tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30463792055079476952024-03-28T14:38:50.845-05:00Goal-Oriented RunnerRunning is more exciting when you have a goal.Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07537579568732930585noreply@blogger.comBlogger535125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3046379205507947695.post-54906767766547070792024-03-28T14:38:00.000-05:002024-03-28T14:38:02.894-05:00Appalachian Series, Day 7<p>After running the sixth
race of the Appalachian Series on Wednesday, I returned to run the seventh race
of the series today. Today’s course was
the same as yesterday’s course. It
straddles the Virginia/West Virginia border, so runners can count it for West
Virginia one day and count it for Virginia the next day.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I ran yesterday’s race
because I needed one more marathon in West Virginia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ran today’s race because I was already
here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After traveling this far, why not
do an extra race before going home?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Yesterday, I arrived
early and made a last-minute decision to take the 6:30 early start instead of
the 7:30 regular start.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now that I know
that most runners take the early start, I decided to do the same thing again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I already had my race packet, so I didn’t
need to allow as much time to get ready for the race.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Today’s weather was
colder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I arrived in the start
area, it was 39 degrees, but the temperature was still dropping.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was forecast to reach a low of 36 before
starting to rise again.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I wore my warmest
tights.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those are the cheetah
tights.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also wore the cheetah shirt
and hat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t think to bring arm
warmers, so I wore a long sleeve polypro shirt under my T-shirt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I risked being overdressed, but I could
always take walking breaks if I was too hot.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I wore extra layers
before the race, but I took them off before they started the pre-race
announcements.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In retrospect, I should’ve
kept my jacket on until we started running.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Pre-race announcements
took much longer than I thought.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There
were several runners reaching big milestones today, and we took the time to
recognize each one of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then the
whole group sang “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” which has been somewhat of a
theme song for our two days in Bluefield.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The irony is that we
weren’t actually in West Virginia during pre-race announcements, or for much of
the race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our starting line was in West
Virginia, but once we entered Virginia, we never went back to West Virginia.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">By the time pre-race announcements
were over, I was freezing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was wearing
gloves, but my hands were particularly cold.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I felt like I was dressed adequately for running in this weather, but I
wasn’t dressed warm enough for standing around for so long.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">For the second straight
day, I started the race with Tim.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tim
started at a surprisingly fast pace, and I had to work to keep up with
him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I asked him why he was running so
fast and he said he needed to run fast to get warm.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When we reached the first
hill, we took a walking break.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Yesterday, we didn’t walk any of the hills until the second lap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On average, our pace for the first lap was
about the same as yesterday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s
where the similarity ended.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Our course was inside a
valley.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The wind was blowing through the
valley.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The way the course is laid out, we
were usually running through the valley.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We rarely ran across the valley for very long.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a result, we were usually had either a
headwind or a tailwind.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjugCBFrM1sX45uocuuKVJiz5XWNHZT9HsEdJa4sZgLKXdHSCUU2dEQ08G7o7_NDlC9KAdDde2DnCGqWkt-BEzESVAme_8uLem88u0kVplpPxCClyU-RpL1RvtFpq0bdAQErQKyGD16qb6z3LfgdOBASidFre0Et9thmVSevjKuCgwZzcYRixIVA74t4Q4/s4000/DSCN0300.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjugCBFrM1sX45uocuuKVJiz5XWNHZT9HsEdJa4sZgLKXdHSCUU2dEQ08G7o7_NDlC9KAdDde2DnCGqWkt-BEzESVAme_8uLem88u0kVplpPxCClyU-RpL1RvtFpq0bdAQErQKyGD16qb6z3LfgdOBASidFre0Et9thmVSevjKuCgwZzcYRixIVA74t4Q4/w400-h300/DSCN0300.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After the first lap, Tim made
a bathroom stop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ordinarily, I would’ve walked
until he caught up to me, but we had a headwind at the beginning of the
lap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wasn’t a strong wind, but it was
cold, and if I walked this part of the course, I would get too cold.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I kept running until I reached the hilly part
of the course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I walked the hills
until Tim caught up to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It didn’t
take long.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Tim was motivated to run faster
today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the last day of the
series, and he was planning to start driving home right after the race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sooner he finished, the sooner he could
get on the road.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Yesterday, we slowed to a
more relaxed pace in the second lap, and we also starting walking up all of the
hills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today, we didn’t slow down, and
we only walked a few of the hills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
would’ve been content to go at a slower pace, but Tim was motivated, and I was
trying to keep up with him.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">After the last hill, there’s a
long flat section that leads us back to the start/finish area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tim accelerated through this section.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was starting to find the pace to be tiring,
so I allowed myself to drift behind him.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">I was hoping Tim would make
another bathroom stop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That would give
me time to catch up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tim drinks a lot of
coffee before the race, so he usually makes a few bathroom stops early in the
race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today he didn’t.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">When Tim didn’t stop after the
second lap, I realized I would need to put in extra effort to catch up to
him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I managed to catch up to him before
we reached the hills again, but I was working much harder than yesterday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the end of our third lap, I noticed that
we were already about three minutes faster than yesterday.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">By now, I was finally starting
to warm up, but only when we had the wind at our backs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As soon as we turned around and headed into
the wind, I would get cold again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That
pattern persisted throughout the race.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">Early in the race, it was
cloudy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During our fifth lap, I saw the
sun for the first time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was hoping it
would feel warmer now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately,
the wind got stronger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The colder breeze
easily cancelled out the warmth of the sun.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">The last day of a series is hot
dog day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a tradition to have hot dogs
at the aid station.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They usually have
some type of hot food other days as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Yesterday, I didn’t eat any hot food during the race, but today I had a
hot dog after the fifth lap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tim also stopped
to eat a hot dog, so I didn’t have to worry about falling behind again.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">When we finished our sixth lap,
we were half done with the marathon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My
time for the first half was 10 minutes faster than yesterday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I expected Tim to go even faster in the
second half.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t know how much
faster I could run.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">I had to refill my bottle after
that lap, so I fell behind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to
work hard again to catch up to Tim, but I was able to do it.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">For a few laps, I had wanted to
make a bathroom stop, but then I would fall even farther behind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had doubts about whether I could catch up
to Tim again if I got too far behind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>During our seventh lap, Tim mentioned that he was going to make a
bathroom stop at the end of the lap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
thought this was my chance to make a bathroom stop without losing time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It didn’t work out that way.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">Tim was done in the bathroom quickly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I took much longer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the time I started my next lap, Tim had a
sizable lead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I decided to pick up my
pace and see if I could catch him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That
was a mistake.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">In the early part of the lap,
which is through a parking lot, I accelerated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I wasn’t sure if I was gaining any ground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It looked like I would have to run all the
hills to catch up to him.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">When I got within sight of the
first hill, Tim was already on the hill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He was running it!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was the
steepest hill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If he ran that one, he would
almost certainly run all the other hills as well.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">I ran all the hills, but I didn’t
gain any ground by doing it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the flatter
sections in between, I picked up my pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I still didn’t seem to be gaining any ground.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">As I approached the turnaround,
Tim was already coming back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Another
runner said, “You can still catch him.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He was wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the time I made
the turn, Tim had already disappeared over the next hill.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">I continued to push the pace,
but I wasn’t getting any closer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
eventually realized that I was falling farther behind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tim had kicked it into another gear, and I
didn’t have that gear today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the end
of that lap, it was obvious that I would never catch him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to accept that I would be running the
rest of the race by myself.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">Trying to catch up with Tim
took way too much out of me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That lap
wore me out, and I was never the same after that.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">I still had four laps to
go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s almost nine miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to conserve energy, so I could finish
the race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the rest of the race, I
ran at a much more relaxed pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also
walked most of the hills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was still a
struggle.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">In the lap where I was chasing
Tim, I got hot and sweaty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Earlier, I
was either comfortable or cold, but never hot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>For one lap, I was overheating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That probably contributed to my fatigue in the laps that followed.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">After slowing down, I went back
to being cold, but only when I was running into the wind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the wind was at my back, I would get hot
again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was amazing how different the
weather felt when I was running in different directions.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">When I finished my tenth lap, I
had another hot dog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I still had two
laps to go, and each one was difficult now.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">When I finally reached my last
lap, I took some satisfaction in knowing that each time I ran one of the hills,
I was running it for the last time.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">Yesterday, I raced through the
last part of my final lap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today, I
dragged myself through it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I finished
the race in 4:54:19.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My time was similar
to yesterday, but my splits were a mirror image.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yesterday, I was much faster in the second
half of the race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today, my second half
was much slower.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">After finishing, I got a
Virginia medal to add to my chain.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC-EBAothpbrADqa9ZHsvrD37Nb5dAWAfPsnR85XOC3L8Zyx2cPxYuxcRuj3moHHyayrYz5nTJ1LN6zRwM7jdZRQ7idXuI4FgMakhg3uVwQjyckDCriVkwMRgWgquspoBCXjOOCQROeiHGbzR_UT6wkTHpQF77iQRjrmzhGdOI-XrhGgTEnqzJ3RGnwuos/s1634/virginia%20medal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1204" data-original-width="1634" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC-EBAothpbrADqa9ZHsvrD37Nb5dAWAfPsnR85XOC3L8Zyx2cPxYuxcRuj3moHHyayrYz5nTJ1LN6zRwM7jdZRQ7idXuI4FgMakhg3uVwQjyckDCriVkwMRgWgquspoBCXjOOCQROeiHGbzR_UT6wkTHpQF77iQRjrmzhGdOI-XrhGgTEnqzJ3RGnwuos/w400-h295/virginia%20medal.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhaBA51lrodiwXjskgSSzcQV_Ca58nRri13phUh3MXolul-IxHL6Jh4MF4CVhR71GDtVsLvayKhUT6e_7navbxWewt30f4YsOfUBEAJikLLj8gUl8L22xyLkewSWmrX_RnPyZLLuN4vS2Kf42OBrK_OnThnM4NCsVXA_yzrVkdccFG3qkFlnt93ilRgPLk8" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="166" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhaBA51lrodiwXjskgSSzcQV_Ca58nRri13phUh3MXolul-IxHL6Jh4MF4CVhR71GDtVsLvayKhUT6e_7navbxWewt30f4YsOfUBEAJikLLj8gUl8L22xyLkewSWmrX_RnPyZLLuN4vS2Kf42OBrK_OnThnM4NCsVXA_yzrVkdccFG3qkFlnt93ilRgPLk8=w167-h400" width="167" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">Before leaving, I ate another
hot dog, and I drank two glasses of chocolate milk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t spend much time in the finish area,
because I knew I would quickly get cold.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It had warmed up a little, but it was still in the low 40s, and there
was still a cold wind.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">Tim wasn’t the only runner who
was going home today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Several other
runners had the same idea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone wanted
to get home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m waiting until
tomorrow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt like a train wreck
after the race, and I needed the rest of the day to recover.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Besides, I’m going to need a full day to
travel home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before I can fly home, I
have to drive back to Charlotte, and that’s a three hour drive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll start that drive tomorrow after
breakfast.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><u>Race statistics</u>:</div><div>Distance: 26.2 miles</div><div>Time: 4:54:19</div><div>Average Pace: 11:14 per mile</div><div>First Half: 2:23:30</div><div>Second Half: 2:30:49</div><div>Lifetime Marathons/Ultras: 510</div><p></p>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07537579568732930585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3046379205507947695.post-812047687861828522024-03-27T15:01:00.000-05:002024-03-27T15:01:38.345-05:00Appalachian Series: Day 6<p>On March 27, I ran the sixth
race of the Mainly Marathons Appalachian Series. The Appalachian Series is a seven day series,
with marathons in Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee,
West Virginia, and Virginia.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi5pacTof8xUsn9dxmnjWZ1jxbqIQCeukVPB9yL0INhBONUIGw0rcmV9ERzaTbXtdxqVxTLw9-YFhaUIN250xO96Dajb2R57RHv3bBH9ixrJH34aIIlWENuXHa4RNTnbb9pAm2fJWA4mpa-7uQCxZ302_skYi-D_daCD7SSlW89GG1kAvy9q4Mv5muZ88gn" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="111" data-original-width="320" height="139" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi5pacTof8xUsn9dxmnjWZ1jxbqIQCeukVPB9yL0INhBONUIGw0rcmV9ERzaTbXtdxqVxTLw9-YFhaUIN250xO96Dajb2R57RHv3bBH9ixrJH34aIIlWENuXHa4RNTnbb9pAm2fJWA4mpa-7uQCxZ302_skYi-D_daCD7SSlW89GG1kAvy9q4Mv5muZ88gn=w400-h139" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I’m not doing the entire
series.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m just doing the last two
races, which are both run on the same course, making it possible for me to stay
in the same hotel for both races.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These
two races are held in Bluefield, which straddles the border between Virginia
and West Virginia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The course starts in
West Virginia and finishes in Virginia.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">By the rules of the 50
States Marathon Club, when a race starts and finishes in different states, you
can choose which state it counts toward.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’m counting today’s race as a West Virginia race, because I need one more
West Virginia race to finish my fifth circuit of marathons in every state.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since I’m already here, I’ll stay to run
tomorrow’s race as well.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">There aren’t any large airports
close to Bluefield.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The closest airport
that I could reach with a direct flight was Charlotte, NC.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I left Minneapolis, it was snowing
heavily.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most airports would have shut
down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thankfully, the Minneapolis/St.
