Gorges Half Marathon 2024

Scott and I decided to pop into the middle school where I work to take final bio breaks before the race. After this, we ran into Elizabeth and her friend Taylor; posing for a quick picture before the race.

At the start, the temperature was 73 degrees and 83% humidity. If it had stayed this way, it would have been ok but by the end of the race it felt like an oven outside. A lot of people had some trouble with the heat. I started to struggle with the heat in mile 5 and adopted a mid-race mantra of “have fun and finish” instead of trying to have a time goal.

One of my colleagues also ran this race. At 6’7” tall, he is easy to spot! I could see him up ahead of me as we traveled down the Black Diamond Trail. I made it my goal to catch him, all the while knowing I was far enough back that it may be hard to do. This was my singular focus for a bit, until I lost him!! After that I had a new focus - FIND BILL.

Turns out that he ducked into a porta potty and stopped for a drink at one of the aid stations I didn’t stop at. I ran right by him and never saw him again. I ended up ahead of him in the race, all the while thinking he had crushed me.

This year was the first time Scott and I have done the Seneca 7 Race. Here we are with almost everyone on our team! Turns out we all had the same great idea to run the Ithaca Gorges Half!!