Jim Silva: Great memories from the Modesto Marathon

Thank you, Modesto.

That about sums up my feelings now that two weeks have passed since I ran the Surgical Artistry Modesto Marathon on March 29.

I am grateful for the experience, for the support and for the opportunity to run in my hometown race.

There are a lot of great memories I take from the Modesto Marathon. Here are a few:

▪ Excellent course. Once of the reasons I chose to run the Modesto Marathon was because of its flat course. Turns out it’s pretty straight, too. A flat course without many turns makes things easier, both physically and mentally. I also enjoyed running along the orchards. The only drawback might have been the smell out in the farms, but after the initial shock to the nostrils it wasn’t too bad. Even if there were nothing else, I would recommend the race for the course.

▪ Great support. Modesto has really embraced its marathon. There was no shortage of smiling, friendly spectators along the course, which really makes for an enjoyable run. I even saw a couple wearing their San Jose State gear, drawing a “Go Spartans!” from this alum.

▪ Excellent organization and great volunteers. The race is well organized, which always makes for an enjoyable experience. And the volunteers working the start/finish line area and water stations were great. The race seems to get excellent reviews from other runners.

The only drawback on the marathon was the weather, which turned out to be too hot to run a fast time, at least for me. I do not do well in hot weather. During the early portions of the marathon, I was feeling great. There were cooler temperatures, a light breeze and some shade from the orchards.

But as the morning went on and the sun got higher, I could feel the effects.

At about Mile 16 I began to get weary from the heat and was forced to slow my pace and take on more fluids at every water station, sometimes as many as four or five cupfuls at a time.

So while I ran at the right pace for the first half of the marathon, I slowed during the second half and finished in about 4 hours, 10 minutes. I didn’t reach my goal of finishing under 4 hours, but I have no complaints.

So, once again, thank you, Modesto.

It was fun.

What’s next?

Now that I have the marathon behind me, it’s time to look to the future. My mission to be fit and healthy doesn’t stop here. I’m not sure exactly what I will do next. But I know that I will continue to work to be stronger, eat healthier and be better.

Six days after finishing the marathon I found myself climbing from the Yosemite Valley floor to Glacier Point … and then back down. The Four-Mile Trail provided spectacular views of one of the most beautiful places on Earth. But it’s a rigorous hike – the elevation change is about 3,200 feet – so make sure you’re in good enough shape and well prepared for it.

Hiking can be great exercise … I think I have more of it in my future.

This story was originally published April 9, 2015 at 2:06 PM with the headline "Jim Silva: Great memories from the Modesto Marathon."