Paul airport is well-equipped to handle snowstorms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They had to de-ice the plane, but they were
able to keep the runways open, so we left with only a short delay.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">From Charlotte, I had to drive
180 miles to get to my hotel in West Virginia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Rather than staying in Bluefield, I’m staying in Princeton, WV, which has
more lodging options.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Princeton is about
15 miles away from the race venue.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">After the drive, my legs were
feeling kind of stiff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did a workout
in the hotel’s fitness room, and then I felt better.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">I skipped lunch, so I had an
early dinner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I got to bed early,
in anticipation of getting up early on race day.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">The race started at 7:30 AM,
but I had to get there early to pick up my race packet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People who were doing the whole series
already had their race bibs, but I had to pick up mine before the race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also had to allow about 25 minutes for the
drive.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">As is often the case with early
races, I left the hotel before they started their breakfast service.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had a cup of tea and some cookies before
leaving the hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If necessary, I could
eat more food during the race.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">They offered an early start at
6:30 for runners who wanted extra time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When I arrived in the start area, they were doing pre-race announcements
for the 6:30 group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was only expecting
to see six to eight runners doing the early start.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was surprised to see dozens of runners
gathered around the starting line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All
the friends I was expecting to see at this race were doing the early
start.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That made me wonder if I should
do the early start too.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">One of the runners in the early
start was Tim Mahler.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tim is usually one
of the faster runners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes, he’s
the only runner starting at the same pace that I run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had been hoping to run a few laps with Tim
at the beginning of the race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To do
that, I would need to do the early start.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">I had another reason to
consider starting early.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a
chance of a passing shower later in the morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The earlier I started, the more likely it was
that I could finish running before the rain started.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">I decided to do the early
start, but I only had about eight minutes to get ready.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to pick up my race packet, pin my race
bib to my T-shirt, take off my warm-up pants and put them in the car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fill my bottle with Gatorade, and put it on
one of the tables at the aid station, put my drop bag in the designated spot,
make a bathroom stop, and put my gloves on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Ideally, I would’ve taken off my jacket, but I didn’t have enough time.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">The temperature at the start
was in the mid-40s, but I expected it to warm into the low 50s by the time I
finished.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was comfortable starting the
race with my jacket, but I knew I would need to take it off at some point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could find time for that later.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">The course was 12 laps of an
out-and-back route through Litito City Park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s a hilly route.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve run it
before when I was in better shape, and I had to work hard to break four
hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This year, I decided to run at a
conservative pace, partly because it’s a challenging course, but mostly because
I have to run the same course again tomorrow.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">There was one aid station,
which was in the start/finish area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
would go by it after every lap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
addition to water and Gatorade, they had a variety of food.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was more like the aid stations in a trail
race than what you typically see at a marathon.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">The start/finish area was in a
parking lot next to the park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We started
by running along two sides of the parking lot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This part of the course was flat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Next, we entered the park and ran a loop that went almost all the way
around the park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just before completing
this loop, we had to turn around and go back the way we came.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Going around this loop, we went up and down
several small hills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Four of them were
steep enough to be tiring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After turning
around, we had to run the same hills in the opposite direction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here’s the elevation profile that my watch
measured during the race.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhxnUVs7OBQqXuVWqW_uy9HJUrExx8l3EZ0RqU_2NmG9FuAAfvA5h8iQ8HySEzA0Kt6M9-xrvOjmPKPr93cwoADekr8BvFUbcNsFavlHZbSR58uLHiy88LSZ8XKLo00d1RKkGDtyuyeZEhylDQxaO5xplePSoPH_oRjfagDZmq2Cd6XtQLau-OD45gV1B-y" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="178" data-original-width="320" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhxnUVs7OBQqXuVWqW_uy9HJUrExx8l3EZ0RqU_2NmG9FuAAfvA5h8iQ8HySEzA0Kt6M9-xrvOjmPKPr93cwoADekr8BvFUbcNsFavlHZbSR58uLHiy88LSZ8XKLo00d1RKkGDtyuyeZEhylDQxaO5xplePSoPH_oRjfagDZmq2Cd6XtQLau-OD45gV1B-y=w400-h223" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">The first lap was different
from the others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our start/finish area
was in Virginia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Litito City Park is
also in Virginia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In order to start the
race in West Virginia, we had to start behind this row of traffic cones, which
were set up along the state line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oddly,
the state line cuts right through the parking lot.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjbN4o2Ca6O6KuL_t1ku9AWNFNQCywfoH2z1EhxaJfJ1J8WFrDlTiflFc0pUSo6ch7n66Y22-EZHSXatKKRay-yrtBpztyta3PGSWoCIlN5mCo4Si8uhzhxF7YLq5lR3ep1owdi69viy6rwM0Nk9XfRma_z8S8Dzv3BSgKDM_htlikr7DFbvC3v0fvZ_hXI" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjbN4o2Ca6O6KuL_t1ku9AWNFNQCywfoH2z1EhxaJfJ1J8WFrDlTiflFc0pUSo6ch7n66Y22-EZHSXatKKRay-yrtBpztyta3PGSWoCIlN5mCo4Si8uhzhxF7YLq5lR3ep1owdi69viy6rwM0Nk9XfRma_z8S8Dzv3BSgKDM_htlikr7DFbvC3v0fvZ_hXI=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">That made the first lap longer
than all the others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To compensate for
that, the last lap had a different finish line, making it a little bit shorter.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">I started the race with
Tim.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We ran the first lap at a relaxed
pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our average pace for that lap was
about 10 minutes per mile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On a flat
course, I would find that pace comfortable for the whole race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On this course, I knew it would get tiring.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">I was comfortable running with
my jacket on for one lap, but then I had to take it off and tie it around my
waist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Running up and down these hills
was making me too hot.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">In our second lap, as we
started up the first hill, I noticed we were slowing down almost to a walking
pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I suggested to Tim that we might
as well walk up the hill to conserve energy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Tim was in full agreement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had
fresh legs today, but Tim is doing the entire series.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He also did another series before this one,
so this was his 11th consecutive day running a marathon.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">From that point on, we started
walking up all the hills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We ran the
downhills and the flatter sections.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now,
our average pace was much slower.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">Normally, I don’t eat any solid
food during a race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m usually content
to just drink Gatorade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I’m racing
on consecutive days, I’m more apt to eat during the race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want to make sure I’m not going to finish
the race depleted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m already thinking
about the next day.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">My plan was to eat candy and
other sugary foods in the first half of the race, but switch to sandwiches or
other more substantial food later in the race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>After each of my first six laps, I drank Gatorade, but also ate
something sweet.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">After three laps, I noticed we
were just barely on pace to finish the race in five hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That include one lap that was faster.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now that we were walking all the hills, we
weren’t going to keep up the same average pace.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">After two laps of walking the
hills, I wasn’t feeling as warm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My arms
were starting to get cold, so I had to put my jacket on again.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">Tim drinks coffee before the
race, and inevitably has to make a few bathroom stops in the early laps.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After each of our first three laps, Tim made
a bathroom stop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each time, I walked
until he caught up to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That made
these laps a little slower.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">By the end of our fifth lap,
the sun was coming out, and it felt much warmer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now the jacket had to come off again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also took off my gloves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was happy to see the sun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The likelihood of rain during the race was
going way down.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">By the end of our sixth lap, it
was my turn to take a bathroom stop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
told Tim to go ahead, and I would eventually catch up to him.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">When I finished my sixth lap, I
was half done with the race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was no
longer on pace to break five hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
was on pace for a time closer to 5:07.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Tim finished that lap about a minute ahead of me, but he was also no
longer on pace to break five hours.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">To catch up to Tim, I had to
run the hills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to work much harder
in that lap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I caught up to him about
halfway through that lap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now we could
both walk the hills again, but our average pace was faster than before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tim later commented to me that I was running
faster after catching up to him, and that caused him to run faster too.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">I was planning to eat more
substantial food in the second half of the race, but I did the opposite.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On most laps, I just drank Gatorade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I stopped to eat something, I would fall
behind Tim, and I didn’t want to have to work harder to catch up to him again.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">With four laps to go, we were
about a minute and a half behind schedule for a five hour finish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tim had made up a minute over the previous two
laps.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had made up two minutes.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">Tim said he was conflicted
about whether to try to break five hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was tempting, but it might be smarter to conserve energy and not
worry about our time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I told him I felt
the same way.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">In the last few laps, we didn’t
walk all of the hills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We walked about
half of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were more willing to
run the hills that weren’t as steep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our
average pace improved.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">With three laps to go, I
noticed we were continuing to make up time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As we started our final lap, I saw that we were once again on pace to
break five hours.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">By now, we were not only
running more of the hills, but we were running at a faster pace everywhere else
too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could feel the difference.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Earlier, our pace felt relaxed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, there was a little bit of urgency in our
pace.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">I checked our time at the
halfway point of our last lap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To be on
pace for five hours, we needed to get there by 4:47:30.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We got there in less than 4:46.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had 14 minutes to run a distance that I
knew wouldn’t take more than 12:30.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">We continued to speed up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Coming back, we walked briefly on a couple of
hills, but ran faster everywhere else.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>After running down the last hill, I carried some momentum into the long
flat section that followed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I raced around
the parking lot and finished in 4:55:33.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Tim finished a few minutes behind me.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">The medals for a series like
this come in pieces that link together to form a chain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The top and bottom pieces go to anyone who
did at least one race of this series.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
between them is the medal for today’s race, which is in the shape of West
Virginia.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjcyF__BxC1yDADkepZOMI4E8yUyinIfyF02K9RmTNpi-mboVbcNQRsdaT6aFnn7sNp45pnNCn5ogNEDJYdcGDntFNq0RVDvjYQbDyBepV2XZvif4sNvO3mCExOxrY2mB5VyIf1i23lttC8Qr_d13ENQ6I6chUAVGV3Swc5p0RwgL8Ac0tOPqE6Ccb5gqAO" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="180" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjcyF__BxC1yDADkepZOMI4E8yUyinIfyF02K9RmTNpi-mboVbcNQRsdaT6aFnn7sNp45pnNCn5ogNEDJYdcGDntFNq0RVDvjYQbDyBepV2XZvif4sNvO3mCExOxrY2mB5VyIf1i23lttC8Qr_d13ENQ6I6chUAVGV3Swc5p0RwgL8Ac0tOPqE6Ccb5gqAO=w225-h400" width="225" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">By the time we finished, the
sun was shining bright, and it felt much warmer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I put on my jacket, but I really didn’t need
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t bother to put on my gloves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stayed in the finish area for at least half
an hour, talking to other runners.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">I had some food after
finishing, but I still felt hungry when I left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>To make sure I was eating enough to fuel for tomorrow’s race, I stopped
for a fast food lunch on my way back to my hotel.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">Hilly races can be hard on your
Achilles tendons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After the race, mine
were feeling a little tight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I got
back to the hotel, I took a long hot bath and did some stretches.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I paid particular attention to stretching my
calves and Achilles tendons.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">I’m done with this race, but I
need to prepare for tomorrow, when I’ll be doing the same thing again.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">To be continued …<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><u>Race statistics</u>:</div><div>Distance: 26.2 miles</div><div>Time: 4:55:33</div><div>Average Pace: 11:16 per mile</div><div>First Half: 2:33:20</div><div>Second Half: 2:22:13</div><div>Lifetime Marathons/Ultras: 509</div><div>West Virginia Marathons: 5</div>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07537579568732930585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3046379205507947695.post-2995414886796655572024-03-18T03:54:00.000-05:002024-03-18T03:54:21.302-05:00Race Report: Seoul International Marathon<p>On March 17, I ran the
Seoul International Marathon in South Korea.
This is the oldest marathon in Asia and the second oldest marathon in
the world. Only the Boston Marathon has
a longer history.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">This was my first trip to
Asia since 2019.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since then, Delta has
added direct flights from Minneapolis/St. Paul to Incheon/Seoul.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve made connections at this airport on
trips to other parts of Asia, but I used to have to add an additional
connection in Seattle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Flying directly
to Incheon made this trip much more appealing.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I first started looking
into the details of this race last June.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Registration for the marathon wasn’t open yet, but I discovered several
of the hotels were already fully booked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I made an educated guess what days I would be there and made a hotel
reservation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t know if it would
be difficult to get into the race, so I waited until I was registered before
booking my flights.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">In September, I was
finally able to register for the race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
website said we had to qualify by finishing another marathon in five hours or
less, but we weren’t required to submit proof of a qualifying time as part of
the registration process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That would
come later.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Korean residents
registered through the race website, but foreign runners registered through
World’s Marathons, which is a third-party website.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After I registered, I got an email saying I
wouldn’t need to submit my qualifying information until later.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was expecting to be notified by email, but
I periodically checked the race website to see if there was any information
about submitting qualifying times.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I didn’t see any news on
