Here in Minnesota, everyone talks about Grandma's Marathon, so it seems to be the "premiere running event" of the upper Midwest. After having completed the run, it's nice and all, but it doesn't compare to the energy and entertainment of the Twin Cities Marathon.
Before the race started, the skies opened up and poured rain on top of the runners, as we waited in a car dealership parking lot. Some of the more "dry-minded" folks hit the pavement, and rolled beneath the various SUVs and "higher clearance" vehicles on the lot. Lots of folks (including me) pulled out the disposable trash bag, and threw it on as a temporary poncho.
The rain lightened up during the first half of the run, and had pretty much stopped by mile 13. Unfortunately, everything was completely soaked inside and out. By mile 15, my right sock formed a soggy wrinkle beneath the knuckle of my big toe, and a blister ensued. I spent the later miles pushing harder with my left leg, in order to take the pressure off my right foot.
All of that imbalanced running caught up to me around the 22 mile marker (and Lemon Drop hill), when my left quad started cramping up. I spent the last 4.2 miles alternating between a carefully balanced jogging stance, or just walking and massaging the cranky quad muscle, trying to coax a little more effort out of it.
In the end, I managed to squeeze out a 4:10 finish, and a couple of free beers (whew!)
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