Big Sur International Marathon

It was beautiful, it was hard, it was fun, it was inspiring. It was epic. Touted as THE must-run marathon, Big Sur did not disappoint. Everything from the host city to the finisher’s medal was top notch. It had the excitement of a big marathon and the quaintness of a boutique marathon. The expo was huge, the pasta dinner gourmet and the transportation seamless. The host hotel was wonderful and within walking distance to many attractions. Every meal was better than the last, every hour more glorious than the previous.

Words cannot describe the Big Sur experience. Photos can come close to conveying the beauty, but there is something about the energy of the Taiko Drummers as their beat carries your legs up Hurricane Point that is beyond description. There is something about the serenity of hearing the notes of a grand piano weaving along the rugged coast line 1/2 mile before actually seeing the instrument. Even the most fatigued legs come alive again when an icy cold breeze appears out of nowhere, cutting through the warm sunshine.

I’ll be back at Big Sur, but it will be awhile. It’s not one to be run year after year, but like the finest wine, this marathon has to be savored in memory.

Mt. Si 50k

Poor planning on my part had me heading to the little town of Snoqualmie for a 50k trail race early Sunday morning. Poor planning because I thought an ultra would be the perfect way to cap off my 100 day challenge and I had 2 to choose from for the weekend: the Lumberjack in Port Gamble on Saturday, or Mt. Si on Sunday. I
miscounted my days and picked Mt. Si thinking it would fall on my 100th day. As the conclusion to the 100 day challenge neared, I realized my mistake but decided to stick with the Mt Si Ultra anyway. It ended up being an excellent mistake.

Saturday was cold and windy. I wasn’t feeling good and ended up taking lots of naps in my car in between Ric’s softball games. I tried my best to eat well in preparation for Sunday’s run, but everything I ate left my stomach in knots. I finally gave up and had a light dinner of toast and cereal, then crawled into bed… half expecting to be even sicker in the morning. Surprising I woke full of energy before the alarm sounded. I quickly grabbed some coffee, my pack and a cookie then jumped in my car for the 90 minute drive to Mt Si. I arrived to a chilly but sunny start line. When I checked in I was handed a beautiful fleece vest as my “race shirt” and invited to hang out in the school hallway where it was warm. I made myself comfortable then started to watch runners as they arrived. Mt Si offers an ultra but is best known as a trail relay race. The people milling around were young, gazelle-like creatures, not the usual gnarly ultra runners I’ve come to love. They were in matching shorts and singlets, with bright and shiny racing shoes. Even their sunglasses were extra sleek. None of them had hydration packs or fuel belts or even hand held water bottles. I was feeling slightly intimidated and out of place, but soon enough we were called to the start line and I noticed the relay runners had gone elsewhere.

For every race I have a plan. Sometimes the plan is to go all out and see where I stand with speed, sometimes it’s to be social and visit as many of my friends as possible, but usually I pick an element of distance running that I want to work on. Last race I concentrated on fueling, foot care and steady pacing. This race I planned on continuing with the steady pacing and further refine my walk/run transitions. Sometimes I get so wrapped on one particular element that I forget some other important detail. For this race, the devil was in that neglected detail: the course map. I knew the footing was small, round gravel most of the way….some forest dirt and some larger chunks of rock. No roots, no mud. I’d also been warned of a substantial hill with loose footing at mile 16 that almost everyone walked. Because of the trail conditions, I elected to wear road shoes and gaiters. I planned on carrying a running backpack with extra clothes and food, and carry water in my hand-held (easier to fill than a hydration pack). For my main focus, the walk/run transition, I planned on implementing a ¼ mile walk followed by a ¾ mile run for the entire distance and see if I could hold a steady sub 11 minute per mile pace.

The race started well and I ran the opening mile before settling into my plan. Within the first mile we hit a very steep steel staircase that lead up to a bridge across the river. The entire pack came to a standstill as we negotiated the steps, one by one. After that it was smooth running and I felt a bit silly as I started to lag behind because of my walk break plan. People started to steadily pass me as I dug deep to stick with my plan. 5 miles into the race my pace was starting to slip by a few seconds. I was getting winded and broke a sweat even in the cool morning temps. 10 miles into the race we hit a hill. It was steep enough to require switchbacks but not all that bad. I walked it anyway thinking “that wasn’t too steep, those silly relay runners must be the ones who have been spreading the “hill” rumor.” I gave myself a pat on the back for conquering the monster hill on the course but was also noticeably fatigued once I picked up the run again. My pace had slipped to 11:30 minute miles. I started to wonder if I was still sick from yesterday or not recovered enough from my Pac Rim run. I continued to stick to my plan and tried my best to bring back that 11:00 minute per mile pace. Then mile 15.5 hit with a screaming steep descent through rolling rocks the size of softballs. I picked my way through at a walk so I wouldn’t turn an ankle or twist a knee and wound up at an aid station at the bottom. I’d only had one gel at that point, so I grabbed a boiled potato, dipped it in salt then turned around to go back up the way we came. O.K. THIS WAS THE HILL and it was a bugger. I started passing a few people on the way up, crested the hill then picked up my run again. My legs were light, my lungs strong.

I was zipping along…. Cruising at a sub 9 pace at mile 16. I started picking off everyone who had passed me earlier. A man in front of me caught his toe on a rock and went tumbling. I helped him up, made sure he was uninjured (just a few scrapes) then continued on. It became apparent that we were now cruising down a nice steady grade, and since this was the “back” on an “out and back” course, that meant that the whole first half that I had struggled through was uphill. I hadn’t even noticed…. I just thought I was fatigued. The devil in the details that I missed by not studying the course map. My confidence was renewed, my pacing was back to below my plan, and I was reaping the benefits of my painfully slow first half. I decided I had earned the right to skip a walk break or two, so I modified my plan to 2 miles of running, ¼ mile walking. Even with the modification it was hard for me to slow down. Eventually the trail leveled out at mile 27. The sun was out full force and the trail was exposed. I started to feel dizzy and realized I had only eaten 3 gels, 2 cookies and a small boiled potato all day. I tried to eat another cookie, but it was too late, my stomach was churning. I downed a salt tablet, and that helped immensely.

With 5 miles left the relay runners started passing us in both directions. I have never seen such respect as that paid to the ultra runners by the sleek gazelles as they passed us during the run. The respect turned into awe as we neared the finish. The young and flashy had gathered at the finish, cheering each and every ultra runner across the line. It was amazing. I know longer felt intimated by them, but instead I felt like a hero. I crossed the line and was handed a beautiful glass metal and treated to a buffet of fruit, bagels and chocolate milk. It was a beautiful end to my 101 days of running.

Pacific Rim One Day

This is my year of 100's. My 2010 goals are to complete 100 pushups, 100 consecutive days of running, a 100k race and a 100 mile race. I completed the 100 pushups, I'm 3/4 of the way through the 100 days of running, so now.....

I entered the Pacific Rim 1 Day with a goal of running 100k. The nice thing about fixed time races is that you can run however far you want, then call it a day. Last year I chose to run 50 miles and discovered the footing of the course and the frequent transitions from walk to run caused some hip and ITB problems. This year I trained to handle the transitions better. I also decided to implement a “walk-the-short-ends, run-the-long-sides” strategy from the very first loop. Essentially, this was just a training run and I wanted steady pacing, good foot management and frequent refueling to be my focus.

I arrived an hour before start time on Saturday to ensure a close parking spot. The forecast called for sun turning to rain in the late evening. If I parked close, I could use my car as my aid station if the rain came in before I was done. My preference, though, was to have my stuff along side the course for easy access. Everything was packed into plastic tubs. One contained food and beverage. The other had my foot care kit, sun screen, tummy settlers, chafing supplies, my cell phone, a head lamp and rain poncho. It did not contain any pain killers. If pain developed I wanted to feel it and figure out a fix….not mask it. I also had a duffle bag of clothing: tights, long sleeve shirts, shorts, singlet, jacket, gloves, hats, socks and 3 pairs of shoes. I hauled my load over to the village of aid tables and tents and carefully arranged things near a lamp post. I thought the light from the lamp post would come in handy as night approached. This year I did not bring a chair and I avoided setting up near anything I could sit on. I have discovered on really long runs, once you sit down, you’re in trouble. As they say “beware the chair!”, so I eliminated the temptation. I had just settled in when two women approached me.

“Where’s your crew?” they inquired.