the website in October or November.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>After that, I got too busy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Between the holidays, our Hawaii vacation, and Deb’s knee problems, I
didn’t get around to checking the website again until January.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">In January, I saw a
notice on the website with information on how to submit our qualifying
times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It said we had to submit them
between December 4 and December 18.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Oops.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I missed the deadline.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I sent an email to
World’s Marathons asking what I should do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I didn’t get any reply.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A few
days later, I sent an email to the race organizers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They didn’t reply to me directly, but the
next day they sent an email blast to all the foreign registrants who had not yet
submitted qualifying times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They gave us
a link to the website for record submission (i.e. submitting proof of a
qualifying time).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They said if we didn’t
submit a qualifying time by January 30, we would be seeded in the last corral.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I scanned and uploaded a finisher
certification from a qualifying race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A
few days later, I was notified that my qualifying time was accepted.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">A month before the race,
I was surprised how little information there was on the race website.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It mostly had information about registration,
record submission, and what we would get in our race packet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was very little information about the
race itself, other than the date and where the race started and finished.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">In the last few weeks
before the race, they gradually posted the race details, but not all in the
same place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some details were only found
on Instagram or in emails.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t have
an Instagram account, and I wasn’t receiving all of the emails.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew the location of the expo, but it was
only through a friend that I found out the hours of the expo. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When I travel, I usually
use Google Maps (or the Android Maps app) for transit and walking
directions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has served me well for
figuring out how to get around in different cities around the world, but it
doesn’t work in Korea. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It can give
transit directions, but it won’t give walking directions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s because of Korean government
regulations prohibiting the storage of detailed geographical data on foreign
file servers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead of using Google
Maps, I installed a Korean app called Naver Map.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><u>Wednesday, March 13<o:p></o:p></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I left Minneapolis at
11:00 AM on a 14-hour flight to Incheon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I didn’t sleep at all on the flight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That usually makes it easier to get to bed at night and start adjusting
to the new time zone.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><u>Thursday, March 14<o:p></o:p></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">My flight arrived in
Incheon around 2:30 PM, which was an about hour ahead of schedule.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It only took about five minutes to get
through the line for immigration.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I
took a train from the airport to the main train station in Seoul.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From there, I took the subway as far as I
could and then walked the rest of the way to my hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The whole trip took about an hour and 45
minutes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would’ve been faster if I
could’ve taken the express train from the airport, but the next express train
was sold out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead, I took a train
that makes several stops.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">My hotel was in Seoul’s Jongno
district, near Gyeongbokgung Palace and Gwanghwamun Square.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the time I got to my hotel and checked
into my room, it was already 5:00 PM.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I only had four days in
Seoul, and some of that time would be taken up by the expo and the race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seoul has good transit, but it’s a large
city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Getting to different parts of the
city can take time, even by subway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To
make the most of my sightseeing time, I focused on central Seoul.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">There are five grand
palaces in Seoul, and my hotel was centrally located between them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of the five, only Deoksugung is open in the
evening. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was able to walk there from
my hotel, passing through Gwanghwamun Square along the way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are two large statues in Gwanghwamun
Square.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first one is King Sejong the
Great.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The second one is Admiral Yi
Sun-Sin.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhIwCQbCOxtvtTqxR-pgtpgWTEIzbpQnjBTdY-i2T_5yzhJZ0e2vGDm4_ASEmRu8E3KxhF8LjIVZJqvIMQRlPJ3ZQr36JaNqXZailVEou4jKvw2uE2GjHxkg0TxJYBlk4yu-tM0LgyVpvoNOlhA-1DtJdh5q2dViKoq1vdWnKjfLLPLaEX2qiO3xW2N5eTs" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="320" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhIwCQbCOxtvtTqxR-pgtpgWTEIzbpQnjBTdY-i2T_5yzhJZ0e2vGDm4_ASEmRu8E3KxhF8LjIVZJqvIMQRlPJ3ZQr36JaNqXZailVEou4jKvw2uE2GjHxkg0TxJYBlk4yu-tM0LgyVpvoNOlhA-1DtJdh5q2dViKoq1vdWnKjfLLPLaEX2qiO3xW2N5eTs=w400-h400" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiozvao__AqNRPEd-FZd1RNN55GEyznUQfnAPEsX2Vd8IUFeLJyGZ_g7mJNPYef-_xTsaDv8GUZiCuKwurY8j_cFSekDbDEfvnmDWy5xxqxvlPiqCRJkmc1Z2yZJRFeFhXQ3Aaq4tCmC9vRHZK6k9AYfhUEB9fkrllUFdSoyY31bSSEKQ__CLhKspwwz0W5" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiozvao__AqNRPEd-FZd1RNN55GEyznUQfnAPEsX2Vd8IUFeLJyGZ_g7mJNPYef-_xTsaDv8GUZiCuKwurY8j_cFSekDbDEfvnmDWy5xxqxvlPiqCRJkmc1Z2yZJRFeFhXQ3Aaq4tCmC9vRHZK6k9AYfhUEB9fkrllUFdSoyY31bSSEKQ__CLhKspwwz0W5=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When I got to Deoksugung,
I bought a combined ticket, which gave me admission to all of the grand
palaces, plus the Jongmyo Shrine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If
you’re going to visit all the palaces, buying the combination ticket gives you
a small cost savings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s biggest
advantage, however, is that allowed me to visit the other palaces without
waiting in ticket lines at each palace.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I got to Deoksugung while
it was still light out, but I stayed until it started getting dark, so I could see
the buildings lit up for the evening.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjohzhOBDO4accLgxSL0PlVcB5UIut8k2rWllAeRokRDGNHR62Zx-ouWSeR6JpxPNGbAze8ZuQI3RLw0g8Sudggbgt15CBWi3ZMbYSXjyr4bGpZhQDPaZaOUwqljtofwca0iNNXDlG2PsqjGNSCvi14Yvr71ftKqkLcX4lKBQyA7Bbgf9UEQQ1_1KLUj6VD" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="174" data-original-width="320" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjohzhOBDO4accLgxSL0PlVcB5UIut8k2rWllAeRokRDGNHR62Zx-ouWSeR6JpxPNGbAze8ZuQI3RLw0g8Sudggbgt15CBWi3ZMbYSXjyr4bGpZhQDPaZaOUwqljtofwca0iNNXDlG2PsqjGNSCvi14Yvr71ftKqkLcX4lKBQyA7Bbgf9UEQQ1_1KLUj6VD=w400-h217" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhulD8qe-7_dfucpwyjQb5yw7J2BZS1ams2fJdvWj8biPIa_KnRypeJx3EgEuhLbe5ooAuDLenVMDFmT7D0ikhJqCTZTApcCbfNXbetBd7dUF3EFMsTJQgjuXNS7cmm4sbfxTqm1vCk8tfzA8H8IExrNjhns1rB8PeVcwdxj3q9JbnBsajV9MBSAkhU4P8h" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="158" data-original-width="320" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhulD8qe-7_dfucpwyjQb5yw7J2BZS1ams2fJdvWj8biPIa_KnRypeJx3EgEuhLbe5ooAuDLenVMDFmT7D0ikhJqCTZTApcCbfNXbetBd7dUF3EFMsTJQgjuXNS7cmm4sbfxTqm1vCk8tfzA8H8IExrNjhns1rB8PeVcwdxj3q9JbnBsajV9MBSAkhU4P8h=w400-h198" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgtt372vr8wLlStxpAIGKS2f4Q_XOBXVEJWBFW5V7XM6St5TuyrNSz0QdRAi007bvIUDB-T_g4vecseObdHqRRC2FsWV0Zl4YpMvSnBcw_ORXNDrvXU2LPs3Pcsba0L-PkXwKtVmTfDU-Bd6Vn9XvSiDEOU_jmQoJ0jwL1hrQIIgumZmt-VfpyQcFUgcwnt" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="178" data-original-width="320" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgtt372vr8wLlStxpAIGKS2f4Q_XOBXVEJWBFW5V7XM6St5TuyrNSz0QdRAi007bvIUDB-T_g4vecseObdHqRRC2FsWV0Zl4YpMvSnBcw_ORXNDrvXU2LPs3Pcsba0L-PkXwKtVmTfDU-Bd6Vn9XvSiDEOU_jmQoJ0jwL1hrQIIgumZmt-VfpyQcFUgcwnt=w400-h223" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgUFfD_j_XLmloOGUIGbwWiMtqHY8WrjKBrJqsStHSDoVSaqAxBAWA3Y5V1bKKoe0g0dwOBW-2qQfDohPmABK-W_b0u9BUXnETmL7c9Wdv8ELwUPDKkDg2VNNsAZcayDkGLnrkS-aLrzWLlj_hHeYin1PxWTxk6vuGAzrlbaxL-VNjZ7BWxYEAUF-ZK-x1E" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgUFfD_j_XLmloOGUIGbwWiMtqHY8WrjKBrJqsStHSDoVSaqAxBAWA3Y5V1bKKoe0g0dwOBW-2qQfDohPmABK-W_b0u9BUXnETmL7c9Wdv8ELwUPDKkDg2VNNsAZcayDkGLnrkS-aLrzWLlj_hHeYin1PxWTxk6vuGAzrlbaxL-VNjZ7BWxYEAUF-ZK-x1E=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj2Yw_UIA-qvy40pJ6iEytRS__bgI-Glb_IECI9Cuyjwz766mIYqSTkDVJfAhTqtq9TSDYaho_rfPUXcxivX7rtRiUZBnvKbJblz1p0vIhMQ78CNnKmOpDVoRR2SIUw4UX66phU8QxK0Wp5dvvDJWwZ7swS3kyrmNqxswTbb-3Mp7p3pEMbm6u1f3BA5Oh4" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="163" data-original-width="320" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj2Yw_UIA-qvy40pJ6iEytRS__bgI-Glb_IECI9Cuyjwz766mIYqSTkDVJfAhTqtq9TSDYaho_rfPUXcxivX7rtRiUZBnvKbJblz1p0vIhMQ78CNnKmOpDVoRR2SIUw4UX66phU8QxK0Wp5dvvDJWwZ7swS3kyrmNqxswTbb-3Mp7p3pEMbm6u1f3BA5Oh4=w400-h204" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">On my way back to the
hotel, I saw other downtown buildings lit up for the night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is city hall.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhVt0B38xDq_DBF6zGV2G1t0UgbX-YvmXSnZ7u2pciFvO_uXknyZLZdyblQ1MdjcJ08zJJIzjF37ZVe8uqqiheWa829moCAX2Q73tmoUzRcLBiFN73MNgbQl7O2vFiJGqhjCnofsa2I9GV3uk4LfmpKLo4p0DrU-Kt-Aw3nXrmNLacYjWlXBZZJ8D-xdGP-" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="156" data-original-width="320" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhVt0B38xDq_DBF6zGV2G1t0UgbX-YvmXSnZ7u2pciFvO_uXknyZLZdyblQ1MdjcJ08zJJIzjF37ZVe8uqqiheWa829moCAX2Q73tmoUzRcLBiFN73MNgbQl7O2vFiJGqhjCnofsa2I9GV3uk4LfmpKLo4p0DrU-Kt-Aw3nXrmNLacYjWlXBZZJ8D-xdGP-=w400-h195" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When I visit someplace
new, I like to try the local pizza. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For
my first meal in Korea, I went to a tap house where I was able to get a pizza
with Korean barbeque and sample some Korean beers.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I don’t speak Korean, and
I sometimes encountered people who didn’t speak English.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was able to communicate with people by
using the translate app on my phone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Everyone I encountered who didn’t speak English had a phone or tablet,
and they were used to communicating that way.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Most of the signs in
public spaces were in both Korean and English, but I occasionally saw a sign or
label that was only in Korean.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I made
extensive use of the camera feature of my translate app.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I was able to get to
sleep that night without any difficulty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Staying asleep was another matter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I wake up frequently during the night, and the first time I woke up, I
couldn’t get back to sleep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I spent the
rest of the night resting in bed and trying to get back to sleep.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><u>Friday, March 15<o:p></o:p></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I got up at 6:00 AM after
laying in bed for hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had breakfast
at the hotel and then did a workout in their fitness room.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">My first sightseeing stop
on Friday was Gyeongbokgung Palace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
arrived in time to see the first changing of the guard ceremony inside
Gwanghwamun Gate.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgJsitu--5mkUd77hsXpxQZ0UySKRGc2kDYZUR7oYAPxZBmQA1EtbhYUUTfoudbRXG2K8U_LkJuN6qxPbdBYEB7Esdy0qwqpo1Ge_w_d7Zf3rb5PIGp_E_bSZW-U5kI9qxsxM8g6LotGDZZzZz3h_6QC4u15I56m4RI2TVA4fVSuQ-2tc9r9QOA6ETO5C8Z" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="208" data-original-width="320" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgJsitu--5mkUd77hsXpxQZ0UySKRGc2kDYZUR7oYAPxZBmQA1EtbhYUUTfoudbRXG2K8U_LkJuN6qxPbdBYEB7Esdy0qwqpo1Ge_w_d7Zf3rb5PIGp_E_bSZW-U5kI9qxsxM8g6LotGDZZzZz3h_6QC4u15I56m4RI2TVA4fVSuQ-2tc9r9QOA6ETO5C8Z=w400-h260" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEivOwBCQPEiaNbri8dTv7Rx0X2SVuAnfC-xmlGYoL0ek5xC7cLszRblOb2OTM5I_4yFaRbQ867xBqNhNFydPq6tggDQbex6yc0MYFjHaxjTufqK-_xjQyuY4dPuKB-jBN2pcCjR0cUY0Fh-mi3BQTLnom1QxB8y0mPrhvkbGhcItDn0j5uGGozyKrPQFKL3" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="139" data-original-width="320" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEivOwBCQPEiaNbri8dTv7Rx0X2SVuAnfC-xmlGYoL0ek5xC7cLszRblOb2OTM5I_4yFaRbQ867xBqNhNFydPq6tggDQbex6yc0MYFjHaxjTufqK-_xjQyuY4dPuKB-jBN2pcCjR0cUY0Fh-mi3BQTLnom1QxB8y0mPrhvkbGhcItDn0j5uGGozyKrPQFKL3=w400-h174" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEibfBQB3PnItMkFGV12rRTW38U7RsssgkKnOlm03Z0ABfBu4ZHnfx2nV4PwpgI0OnXHaacwO_FFZTMjf6ozHHkimO02WT25vLDlTHG_S0neAEfCv1_8NsZDGfMmDD5SR_ktRlQ-yPfrN1dhk220mlUPWQSYPf2xUxrvqCFF70DI-8XaJZdHQ9qlm5tW0fqe" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="197" data-original-width="320" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEibfBQB3PnItMkFGV12rRTW38U7RsssgkKnOlm03Z0ABfBu4ZHnfx2nV4PwpgI0OnXHaacwO_FFZTMjf6ozHHkimO02WT25vLDlTHG_S0neAEfCv1_8NsZDGfMmDD5SR_ktRlQ-yPfrN1dhk220mlUPWQSYPf2xUxrvqCFF70DI-8XaJZdHQ9qlm5tW0fqe=w400-h246" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Gyeongbokgung is the
largest of the grand palaces.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I passed
two other gates before reaching the palace.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjpsU-FA6PRbQZ4NjI3z6OK8GG3L6y2YHmfRL0dQ2X9nsP6T9v84joPlgEgWOiL3Tv_TpCaz_6l7_kUP9tEzNNjNyqVpP6CswOOBmiVZGP63FSj7sdRBVgl708Cmo5bnDSXF4iIsiOMEkes2rgAEvno_9Z6uM_Ta7sbJX_TmK02_3mZnv7ujID1Ivph5aop" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="249" data-original-width="320" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjpsU-FA6PRbQZ4NjI3z6OK8GG3L6y2YHmfRL0dQ2X9nsP6T9v84joPlgEgWOiL3Tv_TpCaz_6l7_kUP9tEzNNjNyqVpP6CswOOBmiVZGP63FSj7sdRBVgl708Cmo5bnDSXF4iIsiOMEkes2rgAEvno_9Z6uM_Ta7sbJX_TmK02_3mZnv7ujID1Ivph5aop=w400-h312" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiyUV2WoZebVPtNCPn06lZ3eKopdLsfnuSxhE94TphLoO2zN-aqX2IN25c3sL-rss7ZwDdVq6CaEnhiqfCUcJ-RgPpu4odazllhTkH56x4U7jOlazB73ozaFbnOq0LVbXKIlQradjPbaJHdh1RZdSQJocFlH3SS2NM12k1Opg8gQNjZIpqCl2Dl2_7koTWF" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="201" data-original-width="320" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiyUV2WoZebVPtNCPn06lZ3eKopdLsfnuSxhE94TphLoO2zN-aqX2IN25c3sL-rss7ZwDdVq6CaEnhiqfCUcJ-RgPpu4odazllhTkH56x4U7jOlazB73ozaFbnOq0LVbXKIlQradjPbaJHdh1RZdSQJocFlH3SS2NM12k1Opg8gQNjZIpqCl2Dl2_7koTWF=w400-h251" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiOR_0NF4gSm1L5hhS6ED_1BNUqScnA98W7BH8eruKf07BRvVowuOIRP5QLt8Ishj9dalFNL59M7qUEvK3p6FBxbXPFPc1jIHEto8rx8V9vegtSibW2U8TiINmFql9XKJDXn4BgGkspnBReT7BCTs1DvLDY581-lvO0Uvwjx6xngRY37FlCOr_y8CDtogmL" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="171" data-original-width="320" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiOR_0NF4gSm1L5hhS6ED_1BNUqScnA98W7BH8eruKf07BRvVowuOIRP5QLt8Ishj9dalFNL59M7qUEvK3p6FBxbXPFPc1jIHEto8rx8V9vegtSibW2U8TiINmFql9XKJDXn4BgGkspnBReT7BCTs1DvLDY581-lvO0Uvwjx6xngRY37FlCOr_y8CDtogmL=w400-h214" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjzhHf14Mj8bM57t50JlSxLS7_onCBaWfRH3KAmDqgklc1_OrefBODwpDlTuuC2cJl92y0MSixMjahY_gMLTPDHfOEs5Gbtb9maQI14Wk3JU0yp13xO99YWc9-ZI2eQwnrJxz47ob7WG5mktO73oisJ4aJwve05TCnjAY-dkR3SCtzfrk3tlQ2zNm-3vLv1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjzhHf14Mj8bM57t50JlSxLS7_onCBaWfRH3KAmDqgklc1_OrefBODwpDlTuuC2cJl92y0MSixMjahY_gMLTPDHfOEs5Gbtb9maQI14Wk3JU0yp13xO99YWc9-ZI2eQwnrJxz47ob7WG5mktO73oisJ4aJwve05TCnjAY-dkR3SCtzfrk3tlQ2zNm-3vLv1=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When I was done touring
the palace, I explored some of the palace grounds.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh61xOLDvK0KoFAmz8r2gJPxq_4ZySzdw-ZKXXqnrpXxs1rGJnTEtdVm8J69WDZXmN8n4S3v-A49qtc47srzrmsWu3G_WBwJInI436JJJVo6xHR7fUjhY8npXRU8NfC0rbtF-uo7Jr1QRPE4qtnHYWDYgLOZmaZjJrZX0353XFzSatgXA-EwPESmiBl-97U" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="187" data-original-width="320" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh61xOLDvK0KoFAmz8r2gJPxq_4ZySzdw-ZKXXqnrpXxs1rGJnTEtdVm8J69WDZXmN8n4S3v-A49qtc47srzrmsWu3G_WBwJInI436JJJVo6xHR7fUjhY8npXRU8NfC0rbtF-uo7Jr1QRPE4qtnHYWDYgLOZmaZjJrZX0353XFzSatgXA-EwPESmiBl-97U=w400-h234" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjQTod0WpdCN-c8EOKUOHgs1jLjRVCp3yf5A2fAT8bvb5rjBjB4tfOwNXeOsPNOorpHUPOvQLRcwHKdDGCOaRie5GeRcf7vpv8TyJ6GCIQvMW2ESEUvxKST1tkYoEiv1bfUBZwSyYzfdyYn1qFBoQYgqxEjzbmq9OF6eeZRBqX2kNfTI_5LhXdIeQ9iO3z1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="148" data-original-width="320" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjQTod0WpdCN-c8EOKUOHgs1jLjRVCp3yf5A2fAT8bvb5rjBjB4tfOwNXeOsPNOorpHUPOvQLRcwHKdDGCOaRie5GeRcf7vpv8TyJ6GCIQvMW2ESEUvxKST1tkYoEiv1bfUBZwSyYzfdyYn1qFBoQYgqxEjzbmq9OF6eeZRBqX2kNfTI_5LhXdIeQ9iO3z1=w400-h185" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">You can get free
admission to any of the grand palaces by wearing a traditional garment called a
hanbok.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I saw dozens of people wearing
these at Gyeongbokgung.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When I was done at Gyeongbokgung,
I toured the National Folk Museum of Korea, which is on the east side of the
palace grounds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This museum has three
sections.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first is called The
Beginning of K-Culture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This exhibit
shows aspects of Korean culture that set it apart from the rest of the
world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The second section is called A
Year in Korea, and it depicts significant events in agricultural life as the
seasons change.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The third section is Korean
Life Passages.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This section shows the
significant events in the life of someone growing up and living in Korea.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I spent a good portion of
the morning outside, so I had to dress warm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The clothes I was wearing would’ve been too hot for the hiking I had
planned for the afternoon, so I had to stop at the hotel to change clothes before
heading out again.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Next, I went to the Myeongdong
neighborhood, where I had lunch and then explored the narrow streets.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhGtg8rfxwec6Md55nP1UnXcVdNACg85SFxodZDICVD2iEUuLwax7PE_AeEW4N1chyjEOEJK7aj4-y0ayDEkA9S1_kgk83dOQ5kPqFylksre4Gbd6_QJ7TLLPJudHhnnNYyaJpibAvAqDuZY2BT0E2kNanCV0ygLrg_W2_mPTbU8yGjVLoImoLMGfQcsA5Z" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhGtg8rfxwec6Md55nP1UnXcVdNACg85SFxodZDICVD2iEUuLwax7PE_AeEW4N1chyjEOEJK7aj4-y0ayDEkA9S1_kgk83dOQ5kPqFylksre4Gbd6_QJ7TLLPJudHhnnNYyaJpibAvAqDuZY2BT0E2kNanCV0ygLrg_W2_mPTbU8yGjVLoImoLMGfQcsA5Z=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">From there, I walked up
the hill to Namsan Park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Namsan Park is
a large city park with hiking trails.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s also home to Namsan Tower (a.k.a. Seoul Tower), which is the best
place to get views of the city.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Namsan Tower is at the
top of a hill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most people get there by
taking a cable car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I chose to walk up a
set of steps and then hike the rest of the way.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I started my hike with
the North Namsan Trail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This trail
snakes through the north side of the park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I left the trail briefly to go up a set of steps leading to the Waryong
