Myrtle Beach Marathon is a flat, and fast course ideally suited for a Boston marathon qualification attempt or more personal for me, my third sub-four hour marathon.

Whether you’re aiming to qualify for the Boston Marathon on a flat and fast course in perfect race weather, or you’re looking for a fun destination race for your family or friends, sign up today to #RunMBM in 2017!  Use DISCOUNT code MBMBB17 (10% off) to get a discount.

[Tweet “Wanting to #run Myrtle Beach Marathon use discount code MBMBB17 and come #run with @cledawgs”]

What’s key to a Boston qualifying time, a sub-four marathon or just a fun weekend at the races…consistency.  The time is now to put in the miles and get the speed or endurance you need to be successful in March.

See you in March…

2016 JFK 50 – Blow up of BUST.

Whether it’s a strength or a curse, when a difficult challenge is getting the better of me, I tend to kick into survival mode.  This self-preservation method ensures completing a race instead of blowing up and not being able to finish.

(Would lucky #7 times 3 pay off?)

Going into this year’s pre-race dinner I hadn’t come to grips on a goal.  From the time I first ran the JFK in 2014, I wanted to break the 10-hour barrier but like finding the elusive Yeti I have not uncovered this goal.  During dinner I was asked by a member of US Military Endurance Sports team what my goal was, I replied: “Running a sub-10 hour JFK or blowing up in the process.”  It was either the hype of the race, the flowing testosterone at the table or I had overdosed on spaghetti but I vowed to blow up or finish with my coveted sub 10-hour run.

 (Team USMES at the gym prior to the start)

“The start of a race will not win the prize or ensure your record time, but it will surely lose it for you.”  This adage rang out in my head as the 54th annual JFK 50 gun went off and we started our run out of Boonsboro, Md.

Start to Weverton Cliffs: Mile 1 10:39 / Mile 2 11:10 / Mile 3 10:45 / Mile 4 10:02 / Mile 5 13:48 / Mile 6 14:33 / Mile 7 12:37 / Mile 8 12:37 / Mile 9 13:28 / Mile 10 11:40 / Mile 11 11:51 / Mile 12 13:58 / Mile 13 12:25 / Mile 14 12:24 / Mile 15 15:54

From the climb out of town to the rocky trails of the Appalachian Trail (AT) the start of this race must be treated with respect.  Burn out your legs by going out too fast and you’ll have to live with that damage for more than a marathon.  The altitudes gains within the first miles must be managed in a method that conserves your energy for the 35 miles that wait after the AT.  The trails and footing of the AT must also be treated with reverence to ensure survival.  Running the AT can only be described as a test in foot placement, balance and lightening quick reflexes.  Shortly after the race, I asked one of our rookie runners how he would describe the AT section, his reply nailed it. “Rocks, roots, more rocks, some more roots and an abundance of jagged rocks that could snap your ankles and maybe worse.”  I thought he nailed it.

[Tweet “Taking on the JFK 50 and a quest for a sub 10-hour finish by @cledawgs”]

The rocks of the AT are violent, razor-sharp projections protruding from the ground at angles and distances that constantly have you on guard.  These random formations of tilted edges, slanted flats, and domed surfaces have no rhyme or rhythm to their flow.  These toe catchers stick out of the ground at varying heights waiting for an unexpected collision to throw you off balance and a near certain and devastating  meeting with the ground.  Take your eyes off the trail for an instant, lose your focus, daydream to some happier place and surely you’ll have an unexpected meeting.

Looking back at my lap times I’m surprised I was able to take 12 minutes off my best AT time.  Clock time alone does not give an accurate picture of how fast it felt like I ran this section.  My mind was glued on the trails. My eyes fixed on the next landing spot.  I moved fast landing quickly and lightly.  With my mind on a PR time this early in the race I ran as fast as I could over this the most technical part of the course.  One of the reasons this part of the race can be deceiving may be that your foot action is much faster than the pace you may be running.  Where your normal race pace maybe made up of long strides here your pace is a collection of numerous short, compact, jerky strides searching for the ideal place to land and push off without subjecting your feet and ankles to a violent off balance position.

At times it felt like I was making a good time and at others, I felt like I would be on this trail forever.  The mental work of maintaining your pace while your attention is glued on the course can be exhausting.  The AT offers the runner no time to zone out and disappear in the run.  For 15 miles you have to be on your game whether you’re battling the climbs or the rocks.  Lose focus here and your race will be upset.