“I don’t have a crew. My family is coming later, but they’ll just stop by the course once or twice to say hi. The rest of the time they’ll be at the hotel.” I have a problem asking people to crew for me. I can’t imagine a more boring task than to sit around and cater to a runner for 15 or so hours.

“We’ll crew for you!’ offered the ladies, as they picked up my tubs and arranged them under their tent. For the next hour I watched as they gathered up a few other lone runners… and suddenly we were all family. 4 runners with 2 wonderful angels bustling around making sure we had what we needed before the race started.

The race started promptly at 9. I originally planned on walking the first loop (exactly 1 mile), but automatically started off at a run once the race commenced. I ran that first mile, then reeled myself in as we started the second loop. The remainder of the race I would proceed as planned: walk the short ends, run the long ends. Committing myself to this strategy would pay big dividends later in the race: when the body was content to walk the mind would push to run as soon as we crossed a bridge, signaling the start of “the Long End”.

The race runs primarily on gravel, with a few short sections of concrete, one concrete bridge and one metal bridge. At first glance you would call it flat, but by mid-day you discover there is a hill called Mount Sacajawea several hundred yards past the timing tent. By evening a second summit appears… Son of Mount Sacajawea. Round and round we went, passing through the timing tent every mile, then past the official aid station and finally past the personal aid stations. Every mile I tried to get something into my system. Water during 1 loop, Gatorade the next loop, a few grapes, ¼ of banana or a bite of donut the next mile. My crew opened an Ensure and a bottled Starbucks Mocha and set them along the course for me. Every few miles I would take a good swig out of one of the bottles. Lunch time brought turkey sandwiches and change into shorts and singlet.

I hit the 50k split in 6 hours, 15 minutes – a nice, even, effortless 12+ minutes per mile. I changed shoes when I started to notice a little ache in the inside of my ankle. I decided to switch from guidance shoes (Brooks Infinity) to neutral shoes (Brooks Glycerin). The ankle pain disappeared almost immediately. I kept with my fueling plan of something every mile, but now anything sweet seemed completely unappealing so I stuck to grapes and boiled potatoes dipped in rock salt. During one loop the girl running next to me was craving sugar and fat… the solution? A Snickers bar wrapped in cheese! I could barely look as she gobbled down her snack, but for her it was like rocket fuel and once finished she charged down the trail like it was her first mile. I hit my 50 mile split in 10:25, a 10 minute PR and still a nice, even 12+ minute per mile pace.

We were now almost half way into the race and runners were starting to crumble. Two of my friends, regular 100 mile trail runners, had come to Pac Rim to get in an “easy” 100 miler. Neither had run a fixed time race before and assumed it would be much easier than a trail race – flat, lots of support, easy access to your stuff, the ability to call it a day whenever you please – but that’s just the kind of thing that makes short-loop courses so hard. Both dropped out at the 50 mile mark claiming it was much more difficult than trail ultras. Other runners were having foot problems. The slip of the gravel was causing gardens of blisters to appear. I trudged on, repeating my mantra of “be the ball”. I’m not sure why, but that always works for me…. It’s a zen-like thing. At mile 51 my brother, son, and nephew came out to walk a loop with me. I was more than happy to continue with my walk/run strategy, but since they had driven over an hour just to walk with me, I decided it would be selfish to do anything else. We started to walk the first loop and I was surprised at my brothers strong pace. He kept me at 14 minutes per mile for a full 4 miles before gathering the kids and heading home Once they departed I grabbed a piece of pepperoni pizza and a cup of flat Coke before picking up the run again. The transition after such a long walk break was easy and that, in itself, was a major victory. I completed my 100k after they left in 13:45. My over all pace had slipped to 13 minutes per mile due to the long walk, clothing and shoe changes but I was still feeling incredibly fresh.

I had met my goal of completing 100k, but I had another goal I was working on: running 100 consecutive days of at least 3 miles per day. It was 10:45 p.m. I could stop and call it a day then run 3 miles at home tomorrow, or I could amble on at an easy walk and run 3 miles after midnight. I chose the latter. When the clock struck 12, I started running again putting in 4 miles. At 1 a.m. I had completed 70 miles. I briefly toyed with the idea of continuing on and hitting the magical 100 miles. I still had 8 hours, and at my steady pace I had a good shot. I wasn’t ready for it, though. I wanted my first 100 miles to be special. I wanted my family there. I want some bling for the effort. This race only offered a t-shirt and a hearty pat on the back. I wanted a buckle.

70 miles…. steady, even pacing….. no injuries….. no blisters….some energy still left in the legs and feeling no more fatigue than I felt after my first marathon. My body is adapting. I am hungry for more.

And I so I stopped.

Call of the Wild 50k

Sunday I went out for a light 3 mile jog, then Monday I hit the race course again. This time it was for the Call of the Wild 50k Ultra Marathon along the Sammamish River trial. Once again I opted for the early start so I could get home at a decent hour. I felt well rested and didn’t feel at all fatigued by Saturdays marathon. I packed real food to eat, fearing that Saturdays gels caused my brief illness. I had planned on practicing my run/walk strategy during this race, without concern about pace or overall time. I started by walking a mile with Jill (she was injured), then continued on with a .75 run, .25 mile walk for the remainder of the day. The first out and back was lonely with few runners. The fog was dense, wind was cold, but no rain. At mile 18 we passed by the start/finish, then did another out and back in the opposite direction. By this time the sun was out, lots of people were on the trail, both race participants and recreational runners, cyclist and walkers. The trial was no longer lonely. The first 18 mile were flat, the next 8 miles rolled a bit but was more interesting. After I hit mile 20 I decided it would be nice if I could get a sub-6 hour 50k. Doing so meant I had to maintain a steady pace the entire distance while practicing my walk breaks. I finished in 5:54. Really nice considering I paced myself in such a way that I could easily kept going. I wasn’t tight or particularly tired. It was a nice confidence booster leading up to next month 24-hour race.

Cupid's Classic Marathon

Race #3 of 2010 gave me another opportunity to practice mind over matter when the going gets tough. This race was held on mid-morning on Saturday along rural roads and highways. The course was a double out and back with races being offered from every distance between 1 mile and a marathon. I opted to take an early start (9:30)….most marathoners did since we are accustomed to early morning races. The forecast called for cold rain and that is exactly what we got. It was hard to leave to warmth of my car for the startline, but once we got going it was fine. Jill Hudson and I ran together until the turn around of the first out and back. We hit a busy 2 lane highway with no shoulder at mile 4 and had to run single file. After the turn I sped up a bit, then a bit more. I passed mile 11 (and the start/finish line) well below marathon pace (first time that’s happened since October). At mile 11.5 my gut gave out. Huge waves of nausea overcame me and I slowed to a walk. The way the course was set up, we had to turn around again at mile 12 then proceed back to the start/finish at mile 13.1 before heading out for one more lap. Jill caught up with me and convinced me to try and reach the 12 mile turnaround, then quit at mile 13.1 if I had to. She is wise. I forced myself to pick up my walk a bit. Mile 12 found me running again, mile 13.1 I was too stubborn to quit and at mile 14 I passed Jill again. The second half of the race went surprising well. The rain had picked up, as had the traffic along the highway. I kept my pace deliberately slow to make sure I finished. When I passed by the finish line (for the 3rd time) I noticed that the course would be long. That was OK, an extra mile never hurt anyone, it just effects your finish time. I completed my race in 4:40 or so. I had no idea how that compared to other runners since so many races of different distances started at once. When the results were published, I managed to be the first masters woman.

