I slept in until 7:30 am which was like a marathon dream! I was able to have breakfast at the hotel and relax for a bit before heading out to the next block where I was to begin my run. Lynn helped me map out a run around the East Campus loop of Duke and then out to the main campus (near the gardens we had visited the day before). I stretched and got ready and we met around 9:30 am.
 |
| Starting line selfie with Lynn. |
The first part of the run was a loop and a half around the perimeter of the Duke East Campus. This loop was a bona fide gravel/crushed gravel running loop, and many walkers and runners were out enjoying the perfect mid-50 degree slightly overcast weather. I started off fine, but realized early on that it was hard to run on the uneven gravel. I did the best I could, but I knew my pace was pretty slow. Also, the loop had quite a few ups and downs in terrain. What I thought would be pretty easy was actually quite tough.
Lynn met me at the graffiti bridge which was along this loop, and I ran under the bridge and along Campus Dr. out toward the main Duke campus. Our plan was that I’d meet her near the Duke Chapel, and that I’d run some loops all around the campus. I ran ahead of her as she walked. I found the road into the campus and followed along Flowers Drive which ran alongside the beautiful Duke Gardens we had visited the day before. The gardens were now officially closed due to the virus precautions, but I could still see some of the beautiful plants and trees through the fence as I ran along this part. I followed this road and turned onto another road that I thought would bring me up to the part of campus where the chapel was. Instead, I soon found myself running straight into the Duke Medical Center area. This was an unintended detour, but it actually turned out ok, as I was able to get more mileage in before heading into the main campus.
I asked a guy who worked in the medical center if he could tell me in which direction the chapel was located, but he wasn’t really sure. I figured I’d find it eventually and ran myself through the medical center and onto Erwin Road. I followed Erwin which seemed like it was the border between the Duke campus and the regular city. I took my first left which was Research Dr. and headed back into the campus. I ran along and asked a young couple where the chapel was, and lo and behold, it was just up ahead! I snaked my way through some footpaths between buildings and came upon the the chapel from the back side of it. I saw Lynn sitting there in the quad and let her know I was doing well. I was at about 5.5 miles now, and my plan was to get to about 9 miles here at the main campus before heading back toward East Campus where I’d finish up whatever mileage I still had left. She was cool with that and so patiently waited there for me while I ran other loops around the chapel quad, student union area, out to Towerview Road and Science Drive. I ran by a statue of a camel, the Duke Law School building, and up to Whitford Drive which led to Jack Coombs field where the baseball team plays. I ran past the track and did a quick turnaround in the parking lot of this area.
 |
| Jack Coombs baseball field. |
I ran back the way I came and up to the chapel quad again. The buildings in this area of Duke reminded me so much of Hogwarts! Everything looks quite gothic, and in fact, even some of the building facades featured little logos that reminded me of Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Slytherin and Ravenclaw. So cool!
 |
| Hogwarts-esque door. |
 |
| Chapel doors. |
 |
| Chapel on Duke campus. |
I ran a loop around this area and out along Campus Drive then back in for another loop before I was ready to start heading back toward East Campus. I was feeling pretty good despite my injury. I knew my pace was much slower than other races (10-11ish min/mile), but I wasn’t worried about time. This race was first and foremost about just finishing. I thought I’d be sidelined due to either injury or pandemic, so hitting mile 9 on this beautiful day in this beautiful location was nothing short of a miracle in itself!
 |
| Me at approximately mile 9 in front of the Duke Chapel. |
I stopped to let Lynn know I was ready to begin the return trip, filled my water (as she was also my aid station volunteer) and off I went back out Campus Drive back toward the graffiti bridge. I loved running along this road. It was a straight, relatively flat, wooded road that connected the two campuses. Traffic was quiet, since classes had all been canceled due to the virus. It was a perfect running route!
