Two Marathons in One Weekend
by Dan Wells
January 8-9, 2011
Dan Wells happily crosses the finish line in Jackson at the Mississippi Blues Marathon, one day before crossing a second marathon finish line 200 miles away in Mobile.
There was a good double marathon down South to start the New Year. In Jackson, MS there was the Mississippi Blues Marathon on Saturday and the First Light Marathon was in Mobile, AL on Sunday. It is about a 4 hour drive and 200 miles from Jackson to Mobile. The sponsors gave a good discount if you ran both marathons, and you got a wonderful painting from L’Arch Mobile as an award. You run both marathons as if you were running an ultra – a relaxed, easy pace both days. From the Mississippi Blues Marathon I added 27 minutes to finish First Light Marathon the next day.
The Mississippi Blues Marathon took place on Saturday, January 2011. It is a better course than they had a few years ago because they dropped a long stretch of highway stores and moved the start closer to the host hotel. There were several bands along the way and the course went through several beautiful neighborhoods. The sun came out and warmed up the runners with temperatures in the 50’s. Jackson is about 650 miles from Lexington.
I was really looking forward to the First Light Marathon in Mobile, AL on Sunday, January 9. The race benefits L’Arch Mobile, a Christian Home for Mentally Retarded Adults. The course winds past some very beautiful Victorian houses that have been fixed up. Part of the course has a large canopy of trees with Spanish moss hanging down from the limbs. After crossing the finish line and getting my medal, I noticed an L’Arch patient to my right in a wheel chair. It was like he was the Grand Marshall of the Marathon and he wanted to shake everyone’s hand. I shook his hand and it was a very special moment for both of us – the best part of the whole weekend.
After the race it was about 700 miles back to the Bluegrass, but got we got stopped by sleet and ice south of Birmingham, AL and found a motel. Roads were terrible from Birmingham to just south of Nashville, TN the next day. You must be prepared for schedule changes due to weather even in the sunny South.
Editor’s Note: As always, Dan, your mega-mile pursuits inspire us to go further and remind us to enjoy the run along the way! Congratulations on both finishes and thanks for sharing your Double Marathon Weekend experience with the club!
