Thirty years ago, nearly half of my life, I set a goal to run Grandma’s Marathon and the Twin Cities Marathon consecutively for 25 years. However, the postal service mistakenly recorded my Twin Cities Marathon streak at 12 when the mail sorting machine damaged my entry, which was subsequently returned after the race. Consequently, I have achieved my goal of running Grandma’s Marathon, where I am a Lifetime Entrant (I have never paid an entry fee, as I paid $100 in 1990).
Upon reaching the 25th year, I anticipated being content with this accomplishment. However, when the 2009 Grandma’s entry information date arrived, my son encouraged me to run with him in a 26th race. After a few minutes at the start, I believe he had already left. For the 27th race, I decided to run 5.24 miles and discontinue. This would have resulted in 26.2 consecutive Grandma’s Marathons. My son, however, decided to run the entire race with me, preventing me from quitting at 5.24 miles, as this was an extraordinary opportunity. Despite his departure, he remained with me throughout the race, and I cherished the time we spent together. Therefore, completing the 27th race signifies only one objective: achieving 30 consecutive finishes.
I have completed my 30th consecutive finish at Grandma’s Marathon. As I approached the week of the race, I anticipated that the two 2-mile runs, a 4-mile run, and a 5-mile training run in the two weeks preceding the race would need to be revised to ensure completion. Over the past three years, I have logged less than 15 miles between each Grandma’s Marathon. I have transitioned to biking and walking as my primary modes of transportation. Running has lost its allure, and I no longer find enjoyment in even a mile run. Walking has become even more enjoyable.
This year, Jordan and I planned to run the race together. We departed for Duluth on Friday at approximately 2:00 PM. Shelley had commitments with her parents in Lincoln, Nebraska, and my sister was unable to attend the race for years.
Upon our arrival in Duluth, we encountered heavy fog and a temperature of 48 degrees Fahrenheit at 5:15 PM (traffic conditions were severe). We promptly collected our race packets and strolled through Canal Park, enduring the freezing temperatures. Jordan had secured Spaghetti tickets, so we had a subpar meal and returned to our car to rest. By 10:30 PM, we had fallen asleep.
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I awoke at 4:00 AM, and the race forecast predicted inclement weather: cold, rain, and winds. The only factor that could have exacerbated the weather conditions was snow. Fortunately, snow did not materialize.
Jordan awoke at 5:00 AM, and we proceeded to the train station by 5:25 AM. We arrived at the starting line with approximately 45 minutes to prepare. All went smoothly as we deliberated on our attire choices. I opted for a short-sleeve shirt with arm warmers, while Jordan chose a double-layer short-sleeve shirt. We navigated through the Biffy lines and positioned ourselves 10 minutes before the race began.
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At the start of the race, I experienced a sensation akin to the Tin Man from The Wizard of Oz, which required oil to achieve a smoother motion. The initial mile was completed in 11:29, and subsequent miles exhibited a gradual decline in pace until the ninth and tenth miles. During this period, we transitioned to a run/walk strategy, resulting in a 16-minute pace to the finish line.
At Mile 23, I experienced significant anxiety regarding the possibility of not completing the race. Cramps commenced, and I employed all available mental resources to alter my stride and pace to mitigate their impact. I was concerned about developing a charley horse, which would render me unable to finish. Prudently, we decided to adopt a conservative approach.
As a side note, between Mile 11 and 16, I experienced several moments of doubt and contemplated quitting. I was experiencing widespread pain and extreme cold. Mentally, I am not as resilient as I once was, which made the race more challenging. Jordan supported me, although he occasionally unknowingly caused me difficulties by persistently inquiring about my well-being. In response, I found it increasingly difficult to ignore the pain. My left ankle was in severe pain, and I felt cramp-like sensations in various muscles from Mile 12 onwards.
Ultimately, I achieved a time of 6:36:48, whereas last year, I completed the race in 6:33:59, demonstrating consistency.
The only issue I currently face is the future. This is a time when it is easy to succumb to depression, as I am running out of goals to motivate me. I require a purpose to live. Someone once asked me why I embarked on this journey, cycling from Denver to Minneapolis. I explained that it reminded me of my continued existence. This is the sole reason why the number 31 remains in my mind; however, less than 15 miles of training will suffice. I do not particularly enjoy running. Which one will ultimately prevail?
