We thought the days of virtual races were behind us. Mother Nature had different ideas.
On the evening of January 24, 2026, and through most of the day on the 25th, snow, sleet, and freezing rain hit the area. The original forecast was for 20 inches of snow. We ended up with 6 inches of compacted snow with at least 3 inches of solid ice on top. It took me until January 28 to chop the ice away from my car so I could get out. By that time, I was desperately low on chocolate.
With temperatures never above freezing, ice skates were an option on the open fields and trails, and spikes were required to traverse them.
By January 27, the race directors of the Dahlgren Trail half-marathon had visited and skated on the parking lot and trail. With no place to park and no chance of melting by the January 31 race date, they decided to modify the race to virtual. We were given until February 8 to complete a half-marathon on a road, on a trail, or on a treadmill.
I didn’t do much running between January 25 and February 1. I did some walking using Yak Tracks. The biggest issues were that the plowed roads were not good for the spikes, and the icy roads needed spikes.
With a multitude of doctor appointments during the first week of February and a review of the weather forecast, I determined the optimal day to complete the half would be Tuesday, February 3.
On Groundhog Day, I ran a course along the plowed, accessible roads near my house. One loop was roughly 2.25 miles. It was clear of ice and snow that could be run in regular road shoes. My plan for the next day was to run 6 loops, cutting the last one a little short. Because of health issues, I planned a 30-pace run and a 60-pace walk pattern. I thought I could finish in 3 1/2 hours.
Race morning, I started my trek at 8:15 am. It was sunny, with little wind and temperatures in the teens. By my expected finish time, the temperature was expected to rise to the mid-30s.
I wore tights over compression shorts, a Gore-Tex jacket over a singlet, and a long-sleeved shirt. I had on glove liners covered by mittens, a knit hat, and a neck gaiter. I used my Saucony Triumph 23 shoes. Using my single-bottle belt, I carried UCAN Energy and would switch to a bottle of UCAN Hydrate sometime after mile 7.
My planned course did not come to my house at the end of each loop. But it was close enough to swap bottles once.
Heading out, I started on my designated path, dreading six repeats. The roads were clear. Before the first mile, I took a little extra spur. Maybe I could reduce the number of required laps.
All of the major roads were clear of snow, with piles of plowed ice thrown on the sidewalks. Part of my route was on Chatham Heights Road. My original route used this road between Pratt Avenue and Butler Road. Fortunately, drivers were courteous as I walked and ran near the piled snow, even though I was still in the road. As I headed toward Butler Road, I decided to reroute into the Chatham Square Shopping Center and Office Park.
With all the rerouting, my loop grew to over 3 miles. It was possible to finish the race with four loops and a little more.
My course went past my local Subway. By the third pass, I was getting hungry for either a trip to Paul’s or Subway for lunch.
I finished my UCAN Energy on the third loop and swapped bottles in time to avoid dehydration after mile 9.
As I finished my fourth loop, I needed 1050 meters to finish a half. I did an out-and-back, but overshot the distance out by 80 meters.
My final loop distances, times, and pace were:
First 5.11 km, 47:34, 9:18 per km.
Second 4.93 km, 43:58, 8:54 per km.
Third 5.13 km, 47:50, 9:18 per km.
Fourth 4.90 km, 43:30, 8:54 per km.
Final 1.21 km, 11:25, 9:24 per km.
Total 21.27 km, 3:14:17, 9:08 per km.
This run was the start of my 2026 racing season, or is that finishing season? The Dahlgren Trail half-marathon is the first race in the 2026 Coldwell Banker Elite Grand Prix, and I have a 70-race finish streak in the series. Now it is 71 races.
I founded the Dahlgren Trail half-marathon in 2010 and was the race director from 2010 through 2020. Arsenal Events took over race management in 2021, and the Friends of the Dahlgren Trail seem happy with Arsenal’s efforts, looking to keep this event going for many years.
My time was less than two minutes slower than last year and not my worst in this race.
I’ve finished 229 Coldwell Banker Elite Grand Prix races. This year was my seventh finish at this race. I’ll try to do better next time.
Once done, I headed to Subway for the meal deal of the day.
Since I’m past my cataract removals, I plan to have a second ablation to eliminate the requirement to take some of my drugs. Since my last bout of AFIB on October 16, 2025, I’ve been on blood thinners, Flecainide, and beta blockers. My cardiologist has recommended a second ablation since early 2025. I wanted to see if I could make it through the rest of the year without issues.
Since the first of the year, I’ve been having nausea, lightheadedness, wuzzy, and balance issues with a still unknown cause. These are the side effects of Flecainide.
I have an ablation scheduled for March 2. I may take the whole year to recover this time, doing more walking than running. By the first of June, I will no longer be required to take blood thinners and Flecainide. I’ll work with a heart monitor with upper limits.
Thinking the Flecainide was causing my current issues, my doctor prescribed Amiodarone. The internet is a dangerous thing. I found that this second drug has worse side effects and dangers than Flecainide. I may not be changing and stick it out until June. Until then, I’ll be behind you all the way.