I was about to lose the mental war when I heard cowbells and asked a runner in front of me if we had reached Weverton? His reply was music to my ears, “Yes.”  Hot Dawg, now all I had to do was make it down the rapid and razor sharp switchbacks of the infamous Weaverton Cliffs.  Although a sight for the runners eyes, miss-handled a step here and you could end your race on a stretcher.  I was off the AT 15.5 miles into this race at 3 hours 06 minutes.

(Running the rocks of JFK,
Josh is 2nd and I am 4th in this picture and I’m third)

Weverton Cliffs to Dam #4 aka the towpath: Mile 16 12:13 / Mile 17 9:14 / Mile 18 9:37 / Mile 19 10:29 / Mile 20 10:28 / Mile 21 9:49 / Mile 22 9:58 / Mile 23 13:57 Mile 24 10:13 / Mile 25 11:59 / Mile 26 10:17 / Mile 27 10:36 / Mile 28 12:34 / Mile 29 10:35 / Mile 30 11:56 / Mile 31 11:48 / Mile 32 11:15 / Mile 33 11:53 / Mile 34 11:08 / Mile 35 1:258 / Mile 36 11:05 / Mile 37 11:24 / Mile 38 10:35 / Mile 39 12:02 / Mile 40 10:42 Mile 41 11:46 / Mile 42 12:36

Whereas the AT requires your ever present attention the C & O canal towpath allows you to mentally turn off and simply run.  This can be a double edge sword.  After coming off the AT like years past my legs were dead.  The rapid pace, shifting running style, and the climbs had taken their toll.  Now I was faced with 26 miles, 26 miles lay out in front of me and 26 miles would be challenging me to keep up the required pace.  These 26 miles would provide an opportunity to gain ground on your goal or to lose it.

This edition of the JFK would be different.  In 2014, my 1st JFK I took on the JFK alone, in 2015 6 friends ran the race but our pace and goals did not align.  This year rookie runner Josh would be my running partner for the day.  Josh is a good friend, a bit faster, and younger than me.  We developed a tow path plan of running for 9 minutes, walking for 1, and repeating this for as long as we could.  I had chased Josh all through the AT, and I was not going to lose him now.

I’ll condense this section with a simple catch phrase, rinse and repeat.  We held up the 9/1 plan for over half of the towpath, then resorted to 8/2, and finally 7/3 until we hit Dam #4 and the asphalt that would lead us to Williamsport.

My foot hit the first stretch of surface road with 7:56:06 on the clock….with little over 2 hours to run 8 miles I knew a sub 10-hour finish was a possibility.  I also knew I was holding Josh back.  In the last few miles of the towpath, I told him to run his race once we hit the roads.  We ran as a well-oiled machine thru the AT, the tow path, and now he had to run his race.

Towpath to the Finish:  Mile 43 10:04 / Mile 44 10:48 / Mile 45 11:21 / Mile 46 10:08 / Mile 47 11:12 / Mile 48 10:21 / Mile 49 11:05 / FINISH 9:27

It was so nice to get my feet on solid level ground even if that meant facing a 900-yard climb right off the bat.  The 8 miles of roads taking you to Williamsport are rolling country roads which on a normal day would offer little challenge.  At the end of the JFK with 42 miles on your legs, they can be tough.  In prior years I’ll “Ultra walked” even the slightest hill and ran the downhill’s and flats.  After the monster climb at mile 42, I vowed to run everything I could.  Seeing familiar markers of my walk breaks in the past this year I coaxed myself to run to the next hill or the one after that in an effort to keep up my sub 10-hour finish on the table.  In the meantime, Josh punched out and was out of sight.

In years past my JFK run had been blessed with wonderful weather, temps cool in the morning and warm during the day.  For 75% of this year’s race, the pattern followed suit.  Then the weather turned ugly adding an additional challenge.  The weather shift started with a simple drop in temperatures and high winds along the last miles of the towpath.  On the roads to the finish, the skies cast freezing rain down upon us.

At mile 42 the road markers appeared on the side of the road counting us down 8…7…6…5…4

With 4 miles to go, I was all in…I ran everything I had.  The aid stations every 2 miles were my only breaks as I ran for my coveted time.  During the closing miles of any endurance event if you have managed your body, not burned out, and are able to maintain a running pace you can pass a lot of fellow runners on the way to the finish.  At mile 4 it became a near constant game and motivational tool for me to knock off the next runner in front of me.  Although I’m never racing the other runners it’s still uplifting to pass people after a long day on your feet.