Lake Youngs 50k

My second race of 2010 was run at one of my favorite parks: Lake Youngs Watershed. The course at Lake Youngs is just shy of 10 miles almost entirely on soft forest trail. There are just enough hills (900 feet of elevation gain per loop) to keep the muscles working and to get the heart rate up every once and a while.
The forecast for race day was upper 40’s and sunny. The start was scheduled for 8:00am, so I knew it would be chilly. I chose to wear my yellow long sleeve Seattle Marathon shirt, Capri tights, tie-dyed green gaiters and my hydration pack. When I arrived there was a heavy drizzle falling from the sky. I knew it would clear soon so I didn’t bother to throw on a jacket. Pigtails instructed us to run the first loop counter-clockwise, then after that we could go either direction. After completing 3 loops we would be sent back out for a final 2+ miles to complete the 50k.
I started off in the back. I’ve run this course enough to know that a huge downhill waits just 1/3 of a mile into the race. Flying down that hill on cold muscles could lead to an injury that would end the day. When we hit the hill I gently jogged down, then picked up the pace before hitting the first uphill stretch. I had already planned on adding lots of walk breaks for this race as prep for my longer races later this year. I’m convinced that training for walking breaks will greatly improve my 50-100 mile races. The first loop went well. The rain kept coming but the company was good and the running was easy. I came into the aid station at mile 10, refilled my water, grabbed a few candy bars and set out to run lap 2 clockwise. Running the opposite direction was a nice change and it gave me an opportunity to see all the runners that continued around the loop in the original direction. The biggest problem with the clockwise direction is running up the big hill 1/3 of a mile from the start/finish. It’s a bugger. I finished the 2nd loop soaking wet and feeling pretty wonky. I spent a few minutes at the aid station grabbing some trail snacks, then once again charged into the woods for another lap. Less that ¼ mile into lap 3 I was hit with terrible stomach cramps. I was chilled to the bone and the rain was starting to flood the trail. I turned around and told myself “this is stupid, I’m quitting and heading home to a warm bath, 20 miles is far enough today”. I started to walk back to the finish line to turn in my number. Somehow, and I’m not quite sure how it happened, instead of turning in my number and seeking refuge in my car, I found myself back on the trail and running. Somewhere deep inside I was able to muster enough willpower to override the incredible magnetic draw of the car and get myself back out there to finish. I ran the last loop strongly even though I was trudging through a lot of water. I completed the loop and found it easy to return to the trail one last time and get those final 2 miles.
I didn’t stick around long after the race. I was really cold and just wanted to get dry and warm. This race was tough for me, but I gained so much confidence to in my ability to will myself through the tough parts…. It was a morning well spent.

First Call to Run Marathon

OK, so much for taking a little time off. My friends were gathering again, it was fairly close by and FREE!!! How could I say no? I packed my car with everything I could possibly need. The weather forecast looked ominous: heavy steady rain, high winds, low 40’s. I decided to do battle with the distance wearing thick Capri tights, thick hooded tech shirt, winter running hat and a disposable poncho. I found Jill Hudson at the start line and decided it would be nice to run at least the first half with her. Today’s course would be a double out-and-back on the mostly flat, paved Sammamish river trail. The rain was steady and we did have a nice headwind, but it was pleasantly warm. Just a few miles into the race, the rain stopped and the sun peaked out. It was shaping up to be a good day. Add to that, I felt strong and rested, surprising considering how tired I was just 2 weeks earlier.

Jill and I ran a steady 5 miles, then took a brief walk break. We picked it up again when Brian Pendleton joined us and kept cruising happily along. Somewhere around mile 7, Jill commented that she thought we missed the turn-around. Sure enough, we had run ½ mile too far. As a group we decided to run to the 50k turn around, then correct the distance on the second out and back. Because this was a Fat Ass, and none of us were in a position to win the marathon, it seemed like a workable solution. We reached what we thought should be the 50k turnaround and there was no marker for at that point either. It became clear that someone had stolen the cones that marked the turn around points for the various race distances. How annoying! At mile 8 we turned and headed back to the start line, warning people heading the other direction that the markers were missing.

After the turn around, we settled into a slow, steady pace and decided it was time to plug into our ipods. Good friends are like that…. You enjoy each others company, but you don’t feel the need to fill the silence with chatter. Rocking out in our own personal world, but running side by side was the perfect way to pass the miles. We did manage to stop for awhile and walk with some of the usual marathon suspects: Brian, Jim, Monte, Ric. 5 minutes of howdy-dos and we were ready to go again.
We reached the start/halfway/finish line with 16 miles on our GPS systems. I took the time to grab a cookie and refill my water bottle and we were off again. We needed to run 5.1 miles out but decided to error on the side of going long, so we turned at 5.25. The final 5.25 miles took a toll on Jill who was just returning to marathoning after a series of unpleasant injuries. I promised to stick with her and make sure she got to the finish line. We walked a bit more than in the first 20 miles but still had a lot of fun. We finished in 4:53.

I really enjoyed this course for a small wintertime marathon and will return for future events when the goals is to get a long run in with a few dozen of my buddies.

Pigtails Flat Ass Marathon

I thought I was done racing for 2009 after completing my 3 states in 8 days streak. I am weak though, and there just happened to be a cheap, local marathon that over 100 of my favorite people had entered. I had nothing better to do, so I decided to join in on the fun.

The race director (the one and only Pigtails) emailed us a few days before the race requesting that we try and carpool due to lack of parking. Fortunately Andy Fritz, a local Maniac, agreed to drive so we met at 5:30 am and headed towards the mountains. I dressed in tights and a long sleeve Maniac shirt, carried a pack with gloves and a jacket. The weather forecast called for light rain turning to dry and overcast, mid 40’s. Just perfect. As predicted, we started off in a light drizzle. The first 6 miles consisted of nicely packed dirt and gravel following the Cedar River downstream. The running seemed easy, but I intentional kept my pace slow. Karen Wiggins joined me and we spent a few miles catching up on our lives while our pace increased. One of us would notice and we would back off. 5 miles into the race, I decided I was pushing the pace too much for a recovery run (mid-9 minute miles) so I let Karen go on without me. I dialed back to 10½ minutes per mile and was all ready to just settle in and listen to music when young David Appleton caught me. I met David in Death Valley and then again in Las Vegas, so I welcomed the chance of running together. We ran fairly steadily to the half way point, taking short walk breaks every mile. We turned around and mile 14 and immediately noticed that we had been running slightly downhill the entire first half. That meant a long and gradual climb all the way back to the finish line. The drizzle had turned to a steady rain. I was getting chilled and my legs were fatigued. David was feeling the same so we increased our walk breaks to every ½ mile. To our surprise, we were actually passing people! We were slow, but others were slower….the gradual uphill and deteriorating weather was wearing people down. With 5 miles to go, Brian Pendleton caught up to us and helped make the final hour pass a little more quickly with new topics to discuss. We crossed the finish line in just under 5 hours, though my legs felt like I had run much faster. By comparison, the winning Women’s time was 4:04, so it was definitely a slow slog for everyone. After we collected our handmade finishers medals (pink bells decorated like pigs) I changed into warm, dry clothing and then made my way back to the finish line. We all huddled under the tent as we slurped down butternut squash soup and cheered in the rest of the runners.

I realized on my drive home how very tired I was. 7 marathons in 3 months had taken its toll and I badly needed a break. I think I’ll take some time off now. I’m scheduled to run the First Call to Run Marathon on January 1st. but I think I’m going to skip it and resume my racing sometime in February.

The Road to Ruthenium (or how to become a 5-star Maniac in 8 days)

I’ve been stuck at Marathon Maniac Iridium level (4 spinny stars) for over 2 years. I decided it was time to go for the next level: Ruthenium. This requires the dedicated Maniac to complete one of the following:
26 - 30 Marathons within 1 calendar year or…..
4 Marathons on back to back weekends (within a 9 day window) or….
3 Marathons in 3 separate US states, Countries, or Canadian Provinces (any combination) within a 9-day time span or….
13 Marathons in 13 different US states, Countries, or Canadian Provinces (any combination) in one calendar year.

It looked like 3 marathons in 3 states in 9 days was the most doable. So I came up with a plan and entered the races.

I approached the first in this series of marathons feeling weak and under-trained. I had stumbled over a pothole at the Royal Victoria Marathon in October and as a result have had pain in my lower ankle although no swelling or heat. Resting didn’t seem to help much, but running made the pain go away for several hours at a time. Still, I knew better than to try and run hard with such an odd niggle. 10 days before Seattle I came down with the flu. I was so tired I couldn’t get out of bed, then my lungs became congested to the point I couldn’t sleep. All the coughing and hacking caused tightness in my back and rib cage muscles. I was miserable and almost decided to cancel my quest for 5 stars. The Friday before Seattle I took a little 4 mile jog and was surprised that I felt almost normal. The races were back on with one caveat: run easy the first race and ease up from there.

Race 1, State 1: November 29, Seattle Marathon in Washington State

I was going to write a report for this race, but I liked Divechief’s so much, I decided to use his instead:

“Right before the start Dove spotted me. Today was the first of marathons in 3 states in 8 days. She wanted to take it kind of easy today and it turned out our paces were pretty much exactly even so we ran the entire race side by side. Often, we would be talking while the miles streamed by and be surprised at how fast our pace was and realize we needed to back it off a little so we didn't suffer in the later miles, then a few miles later our pace would be right back up there.

