I had a red eye flight out of Ontario Airport. I parked at the usual lot 5 for $13 a day. I got there early enough to catch some Friday Night SmackDown on TV while waiting for my flight. The flight left Ontario at about 10:45 pm headed for Charlotte Douglas International Airport.
Lot 5
ONT Terminal 4
Saturday 10/15
The plane landed at Charlotte Douglas International Airport at about 6 am. After getting off of the plane and using the restroom, I started walking over to Concourse A to wait for my flight into Detroit. Along the way, I stopped at Starbucks to pick up breakfast. On the mobile app, I ordered my usual bacon, gouda & egg sandwich and a grande salted caramel cream cold brew.
Starbucks Concourse A
Bacon, gouda & egg sandwich and salted caramel cream cold brew
CLT > DTW
Ginger ale
The flight landed in Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport at about 9:30 am. After getting off of the plane, I went outside to wait for a shuttle ride over to Budget Car Rental. There was a long line due to a busy weekend which included a Michigan home game and the marathon.
Shuttle to car rental
Long line for car rental
After I got my car, I started heading into downtown to pick up my race packet over at the Huntington Place. As I approached the freeway entrance on Middlebelt Rd, I immediately came upon traffic that was at a standstill due to some police activity. Along with many other cars, I made a u-turn and tried to get on the freeway at another entrance. I got as far as getting on the ramp on Merriman Rd. Several cars were making u-turns to get off of that ramp, but I decided to just wait it out. Once the traffic started flowing, it was a short drive to my destination. I ended up parking at the Federal Place parking lot near the corner of Michigan Ave and 1st St. However, I needed to enter the parking lot on Abbott St coming from 3rd Ave. Thank goodness for directions on Google Maps. The cost for parking was a flat $10.
About a month earlier, I decided to drop from the marathon to the half marathon. My only option was for the US only half marathon. Unfortunately, I had to pay $26.50 in fees for the change. I just didn't think that my body could handle yet another marathon with more races on the schedule.
After picking up my bib and race shirt, I checked out some of the race information that was posted on the wall. I didn't realize that the US only half marathon was scheduled to start at 10:30 am! I guess I'll get to sleep in a little bit. The marathon started at 7 am. I used the restroom before heading back to my car.
Race expo
Expo stuff
Long sleeve race shirt
Back of race shirt
Course map
Joe Louis
After getting back to my car, I started driving back to the airport to head towards my hotel for the weekend. Along the way, I stopped at a Chick-fil-A in Allen Park to get lunch. I found an open table and ordered my food on the mobile app. I ordered a grilled spicy deluxe sandwich with Colby Jack cheese, and an iced coffee with vanilla. I also used a reward to get a free Chick-fil-A sandwich. Shortly after placing my order, an employee stopped by to let me know that they didn't have 2% milk for the coffee. I let her know that I'll take it without the milk.
Free Chick-fil-A sandwich, grilled spicy deluxe sandwich with Colby Jack cheese, iced coffee with vanilla
Grilled spicy deluxe sandwich with Colby Jack cheese
After eating lunch, I went across the parking lot to buy some drinks at Meijer. I opted for self checkout to pay for a gallon of water and a bottle of Powerade.
I then drove to the Howard Johnson that was located just north of the airport. I got checked in and was assigned room #327. Although I've stayed at another nearby hotel years ago, this time around, it didn't feel like a very safe area mostly due to the other shady looking tenants. At least my room was on the third floor and could only be accessed with a room key via an indoor hallway instead of directly from the outside. I found that my room was missing a TV remote. I went back to the front desk and she gave me a universal remote. Unfortunately, I couldn't get it to work, so I just manually changed channels the old fashion way. I'll leave it for the next tenant to figure out.
Howard Johnson near the airport
As 6 pm approached, I walked over to the nearby McDonald's to pick up dinner. I placed my order on the mobile app for a McDouble and a Quarter pounder with cheese before heading over. When I arrived, it would appear that only the drive-thru was open. However on the app, I was able to select a curbside spot even though I didn't come here in my car. I waited out there until an employee brought my food out to me. What was strange was that the drive-thru lane barely moved that entire time that I was there. I took my burgers back to my room to enjoy.
McDouble and Quarter pounder with cheese
I laid out my flat runner and took a shower. I then tried to stay awake for the entirety of the Padres vs. Dodgers game. It proved to be too difficult with the time zone change. When I was still awake, the Dodgers where up 2-0. When I awoke at about 2 am, I saw that the Padres had scored 5 runs at the bottom of the 7th. The Dodgers ended up losing 3-5 to the Padres, losing the NLDS 1-3. Somehow I knew that this just wasn't the Dodgers' year even though they had set a new franchise record for the number of wins in a regular season. Even though they were still managing to pull out wins, bats had gone cold and pitchers were either injured or not as sharp as they were earlier in the season.
