Bob Mann: 2023 Rehoboth Beach Marathon

Sat Dec 2, 2023

On Sat Dec 2 2023, I ran the Rehoboth Seashore Marathon in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. It had been more than two years since I had run a marathon within driving distance of my home in New Jersey. So it was nice to do this one in a neighboring state. No plane tickets to buy, and much easier logistics. And thus much less expensive.

The week leading up to the race was somewhat interesting. I started feeling somewhat under the weather on the Monday before the race. No big deal, I figured, since it was still a few days away and I normally don't stay ill for long in cases like this. But this bug hung around. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, I was still feeling run down. I finally started to feel some improvement on Friday, the day before the race. I wasn't confident that I'd be 100% better on Saturday, but I was confident enough that I'd be able to get the job done. So I hit the road and drove south to Delaware.

One member of the SOMA Fox Running Club, my local running group, was also running this marathon. Mike had signed up at the last minute and was running his fourth marathon in just the last couple of months. We met up for dinner on Friday night and then again briefly near the start line before the race on Saturday morning. Despite his many recent races, Mike was still going to be much faster than me, so there was no idea of us attempting to run together. We took a photo or two and parted company a little bit before the race began.

Of course the weather in December could be iffy. Snow could be possible, but I assumed that early December in southern Delaware was unlikely, thus I had no hesitation in choosing this particular race. Instead, there was rain that weekend. Luckily, the rain was limited to Friday and Sunday, putting the Saturday race between two rainstorms. However, it left the conditions to be quite humid, and with temps nearing 60 on race day, it was unseasonably warm.

As the race began at 8:00am, I was feeling pretty good. I believed I was mostly over whatever had been bugging me all week. Still, I assumed that I was somewhat less than 100% and that I would be affected at least a bit. My plan was to start off somewhat slowly to ensure that I left enough gas in the tank. I've never not completed a marathon that I had begun, and I was confident that I would be able to get through this one. But still, I didn't want to make it more difficult on myself than I had to.

However, I didn't start out so slow. Two of my first four miles were done in faster than a 9:00 pace, which is something I just don't do any more. Even my last marathon in Oregon a few months ago, which was my fastest marathon in nearly 10 years, didn't feature any miles faster than 9:10. Here in Delaware, even my 10th mile was competed in 9:09. So I was ahead of my intended pace by a long shot. I completed the first half in about 2:02, which would make it one of my fastest first halves in many years. I still felt good, so I took it as a good thing. But I figured that I'd end up paying for it sooner or later.

It didn't take long for me to slow down. I made it through the first 14 miles with nothing slower than a 10 minute pace. But from then on, I had nothing faster than that. By Mile 17, my right foot started to ache. I have no idea why. I don't believe I stepped on anything or twisted anything. Whatever it was, it wasn't helping me out. By this point, the warmth and humidity were also bogging me down. Yet I trudged on. The second half was slower than the first half by a good half hour. My pace continued to dip, mile by mile, but I eventually made it to the end. My final time was 4:32:33. While that was 8 minutes slower than the race in Oregon, it was very much in line with most marathons over the last few years. So despite the humidity, the creaky foot, and the mild sickness in the week leading up, I feel very good about that time.

While the humidity wasn't great, it was lucky that the race happened between the rainstorms. Despite the less-than-perfect weather, the race was quite nice. Much of the race happened in Cape Henlopen State Park along a paved bike trail. So it was pleasant, if not overly exciting, scenery. The first two miles were within the city of Rehoboth Beach, and the third mile was run along the boardwalk on the Atlantic Coast. Mile 3 was definitely the highlight of the race, from a scenic standpoint.

The race featured an after-party that was louder and rowdier than just about any I have seen at a marathon, especially one of this size. There was a loud DJ, and each runner was given tickets for three free beers (from the local Dogfish Head brewery). Food was plentiful, and the party tent got quite full. Between the noise and the crowd, it almost felt like being back at a frat party in college. So I guess I should give the race props for the exuberance.

For a beach town in the off-season, I was surprised that the city was as bustling as it was. I had assumed that the town would be rather deserted at this time of year. It was anything but. Traffic was heavy all over the place, annoyingly so. Going out at night after the race saw many bars packed to the gills. Apparently there was a "Santa pub crawl" going on, with revelers dressed in their best Santa or Elf costumes. Numerous inebriated young adults stumbled from one bar to another. I had my requisite post-marathon beer and greasy food before getting tired and going to sleep. The drive home the next day in the rain wasn't fun, but it was better than if I had to run in that rain.

Overall I am pleased with my weekend in Delaware. I am happy to have now finished 7 states for the second time. There's a long way to go before hitting all the states again, and I look forward to the continued journey.

And now the photos. Click any image to enlarge.