The Blister in the Sun Marathon
By Michelle Walker
“I guarantee suck ass conditions and a fun time. What more do you want?”
I should have been warned by the registration form. Not only did I have to write a paragraph explaining why I wanted to run this race, but I had to sign a statement acknowledging that running a marathon in the August heat and humidity in the hills of Cookeville, TN was “beyond stupid”. I got a good chuckle out of the entry form, but became increasingly concerned as I began to receive subsequent communication from the race director, Josh Hite. I immediately noticed that he gave each participant a nickname. Mine was “Mom_o’_6.2”. I spent days trying to read into the meaning behind my nickname. Had he looked up my prior race times, laughing at how I go out too fast? In his messages, Josh collectively addressed all of the participants as “masochists”, while calling himself “The Sadist”. He was obviously trying to create a doomsday atmosphere, and I have to admit I was getting a little scared. I was so nervous that I tried to keep this race under wraps, unsure if I could actually complete this mental and physical challenge. I was doing pretty well with keeping my Cookeville “training run” a secret, until I arrived at the packet pick-up. My packet contained just a few items to include a bottle of sunscreen and a handmade race bib. I was so excited about my bib that I had to tell the world…or at least my group of Facebook friends (Ha Ha!).
The race itself consisted of five loops of a figure eight course in the hills of Cane Creek Park. There were less than 50 participants, making this the smallest marathon that I have ever run. Because of the layout of the course, I saw each and every participant over and over. The encouragement provided to me from the other participants was one of my favorite parts of the race. Who needs bands, cheerleaders, or streets lined with spectators? The bond that I felt with the other runners was more inspiring to me than a cheering audience. I later learned that many of my fellow participants have very interesting backgrounds. Some of my fellow runners were: the race director of the Flying Monkey Marathon; a man in his 70s completing his 707th marathon; a lady completing her 297th marathon; and a 12-year-old boy who was rumored to have run the Grandfather Mountain Marathon the month prior with a time of 3:23. Josh Hite, the race director of the Blister, also has an interesting story. After running sub three hour marathons, he decided to create his own, more challenging marathon. Needless to say, Josh was the winner of the 2011 Blister in the Sun Marathon (as well as last year’s race).
Hot, humid, and hilly: I would agree with the overall description of this race. Not only did the course provide some physical challenges, but passing by the start / finish line 9 times created just as many mental challenges. Would I run this race again? Most likely, especially if the Band of Runners participated! (Hint! Hint!) The personal touches of this race definitely offset the challenges. Receiving a frying pan “medal” from the “Sadist”, as I crossed the finish line, made this race one that I will never forget!