The course features a couple out and backs where you can see the runners ahead and behind you. We saw SR Lopez running strong, several miles ahead of us. Barefoot Jon a few miles behind us, and Franc and her friend really close to us, but her friend was having foot problems.

We also spotted Bob Dolphin and Larry Macon, world record holder with 105 marathons in 2008 on the course, more on that later. (They were mentioned in the recent Wall street journal article)

Beautiful overcast day, 50º gentle breeze was enough to keep us cool. I was fine with a throw away at the start, shorts and long sleeve shirt, short sleeve would have worked just as well.

We caught up to Larry Macon at around mile 21 (He started an hour early) Chatted for a few minutes and we discovered that he is going to be in Las Vegas next weekend. One of the same races Dove is running. Larry Proposed to Dove. He said he was going to marry 6 women in Las Vegas!!! Dove accepted. We felt that both Larry's wife, and Dove's Finance will be surprised!! We spent the next mile discussing the appropriate running/wedding wear for her upcoming wedding.

The miles continued to fly by, we didn't negative split, I had to dig a little from about miles 23-25 but I was still feeling OK. Finished under 4:30, Dove felt she still has plenty in the tank for her two marathons next weekend. Fun day.”

After Seattle I rested and tried not to run too much. My ankle was not happy with me, but still no swelling or heat. My hip was acting up again, too. It has decided that a spontaneous collapse without warning keeps things from getting boring. I ended up on the pavement a few times this summer because of such hip antics. The hip threatened in Seattle, but never quite collapsed. I was committed to completing the series, so renewed my vow to go out slow and ease up the next two marathons.

Race 2, State 2: December 4, Death Valley Borax Marathon in California

We flew into Las Vegas Friday morning, drove over to the Rock N Roll expo to pick up my race number for Sunday, then stopped to fuel up at the Mandalay Bay Buffet. The race director of the Death Valley Borax Marathon had warned us that there were few choices for dining once we left Las Vegas, so we decided to eat our big meal before starting the drive.
Driving into Death Valley was breathtaking. I knew that I was in for a special run the next day and couldn’t wait to get started.

The forecast was for a low in the mid 30’s race morning, heating up to the mid 60’s by afternoon. I decided to dress for the finish temps and made my way to the pre-race meeting wearing a Brooks running skirt in black, a white and gold Brooks ID singlet, White Marathon Maniac hat and Adrenaline 10 shoes. As always I wore my double diamond studs and 26.2 lucky necklace. I carried a handheld water bottle since aid stations would be 3.5 to 4 miles apart. The pre-race meeting was one of the highlights of my week. The self-important race director turned out to be quite a ham. He explained the rules “start time is approximately 8:00, you win a rubber chicken if you are the first to cross the line… well it used to be a rubber chicken, but now it’s a chicken purse stuffed with $1,000,000 in shredded bills because of past complaints about no prize purse”… and a few other details like the serve-yourself aid stations and self monitored turn-around points for the various race distances. He concluded the meeting with a heartfelt sing-a-long of America the Beautiful. I couldn’t imagine a more fitting way to start the race.

I really don’t have much to say about the actual run. I was completely enchanted by the magic of the valley. We were running below sea level for the entire race, but it was surprisingly hilly. And exposed. The dry air whisked away sweat before I realized it had formed, so I was careful to keep drinking water and taking electrolyte capsules. Running was effortless, but I mixed in plenty of walk breaks, honoring my promise to go out slow and ease back. The pavement had a softness and smoothness about it that cushioned each footfall. At the halfway point we turned around and headed back to Furnace Creek. A gentle head wind had picked up and cooled me just enough. I don’t really know where the time went, but I swear I was out there for less than an hour. Turns out it was well over four hours when I crossed the finish line, received my medal and shirt and plunged into the warm-spring fed pool. A quick check of the results showed I managed a 2nd in my age group. It didn’t matter one bit though…. I could have been dead last and still felt just as blessed.

Race 3, State 3: December 5, Rock n’ Roll Las Vegas in Nevada

As usual I had a hard time eating after the marathon. I did manage to choke down half an order of fried rice and a beer before calling it a day. I woke and tried to eat a breakfast bar, but could barely choke it down. And since it was Vegas, there was no coffee maker in the room to help get the blood flowing. Oh well.

Today’s race would start at 6:15. My past Rock n’Roll experiences meant I needed to be at the start line at least 30 minutes early to check my bag and work my way to the corrals. I was out the door at 5:15, dressed in a black short sleeve Brooks ID tech shirt, black Brooks skirt, Brooks Infinity shoes and a Marathon Maniacs hat. Double diamond studs, my 26.2 necklace and pink striped disposable arm warmers completed the look. By the time I had walked the 2 miles to the start line, I knew I had under dressed. I was freezing! It was too late to go back and change, and nearly impossible with all the runners walking down the strip.

I was in corral 6, a nice place to start. A few minutes after the gun went off, we moved into position and started off down the strip. Fireworks filled the chilly air and illuminated the broken asphalt they call a street. I picked up my feet carefully, trying to avoid another tumble into a pothole like Victoria. The mass number of runners, the efficient manner of the RnR staff and the too slick race entertainment made me feel like pampered cattle being seductively herded to slaughter. The bands were playing, yes, actually playing! (unlike Seattle where most of the bands were just standing around). The big screen displays that casinos have along the strip were broadcasting the race as it unfolded, allowing the mid-packers to watch the battle going on between front runners, as we ran! Despite my dislike of mega races, this one was fun. It was Las Vegas, baby. We ran down the strip with the half-marathoners, made a loop at the 6 miles mark, then head back up the strip towards the finish line. Water and electrolyte drink was flowing, GU was plentiful, bands every mile as promised. Then it happened….. the marathoners split from the half. We were cast out of the glitzy Vegas and dumped like an ugly Christmas sweater into a seedier section of town. The bands no longer played. The aid stations had dwindled. The few bums staggering down the street looked at us with pity as we began a long and steady climb that started at mile 15 and continued to taunt us for the next 4 miles. My legs were done by that time. They were shaky and felt weak. I had been careful to implement a 10:1, run/walk ratio from the beginning of the race and that was beginning to fail me. I was cold and started to shake. At mile 18 an angel know was Marathon Maniac #1382 found me and gave me a double espresso GU and a few Starbursts. The turn around at mile 20 found me with renewed energy. I dumped the walk breaks and took it home at near marathon pace (it helped that 5 of the remaining 6.2 miles were downhill). I crossed the finish line with body intact and 5 spinny stars reflecting in my eyes.

This series of races provide me with opportunity to run a small (Death Valley: 341 runners), medium (Seattle: 9,500 runners), and Mega (Las Vegas: 30,000 runners) marathon in short succession. They were all fun. Vegas is just too glitzy and polished: really a half marathon event with an additional out and back for the marathoners. Seattle will always be a favorite of mine, but after running it 4 times I was ready for something new. I far preferred the small Death Valley marathon with its devil-may-care attitude, funky awards and colorful race director.

P.S. I didn’t get married in Las Vegas. I lost my intended in a sea of grooms so I decided to just keep running. Sorry Larry.
__________________

Royal Victoria Marathon

Royal Victoria was my last race in a 3 marathons in 6 week push. Skagit was my goal race, Bellingham my back-up and Victoria was supposed to be for fun. Things didn’t unfold the way they were planned: Skagit was a disaster, Bellingham became my goal race, but I wasn’t expecting the long, steep hills and miles of dirt trail. I missed my Boston Qualification by 11 minutes. Now Victoria was the goal race. My summer of focused training had one last chance to pay off and Victoria was it.

The intensity of the summer left me feeling a little achy in the hips and I was tired. I knew the course, though , and thought it suited my strengths. The weather was forecast to be ideal: sunny and mid 40’s. Slight wind (I like a little wind). I planned to hold myself to a 9:00 mpm pace through mile 20, then increase the speed and take it home. To help with my effort, I decided to run with the 4 hour pacer. Only one problem… I couldn’t find him at the start line. I also couldn’t find my usual Maniac friends, so I was on my own. I’m actually quite chatty at races so I made a few instant friends before the gun went off to start the race.