Flat runner
Padres eliminate the Dodgers in NLDS 1-3
Sunday 10/16
I arrived at the same parking lot at about 9 am. The lot was quite packed with cars which I assumed were for those running the marathon. It wasn't too cold temperature-wise, but it was pretty windy outside so I wasn't in a hurry to leave the car. I eventually made my way inside the Fort/Cass People Mover station to get out of the wind. I just so happened to bump into my friends while waiting there. Other runners did the same as the portapotties and the start line was right outside.
Starting corral
PK at the start
The race started on time at 10:30 am. With this race, I was wanting to see if I could get closer to breaking 2 hours. I should've started at a more conservative pace, but my legs were feeling much better than it has been in quite some time. So I went out too fast and ended up catching up to the 1:55 pacer. Even though I went out a bit too recklessly, I stuck to taking a quick walk break every 2 miles. My friend that ran with the 2 hour pace group caught me at mile 6. I stuck to my walk break strategy until my legs became too fatigued shortly after reaching mile 8. I was struggling a bit on the out and back along Lafayette St. If the Team RWB folks weren't there along that stretch, I would've definitely been taking more walk breaks. After reaching mile 12, my lower legs was beginning to cramp up. I had to ease off a bit to prevent that from happening. After making the right turn onto Larned St, it was about a mile left in the race. I tried to hold it together in that last mile, but I had to take one last walk break with about half a mile to go. It was nice to finally make that last right turn towards the finish line.
Running with the 1:55 pacer
Final right turn for the finish line
Finish: 2:10:30
Click here for my Garmin data.
After crossing the finish line and collecting my finisher medal, I got some post race goodies. Then I checked my phone to see where my friends are and how they had done in their races. I think if I had paced smarter in the earlier miles, I would've definitely been under 2:10. Still, I'm making progress. It always seems to take so much effort to get back into shape. Getting back under 2 hours for the half marathon is only the first step.
Finish line
Finisher medal
Finisher medal photo
Post race goodies
I met up with my friends and went over to their hotel at the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center which overlooked the Detroit River. After they got cleaned up, we walked over to Wahlburgers to grab a late lunch. After looking over the menu, I got the root beer float and the OFD (originally from "Dorchestah") burger with tater tots. I thought that the burger was on the small side, but at least it was delicious.
Root beer float
OFD (Originally from "Dorchestah") with tater tots
After we settled our bill, we went our separate ways. The walk back to my car seemed a bit farther than it had looked on Google Maps. There was a crowd of people hanging out at the corner of Michigan Ave and Cass Ave with a bunch of pigeons. I felt a bunch of eyes all staring at me.
Monday 10/17
I slept in a bit before packing up and checking out shortly after 10 am. My flight wasn't until later in the evening, so I could take my time dropping off the rental car and getting to the airport. I drove over to the nearest Cracker Barrel to get breakfast. I got my usual country boy breakfast with grits, hash brown casserole, and coffee.
Country boy breakfast with grits and hash brown casserole
After I was done and paid for my meal, I drove down to the nearby Sunoco gas station to fill up the gas tank before I return the car. From looking on Google Maps, it had the cheapest gas prices in the area. It seemed like all they offered was 87 octane gasoline.
Filling up at Sunoco
I then dropped off the rental car and caught a shuttle ride over to the Evans Terminal. I was more than several hours early for my flight, so after getting through TSA security check, I stopped at the Starbucks by gate D10 to get my usual drink before I hunkered down for the wait. The guy making my drink took his time and it was one of the best that I've had at any Starbucks. Sometimes it's good to not be in a rush!
Returned the rental car
Shuttle ride to Evans Terminal
Starbucks at D10
Salted caramel cream cold brew
A couple of hours later, I joined my Seattle friends for an early dinner at Anita's Kitchen Lebanese Cafe. We were on different flights, but they were both taking off around the same time. After looking over the menu, I ordered the shrimp, sausage & pesto pita bread pizza. The taste was not bad, but the pita bread was a bit too thin for my preference. The shape of the pizza did kind of remind me of the Millennium Falcon. :) After we paid our bill, we went our separate ways to catch our flights.
Shrimp, sausage & pesto pita bread pizza
I had a short layover at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. My gate was pretty close to the McDonald's that I normally visit, so I stopped there to get a large iced coffee for 99 cents using one of the mobile app deals. For some reason the employee called me to the counter to ask how much cream and sugar that I wanted. That doesn't usually happen, so I just asked for the standard amount.
Iced coffee for 99 cents
I always enjoy these short little flights on a Bombardier CRJ series plane. There's always plenty of overhead compartment for me as most people's carry-on luggage are too big. The flight into Ontario Airport landed at about 9:20 pm.
PHX > ONT
