Eagle Creek Trail Marathon

Dear Friends, Family and Neighbors, Another marathon escapade unfolded and I ticked Indiana (state #27, marathon #38) off my list!  But before I get to the Marathon Update (The Good, The Bad and The Ugly), there are two things that I'd like to share with you: $12,595.00 was raised at the runningbrooke exclusiveshowing of HAIRSPRAY at The Little Theatre of Alexandria.  On August 2, 2011, we rocked the house, and our impact was huge!  We raised enough money that night to buy 2,515 new books for kids who have none, to send 250 eager preschoolers on field trip, or to provide one year of housing for two homeless families.  Thanks to all who came and made it such a successful evening! Special recognition to Vanessa at UnWined for donating the beverages and to Beth at A Thyme and Place Food Consulting for providing the 60s fondue and fare.  Also thanks to La Cuisine, Sugar House, Wharton Health, Jorge Obando LMT, La Petite, Karen at SCAN and Pacers Running Stores for donating the silent auction items.  We raised $1,000.00 in the auction alone!  Help me say thanks to them;  please patronize these local businesses. Running guru Phil Wharton and me having some 60s fun at the pre-show soiree. Click HERE for the Alexandria Gazette's excellent review of the night. runningbrooke on NBC4.  Thank you NBC4 for having me on your midday show.  It was tons of fun sharing my story with your viewers and I appreciate your help in spreading the word!     runningbrooke and Wendy Rieger  NBC4 - July 28, 2011  And now, without further ado, The Eagle Creek Trail Marathon. Me and 2 lucky gate agents, haha...  Over August 5th and 6th, I made the short trip to Indianapolis, Indiana to run the Eagle Creek Trail Marathon -- run on trails, not roads -- (state #27 and marathon #38).  Hot, hard and humid, this marathon tested me.  Was I going to beat the trail, or was the trail going to beat me? Smiling because this section was easy! A portion of the Eagle Creek Trail Marathon elevation. 6th grade class photo.  I'm the one holding sign (right). See Personal Factoid below... Personal Factoid:  My only other trip to Indy was when I was in 6th grade (see photo above) to watch the Indianapolis 500.  It was my first flight too.  I remember being terrified of the flight attendant and nervous to ask for a non-alcoholic (in case you thought otherwise!) drink. Indiana Factoid #1: Between 1900 and 1920, more than 200 different makes of cars were manufactured in Indiana. Indiana factoid #2: Famous Hoosiers include: Abraham Lincoln (born in Kentucky, moved to Indiana as a child --16th president), Dan Quayle (senator and 44th US VP), James Dean (actor), "Gus" Grissom (astronaut), Jane Pauley (broadcast journalist), Larry Bird (basketball player), John Mellencamp (singer), Florence Henderson (actor), Johnny Appleseed (John Chapman/Folk Hero), Michael Jackson (singer) and David Letterman (late-night talk show host). Indiana factoid #3: The first professional baseball league game was played in Ft. Wayne (1871) and the first US long-distance auto race (recently featured in the Smithsonian Magazine) was held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (1911). Indiana factoid #4:  Theories abound as to why Indiana is nicknamed the Hoosier State.  But, alas, it remains unclear.  Indiana is also known as the "Crossroads of America" for its junction of interstate highways that serve as a trucking base for many trucking lines. The Good With my check and trophy. The Marathon.  For all my complaining and boohoo-ing (see The Bad), I was the 10th finisher and the 2nd female to cross the line.  Runners followed orange tape tied from trees and bushes, and ran on tight single-track, old road and coarse gravel.  The first go-through (this was an out-and-back, run twice), the course was hard to follow, as the tall grass in some areas hadn't been trampled, and the territory was unfamiliar.  Multiple times, I slowed to make sure I was still on track, and twice either I or another close-by runner shouted out to someone who had taken a wrong turn.  The Bad         Waiting for the race to start. The Marathon.  I want to say that I loved every moment of it, or even some of it, but I can't.  It was hot and humid; yeah, I know it is August... (shorts were dripping wet by mile 8 and socks were soaked through by mile 15).  But it was more than that; it was the races punishingly-ongoing mental component (constant appraising of terrain and judging/adjusting -- no zoning out or checking the scenery) and surprisingly constant physical demand (endlessly changing course, dodging roots and rocks, and jumping over or climbing under logs/fallen trees).  Not that I'm looking for easy, but an occasional break from the excitement would have been nice!  I ran the second half of the marathon a full 11 minutes slower (ouch) than the first and felt pretty amateurish.  Definitely have a renewed appreciation for trail runners who deftly sail over terrain such as this.  *For those new to my updates, I ran the JFK50 (50 mile ultra-marathon) in November of 2009; the first 18 miles of that race was along the Appalachian Trail.  I'd forgotten how difficult that was! The Marathon.  It started 26 minutes late.  I wouldn't have cared that much except I had a plane to catch and literally no time to spare.   The Ugly (sorry, no ugly) New Feature!  runningbrooke Sponsor Highlight (one feature per month, alphabetically)  ASAP Printing & Graphics on Mt. Vernon Avenue in Del Ray.  Joe Brocato and the gang over at ASAP Printers are outstanding!  They've  done some first-rate design work for me and always come through with my I-need-it-yesterday printing demands.  Take a peek at their website and if you're looking for a company to handle your printing and fulfillment needs, give Joe a call! Want to help Alexandria right now?  Check out the latest online ACTion.  We are collecting donations to provide local families with home safety kits.  The runningbrooke Fund will match your contribution! That's it.  Congrats, you made it to the end...  except for the pictures below.  Next up is the Pocatello, ID (State #28, Marathon #39) on September 3rd.  It's going to be a quick in-and-out too (like Indianapolis), just an overnight stay.  Cheers everyone and stay well. - Brooke Pre-race in front of my PT Cruiser Rental Race Signs Pre-race with Marathon Maniac friend David M. Thanks for taking all the photos!