Salisbury, MD 4 2 22

 

Salisbury Marathon

April 2, 2022

5:04:52 312/375 Overall   2/2 in 70-74

            With a starting temp of 37 and ending temp of 50, it was a good-weather day for running a marathon. I kept a consistent run/walk of 4/1 and felt strong all the way despite having limited training for the last month due to back issues. I was happy to have negative splits with 2:35:30 for the first half and under 2:30 for the second half. It was a half-mile walk from the parking lot to the start area, so it was a perfect warm-up for my legs and back. I had a long-sleeve shirt over my short-sleeve shirt and arm warmers; I tossed it about mile 10. About half-way, I tucked my arm warmers and gloves into my shorts although it got windy some of the time and I had to put the gloves back on. Most of the course was out in the open countryside so there were many fields, but few people, other than aide-stations helpers along the way. I did pass a cemetery, but it was pretty dead, too. I was just happy not to end up there.

After I finished, I got to chat with Bart Yasso of Runners’ World fame. I originally met him at Vermont City Marathon in 2008. I also talked to him at Saskatoon in 2012 and again at Boston with Jodi in 2017 when Bart marveled at all my Boston patches.

            I flew into DC on Thursday and drove 3 hours to Salisbury. On Friday I enjoyed looking around their free zoo and their wonderful library. At the library I found a book recounting the history of Maryland Eastern Shore minor league baseball; the league sent a lot of players to the majors. It’s no longer a leauge but Salisbury does have a minor league team and I visited its ballpark. I also saw the campus of Salisbury University when we ran through it and again when I walked around it.

            The morning after the marathon I found some great walking trails around the Pemberton Plantation Park. I saw a lot of wildlife including ducks and turtles as I walked along the river and across the grounds of the old Plantation. I found a hidden gem in the Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art. The Ward Brothers carved decoys as well as creating other forms of sculpture and art. They were like Michelangelo's of wood carving. For Sunday dinner I ate at an Italian restaurant called Fratelli’s. It was too full to get into Saturday so went back Sunday because I’d heard it was great and because John Pius and I often ate at the similarly named Fratelli’s in Fresno.

            On my drive to the Baltimore airport for my mid-afternoon flight, I was able to take a short detour to visit the the maritime town of St. Michael’s. I wish I’d had more time, but it was fun to briefly see the museum, harbor and historic ships and shops.

This was Marathon #176; 35 states on 2nd go-round; All 10 Canadian provinces.

Marathon and trip photos; hold ctrl and click to go to Shutterfly: VIEW ALBUM