Haulin' Aspen Trail Marathon

This has to be the toughest and most enjoyable marathon that I have run. Last year I had a real problem staying upright during the 12 mile single track downhill. I think it was partially due to my inexperience running technical trails and partially to shoes that were a little too big. Since I knew I would be running this course again, I spent a good part of my winter and spring working on my downhill running technique, sometimes in the dark to really sharpen my balance. I also bought smaller shoes.

Sunday morning I was up at 4am getting dressed, eating and rushing off to catch the 5 am shuttle. The shuttle driver managed to get us to the start line in record time and a group of us huddled together trying to stay warm in the sub-40 degree temperatures. The Race Director took pity on us and announced that anyone who wanted start early could: at 6:00. I decided that was better than shivering for the next hour so I made my way to the start line. Unfortunately, things were delayed a bit, but they finally allowed us to start at 6:30. The pack was running nice and easy, taking time to warm up cold muscles. After the first mile we heard shouts from behind. Somehow the pack had gotten off course and we had to double back. Finally we were on course again and starting the 14 mile climb. I was struggling with cold muscles and high altitude, finding myself short of breath within the first few miles. I think it was the early fatigue that was my downfall, literally. Right after mile 5, going uphill, I stumbled on a rock and came crashing down. I landed on lava scree and completely knocked the wind out of myself. It took me a few minutes to get up and access the damage: bleeding from my shoulder, elbow and lower leg. Cuts on both hands and a very sore hip. I walked a bit and actually felt pretty good. I picked up a run and my hip immediately started to collapse. I slowed back to a walk and again felt fine. The next aid station was 3 miles away so I would wait until then to decide what to do. I had to make a choice: I could quit, take the turnoff for the half marathon, or keep going on the full course and walk the whole way if needed. By the time I hit the mile 8 aid station I was alternating ¼ mile walks and ¼ mile runs. This seemed to be working fine. I decided to try my best and finish the full marathon, even if I ended up walking most of the way. I continued to alternate running and walking until mile 10 when the real climbing started. I walked the next 4 miles, keeping the fastest pace I could manage. I think that 4 mile walk did me more good than anything else I could have done. By the time I hit mile 14 and turned onto the most delightful single track imaginable, I was ready to run. I ran well, too. My downhill training really paid off as I floated down the trail, wide stance, arms spread like wings to balance. I didn’t trip once! I did throw in a couple of walk breaks when my hip would suddenly collapse on me, but a few strides of walking was all it took to set things right again. I finished strong with plenty left in the tank (last year I really struggled the last two miles). I quickly found the medics and had them scrub all the dust and rocks out of my wounds, then grabbed a beer and some lunch. My finish time was 5:27, 22 minutes slower than last year but I was happy with my results. I think most people would have dropped out, but instead I pushed through and finished my 30th marathon.

Lake Youngs 50k

I wasn’t planning on running a marathon/ultra in July, I intended to take it easy all summer and give my body a good rest. BUT… Lake Youngs is a fun, relaxed course… Ric was playing in a tournament only 8 miles away… and I needed to long run on trails anyway to prepare for Haulin’ Aspen in August. My only reservation was that I didn’t want to spend all day out on the trail and miss Ric’s tournament, so I emailed the race director and asked about an early start. He emailed back saying I could start whenever I wanted: just keep track and let the race officials know my elapsed time when I passed through the aid station. (This is why I love ultras: everyone trusts that you will be honest and self-sufficient.)

I decided to start my run at 5 a.m. Last year I ran 2 hour laps so a 5 a.m. start would get me to the aid station right about the time of the official 7 a.m. start, making it easier for the timing crew and giving me a chance of meeting up with other runners. Race morning came and I was a little nervous when I pulled into the dark parking lot. Thankfully, I noticed a car was already there, and soon another pulled in. I dilly-dallied for a few minutes while I waited for the other runner to start… I had visions of running into a bear or cougar on the pre-dawn trail and thought it best to let another runner go first. I officially hit the trail at 5:15.

