Friday, April 24, 2009

Run For the Roses

When most people hear “run for the roses”, they think of one thing, the Kentucky Derby, the greatest horse race in the world. I’m heading to this same venue, Louisville, in the air as I write, to also run for the roses in the Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon. The marathon is the week before the real Kentucky Derby but the same day when racing starts at Churchill Downs, home to the famous race. Sure, they could have us drink mint juleps before the marathon and make us trek 26.2 miles in the deep dirt and sand around the famed track but they have spared us this challenge. But, at mile 9, we do enter Churchill Downs for a lap around the infield to soak in all the history of the great event, to envision and imagine the charm of the southern gals displaying their spring attire and fanciful hats along with the gentleman whose timepieces fall to their sides, tucked in their vest pockets anxiously awaiting post time. It is high stakes racing and the beginning of the elusive Triple Crown – the opportunity for the horse, jockey, owner and trainer to go down in history or to live in infamy as a one-race wonder.

On May 2nd the Kentucky Derby will be run and when watching it, I will know that I also gave it my best around the historical track. There will be no red roses at the end or mint juleps at the beginning (maybe afterwards) but there will be the feeling that I experienced a hundred thrty-fve years of history in a few minutes of running. Marathons are not only about running but to experience the destination. It doesn’t have to be something as grand as the Kentucky Derby. It can be just as interesting and rewarding visiting small venues like Gilsum, NH, Piney Point, MD or Schroon Lake, NY. Small town charm and big city energy both play handsomely in American culture.

While in Louisville, I plan to visit Louisville Slugger factory and museum just as I toured CNN and the aquarium in Atlanta four weeks earlier during the ING Georgia Marathon. The Atlanta race had unrelenting hills which I never complain about but they were a challenge in colder windy conditions. The start, with 13,000 half-marathoners was extremely crowded, almost claustrophobic and I was happy to see them depart at mile 7. I very rarely chat for prolonged periods of time during a run but at mile 7, I hooked up with a guy training for an ironman and we ran together and chatted for the next 13 miles. At mile 20, which is where the race begins, I knew that I was really close to making the finish in less than 4 hours. I picked up the pace a bit but the hills continued to take their toll and I cramped at mile 24. The home stretch was tough but toughness is what the marathon is about. I finished in 3:59:25 just barely making it but happy to do so.

We are on our descent. I need to look for Big Brown, the giant Louisville Slugger bat and Churchill Downs and get ready to run for the roses.