Emerald Isle Marathon
Marathon #15 - State #10
The marathon that almost wasn’t.
Emerald Isle was originally scheduled for March 2020. My training partner and I signed up in January of that year and used it as an excuse to go to the beach for Spring Break. Little did we know this race registration would follow us around for 18 months.
We all know what happened in March 2020 and sadly Emerald Isle didn’t reschedule the race for the fall but rather cancelled it all together postponing it until March 2021. Honestly, I wasn’t that mad about it. The world was chaos, I just started my new business and having something for 2021 on the books felt comforting. My friend and I instead spent the fall training for the Richmond Marathon (virtual) and had a joy of a time in Richmond, VA in the fall instead.
Fast forward to February 2021, I had just finished a 16 mile treadmill run (we had an ice storm) when we got the news that the race was being pushed to October 2021. What? Why? Other cities were putting on races, North Carolina didn’t care about masks and vaccines (don’t worry we were fully vaccinated and planning to mask up and eat take out) so why did they cancel? We never found out why but I assumed it was because it was a super small race (100 marathons and maybe 300 half marathoners) and just too much work/liability to justify the effort. No hate on the decision….but it did make for a difficult fall.
Fall 2021 became a pretty busy racing season for me. After having all of my in person races cancelled for 14 months everything was rescheduled for Sept, Oct and Nov 2021. I kicked the season off with Ironman 70.3 Atlantic City. Then a week later ran the Philadelphia Distance Run (13.1). Had two weeks to recover before before Chicago Marathon. Then three weeks until this race. Yes two marathons in less than a month. Not something I recommend but here we are. Before the season started I went into training with the mindset of complete not compete. I knew the distances would take a toll on my body and if I wanted to race each one I would end up with an injury or total burn out. Not gonna lie, it was still difficult to complete distances slower than I know I’m capable of running but I had to remind my self that I am completing 6 tough distances in only 8 weeks (I have another half marathon the week after Emerald Isle) so enjoyment and being injury free were top priority.
Let’s get to the race!
We drove from Virginia on Friday morning and it took us about 6.5 hours to get to Emerald Isle. The drive itself wasn’t too bad, we could have done without the rain storm but other than that uneventful. The isle itself was adorable. One main road (Emerald Dr) and a few major cross streets and that was it. Our Airbnb was right on the course (mile 8.5) and only a 15 min walk to the start. Our only criteria for our Airbnb was that we had ocean views and could walk to the beach. The fact that it was on course and that close to the start was a bonus.
Unfortunately we didn’t get a chance to eat out while we were there but we did frequent the Publix across the street from our Airbnb. Not sure if they loved us or hated us - loud thirty something women trying to pick out wine and frozen pizza.
After our Publix excursion we went to packet pick up. I kept calling it an expo but it truly was just packet pick up - no frills. It was hosted inside a community center gymnasium. Very well organized and the volunteers were great. The only issue we had was when my friend asked to downgrade her marathon to the half marathon - they tried to give her someone else’s bib. The race had printed our names on the bibs and someone must have dropped out. Call her crazy but she didn’t want to run with a bib that said “Shawn”. After some snide remarks from the race timing representative she was able to get a blank bib and we were on our way.
Race Morning
The marathon started at 7AM, so with a 15 minute walk that meant I didn’t need to leave until 6:30ish. Yes you read that correctly. I am a right on time kinda person. Mind you I didn’t know exactly where I was going so the extra 15 mins were really a buffer in case the walk was longer than what Google maps said. No issues though! As I walked many other runners were also on the road and we chatted a bit until arriving at the start. One plus to only having 100 runners - no lines at the porta-pottys! NONE. Wild. Considering in Chicago I waited 30 mins to not use one.
And we are off!
The race started promptly at 7AM after a quick National Anthem and words from the race director. When we started I could feel everyone around me going too fast. I remind athletes all the time to let people pass them and that it will be tough to not want to “keep up”. Even I had to remind myself that starting slow will allow me to finish strong. I settled into a 9:09/9:15 pace for the first 8 miles of the race. We had looked up race results from 2019 and figured if I ran a 4 hour marathon I might get 3rd in my age group. It was a big stretch goal (I had trained for a 4:10 or so) but it wasn’t out of the park.
