NH

Sunday November 8 2020

New Hampshire’s State Motto is “Live free or die”. Its most populous city, Manchester, is a dark manifestation of this excellent mantra. Reeling economically from restrictions imposed by Corona Virus response, its metropolis is now a veritable tent city for the jobless, the homeless, the desperate. A presumably defunded police force patrols the street corners, attempting to deescalate rampant criminality, and stop flagrant heroin addicts from injecting in the open. Welcome to the true cost of this nation’s failing lockdown measures.

These scenes, around the Hilton Doubletree I had booked due to its extreme proximity to the Manchester City Marathon & Half Marathon start and finish, were awaiting my Saturday evening arrival. I had been coaching in glorious Carolina sunshine Saturday morning, then rushed straight to the airport to fly to Manchester. 

As the plane had come in to land, and the New England autumn scene unfolded beneath me, it was the first time on these adventures that I found myself asking, ‘What exactly am I doing?’ It was beautiful in Charlotte yet here I was, traveling by myself, almost to Canada, to run myself into abject pain, for the sole purpose of completing this 50 States challenge that I had dreamed up without prompting or cause. There was also almost nothing to do in Manchester – and those activities which would normally be if interest, were of course unavailable due to Corona response. 

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However, my spirits picked up immediately upon a realisation that the weather was in fact refreshingly mild in New Hampshire. It seemed a quiet but bright place and I had time to relax. I ordered my Lyft to the hotel, via the Millenium Running Store in Bedford, where I picked up my bib. 

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I’d booked the Double Tree using points, and it was a lovely change from Air BnBs! After settling in at the hotel, I headed out for dinner at a local Greek restaurant. It was very quiet there, but I read my book whilst eating a fairly average tea. I hit the hay early, and rose at 0600 Sunday, to head downstairs for the race. The city was abuzz, it was a big event. 

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I did a very small warmup, before socially distanced coral staging began at 0722. Racers started in descending pairs, the first two heading off after the 0730 musket shots.

I shed my layers as we edged up closer to the start line, and went out with my Livestrong tattoo sporting partner, whose bib indicated he was running the full. The course was undulating – 650’ of elevation in the Half alone. Livestrong commented that we both must be sticking to a 7 minute mile race plan, and although that was the time I’d put in on the race entry form, I told him that’s fine but I might push a little. Our first mile was 6.28 pace and I left him behind on the hill that followed. 

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I ran pretty well, didn’t need to stop for hydration at any of the aid stations, and took down a Maurten gel at 4.5 & 9.5 miles – timing that has become staple to my half marathon race plan. I caught a guy who had started ahead of me around mile 9 – funnily enough (NOT ironically enough by the way), the same mile at which he had, somewhat erroneously, warned me about a steady mile-long hill beginning. After dropping him, I took down blue floppy hair and military Camelpak  – two guys who had overtaken me way back around mile 3-4. I was feeling strong, and though I’m loathed to admit it, the huge mileage I’m currently pushing in pursuit of my 2020 in 2020 goal, must really be helping my endurance, and my energy levels on hills. The weight I’ve been losing must help, too. But frankly, I don’t care. I still look forward to dropping that weekly mileage and putting the muscle mass back on. In fact, we have even been pushing ahead with a home gym garage set-up for just this reason. 

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The race was very well organised and supported, but a little confusing at time, as it looked back past the start/finish area, at the same time some other distances were setting out. My miles had varied over the course but I pushed a 5.30 coming into the finish, something someone who cared more about running would probably see as an indicator that I could keep pushing to achieve some really impressive times. But there you go. I had finished feeling like I could keep running further, and was happy with my 6.35 average pace, 1.26.50 finish and 6th in age group placement (42nd overall). 

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I strolled back to the hotel to shower and relax, before checking out the local running store and grabbing lunch (a late breakfast) in the delightfully old school Red Barn diner. It was a quaint, rough and tiny place, and one that must maintain an old time customer base that believes in their state motto more than those governing over them…

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I Lyfted back to the airport with John, a fascinating Sudanese fellow, and flew back home to the QC.  MO take two next weekend, and plenty of early morning miles to clock before that. Always good to be home, and it’s great to be almost done with New England and the Eastern Sea Board – just New York State to go.