Each year I try to visit my family in New Hampshire, and this year I setup a two week trip and two marathons. The first of which was Keene NH Clarence Demar, the second was Portland Oregon. I've run two marathons back to back in a week a couple of times before, and the first time in 2006 it did seem a bit extreme, but as long as you don't expect to run a personal best race and just enjoy them, then it's a very manageable affair. I was aiming to run a 4 hour marathon, and it was a relief to not have to pile pressure on myself.

The day before the race we climbed up a local mountain, Mount Monadnock which didn't sound like ideal pre-race preparation, and took us a good few hours to get up and down, but was a lot of fun. A few years ago I wouldn't even want to walk too far the day before a race, let alone climb a mountain. After the hike we headed over to Keene state college, to pickup my race number. I knew the race was going to be a nice small affair, but I didn't know that barely 200 people would be in the race. I personally prefer small marathons now, and with such low numbers we didn't even have race chips for our shoes, there's no need when it only takes you 5 seconds to cross the start line.

The morning of the race came and I got up early to eat scrambled eggs and toast and cereal at 6am, with the race starting at 8am in nearby Gilsum, a small village about 40 minutes away from my Aunt and Uncle's house.

Gilsum was a cool little town, and it felt such nice size marathon, and good people everywhere. It was a cold morning, and I decided to run with my long sleeved Helly Hansen top, being spoilt with a choice of changing top's at around halfway, where Adrian and Jeremy were going to wait for me.

The wheelchair athlete's set off about 5 minutes ahead of us, and then the remaining 200ish of us lined up and went, a very casual affair. The route wound us through Surry hills and was fairly undulating terrain, but not hard going, and very picturesque. I talked to a few other runners as we ran, and passed beautiful fields and small farms, it was a very autumnal scene, and I relaxed and enjoyed the run. I got talking to one girl from New York, who it turned out was running her first marathon at only 20 y.o. I ran my first marathon in London when I was 20, and the huge crowds and cheering, I'm sure made it easier, when I was mentally un-prepared later in the race. I let the girl outpace me and she disappeared at around 8 miles. I was to see her again at about 18miles, and she looked like there was some suffering involved and I felt bad for her.

I passed 14 miles, and could see Adrian and Jeremy with my short sleeved top, it's really fun to have supporters in a race, and you see my big grin at seeing them. I also picked up a small bag of pecan nuts to eat, and prevent my stomach feeling empty and sick, I find it really helps to eat something.

The remainder of the race after 14 miles went fine, and we wound through nice suburban neighbourhoods for the last 6 miles or so. I felt fine right up to the end of the race, but had a small amount of IT band pain. As I reached the last mile, which always seems longer than the other 25, I had to dig a bit deeper, and for some reason I always think of Winston Churchill's June 1940 speech, "We shall fight them on the Beach's... And we shall never surrender" I put my head down and got on with it.

Rounding the Corner at Keene State was wonderful, I could see the finish and my family, and with a big smile, cruised through the finish line. I was really chuffed with 4:06, it's certainly not as fast as my PB of 3:39 but it didn't matter, I was on holiday and having fun. The race had excellent support throughout, and the end had soup and snacks and fruit and within 10 minutes I felt good. Not long after I saw the girl from New York finish in around 4:45, a real achievement for a first timer, and I went and shook her hand and said well done, she was close to tears, not un-usual for a marathon; I've blubbed a few times. I had a great day out, and think it's a wonderful little marathon, and am grateful to all those who volunteered to make a superb race; and not least my family.