The first lap was incredible. I love listening to the forest wake up. Birds start singing. Quietly at first, then louder as their voices warm up. The morning was cool and drizzly, almost perfect weather for running. I covered the first 8 miles easily, but the last 2 seemed to go on for ever. I finally hit the end of the first 10 mile lap (and the aid station) just as the official start was underway. Lap 1 – 1:53. I took a few extra minutes at the aid station before heading out again. The mouth piece on my hydration bladder had started to leak, so I removed it from my pack and replaced it with a water bottle. Not as comfortable, but a least it wasn’t dripping all over my singlet. Once again I headed down the trail, this time electing to run counter-clockwise. I had only run this trail clockwise in the past, but the race director allowed your choice of directions after Lap 1 so I decided to give it a go. To my surprise, counter-clockwise seemed much easier. I completed Lap 2 in 1:50. After a quick bite to eat at the aid station I was out again. This time I chose to run counter-clockwise. I plugged in my ipod and let Madonna and Antonio Banderas (soundtrack from Evita) serenade me through my last lap. My last lap was as nice as my first, this race wasn’t nearly as difficult for me as last year. I finished lap 3 in 1:59. I debated for a few minutes on whether I wanted to stop at 3 laps, or run the 1.5 mile out-and-back to make it an official 50k. I elected to run the extra three miles, so down the trail I went one final time. I covered those 3 miles in exactly 27 minutes. Pretty good, I thought, for the final 3 miles of a 50k and that included one big hill in the last ½ mile. I finished a little before 11:30 a.m., hurried back to the hotel for a quick shower before heading to the ball park for a lazy afternoon. Final time: 6:09:00

North Olympic Discovery Marathon

I woke up on day two of my double feeling like my normal self - no unusual soreness or fatigue. I was a little amazed since I hadn't trained specifically for this double, I was running it on a whim after chatting with Little Leslie last weekend in Newport. The marathon was scheduled to begin at 9:00, rather late by marathon standards. Ric and I didn’t make it to Port Angeles in time to pick up my packet Saturday night so we walked to the start line an hour early to I could get my number and chip. The morning was cool, but after standing around for a few minutes, I decided to wear my black Marathon Maniac singlet and my yellow running skirt. Ric graciously took my long sleeve shirt back to the hotel for me.

I found Little Leslie at the start line. We had lots of unfinished business to talk about from Newport so we decided to run together for awhile. I was actually feeling really good, much better than day two of my double last year. We started slowly, especially since the NODM course starts uphill. As hard as it is, I think it’s a good thing because the heart and muscles get warmed up quickly. Before the first mile, we passed Ric on the sidelines. He waited on the course with my long sleeve shirt “just in case” I had changed my mind about wearing the singlet. I was really touched by that gesture: Ric is not a morning person and I’m sure he would rather have been in bed but he wanted to make sure I was OK.

The miles ticked away uneventfully. The weather was cool and overcast, but no rain. I was really feeling great and enjoying the very scenic course. I especially loved the sections where we passed through the rainforest on an elevated pathway. Leslie on the other hand was having a rough go. By mile 20 she was getting silly, mile 22 she was complaining about feeling like her blood sugar was messed up and we started taking frequent, long walk breaks. I still felt strong but decided I needed to stick with Leslie in case things went horribly wrong for her. She’s not the type to quit and I wanted to make sure she got to the finish line. I had originally hoped for a 4:30, but then decided beating my time from last year would be just fine, and beating my time from yesterday would be even better. Earlier in the race we had been talking about wildlife, and I mentioned how whenever I saw a Bald Eagle on my run, I knew it was going to be a successful day. Sure enough, at mile 24 as we ran alongside the beach, a Bald Eagle swooped down and flew along side of us. At that point, we both knew our goals would be met. We finished together in 4:47:34. A minute faster than yesterday and 6 minutes faster than last year.

So there we have it. 2 marathons in 2 days (over an hour faster than last year) - or 5 marathons in 5 weeks - or 3 marathons in 8 days. Anyway I look at it, it's a record streak for me and it will be hard to take a break. I now understand how Maniacs get sucked into running a marathon every weekend. It's addictive and actually easier than it appears.

Green River Marathon

The Green River Marathon is a favorite amongst Marathon Maniacs, more than likely because it’s a Maniac sponsored event, it’s local AND it’s free. The added appeal for me was that it ran along bike paths for ¾ of the distance…. bike paths that I have run segments of at various times and I was curious how they linked together. I had decided to take the early start so Ric and I could be on our way to Sequim early in the afternoon and prepare for race two of my double weekend.

It was cool on race morning, so I decided to wear my pink Brooks skirt, white singlet and a black RunderWear top. I also carried my hydration pack with a rain shell, plenty of gels and my phone. I knew there were supposed to be aid stations, but since it was a free event I decided to do my best to be self-supported. I felt well prepared, but the one thing I hadn’t counted on ended up being the most difficult part of the run for me: there were few course markers and no mile markers. It was difficult to gage my pace, so I just ran by feel. I thought I was doing well in spite of having to stop at stoplights and getting off course with a few other runners. At one point we were running through South Park (didn’t even know it existed) complete with junk yard dogs and gang symbols spray painted on the trail. I managed to catch up to a big guy running the marathon and stuck with him until we were clear of this questionable neighborhood. I was quite surprised when I hit the 20 mile aid station with 3:45 on my watch. I thought I was running faster than that and felt a little demoralized. When the trail finally emerged on Alki Beach a headwind hit. There was plenty of activity on the beach though, so my mind focused on the volleyball tournament and the outrigger races instead of the wind. My legs were tired but I could see the finish line on the horizon. Unfortunately it stayed on the horizon and it felt like I was making no forward progress. But, as all marathons do, the Green River Marathon eventually came to an end and I crossed the finish line in 4:48:10. 18 minutes slower than my goal time, but I still had fun and suspect the course was a tad long.