I started slow, then picked it up a bit by mile 4. After that, I had a hard time keeping to my 9:00 goal pace. Every time I took a split, I was hovering around 8:45. I knew I needed to bring it down a notch, and struggled to make that happen. I hit the turn-around well ahead of goal pace, and on my way back towards town caught a glimpse of the 4 hour pacer. He was 2 minutes or so behind me. I slowed down even more so the pace group could catch up, figuring it would be easier to hold myself back if I were in a pack. They caught me at mile 16. I latched on and settled into their stride. I just got comfortable and Mr. Pace Bunny yelled out “walk!” What? We just finished a significant climb, we should reward ourselves by gliding down the backside! Ignoring my intuition, I walked with the group. One minute later the pacer started running again. It took me a moment to get the legs moving again and almost as soon as I was motoring along smoothly, we walked again. He was on the 10 minute run, 1 minute walk routine. No matter where it fell on the course we were walking on the 10 minute mark. I managed to keep with the group until mile 20, though the constant change of rhythm was taking it's toll.

I hit that split perfectly with 3:02 showing on my watch. Now, according to plan, I could turn it on. Right now. Yep, this is it. Legs? Did you hear me? RIGHT NOW….. Nothing….. Again I summoned my inner strength and willed my legs to move faster. 2 seconds per mile faster…. 5 seconds a mile fast….. 10 seconds per mile faster. Perfect. I would hold this pace until mile 24, then increase the speed again. This is what I trained for. This was going to be my fast finish. Then it happened. Mile 22.5 and my quad seized up so bad I couldn’t move. I was dizzy with pain as I inched toward the curb. I stood there, slumped over like an old lady, trying to catch a breath and ease the pain. The EMT’s came by: making sure I was okay and offered a ride. I knew I couldn’t stop or the cramps would get worse. I had to find a way to start walking and move that lactic acid through my muscles. It seemed like minutes passed before I started to hobble towards the finish line. Half a mile later I picked up a slow jog, then when I felt a twinge in my quad, brought it back down to a walk. Once again I picked up a jog. I was too close to deny myself a finish, but time goals had completely disappeared. Somehow I managed a 9-something mile during that final push over the timing mat. To my surprise, I still managed a 4:12 and I completed my 49th marathon just 3½ years after my first.

We finished off the weekend with a lovely Canadian Thanksgiving dinner hosted by one of my friends. I wanted to feel sorry for myself, to make excuses or trivialize the importance of this race for me. None of it would do though. I have to own up to what happened and find a way to prevent it in the future. I can run an easy marathon every other week without problems, but to run with intensity that frequently left me drained. My muscles were fatigued. My system over taxed. Now all I can do is recover, rebuild and refocus.

Bellingham Bay Marathon

My recovery from Skagit Flats didn’t go too well. The first week I was just plain tired. The second week I had a shooting pain in my hip that drastically altered my stride. My general rule is: if it hurts but doesn’t alter my stride and I warm out of it in a few mile… keep training. If it hurts and doesn’t alter my stride, but keeps hurting after mile 3… call it a day. If it alters my stride at any point….quit and take a few days off. So given my rule, I took 5 days off leading up to the Bellingham Bay Marathon. I also modified my goal. Originally this was going to be my second attempt at a fall BQ, instead I decided to just see if I could get through it pain free.

Race morning started out chilly but was supposed to be sunny and warm up by mid-morning. I decided to wear a singlet, gloves and compression shorts. I also decided to carry a water bottle so there would be no chance of dehydrating again. I was going to work on two things this marathon: properly timed nutrition/hydration and not walking when I started to fatigue (a bad habit that I picked up during a year of ultra running). Since my goal was to finish uninjured, I wanted to run around a 9:15 pace and hopefully pick it up the last 3 miles or so. As usual I lined up with the Maniacs at the start, and when we took off I found myself with two friends who are much faster than I am. We were having a nice conversation though, so I failed to pay attention to pace. 2 miles into it I noticed we were running 8:30’s. Too fast, I told them. I would drop off the back to keep my pace slow… then one of my friends would drop back with me, promising to go at my pace. Before I knew it, we would be running too fast again. This continued until the half way point. The pace hovered around 8:45 minutes per mile with the exception of a few big, long hills that I elected to walk. I enjoyed the company, though, and maybe a faster first half will pay off at some future race. I hit the half way point at 1:58. I forced myself to hold back again as my hip pain started to come back. Luckily the course veered onto a lovely dirt trail that eased the jarring at mile 15. I was starting to feel better, but kept my pace slow with hopes of turning on a little speed for the last 6 miles. When I passed the 20 mile marker, I decided now was the time, and worked to push my pace down to 9:00 minutes per mile again. Unfortunately, and wild downhill on a paved surface brought the hip pain back again. I reminded myself the goal was to come out of this marathon without injury, so once again I slowed my pace. I caught up to one of my fast friends from earlier in the race (also suffering from hip pain) and we managed to keep each other going to the finish line. I crossed the line in 4:12:10. I quickly stiffened up and the muscles in my hip area were very tender so I was glad I didn’t push it harder.

Now it’s time to rest again and see if I have anything left for the Royal Victoria Marathon in two weeks.

Skagit Flats Marathon

The race started so beautifully, who knew what would await me?

I was ready. My training leading up to this race went perfectly. I only missed one run, and that was a 16 miler at the beginning of the cycle due to flu. I ran a test race in early August ; a half marathon where my only goal was to put in a good effort the second half. I PR’d that race without much effort. I was feeling good, well rested and well fueled when I took my place at the start line. I started out easy, constantly checking my pace, because it seemed too easy. My watch kept me honest. I would find myself wandering toward 8:30 minute miles, but would catch it early enough to dial it back again. As a result, my miles splits were coming in at 8:58 – 9:02. Perfect. My plan was to run 9 minute miles the first 20 miles, then hammer it in for the last 6.

It was already too warm when we hit the first aid station around mile 1.5. Unfortunately only 2 volunteers were manning the station and couldn’t keep up with the demand of over 600 runners. I passed that station without getting any water. I knew it was a mistake at the time, but figured I would drink well at the next station, two miles down the road. This station was prepared and I got my water. Another two miles, more water, some gel and I was right where I wanted to be. My legs were fresh, my heart rate low but I was starting to really sweat. When I passed mile 8 I realized I hadn’t taken electrolytes yet, so I popped one at the next water stop. By this time I was drenched in sweat. The roads were getting hot and the course offered no shade. My eyes were burning from the amount of salt dripping down my face. Still I was feeling good and my pace was a steady 9:00 minutes per mile. I hit the turn around point in 1:58. As I started the second half of the race I started to feel slightly qu. My head was gently throbbing and I experienced the most demanding thirst. Where is the aid station? My mouth felt like cotton and the aid station was still a mile away. I needed water badly… when I finally hit the aid station (around mile 15) I stopped and chugged 4 cups of water. I expected my stomach to start sloshing after so much water, but it went down amazingly well. I picked up my pace again and my head started to really pound. I slowed down to walk a moment. I was dizzy once I slowed down. I went through my vital check list: heart rate- good, feet- fine, muscles-pleasantly tired, stomach- settled and no sloshing. Then I noticed it – I wasn’t sweating. Me, Miss Sweat Princess, the one blessed with a super efficient cooling system that allows me to run in blistering heat, wasn’t sweating at all. This was bad. I knew if I had any hope of crossing the finish line I had to quit racing. No BQ, no PR for me today. I made a pact with myself that very moment: walk it in and save the legs for another day. pick up a slow jog if I start sweating again, drop out entirely if I kept feeling dizzy or the headache gets worse. I also knew I had to focus on getting the system functioning again. I started working on replacing my electrolytes and getting plenty of liquids down. I would alternate walking with a slow, shuffling jog every ¼ mile or so. By mile 20 I was feeling significantly better and my mile 24 I broke a sweat again. I cautiously jogged the remaining 2.2 miles to the finish line. I quit looking at my watch after I started walking, so was expecting the finish line clock to read 5+ hours. I was amazed to finish in 4:30 minutes. All that practice walking over the summer must have paid off. I walked around for a bit, drank some more water and hit the showers. As I was packing up my race gear I noticed my clothes were coated in a fine dusting of salt. More than the typical sweat rings I usually get. After the shower I started feeling much better. I started reviewing the race and noticed that even though I had gotten so severely dehydrated, I never got leg cramps. Weird.

Tacoma Narrows Half Marathon

I recently joined the newly formed Marathon Maniacs off-shoot: the Half Fanatics. I hadn’t run a half marathon since I stepped up to the marathon distance, but my brief foray into the 13.1 mile world back in 2005 was enough to get me a “Moon” status with the Half Fanatics. And since I am now a card carrying member, I thought I should at least run the local half sponsored by our club.

