State 50-The missing blog. What ever happened to PinkFeet and her 50th State? I know this blog has sat empty for years. Most would think Id want to share my exciting experience of finally finishing the 50 states. But I walked away from this race conflicted and really just wanting to not even think about it. So here I am 2 years later, writing this recap.
Was I conflicted that it wasn't the perfect race weekend? ....what IS a perfect race weekend anyways?
Or was I conflicted that this race signified another endling....an ending I may have rushed, an ending I may not have been ready for, an ending I may not have even wanted. (What in the world do I do next??)
After breaking my ankle in 2018 and making my half marathon comeback in 2019, I thought for sure the full marathon comeback would be just as easy. I quickly learned life had other plans.
Just a few months later, I would have to put my father, my one constant support in life, in assisted living and quickly hospice thereafter. I would watch him slip away more and more every day. I would leave my carefree beach life behind and transform into a responsible homeowner and caregiver. I would lose friends who didn't support my transition and find myself more alone than ever. My new neighborhood and the constant repair needed on the house and yard became my new support. There was never time for running anymore. A year later, dad departed my side and just a couple months later my sidekick pup of 16 years shredded my heart as she too took her last breaths. Over the next year and half I would also watch friends and neighbors pass as well.
I had had enough endings. Covid seemed to only distance everyone in life even more and halted most races. 2022 came rolling around and races were opening back up and I put it out there, that enough time had passed that I would no longer have these last 9 states linger over my head. It was the one last thing that Dad told me to do; Finish those States. So I planned them all that year and decided to bring back that 'badass' runner with the last few even being back to back weekends. I was nowhere near in shape for this feat, but it was time to stand up and shake off that dust. It was a whirlwind. It was exhilarating to be back at it. It was exhausting. And then I found myself overwhelmed with another body issue; neuromas in the toes. But I pushed through the pain with shots and custom orthotics.
So there I was, staring at State 50 Starting Line of the Zooma Wine Country half marathon in Fredericksburg Texas. How in the world did I get here? How is this about to be all over? Was I ready for another ending? If i don't have PinkFeet, who am I?
I never planned Texas to be my last state. I had always thought New Hampshire Smuttynose was going to be my party last state, but the running a half a month always threw off the syncing of the race and then when I just wanted to 'get it over with' (the last nine states) I just couldn't figure out Texas. There never was a race there that fit in, and it didn't help several races didn't survive Covid.
I kinda always wanted to do a Texas beach race, one because I had already visited the major cities....Dallas Austin, San Antonio....actually haven't been to Houston, but I learned with all these races, that I am not a city girl. I like to find the unique things about the states that most people don't think about. I like the country to escape reality So i had always followed the Texas 'beaches' races. Over the years, I watched some of them fail and disappear, but I kinda had an idea Corpus Christi, Galvasten, San Pablo would be the areas I was intrigued in to see what they looked like compared to Florida Beaches.
So as the last 9 states perfectly aligned, Texas panned out to be last. ...I found a beach run. Perfect I thought. ....But then it never sat right with me. Envisioning the last state to be the biggest and baddest of them all, I looked at the state and area I was registered for and wondered if there was better. That is the problem with life. Why do we always look for more or better? Is it really going to satisfy what we don't even know needs satisfied?
I kept looking for another race as I was finishing those last 8 states. I came across Zooma Wine Country. I had already done Zooma Cape Cod and Zooma Amelia and figured, hey, they are kind more of a 'party/celebration' atmosphere; lets look into that. Then I ended up finding more things to do after the race (duh Wine Country) and better housing options. The weather wasn't going to be great for 'beach' so the week prior, I decided I would switch to Zooma.
But did I end up making the wrong decision?
Apparently Zooma had been taken over by another owner since the last ones I had done. Everything that could have gone wrong did. Lets count the ways.
-There was no communication leading up to race day. I messaged them and their response was "I dont know why." I was later told i 'deleted' them years back and had to re register even though I had signed up for the race and said yes to communications
-No social media. Yes they had an account, but they were not actually posting about the race before, during or after race day. It was the quietest race experience leading to race day that I ever had with a 'brand' race.
-Packet pickup fiasco. They ended up delaying packet pick up because of 'weather'....I was exploring the city hours before packet pick up time there was absolutely no weather; it was a gorgeous day. I was staying outside of the city proper, so ended up wasting hours waiting. The bib line was entirely too long. No one really knew what they were doing. Bib numbers were no preassigned; you just walked up and received a number. So I asked the lady when it was my turn, if I could have a number with a 50, excitedly saying its my State 50. She grimaced and said they aren't supposed to do that.
-Race day mileage signage was off. A missing arrow also had us running the wrong direction and had to backtrack. Thank god there was a large group of us, even a pacer, that figured it out.
-Water stations did not have volunteers. One guy even went from station to station alone to try to set up as we are running by an empty table.
-For a wine theme race, you only get half a glass of wine at the Finish line to celebrate with no refill options, purchase or not
-The shirt did not match what was advertised. The water bottle did not glow as advertised
-No after party atmosphere. I had to walk the streets /shops/wine bars to get celebrate
-Thank god i ran the 5k the next day to get the Texas medal but unfortunately, there were no pictures for the 5k.
Now that I shared what went wrong, I will be fair and share what went well!
Forest Gump met me at the start! Yes, Yes he did!
It was an overall Okay course....the first part of the run was a nice sunrise. The course mainly went through neighborhoods and a little bit of hilly countryside. Deer even made an appearance.
Pacers were provided...but unfortunately they didnt prep the pacers as they too were lost on the course with bad/lack of signage in the end
We started and finished in a nice city park with restrooms and free parking
I ended up staying in Kerrville which was only about 30min away because it had more of a country feel and a hot tub and bonfire pit with a hilltop view. I don't regret the decision because I ended up exploring both north and south of Fredericksburg which I highly recommend as there are more wineries and Bandara Cowboy Capital of the World
It is a very easy drive from Austin airport
Yes there are a ton of wineries, one for every type of personality. I highly suggest researching them before heading out. I found a garden nursery one, a lake one, a live oak tree one, ones with music, ones with peach everything, one with food trucks.
Would I recommend Zoom Wine Country half marathon? Probably. But probably not for just the race, but for the immersive experience of also experiencing this unique part of town!
As for me, I made the best of what I could, and I can proudly now say I am a 50 state half marathoner!
....oh and the full marathon comeback is happening next....