Newport Marathon

The Newport Marathon was a comedy of errors. The trip down the Oregon Coast was good enough… excellent in fact. The weather was beautiful, we stopped in Tillamook to eat grilled cheese sandwiches and ice cream at the Tillamook Cheese Factory , and we made it to Newport in time to play on the beach before dinner. After a dinner of pizza, we all went to bed with the alarm set for 5:00. I told the family to sleep in and have fun at the beach. I’d call when I reached the finish line and we would meet up.

I woke up before the alarm, ate a light breakfast and slipped out the door while everyone slept. I drove to the finish line, boarded the bus for the start and commenced chatting with a few new maniacs. Once we arrived at the start line, I saw all of my favorite running friends and immediately fell into a big group conversation. Before I knew it, the race director was announcing “5 minutes until the start!”. I quickly made my way over to the sag wagon and checked my drop bag. Within a minute or two panic set in: I had forgotten to take my gels and electrolyte tablets out of my drop bag. I had no gel. On any other marathon that may not have been a problem, but the race directions clearly indicated gels only at mile 15, and only one per runner. That simply wasn’t enough to get through 26.2 miles, I usually need two and sometimes 4. That wasn’t my biggest worry, though. I didn’t have my electrolytes! After being cursed by leg cramps since the last Octobers Northface Challenge 50k, I finally had figured out THE formula. One tablet every 5 miles, then 2 at mile 20 if I needed it. Water and gel as necessary. I started to fret about what to do, then the gun went off and I was swept away on my journey to another marathon finish.

It just so happens that the course passed our hotel at mile 2. I thought briefly about stopping to get some gel out of the room, but didn’t. We passed the hotel again at mile 4. this time Mom was standing on the sidelines watching us pass and I decided a quick stop at the hotel may save me from walking the last 6 miles of the race. I grabbed the key from her, bolted to the elevator and down the hall to our room. Alec and Evan were in the hallway and took great pleasure in helping me search for gels. Of course there were none to be found, I had packed them all in my drop bag. Back down the hall I went and plunged down the stairwell, barefoot kids in jammies in hot pursuit. I reached the lobby door, gave them both a kiss and continued on my journey down Yaquina Bay. My watch indicated I had lost almost 6 minutes, (there goes my PR attempt). I was also in the back of the pack so I sped up a little, hoping to catch one of my slower Maniac friends. By mile 6 I caught Leslie Miller. Leslie is great fun and was my running angel on day two of my double last summer. I knew I’d need her inspiration again today so I decided to throw out any time goal and spend my hours with Leslie. We chatted about everything: mostly running, but also work, travel, relationships. I think we solved some of life’s major problems while out on the course. Maniac #3 tp!, tossed me a gel at mile 10. Leslie gave me a salt tablet at mile 12. My fears had vanished, I knew my friends would make sure I had what I needed. We reached the gel station at mile 15 and the volunteer gave me 3 gels. We passed the gel station again at mile 17 (the way back on this out-and-back course) and I was handed 2 more. I was the gel queen! I had ‘em stashed everywhere! We continued to lope along, ticking off the uneventful but beautiful miles. Soon we were crossing the finish line, getting our medals and looking for food. I called Mom and was told they were just settling down for lunch so I spent some time relishing the post-race glow with the main Maniacs. My time for marathon #26? 4:29 and it really isn’t important.

Oh, one little detail: Somewhere along the course I promised Leslie I would run the Green River/North Olympic Discovery Marathons with her next weekend. It’s time to rest up, eat lots of quality food and tackle marathons 27 and 28 in a few days.

Capital City Marathon

The Capital City Marathon was significant because it was my 25th marathon/ultra marathon. I can’t believe I’ve run so many in such a short period of time …. this marathoning thing was something that just kind of fell upon me. You see, in the beginning I only wanted to run one marathon and check it off my “life list”. I did a lot of research on marathonguide.com and settled on the 2006 Vancouver International Marathon. The timing was perfect (giving me 6 months to train) and the location ideal. My training went better than planned, and so did my research: in February, a full 3 months before my scheduled marathon debut, I went to visit Ric in Arizona and ran a little race that marathonguide touted as one of the best of the west: the Lost Dutchman Marathon.

