Atlantic City Marathon: Atlantic City, New Jersey, October 22, 2023 – Marathon #34
What can I say about the Atlantic City Marathon? Going into the weekend, my head wasn’t totally in the race. I arrived a few days early with plans to explore the area, but I ended up mostly staying in my hotel room working. I wasn’t feeling great, which was unusual for me—I’ve been pretty healthy throughout my marathon journey, so to say I was frustrated would be an understatement. The good news was that I had until Sunday to get myself together; the bad news was that I hadn’t eaten much leading up to race day (not recommended!).
On Friday, I went to the expo to pick up my bib and race gear. It’s always important for me to get this out of the way early—after all, no bib means no race! I also grabbed an official race day shirt because it had my name on it.
I did manage to squeeze in a great early morning run on the boardwalk on Friday, although I got caught in a downpour, which may have contributed to me getting sick. By Saturday afternoon, I was craving some pasta, so I went to the Italian restaurant in the hotel. The perks of traveling alone are that you almost always get a seat quickly, but the downside is the bartender often tries to pair you up with the person sitting next to you. This can get a bit awkward, but it didn’t stop me from enjoying a nice meal. While I was there, I met a fellow runner named Jay from Philadelphia, and we spent some time chatting about our running journeys. Sharing my story is one of my favorite things to do because I’m often told it’s inspiring, and I hope it motivates others to pursue their goals.
Race day arrived, and I found myself at 2:30 AM with a terrible migraine, wondering what the heck I was doing about to run a marathon. I was nauseous, but I decided to get up and make the best of it.
I didn’t have high expectations for this race, given how I felt, the 15-20 mph winds coming off the Atlantic Ocean, and my general lack of energy. However, as I made my way to the start line and saw all the runners, I started to get energized. Despite still being nauseous, I told myself, “I can do this,” and focused on completing my 35th marathon in New Jersey.
The race itself was a lot of fun. The first 3 miles took us along the boardwalk by the ocean, which was beautiful but not ideal for me since I prefer road running to the boardwalk surface. The wind was brutal during the first half of the race, but I was hopeful it would be at my back on the way to the finish line. Mother Nature, however, had other plans. It seemed like every turn I made, the wind was right there, pushing straight into my face.
By the time I reached the finish line, I was exhausted but also incredibly proud. I finished in 4:50, which is still under 5 hours—a time I couldn’t believe I managed considering how I felt. Afterward, I grabbed some post-race pictures with fellow Maniacs and 50 Staters, which always makes me happy. I was also thankful for the $25 hotel room extension I had to shower after the race.
Next week is a big one. I’ll be running the Marine Corps Marathon, which will be my 6th marathon in 6 weeks—my longest streak since I started this journey. I’m beyond excited, especially because my friend and travel agent, Renee, will be traveling with me for this race. It’s going to be an amazing experience!