Male 70+ Division
We, along with 281 other runners, were then bussed to the start (3 miles away) after getting our assigned bib numbers and YuKan light blue Tee shirts.
The start of the race was set for 9:00 am, so we had about an hour to try to stay warm. Donna brought a space blanket (mylar and extremely light) which we laid out on the grass to sit on so we could make the necessary "clothing adjustments" to insure we would not get too cold (or too hot!) while out on the course. I wore a long sleeved "tech" tee (light weight) as well as a singlet. For safety, I wore compression sleeves on my lower legs for both warmth and calf stability. Donna wore an extra upper layer which (like me) had "pockets" for replenishment gels Here is a picture of what I took with me. As it turned out, I used only the Mandarin Orange GU at the water stop at mile 9.
Below, is an image of Good Harbor Beach. This was the actual location for the START of the race. Shuttle busses were used to bring us here from O'Maley Middle School in Gloucester, where we picked up out bib numbers for the race -- about 3 miles away.
This morning view above is to the east where the sun was hiding behind clouds. The view below is more to the southwest
The race begins!!
On close observation below, I can be seen, in bright yellow, checking my watch shortly after the "gun" went off. It was quite breezy and therefore quite chilly. Donna, wearing a grey-hooded top and being more sensitive to the cold and the wind, was amused (by this image) as we were both looking down here. She was bundled up completely to protect herself from the upcoming half-marathon wind and ocean air!!
At about mile 8, I took a fall which luckily did not "incapacitate" me. I was running at what I THOUGHT would be a safe distance away from the tail end of a pick-up truck parked in a driveway. Its rear bumper was sticking out OVER the white line designated for biking. "No problem," I thought as I swerved slightly to the left closer to a woman running on my left side. BOOM!! I took a rolling fall onto the pavement running at a fairly steady clip. My right leg *just* impacted the bumper "well enough" to completely cause the start of 360 degree body roll! At first I had no idea what "hit" me, but as I came (fortunately) out of the roll -- and back onto my feet, I collected myself well enough to be able to actually go right back into a continued run! The nice woman next to me saw me go down (it was hard to miss) and immediately asked if I need help. "Are you OK?" and "Do you need help," she asked with much concern. I thanked her and said I "thought" I was still OK to run. And so... I kept on going. After another quarter mile or so, I realized I had not actually broken anything! "Wow, I certainly dodged a bullet with THAT one," I though to myself. On later observation, I apparently got some road rash just below my left knee. Amazingly, other than a few knuckle scrapes, that was all that happened.
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