Okay, I can check running a marathon off my list.

One problem, though, I had already paid for Vancouver and I wasn’t going to let that $100 entry fee go to waste. Less than three months later, I was heading to Canada. I had a great time in Vancouver and enjoyed it more than the Dutchman. I even started contemplating a marathon as an annual tradition. I posted my race report on Coolrunning and sat back to watch the kudos come in. They came flooding in, in droves, and private emails too. One such email from a Seattle runner pointed out that if I ran Capital City in the next two weeks I would qualify for that exclusive Marathon Maniacs club. I was tired and ready to take the summer off, but the idea was too tempting. I wanted one of those yellow singlets… then I would settle back and run my once (or maybe twice) a year marathon. Of course it didn’t stop there, on those familiar streets of Olympia. Another marathon, this time in Bend, Oregon was calling my name. Then another marathon, and another. Suddenly I’m toeing the line at the 2008 version of Capital City Marathon: preparing to run my 25th and reflecting back on the last two years. As friends and familiar faces came up to chat, I realized this is who I’ve become. I’m a marathoner, one of the regulars.

The actual running of the marathon was rather uneventful. The morning was hot and the pavement even hotter as it radiated heat from the previous days 100 degree scorcher. The air was still as we made our way along the Puget Sound, talking about this marathon and that one. “I first ran with you in the 2006 Tri-Cities, that was a nasty headwind. Remember? Didn’t you set a PR that day?” one friend asked. “Oh, this is my 363rd marathon” another friend would comment when I asked his stats. Yet another would quip about our leg cramp mishaps in Boston, or the time we trudged up the final hill in Apache Junction in 85 degree weather. Not all the talk was happy, though. I passed my friend Uhna Lee attempting to finish her 100th marathon. I always pass her…. she goes out fast, I slow. I speed up, catch her and depending upon which mile marker that happens we make a comment on our relative runs. On most days I catch her around mile 20. This day I catch her at mile16. I ask about her health… she tells me she’s cramping badly. I give her my best healing hug (as best as I could do while running), offer her salt (which she declines) and tell her I’ll see her at the finish line. I continue on and catch Tom on the final, long hill before we head back into downtown. Tom runs my pace but always manages to beat me by a minute or five. As I come up to him, I can see he’s hurting. I try to get him to run the final 2 miles with me but he is clearly done for the day and just needs to dig deep and keep trudging. I finish feeling strong. Ric is waiting for me with a big hug and congratulations. He helps me untie my shoes, retrieve my clothing and buys me favorite post run treat: a coffee (and an extra pair of those great customized Capital City Marathon running pants). 25 is done but no time to rest… 26 is in two weeks.

Tacoma City Marathon

I just finished running the Tacoma Marathon. The course was nice and hilly, and the weather was perfect (mid 40’s, clouds, a little drizzle). I took the early start since I was planning on using it as a training run. I had a couple of goals: Tweak with my electrolytes and try to get it right this time, practice a 5-1 run/walk ratio in preparation for a 12-hour race later this year, and feel recovered within 24 hours. I am happy to report I met 2 out my 3 goals. The 5-1 walk/run fell apart right away. The early start had about 40 runners so we were accompanied by a pace bike. It just so happens I was in the lead along with another woman. As we chatted the first few miles, I forgot to walk. Then I looked back and the two of us were alone with the pace bike. We couldn't walk because the pace bike was showing us the way, and he wasn't slowing down (we didn't want to get lost). We made a decision to keep our pace until the lead runners from the regular start passed us. We figured that would be about the half-way point. It didn't happen so we kept running. By that time it was conceivable to the spectators that we were actually leading the whole race, so everyone started cheering for us as we passed. It wasn't until mile 17 that the lead man overtook us. Relieved, we started to walk... but the spectators wouldn't let it be. Now it really appeared that we were the first women, and the leading women don't walk! At mile 21, the first woman passed us, quickly followed by another one. I finally allowed myself that walk break and walked the next 3 miles. I picked up my run again at mile 24 and cruised the last 2.2 miles .... my fans told me I was 5th woman (I didn't have the heart to tell them otherwise). My final time was 4:22:39 and some change. The last two miles were my fastest at a little under 8 minute miles. My legs didn't cramp (I took electrolytes every 45 minutes) and I felt good enough to walk a few miles in the afternoon. Even though the course as hilly, I didn’t have any leg cramping following the race or leg soreness the next day. This Sunday I have the Capital City Marathon: another long training run, then Newport at the end of the month. I may actually taper and race Newport if everything goes well.