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My sincere appreciation goes to two people who helped me achieve my goal of finishing in under 4 hours:
Amy Blithe, our team coach and Greg Wilson, my running mentor from QVC, each inspired and motivated me by sharing plenty of insight from their experience and running with me to push me to better results.
Thanks for all of your support!
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Team Delaware at JFK |
Joints in Motion Training Team
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Post-race activities
Celebrate!
I was ready to sample some fish ‘n’ chips and took a long walk with Sue, Duncan and Scott to eventually end up eating a post-race meal just across from the Gresham at Flannigan’s. Later, we headed for the 7:30 JIM Celebration Party at Zanzibar, a 70’s disco featuring 8 costumed dancers and some good finger food. The Guinness tasted pretty fine also! I knew I was OK after dancing with Sue and feeling no worse for wear. But that shouldn’t have surprised me. After all, I was an athlete!
Savoring the Victory
Back at the hotel, I packed and got a good night's sleep. Team Delaware was the first to arrive, and we'd be the first to depart. We met in the lobby at 7am, too early for breakfast. It was another gray, rainy day. Our bus driver Jerry was less animated then he had been several days earlier, but he got us to the airport early enough to use the last of our Euros to buy some breakfast. Once we got through customs, we had the pleasure of waiting at the crowded gate for over an hour, along with a host of other runners and tourists headed back to America. Since we were in the basement, we got a taste of how the immigrants felt below decks on the Titanic. [OK, just a teeny little taste, but we were packed in like sardines.]
Speaking of packed in, the movie on the flight was "K-19, The Widowmaker", a submarine flick. Anyway, it helped pass the time. I stood up a couple times to make sure my legs were still operational after hours of sitting. Leaving the plane, I laughed to myself that I was walking like an old man. That's because I was walking like an old man. We got out of JFK pretty quickly and were now in the home stretch of our amazing journey.
It was raining when we got back to Delaware. For the first time on the trip, I openned my umbrella as I hopped off the mini-bus. Some quick goodbyes and before I knew it, I was at home in front of my computer, looking up my results at the Dublin City Marathon website...
From an email sent by Coach Amy following our return:
Hi gang,
I first want to congratulate everyone who completed the Dublin marathon. You guys are awesome!!! The results were as follows:
Jill Heathcock - 5:56:51
Meghan Maguire - 7:39:39
Patty DeNardo - 6:05:16
Andrew Edmonds - 5:59:23
Scot Larrimore - 4:37:31
Jane Stover - 4:52:23
Ray Christensen - 3:49:57
I hope you are all recovering well. Also thank you to Ray and Andrew who came to practice last wed. night in the cold and dark weather. Note they came to practice 2 days after completing the marathon still on the high!!! Both with their Dublin Finisher Shirts on!!!
Photos
[l. to r.] Meghan, Patty, Sue, Andrew at the disco . . . . . . . Disco Dancers
Dancers . . . . . . . Sue and Ray . . . . . . . Meghan and her mom
Sue on the stairs . . . . . . . Party on!!!
Sue hits the dance floor - - - - - - - - - - - -
Patty and Duncan waiting at Dublin Airport
Ray was presented with this beautiful trophy by the Distribution Management Team at QVC.
Andrew and Ray pose with Coach Amy Blithe at Delcastle, 2 days after the marathon.
A few weeks later, Amy would complete the Philadelphia Marathon in 3 hrs. 15 mins. to qualify for the 2003 Boston Marathon. Go Amy!
TOP
Marathon Man - my running home page
Join the Team! - Run or walk a marathon or half-marathon
Running gear and links - Shop for shoes, athletic apparel, posters. Links to running sites.
Tips from Runner's World - Training advice, race strategy, shoe reviews, injury prevention: Subscribe here!
Getting Started / Training Log - my weekly commentary from the start of my 2002 Joints in Motion training
Philadelphia Distance Run - my first event, a half marathon in 2002
Delaware Distance Classic - 15k race in Wilmington
Dublin City Marathon: Sightseeing - the trip, the team and the sights
Dublin City Marathon: The Race - the main event.......step by step
Dublin City Marathon: Celebration - party after the race, the trip home, final thoughts
Bermuda Walking Marathon 2002 - Team DE in Bermuda
Disney Marathon 2003 - J.I.M. Team DE in Florida
2003 running events! - Yes, I'm addicted - 2003 half-marathons, Broad Street Run.
2003 Marathons - preparations for Alaska and NYC
Humpy's Marathon Course - Slideshow of the trails of Anchorage, Alaska
Anchorage 2003 - Travel to Alaska and cruise the fjords
Anchorage 2003 - Team Eastern PA takes on Humpy's Marathon
Anchorage 2003 - Road trip to Talkeetna and Denali sightseeing
Anchorage 2003 - Team Members explore Anchorage
Anchorage 2003 - Team Cobey's Alaskan Adventure: Hiking, Kayaking
Anchorage 2003 - More sightseeing photos: Fjords Cruise, Alaska Zoo
New York City Marathon 2003 - 2 million spectators cheer Ray on to victory over P. Diddy
New York City Marathon 2003 - page 2: The race
Icicle Run 2004 - 10 mile race in Wilmington, DE in January. Brrr!
Caesar Rodney 2004 - Half Marathon in Wilmington, 3 weeks before Paris
Paris 2004 - 1. Flight, Metro, Hotel, Sacre Coeur
Paris 2004 - 2. Race Expo, Notre Dame, Sainte-Chapelle, Breakfast Run, Louvre, Pasta
Paris 2004 - 3. The Race: 28th Paris Marathon
Paris 2004 - 4. Pere Lachaise Cemetery, Eiffel Tower, Room Party
Paris 2004 - 5. Versailles, Good Meals, A Final Run
Bay to Breakers 2004 - 1. Photos of San Francisco 12K race
Bay to Breakers 2004 - 2. Photos of San Francisco 12K race - contains nudity
2004 Events - 5K Races and Training (sorry, no nudity)
Chicago 2004 - 1. Sightseeing, Expo, Pasta Dinner
Chicago 2004 - 2. The Race and celebration
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