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Distance runner Ray Christensen

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  • 2002-05
    • 2002 Training Log
    • 2002 Philly Distance Run
    • 2002 DE Distance Classic 15K
    • 2002 Dublin Marathon
      • Dublin: Sightseeing
      • Dublin: Pasta Dinner
      • Dublin City Marathon
      • Dublin: Celebration
      • 2002 J.I.M. Bermuda
      • 2002 J.I.M. Disneyworld
    • 2003 Icicle, CR, Broad Street
    • 2003 Marathon Training
    • 2003 Humpy's Marathon
      • Alaska Trip: Travel and Cruise
      • Alaska: Humpy's Marathon
      • Alaska: Talkeetna, Denali
      • Alaska: Team Cobey Hiking
      • Alaska: Sightseeing Anchorage
      • Alaska: More Photos
    • 2003 NYC Marathon
      • New York City Start
      • NYC Triumph
    • 2004 Icicle Run in Wilmington
    • 2004 Caesar Rodney Half
    • 2004 Paris Marathon
      • Paris: Delaware Runners
      • Paris: Notre Dame, Louvre
      • Paris Marathon – Race Day
      • Paris: Cemetery, Eiffel Tower
      • Versailles & Paris Sightseeing
    • 2004 Bay to Breakers
      • BTB in San Francisco
      • BTB Naked Runners
    • 2004 Races & Training
    • 2004 Chicago Marathon
      • Chicago Expo, Sightseeing
      • Chicago Race Day
      • Chicago Congratulations
    • 2005 Winter Races
    • 2005 Boston Marathon
      • Boston Bus Trip
      • Boston Marathon – Race Day
      • Marathon Press Recap
    • 2005 Summer Races
    • 2005 Twin Cities Marathon
  • 2006-10
    • 2006 Boston Marathon
      • Boston Bus Trip
      • Hopkinton to Boylston St.
    • 2006 Steamtown Marathon
    • 2007 Big Sur Marathon
    • 2007 Marine Corps Marathon
    • 2008 New Jersey Marathon
    • 2008 Breakers Marathon
    • 2009 Disney World Marathon
      • Disney Marathon Trip
      • Goofy Challenge Races
    • 2009 Boston Marathon
      • Boston Bus, Expo, Rebels
      • 113th Boston Marathon
      • Boston Globe Photos
    • 2009 California Intl Marathon
    • 2010 Country Music Marathon
    • 2010 Wineglass Marathon
  • 2011-18
    • 2011 Garden Spot Marathon
    • 2011 Marine Corps Half
    • 2011 Philadelphia Marathon
    • 2012 Bob Potts Marathon
    • 2012 Hartford Marathon
    • 2013 Vermont City Marathon
    • 2014 Ave of Giants Marathon
      • 2014: Northern California
    • 2014 Monster Mash Mar.
    • 2015 River Towns Marathon
    • 2015 Richmond Marathon
    • 2018 Baltimore Marathon
  • Contact Ray

2002 Dublin City Marathon: Celebration

Official race photo
Official race photo

The race was history.   It was time to relax.

My sincere appreciation goes to two people who helped me achieve my goal of finishing in under 4 hours:

Amy Blithe, our team coach and Greg Wilson, my running mentor from QVC, each inspired and motivated me by sharing plenty of insight from their experience and running with me to push me to better results.
Thanks for all of your support!

Sightseeing in Dublin – our trip to Ireland and escapades in Dublin
Pasta Dinner – International Breakfast Run, J.I.M. pasta dinner
The Marathon – running commentary of race day
Celebration and Recovery – more photos, more Guinness!

Celebrate and Dance at Post-Race Party
Party time!
I was ready to sample some fish ‘n’ chips and took a long walk with Sue, Duncan and Scott to eventually end up eating a post-race meal just across from the Gresham at Flannigan’s. Later, we headed for the 7:30 JIM Celebration Party at Zanzibar, a 70’s disco featuring 8 costumed dancers and some good finger food. The Guinness tasted pretty fine also! I knew I was OK after dancing with Sue and feeling no worse for wear. But that shouldn’t have surprised me. After all, I was an athlete!

Savoring the Victory
Back at the hotel, I packed and got a good night’s sleep. Team Delaware was the first to arrive, and we’d be the first to depart. We met in the lobby at 7am, too early for breakfast. It was another gray, rainy day. Our bus driver Jerry was less animated then he had been several days earlier, but he got us to the airport early enough to use the last of our Euros to buy some breakfast. Once we got through customs, we had the pleasure of waiting at the crowded gate for over an hour, along with a host of other runners and tourists headed back to America. Since we were in the basement, we got a taste of how the immigrants felt below decks on the Titanic. [OK, just a teeny little taste, but we were packed in like sardines.]

Speaking of packed in, the movie on the flight was “K-19, The Widowmaker”, a submarine flick. Anyway, it helped pass the time. I stood up a couple times to make sure my legs were still operational after hours of sitting. Leaving the plane, I laughed to myself that I was walking like an old man. That’s because I was walking like an old man. We got out of JFK pretty quickly and were now in the home stretch of our amazing journey.
It was raining when we got back to Delaware. For the first time on the trip, I openned my umbrella as I hopped off the mini-bus. Some quick goodbyes and before I knew it, I was at home in front of my computer, looking up my results at the website…

From an email sent by Coach Amy following our return:
Hi gang,
I first want to congratulate everyone who completed the Dublin marathon. You guys are awesome!!! The results were as follows:
Jill Heathcock – 5:56:51
Meghan Maguire – 7:39:39
Patty DeNardo – 6:05:16
Andrew Edmonds – 5:59:23
Scot Larrimore – 4:37:31
Jane Stover – 4:52:23
Ray Christensen – 3:49:57
I hope you are all recovering well. Also thank you to Ray and Andrew who came to practice last wed. night in the cold and dark weather. Note they came to practice 2 days after completing the marathon still on the high!!! Both with their Dublin Finisher Shirts on!!!

disco  
[l. to r.] Meghan, Patty, Sue, Andrew at the disco . . . . . . . Disco Dancers

   
Dancers . . . . . . . Sue and Ray . . . . . . . Meghan and her mom

 
Sue on the stairs . . . . . . . Party on!!!

 
Sue hits the dance floor – – – – – – – – – – – –
Patty and Duncan waiting at Dublin Airport

Andrew, Amy     QVC Trophy     Ray, Amy
Ray was presented with this beautiful trophy by the Distribution Management Team at QVC.
Andrew and Ray pose with Coach Amy Blithe at Delcastle, 2 days after the marathon.
A few weeks later, Amy would complete the Philadelphia Marathon in 3 hrs. 15 mins. to qualify for the 2003 Boston Marathon. Go Amy!

Boston Marathon finisher medal

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About Ray
2002 Dublin
2003 Humpy’s
2003 New York City
2004 Paris
2004 Chicago
2005 Boston Marathon
2005 Twin Cities
2006 Boston Marathon
2006 Steamtown
2007 Big Sur
2007 Marine Corps

2011 Philadelphia
2012 Bob Potts
2012 Hartford
2013 Vermont City
2014 Ave of Giants
2014 Monster Mash
2015 River Towns
2015 Richmond
2018 Baltimore
Contact Ray

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The Lord is kind and merciful,
Slow to anger and great in compassion.

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