 |
| Graffiti bridge on return trip. Notice guy on left setting up his paint, ladder, etc. |
As I approached the graffiti bridge on my return bridge, I spied a fellow getting ready to do some artwork. He had all his spray paint, paint cans, ladder and other assorted materials. Fun! Wish I could’ve watched him at his craft. Once through the bridge tunnel, I was back at the gravel loop around East Campus. I decided to run in the opposite direction than I had in the first part of my run. I had about 3 miles to go, which meant two loops around the perimeter. At this late point in the run, running on the gravel and uneven surface felt like torture. After a loop, I decided to take a detour and run around in the quad area of this campus. It was smaller than the main campus, but I looped through a couple of times and ran along some footpaths and looped some parking areas.
 |
| Lilly Library on Duke's east campus. This is the quad I looped around in the final miles. |
This did the trick. I left the quad area with about 1/2 mile left to go. I exited near the music building back on to the gravel path. I ran the last quarter or so of the loop to the “finish line” of the race where Lynn was waiting for me….the same place we had started approximately 2 1/2 hours earlier. I had done it! She snapped some finish line photos for me, and I stopped my tracking apps with a distance of 13.3 and time of 2:36, much slower than my normal finish time, but I felt pretty good about it considering I had been fighting injury, stopped to ask directions a couple of times, stopped to talk to my friend, and stopped to take a few snapshots along the way.
 |
| Finish line photo. 13.3 done! |
I really enjoyed this beautiful virtual run. In such an unprecedented time of crisis, I applaud the race director for his creativity and for giving runners the opportunity to still achieve the distance for which they trained. I thank my friends Douglas and Lynn for not shrinking at the challenge of hosting a friend in this time of panic with a full and grateful heart. I am thrilled to have finished my 47th state half marathon on that state’s soil when really, I could’ve easily crumbled due to the canceled event.
Although this was to be the Tobacco Road Half Marathon in Cary, NC, I am renaming it for my official race result purposes to the Tobacco Road/Duke University/Pandemic Half Marath-non (sic intended). But my triumphant day was far from over when I finished running just after noontime.
Lynn and I went our separate ways so I could stretch, shower and rest for a bit. I met back up with her in the late afternoon, and we went to a cool little gift shop she works at part-time called Morgan Imports. After a bit of shopping, we ducked in to the Clouds Brewery right next to her apartment for a pint and appetizer. We had some lovely girl time then went to get sushi take out for dinner. Her oldest daughter, Brooke, was flying in from Los Angeles, and we were ready for a grand family dinner.
It was fabulous to “meet” Brooke, as I hadn’t seen her since she was a wee child. She is now an accomplished filmmaker and celluloid expert. It was so much fun to hang out with the entire Solomon family unit. Priceless. Genuine. Precious. Radioactive.
After dinner, Douglas proposed a night cap at the local pub across the street, the James Joyce. Why not? Lynn, Douglas and I hopped over there and waxed over fond memories, friendship and times to come. I sincerely hope they can squeeze us in during their summer plan to hit the New England area for a visit. They are truly lovely, genuine, food-for-the-soul friends. Our evening ended with warm goodbyes and promises of breakfast together the next morning.
True confessions…I stopped in to the hotel bar before hitting my bed that night, and I only write about this because of the delightful bartender, Nicki, who I chatted with during this wild time of Coronavirus. She was a sweet, sweet lady who couldn’t believe I’d even set foot in 47 of the 50 states, let alone run half marathons in each of them. We had such a down to earth, heartfelt chat about work, life, goal setting, health/exercise, etc. She is a gem. If you are in Durham, seek her out at the Residence Inn bar on West Main St. I was happy to give her (one beer) business in such a surreal, slow time. The night attendant at the main check in desk joined us for a bit, and we talked books after I told them I’m a librarian. It was wonderful, thoughtful discussion of strangers digging a bit deeper. I love those kind of moments.
I left after one beer more than ready for bed. What a full, triumphant, beautiful, and heart-filling day it had been. I think I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.
No comments:
Post a Comment