When the marker signifying 2 miles remained appeared along the side of the road I did something I never do during a race…I pulled out my phone.  In the gusting winds, with frozen rain drops bouncing off my shirt, and with numb fingers I dialed a familiar number.  “Hello.” my wife answered on the other end of our digital connection.

Between heavy breaths, I tried to communicate, “Honey, 46 minutes, with 46 minutes…I have 2 miles to go.  2 miles for a sub 10-hour finish.”  Something in hearing her voice and those words it got to me, my voice cracked.  I don’t know what it is about the extreme physical events but I break down watching people reach their goals and now knowing that I was capable of reaching mine it got to me.

Michele on the other end simply said: “That’s great, now get back to work….”

That jolt of energy was enough to get me refocused.  I gave it all I had on the final push home.  My legs were red, my face covered in sweat and frozen rain I ran as fast as I could to close out this edition of the JFK 50.  Cresting the final hill and seeing the finish line with the race clock still illuminating the number 9 was a great sight.  Along the side of the road was a girl maybe waiting on her boyfriend, or husband and she was also cheering me on.  “You’re almost there…”

(Post race picture with 3 time champion Jim Walmsey)

I’m almost there, I thought to myself.  I almost have my goal, I’m almost done with my third JFK and I can almost get out of this cold wet gear. I smiled back at her and pushed harder still until I crossed the finish line in front of Williamsport High school. I crossed the same finish line the JFK has had for 54 years, the same finish line where hours before Jim Walmsey broke the course record and the same finish line that one year before left me dejected and defeated.  Today I crossed this finish line at 9:36:27 with a 30 minute Personal Record to claim my third JFK 50 finish.

For videos and to read my race report from 2014 click here

To view videos from my friend Eric’s 1st run at JFK in 2015 click here

Turning 52 years old, I figured the days of logging  Personal Records were a thing of the past.  Running faster seemed like a dream from days gone bye.  BUT then…over a three week span from November 6th to the 24th #BOOM #BOOM #foundthefountainofyouth #bottlethisstuff

UPDATE: the streak continues.  If your counting at home, that’s five PRs in a row.

(My second Umstead finish)

Apr 1 – Umstead 100 Mile Endurance run, 21:36:36

(PR and back to back sub-four marathons)

Mar 6 – Myrtle Beach Marathon: 3:56:47

Nov 6 – City of Oaks Marathon = Logged my second sub-4 hour marathon with a new PR of 3:56:07 / finished 141 out of 509 and 8 out of 36 in my age group. To read the race report click here.

 

Nov 19 – JFK 50 = Smashed my goal of a sub-10 hour run, setting a new PR of 9:36:27 / finishing 234 out of 1042 and 22 in my age group of 119. To read the race report click here.

Nov 24 – Erie Runners Club Turkey Trot 10k = Without a real plan I winged it to a new PR of 45:04 / finished 56/534 at 45:05 and 2nd out of 21 in my age group.

[Tweet “What’s in a number, turning 52 didn’t stop @cledawgs from scoring PRs in 3 back2back2back races!”]

Age is just a number we use to let the rest of the world know how long we have been on this planet.  Do not let it define you, limit you or keep you from following your dreams!

 

Somewhere around the twentieth mile during the 2016 edition of the City of Oaks Marathon, Raleigh, North Carolina, I noticed a fellow runner slightly ahead wearing a simple white shirt.  On this beautiful sun filled day this shirt was easy to spot off in the distance.  As I made up ground on this fellow runner I noticed this shirt had something hand written on the back.  This is not uncommon; many people self author messages of inspiration or remembrance on the back of their marathon gear.  As I got closer I noticed this message had the number 200 in it.  At first, I was thrown off, certainty this runner was not 200 years old.  Drawing closer I could make out the full text, “City of Oaks, 200th Marathon.”  Wow…was all I could process in my mind.  As I approached this determined runner I did the math, I’m 182 behind this guy.  Wow…just wow. On my way around him, I felt the need to offer some words of encouragement and a pat on the back. After finishing my City of Oaks Marathon, my second career sub-four marathon, I walked back to my car and told my wife, Michele, about this runner who would be finishing his 200th marathon. A few hours later, after arriving safely home from the race I checked my Facebook account and noticed my timeline filled with congratulations.  Intermixed with friends congratulating me on the sub-four were post offering the same sentiments to the finisher of 200 marathons.  Little did I know Mr. 200 Marathons (Eric Johnson) and I (along with a bunch of other runners) are friends on social media, a wonderful part of our world. I decided right there I wanted to know more about his marathon journey.

