There’s something – or perhaps some-things – about the Philadelphia Marathon which area runners find attractive and keep them coming back for more.
It’s not just the convenience of having a national-class competition right in their own backyard.
The 26.2-mile run provides a mental travelogue of scenery, history, unusually loud cheering crowds and familiar panoramas of a classic city.
Those are some of the reasons why Dave Buchanan, a Yardley resident will be returning for another crack at Philly on Sunday, Nov. 24.
“I did it in 2021 and I thought it was a terrific marathon,” said Buchanan in a recent telephone interview. “They do a great job. I just had a real positive experience with it.
“The landscape, the geography and the sights you get to run past, first starting in Center City, the colorful neighborhoods; then winding along the (Schuylkill) river.”
Buchanan, 56, has run a total of 11 marathons (with a best of 2:54), including Boston twice, and has Philadelphia near the top of his list.
“Personally I thought the best part was the U-turn (at the 20-mile mark) in Manayunk,” Buchanan said. “Just the community enthusiasm for the race. So many people came out, the noise that accompanies that, is really uplifting. I thought it was a really great part of the race.”
Veterans of the Philadelphia race find that all that shouting and enthusiasm can provide sort of a shot of energy as they go through that difficult point known as “The Wall.” It’s where a lot of runners begin to feel the effects of depleted glycogen supplies and their bodies start to tap into body fat supplies.
“You’re going through 16, 17, 18, 19. . .with that slow climb up Kelly Drive into Manayunk,’ Buchanan pointed out. “That part of the race is always hard for anyone who’s done a marathon.
“Then you enter Manayunk and it’s really uplifting. It’s almost a little bit of a slingshot that sends you back down to the (Philadelphia Art) Museum. It’s really uplifting.”
There’s nothing quite like crowds rooting for their own and a high percentage of the participants hail from the Delaware Valley area.
“I think it’s a real unique feature of the race, compared to other races,” Buchanan said. “That’s part of what makes it special.”
Buchanan is a native of western Pennsylvania who grew up in the Washington, D.C. area. He took up running at an early age (sixth grade, where he ran a 10K in 52 minutes) and competed both in high school and college (Michigan’s Alma College/NCAA Division III).
In his halcyon years, Buchanan recorded personal bests of 4:35 for the mile, 10:59 for the two-mile, 34:15 for 10K, 60:30 for 10 miles and that aforementioned 2:54.37, which he ran at the 1994 Marine Corps Marathon.
Since he turned 50, he’s completed the Broad Street 10-Miler in 1:11.39. In the 2021 Philadelphia Marathon and 2022 Steamtown Marathon, he stopped the clock in 3:23.
One other note: He qualified for Boston in 1994 and requalified in 2023. Not many can say they hit the demanding standard 29 years apart.
This past week, Dave was in Hawaii with his wife, Brooke, as they celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary. They have a daughter, Lucy, 24, who is also a runner.
When he isn’t running, Buchanan is employed as a government contractor.
Chances are this isn’t the last time he’s going to run Philadelphia. He’s hoping to better his time of 3:29 that he ran in the Chicago Marathon last month.
“The reason I picked Philadelphia is because there’s no destination – you have a big city marathon right in your backyard,” Buchanan said. “I’m going to get up Sunday morning and drive down.”
If the weather is cooperative, the conditions will be favorable to a fast time. Clear skies, low humidity, loud crowds. . .what more could a runner ask for?
“You get everything you hope out of a big city marathon,” Buchanan reiterated. “It’s 45 minutes from Bucks County, that was a huge motivator for me wanting to do it again. You don’t have to get on an airplane, you don’t have to get a hotel room.
“It’s just like getting up for my Sunday morning long run.”
Indeed. Only this one will provide lots of memorable moments.
>Race calendar
>Sunday, Nov. 24
Philadelphia Marathon, 7 a.m., Philadelphia. Contact www.philadelphiamarathon.com
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