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Loco Marathon #85

This marathon was a strategic addition to get Kim to his 100th marathon at the 50th NYC Marathon on his birthday. We had been on track, but canceling London threw us off. The Loco Marathon, held in Newmarket, New Hampshire, is a small, two-loop race marketed as a fast Boston Qualifier with rolling hills. Reviews were mixed, but we decided to go for it.


Jeanne Corey Marchand, Loco Marathon, 2021 - Jeanne Runs

Pre-Race Adventures

Planning our trip was a little chaotic. We thought there was bib pickup the day before, but the website confirmed it was race morning only. Instructions were confusing: pick up bibs at the Rockingham Ballroom, but don’t park there—or risk being towed. Instead, we had to park in an industrial park and take a shuttle to the ballroom. Once you were at the ballroom, you stayed until after the race.

When we arrived in New Hampshire, we drove the course. Most of it seemed forgiving, but the last 3.5 miles were on a leaf-covered trail, which worried me since I’m prone to falling. We later discovered that the trail’s proximity to a nearby race track explained the distant roar of dirt bikes we kept hearing.



After checking out the course, we had dinner at a local Italian restaurant, ate well, and went to bed early. Despite the extra rest, I barely slept—typical pre-race jitters.

Race Morning

We woke up to a freezing 31 degrees. Bundled in throwaway layers, hand warmers, and pajama bottoms, we headed to the industrial park to catch the shuttle. The ballroom, thankfully, was warm and welcoming, with plenty of helpful volunteers. They assured us our belongings would be safe, whether checked or left out.

As we waited inside, I marveled at the runners in tank tops and shorts. How were they not freezing? Five minutes before the start, I ditched my pajama bottoms, braced for the cold, and headed to the starting line.

We found the 4-hour pacer and were thrilled to see our Fleet Feet friend, Jonathon. Seeing a familiar face at an out-of-state race always gets me emotional. After a moving rendition of the national anthem, we were off.

The Race

The first loop was beautiful, with rolling hills, farms, and peak fall foliage. Halloween decorations were everywhere—some over-the-top, others charmingly spooky. We passed horses, cows, wild turkeys, and plenty of roadkill. I yelled “snake!” every time we passed another flattened one.

Two sections of the course stood out for their oddities: prehistoric-sounding birds screeched from the woods, and Kim joked it felt like an Alfred Hitchcock movie. The final 3.5 miles of the loop were on the bike path, now cleared of leaves but still rocky and uneven. It felt much longer than 3.5 miles, and I dreaded tackling it again.

We hit the halfway mark at 1:54 and retrieved the shirts we’d tossed at mile 3, still lying near a water table. Despite warming up slightly, I kept my gloves and top layer on the entire race—it was raw and windy in spots.

By mile 18, fatigue set in. My breathing felt off, and I resorted to singing the “ant song” in my head to keep my cadence and focus. Mental toughness kicked in earlier than usual, as the forgiving hills from the first loop now felt like mountains.

We stopped at a port-o-let around mile 18, and to my horror, it wasn’t anchored—I feared it might tip over! The last 3.5 miles on the bike path were brutal, feeling more like 16 miles. The mile markers were way off, making the final stretch even more disorienting.

The Finish

Finally, we reached the finish line. Kim grabbed my hand, and we crossed together with our arms raised in victory. I’ve never been so relieved to finish a race!

Inside the ballroom, warm soup and Smuttynose beer awaited the finishers, but I was too cold to enjoy the beer. The shuttle ride back to the car felt endless, and it took hours (and heated seats) to warm up.

Final Thoughts

Would I run this race again? Probably not. The two-loop course was mentally challenging, though I might consider the half marathon. On to the NYC Marathon, and Kim’s 100th!



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