Eric thank you for taking the time to share your wonderful journey with us. Besides, the 200 marathons I’ve also noticed you have run a marathon in all 50 states. [Tweet “WOW Eric has finished 200 Marathons and Counting by @cledawgs “]

Brian’s Running Adventures (Q): When did your marathon journey begin?

Eric Johnson (EJ): I ran my first marathon in 1993, Second in 1997 and my third in 1999.

Q:  Did you initially have a goal of running a certain number of marathons or to complete 50 marathons in 50 states?

EJ: I only intended to be a one and done marathoner but I met a couple of 50 Staters and succumbed to peer pressure.

Q:  With a resume of 200 marathons, do you have a favorite?

EJ:  I jokingly answer “the last one I finished”.  I do have favorites for various reasons. I really enjoyed the Disney Marathon because I was able to run with my little brother and then spend time with his family the day after the race. The Tobacco Marathon and City of Oaks marathons are both great events that I’ve put a lot of blood and sweat into as either a committee member or board member. I was able to get a day off to run each of them once. Another one of my favorites is the Breast Cancer Marathon in Jacksonville, Florida. There is a ton of course support, the weather is usually ideal and the course is flat. Another is Chicago. The Chicago Marathon is my PR race and has 2 of my 3 fastest times. Chicago has a great expo.

Q:  Is there a marathon that you would “NEVER” run again?  Why?

EJ:  I don’t recall a marathon that I would not do again.

Q:  Have you run any marathons more than once?  Why?

EJ:  I have repeated several marathons for various reasons. I’m currently participating in the Big Bang Challenge which is running 5 consecutive years of the Space Coast Marathon commemorating the 5 shuttles that were sent into orbit. I’ve also run all 3 of the All American Marathons so I will continue to run this one every year.

Q:  What is your fastest marathon time/slowest?

EJ:  My PR is 4:02:09 and my slowest is 9:48:25. The worst one was on Day 5 of a 5-day marathon series. I had severe blisters covering about 30% of my feet that occurred on day 3 of that series. Fortunately, the series had a no cutoff policy and I spent the entire last day limping gingerly on bloody shoes because I needed those states for my second circuit of the states.

Q:  Over the course of 200 marathons what lessons have you learned about running 26.2 miles.

EJ:  The most important thing I’ve learned is to respect the distance. Even though I’ve slowed dramatically due to following a philosophy of “quantity over quality”, I still respect the distance and determination it takes to cover the distance.

Q:  What were the worst conditions you have run a marathon in?

EJ:  That would be part of the New England Marathon Series. It was a multiple out and back course and early in the event, myself and Henry Reuden were on the outbound section when a thunderstorm rolled in very quickly. I had already taken shelter for about 20 minutes for the first storm to pass.  A short time later, a second thunderstorm rolled in quickly. This time we were at the start/finish line and took shelter under the food tent. A lightning bolt struck very close to the tent and several of us felt it. Scary day but after the storm, everybody went back to work to finish another state.

Q:  I see your next goal is 100 marathons in North Carolina, how far are you away from that one?

EJ: I’ve run 51 marathons in North Carolina.

Q.  If some read this interview and said “I want to run 200 marathons,” What advice would you give them?

EJ: DO NOT RACE! Racing and running so many marathons per year will guarantee you a close relationship with several doctors. Q:  I get a lot of reactions from non-runners when they hear I’ve run 18 marathons, what in the world do people outside the running community say when they learn about your 200 marathons?

EJ:  It’s a funny question. Non-runners will think it is a lot but it does take a runner to realize just what has been accomplished. 200 is also not very many compared to some of the persons I run with across the country. I know several who are attempting 100 marathons in 2016. Thank you for taking the time to participate in this “marathon” interview.  I’m sure this interview and your 200th finish has and will inspire others to keep after their goals.

Although the core of our sport, the act of actual running is just part of the formula for your race day success.

