Marathon #94 (sub-4 state #29, second round state #14): Vermont City Marathon, Burlington, VT

3:48 finish, 532/1935 place overall. Scenic and very well supported mid-sized race in and around Burlington, finishing along bike path overlooking Lake Champlain. Somewhat hilly course, but weather this year was mostly cloudy and relatively cool, making for a 19 minute improvement over my 2011 time when it was very hot and humid. Much better experience this time overall.

Garmin map and performance details

Marathon #93 (second round state #13): New Jersey Marathon, Long Branch, NJ

3:38 finish (PR), 498/2118 place overall.  Nice, well-organized mid-sized race going through towns and neighborhoods along Jersey Shore, starting at Monmouth Racetrack and finishing along the boardwalk in Long Branch. Very flat course and ideal weather allowed for another personal best finish - by just 44 seconds - beating my previous best in Maryland five months ago.

Garmin map and performance details

Marathon #92 (country #12): Olympia Marathon, Greece

3:49 finish, 35/110 place overall. Small but friendly and well-supported race through rural areas of the western Peloponnese peninsula, with a unique finish in Ancient Olympia next to the ruins of the stadium where the original Olympic Games were held in 776 BC. A couple of tough hills in the second half, but otherwise relatively flat with ideal running weather, leading to a decent finish time.

Garmin map and performance details

Photos

Marathon #91 / Ultra-marathon #1: Caumsett Park 50K (31 mile) Run, Lloyd Neck, NY

4:53 finish, 12/47 place overall. This was a 50K (31 miles), the shortest standard ultra-marathon distance. (Ultra-marathons can range from 50K to upwards of 200 miles.) Since it was my first time ever going beyond the marathon distance, my only goal was to finish without bombing at the end. It was painful late in the race, but with good running weather and a relatively easy course, I was able to finish with a 9:27 average pace - just under five hours. It may be my only ultra-marathon, at least in the near future, but glad to have done at least one. My main focus is still on regular marathons, completing them in different countries, continents, and Canadian provinces while filling in calendar gaps with local U.S. races.

Garmin map and performance details

Marathon #90: Icebreaker International Marathon, East Meadow, NY

4:21 finish, 32/66 place overall. I went into this as a long training run rather than a race, not looking for a fast time. Only signed up because I needed a 23-24 mile run this week anyway as part of training for my 50K in March, and since this is a very cheap local race and the timing worked out, why not add a few miles and get another marathon under my belt? It's a small race with not the most exciting course (eight loops around Eisenhower Park), but it is well organized and supported for what it is. Finish time was slow as planned, but I got the training run I needed with the added bonus of a marathon completion.

Garmin map and performance details