Tomb.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgETIxBlX4_6sT61j94mEbHs_HqYLBZGqnmaCvlM5YuQnxzvDDdmJrGEEfLCK9bnuEOydA6gTWKSbyRKtSKkfAcV6tlch3n1JLGiyQ7TUU9oEnb782W4XAJROBQdsHYVtWWMV7TWBxvkZt27SRvmaOcs-EsCEUkFu3Xxtx0OSXupWGdG20sJOaUEUCOuRTd" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="216" data-original-width="320" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgETIxBlX4_6sT61j94mEbHs_HqYLBZGqnmaCvlM5YuQnxzvDDdmJrGEEfLCK9bnuEOydA6gTWKSbyRKtSKkfAcV6tlch3n1JLGiyQ7TUU9oEnb782W4XAJROBQdsHYVtWWMV7TWBxvkZt27SRvmaOcs-EsCEUkFu3Xxtx0OSXupWGdG20sJOaUEUCOuRTd=w400-h270" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">As I continued along the
trail, I was joined by another runner from the U.S.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wasn’t here to run the marathon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s a pilot who was in Seoul on a
layover.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The two of us hiked the rest of
the trail together and talked about various races.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">At the west end of the
park, the North Namsan Trail meets up with the South Namsan trail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This trail follows the road that buses take
to get to Namsan Tower.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From an
overlook, I got a good view of the tower.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhAw68Q40bUfD3BGxnPRan2jvh_-EzYEIIFEot18ZVQIeonfeSwo4nuZxJbjJUSCCHlnLmN6hha_pnLa_ccBR74-EDc8j4B06kkkKHXr075bV-Z4_wDp5uwAdnHQsX9ZKTzEU1VgcnnlYXXts0-5s9LR2KOTsVjPEn_CuQJWOP6tzTWmlUF_9jbbVq7MM_e" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhAw68Q40bUfD3BGxnPRan2jvh_-EzYEIIFEot18ZVQIeonfeSwo4nuZxJbjJUSCCHlnLmN6hha_pnLa_ccBR74-EDc8j4B06kkkKHXr075bV-Z4_wDp5uwAdnHQsX9ZKTzEU1VgcnnlYXXts0-5s9LR2KOTsVjPEn_CuQJWOP6tzTWmlUF_9jbbVq7MM_e=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The last part of this
trail gave me good views of the old city wall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This used to be part of a defensive wall around the whole city that
connected the various hills.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgKpTZpB1-hD5vyGQ0mZnVTCZO_GvJImB1dKcg_RHFS7gKKDCBILqYZxaFtq000ZHweZtHnWwxUv8a1TbWqqbFJwsHdE9drrsUxvGQX_WdOyM6jSKub0oGR8RXdKWwp5PuFMtTRpk48l5mrgqAnSWoxr7h8YLokpr5HYI6pk-3iaewZIh4IY56uq5YGpPvl" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="259" data-original-width="320" height="323" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgKpTZpB1-hD5vyGQ0mZnVTCZO_GvJImB1dKcg_RHFS7gKKDCBILqYZxaFtq000ZHweZtHnWwxUv8a1TbWqqbFJwsHdE9drrsUxvGQX_WdOyM6jSKub0oGR8RXdKWwp5PuFMtTRpk48l5mrgqAnSWoxr7h8YLokpr5HYI6pk-3iaewZIh4IY56uq5YGpPvl=w400-h323" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiwN5mFDVapRQaaRZtqJTEeC_h1Tbgwo_PWmlV1Polp30pMnjzRFtsdxF5WgHr89WCeG_TNMaNdsmPeVCWzWHgKjFMrkmSPDw9nzzSsBbzWNEEDkFeuS7d21StsPjHwAjXww3p5RMTJbzaHLmoNA7XdxG5_5KilheHT9ad_xypMaNhobHJI6WOvb_EvLnQh" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="299" data-original-width="320" height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiwN5mFDVapRQaaRZtqJTEeC_h1Tbgwo_PWmlV1Polp30pMnjzRFtsdxF5WgHr89WCeG_TNMaNdsmPeVCWzWHgKjFMrkmSPDw9nzzSsBbzWNEEDkFeuS7d21StsPjHwAjXww3p5RMTJbzaHLmoNA7XdxG5_5KilheHT9ad_xypMaNhobHJI6WOvb_EvLnQh=w400-h374" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When I reached the tower,
I explored the levels of the plaza before taking the elevator to the
observation deck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The plaza has several
levels.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a tourist destination all
by itself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I took the elevator up
to the observation deck, which also has multiple levels.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">From the observation
deck, you can see every part of the city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Here’s the view looking north.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgc_nvu1B8uGFBo_vBjxMEumBMf1K0-pKpMSmF9Wy9kwLd4Z_cPCKZI2hT4Nskr1NHo4Ob5g6CLoL7Gn0MtkNlKpnz87lAGORznZZybB8yF1FdXepyv5V1JMJnwsxYM2QGxBFszs1lqAlynx07XOmxGriNhodeGysRKi0KWYiBckUgvj6jLfJTGCSBHjVxk" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgc_nvu1B8uGFBo_vBjxMEumBMf1K0-pKpMSmF9Wy9kwLd4Z_cPCKZI2hT4Nskr1NHo4Ob5g6CLoL7Gn0MtkNlKpnz87lAGORznZZybB8yF1FdXepyv5V1JMJnwsxYM2QGxBFszs1lqAlynx07XOmxGriNhodeGysRKi0KWYiBckUgvj6jLfJTGCSBHjVxk=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I wanted to get the
nighttime views too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While I waited for
the sun to set, I had dinner at a Korean grill on one of the levels of the
observation tower.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">As I ate dinner, the sun
went down, and I gradually started to see the lights of the city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the time I finished eating, it was
dark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I went back to the observation
level to see the city at night.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEggX2j0WEujBjJ5_V01yU3VnpvfDHhDIzDBqhyBplGUT4UjnE_uG0HO9i8gb_7yw32pYoiNPcahwq1PQtTnfaAq4kPCA1KgLe832oyjRImfFIAIRMLDQ00YQV2P9xTSABgYBYXlVaoF0ljg7LBQ7pguWZMVnNSx9aR3Kac5g0MayF4iJJ8hkiTeeCnHpL2P" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEggX2j0WEujBjJ5_V01yU3VnpvfDHhDIzDBqhyBplGUT4UjnE_uG0HO9i8gb_7yw32pYoiNPcahwq1PQtTnfaAq4kPCA1KgLe832oyjRImfFIAIRMLDQ00YQV2P9xTSABgYBYXlVaoF0ljg7LBQ7pguWZMVnNSx9aR3Kac5g0MayF4iJJ8hkiTeeCnHpL2P=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiK8Dkp6vrhnaWAsMJnpuRfdCYL9Pp7fuasA_PGAa_5BP17B4pEAFpNjCKfoWFGxPQ9Hp6OELN-P7rmzr8490LBd2yULLMNMclDDecqJWfDrrRyjhGor64a2wha2vEu76sZulQ50Zi0qn4LBbqvmGCzUdh6MabI27iQIngj_UAwgIsjBat_gmNBdGmG176y" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiK8Dkp6vrhnaWAsMJnpuRfdCYL9Pp7fuasA_PGAa_5BP17B4pEAFpNjCKfoWFGxPQ9Hp6OELN-P7rmzr8490LBd2yULLMNMclDDecqJWfDrrRyjhGor64a2wha2vEu76sZulQ50Zi0qn4LBbqvmGCzUdh6MabI27iQIngj_UAwgIsjBat_gmNBdGmG176y=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgrEGknlL_qQWYMqHl33lOx9a7FxZZQpQ7DvbC0341vImu5c14En8-EbGZkq5_lxzRXa8VVD6A41U_C_W9RpTigdULz2cmnrzWM_upfdzEMdsT9hDzdYgkiKm1mRnvSFoVxlHUvleH21T_58kgMJNch2gL8-2ZyqOvttxxaKWhMgGx3wouhe09ccXjoZViJ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgrEGknlL_qQWYMqHl33lOx9a7FxZZQpQ7DvbC0341vImu5c14En8-EbGZkq5_lxzRXa8VVD6A41U_C_W9RpTigdULz2cmnrzWM_upfdzEMdsT9hDzdYgkiKm1mRnvSFoVxlHUvleH21T_58kgMJNch2gL8-2ZyqOvttxxaKWhMgGx3wouhe09ccXjoZViJ=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjhN1gheDdMwGkr8ah58xrGp6iJehTqdhFDYZ9iquj6Vri2A7IT8mgKRiIUpmZvXoKTTXfXqpTGHB4n5B7a0_RPf71E-wKEZ6iDzrWKgbYLyZUwR-2tXo1MsbLcOBK5Ipd70x9s38vBNr2Z8yPD9uSLQjEtEWvX0fET1wCWosQuV7rQliTV_BoiBE4hpqvL" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjhN1gheDdMwGkr8ah58xrGp6iJehTqdhFDYZ9iquj6Vri2A7IT8mgKRiIUpmZvXoKTTXfXqpTGHB4n5B7a0_RPf71E-wKEZ6iDzrWKgbYLyZUwR-2tXo1MsbLcOBK5Ipd70x9s38vBNr2Z8yPD9uSLQjEtEWvX0fET1wCWosQuV7rQliTV_BoiBE4hpqvL=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjOBYGCve5vv9HYKW5I1nuh8iD8PoH-rPGDRXZcuCbpt2pdNqbVRZt1mXbgEdob6nEnBChOmAMnh9192rt-PiWZ9cGq8xTUchXXVcsUohSwfuUcVJU_JthJ2-dMNoEh8GemrZIjflF6Nd4Zq8fte9i7JuJ7sqmtStw_bRo27wVkdr2A53N4OYom4YipOVfN" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjOBYGCve5vv9HYKW5I1nuh8iD8PoH-rPGDRXZcuCbpt2pdNqbVRZt1mXbgEdob6nEnBChOmAMnh9192rt-PiWZ9cGq8xTUchXXVcsUohSwfuUcVJU_JthJ2-dMNoEh8GemrZIjflF6Nd4Zq8fte9i7JuJ7sqmtStw_bRo27wVkdr2A53N4OYom4YipOVfN=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After taking the elevator
back down to ground level, the quickest way back into town was to take a
bus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While I was waiting for the bus, I
had this view of the tower from the bus stop.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiBoci9a0y2fPHBSMv8zmu4FOOuuGWhdzoAdB71Gqx7M4VCuR2PJMpaCSJl9-z_FY48Ho-E87b26lqZLMaratQ2YgfLVkI7dY5Q7p2ph1ZcB154FVS7U1e2wlNJgCLkBL9Dxkw_pojlxh_n0NABfAHzR0z8SR396rJKUCmgKHZdTP1g3WPnXOxQ_DfEb5wX" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiBoci9a0y2fPHBSMv8zmu4FOOuuGWhdzoAdB71Gqx7M4VCuR2PJMpaCSJl9-z_FY48Ho-E87b26lqZLMaratQ2YgfLVkI7dY5Q7p2ph1ZcB154FVS7U1e2wlNJgCLkBL9Dxkw_pojlxh_n0NABfAHzR0z8SR396rJKUCmgKHZdTP1g3WPnXOxQ_DfEb5wX=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I slept better that
night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I woke up a few times, but each
time I eventually got back to sleep.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><u>Saturday, March 16<o:p></o:p></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">Packet pickup was on
Saturday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wanted to get there early in
the day, so I could have time later for sightseeing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The expo didn’t start until 10:00 AM, so I
had time for a leisurely breakfast at my hotel.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">The expo was held at the Jamsil
Sports Complex, which is south of the Han River in the Songpa district.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It took about 45 minutes to get there by
subway.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">Race packets for Korean
residents were sent by mail, so the only runners picking up race packets were
other foreign runners.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">Besides my race bib, the race
packet included two T-shirts, energy gels, drink mix powders, a race program,
and a plastic bag for gear check.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of
the shirts says “Finisher” on the back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I found it odd that they gave us this before the race, but I’m sure that
makes things easier.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">Outside, I saw runners in long
lines to buy merchandise or get product samples from the vendors who were
there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I decided to skip the lines and
head back to the hotel to drop off my race packet before heading out again.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">I didn’t want to have a heavy
lunch, so I ate some pastries I bought from a street vendor as I headed back
out to do some sightseeing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My first
stop was Changgyeonggung Palace.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW1fmZF4T8jsCs96OOry_dtPjMWkeSkb_W9sSwNFlkQsU3yKnK5EwuFdfyQd00shfPBI3Y2LwVAXI6ZMF0QylivjwnxA15kOEHI5li1EqENopw6DmAwHoWFuNWbw_-_sbRK19XJ96_7_tCfjsG8YR8BzjNTD5cnEQpngc0-zfz8QMbz0rKTxBbizgckv0c/s1731/Changgyeonggung%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1020" data-original-width="1731" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW1fmZF4T8jsCs96OOry_dtPjMWkeSkb_W9sSwNFlkQsU3yKnK5EwuFdfyQd00shfPBI3Y2LwVAXI6ZMF0QylivjwnxA15kOEHI5li1EqENopw6DmAwHoWFuNWbw_-_sbRK19XJ96_7_tCfjsG8YR8BzjNTD5cnEQpngc0-zfz8QMbz0rKTxBbizgckv0c/w400-h236/Changgyeonggung%201.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghaoEhcIWo38qquIQQBr58NawPpTyNVdGAah2dgtyfj1hyphenhyphenaexPEhCx6FwHRyXEMaQQpzvtLOKK3LybToWvVZv2BTQfyw8wpyiXLVWrVNtuFQcBk5x1N2z-axMVK6LVJ3dciPTaEDVHVwCmtw6-Odkoy4vfLFFUt6mTCyGNkjsOM0g3G-5dM4BlUhN6xy-t/s1997/Changgyeonggung%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="1997" height="130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghaoEhcIWo38qquIQQBr58NawPpTyNVdGAah2dgtyfj1hyphenhyphenaexPEhCx6FwHRyXEMaQQpzvtLOKK3LybToWvVZv2BTQfyw8wpyiXLVWrVNtuFQcBk5x1N2z-axMVK6LVJ3dciPTaEDVHVwCmtw6-Odkoy4vfLFFUt6mTCyGNkjsOM0g3G-5dM4BlUhN6xy-t/w400-h130/Changgyeonggung%203.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Ynb_UsJ0XwZGSLyVUBx-H_0GorFNVBv33xeTyYf7ooUM9hZSIn74SZS8WjynmF8Tdjp28mktj-iZGaiqbEoPiVo-CXAYdZevHB5PQH25s3yzlj_TXBWNCfRo46kRzP3BEokbsumiY5IKdgx0s5JXtgQ5BcKweZMNZXqdKVZh79Aj0IUpP-T0i1jzZ5WN/s2000/Changgyeonggung%204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Ynb_UsJ0XwZGSLyVUBx-H_0GorFNVBv33xeTyYf7ooUM9hZSIn74SZS8WjynmF8Tdjp28mktj-iZGaiqbEoPiVo-CXAYdZevHB5PQH25s3yzlj_TXBWNCfRo46kRzP3BEokbsumiY5IKdgx0s5JXtgQ5BcKweZMNZXqdKVZh79Aj0IUpP-T0i1jzZ5WN/w400-h300/Changgyeonggung%204.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnIJQXByJVXb4dlhMB2-YmXtij2ltf8-7oothx3sX3tJE7ytGZC3oMmm6FvKEmDIkyhYizszc4hRnAo3bCgoGxZ2_KsfUrO6WXjKqavdvdeU5LbuJapasXGtD0ih12uUHTdtrZUARCK1L6Ql_IFB-ZvL4dr5vXPhrtYqb7oMifo4624lGYuZUo98_wx7uj/s1679/Changgyeonggung%205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="978" data-original-width="1679" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnIJQXByJVXb4dlhMB2-YmXtij2ltf8-7oothx3sX3tJE7ytGZC3oMmm6FvKEmDIkyhYizszc4hRnAo3bCgoGxZ2_KsfUrO6WXjKqavdvdeU5LbuJapasXGtD0ih12uUHTdtrZUARCK1L6Ql_IFB-ZvL4dr5vXPhrtYqb7oMifo4624lGYuZUo98_wx7uj/w400-h233/Changgyeonggung%205.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">Next, I toured Changdeokgung
Palace, which is just a short distance away.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj9UdWwjuHaaqF1esDrhJ7RYYnVkBuhsJ26zT3k5Yf1bcLoDIKfUbP2WtYvnib4GjCLaqx2B9P4_B2cK6tThq_2nj4P9-XMSKj2u1x7gEMXQxuVY6rWoI4CO7V4Aq5qLTWKd1qrU28nBxeOcze26mK64-AxW_PbKGLPBZoMQTmeAoQC4gstu-BvjQRw2ND/s1775/Changdeokgung%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="841" data-original-width="1775" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj9UdWwjuHaaqF1esDrhJ7RYYnVkBuhsJ26zT3k5Yf1bcLoDIKfUbP2WtYvnib4GjCLaqx2B9P4_B2cK6tThq_2nj4P9-XMSKj2u1x7gEMXQxuVY6rWoI4CO7V4Aq5qLTWKd1qrU28nBxeOcze26mK64-AxW_PbKGLPBZoMQTmeAoQC4gstu-BvjQRw2ND/w400-h190/Changdeokgung%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXrYbuZYGbEvwZJl-EqGZ8YyyOfuKlRyizZRVIFKqZWTOJptJU12Bwq2gHKZe9vwrGSmxWcTsVmdQRH0e2mu3Ins_tzG_rzgB0LSwG5P108ng8JZEmTyHznv32rIEMH0V15a6lf6_LPlqpMn2uQpqqHLzlKk1VhWumPVme6d8swPCYAFUewfp-sCjk5bEf/s1998/Changdeokgung%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1124" data-original-width="1998" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXrYbuZYGbEvwZJl-EqGZ8YyyOfuKlRyizZRVIFKqZWTOJptJU12Bwq2gHKZe9vwrGSmxWcTsVmdQRH0e2mu3Ins_tzG_rzgB0LSwG5P108ng8JZEmTyHznv32rIEMH0V15a6lf6_LPlqpMn2uQpqqHLzlKk1VhWumPVme6d8swPCYAFUewfp-sCjk5bEf/w400-h225/Changdeokgung%203.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC1C4ta8_fyi4uUIQfwuUDlRCe0G2cb6BNIkDEKcQqt-EBTfg_e3ia7FQBi97RIrep-T7GNNLtN94cJ8A14oWed-2rDYDOnNlunUga-eywmgmHQJrK6R2qD3T48VU66WVdJUnvA3ktk9O3EzhPnn7zA9VJIZb687GU3urOUgpspF2xh_WIfQB0AMWumOT2/s2000/Changdeokgung%204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC1C4ta8_fyi4uUIQfwuUDlRCe0G2cb6BNIkDEKcQqt-EBTfg_e3ia7FQBi97RIrep-T7GNNLtN94cJ8A14oWed-2rDYDOnNlunUga-eywmgmHQJrK6R2qD3T48VU66WVdJUnvA3ktk9O3EzhPnn7zA9VJIZb687GU3urOUgpspF2xh_WIfQB0AMWumOT2/w400-h300/Changdeokgung%204.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCx69Jpb43lJhuwJv_UNqQurFPUZc6pksON3LMwlH3Pj4rLIlZ8Huibc4luj0Mbx5Z4DDYehBbWp6gXiutJdz23Yh6Yd7l2VE6aGQbtms7lmBJarCoHeXUzuQSUXwWScNeECbMW_KJ6PdmwTiatPOBFDFoBDYaPAWHn9bIW4Tio15VaZ0H4g4EGVB0Ps9C/s2000/Changdeokgung%206.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1302" data-original-width="2000" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCx69Jpb43lJhuwJv_UNqQurFPUZc6pksON3LMwlH3Pj4rLIlZ8Huibc4luj0Mbx5Z4DDYehBbWp6gXiutJdz23Yh6Yd7l2VE6aGQbtms7lmBJarCoHeXUzuQSUXwWScNeECbMW_KJ6PdmwTiatPOBFDFoBDYaPAWHn9bIW4Tio15VaZ0H4g4EGVB0Ps9C/w400-h260/Changdeokgung%206.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBWb4pyc1JA2UbC3EhF_KIKuhMZ8Hq1iJc55aIwHUEW2cfHoTQoKZ4mad7W5kRA_cjWGVqLO2k12M4rEvnoZ8pXvBUF5RorUvXumiyHXPtLTmtSYPM5S43ghugdbrCkdsmGBxoKyUFt4RrbMGbABPLs3lUeCbRSegs2yBND760FYZIypdZ8U88oMLWIbYZ/s2000/Changdeokgung%207.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1383" data-original-width="2000" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBWb4pyc1JA2UbC3EhF_KIKuhMZ8Hq1iJc55aIwHUEW2cfHoTQoKZ4mad7W5kRA_cjWGVqLO2k12M4rEvnoZ8pXvBUF5RorUvXumiyHXPtLTmtSYPM5S43ghugdbrCkdsmGBxoKyUFt4RrbMGbABPLs3lUeCbRSegs2yBND760FYZIypdZ8U88oMLWIbYZ/w400-h276/Changdeokgung%207.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">After touring the buildings on
my own, I had a guided tour of the secret gardens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sadly, the Buyongji Pond, which is considered
the most beautiful part of the gardens, was being dredged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had bad timing.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht2fHv0pTNhg-dcW8NNKJ_S-hTaFswZdVtiIHC8R55HVFOcWvdBL7F1S3A7wbZewkTi6o1WeoKVKhp8MYpmunBbThzvoCkq1P1T8TbQWAWYmdDglahSiAbwYKFmSSqDO5m_3r9k-HUGvD9bGFPuYrOBttc7FTkEdWROIJXrYeXtnqWHNzZYuqps_S2y_w9/s2000/secret%20gardens%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht2fHv0pTNhg-dcW8NNKJ_S-hTaFswZdVtiIHC8R55HVFOcWvdBL7F1S3A7wbZewkTi6o1WeoKVKhp8MYpmunBbThzvoCkq1P1T8TbQWAWYmdDglahSiAbwYKFmSSqDO5m_3r9k-HUGvD9bGFPuYrOBttc7FTkEdWROIJXrYeXtnqWHNzZYuqps_S2y_w9/w400-h300/secret%20gardens%201.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4NQjjhsMFrV3lHOmYAPzVh-V-6gNfUcUHayZ72wJ6Qu7WVB5m-nL8tsLUi6wSavU62Gexl9gB4pHI5RoBR5379MVfwcmbpaCZVf2X9HFpGoEzpcj7PWpQjPBXGzsuejfEo-i5ByjwYQK2nzhdKcaDqg_VpfuGbzwQ93j1uDFPwhWaXh4QED_9cjxKxGam/s2000/secret%20gardens%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4NQjjhsMFrV3lHOmYAPzVh-V-6gNfUcUHayZ72wJ6Qu7WVB5m-nL8tsLUi6wSavU62Gexl9gB4pHI5RoBR5379MVfwcmbpaCZVf2X9HFpGoEzpcj7PWpQjPBXGzsuejfEo-i5ByjwYQK2nzhdKcaDqg_VpfuGbzwQ93j1uDFPwhWaXh4QED_9cjxKxGam/s320/secret%20gardens%202.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">Next, I went to the Jongmyo
Shrine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also had bad timing here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The main hall is currently being restored.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcOnnYlGqL0RRMkMvj7t9_7zgGAMA3OrTrRyGkYbCwnI3umbNmwdaSrbpLEfrFo7NaaB7Q-YeABlqZHpsqu0e80hIW6L7AvIzZ7h2Whs9eZT8UXIX-0-6MNTywjuPojqZwG90KTR6kzRkdJ9vkho3UNxaS7Sr6JLQPda3C5ou0SB7jHydPLVzrEbz2ZvFo/s1563/Jongmyo%20Shrine%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1250" data-original-width="1563" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcOnnYlGqL0RRMkMvj7t9_7zgGAMA3OrTrRyGkYbCwnI3umbNmwdaSrbpLEfrFo7NaaB7Q-YeABlqZHpsqu0e80hIW6L7AvIzZ7h2Whs9eZT8UXIX-0-6MNTywjuPojqZwG90KTR6kzRkdJ9vkho3UNxaS7Sr6JLQPda3C5ou0SB7jHydPLVzrEbz2ZvFo/w400-h320/Jongmyo%20Shrine%201.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-hq1H-cPY4Yo5KGm56xGG4O5zAMNTMuthO6pLSG_EmuLI0sCkWZuwJYA_dmGSsKDzcHssMvVU1GVnH4Qb_LErTFgljESXgm8DHcNOsQrBPfGN3uvW-RI0vjPHCfE7RRG6bGsBR5kWiuAgHtyBJydchJer3aY5ejVe_8NmLTNkDxfPpcw8ELlq8KTIAv1q/s1987/Jongmyo%20Shrine%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="714" data-original-width="1987" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-hq1H-cPY4Yo5KGm56xGG4O5zAMNTMuthO6pLSG_EmuLI0sCkWZuwJYA_dmGSsKDzcHssMvVU1GVnH4Qb_LErTFgljESXgm8DHcNOsQrBPfGN3uvW-RI0vjPHCfE7RRG6bGsBR5kWiuAgHtyBJydchJer3aY5ejVe_8NmLTNkDxfPpcw8ELlq8KTIAv1q/w400-h144/Jongmyo%20Shrine%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDjMX-Q8UQOCgzexBiUzoUslFKWiH0dSZB0WdIgRrtj9vBmtXL4sWDb59rbNeVQZVIganyQRNR-fe3eOp-1UcR2Dow5FrkHDiU0ZtCD0t8HgRQOlJyvY2td-Kia50PbgdHDEcV9c_2OwmDtY2pRCh61YrLftax11HFmgK5_dkwVwJwuDLEJF_u30e84D_L/s2000/Jongmyo%20Shrine%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDjMX-Q8UQOCgzexBiUzoUslFKWiH0dSZB0WdIgRrtj9vBmtXL4sWDb59rbNeVQZVIganyQRNR-fe3eOp-1UcR2Dow5FrkHDiU0ZtCD0t8HgRQOlJyvY2td-Kia50PbgdHDEcV9c_2OwmDtY2pRCh61YrLftax11HFmgK5_dkwVwJwuDLEJF_u30e84D_L/w400-h300/Jongmyo%20Shrine%203.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEika4ulmNjV9I8uOgABipcH0LL9TxM6qPpamJ6-q-rryNeiZb6FxsiJ6RB5z9ClLye-9AmB3iifbdTcWo7Wg66epRVm95mVTA7b72WageLKa1I_65kKrecnAJZyXHySPZSPIZ7IBtQq8VvQLQhLRYrElDdHAE2M1DAhi1JvamIv5pNH5CDtRvFplek2v6pL/s2000/Jongmyo%20Shrine%204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEika4ulmNjV9I8uOgABipcH0LL9TxM6qPpamJ6-q-rryNeiZb6FxsiJ6RB5z9ClLye-9AmB3iifbdTcWo7Wg66epRVm95mVTA7b72WageLKa1I_65kKrecnAJZyXHySPZSPIZ7IBtQq8VvQLQhLRYrElDdHAE2M1DAhi1JvamIv5pNH5CDtRvFplek2v6pL/w400-h300/Jongmyo%20Shrine%204.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">For dinner, I went to a place
called Brew 3.14 Pi.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a little hole
in the wall that’s located on a narrow alley, but they have good pizza and
craft beer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Besides, I couldn’t resist
the name.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">I got to sleep earlier that
night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I slept well for about five
hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I starting thinking about
the race, and I had trouble getting back to sleep.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><u>Sunday, March 17<o:p></o:p></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">Sunday was race day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The start area was in Gwanghwamun Square,
which was only a few blocks from my hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The race started at 8:00 AM, but I made a point of arriving much earlier
to give myself time to get into my start corral.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">I was planning to eat a light
breakfast at the hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wasn’t until
race day that I discovered that the hotel breakfast starts later on
weekends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I made a cup of tea in my room
and ate the gels from my race packet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That’s all I had, but it was better than starting the race on an empty
stomach.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">The temperature at the start
was in the upper 40s, and I expected it to get into the low 50s by the time I
finished.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They had a gear check, but I
decided I didn’t need to check a gear bag.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I wore a light jacket to the start and tied it around my waist before I
started running.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t think I’d need
any other warm clothes at the finish, and not checking a gear bag saved me time
both before and after the race.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">When I left the hotel, I
noticed the streets were wet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt a
fine mist in the air.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I saw other