If you’re like most runners in training you’ll spend the majority of your time running.  It’s what we do.  If you choose to enter a few races the act of running will take up around 90% of your race day experience.  Success or failure can come down to what you do with the time within the race when your not running.  Race day success can be and often is dependant on your race day strategies, namely on your aid station tactics.  As you approach an aid station keep these three simple strategies in mind and practice them on training runs.

Make Your Intentions Clear – Similar to driving on a multi-lane superhighway you wouldn’t dart across four lanes of traffic without signaling your intentions.  (Well… at least most of us wouldn’t) In a race, if you intend to move towards the aid station tables, the support zones, use your hands like the turn signals on your car to call out your intentions.  I’ve used this tactic very successfully and have received positive comments from runners around me.  If I plan to divert my path left or right I signal to the runners around me before I alter my gait.

I was running the Silverstone half marathon in the United Kingdom when the pack I was in approached an aid station.  We were approximately 10 yards from the support zone when out of the blue a runner three to four strides in front of us made a sharp and unexpected move.  Caught off guard, the runners behind him took evasive actions.  A heel was clipped, a stride was thrown off course and a pile up occurred.  A runner went down in front of me,  with only seconds to act, it took all the athletic ability I could muster to not run over the top of him and potentially go down myself.  A simple indication of intention would have prevented this mishap.

Get What You Need and Get Moving Again – The support zones are not a hang out.  Be courteous to other runners coming up behind you and get what you need, water, a power drink or GU, and get out of the way.

On more than one occasion, most recently at the Hinson Lake 24 Hour Run when I’ve been running a good race, on my time goal and approaching the aid station table only to find that I can’t get to the water cups or the aid tables.  It is frustrating beyond belief to be blocked from aid because runners are hanging out BSing about the race, the World Series, or the newest Hoka shoes and clogging up the support zones.  In some extreme examples I’ve seen the aid zones stacked up two or three deep.

You Must Slow Down to go Faster – Although our ultimate goal is against the clock, to travel from point A to point B in the least amount of time. The aid stations are a place where you can make up time by slowing down.  Or they can become a place where you can lose time if in your quest to get in and out as fast as you can you forget something you need, spill the drink, or cause yourself to choke.  Any one of these unintended consequences will cause you to lose more time then you would have made up by going fast.

[Tweet “Check out Race Day Strategies – Aid Stations by @cledawgs on briansrunningadventures.com “]

During a number of races I’ve witnessed a few runners double back because they forgot items.  I’ve also notice runners struggling because in the haste to chug down a cup of water they choke on it or spill the needed aid before they could get the refuel they needed.

In the 17 years, I’ve been running and racing, I’ve either made these mistakes or witnessed a runner come apart and mess up their day by not having or following their race day strategies.

 

This was my second time running the City of Oaks Marathon…last year I was surprised by my wife just prior to race start. This year I would also receive a big surprise, but this one scared the oaks right out of me.

[Tweet “Brian @cledawgs and Michele renewed wedding vows at @oaksmarathon in 2015 #awesome”]

The 2016 edition, the 10th anniversary of this race was held on a beautiful day to run.

Before I get into the details of the race I must say how well supported this race was, everything went off without a hitch.  The expo was just the right size, the race day management was perfect and the course, challenging but rewarding!  <<spoiler alert>> BOOM….a new marathon PR and my second sub 4-hour marathon finish.

My Gear:
Pearl Izumi Road N2
Race Ready Long Distance Shorts
Tobacco Road Marathon Finisher’s Shirt
Running Buddy Pouch (not pictured, held my phone for the walk to race site and 26.2 miles)
Swiftwick Maximus Socks
Julbo Eyewear sunglasses
Garmin 201
Sleefs arm sleeve
GU energy gels
Recovery Drink Cocoa Elite
Race Dots

Race Start:
I made the start video…red shirt starting my GPS watch.

