A Walkway in the Sun
By Kelly Mandia
6.22.17 The Walkway Over the Hudson Half-Marathon began in warm conditions with a heavy dew point making the first few uphill miles a challenge. I ran with my friend and training partner, fellow Long Islander, Kelly Mullady. |
|
Misery loves company
We are both seasoned runners. Mullady has run ten marathons and a few ultramarathons. I’ve run five marathons. We have both run well over 20 half-marathons. Our favorite running destination is Pennsylvania, and we make a fun shopping/running trip together once per year. This year we decided to shop at Woodbury Commons Outlets and to run the WOTH Half. We both have children but have been dedicated runners since college.
The beautiful vistas and company of other runners in both the half and full marathon once we hit the Walkway Over the Hudson, took away some of the oppression of the heat.
“It feels like we are closer to the sun and the flames are licking our faces,” Mullady said, as we ran onto the Walkway.
The distant Catskill Mountains were hazy in the heat. We saw honorable military men carrying flags for both the full and the half marathon.
The 90-degree heat was debilitating, and Kelly and I decided that this was to be a fun run more than a test to see how fast we could run the course. After the out and back on the Walkway, the shade along the rail-trails portion of the course was sweet relief. The smell of the honeysuckle filled the air and greenery of the trail soothing to body and soul after the harsh exposure of the Walkway.
The cool and rainy spring had provided no opportunity to acclimated to the warm race day temperature and high dew point.
All along the 13.1 miles, we came across helpful, friendly and encouraging volunteers at the hydration stations who offered us water, Gatorade, and Nuun.
The running community enjoys a real sense of camaraderie and kindness. On this hot day, it meant the world to have the support of a true friend and, as the old saying goes, "Misery loves company." No matter what age, speed or ability, runners encouraged and cheered one another throughout the race. When someone in a group slowed down or stopped, countless other runners checked on him/her to ensure that he/she was OK and offered to grab water - one person even offering their own water bottle. It's not about the medal - it's about the accomplishment and the journey.
The beautiful vistas and company of other runners in both the half and full marathon once we hit the Walkway Over the Hudson, took away some of the oppression of the heat.
“It feels like we are closer to the sun and the flames are licking our faces,” Mullady said, as we ran onto the Walkway.
The distant Catskill Mountains were hazy in the heat. We saw honorable military men carrying flags for both the full and the half marathon.
The 90-degree heat was debilitating, and Kelly and I decided that this was to be a fun run more than a test to see how fast we could run the course. After the out and back on the Walkway, the shade along the rail-trails portion of the course was sweet relief. The smell of the honeysuckle filled the air and greenery of the trail soothing to body and soul after the harsh exposure of the Walkway.
The cool and rainy spring had provided no opportunity to acclimated to the warm race day temperature and high dew point.
All along the 13.1 miles, we came across helpful, friendly and encouraging volunteers at the hydration stations who offered us water, Gatorade, and Nuun.
The running community enjoys a real sense of camaraderie and kindness. On this hot day, it meant the world to have the support of a true friend and, as the old saying goes, "Misery loves company." No matter what age, speed or ability, runners encouraged and cheered one another throughout the race. When someone in a group slowed down or stopped, countless other runners checked on him/her to ensure that he/she was OK and offered to grab water - one person even offering their own water bottle. It's not about the medal - it's about the accomplishment and the journey.
The End is Near!
Around mile 8, a skeleton in sunglasses propped up in a lounge chair held a sign reading, The End is Near! along with a sign next to him reading, Be Sure to Hydrate bringing much needed comic relief.
Somewhere along the final stretch, we pulled into a hydration station where kids gave us ice pops. The refreshing, fruity coldness brought me right back to childhood. More children cheered us on as we headed back out. |
|
Ah, and then the reprieve of a downhill to the end gave us a strong finish as we ran past crowds of cheering supporters to the sun-drenched finish line at Marist College.
The organized this event, from start to finish, was noteworthy. The email communications, the Expo,packet pickup, the directions and transportation shuttle from the parking lot to the race start were top notch.
The finisher medal was beautiful.
It is important to note the incredible efforts of the race directors and volunteers in making sure that there was no waste left behind; that all the garbage was picked up and properly recycled. All races should take a page from the sustainability and green efforts of the Walkway on the Hudson Marathon!
The organized this event, from start to finish, was noteworthy. The email communications, the Expo,packet pickup, the directions and transportation shuttle from the parking lot to the race start were top notch.
The finisher medal was beautiful.
It is important to note the incredible efforts of the race directors and volunteers in making sure that there was no waste left behind; that all the garbage was picked up and properly recycled. All races should take a page from the sustainability and green efforts of the Walkway on the Hudson Marathon!
Related StoriesWalkway Marathon 2016
The 1905 finishers in Sunday’s Walkway Over the Hudson Marathon, Half and 5k had a gorgeous day for running. Read more
The Rewards of the Wurtsboro 30K
By Doug Haines
I did it for the toffee. When I first heard about the Wurtsboro 30K, the distance daunted me. My weekly mileage for 2017 has been less than 20 miles a week. With one race I was going to be hitting my weekly mileage READ MORE Show your love for Peak with a little financial support |
Add your comments here.Tell your story- writing, photography, video...
|