runners wearing plastic rain ponchos, and I wondered if I should go back to my
room to get one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First, I doublechecked
the weather app on my phone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It didn’t
show any rain in the forecast, so I assumed the moisture in the air would burn
off.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">This is a large race, and I
didn’t know how long it would take to get into the start corral.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve done some races where it can take a long
time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I arrived in the start area around
7:10.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a huge crush of runners
heading to the gear check trucks, but it was fairly easy to get to the corrals.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">I regretted leaving the hotel
as early as I did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I used the bathroom
before leaving my room, but I wanted to make another bathroom stop before the
race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The lines for the portable
bathrooms were insanely long, and I didn’t think I had time to get through the
line and still get to my start corral on time.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">After looking around for a
while, I found a building with bathrooms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The lines there weren’t as long, and I got in and out quickly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I headed to the corrals.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">There were nine start
corrals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first one was for elite
athletes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The second one was identified
as “Hall of Fame.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not sure, but that
might have been for legacy runners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
next six corrals, labeled A-F, were assigned according to our qualifying
times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally, corral G was for runners
who didn’t submit a qualifying time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Those runners started in the back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That’s significant, since the race had a five-hour time limit.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">I was assigned to corral
B.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All the runners in this corral
submitted qualifying times between 3:20 and 3:40.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a hedge against starting too fast, I lined
up near the back of the corral.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">A runner next to me asked me in
English how many I had done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I told him
how many marathons I had run, but that wasn’t what he meant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He said, “No. No. How many countries?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had noticed that I was wearing a Marathon
Globetrotters hat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I told him this would
be my 47th country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was from Denmark,
and he has also run marathons in several different countries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We talked until the race started.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">As I started running, there was
enough congestion in front of me to hold me back a little.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It took less than a minute for that to clear
up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As everyone from my corral found their
pace, I was able to run mine without being held up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I found the pace to be a little
tiring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wouldn’t know for sure,
however, until I got a split from my watch.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">The course was marked in
kilometers, but I’m used to pacing myself by miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My watch is configured for miles, so I used
the watch for pacing, but I still appreciated see the more frequent kilometer
signs, so I could see my progress on the course.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">We ran south from Gwanghwamun
Square until we reached Sungnyemun Gate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We made a sharp turn there and followed the road back Eulji-ro, which is
a wide east-west avenue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then we began
an out-and-back section that was about 3K in each direction.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">My goal for this race was to
break 3:50, which is the Boston qualifying standard for my age group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To do that, I need an average pace of 8:47
per mile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My fastest recent race that
wasn’t downhill was an average pace of 8:28 per mile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was hoping to keep my pace in the 8:30s or
8:40s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first mile felt like it was
too fast, so I was surprised to see that I ran it in 8:36.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was within my target range, so it
should’ve felt more manageable.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">Early in the second mile, I
noticed a pace group in front of me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
pace makers could be identified by large gray balloons that were tied to their
clothing by long narrow ribbons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
also wore signs on their backs that read, “Pace Maker.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was the 3:40 group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I saw two 3:40 pace makers in my corral.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This one must have lined up in the very back
of the corral, and had only recently passed me.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">In the next mile, I found
myself inadvertently following the 3:40 group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That led me to run that mile much too fast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I saw that I ran an 8:13 mile, I
realized I needed to slow down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In a
large race, I have a tendency to run at the pace of the runners around me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To slow down to a more reasonable pace, I
needed to unhitch myself from the runners around me and drift back until I
found a pace that was sustainable.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">By now, I was starting to see
the elite athletes coming back on the opposite side of the street.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I saw a few leaders, then a chase group, then
another chase group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What started as a
trickle would eventually turn into a stampede by the time I reached the
turnaround myself.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">We turned around by making a
loop around the Dongdaemun Design Plaza, which is a distinctive round
building.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After a full loop around the
plaza, we were on the opposite side of the street.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">Running in this direction, I
started to notice a cold wind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had
the wind at our back going out, but now we had a headwind.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">When I finished the third mile,
I saw that I had slowed down, but not enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I was still going faster than my target range.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">At 5K, we reached an aid
station.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I saw several tables with
water, but no sports drinks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
reluctantly drank a cup of water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Eventually, I started to see tables with their sports drink.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t want to drink another cup already,
so I waited until the next aid station.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I made a mental note to run past all the water tables and keep going
until I saw a table with blue cups.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">When I finished that mile, it
was slower than my target range.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had a
wide range, but I couldn’t seem to hit it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Three of the first four miles were either too fast or too slow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I should have attributed the slow mile to
time lost because of slowing down at the aid station.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead, I picked up my pace and started
keeping up with the runners around me.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">Before the race, I looked at
the course map to see where the aid stations would be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The map showed water stations every 5K and
stations in between with sponges.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was
hoping the sponge stations would also have water and sports drink, but I
wouldn’t know until I got there.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">When I reached the aid station
at 7.5K, I saw a table covered with white sponges.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I saw another table with sponges.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a wide spacing between tables.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I passed more and more sponge tables, I
kept hoping I would eventually see a table with cups.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nope.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I counted nine or ten table with sponges, but that was it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now I knew for sure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would only get fluids every five
kilometers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fortunately, it wasn’t a hot
day.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">By the end of this out-and-back
section, I started to recognize things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I saw an entrance for a subway station that was familiar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew I was close to a neighborhood that I
had explored on Friday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also started
to see road signs identifying places that were familiar to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were back in a familiar part of the city.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">We turned right, ran two
blocks, and then turned right again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now
we were starting a longer out-and-back section.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Now we were on Cheonggyecheon-ro, which is a divided street.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a stream in between the two sides
of the road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That made it harder to see
runners coming back on the other side of the street.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">After one mile in the 8:50s,
the next two were in the 8:20s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Running
with the pack was still leading me to go too fast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to unhitch myself again.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">Running in this direction, I
had the wind at my back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt warmer,
so I took my gloves off and put them in my fanny pack.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">At 10K, there was another aid
station.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I finally had another
opportunity to try the sports drink instead of water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sports drink at this race was called
Pocari Sweat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Aside from sounding
unappetizing, that name led me to believe it was an electrolyte drink.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t know if it also had sugar until I
tried it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It tasted sweet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was a relief.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was really counting on that, so I could
take in some calories during the race.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">The first cup I grabbed wasn’t
very full.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After drinking that, I went
to the next table and drank another cup.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>With fluid stations 5K apart, I needed to make sure I drank enough at
each one.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">In that mile, I slowed into the
8:40s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was only the second time in
seven miles that I hit my target range.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It probably would have been too fast if not for slowing down to drink
twice at the aid station.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">At about 12K, I was passed by a
runner with a thin ribbon attached to his shirt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At first, I thought he was a pace maker, and
I wondered what his target time was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When his balloon came into sight, I saw that it wasn’t gray like the
balloons of the pace makers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His was
white with a red cross symbol.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had a
small pack on his upper back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I assume
that was a first aid kit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most large
races will have medical personnel at the aid stations, but this was the first
time I ever saw a medic who was running the course.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">After running one mile that was
slower than the others, I started to follow the pack again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I sped up to 8:17.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just couldn’t get it right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of the first eight miles, five were too fast,
one was too slow, and only two were at a pace that seemed reasonable.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">At around 14K, we turned to
cross a bridge over the stream.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then we
started coming back on the other side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As I was making that turn, I was passed by a faster runner who was frantically
weaving around the other runners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of
her feet hooked one of my feet, but I was able to keep my balance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was about the fifth time that one of my
feet was impacted by another runner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
was being careful to avoid the runners around me, but I couldn’t easily avoid a
runner who was coming up fast from behind and weaving around people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was annoying, but I always kept my feet
under me.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">As we started heading west
again, I felt the headwind again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before
it felt cold.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now it felt somewhat
tiring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to fight this wind for the
next few miles, but I took consolation in knowing that we would soon start a
much longer section with the wind at our backs.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">My pace settled down now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the next two miles, I had splits in the
8:30s or 8:40s.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">As we reached the end of this
out-and-back section, I once again saw an entrance for a familiar subway
station.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also started to see road
signs identifying familiar sites.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were
coming back into central Seoul for the last time.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">We made two quick turns and
then started running east again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
section was about 10 kilometers long, and we would have the wind at our backs
the whole way.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">My pace continued to be
erratic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In one mile I’d go too fast,
and in the next mile I would slow down into my target range.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I reached the halfway mark, I fully
expected my time to be unreasonably fast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was 1:52:46, putting me on pace for a time between 3:45 and
3:46.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That actually seemed quite
reasonable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe my target range was
too slow.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">At the halfway point, they had
gels.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t usually eat gels during a
race, but I was worried about taking in enough calories.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m used to brands of gels that are thick and
sticky, and need to be washing down with water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The gels on the course were the same brand as the ones in my race
packet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Having tried two of these gels
before the race, I knew that they weren’t that thick.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could easily eat one without following it
with water, so I had one.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">With the race half over, and
the wind at my back for another five miles, I felt more confident.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was more willing to run with the pack and
have mile splits in the 8:20s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My next
few miles were all between 8:20 and 8:30, but I was OK with that.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">Between 25K and 26K, we went
through a short tunnel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We went down a
ramp going into the tunnel, so I knew it would be slightly uphill coming out of
the tunnel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is a fairly flat
course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Up until now, we hadn’t run
anything that looked or felt like a hill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I knew from looking at the elevation profile that there weren’t any big
hills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The largest rise is about 20
meters.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">Most of the aid stations were
pretty close to a multiple of 5K.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
“25K” aid station was an exception.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
actually came after the 26K sign.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
was another aid station where I had to drink two cups of Pocari Sweat, because
the first cup wasn’t full enough.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">As I slowed down at that aid
station, I was passed by a runner with a gray balloon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew he was a pace maker, but I didn’t know
what his target time was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was curious,
so I picked up my pace to catch up to him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It wasn’t easy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was clearly
going at a pace that wasn’t comfortable for me, and I had to get close before I
could read the time written on his balloon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He was another 3:40 pace maker.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">I can only assume that there
were two 3:40 groups.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One started in
corral B, and the other started in corral C.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>3:40 was the dividing line between those two corrals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The start times of the corrals were
staggered, so he probably started two minutes after I did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It took 26K for him to catch up to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once I knew what pace he was running, I
stopped trying to keep up with him.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">Between 27K and 28K, I saw
another gradual hill ahead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This time,
we were coming up to a bridge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I
saw we were crossing a river, I initially through it was the Han River, which
is the major river dividing northern and southern Seoul.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I realized it couldn’t be the Han.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My recollection from the course map was that
