À vos marques... prêts... partez! (Or in English, on you mark... .get set... go!)
Marathon #10 is four weeks away, and this is going to be an incredible one, and for many reasons.
First off, I'm about to hit double digits! I'm having a great time with this challenge. I've whipped myself into pretty decent shape for a man who turned 40 in April, and have also met some terrific people along the way. Part of me does not want this to end! But I have so many other goals to pursue, and this challenge has without question opened the door to so many other possibilities.
Three weeks after Quebec City I will take part in the Wallis Sands Triathlon, which will be held just a few miles away from here. 1/3 mile ocean water swim, 14.5 mile bike, 3.1 mile run. Very excited, and I'll devote a post to that tri in the coming weeks as well.
But I did figure out which marathon would work to properly conclude my 12 in 12 - and the winner is (drumroll please... ... ... .) The Clarence Demar Marathon on September 26th!
Who? What? Where? are the common questions that often follow that announcement. Here are some quick particulars:
Clarence Demar was a 7-time champion of the Boston Marathon, and won his 7th victory at the age of 41 - both records still stand today. The race starts in Gilsum, NH and finishes up at Keene State College, where Demar was a professor. It is supposed to be a picturesque race, folilage will be spectacular and the best part - by making this race #11, then I can run Smuttynose Rockfest the following weekend and finish up on October 2nd, EXACTLY one year to the day this wild ride began.
So while the month of September and the first weekend in October will be a very busy time, first I need to take care of some 26.2 business in Québec City.
The course follows the St. Lawrence River, and Québec City is both majestic and visually stunning, as close to a European city there is here in North America. It begins in Levis, and hugs the river along the south bank, cross a bridge, and it continues along the north bank, with a finish in old Québec City. It is called 'Marathon des Deux Rives' - literally translated, it means 'Marathon on both sides'.
As with any race held in late August, weather can be either scorching hot or have early Autumn-like temperatures. And good thing I have my Garmin Forerunner - the distance markers are in Kilometers! Othwerwise that would make for some late race number crunching, no doubt - but didn't Yogi Berra once say he'd rather run 26.2 miles than 42.2 kilometers?
(I don't think so, but he once said "You better cut the pizza into four slices, I can't eat six.")
Perhaps the biggest reason to be excited about this race is that Mrs. 12 marathons is of French-Canadian descent, and a nice contingent of family will be in attendence, including her cousin (running the 1/2! Vous êtes une machine!) and his wife the (5k and 10k, I believe) as well as the Memère, Pepère and Tante of the jeunes 12 months. More than a few Molsons will be enjoyed après course I would venture to say.
One last thought: 'Je me souviens' - that is the Quebec motto, and appears on their license plate. It means 'I remember' and here in Kittery during the summer months it seems like every other car is from Quebec. Whenever I read 'Je me souviens' I can't help but think of the first few lines of the Gnarls Barkley tune 'Crazy' - and laugh. Why? Let's face it, some people think running 12 marathons in 12 months is exactly that!
Crazy? You decide. I prefer bold. That's more like it. Anyway, for your listening enjoyment, here is Ray LaMontagne weighing in on the matter. Musical perfection, in my opinion:
Ray Lamontagne's acoustic (and beautiful) cover of Gnarls Barkley's song 'Crazy'
I remember when
I remember, when I lost my mind
There was something so pleasant about that phase
Even your emotions had an echo
In so much space
And when you're out there
Without care
I was out of touch
It wasn't because I didn't know enough
I just knew too much
Does that make me crazy
Does that make me crazy
Does that make me crazy
Probably
An I hope that you are having the time of your life
Oh but think twice
That's my only advice
Come on now
Who do you
Who do you think you are
Woah Woah
Bless your soul
Do you really think that you're in control
Well I think you're crazy
I think you're crazy
I think you're crazy
Just like me, yeah
My heroes had the heart
To lose their lives out on a limb
An all I remember
Is thinking I wanna be like them
Ever since I was little it looked like fun
It was no coincidence that I've come
I can die when I'm done
Maybe I'm crazy
Maybe you're crazy
Maybe we're crazy
Probably... ... ... .