Fun in the South

I've had my eye on a few different fall/winter marathons to aim for in 2017/2018. There's certainly no shortage of great races. For months I assumed I would want to run Revel Canyon City in Southern California, but after suffering through the heat of the summer in 2016 it reminded me how much I hate training like that, and this race is in November. I'm just not ready to commit to a marathon any earlier than December. Summer here SUCKS.

I fell in love with Louisiana after racing in Baton Rouge in January. I knew committing to that race again was a strong possibility. The race directors also offer a marathon in Mississippi in December. If you do both race weekends they award you a special Beach to Bayou medal. That definitely piqued my interest for training for two marathons. It's been 3 years since I ran more than one marathon in a year, and five years since I've run two that close together, and I have been itching to be healthy enough to attempt it again.

My health has improved dramatically in the last year and I do think I can make more gains this year. A December and January marathon race schedule seems perfect to me.

So I pulled the trigger today. Not only did I register for both marathons, but I also registered for races the day before each marathon, a 5K in Biloxi, and the Quarter Marathon in Baton Rouge. I can't travel all that way without taking full advantage of the awesome race weekends! The more gumbo the better!

My "A" race will be Mississippi Gulf Coast. It starts in Pass Christian and the entire course is right along the Gulf. Finish is in Biloxi...heck, the host hotel is a casino. Needless to say, I might be staying Sunday night after the race! Provided the weather cooperates, I think the point to point format could be ideal for a personal record. I am totally itching for a faster marathon.

Five weeks later, I'll toe the line again in Baton Rouge. What is it about my birthday weekend that requires a race? Since 2012 I have raced every single birthday weekend in mid-January, twice on my actual birthday. I'll do it again for Birthday #44. (on a side note.....44?!?!)

The day before the Louisiana Marathon I'm going to run the Quarter Marathon, and since it's the first time I will have raced that distance (if you don't count my Quarter Ironman, because the run leg of that race was miserable), it's an automatic PR. Louisiana will be my "B" race, so the pressure is off a bit for a spectacular marathon time. I just want to have GOOD time! More gumbo for me, please!

The more I think about all this, the more excited I become. Marathons #13 and #14 are on my calendar.