Freedoms Run Marathon normally ran from Harpers Ferry West Virginia, crossed into Mary Land and ended in Shepherdstown West Virginia.
Due to the nincompoops on "The Hill" all the parks are closed and while many races have been canceled the fine folks at Freeedoms found an alternate route. A two loop out and back.
Above is the map, a hammerhead out and back which is pretty rare. The red squiggly thing at the bottom is the elevation chart.
Ouch.
Probably the hilliest road marathon I've ever done. The hills weren't too long mind you, but many kicked back to 12% at least. I found many of the hills un-runnable. Oh, I could run them but the energy expenditure would be too great on the first lap and lead to a hellish second. Now I can WALK. I was passing folks who were running...them gasping for air and me humming along up hill.
The real nasties showed up about mile 22.
I run a fair bit. I run down hills a lot, which all good runners should to help strengthen the quads. At mile 22 my quads were mush. Trying to keep an even effort down hills of steep grade trashed them. I feel like I've been carrying Mary Lou up and down flights of stairs all day.
Perfect weather but humid, so lots of sweating.
The aid stations could have spaced a bit better but big thanks to the high school kids who staffed them.
I'd really like to do the race when it's back on it's regular turf next year.
Freedoms Run Marathon
4:40
Half in 2:05 (my watch, they didn't have a timing mat at the turn)
This makes my 55th race of Marathon distance or greater and places my total race count close to 500.
Used the Hal Higdon Marathon 3 training program with special Anton tweaks.
Due to the nincompoops on "The Hill" all the parks are closed and while many races have been canceled the fine folks at Freeedoms found an alternate route. A two loop out and back.
Above is the map, a hammerhead out and back which is pretty rare. The red squiggly thing at the bottom is the elevation chart.
Ouch.
Probably the hilliest road marathon I've ever done. The hills weren't too long mind you, but many kicked back to 12% at least. I found many of the hills un-runnable. Oh, I could run them but the energy expenditure would be too great on the first lap and lead to a hellish second. Now I can WALK. I was passing folks who were running...them gasping for air and me humming along up hill.
The real nasties showed up about mile 22.
I run a fair bit. I run down hills a lot, which all good runners should to help strengthen the quads. At mile 22 my quads were mush. Trying to keep an even effort down hills of steep grade trashed them. I feel like I've been carrying Mary Lou up and down flights of stairs all day.
Perfect weather but humid, so lots of sweating.
The aid stations could have spaced a bit better but big thanks to the high school kids who staffed them.
I'd really like to do the race when it's back on it's regular turf next year.
Freedoms Run Marathon
4:40
Half in 2:05 (my watch, they didn't have a timing mat at the turn)
This makes my 55th race of Marathon distance or greater and places my total race count close to 500.
Used the Hal Higdon Marathon 3 training program with special Anton tweaks.
