Virginia Beach Marathon (first time)- Marathon #119 (including 9 virtuals)

Kim and I had a tough winter training for Boston. New England weather felt like the winters I remembered as a kid growing up in Torrington—snow piling up endlessly, ice storms, blizzards, and cold rain. Most of our long and quality runs ended up on the treadmill, which made training feel tedious. Kim somehow managed to get in a 22-miler, while the most I could handle without losing my mind was 16.

One Sunday afternoon, I said, “Let’s find a warm race for our last long run before Boston.” By mid-morning the next day, we had registered for the Virginia Beach Marathon, booked flights, and reserved a hotel. Even better, I was able to get my mom on the trip so she could visit my sister and see her great-great-granddaughter.

We flew Breeze Airways and had a quick one-hour flight to Virginia. Running on just a few hours of sleep, we headed straight to the expo. It was small but packed with great vendors. We picked up some surprisingly nice swag from Peloton—a towel, visor, and socks—and I even got a photo with Marcel Dinkins.

We stayed at the Courtyard Virginia Beach Oceanfront, about a mile from the start and half a mile from the finish. From our balcony, we could actually see the finish line tent.

For our pre-race dinner, we went to Aldo's Ristorante. It was good, though not quite North End Boston-level pasta—but we had plenty of leftovers for a perfect post-marathon snack.

Race morning, we were up at 5:15 a.m. and walked to the start. It was chilly, but not freezing—just enough for a long sleeve and a heat shield. We were both nervous, unsure about the course and how the warmer weather might affect us.

Kim’s goal was to Boston Qualify for his 19th consecutive Boston Marathon. I had three goals:

1. Qualify for the Abbott World Marathon Majors Wanda Age Group Championships (Tokyo)

2. Boston Qualify

3. Finish injury-free so I could run Boston in three weeks

When the gun went off, I tucked in behind the 3:50 pacers, who were fantastic. I chatted with Ken, one of the pacers who had paced Hartford the year before. He’s also a Marathon Maniac with a goal of running 250 marathons this year—pretty incredible.

The course had a lot of out-and-backs, but Kim framed it perfectly: every three miles felt like a new section. I especially loved the early miles through a tree-covered area that kept things cool. Around mile 4, Kim pulled ahead of the pacers, and I hoped he could hold it together.

Shortly after, someone yelled, “JEANNE!” I turned to the runner next to me and said, “I think that was my husband!”

Then, just before a turnaround, a runner suddenly stepped to the side for a photo and clipped me. I started falling in slow motion. I heard him yelling, “I’m so sorry!” as I twisted my ankle trying to catch myself. I kept running briefly but was limping badly. I pulled off to the side and just cried. I couldn’t catch my breath from the panic.

After a few minutes, I walked it out. I had the option to turn off with the half marathoners and DNF—but I decided to keep going. I knew it would turn into a walk/run kind of day, but I also really wanted that beach blanket and hat. The things we do for swag!

Eventually, my breathing settled. I shifted into a walk/run strategy, stopping to stretch when needed. Along the way, I met so many fun and supportive people doing the same. Some miles felt good, others didn’t—but I kept moving forward.

At the mile 19 turnaround, I saw Kim again. I screamed, “Make me proud, Kim!” Later, he told me that was exactly what he needed to hear to push through and hit his goal to Boston Qualify —which made that moment even more special.

The sun came out, but it never felt unbearable. The hottest stretch was the final miles along the boardwalk. The course atmosphere was amazing—high school bands, cheer zones, music, and tons of spectators. I high-fived as many kids as I could and focused on staying positive, thinking about my family and friends to keep a smile on my face.

I also used a FlipBelt I bought at the expo to carry my fuel—it was fantastic. It didn’t move or bother me at all for the entire 26.2 miles.

The finish line was a party. There was live rock music, and stepping into the ice-cold ocean afterward felt like the perfect way to heal both physically and mentally.

Post-race food was pretty basic—pretzels, potato chips, and Uncrustables. I definitely would’ve preferred pizza! There was plenty of beer, but since I’m not much of a beer drinker, I only had one.

Back at the hotel, I finally grabbed my phone and saw a message from my friend Audrey: “Congrats on 1st place!” I was shocked. I checked the tracker and didn’t see it at first, so I called her. She confirmed it—Kim had placed third, and I had placed first!

Not qualifying for the Abbott World Marathon Majors didn’t sting nearly as much after that—and I still managed to Boston Qualify.

Would I run this race again?Absolutely. Waking up the next morning, watching the sunrise over the ocean, and hearing the waves—it made all the pain worth it.