First checked the NC box back in 2008 by running through a case of Platar Fasciitis at the Thunder Road Marathon, shockingly making the foot issue much, much worse.

Returned 10 years later at the Norther Trails Marathon …….

With Marge and Bill setting up winter golfing shop down in Pinehurst, it is highly likely that the list of NC marathons will grow in the coming years.

Here’s where the Tar Heal State stands now:

1. Thunder Road Marathon
2. Northern Trails Marathon

Northern Trails Marathon

Date: 2018-03-11
Location: Greensboro, NC
Finish Time: 3:43:31
Race Website
Official Results
Local Brewery

Highlights:

• Weather held up for golf on Saturday and for the outdoor running portion of Sunday
• Felt strong throughout, passed 8 or 9 runners over the last 20 miles, finished second
• Remembered what its like to travel without children, quietly read a book in the airport during both flight delays

Low-lights:

• 7:00 PM scheduled departure from Newark, 10:30 PM actual departure from Newark, 2:00 AM arrival at Pinehurst, NC
• Very pleasant day of golf with Bill and Marge marred by my inability to play golf competently
• Nature putting that root there to trip me, canceling our Monday golf with random rain & sleet storm

Thanks:

• Thanks to Bill and Marge for hosting me for a long weekend, providing free golf and transportation to / from Greensboro for a random trail marathon
• Thanks to Shannon for letting me escape for a weekend while our house was occupied by 5 children under the age of 8
• Thanks to the weather gods for providing a four hour window of no rain to coincide with the duration of the marathon

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Checked off Florida in a post-Superbowl XLII stupor back in 2008 and returned to the Sunshine State in 2018 for the A1A Marathon.

It only took 10 years to honor Shannon’s request for another warm weather marathon vacation. Guess we’ll be back in 2028.

Here’s the Florida list so far:

1. Gasparilla Marathon
2. A1A Marathon

A1A Marathon

Date: 2018-02-18
Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL
Finish Time: 3:42:25
Race Website
Official Results
Local Brewery

Highlights:

• Successfully snuck out, ran the A1A Marathon, located the family at the beachfront finish line and was relaxing in a beach chair by 10:00 AM
• Put on our finest pirate gear, navigated the high-seas, vanquished rival pirate, recovered treasure and still had time to play at the pool and hit the links
• Hopped on a fan boat, tracked gators through the Everglades, took in a show, handled a baby gator and put on our own demonstration

Low-lights:

• Mile 16 port-a-potty stop derailed hopes of finishing in the 3:30’s
• Two kids, one hotel lobby vomit, two additional stomach bug related incidents, good times
• Resort carrot cake unfinished, “does not taste the way Gran makes it“

Thanks:

• To John and Peg for the airport drop-off, pick-up and Eli-sitting
• To Shannon for spending portions of her vacations in sick kid caring mode
• To Luke for fighting through a stomach bug and still managing to vacation at an elite level

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Louisiana Marathon

Date: 2018-01-14
Location: Baton Rouge, LA
Finish Time: 3:26:04
Race Website
Official Results
Local Brewery

Highlights:

• Perfect running conditions, flat course and ample training; got under 3:30 for the first time in three years
• Observed, fed and held alligators; severed gator head keepsake a huge hit with 4 year old Dylan
• Drank straight Absinthe at 11AM and spent the day walking around New Orleans taking in the sites

Low-lights:

• Just not quite able to hold off the 3:25 pacer in the last mile
• Tough to watch the locals at the restaurant bar try to process that Saints game
• Spirit Air, Newark Airport baggage crew

Thanks:

• To John and Peg for taking the boys (human and canine) once again

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New York City Marathon (2017)

Date: 2017-11-05
Location: New York, NY
Finish Time: 3:39:51
Race Website
Official Results

Highlights:

• Third time was the charm. Great weather, great crowds, familiarity with the race logistics and course all lead to my best NYC Marathon time to date
• Spent some quality time in the Staten Island bus line with Councilman Jeremy Jamm, cruised up 5th Avenue with Kevin Hart, couldn’t find Tiki Barber – smoked all three celebrity runners
• Slept in my own bed the night before the race, on my couch with a beer by 4:30pm

Low-lights:

• After 16+ years and 50+ marathons, finally forced to retire the original Syracuse visor
• Made it back to my office to pick up the bag of clothes I had stashed, unable to access the 12th floor shower facility
• Missed the 6 year old flag football season finale and Luke’s first career rushing TD

Thanks:

• To Alma and the HBO fitness center crew for hooking me up with one of the Time Warner entry spots after I continued my lifelong streak of failing to win the entrance lottery
• To Dave Pugh for all the training runs including one final pre-race tune-up and for manning his traditional spot on the corner of 81st and 1st.
• To Shannon for sewing the logo from the original Syracuse visor onto the next generation model

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Empire State Marathon (2017)

Date: 2017-10-09
Location: Syracuse, NY
Finish Time: 3:55:43
Official Results
Race Website

Highlights:

• Successfully marched four kids up the hill, into the Dome and sat through a significant portion of an actual Syracuse University football victory.
• Dodged most of the rain, survived a hot and humid tour around Lake Onondaga, had a little help closing it out and managed to get both ‘Cuse alumni across the finish line
• Post-race pumpkin picking, trampoline jumping, marvelous mutt watching stop at Roba’s Family Farm

Low-lights:

• Trying to explain to Luke that the ‘Cuse touchdown he just witnessed did not actually happen due to offensive pass interference
• Cruised into the mile 23 high-five point but there was a playground so the kids couldn’t be bothered to cheer
• Not quite the fall weather I was hoping for, faded hard in the final five miles

Thanks:

• Thanks to Shannon for continuing to carry bags and herd children around marathon courses, always managing to have them back at the finish line in time to help me in
• Thanks to Luke and Dylan for traveling like champs and for hanging out in the Dome for a full half of football
• Thanks to team Newton for joining in on the ‘Cuse football watching, marathon running, patiently spectating fun

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Run Wild Missoula Marathon

Date: 2017-07-09
Location: Missoula, MT
Finish Time: 3:38:12
Official Results
Race Website
Local Brewery

Highlights:

• Dropped some weight, picked a beautiful, flat course and got lucky as the heat held off for the first 15-18 miles; finally got back down into the 3:30’s
• Perfect accommodations on Flathead Lake, ideal lake vacation weather and plenty of ways for the kids to keep busy
• Day trip to Glacier National Park where Luke, Dylan, Marge, Bill and Shannon all endured bear warnings and a much harder than advertised 4 mile hike so we could have lunch at Avalanche Lake

Low-lights:

• Visit to the Drummond Rodeo lead to Luke and Dylan recreating the scene with me playing the part of the bucking bronco
• Couldn’t get anyone to join me for any of my sunrise hikes, runs or dock-sittings
• Could have been a little bit cooler on race day

Thanks:

• To Shannon, Luke and Dylan for enduring yet another lengthy air / car travel excursion like true pros
• To Bill and Marge for making this whole trip possible and for enduring another lengthy air / car travel excursion with two small children
• To John and Peg for their airport shuttle and dog-sitting services

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Time Warner / HBO 5K (2017)

Date: 2017-06-22
Location: Riverside Park – New York, NY
Finish Time: 18:30
Official Results

Highlights:

• First win in over three years
• Re-ignited the simmering Livingston NJ 5K rivalry with Matt Moss
• Free post-race beer and pizza

Low-lights:

• As with all of my wins, you could raise questions about the field size
• Always the possibility that the HBO crew was taking it easy on the new guy
• Disappointing lack of Game of Thrones cast presence at the HBO 5K

Thanks:

• Once again to Dave Pugh for kick-starting the process that brought me to HBO and getting me involved with the running team
• To Alma and the Fitness Center crew for putting on events like this one and the Media Challenge Series
• To Shannon for once again letting me shirk my dad duties and “work late”

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Ragnar – Pennsylvania

Date: 2017-06-02
Location: Lancaster, PA
Finish Time: 32:33:40
Official Results
Race Website

Highlights:

• Got to meet the HBO Ragnar crew and spend some quality time with my van-mates. Starting to think I may have been hired primarily because of my willingness to run long distances on little to no sleep
• Solid fan support, unique sites and beautiful views, even once I got back home
• Got to learn from experienced Ragnarians who know how to stock up on the essentials and focus on the most important parts of the event

Low-lights:

• Took 1.5 hrs to get our van off of the island of Manhattan Thursday evening, easily the worst pace our team maintained all weekend
• 24 runners, 6 hotel rooms, 2 beds per room…you do the math
• Talked a huge relay bracelet exchange game. Totally botched the final hand-off.

Thanks:

• To Dave Pugh for connecting me with team and to the HBO Ragnar crew for welcoming me aboard
• To my Henlee, Kathy, Taylor, Erin and Mallory for living in a van with me for 48 hours and remaining friends by the end of the event
• To Shannon for driving out to PA for the finish, acting as un-official team photographer and driving me back home even though I hadn’t showered in two days

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