we wouldn’t cross that river until we were close to finishing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also realized that this river wasn’t nearly
wide enough to be the Han.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
actually the Jungnangcheon, which is a stream that feeds the Han.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">Shortly after crossing the
bridge, we turned more to the south.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then we turned to run west.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had
to fight a headwind again, and it was stronger now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I got to the aid station at 30K, cups
were blowing off the tables.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">After all the fluid tables, I
saw tables with bananas that were cut in half.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I already drank a cup of Pocari Sweat, but I decided to eat half a
banana too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was still concerned about
taking in enough calories, and a banana was something else I could eat without
having to wash it down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I quickly
removed the peel and tossed it all the way to the curb, so nobody would step on
it and slip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Banana peels at an aid
station can be dangerous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">We ran into the wind for about
two kilometers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I picked up my effort to
keep from slowing down on this section.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I started to pass other runners for the first time in the race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could still see the 3:40 pace maker, and
for about a mile I wasn’t falling any farther behind him.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">Between 32K and 33K, we turned,
and we were out of the wind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was
working harder and harder to keep up my pace, so I was disappointed when I
realized that I had failed to notice when my watch recorded a split for 20
miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I really wanted to know if I was
keeping up the same pace.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">After about a kilometer, we
turned again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Presumably we had a
tailwind, but I really didn’t notice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Now I was just trying to grind it out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Mile 21 was barely within my target range,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was my second slowest mile so far, which
made me wonder what my pace was in mile 20.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">In the next two miles, I got my
pace back down into the 8:30s, but I had to work harder and harder to keep up
the pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I only had a few miles to go
now, so I fought for it.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">Next, we turned and started
climbing up to another bridge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I got
closer, I could see that this was a long bridge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were crossing the Han.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">It was slightly uphill coming
up to the bridge, but the bridge itself was flat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was also long.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The river is about a kilometer wide.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">As I was crossing the bridge,
my watch recorded a split for mile 24, but I never noticed the vibration from
my watch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was disappointing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I really wanted to know if I was slowing
down.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">Shortly after that, I saw the
39K sign, and I realized I had almost exactly two miles to go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I looked at my watch to see how much time I
had to break 3:50.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was immediately obvious
that I would break 3:50 by a comfortable margin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It seemed unlikely, however, that I could run
negative splits.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">Even though a BQ was in the
bag, and running negative splits seemed out of reach, I continued to
fight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was determined not to slow down
in these last two miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a matter
of pride.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">When I eventually got off the
bridge, there was a nice downhill section.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I raced the downhill to the best of my ability.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">As I reached the bottom of the
hill, I saw a tall building ahead on my left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was the Lotte World Mall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
is a major tourist attraction, but I never took the time to go there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not a big draw for me, and getting to
this part of town and back would take too long.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">At we reached Lotte World, we
turned right, and I saw the 40K sign.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>About the same time, my watch recorded a split for mile 25.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I sped up to 7:57.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was by far my fastest mile of the
race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It included the ramp down from the
bridge, but I was still surprised to have run it that fast.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">After the turn, I felt a
headwind again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I realized I would be
running into this wind all the way to the Jamsil Sports Complex.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was still determined to finish strong, so I
fought hard to keep up the same pace.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">When I reached the 41K sign, I
told myself I just had 1200 meters to go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That’s like three laps around a track.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>200 meters later, I saw a “1 KM to go” sign.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t think I’ve ever seen that in a race
before.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">I kept fighting and before I
knew it, by watch was recording a split for mile 26.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was 8:09.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That wasn’t as fast as the previous mile, but it was still my second
fastest mile of the race.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">I could see that I still had
much more than two tenths of a mile to go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>My watch was reading high.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
could not yet see the last turn that comes before the finish line.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">I kept going, and I saw a sign
indicating we were approaching a right turn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I looked ahead, and I could see the turn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Having seen a map of the finish area, I knew
that this was the last turn, and I would be able to see the finish line as soon
as I turned the corner.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">I turned the corner, saw the
finish line, and sprinted for it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
probably ran faster here than anywhere else on the course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It helped that I was no longer fighting a
headwind.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">I finished the race in
3:44:33.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was shocked to see that I ran
negative splits after all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I never
imagined I would run the last two miles that fast.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">After crossing the line, we had
to keep moving forward and turn a corner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They had provided us with a detailed map of the finish area, so I knew
the medals and post-race food were around the corner.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPUqEDsYYVEus5xt2VVdDWXfIHe8TOhLS8Zo6ffeNtdo49EbL5_s6cpGt1ILdjgNM-T6rgvtSSDtVwojOjxxK9ehdDBY1Ziu9DHMXTg7hl7jlLmdYETaq5LF9b08xzDvmNdsZgg-8-wRJyIgORnMnXhhUdJUQCyEmyaECJd-uVuuMyTe32kof3mc-oaqgM/s2048/congratulations%20banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1149" data-original-width="2048" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPUqEDsYYVEus5xt2VVdDWXfIHe8TOhLS8Zo6ffeNtdo49EbL5_s6cpGt1ILdjgNM-T6rgvtSSDtVwojOjxxK9ehdDBY1Ziu9DHMXTg7hl7jlLmdYETaq5LF9b08xzDvmNdsZgg-8-wRJyIgORnMnXhhUdJUQCyEmyaECJd-uVuuMyTe32kof3mc-oaqgM/w400-h225/congratulations%20banner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">As I moved through the finisher
chute, I drank a cup of Pocari Sweat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There were volunteers handing out water bottles, but I skipped those,
knowing there were more beverages ahead.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">Most of the post-race snacks
were in a pre-assembled snack bag.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then
we got three bottles of an oat-based protein drink called Oatside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each bottle was a different flavor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I drank one bottle right away and put the
other two in my snack bag.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">As I was leaving the finisher
chute, I realized I didn’t have a medal yet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I looked around to see if other runners had their medals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I saw a runner wearing a medal and asked him
where he got it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were volunteers
with medals just past the post-race food.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">I walked back to the food
area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I saw runners coming out of that
area wearing medals, but I also saw runners who weren’t wearing medals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I understood the disparity when I finally
found one of the volunteers handing out medals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They weren’t putting them around our necks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The medals were handed to us in small plastic
bags.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some runners were opening the bags
and putting on the medals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Others just
carried them.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWrDNfW_sWNgqxKikNPDXkrST1AFkn8yxiGI94SF4PgOdxNhFqBUIZcEFa1YhTBMwzZBgjQ_M5oAvrB73tlkt63k_wiKrIw-x0zOfU4M-OoBSqGPwcwhQRaPBK-5U_YEiHbVaecIGwnDUVgIMc8ql3p5j5GG9Ba9Ob1B62912HNerDqVE8tHYZ1Qwi8hDV/s2048/medal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1544" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWrDNfW_sWNgqxKikNPDXkrST1AFkn8yxiGI94SF4PgOdxNhFqBUIZcEFa1YhTBMwzZBgjQ_M5oAvrB73tlkt63k_wiKrIw-x0zOfU4M-OoBSqGPwcwhQRaPBK-5U_YEiHbVaecIGwnDUVgIMc8ql3p5j5GG9Ba9Ob1B62912HNerDqVE8tHYZ1Qwi8hDV/w301-h400/medal.jpg" width="301" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">After getting my medal, I put
on my gloves and jacket and hurried to the subway station.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wanted to get indoors before I got too
cold.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was comfortable while I was
running, but my hands started getting cold as soon as I stopped.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">It took about 45 minutes to get
back to my hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had enough post-race
snacks that I didn’t need to eat lunch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Instead, I spent the whole afternoon relaxing and recovering in my hotel
room.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">For most of the afternoon, I
could hear chanting that I assume was coming from a Buddhist temple near the
hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was surprisingly loud.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With my windows open, I could hear it all the
way up on the 17th floor.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">I had dinner with another
runner from the U.S., who I met before the race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We went to the same restaurant where I had
dinner on Thursday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the only
restaurant I knew where I could get a pizza with Korean BBQ to celebrate my
Korean BQ.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">I always sleep best after an
exhausting race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That night, I slept
well all night.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><u>Monday, March 18<o:p></o:p></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">I flew home on Monday, but my
flight wasn’t until later in the day, so I still had time to do more
sightseeing.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">After breakfast, I did a
workout at the hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I did a
self-guided walking tour of the Bukchon hanok village.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjUx1n-hhzmzgaSb_W4XsnDGXUA-hVZ4L6rpLaJS_TpzjnYkoSO6tu3zi8nSSKM513VThVOC6YPz9WEjnb5AXBNHmAaKSPoLLxe7A0sDYdRe3ZpMvG_53nmTlK8ScnZfZmamAPrekfEyvPUna68f3xp2QXcf3_xmG0DZVU214mS5Oc9zwt3vN7SA-MbSgX/s1875/Bukchon%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1285" data-original-width="1875" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjUx1n-hhzmzgaSb_W4XsnDGXUA-hVZ4L6rpLaJS_TpzjnYkoSO6tu3zi8nSSKM513VThVOC6YPz9WEjnb5AXBNHmAaKSPoLLxe7A0sDYdRe3ZpMvG_53nmTlK8ScnZfZmamAPrekfEyvPUna68f3xp2QXcf3_xmG0DZVU214mS5Oc9zwt3vN7SA-MbSgX/w400-h274/Bukchon%201.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinzYSq9-Sr5Ilwavc5ScZqAQ4k_vMp4eh_Jx8PaJLYO7k2NdyX2Ts7tr30FWvUgMAix4gdmOxEur0LSiYkeEZGkXcSvWTWXsDTnz5x9851jQfsuGuLIkGk8A6x31Dxu6LLHR_LCeFqR1Py0DyO98sYTW6OxOORbhHiqMBB2VR6bhFnHnUsEaXz3fEBeiaB/s2000/Bukchon%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinzYSq9-Sr5Ilwavc5ScZqAQ4k_vMp4eh_Jx8PaJLYO7k2NdyX2Ts7tr30FWvUgMAix4gdmOxEur0LSiYkeEZGkXcSvWTWXsDTnz5x9851jQfsuGuLIkGk8A6x31Dxu6LLHR_LCeFqR1Py0DyO98sYTW6OxOORbhHiqMBB2VR6bhFnHnUsEaXz3fEBeiaB/w300-h400/Bukchon%202.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT5BQpqeLQ8j3OLX3_nZX3Na2WjPMNaFULE69h9WRxYeg0talpsFz4dggyVHwMlIflVU14gA85z1qOiveFrVxr9Oi3fkf5IHPBaMobgdFY_9uCYvyh2TLlJSOUBbMYlbT2XfL6H7bDgwChAANfiiFLEzb5kRs2c9f6v8Kq7IwPCNr_4Hm-nazHGyNLiCEE/s2000/Bukchon%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT5BQpqeLQ8j3OLX3_nZX3Na2WjPMNaFULE69h9WRxYeg0talpsFz4dggyVHwMlIflVU14gA85z1qOiveFrVxr9Oi3fkf5IHPBaMobgdFY_9uCYvyh2TLlJSOUBbMYlbT2XfL6H7bDgwChAANfiiFLEzb5kRs2c9f6v8Kq7IwPCNr_4Hm-nazHGyNLiCEE/w300-h400/Bukchon%203.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">Now I’m at the airport getting
ready to fly home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In this direction,
the flight isn’t quite as long, but it’s still more than 12 hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This time, I’m going to try to sleep on the
flight.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><u>Race statistics</u>:</div><div>Distance: 42.2 kilometers</div><div>Time: 3:44:33</div><div>Average Pace: 5:19 per kilometer (8:34 per mile)</div><div>First Half: 1:52:46</div><div>Second Half: 1:51:47</div><div>Lifetime Marathons/Ultras: 508</div><div>Boston Qualifiers: 163</div><div>Countries: 47</div>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07537579568732930585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3046379205507947695.post-64151959350153515932024-03-04T16:40:00.001-06:002024-03-04T16:42:08.769-06:00Race Report: 2024 Little Rock Marathon<p>On March 3, I ran the Little
Rock Marathon. I’ve done this race three
times before. It’s the largest marathon
in Arkansas, and it’s popular among runners who want to run marathons in every
state.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">A signature feature of
this race is their huge finisher medal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
saw a preview of this year’s medal last November at the expo for the Route 66 Marathon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s roughly the size of a dinner plate.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjYfE-XfciYIG5g6VvcKQoMyWosWG-EyXK6uTDR6tY0Dc3AQGGiy9IU56S6oWj6FfkMS1CKbJe_Fip-zwp27FEngpRrbsYQEf-Bz4Z8rLd5Ju11k235XU6KffNs-xUvmjwVtzZHqlKDF4ILgaYPQwdoQ85wUc7dHAWd1RQL8lOLbtwMRWSH_GaoUavkLno5" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="319" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjYfE-XfciYIG5g6VvcKQoMyWosWG-EyXK6uTDR6tY0Dc3AQGGiy9IU56S6oWj6FfkMS1CKbJe_Fip-zwp27FEngpRrbsYQEf-Bz4Z8rLd5Ju11k235XU6KffNs-xUvmjwVtzZHqlKDF4ILgaYPQwdoQ85wUc7dHAWd1RQL8lOLbtwMRWSH_GaoUavkLno5=w398-h400" width="398" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">There aren’t any direct
flights from Minneapolis to Little Rock.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>On Delta, I would have to change planes in Atlanta.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s easier to fly to Memphis and then drive
from there.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Deb has never been to
Memphis before, so we decided to make this a two-part vacation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We spent two nights in Memphis, followed by
two nights in Little Rock.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><u>Thursday, February 29<o:p></o:p></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We arrived in Memphis in
the early afternoon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We stayed at a
downtown hotel, so we would be close to Beale Street and all the good
restaurants.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After getting settled
into our hotel, we went over to MaggieMoo’s for a snack.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then we strolled down Beale Street.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhpi0oQXxi1zUeARk9f94sYCTWNMf5c5rjyNmVA_uDGH6z02a6BfT6oDl_LBlfXUAZX8e9e-Ye9a1J4lMYfeqFnzGJNglokQ5sLcy1G8MeHENznSV6C6ybtmt1B0FJBnha0HID832surus_B6oMFF7uvq_Myn7AYmMcRiwWsBv9l5gujo0d0O2l1DGxqGVu" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhpi0oQXxi1zUeARk9f94sYCTWNMf5c5rjyNmVA_uDGH6z02a6BfT6oDl_LBlfXUAZX8e9e-Ye9a1J4lMYfeqFnzGJNglokQ5sLcy1G8MeHENznSV6C6ybtmt1B0FJBnha0HID832surus_B6oMFF7uvq_Myn7AYmMcRiwWsBv9l5gujo0d0O2l1DGxqGVu=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEier3jtMN-gpG90Yx8K8BBMA4bTKaU03AUoB7hto_0EBlI3Gb6kPRXdoRNODgJjh2w4wvs2AE2PMhSKXva1d-BJSnMjs3epfPg_vNpFDolZCYrpUIm8kimwKaUGlFhA82bD2O7AoFHBVDFvNCluVTtqIP3Zzw702XtqVZh55-u9Lph3dNqaawUJZrhXajn-" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="244" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEier3jtMN-gpG90Yx8K8BBMA4bTKaU03AUoB7hto_0EBlI3Gb6kPRXdoRNODgJjh2w4wvs2AE2PMhSKXva1d-BJSnMjs3epfPg_vNpFDolZCYrpUIm8kimwKaUGlFhA82bD2O7AoFHBVDFvNCluVTtqIP3Zzw702XtqVZh55-u9Lph3dNqaawUJZrhXajn-=w305-h400" width="305" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Later, we went over to
the Peabody Hotel to watch the afternoon duck march.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The ducks swim in the fountain all afternoon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, at 5:00 PM, the Duckmaster leads them
from the fountain to the elevator, so they can go up to their overnight home on
the hotel roof.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgKFLWxVqt6nohcwROdyDFiOflJrUos8s3dZwY_AkIkuFi8bCNtXwL3iQOJJcRLNzDIYKYXYOFoxfIBdfCMdWsTbb2FNxSwUWCKRmgcXLa0nOEh3YSBY1oXuuUOkt-ZPx9vCOR7iFXszegCUwub_xDZaKVbEx6smVNxrzrTOfPwePCFnE2QFWy3sCBmTILO" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="298" data-original-width="320" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgKFLWxVqt6nohcwROdyDFiOflJrUos8s3dZwY_AkIkuFi8bCNtXwL3iQOJJcRLNzDIYKYXYOFoxfIBdfCMdWsTbb2FNxSwUWCKRmgcXLa0nOEh3YSBY1oXuuUOkt-ZPx9vCOR7iFXszegCUwub_xDZaKVbEx6smVNxrzrTOfPwePCFnE2QFWy3sCBmTILO=w400-h372" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgxqBJxy2j1ClT1a-F_rc9XTeOxKBzJfRyJPUk912fm9khBJrOSFeVDrUmT1aso6Bp9Iixab0DpFx0JviIreaGnizO-SjChmlNHe88pWqTmiLrWCPF--D7WTkGeYxtZNL69lb6vDdC0bC52a1gLgKRCtBAuVA-jzEdDvuBZByAjOQvqRw-UnwnUXgyjaMRX" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="314" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgxqBJxy2j1ClT1a-F_rc9XTeOxKBzJfRyJPUk912fm9khBJrOSFeVDrUmT1aso6Bp9Iixab0DpFx0JviIreaGnizO-SjChmlNHe88pWqTmiLrWCPF--D7WTkGeYxtZNL69lb6vDdC0bC52a1gLgKRCtBAuVA-jzEdDvuBZByAjOQvqRw-UnwnUXgyjaMRX=w393-h400" width="393" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj64agr6D_wckAoZsOLC7Ec9fOXQ8ymmm93X_WZv2tDJ4sTu8YXLD_dpKDerA1rvEw_03hPGRozZpOvEinMQ7chSh1BMeZak1RhNJpP-Ej5AJNDqpA0cTTBJLle1YbJxo_ECUBU6cR_2zHC6H38LjM9-SJi9q7YfPMBDtTlBdp5WtlIsCZ9-aanSdMWjo-h" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="239" data-original-width="320" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj64agr6D_wckAoZsOLC7Ec9fOXQ8ymmm93X_WZv2tDJ4sTu8YXLD_dpKDerA1rvEw_03hPGRozZpOvEinMQ7chSh1BMeZak1RhNJpP-Ej5AJNDqpA0cTTBJLle1YbJxo_ECUBU6cR_2zHC6H38LjM9-SJi9q7YfPMBDtTlBdp5WtlIsCZ9-aanSdMWjo-h=w400-h299" width="400" /></a></div><br />After the duck march, we
went to Charlie Vergos’ Rendezvous for dinner.
