Fall Distance Festival Half Marathon

With the outdoors as our refuge during COVID, the arrival of fall and the chill in the air that accompanies it brought an anxious, unsettled energy. Plus, we had an incredibly divisive presidential election coming up. I entered this race with trepidation...wanting to be present, yet a little scared, but mostly wanting to live and take advantage of this opportunity...because who knew what tomorrow would bring?

I warmed up in a mask, then took it off just as I was about to start (our start times were staggered and runners naturally spread out as the race progresses).

I played "tag" with some folks over the course of the first 8 miles as we settled into our respective rhythms. But after those first 8 miles, I found myself completely alone for the remainder of the race. I used to thrive on crowds and competition, but at this moment I was quite alright running solo. COVID had trained me in embracing solitude!

The last half marathon I ran (the SoNo Half), was my fastest time ever. I didn't put any pressure on myself on this day, especially since I hadn't raced since February 2020 (the final and longest race of the Boston Buildup series). Aside from pregnancy, I'd never gone so long without competing in a race! But lo and behold, this race brought me my NEW fastest time....even if it was just by 12 seconds :).

Lordship, CT

It was indescribably healing to leave my neighborhood and usual scenery to explore Stratford and Lordship. The cliffs alongside the Long Island Sound are stunningly beautiful. The beaches stretched long for Connecticut's jagged coastline and the houses were charming.

This race brought me excitement and hope for the future--things I would hold onto in the rollercoaster of an election and lonely COVID winter we all experienced.

The Run Down

Type: Running route/Race
Course Distance: 13.1 Miles / Half Marathon
Location: Stratford, CT
Terrain: Rolling hills // mostly flat
Hydration/nutrition: Fluids stations
Bathrooms: At start/finish
Other conditions to consider: When it's windy, it is REALLY windy as you're right on the sound without buffering trees/buildings for protection.
Recommended? Yes

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