Mile Splits, 1 -20:
1 – 9:13, 2 – 8:57, 3 – 8:51, 4 – 8:54, 5 – 8:18, 6 – 8:55, 7 – 8:37, 8 – 9:29, 9 – 8:55, 10 – 8:57,
11 – 8:35, 12 – 9:02, 13 – 8:46, 14 – 9:09, 15 – 8:55, 16 – 8:43, 17 – 9:05, 18 – 9:01, 19 – 8:46
20 – 8:57

I followed my pre-race plan to a “T.”  During the opening maylay, AKA the opening miles, I simply wanted to conserve some energy and keep the 4-hour pacers sign in my field of vision.  Around the 6th mile the pack thinned out and I was able to pull up within a few strides of the pacers, and there I stayed. I hung with the 4-hour pacers, who did an OUTSTANDING job, up till the 20-mile point then I left the security and comfort of the pack and took off on my own.  A move like this can be kind of scary for two reasons. #1 I had to manage my own pace, with my 50-year-old eyesight and my 15-year-old Garmin 201, it was near impossible to tell if I was running a 8 minute pace or 9.  #2 if I got caught from behind by the 4-hour group during the closing miles of the race because of my pace mismanagement or lack of fitness it would be embarrassing and a down right ego killer. Still I stuck with my pre-race plan and made a left turn around the pacers and broke free.

Mile 20 and on:
I made my move with the goal of building on the great start and taking time off of my 4-hour goal finish time.  After I made break and taking on some smaller hill climbs I felt like I was clear of the pace group and chipping time off the  4-hour finish. A finish I wanted so bad.  Then I hit the long climb at mile 23…

Mile Splits:
21 – 8:34
22 – 8:50
23 – 9:09
24 – 9:52
This mile has maybe the longest and toughest climb of the day, I could feel my legs were falling off here.

Once I reached the halfway point of this climb I glanced over my shoulder and got the scare of the day.  I could see the neon green shirts of the 4-hour pacers coming up from behind.  My heart sank, my chest became restricted and my legs got heavy. The 4-hour pace group wasn’t off some distance behind me but were within 50 yards of me and one of the pacers was making up ground fast.  I settled back into my own personal attack on this hill when I heard the sounds of heavy breathing from someone coming up from behind.  I thought for sure I had been caught then heard some encouraging words which I thought were for me but one of the pacers was motivating another runner up the hill.  I hooked onto this breakaway pair and followed suit.  Once we crested the hill my mind went to work on me, was my worst fears coming true?  I feared I could not keep up the push and would eventually fall off my 4-hour goal.

Running Scared:
I’ll admit I ran scared for the rest of the race.  For the next 2.2 miles, I could hear or I thought I could hear the pace group footsteps coming up from behind me.  Once past the 24-mile marker, I knew it was time to run with my heart.

I’m not sure what was harder the first 13 miles trying to ensure I was on target or the last two miles when I knew I had a good finish in hand, but could tell my legs were feeling the effects of the day, the miles, and the numerous rolling hills of the City of Oaks Marathon course.  They don’t look like much on a course elevation chart but these so called rollers, they take the zip out of you.

The Finish:
25 – 8:47
26.2 – 8:48
The finish was tough my legs were spent.

The last .2 of the marathon 26.2-mile distance had my number.  Somehow I knew I would lose 10 minutes in the .2 to the finish. Then I heard a familiar voice calling my name.  That slight distraction from the growing shortness of breath and tightness in my thighs diverted my eyes from the roadway in front of me enough to see my beautiful wife standing in the road encouraging me.  Because of the logistics during the Niagara Falls Marathon, she missed my first and only sub 4-hour finish (3hr 56m 57sec).  Today, there she was standing in the middle of the road cheering me on…this kicked my butt into gear and allowed me to keep up a strong finish.

[Tweet “@cledawgs ran scared all the way to his second sub-four marathon at @oaksmarathon”]

#BOOM  3:56:06
I finished my 18th Marathon, set a new marathon PR and deposited my second sub-four marathon finish into the Bank of Pheidippides!  When Michele hugged me at the finish I was brought to tears caught up with emotions of the day.

Win A Free Set of Race Dots…

What are Race Dots you ask?

Magnetic Race Number Attachment System

RaceDots® are the  simple, colorful and non-destructive alternative to safety pins. Each RaceDot is a patented assembly of two very strong magnets that lock together to hold your race number in place, but they never hurt your clothing.

Check out their website at Race Dots

How do you win a free set?

Simple guess my finishing time for this years JFK50, go to my Facebook  Brian’ s Running Adventures page and enter that time under the post labeled Race Dots for JFK.  The closest predicted time without going over wins a free set of Race Dots (skulls).

My goal time for the race is sub 10 hours…

I have run the  JFK50 two other times, in 2014 finishing in 10 hrs 06 mins 26 sec, and last year I finished in 10 Hrs 17 mins 13 sec.

So click on over to my Facebook page and give it a try….what do you have to lose?