Memphis is known for barbeque, and there no better place for barbeque
than Rendezvous.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><u>Friday, March 1<o:p></o:p></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After breakfast, I went
for a run along the riverfront, while Deb did a workout in the hotel’s fitness
room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Later in the morning, we went back
to the Peabody to watch the ducks again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This was their morning duck march, when they leave the roof to take the
elevator down to the lobby and walk to the fountain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Deb and I arrived at the Peabody just as the
Duckmaster was going up to the roof to prepare the ducks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were able to go up to the roof with him
and see the ducks as he was feeding them.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We spent most of the
afternoon touring the Graceland Mansion, as well as Elvis’ cars, planes, and
various memorabilia.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgNxQigLIDFWP7vvcXlafMwAMaJpdDCwjQG1_XDfVN54deZIrtO3an9_CpR2pZy2-VFXWuJ5oL42UKM-vyf-1xbFKuVUHOHO-H8kYlpxgjBhHfpYIP1Ts1mUIrHZGyEEJNdwi8Ky4CDGBmYhDDyYtEsjwI7DCPYPZsFV1k_-rHEKEKGoddk8sQjRxzlfFQA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="165" data-original-width="320" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgNxQigLIDFWP7vvcXlafMwAMaJpdDCwjQG1_XDfVN54deZIrtO3an9_CpR2pZy2-VFXWuJ5oL42UKM-vyf-1xbFKuVUHOHO-H8kYlpxgjBhHfpYIP1Ts1mUIrHZGyEEJNdwi8Ky4CDGBmYhDDyYtEsjwI7DCPYPZsFV1k_-rHEKEKGoddk8sQjRxzlfFQA=w400-h206" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We were originally
planning to have dinner somewhere on Beale Street.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a chilly day, and we had already spent
quite a bit of time outdoors, so we stayed close to our hotel for dinner.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><u>Saturday, March 2<o:p></o:p></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We drove to Little Rock
on Saturday, but we didn’t need to be in any rush.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We could have slept in, but we woke up early
anyway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had breakfast and did
workouts at the hotel before getting on the road for the two-hour drive.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We arrived in Little Rock
before noon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We stayed at the Doubletree
which is two blocks from the start, finish, and expo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was too early to check into our room, so
while we waited, we went to the expo at the Statehouse Convention Center.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Our timing couldn’t have
been worse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Saturday running events
were still in progress, and the finish area was inside the convention center.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were trying to get into the building at
the same time that hundreds of runners who had just finished were streaming out.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After packet pickup, we
explored the River Market District.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then
we went to the sculpture garden next to the river.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were expecting about a dozen sculptures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There must have been at least 50.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEizdc3H1_SlwMnoOexfLNXDkjiMfzSdCDwSJkwazScWisok2unooU5R4_I6XusD56rndg-nK1x3nKQkinq0hZplUyhIh0pBNk-sMtl5Kiqq3gcz06qYC80n7Pq7cHLuvyV4wvnoo6BjQT6bR6S4sKYahhB26u0jfvkSaDXjtXEYAufGpCGzUD0j8CS_Dxba" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="282" data-original-width="320" height="353" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEizdc3H1_SlwMnoOexfLNXDkjiMfzSdCDwSJkwazScWisok2unooU5R4_I6XusD56rndg-nK1x3nKQkinq0hZplUyhIh0pBNk-sMtl5Kiqq3gcz06qYC80n7Pq7cHLuvyV4wvnoo6BjQT6bR6S4sKYahhB26u0jfvkSaDXjtXEYAufGpCGzUD0j8CS_Dxba=w400-h353" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi5Y4wca8t0cF9wQXhklo8mHzf5JlSn6XWzPtTcfWj6wXyMyti-pa1DAMIfwiyzLB2eqgo4Lc5aNUbW61QK1VydxiUFVBt5Q76EAwq3cw-9SO91-qZSJKSpqkt1ZK4ScvsrgcP0JtEFEg3g0mDsN0j0jf8IcDzdpV0lsk3HCgP8bB-y5JTqBZtqAM3iU2Vr" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi5Y4wca8t0cF9wQXhklo8mHzf5JlSn6XWzPtTcfWj6wXyMyti-pa1DAMIfwiyzLB2eqgo4Lc5aNUbW61QK1VydxiUFVBt5Q76EAwq3cw-9SO91-qZSJKSpqkt1ZK4ScvsrgcP0JtEFEg3g0mDsN0j0jf8IcDzdpV0lsk3HCgP8bB-y5JTqBZtqAM3iU2Vr=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEilbmNtbTrhE-uuv-w3FOfZhdrTzPXBGnheEMgFT_p471xBqg0cJrJg0-6YJhN4KSxghFyB0pCy-AWaUnLrbFsydo17DVElg7BZ6EnChwEmn5Tf_q4M_MekdnVuRa2-jhE1GVfrowfv-uaDnek0HQ3GGEKGLOe9WrgWQjfQSHQwALbZUagcm0tCXuUqGg3y" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEilbmNtbTrhE-uuv-w3FOfZhdrTzPXBGnheEMgFT_p471xBqg0cJrJg0-6YJhN4KSxghFyB0pCy-AWaUnLrbFsydo17DVElg7BZ6EnChwEmn5Tf_q4M_MekdnVuRa2-jhE1GVfrowfv-uaDnek0HQ3GGEKGLOe9WrgWQjfQSHQwALbZUagcm0tCXuUqGg3y=w355-h400" width="355" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When we got back to the
hotel, we were able to check in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Out
room had a view of the Broadway Street Bridge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This bridge is part of the marathon route.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjEecsn0l09bArcNmCLGAMZ1Z_MjMMb_vf2qpLO1nhNcwoBmkLWr5XI6_kiToITr9l2Ee6iHFvIDRFDRpNmTnWvFHkAXKPqKlP9DlIYnFzo3N5mYISShAgm9FzLZdKcbNzAKRfo0SaWnXLIqHpoMRDCXQ6MBxsj4XoQPppg5oQ7c0YnF1Dk4dpgh4LjKhRp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="243" data-original-width="320" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjEecsn0l09bArcNmCLGAMZ1Z_MjMMb_vf2qpLO1nhNcwoBmkLWr5XI6_kiToITr9l2Ee6iHFvIDRFDRpNmTnWvFHkAXKPqKlP9DlIYnFzo3N5mYISShAgm9FzLZdKcbNzAKRfo0SaWnXLIqHpoMRDCXQ6MBxsj4XoQPppg5oQ7c0YnF1Dk4dpgh4LjKhRp=w400-h304" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We were both pretty
tired, so we spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing at the hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had an early dinner and went to bed early,
in anticipation of getting up early.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><u>Sunday, March 3<o:p></o:p></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Sunday was race day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The race was originally scheduled to start at
8:00 AM.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Four days before the race, I was
notified by email and text message that the start time was changed to 6:00 AM
to avoid excessive heat in the afternoon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>At the time of the announcement, the forecast high for Sunday was 80
degrees.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Weather forecasting isn’t
an exact science.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By race day, the
forecast high was only 77 degrees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m
sure the race director will be criticized for changing the start time, but she
was acting on the information she had at the time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Having an earlier start is better than
cancelling the race, and a change to the race day schedule can’t be done at the
last minute.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I had to get up earlier
than I originally planned, but our hotel was close to starting line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because of the earlier start time, the
temperature was in the low 50s when we started.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I expected to be more than half done before the temperature even got into
the 60s.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The starting line was
behind the convention center.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were able
to come into the convention center before the race to stay warm and use the
bathrooms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They also had a gear check
there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We could go out a back door to
get to the start corrals.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I lined up with the 3:50
pace group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This isn’t an easy course,
so that seemed like an ambitious pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The early miles aren’t too tough, so I decided to start with the group
and see how it went.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">In the first mile, I stayed
close to the pace leaders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The pace felt
fast, but as it turns out, we were only five seconds ahead of our target pace
for the first mile.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Next, we crossed the
bridge into North Little Rock.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was
an earlier start at 5:30 for people who needed extra time to finish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I was crossing the bridge, I saw runners who
took the early start already coming back across the bridge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I expected to see at least two runners I know
in that group, so I moved toward the center of the bridge to look for them.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I spotted my friend
Charlotte wearing a T-Rex costume.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Charlotte wears a different costume for every race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This race had a dinosaur theme, so her
costume was on point, as usual.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Later in
the race, I often saw volunteers wearing inflatable T-Rex costumes.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Coming off the bridge, it
was downhill, and I found myself getting ahead of the group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I finished the second mile, I saw that I
ran it about 15 seconds too fast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I continued
running on my own through North Little Rock.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I knew I would probably slow down coming back up to the bridge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I assumed the pace group would catch up to me
on the bridge.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Right at the 3-mile mark,
I started up the ramp to the bridge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s
enough of a climb that I slowed down, rather than tire myself out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I expected, the 3:50 group caught up to me
just as I was reaching the center of the bridge.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">On the downhill side of
the bridge, I sped up again, and I got ahead of the pace group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the next few miles, I was running ahead
of them, but I could hear them behind me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As long as I could hear the pace leaders talking to the group, I knew I
wasn’t getting too far ahead of them.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">During those next few
miles, I started to catch up to runners who had taken the 5:30 start.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most of them were with pace groups.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I passed the 8:00 group, the 7:30 group, the
7:00 group, the 6:30 group, and the 6:15 group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I also saw two more friends who had taken the early start.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">In mile six, we started
an out-and-back section.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a
half marathon that started at the same time as the marathon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The half marathon turned around before the
marathon did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then the only runners
around me were other marathon runners.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Because so many of the
runners around me were slower runners from the early start, I had to be careful
not to let them influence my pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
made a point of following runners that I knew started when I did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was far enough ahead of the 3:50 group that
I no longer heard them behind me.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Eventually, we turned
around too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just before the turnaround,
I reached an aid station.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The 6:00 pace
group from the early start got there just before me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was a large pace group, and they were
all heading toward the aid station tables, making it hard for me to get through
them to get to the tables.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I lost
several seconds at that aid station, but I didn’t worry too much, because I was
still ahead of the 3:50 group.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">As I made the turn, I was
able to see where the 3:50 group was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They were farther back than I expected.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">On my way back from the
turnaround, I reached the seven-mile sign.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Mile seven was a little slow, in part because of the time I took at the
aid station.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was still ahead of the
group, though, so I didn’t worry about it.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When we reached the spot
where the half marathon turned around, we merged in with them again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those runners had not run as far, so their
average pace was slower.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The half
marathon runners outnumbered the marathon runners, so I had to be careful not
to let them influence my pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I looked
for runners who I had seen ahead of me before the merge point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I made a point of keeping up with them.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Mile eight felt
tiring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wondered if I had sped up in
that mile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I finally saw my time
for that mile, I saw that I ran it at exactly the right pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead of worrying that I was going too
fast, I worried that it felt more tiring than it should.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">At about nine miles, I
reached a section with a few rolling hills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I wanted to ease up on the hills, but the 3:50 group caught up to
me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t want to fall behind, so I
worked to keep up with them on the hills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Over the next few miles, I began to doubt whether I could keep up this pace
for the whole race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What concerned me
most was knowing there was a tough uphill section in the second half.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I was struggling with the pace now, how
would I keep up with the group on a hill that’s almost three miles long?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The temperature was still
comfortable, but the humidity was high, and I expected it to get warmer in the
second half of the race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt it was
important to stay hydrated, so I drank Gatorade at every aid station.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Over the next few miles,
I started to see unofficial aid stations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There were spectators offering water, but I skipped those water stops.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Some spectators were
offering beverages other than water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
saw a beer stop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I saw a mimosa
stop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I saw one called Communion on
the Run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I skipped all of those
stations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was sticking to Gatorade.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I kept up with the group,
but always felt like I was working too hard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There were times when I wondered if I would have to drop back and run at
a pace that felt sustainable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I took it
one mile at a time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was determined to
stay with them at least until the long hill.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">At 12 miles, I started to
feel some light drizzle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wasn’t enough
to make my clothes feel wet, but it ensured I wouldn’t get too hot.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">In the 13th mile, I crossed
a freeway and saw the state capitol to my left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I knew soon we would run in front of the capitol.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also knew the uphill section I feared would
start about a mile later.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I hit the halfway mark in
1:55:00.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was exactly on pace for a
3:50 finish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I wanted to break 3:50,
I would have to run faster in the second half.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">As I turned and ran toward
the capitol, the only runners in front of me were other marathon runners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone doing the half marathon had already
turned the other direction to run toward the finish.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Mile 14 was slightly downhill,
and I started to pull away from the pace group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The “14” sign was right in front of the capitol.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I started the next mile, I was still going
slightly downhill, but not for too much longer.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Halfway through mile 15,
the road turned uphill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Immediately, my
legs felt heavy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew the next few
miles would be tough.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I managed to stay ahead
of the 3:50 group until the “15” sign.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then I slowed down to drink at an aid station, and they caught up to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The next mile was all uphill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wasn’t steep, but the hill was gradually
wearing me down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t know how much
longer I could keep up with the group going uphill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I started to fall behind them.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Rather than fight hard to
keep up with the group, I chose to run at the best pace I could manage without
wearing myself out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My goal now was to
stay close to them.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">At 16, the course leveled
out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We weren’t done with the hill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was just a false summit before the last
part of the climb.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I used this level
section to catch up to the group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I
moved ahead of them.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Eventually, the road
turned uphill again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a tough
section leading up to the 17-mile sign, but I managed to stay just in front of
the group all the way to the top.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I
got there, I could hear one of the pace leaders telling the group we were right
on pace.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Now the road turned
downhill, and I raced ahead of the group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There was still one more short uphill section.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I slowed down there, but when the road turned
downhill again, I took off.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The rest of mile 18 was
all downhill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One section was so steep
that I had to shorten my stride and pick up my cadence as much as I could.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That section was uncomfortable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After that, there was still much more
downhill.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">In mile 18, I sped up to
8:08.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was my fastest mile of the
race, and it put me about 40 seconds ahead of schedule.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mile 19 was also mostly downhill, allowing me
to gain more time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wondered what my
legs would feel like when the road finally leveled off.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">That mile included one
uphill section.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had to climb up to a
bridge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wasn’t a long climb, but it
was steeper than any previous hill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
had to slow down coming up to the bridge, but I used the downhill side to get
back into a fast rhythm.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Just before finishing
mile 19, we turned onto Riverside Drive to begin a long out-and-back
section.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew this section would be
mostly flat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mile 19 was another fast
mile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wasn’t as fast as mile 18, but
I was now more than a minute ahead of schedule.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I had left the 3:50 group
behind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wouldn’t see them again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To keep up my pace, I started gradually
reeling in and passing the runners ahead of me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>For the next two miles, my average pace was 8:30.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When I got to the “21”
sign, I could see the turnaround.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I
got there, I only had five miles to go, and I was about a minute and a half
ahead of schedule.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I made the turn from the
road to a bike path going the opposite direction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the rest of the race, I would be running
back toward downtown and the finish line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That was the good news.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was
also bad news.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After turning around, I
immediately notice a headwind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Miles 20
and 21 had felt deceptively easy, because the wind was at my back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, I was fighting the wind, and I would be
running in this direction for the rest of the race.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I was no longer feeling
any drizzle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now the wind was keeping me
cool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Getting too hot was not going to
be an issue.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Running into the wind was
more tiring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mile 22 wasn’t as fast, but
it was still fast enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I actually
gained another eight seconds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I couldn’t
keep it up, however.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">In mile 23, I was no
longer able to catch up to any of the runners ahead of me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to settle for keeping pace with them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the end of that mile, there was a small
hill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Going up that hill, my calves felt
sore and stiff.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Mile 23 was a little slower,
but I only gave away four seconds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My target
pace was 8:47, and I ran that mile in 8:51.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">With three miles to go, I
skipped an aid station.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I no longer felt
the need to drink at all of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also
didn’t feel like I could afford to slow down, even briefly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I needed to keep moving with a consistent
rhythm.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I continued to battle the
wind all through the next mile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In a
lapse of concentration, I forgot to look at my watch, so I didn’t know my pace
for that mile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With 2.2 miles to go, I
was no longer sure what kind of cushion I had.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I just had to bear down and keep running.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I told myself I had to fight the wind for another
20 minutes.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I slowed down for one
last drink of Gatorade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I committed
to skipping the aid stations for the rest of the race.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">There were still two
hills ahead of me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first one started
at about 24.5 miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the climb up
to a bridge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I started the climb, my
calves felt sore and tight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I
continued up the hill, my quads started to feel like cement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I felt soreness in my glutes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t remember that last time I had so many
muscle groups all complaining at the same time.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I think it was between
that hill and the next one that I passed an unofficial aid station.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I heard them offering water, Gatorade, cold
beer, and Fireball.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wasn’t stopping or
slowing down for any of those.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">At the “25” sign, I saw
that I had 12 minutes left to finish within 3:50.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I only needed an average pace of 10 minutes
per mile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My slowest mile so far was
9:01, and that was an uphill mile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
knew I would break 3:50, and in all likelihood, I would break 3:49.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">There was one more
hill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Knowing it was the last hill made it
easier to lift my effort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was passing
other runners going up this last hill.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After a slight bend to
the left, I saw more of the downtown buildings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I immediately recognized the Doubletree Hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was still a few blocks away, but it gave me
something to run towards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew the
finish line was just two blocks past the hotel.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Just before getting to
