8th Annual Landis Loonies Marathon Race Report

Just before the very cold start                                                Dave Foisy photo

First Loop

I’ve just climbed to the top of Mount New London for the ninth time, and I’m very much winded from the effort. Speaking of wind, it’s cold, and it’s hitting me hard in the face now that I’m heading down the backside. I’m running on what the locals call the Bypass, but the real name for the road is Biglow Parkway. Mount New London is my term for this not-so-huge hill, the only one on the course. I’ve run the Landis Loonies Marathon two times in the past, meaning I’ve climbed the hill eight times before today.

When people ask me where New London, Ohio is, I invariably answer, “Do you know where Norwalk, Ohio is?” They usually say yes, but regardless of the answer, I quickly follow up with, “Well, it’s nowhere near that.” It is, however, a nice little town in North-Central Ohio farm country. Kevin and Keith Landis put this race on each New Years Day, and they do a fine job of it. (Fun fact: they’re not really brothers, even though they’re fairly close in age. I believe Kevin is Keith’s uncle. I think they’re both teachers, with Keith’s base being New London High School.)

Kevin’s course instructions for the 6.5-mile cloverleaf-like loop were very clear: “When you’re heading away from town, and you feel you’re getting a bit too far away, turn. Then, after you curve around and begin coming back a little too close to town, turn. Keep doing this until you return back here to the gas station.”

Now, on my first time around for the 2018 race, I recall that it’s not so difficult to find my way. What is difficult is the three-degree temperature, the negative double-digit wind chill, and the snow and ice on the many of the roads. That said, I’m not feeling too awful, even on this, the windiest part of the course. I’ve dressed properly, so things are okay. So far.

Mount New London occurs about five miles into the loop. I can just barely see the six or so runners ahead of me. There’s a bunch behind as well. Why is it that I always find myself alone in the middle of these things?


Second Loop

I am turning into the road that takes us by the high school. It’s about half-way through the loop. It was difficult, but I’ve managed to catch a couple women. We run together, talking and telling stories for the remainder of the loop. Sure is nice to have some company.

This loop is just a little faster than the first one. Keeping them all under an hour would seem like a reasonable goal, and I’m managing so far. But I have a long way to go, and the conditions, they are challenging.


Third Loop

New London Recreational Park is pretty. It’s about two miles into the loop. Besides the snow everywhere, the trees are covered with a heavy frost, and they look positively magical. The falling snow is beautiful as well.

All of the runners ahead of me have dropped out. I am alone again, naturally. I guess that also means I’m in the lead. (Egads!) But I’ve slowed down some, and I’ve still got over ten miles to go. It’s a little difficult to tell much about my speed; I’m actually trying to avoid looking at my watch. Just go with it and enjoy, I tell myself.

As much as I am truly enjoying this run, and as much as I would relish actually winning a marathon, I am nonetheless tempted to cut the course. There are plenty of opportunities, and surely no one would know. Except me. I grudgingly stay on the straight and narrow.


Fourth Loop

Mount New London and the Bypass were more challenging than ever. The temperature has crept up a few degrees, but the wind has also increased. I am just barely running as I make the turn onto Main Street.

Between the third and fourth loops, I’d asked Kevin how many were still out there. His answer, 121, didn’t quite make sense to me. That is until it occurred to me that the conversation I’d walked into had been about farming, with Keith discussing the dairy cows on the family farm. After some clarification, we laughed, and then Kevin told me that Michael Kazar, Angela Demchuk and I were the only ones left. Those other two are accomplished ultrarunners, so I got moving again the best I could.

But my best was now pretty darn slow. The cold and not-so-great footing had taken its toll. I had stopped at the top of Mount New London to look back for Michael or Angela. No sign of them. It thus appears that even though I’m only slogging along, I may actually truly win this thing.

You know the way adoring fans line the roads as the winner comes to the finish of big-city marathons like Boston? Well, there was nothing of the sort in New London. I went inside the gas station to get congratulated by Kevin and Felicia Fago.

What was my time, you ask? Do I have to tell you? Okay, okay. I think it’s a personal worst, at least for roads: 4:25.

But it’s nice to win one. I suppose that if you hang around long enough, and run enough smallish races, and if your nemesis, Frank Dwyer doesn’t show up, good things may occasionally happen. It’s a good way to begin 2018.

In the gas station after finishing     Felicia Fago Photo