THE OGDEN NEWSPAPERS HALF MARATHON RECAP and a picture of my toes.

You couldn't ask for a more beautiful morning for the Ogden Newspapers Half Marathon in Wheeling, West Virginia. Driving over from the Ohio side of the river, I noticed the outside temperature indicator on my car flashed a cool 50 degrees--perfect for an old man who can no longer take the heat. I hoped the rising sun wouldn't raise the temps into the  60s. By the end of the race, it had definitely become warmer, but really not bad at all.

Years ago when the Ogden was known as the Elby's 20 K, it would attract more than a thousand participants. You would think with the surge in popularity of distance running/walking over the last few years the numbers would grow, but they seem to have leveled off around five to six hundred. This year there were 441 runners and 118 walkers for a total of 559. When you toss in the accompanying 5K and Ogden Mile numbers you raise the total to 893. Not bad at all, really, but definitely not what it used to be.

I believe one reason the half marathon numbers haven't increased much is because the course is so tough. It starts out reasonably with three miles of relatively flat running, but then everyone must challenge a monster hill--29th Street--more than two miles long. Running down the other side can be just as punishing on knees and hip joints. After a half-mile break along National Road in Elm Grove, the hills start again with the killer coming at mile 11--Wheeling Hill--about a 3/4 mile ordeal. It waits for you like an ogre to beat you up and spit you out the other side, a delirious downhill mile to the finish. This year I trudged so slowly up that hill a herd of turtles passed me.

But that is why the Ogden is the Ogden. If you would change the course to make it less injurious, if you would make it a flat half on which to set personal records, it would no longer be the Ogden. So it is what it is. Those who enter must suck it up and take the pain. My feet suffered the most. Take a look at the photo below of my toes (I apologize to anyone who becomes nauseated. I do not have pretty feet).

The men's race was won by Philip Lagat, who I believe is a transplanted Kenyan from Hebron, Kentucky. His time was 1:08:57. The first local male finisher was Cedric Robinson of Martins Ferry who finished 5th overall and ran a good time of 1:21:52. Tammy Slusser, a forty-nine year old and talented PA gal took the women's championship in 1:32:26. A local youngin', Kelly Mortakis took second, and fifty-two year old phenom, Sherri Martin from West Alexander, PA took third. Tammy and Sherri are two master runners who refuse to get slower!

I finished 27th in 1:34:28, the fourth grandmaster and third in my age group (55-59) in a tough field of old geezers. Dave Chinchilla (54 years old) of Ambridge, PA -- 1:28:41, Ron Hamric (57 years old) of Bruceton Mills, WV--1:30:04, and Carl Hubel (57 years old) of Pittsburgh, PA--1:31:08. The Ogden is one of the few races with nice cash awards for the top three grandmasters. Put money down, and the fast guys show up.

All in all it was a good day. My son-in-law, Josh Taylor, beat me by almost two minutes, but I can overlook that because he and my daughter Sarah hosted the after-race lunch. My other daughter, Rebekah, walked the 5K with her mother-in-law, Karen Shirley. And my other son-in-law, Ryan Shirley, set a PR in the 5K. I think the old man is rubbing off on everyone.

Next race report: The Barton Volunteer Fire Department 5K in Barton, Ohio on June 14. Again, I hope the picture of my toes don't make you sick.

Happy running,

Joe C. Ellis



POST MARATHON EUPHORIA AND RAILS TO TRAILS 5k RECAP

Has this ever happened to you in a race? He almost got

me at Toledo, but somehow I kept one step ahead of him.



It's been three weeks since I ran the Toledo Glass City Marathon, and the post-marathon euphoria has faded. Most people experience a wonderful high after completing a marathon successfully. Because it is an extreme event that takes months of preparation, commitment, and hard work and because so many things can go wrong during the race, the successful finisher knows he or she is fortunate to make it through unscathed. The inner glow of self satisfaction for accomplishing a challenging goal keeps a person on the upbeat at least for a week or so. When fellow runners, friends, and relatives recognize their effort, the glow raises a few degrees.

Eventually, though, reality hits, life gets back into its routine, and the lingering fatigue from the race dulls the edge of everyday training. Then you begin thinking about upcoming races. Today I ran a great small-town race, the Rails to Trails 5K in Barnesville, Ohio. Next week I hope to run Wheeling, West Virginia's Ogden Half Marathon, and I've already signed up for the Columbus Nationwide Children's Hospital Half Marathon in October.

The Rails to Trails 5K was excellent as usual. I've run this race for many years. In my earlier 50s I could break 19 minutes on the course but I'm finding it more and more difficult to do that as I age. Today I ran 19:29, a few seconds faster than last year, but still I'm definitely slowing down. I'm not sure how much running the marathon is still affecting me--probably to some degree.

In my book Race Director Carl Kondrach is tops. I know no other director who puts more energy, enthusiasm, and effort into the races he directs. Rails to Trails sets the standard in number of awards, prizes, and good food. There are even awards for dog walkers. Today's chilly temps made the award presentation a little challenging to endure, but it's good to see so many people awarded for something that improves their lives, connects them socially, and empowers them to go for even greater goals. My hat is off to Carl and his crew for such a great job year after year.

Check back next week for a report on Wheeling's Ogden Half Marathon.

Happy running,

Joe C. Ellis