them up later
using this as a tune up for the Boston Marathon
We
made me wonder if I was in over my head.
surf pound off the rocks. Surfers were taking
I knew I would soon find the answer to that
advantage of the heavy winds near mile 7. How
question, right, wrong, or indifferent.
crazy does someone have to be to surf in this
ran
along
the
ocean
listening
to
the
weather I thought to myself? Hmm, only a half At the start Matt, my running partner and
marathon left to go and I am feeling good, for
Ta b l e o f C o n t e n t s
Cross Country News North Country Triathlo n Run for Hop e Half Maratho n Renew