That’s how I found myself standing at the foggy start line of the Tacoma Narrows Half Marathon. My last race was the Seattle Rock and Roll, then I decided to take the summer off and concentrate on my speed and strength. This half marathon fell on a day that I was scheduled to run 16 easy miles with 2 x 3 miles of harder effort. I figured I could run the race then tack on an extra 3 miles after the finish to hit my goal distance. For the actual race, I would run the first 6 miles slowly (as per my training plan), then pick up the 3 miles repeats with a mile jog in between. That plan would bring me flying into the finish, even though my overall effort would be relatively slow. I lined up with my friend Cat, and we took off through the fog. Around mile 4 the course started to climb as we ascended the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. This section of the course was appropriately narrow as we dodged and weaved around slower runners. Coming off the bridge, I expected to find the course flatten out. I was surprised to find we were still climbing… and climbing…. and climbing. Cat and I continued to run at a pace that allowed us to chat, I resisted the urge to glance at my watch since I knew pace didn’t matter at this point in the race.

My watch beeper went off and it was time to pick up the pace. I bid Cat farewell, and I strided off, still running uphill. 25 minutes later, I approached the “fun” part of the course… running around the bases and Cheney Stadium. I hoped to hit this section during my jog recovery so I could enjoy it, but unfortunately I was still in my speed phase and concentrating on driving down my average pace. I hit the end of my 3 mile effort the same time I closed in on 3rd base. A glance of the watch indicated an average pace of 8:11 minutes per mile for the first repeat. Fast for me! I jogged my mile recovery and started to wonder if I could even come close to that speed during my second repeat.

I didn’t have to wonder too long before my beeper went off, signaling the start of another hard effort. My watch was set to show me my average pace for the repeat and I made a game out of trying to drive the pace down as the distance passed. I started to pass a lot of runners those last 3 miles, some of which I had leap-frogged with several times during the course of the morning. On one particularly fast section, around mile 12, I passed a very fit looking runner who had passed me several times during my easy run phases and she shouted “just who are you?”. I laughed and responded “just out doing a little training run, see you at the finish” as I left her behind. My second 3 mile effort came in at an 8:04 average. I crossed the finish line in 1:53:20 for a new personal record. I turned around and started running back up the course, but offset by a block so I wouldn’t actually be on the course, and finished my final 3 miles. I was very pleased with my time, especially since I ran the first half at such an easy pace. Hopefully this is a sign that my hard work this summer is paying off and I’ll get that Boston Qualifier in September.

Seattle Rock and Roll Marathon

I hate it when marathons get off to a bad start, and this one was shaping up to be one of the worst I’ve experienced. Sure, I’ve missed flights and lost my running gear before… but those things are to be expected when traveling across the country. This race was in my backyard, things are supposed to unfold smoothly.

My mis-adventure started Friday around noon. After getting my son off to camp (his ride was late), I jumped in the car and hit the freeway, or rather something on the freeway. My car pitched strongly to one side and my flat tire light came on. Someone had lost a box full of tools and one had ripped out my sidewall. Three hours later, $300 poorer, I was on the road again. I kept a nervous eye on the clock as traffic became more congested. My 1 hour drive to Seattle was verging on 5 hours (“gee it took you 5 hours to get to Seattle? I can run a marathon faster than that”) and the expo was nearing it’s close. I finally reached Quest Field, pulled into the garage and was promptly asked for $10… the advertised $5 parking fee was wrong, and I was in no mood to fork out yet more money, but I gave in. I rushed to get my number, ignored all the vendors hawking items I’m sure I needed, and went in search of “The House”. I drove right to it… finally a signal that the weekend may turn out o.k. Upon entering I was greeted by the familiar faces of Erika, Peter, Holly, Amy, Tammy and Nancy. I was also introduced to new friends: Tim, Francesca and Laura. I couple of good hugs and a glass of wine, suddenly all was right with the world.

The next morning Holly and I were up before the alarm, making coffee, eating breakfast and mentally preparing for the task at hand. Soon everyone else was up too, and dressed to run. I thought it was fun that all the Maniacs chose yellow singlets and black skirts (except for Amy, but her Race Ready shorts almost looked like a skirt).

At 6:00 am we piled into two cars and headed for the start, thinking we would have plenty of time. Wrong! The freeway was a parking lot, many runners were bailing out of cars to run to the start when it became apparent that we would miss the gun. We still had several miles to go so the group made a decision to just stay in the car and hope we reached the start before the timing mats were rolled up. Our car remained relaxed about the whole thing….we were experienced marathoners and knew we would live to race another day… no big deal. We did wonder how the car full of first timers was holding up, though. By the time we reached the start line it was 7:41, we were 41 minutes late and as a result stuck behind all the runners and walkers of both the full and half marathon. Nancy and I lined up together even though we had different goals for our marathon execution: Nancy wanted to go out fast and see how long she could hold it. I planned on starting out slow, pick it up in the second half and run a fast final few miles.

After the extremely crowded opening miles, I decided that I was running too fast for my plan, so told Nancy to go ahead and run her own race. She surge ahead, I dropped back and we both continued to dodge and weave through the crowds. Our separation lasted maybe a mile. The crowds were slowing Nancy down and the frustration was speeding me up. We rejoined, had a quick conversation and completely changed our race strategy. We decided to just have as much fun as possible. After all, this was the Rock and Roll marathon and that is exactly what we should do! So from that point on, every time we passed a band, we would stop and dance. Sometimes separately, sometimes arm and arm, occasionally hugging each other tight. What a sight we must have been: two skirted Maniacs, laughing and shouting, high fiving the spectators, greeting the other Maniacs, basically having more fun than one could ever expect while running 26.2. In fact there were many points along the course that I forgot we were running a race of significant distance.

At mile 21 I asked Nancy if she had anything left in legs, she responded “yes” so we took off, putting in an 8:14 mile before stopping to dance again. It felt so good to have that kind of energy so late in a marathon. That dance at mile 22 was pure celebration: of running, and friendship, and spontaneous decisions. We joyously continued along, churning out the final few miles and concluding with a sprint to the finish. Our legs and hearts didn’t want to quite, though and we caught ourselves still running after donning our medals, and dancing again at the finish line band.

We looked at our Garmin’s and realized we had put in almost perfectly even splits which included 4:17 of running and 11 minutes of dancing. Textbook execution of a very complicated race.

So to you, our friends, we raise our glasses and celebrate the true Spirit of the Marathon.The same true Spirit which allowed our wings to fly.
Thanks for reading and thanks to our coaches who have to put our training aside so often while we go to visit the "wild" side.

The Green River/NODM Double Marathon Weekend

Living in Western Washington certainly has its perks. For distance runners, it’s the opportunity to run 2 marathons on beautiful courses in the same weekend. Both marathons run along wooded bike paths and finish with 4 miles along the Puget Sound. This is the 3rd time I’ve run this double: the first year day one was a 50k though, not a road marathon. It was my 5th double in 2 years. I love running double marathons.

Sat – Green River Marathon. 26.2 miles on a bike path along the Green River. 1st half is flat and easy , 2nd half hits urban roads. This is a free , but certified course marathon so streets are not closed. We have to wait for lights to cross major intersections. Also a few hills so it’s definitely the slower the 2nd half. I continue to run easy until mile 21, then I pick it up for a mile to get the legs moving. At mile 22 we hit the beach and a headwind but I keep focused and run hard the last 3 miles. ½ spilt is 2:14, mile 21- 9:10, mile 24 -9:10, mile 25 – 8:55, mile 26-9:31. Second ½ split 2:11. Overall time: 4:25. The best part: it was easy! I felt great at the finish. No soreness or fatigue. One hour later I felt like I hadn’t run at all. Huge success in my opinion.

After the race I head out to the ball park to watch a USSSA softball tournament that Mr. Hawk is playing in. I eat a couple of tacos and enjoy a beer. Before long it’s 9:30 pm and we still have a 3 hour drive to Port Angeles. So much for plenty of sleep. We arrive in Port Angeles and remember that we haven’t eaten since lunch. You simply can’t run a double without eating well, so luckily we find a pizza place that’s still open. Hit the sack at 2:00 a.m., up again at 6:00 a.m. I’m not hungry and have a headache, so I force down some dry toast and black coffee. Mr. Hawk takes me to the start line then heads back to bed.

