1 DAY TO GO UNTIL THE VIRGINIA BEACH MARATHON!

Tomorrow's Ben's BIG DAY!

Make that: BIG BEN'S BIG DAY


He's been training and training and training for his FIRST MARATHON and Sunday, March 16th IS IT. He and about 3000 other runners will be hitting the Atlantic Avenue pavement for 26.2 miles here in beautiful Virginia Beach for the Shamrock Marathon.

This morning, I shot some video on my way to his 8K race. (BTW, doing this kind of "pre-race" before the BIG DAY - known as the "Whale Challenge" - doesn't quite jive with what the author of the marathon training book says to do. But, it was part of the race festivities weekend and Ben decided to do it. SIDE NOTE: He walked most of it -- at a 12 minute mile pace (5 mph for those keeping track, on the tread mill. And ran the last mile.)



I cheered him on at the finish line, but he didn't see me. We met up after the race (I snuck into the post race area on the beach so he could get his Yuengling and stew --honestly, how bizarre is that? Does a runner really crave beer and stew after running a race???) and his first stop was at the port-o-potty - he wasn't expecting this picture, but his big green bow matched the port-o-potties...TMI???

Then we had a nice stroll back up the beach. I enjoyed the cool Atlantic water on my toes. It felt so good to have the sand underfoot. Have a look for yourself! I'll let you know how Ben's big day turns out ... Still working on that forecast. At this writing, the rain is supposed to be over by race time. Phew...but those winds...Here's the official NWS forecast: Mostly cloudy in the morning...then becoming partly sunny. Windy and cooler with highs in the lower 50s.


Northwest winds 20 to 25 mph with gusts to 40 mph.