Tobacco Road Marathon: Raleigh, North Carolina, March 19, 2023 – Marathon #11
It had only been a few weeks since I ran the Beach Marathon in Myrtle Beach, SC, which turned out to be the warmest race I’ve ever run. I felt confident packing for the next race, thinking my Marathon Maniac tank top would be perfect for the occasion. I glanced at the weather forecast but didn’t check too thoroughly—lesson learned. Mother Nature is always unpredictable.
I arrived in Raleigh, expecting things to go as smoothly as usual, but the weekend quickly became a series of mishaps. I had a few not-so-friendly encounters with overworked hotel staff and then received some frustrating miscommunication about the race. I had to call my favorite travel agent, Rene Lavigne, to save the day and rent me a car last-minute, even though no cars were available. Thank you, Rene, for coming through when I needed you most!
Race day arrived, and I had to be there by 4:00 AM because this race is incredibly popular, with nearly 4,000 runners. The temperature at the start was a chilly 44°F, and it dropped to 38°F by race time. Once the sun came out, it helped a bit, but the shaded trail and slight wind kept me cold for the first 10 miles. This race became one of those where I had to really talk myself out of a negative mindset.
For those who don’t run marathons, it might be hard to understand, but there are times during a race when I completely lose motivation. It’s a tough spot to be in, especially when you feel like no one is there to help you but yourself. I get asked all the time how I stay motivated, and the truth is, I don’t always. Sometimes, I just have to cry, kick myself in the ass, and keep going. No one else can run it for me, and I have to finish. So, I remind myself why I started in the first place and focus on the bigger picture.
That mindset shift helped a lot, and the support from other runners and even random spectators really kept me going. By the last 6 miles, I shifted gears and found a second wind. I was running for a friend’s mom who had recently passed, so I pushed even harder to finish strong.
Although I didn’t set a personal record (PR), I was incredibly proud of my performance. I got some great pictures along the way and finished the race feeling strong. I’ll be home for a bit until April 14th, when I head to Delaware for my next marathon. In the meantime, I plan on running the Liberty Half Marathon and the Rock the Parkway Half Marathon. Starting in April, I’ll be on the road every weekend, running 12 marathons in a row.
Let’s do this!