Sun- North Olympic Discovery Marathon. 3rd time running this marathon and always as 2nd marathon of a double weekend, my course PR was 4:47. 1st half is fairly flat and boring through town street and farmland. 2nd half is a tougher run through the forest and has lots of hills: short, steep hills. Last 4 miles are again run along a beach. A feel a little sluggish the first 5 miles but just take it easy. By mile 8 I am warmed up. I continue to feel stronger and stronger throughout the race. I keep waiting for the course to get hard…. I remember how tough this race is from past years. It never gets hard. I run mile 21 fast to wake up the legs and hit the beach feeling like a run-away freight train. Powerful and unstoppable. I pass people like they are standing still the final 4 miles. What fun! 1st half split: 2:12. Mile 21- 8:31, mile 24 – 9:56, mile 25 – 9:49, mile 26 – 8:54. 2nd half split: 2:12. Overall time: 4:24. Good enough for 4th place in my AG, on the second day of a double! 22 minute course PR! Double marathon PR by 23 minutes! Went home and mowed the lawn. It really doesn’t get any better than this. Or does it?

Capital City Marathon

I went into the Capital City Marathon with the intention of claiming my 2010 Boston Qualifier. I was 4 minutes off in Boston, so I thought I’d take another shot at it in my home town. I should have stopped a moment and thought about the Capital City course before setting my goal.

My plan was to run like I had in Boston…. Start fast, hold on until mile 13, then let it gradually fade. I knew I could do it. As the race neared, reality started to sink in. Olympia had been experiencing a chilly spring, but as race weekend approached, the weather warmed significantly. Not good, especially since I’d been training in cool weather. I started to think I would be happy with matching my Boston time and saving the BQ for another day. Even with a slight change in goals, I wanted to go out fast and push myself instead of just completing a long training run like I did in Tacoma.

Everything started well. I got off to a nice start running 8:45’s for the first 4 miles. Then the fun was over and the climbing began. Capital City climbs and drops constantly. Steep, short climbs, long, shallow climbs, and on three occasions: steep, long climbs. By mile 7 I adjusted my goal again: I wanted to beat my previous best Capital City time: 4:13:58. I pushed hard, backing off when I needed to recover after a climb. I tried to stay focused on the beautiful, rural course and let mind wander down memory lane as I dashed across old childhood haunts. Gull Harbor Store, Cannery Ranch, Zangle Road and Woodard Bay were all so important when I was a kid, hanging out with my friends and our dogs. Later on when ran through the eastside of Olympia… down Friendly Grove Road, Miller Street and Bethel. Past my old elementary school and along my brothers paper route. Mile 20 went by the old Washington Middle School where we attended classes in school buses as we were waiting for the new Capital High School to open. Finally we hit the last long hill leading into Wildwood before dumping out on Capital Way and a 1.5 mile down hill sprint to the finish. I worked hard that last mile trying to accomplish my goal and thought I made it as I crossed the finish line (only to find out later that I ran a 4:13:59, 1 second slower than my course PR).

I was disappointed to find out that there were no medals at this years race, only results cards with a slot for our timing chips that we got to keep. After framing the results card, though, I decided that it was a nice touch and like it better than a medal.

Tacoma City Marathon

The Tacoma City Marathon was just a long, slow run for me and a chance to visit with a few friends while adding another tally to the Marathon Maniacs scoreboard. I decided to take the early start again this year and follow a 5/1 minute, run/walk ratio. I was still feeling a little tired from Boston, the travel and the head cold I developed afterward so slow and steady seemed like the best possible idea.

The early start was fairly large this year. As we lined up, the race director gave us a few quick instructions then went on to explain that there were a few course changes. I tried to listen but since I am not that familiar with Tacoma, the changes didn’t make much sense. The only one that stuck out was that we wouldn’t be running down South Tacoma Way this year. If that was the case, I knew I would enjoy the course.

A little after 6:00 we were off, pounding down the quiet streets at the base of the “hilltop”. I kept my eye on the lead bike as we wound around, ignoring my first walk break. I continued trying to keep an eye on the bike while ignoring the beeps from my watch that signaled “walk time”, then at mile 3, decided it was best to stick with my plan… after all the course was marked and I wouldn’t get lost. WRONG. I passed the Stadium High School aid station and realized I had no idea where I was. There were no course markings, no traffic cones and no other runners. I doubled back and after much searching found an old, faded mark on the concrete leading down an alley. I followed, wound around a bit more, then ran out of course markers again. I searched, doubled back, went west, turned east…. No markers. Finally I sighted an aid station but when I approached it, noticed it said “mile 6”, my Garmin indicated I was at mile 5. The aid station volunteers tired to encourage me to just keep going and forget about the fact I was a mile short, but I couldn’t, so I headed uphill in search of an extra mile. I didn’t really care if it was the right mile, I just didn’t want to be short at the finish, I signed up to run 26.2, and I was going to run 26.2. 10 minutes (and 1 mile) later I was back at the mile 6 aid station and ready to continue. By that time there were other runners to follow and the course was well marked. I had a great time running along the waterfront, passing through the Asarco tunnel and finally entering Pt Defiance Park. We ran by the zoo and I could hear the animals contained within issuing their morning greetings. I brought my headphones and kept thinking I should listen to some music, but the sounds of the morning were much more interesting.

My run/walk ratio was working well for me. I had lots of spring in my legs, my heart rate was low and I was feeling fresh. The hills that seemed like such monsters last year had tamed down considerably. After emerging from the park, we wandered through residential neighborhoods and down a bike path along highway 16. The bike path was hot and lonely until we pasted by a Top Foods parking lot where an employee had a shopping cart full of bottled water. It was a welcome relief during this aid-less stretch.

We eventually found ourselves right in the middle of the dreaded “hilltop”. Thankfully, gangbangers seem to enjoy sleeping in on Sunday’s and the city had posted several police officers at each street corner, so in general it felt fairly safe. The few residents that wandered outside encouraged the runners, even gangsters appreciate the efforts of a hard marathon. We finished with the familiar screaming downhill and sharp right turn, followed by 2 miles of a nice, gentle glide to the finish line. The marathon volunteers held up the finish tape for every marathon finisher to break through as the announcer read our name and anything notable about us. A very nice touch that I haven’t seen before.

After the race I met up with my childhood friend, Ali, whom I haven’t seen in 30 years. Seeing her again brought tears to my eyes and it was the best reward for finishing a difficult marathon. We walked around a bit, I changed into my sweats, then we settled down for a cold beer and an hour of catching up. It was a perfect day.

Finish time 4:34.

Boston Marathon and 5k

Prior to my trip I decided that this would be my last Boston for awhile. Boston is expensive, it eats away at my vacation leave and there are other marathons and ultras in the same time frame that I want to do. That said, I approached this race weekend as a chance to have as much fun as possible and not worry about the race itself.
Mom was my traveling companion this year, so the first matter of business was to have my traditional dinner at Whiskers on Boylston. The following day we hit the expo, picked up my race numbers (5k and marathon) and shopped. Saturday morning I put in 3 miles along the Charles River. My legs were tight and heavy. I plodded along losing confidence with every step.
Sunday morning I was up early, threw on my pink running skirt and black long sleeve shirt and walked to Copley Square for the first annual Boston 5k. Much to my surprise my legs felt light and responsive. I went ahead and let myself run as fast as I could. I hit the finish line in 26:18; good enough to place 39 out of 233 in my division. I felt good about the results. Speed has been slipping away the last 18 months as I have ventured into longer ultra marathons so I wasn’t expecting any blazing performance. After the race, Mom and I hit the subway for a trip out to Cambridge and a Masters pre-marathon party. It was great to see my friends again and to put a face to new friends that I have only met online.
Marathon morning I packed all sorts of clothing options into my drop bag, threw on a black skirt and yellow Maniacs singlet, gloves, tights and jacket and walked to the bus line. As soon as I approached the buses, I met up with a few other Maniacs and we chatted as we waited our turn to load. Once we arrived at the village, I headed straight for the lower field. For some reason, every year at Boston, I stumble across the Main Maniacs and camp out with them. It’s almost like they are wearing homing devices. Most of the Maniacs are in the first wave, so once they depart I stripped down to my skirt, singlet and gloves and made my way to the second wave start. On the way to the start, I figured I better come up with a race strategy. For the last two years I’ve followed the general wisdom and started slow, hoping to pick it up in the second half. That second half pick up never came so I ended up with a disappointing finish, 2007: 4:14:12 and 2008: 4:26:22. This year, my legs felt springy after yesterdays 5k, so I decided to go out fast and let myself fade. My marathons have gotten so slow lately that I rarely break 4:30 (I did run a 4:15 in Victoria in October but it hurt!). I figured going out too fast and crashing would be better than just lumbering along. My first 5 miles were fast: 8:30 per mile (I don’t run 8:30’s). I decided to see if I could hold it for 10k. After 10 k I decided to try and reach mile 10 before slowing down. My pace was starting to slow, but I was still holding on. I hit the half way point in 1:53. A new half-marathon PR for me. An 8:40 pace. At that point I let my head get in the way and remind me that I don’t run that fast. I listened and let the pace slack off. I was still feeling fine, just didn’t believe I could hold it. By mile 20 I was averaging 9 minute miles and stomach problems hit (I was taking a gel every 5 miles, instead of my typical one gel per marathon). I spent 3 or 4 minutes at one of those “blue kiosks” along side the road, then emerged feeling better and ready to make my way to the finish. I crossed the line in 4:04:24 shaking my head and wondering where that performance came from. I didn’t do any speed work, I didn’t train for hills, I didn’t taper. In short, I didn’t prepare for Boston and didn’t take my training seriously. All my runs in the last 18 months have been about increasing my endurance and yet somehow Boston 2009 was my 3rd fastest marathon out of the 33 I’ve run. I’ve proved to myself that there is still some speed in the legs, I just have to decide if that’s what I want then spend some time training for it.