Boring. That about sums up miles 1-8. You do a dippy do through a neighborhood on the south part of the isle. The homes are nice to look at and the volunteers at each turn were amazing. I did have a fear that I would not know where the turns were but was pleasantly surprised with how well marked the course was. They had arrows spray painted on the road, signs at every mile and volunteers at every turn. Huge relief and grateful I didn’t get lost.
At around mile 6 I got a text from my friend that she wasn’t going to run at all (she had some injuries and it was wise that she DNS, did not start.) Instead she was going to spectate so I would see her at mile 8.5. This was when I started to think about dropping out too, I didn’t need to run this race. I could spectate with her. The race was boring. I decided I’d make the call at mile 8.5 when I saw her. As I came down the road to our Airbnb I could see her standing there. I stopped and we chatted a bit before I took off saying “It’s only another 18 miles, I’ll be fine.” You know you’re a marathon when…..it’s only 18 miles.
Physically everything felt great. GREAT! No GI issues, no muscle issues, nothing. Just plain bored. I talked to everyone I could just to keep my mind occupied. I think if I had done this race before Chicago the mental part wouldn’t have been as bad (I do most long runs by myself so it’s not unusual for me to be solo) but having come from 30,000 people and almost a million spectators…..this was rough. Thankfully the locals came out to cheer - kids on pogosticks, families with pots & pans, folks sitting in their lawn chairs with cow bells. It all helped a lot.
The half marathon group had started at 8:35AM (1:35 after the marathon) and I knew that we would see the front runners for the half at some point. What I didn’t expect was to see them so soon. We got passed by the #1 guy at his mile 5 and our mile 13. He was probably doing a 5:30-5:45 mile when we zoomed by. Made my 9:15 feel like a walk lol He would be the only half marathon I would see until the after mile 20 when we all joined together for the finish.
Miles 15-18 took you along Ocean Dr. It was beautiful scenery but just bad timing. At this point in the race you’re kinda over it and just want to grind it out to finish. I took some video to remember it but honestly I was just watching for mile markers. Eating my words that it was only “18 miles to go”
My friend found me around mile 18.5 and we shared a chat while I refilled my water and electrolytes. She’s a former ultra runner and also did the Ironman with me - so she knew exactly where I was in the mental game. There were no “motivational quotes” or pep talks, just suck it up and get done. Just what I needed. She agreed to drive down the road 2 miles so chat with me again and then I’d see her at the finish. I could do two miles alone, that was just enough time before wanting to chat.
Miles 23-Finish
The final 3 miles are always brutal. I was starting to have some foot and calf pain (something I don’t usually have) so I canned trying to run it in and just get it over with with a run/walk. Run .4 and walk .1. That would be 6 intervals. I could do that.
I started to notice a grey blob behind me when I would walk. At first I thought it was my pony tail but then I realized it was a person. They were pacing off of me. At first I was pissed. Someone copying me? Just come next to me and hang! Then I realized that it’s mile 24 of the marathon and people are just hanging on and all courtesy goes out the window LOL. I was prepping for my final walk break when I yelled back “we are walking longer this time, because we are gonna run all the way to the finish on the next one” And the woman laughed. I stopped so she could catch up and we started to chat.
She told me that she was grateful for my pacing because she realized she had gone out too fast and her plan of running even paces wasn’t working anymore. She was able to regroup and keep up with my walk/run intervals. She further explained that this was her first marathon in 20 years, her son had challenged her to do it. Ok I’m not crying, you’re crying. I looked at her and said you’re doing this. Let’s go. And we ran.
The entire final 400M she kept repeating “I’m doing it, I’m going to finish” “I can’t believe this”. I ran a bit ahead of her so she could have her own moment as she crossed the finish line. It was in that moment that I remember why I run marathons and why I coach - for others. Not for me. I run to inspire and motivate.
I am no one special, I just like to do crazy things and help others do them as well. As I sat around on the pavement after I watching runners cross the finish line - I shared their celebrations and cheered them on. The spirit of the marathon is something so special to me. Whether you run a 2:34 or a 6:59….you are a marathoner.
Race Details
Shoes: Brookes Adrenaline
Outfit: Athleta 7'“ compression shorts & Old Navy breath tank
Nutrition/Hydration: Nuun Endurance & Honey Stingers (miles 7, 15, 21, 25)
Music: Random Spotify playlist (something about marathons)
Would I run this race again? No, but not because it was poorly run. I ran to check the box of North Carolina for 50 states. I also learned I prefer bigger races. If I lived closer I’d consider the half marathon (I could stomach the boredom for 13.1 miles)
