6th Annual Mercedes Marathon Weekend
MERCEDES BENZ MERCEDES MARATHON
February 11, 2007 - Birmingham, Alabama

Results
 
Place    NAME              Age     City               10K       13.1M       25K         30K       Full
491   Renee' Ford         F 50  H'BURG MS    1:04:50   2:18:43    2:46:06   3:21:01    4:44:18
516   Joseph Ford         M 55 H'BURG MS    1:04:50   2:18:43    2:46:06   3:21:02    4:49:41
679   Brandy Windham  F 28 H'BURG MS    1:13:00   2:46:45    3:22:23   4:12:22    6:03:02

See complete results.
MERCEDES KIDS MARATHON

On Saturday, February 10, 2007, Luke Logan, Pine Belt Pacer Member  and son of Renee' and Dow Ford, competed in the Mercedes Kids Marathon in Birmingham, AL.

Actually his race began months before.  Kids competing in the  Mercedes Kids Marathon were able to download log sheets beginning in September of 2006.  Participants were to log 25.2 miles in quarter, half, or even full mile increments.  When Luke had logged his miles, we mailed the form to the race officials.  Then on the Saturday before the the Sunday Mercedes Marathon nearly 3,500 kids between 
Kindergarten and the Fifth grade ran the final mile of their marathon to total 26.2.  Participants were encouraged to get pledges for the miles they ran, and over $43,000 was raised for cancer research at Birmingham Children's Hospital.

Race day brought temperatures of 28 degrees and lots of red cheeked  kids ran as hard as they could!  Luke represented the Pine Belt Pacers in a grand fashion and, the crowd was loud and boisterous as they cheered these hard working kids to the finish line.  It has us thinking that there might just be something to this next generation after all!

Dow and Renee' Ford
The Mercedes Marathon is becoming a true "big city" marathon, and we were excited to be a part of it.  Temperature at the start was 30 degrees and the sky was crystal clear.  Somewhere around 2,500 runners took off in downtown Birmingham.  There were Half-Marathoners, Relay Marathoners, and, around 760 people like us 
running the full 26.2.  We had read reports that the course was a nightmare, but we didn't find that on Sunday morning.  Sure there were some hills--one about a mile and a half long at 22-23 miles--but overall it was a great course.  People were out in droves.  There were live bands, a drum line at the top of one hill, and a Marylin Monroe impersonator at the top of that long last hill. (Okay, I could have seen the real Marilyn Monroe at that point).  Down one long straight stretch, a young lady played selections on her accordion.  All in all, the race is just superb.  Aid stations at nearly every 
mile, families standing in their yards handing out cookies, and 
plenty of excitement.

Renee' had told me earlier this year that she wanted to run a marathon while she was 50, so we began training months ago.  She took no shortcuts, and we did long runs of 15,17, 18, 20, and 22 with a half marathon and plenty of 10 and 12 milers...almost all of them on the trace.  She has turned into an awesome runner, full of grit and 
determination, and you don't want to be near her in the last few 
miles of any race.

At the post race party we ran into Brandy Windham and chatted while we waited with crossed fingers to see if we would be one of the ten lucky names called to go on stage, receive a key to a Mercedes "M" class SUV, and try our key in the ignition.  One lucky key would be the ticket to a two year lease on the vehicle.  Alas it wasn't to be, and harvesting some sour grapes, I just had to remark that the tag on a $50,000 car in Mississippi would probably be $2,000, so we were fortunate not to win!

Eventually, we figured out a way to get our feet up into the Pathfinder and left the Iron City behind, at least for a year. © Dow Ford