Jay Seashore's Report
Jay on his way to run the Marine Crop Marahon
Jay
wrote this report (I have deleted the addressees)
Another run completed,
another set of experiences to share.
Sir Charles MOL (Charles Sayles to most of
you) and I arrived in Orlando, via Song Air on Friday night and drove to Ocala,
75 miles north. For those who haven't flown Song, it is Delta's answer to
Southwest, Jet Blue and other discount airlines. It is the best I have
been on, $216 for a roundtrip direct flight LAX-Orlando-return. LA to JFK
opens in May.
First impression of Ocala was a town with
no zoning, aka sprawl; friendly people, different demographics. This is
definitely a Red part of U. S. as we've come to define.
The event was cosponsored by a local
running club, and both 50 states club/group. The organization was first
rate from packet pick up to the finish. The pasta fare was prepared by
culinary students and instructors. We were joined at the diner by a group
of Japanese runners who through there leader and spokesperson explained their
approach in halting english. Yasu told us that their club was a lifetime
commitment, members to run 100 full hyaku or marathons. Yasu had run 223
full hyakus, their oldest member present was 80. They were noticeable in
their bright pink jackets.
The run started at 7 am, we showed up at
5:45 for the photo-op of 50 staters. It was cool and drizzling.
Remarkable range of weather during the run; wet/dry, cool/warm, overcast/sunny,
windy/windless; it varied by the hour. I wasn't in shape to do this one,
hadn't run much since White Rock and started too fast because we were hooked up
with the halves and 5Kers. The course is hilly through horse ranch
country (some 5,some 25 acres), "farms" and estates with a few
novelties thrown in such as canopies of trees with spanish moss hanging from
leafless branches and several gateways-crossings-crossovers by the side of the
course (aka cemetaries). There were very few reminders of the hurricanes
that had passed through this area 3-4 months before.
Around mile 11, my lack of prep showed and
I slowed. About a half mile past the 15 mile water station I saw a group
of runners with bright pink singlets up ahead, one lagged behind and the other 4
went on. I caught up with struggling Japanese runner who was having more
trouble than I. It turned out to be Yasu. I suggested we run
together, I'd pick a point ahead we'd run to that and then walk to the next
point and so we struggled on, chatting a bit through his broken english.
Yasu was a self-employed, technical consultant from Yokohama, formerly from
Hiroshima. His group had flown in for the run on Thursday 1/27 and were
returning on the 31st. As we were running it passed midnight Sunday
Yokohama time. 14 hour difference makes for a jet lag. We had fun,
met some Marion County Motorcyle Officers and took Yasu's photo on one of their
blue 2 wheelers; bright pink and powder blue brought smiles. We finished
side by side hands upraised. He helped me take my mind off my struggles as
I hope I helped make his finish easier.
Encountered a number of runners from
previous runs in other states, a few familiar faces. One from Wichita
Falls, TX is running Paris this April. Lisa/ Jackie want to repeat?
Here endth the tale of my 16th marathon and
12th State. On to Little Rock with lessons relearned about training and
hills.
the rookie
PS Sir Charles and I devoured a filet at the Longhorn before our drive
back to Orlando. He believes in giving business to sponsors, an idea I
share up to a point.