Pacific Rim One Day Ultra

Sometimes I’m amazed at how quickly the body and mind can adapt. What was once an inconceivable idea became a “once-in-a-lifetime” goal. Last weekend that “once-in-a-lifetime” goal became a “I have nothing better to do” activity. How and when did running significant distances become so matter-of-fact? When did my mind decided running 50 miles took no more planning or preparation than a day trip to Seattle with the kids? I think my friend Olga summed it up when she said that she no longer trains: she is trained. Now she just runs. I think that’s where I am … I run for the joy and the miles pass. They come effortlessly and without preparation. They just are.

Pacific Rim One Day was a spur of the moment race. I had planned on running the Des Moines 6-hour Ultra the weekend before and hoped to log around 30 miles. Unfortunately the weather gods had other plans and brewed up a nasty storm the morning of the race. Snow and rain don’t bother me… strong winds ripping through alder forests are downright dangerous, so I decided not to run. I needed a long run, though, so the following Saturday I drove to a small lake in southwest Washington for the Pacific Rim One-Day Ultra Marathon. The race format consisted of a slightly longer than 1 mile loop around the lake, run as many times as possible in a 24 hour period. I wanted to put in a 50 mile day and stop mid-evening, leaving me plenty of time and energy to drive home. In past years, 50 miles would have been enough to place in the top 5 of the women’s category. This year, however, the race attracted a lot of very experienced and accomplished ultra runners, so I knew 50 miles wouldn’t get me into the top 50%. Even though there was no chance of placement, a far better opportunity awaited me: the chance to spend many hours with some of the Northwest’s top ultra runners. Ultra runners are a very welcoming lot and were more than happy to discuss race management, pacing, and nutrition. They treated me as one of their own, even though I am relatively new to the sport. By mid-day I felt like part of the family. As one new friend explained to me: we are all in this together, we all suffer and we all succeed.

Throughout the day I put into practice lessons learned from Across the Years: change shoes every 3 hours – more often if something doesn’t feel right. Eat often. Don’t be tempted to sit down or stop except to change shoes or clothing. If I get tired walk…. but not too long. Have a plan and follow it. Originally my plan was to run the first 5 miles to warm up, then use 3 minute run, 1 minute walk intervals. My plan changed after watching the ultra guru’s walk anything that even resembled a rise and the two sections of concrete. Life was good and I was running well until I felt twinges of cramping at mile 13. The twinges continued into mile 20, then I started bloating. I walked several miles as I worked to get my electrolytes in balance. By mile 32 everything was good again and I was running effortlessly. I was careful to eat a bite of something every mile. A shot of espresso at mile 35 gave me an extra boost beyond what I was expecting. The sun started to set and the temperatures drop as I ticked off my final miles. I really wanted to finish under 11 hours and with 2 laps to go, I realized I could finish under 10 ½ hours if I picked up the pace a bit. Miles 48 and 49 were my fastest for the race. After passing the lap station at mile 50 I stopped my watch, pulled on my warm ups and completed a final cool down lap. By this time I was freezing so I quickly grabbed my stuff and started the 2 hour drive home.

I woke the next morning slightly stiff, incredibly hungry and only one blister for my efforts. I stuck to my plan and was happy with my time and strong finish. I missed running through the night, though, and regret that I didn’t make plans to run the whole 24 hours. There is something magical about running all night: suffering and succeeding at the same time. I’ll be back next year, ready to go the distance.

Lost Dutchman Marathon

4:30 a.m. and it was time to get ready for my 3rd running of the Lost Dutchman Marathon! My legs felt fresh and full of life as I tried my hardest to eat a muffin and drink some coffee. I had no appetite, but I managed to get some food down.
I donned the same running outfit that I had on yesterday (but freshly laundered), slipped on my road shoes and headed out to meet the bus. 30 bumpy minutes after getting on the bus, we rounded the corner and saw the magical campfires blazing against the Superstitious Mountains. After letting my eyes adjust to the darkness, I found the Seattle Maniacs huddled around one of the 20 or so fires. I knew most of them, and introduced myself to those that I didn’t. We talked about goals for the race… Mary was there to win, another woman was there to qualify for the Maniacs, Lesa was running her 50th marathon the first day of being 50 years old (and after running Pemberton with me the day before). I was there just to have a good time and finish. We were all laughing about the fact I had the same running clothes as yesterday when it occurred to me that last time I ran the Dutchman I didn’t have my suitcase either (Hmmm, maybe the Lost Dutchman has put some kind of jinx on me.)

We lined up for a shotgun start and soon were flying down the dirt road. The downhill start actually felt good and I decided to let myself flow with it. There would be plenty of time to adjust my pace later (or pay for early miles run too fast!)
A little ITBand soreness flared up in the first 5 miles, but by the time we hit the flat, paved highway I was fine. I forced myself to eat a gel at mile 8 and made a vow to eat something every 5 miles or I knew I would crash hard. I caught up to Lesa at mile 9, she stated that she wanted to finish in 5 hours: we agreed to do our best to make that goal. As runners know, a lot can happen over the course of a marathon and soon I was running by myself, legs tiring and starting to feel the effects of too little food yesterday. I still had almost 17 miles to run.

Mile 10 brought an unexpected blessing in the form of Maniac McGyver. He was running his trademark 11 mpm pace with a 3 minute run/1 minute walk ratio. I decided to join him and within a mile I was feeling refreshed. We ran together the next 5 miles, then I decided to continue on my own as he took a rest break. Even though I was now running by myself, I continued the walk/run ratio. I wasn’t totally alone either. Fred and Char Thompson from Texas, whom I met yesterday during the Pemberton came out to the course to cheer me on. They were at every spectator point, sending me high fives and encouragement. Every time I saw them I was surprised and touched that they came out to watch my effort. The last time I saw them on the course was at mile 22. Fred brought an assortment of goodies for me in case I was in need. He had gels, gummies and most importantly electrolytes that I needed badly. After downing an electrolyte and a bag of sports beans I headed down the dirt road to conquer the final and toughest rolling miles, including the hill known as the Dutchman’s Revenge. Reaching the top, I found myself a little teary-eyed. 3 more miles and I would complete my 39th race of 26.2 or greater, 3 years after completing my first marathon on this very same course.

Just the thought gave me extra energy, helped along by a nice cool cross wind on what can be a miserably hot final 3 miles. I crossed the line with more energy than I would have thought possible in 4:45:00. Lesa was waiting for me, suggesting that I run the Yours Truly 50k with her next Sunday. Mr. and Mrs. Thompson were also there, encouraging me to join them in Texas for a 50/100 miler or fixed time race. Mary was in the picnic shelter waiting for the awards. She had in fact won the Women’s race, an inspiring accomplishment for the 47 year old Maniac runner.

Mr. Hawk found me after completing his own training run on the desert trails. We made our way back to the hotel, sat on the lawn with a recovery beer and assessed the damage: one blistered pinky and a very happy Maniac impatiently waiting for her next race.