Tri State
Jordan fights heat, pain to place 2nd in age group
Temperatures soar at Baltimore Marathon Running Festival
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By Kevin Spradlin
Tristaterunnur.com
BALTIMORE – Several months. Hundreds of miles. One marathon. And 49 seconds.
LaVale resident Jim Jordan said Monday that’s all that separated him and a personal best at the 26.2-mile distance, contested on Saturday in the Baltimore Marathon. He suffered a blood blister on one foot, a little dehydration and warmer-than-expected temperatures.
Temperatures soar at Baltimore Marathon Running Festival
Race Homepage
Results
By Kevin Spradlin
Tristaterunnur.com
BALTIMORE – Several months. Hundreds of miles. One marathon. And 49 seconds.
LaVale resident Jim Jordan said Monday that’s all that separated him and a personal best at the 26.2-mile distance, contested on Saturday in the Baltimore Marathon. He suffered a blood blister on one foot, a little dehydration and warmer-than-expected temperatures.
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Photo by Jenna Mace
All in all, “I’m happy with that,” said the 53-year-old construction worker after finishing the marathon in 3 hours, 3 minutes and 22 seconds, “with what I went through.”
Jordan finished 86th overall among 3,114 official finishers. He was second in the men’s 50-54 age group, behind only Maurice Pointer of Baltimore, who finished 19 spots ahead in 2:56:42.
The day broke cool – “a perfect day to run,” he thought. Jordan realized before toeing the starting line that the forecast, which called for temperatures to hit a high of 75 degrees, was “closer to 80,” and adjusted his strategy the best he could.
“No sooner when I got to the starting line and the sun popped up. It totally changed things. It was warm at the start. I was running pretty consistently at 6:45 (pace) for a while,” Jordan said. “I was feeling really good but kind of had to change my strategy a little with the heat. I knew it was going to be hot in the second half. I thought I’d go out a little harder in the first half and try to hang on.”
Jordan settled into a comfortable pace early but problems began at mile 9, when he “felt something” in his shoe. That pain turned out to be a blood blister.
“That was a long time to run with that pain,” he said.
Jordan felt he compensated a bit for that pain and subsequently caused a tweak in his hip. Despite the trials, Jordan went through six miles in 41:15 (6:52 pace) and hit the 10-mile mark in 67:59 (6:48). He crossed the halfway point in 1:29:03 and, uncharacteristically, failed to run positive splits. Jordan ran the final 13.1 miles in 1:31:19 (6:58).
Jordan said he knew his training was right on and that it was the best shape he’s been in for a marathon, his ninth in three years. He ran 3:28 faster than his Boston Marathon performance less than six months ago.
And he’s not done yet. Jordan said he’s considering competing in the Richmond Marathon on Nov. 15.
“I’d like to focus on some race,” Jordan said. “I’ll try to keep busy, I guess.”
Contact Kevin Spradlin at run@mountainMDmarathon.org..
Jordan finished 86th overall among 3,114 official finishers. He was second in the men’s 50-54 age group, behind only Maurice Pointer of Baltimore, who finished 19 spots ahead in 2:56:42.
The day broke cool – “a perfect day to run,” he thought. Jordan realized before toeing the starting line that the forecast, which called for temperatures to hit a high of 75 degrees, was “closer to 80,” and adjusted his strategy the best he could.
“No sooner when I got to the starting line and the sun popped up. It totally changed things. It was warm at the start. I was running pretty consistently at 6:45 (pace) for a while,” Jordan said. “I was feeling really good but kind of had to change my strategy a little with the heat. I knew it was going to be hot in the second half. I thought I’d go out a little harder in the first half and try to hang on.”
Jordan settled into a comfortable pace early but problems began at mile 9, when he “felt something” in his shoe. That pain turned out to be a blood blister.
“That was a long time to run with that pain,” he said.
Jordan felt he compensated a bit for that pain and subsequently caused a tweak in his hip. Despite the trials, Jordan went through six miles in 41:15 (6:52 pace) and hit the 10-mile mark in 67:59 (6:48). He crossed the halfway point in 1:29:03 and, uncharacteristically, failed to run positive splits. Jordan ran the final 13.1 miles in 1:31:19 (6:58).
Jordan said he knew his training was right on and that it was the best shape he’s been in for a marathon, his ninth in three years. He ran 3:28 faster than his Boston Marathon performance less than six months ago.
And he’s not done yet. Jordan said he’s considering competing in the Richmond Marathon on Nov. 15.
“I’d like to focus on some race,” Jordan said. “I’ll try to keep busy, I guess.”
Contact Kevin Spradlin at run@mountainMDmarathon.org..
Baltimore Running Festival
Baltimore, Maryland
Baltimore, Maryland