Doubletree, I ran under a bridge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Underneath the bridge, I saw the lipstick station.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is a unique feature of this race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the sponsors is L’Oreal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They always set up under this bridge to offer
the female runners a chance to touch up their lipstick to look good in finish line
photos.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The “26” banner was
directly below out hotel room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I
got there, I saw that I sped up to 8:28 in mile 26.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I already knew I would break 3:49, but now I
realized I could break 3:48.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Deb was watching the race
from our hotel room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Three times during
the race I ran within sight of our hotel window.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the end of mile one, I waved in Deb’s
direction just before crossing the Broadway Street Bridge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Deb was watching, but she couldn’t pick me
out of the crowd.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She thought she saw me
when I crossed the bridge again two miles later, but she couldn’t be sure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The last time was at the 26-mile mark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She spotted me there and took this picture.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiakO4l0d-lIhJIRPmgGpyyDiMekrad4-u865zxDqRA75v2KncPfRMRjeVbDUUs4Mn4ajfCyr3ZBs7gD7cD0UFq7IuXblohN1iTHKB1at-3dtQ1U_6m4kuiWdNF8RdqxnJhU2M72Ph0o7c-N6mCxNzfE-5Av5ElfJ-3qIy4FRfve0zVL1yTsrS6cp0ricog" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="232" data-original-width="320" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiakO4l0d-lIhJIRPmgGpyyDiMekrad4-u865zxDqRA75v2KncPfRMRjeVbDUUs4Mn4ajfCyr3ZBs7gD7cD0UFq7IuXblohN1iTHKB1at-3dtQ1U_6m4kuiWdNF8RdqxnJhU2M72Ph0o7c-N6mCxNzfE-5Av5ElfJ-3qIy4FRfve0zVL1yTsrS6cp0ricog=w400-h290" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">From there, I could see
the finish line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I crossed the line in
3:47:59.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I continued walking toward
the finish area, which was inside the convention center.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I knew the finisher medal
was big, but I was still surprised how heavy it was when they put it around my
neck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My best guess is that it weighs
three pounds.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The lower level of the convention
center was a warm dry place to recover after the race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They had lots of food, including warm
pasta.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They also had a variety of
beverages, including beer and chocolate milk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In the next room, there were tables and chairs, so we could sit down to eat.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I finished my pasta and
beer, but I put everything else in a plastic bag to carry back to the
hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wanted to walk the rest of the
way to the hotel before my legs got too stiff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Outside, it was drizzling again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was more noticeable now than it was during the race.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When I got back, it was
only 60 degrees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Later, the sun came
out and it started to warm up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At noon,
it was 63 degrees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It got warmer later,
but only runners who took seven hours or longer were likely to get hot.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I left my phone at the
hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I checked my phone, I saw a
text with my official result.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I placed
second in my age group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My award will be
mailed to me.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Long after I was done
running, we could still hear cheers from behind the hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We occasionally looked out the window and saw
runners still finishing.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">In the afternoon, Deb and
I went shopping.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We started with a flea
market that was outside of town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then we
went to an antique store and a store with jewelry made from beads.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we were done shopping, we had an early dinner
at a burger and malt shop on the west end of town.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><u>Monday, March 4<o:p></o:p></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Before we could fly home,
we had to drive back to Memphis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That
meant one more day of getting up early, so we could be packed and ready to go
when breakfast started.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We got to the airport
plenty early.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When it was time for
boarding to start, we found out that our flight was delayed because of a
mechanical problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then they told us
there weren’t any mechanics available.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was 45 minutes before a mechanic arrived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then it was another 15 minutes to fix the
problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thankfully, we had a direct
flight, so we didn’t have to worry about missing a connection.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Arkansas was another of
the states I needed for my fifth round of marathons or ultras in every
state.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now I just need West Virginia,
Wyoming, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Ohio and Vermont.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><u>Race statistics</u>:</div><div>Distance: 26.2 miles</div><div>Time: 3:47:59</div><div>Average Pace: 8:42</div><div>First Half: 1:55:00</div><div>Second Half: 1:52:59</div><div>Lifetime Marathons/Ultras: 507</div><div>Boston Qualifiers: 162</div><div>Arkansas Marathons: 5</div>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07537579568732930585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3046379205507947695.post-541323978176277242024-02-17T18:05:00.000-06:002024-02-17T18:05:04.798-06:00Race Report: Run Oak Island Marathon<p>On February 17, I ran the
Run Oak Island Marathon. Oak Island is a
coastal island in North Carolina. It’s about
30 miles southwest of Wilmington.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I could’ve flown into
Wilmington, but I was able to get better flight times by flying into Myrtle
Beach, SC.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From there, I had to drive
about 60 miles to get to Oak Island.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Packet pickup was at the
St. James Community Center.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I got
there, the parking lot was full, and there was a line outside the
building.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After finding a parking spot,
I got in line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I got into the
building, I saw that the line inside was longer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In all, it took about 30 minutes to pick up my
race packet.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After packet pickup, I continuing
to my hotel, which was in Southport.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After
checking in, I did a strength training workout.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then I drove to Oak Island to see where the race starts and figure out
where I could park.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I had dinner with my
friends, Julie and Miles, who drove down from Raleigh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We went to an Italian restaurant, and I ordered
a pizza, which is my usual pre-race meal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The smallest pizza they had was 12 inches, which is a lot for one
person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I probably should’ve saved a
couple of slices for the next day, but I ate the whole thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That wasn’t my biggest mistake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ordered garlic as one of my toppings, and
boy was this pizza loaded with garlic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
like garlic, but apparently my stomach doesn’t.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I was able to get to
sleep within an hour of getting back from dinner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I slept solidly for five hours, but then I
woke up with indigestion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had a mild
case of heartburn that was enough to keep me from getting back to sleep.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When I eventually got up,
I wasn’t too worried about not getting a full night’s sleep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got enough sleep to get by.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What concerned me was that I still had
indigestion when I started getting ready for the race.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I don’t usually eat much
for breakfast before a race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I questioned
whether I should be putting anything in my stomach, but I went ahead and had a
cup of tea and a cookie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That didn’t
seem to make things any worse.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The race started at 6:45,
but I arrived an hour earlier to make sure I could find a close parking spot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I drove to the start area the day
before, it wasn’t clear where we were supposed to park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On race morning, there were volunteers
directing us to parking areas that were mostly improvised.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was directed to an unpaved vacant lot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They somehow found enough parking for
hundreds of cars within a few blocks of the start area.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The temperature was in
the low 50s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For most of the week, rain
was in the forecast, but we didn’t get any rain on race day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did, however, have to contend with a certain
amount of wind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve come to expect that
in coastal races.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I wore a Tyvek jacket to
keep warm in the start area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ordinarily,
I would’ve taken it off just before the race started, but the wind felt cold
enough that I kept it on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I unzipped it
in front, so it wouldn’t obstruct my race bib.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Ideally, I wanted to break
3:50, but I didn’t know how much the wind would slow me down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They had pace groups, but there wasn’t a 3:50
group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I saw a 3:45 group, so I lined up
behind them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wasn’t sure how long I
would stay with them.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The starting line was near
the coast, which is where the wind was strongest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shortly after we started running, we turned
and ran away from the coast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Almost
immediately, I stopped noticing the wind.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I regretted the decision
to start the race with my jacket on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
knew I would get too hot if I wore it for more than a mile or two.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t have any trouble keeping up with the
3:45 group, but I didn’t know if I could take my jacket off while running at that
pace.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When we finished the
first mile, I saw that we were a little bit fast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I eased up a bit and allowed myself to drift
back a bit from the 3:45 group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That
made it easier to take off my jacket and tie it around my waist.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">For the next mile, I was
keeping pace with the group, but I was always a little bit behind them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They ran the second mile at the right pace,
so I felt comfortable continuing to follow them.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The first time I reached
an aid station, I slowed to a walk briefly while drinking a cup of
Gatorade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The pace group didn’t slow
down, so I fell farther behind them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
started running with two other runners who were also trailing the group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were talking, and I joined the
conversation.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">One of the runners was Dexter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dexter is a few years older than me and
started running at about the same time I did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We had run a few of the same races.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Dexter was hoping to qualify for Boston, and he wanted to beat the
qualifying time by a wide enough margin that he would be sure of getting in.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The other runner was
Olivia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was Olivia’s first
marathon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her primary goal was to
finish, but she was hoping to break four hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Like me, she would’ve started with the 3:50 if they had one.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We all felt the 3:45
group was a little too fast. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dexter said
he wasn’t going to try to catch up to them, but he wanted to keep them in
sight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s how I felt too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I decided to keep running with Dexter and
Olivia.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">At the second aid
station, they didn’t have enough cups ready.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I paused for a few seconds to wait for a volunteer to turn around and
get two more cups from the table.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the
time she turned around, there were more runners there, and she handed the cups
to them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I reached around her and
grabbed a cup from the table, not knowing if it had water or Gatorade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It had neither.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If was empty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I lost several seconds at that aid station and came away with nothing.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">It was just past this aid
station that the marathon and half marathon separated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The half marathon went straight, while the
marathon route turned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We would
eventually merge together again, but our route was at least a mile longer.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">With effort, I managed to
catch up to Dexter and Olivia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The next
time we reached an aid station, I slowed down to drink, but Dexter kept
going.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After that, I was still running
with Olivia, but we never caught up to Dexter again.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">By now, we had turned
onto a long out and back section that would take us to the Oak Island
Lighthouse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The half marathon runners
had rejoined us, but they were now trailing us by more than a mile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were mile markers for both races, which
was a bit confusing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I saw a “6” banner,
but I knew we had run farther than that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>From my watch, I could see that we were somewhere between seven and
eight miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was six for the half
marathon.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Running toward the
lighthouse, we had a tailwind, but as soon as we passed the lighthouse, we
turned around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now we had to run into
the wind.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Up until now, all our
mile times had been in the 8:20s or 8:30s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Running the same pace going into the wind was much more tiring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would’ve been content to slow down a little
and just pace for 3:50, but Olivia wasn’t slowing down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to work to keep up with her, but I put
in as much effort as necessary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Off in
the distance, I could still see Dexter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Farther ahead, I could see the 3:45 group, but just barely.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">In the first mile after
the turnaround, I saw a sign for the ultramarathon detour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Runners doing the ultramarathon left the road
to take a short detour to Caswell Beach and then came back to the road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This short detour increased their race
distance from 26.2 to 26.25 miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
call it the world’s shortest ultra.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Our first two miles
running into the wind were close to our earlier pace, but then we slowed to the
8:40s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That didn’t concern me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were still going at a fast enough pace to
break 3:50.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What did concern me was that
I still had to work hard to keep up this pace going into the wind.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">A lot of the runners
around us were doing the half marathon, but they had not run as far to get
here, so they had a slower average pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Running in the street, it was easier to get around them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eventually, we turned onto a busier street,
and we had to run on the sidewalk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then
it took more effort to pass people.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Olivia was systematically
working her way around the slower runners to keep up her pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I followed, with effort.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We were somewhere around 12
miles when I passed a slower runner, and he said, “Good job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finish strong.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was doing the half marathon and evidently
thought I was too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was a long way from
finishing. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">By now I recognized where
we were.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were starting to pass
buildings that I remembered seeing while driving to the start area.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We were at roughly 13
miles when a runner doing the half marathon asked us how much farther it
was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Olivia said, “halfway.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I paused for a moment to tell him that we
were doing the full marathon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t
actually know how far it was for him, but I guessed it was a little more than a
mile.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">At the halfway point, we
were on pace to finish in 3:46.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Olivia
said her halfway split was a new half marathon PR.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t want to say anything negative, but I
reluctantly commented, “That isn’t generally a good thing in a marathon.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I didn’t know if I should
be concerned about Olivia taking the first half too fast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t really know what she’s capable of
doing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just kept up with her and hoped
for the best.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">It was somewhere around
the 14 mile mark of the marathon that the half marathon runners turned and
headed for the finish line, while we kept going straight.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We had been fighting a
headwind since the lighthouse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By now, I
realized we would be going into that same wind until we reached the western tip
of the island.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was five more
miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The good news is that we would
have a tailwind in the late miles, so I saw the next five miles as the “make or
break” stretch.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">In mile 15, we slowed to 8:58.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the first time in the race, we weren’t
keeping up a fast enough pace to breaks 3:50.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We had enough fast miles earlier in the race that we could afford to
have a few slower miles, but I didn’t know if we would continue to slow down.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Our next three mile splits
were 9:03, 9:06, and 9:10.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were still
keeping up a fast enough pace to break four hours, but 3:50 was slipping away.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">By now, I had already
made the decision to stay with Olivia for the rest of the race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew from our earlier conversation that her
longest training run was 20 miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Things can get really difficult in the late miles if you’ve never run
that far before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was willing to give
up on my own time goals, but I was determined to get Olivia to the finish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Running with someone is always easier than
running alone – especially in the late miles of a marathon.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Julie had told me where
she and Miles were staying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I saw the
sign for their hotel and started looking for them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I saw them watching at the next corner, and I
waved to them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t know if I would
see them again along the course, but I knew they would be waiting at the finish
line.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The 19 mile mark came
just before we turned to get out of the wind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We slowed to 9:19 in that mile, but we were finally done fighting that
wind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After two quick turns, we had the
wind at our backs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We would have a
tailwind most of the way now.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Mile 20 was a little bit
faster than mile 19.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the next mile,
Olivia needed to take a walking break while eating a gel and drinking some
water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was starting to compute what average
pace we needed in the remaining miles to be on pace to break four hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even with a walking break, that mile was
easily fast enough.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Shortly after mile 22, we
turned to start an out-and-back section that would take us across the Swains
Cut Bridge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From talking to other
runners, I knew that this was the one big hill on the course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Actually, it’s two big hills, since we had to
run over the bridge twice.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After turning, I saw a
bridge, but it didn’t look as big as I expected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Olivia told me this wasn’t the bridge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After crossing this smaller bridge, I saw the
Swains Cut Bridge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yeah, it’s a big
hill.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">From 15 to 22, I was
finding the pace easier.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I sometimes got
a few steps ahead of Olivia, but I was careful not to accelerate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we started climbing the bridge, I told her
I was going to stay behind her and let her decide how she wanted to take the
bridge.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We ran the first part of
the bridge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then we took a walking break.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, as the bridge was leveling off, we
started running again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The downhill side
of the bridge was easy.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">No sooner were we done
with the downhill than we reached the turnaround.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We needed to immediately climb the bridge
again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This time, we started walking
earlier in the climb.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We resumed running
just before the top.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The 23 mile mark was right
after the bridge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our time in that mile
was much slower, but it included the only two hills in the race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We could break four hours just by running 10-minute
miles the rest of the way.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">About a block after the
bridge, Olivia suddenly started walking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She had a cramp in one of her quads.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I knew she could break four hours if she could run the rest of the way,
but not if she walked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I asked her if
breaking four hours was important to her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>At first, she said she just wanted to finish.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Right on cue, the 4:00
pace leader caught up to us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I told Olivia,
“You can still break four hours, you just need to stay with her,” and I pointed
at the 4:00 pacer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Olivia responded by
starting to run again.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The 4:00 pacer helped to
encourage Olivia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She also pointed out
that she was two minutes ahead of schedule, so we had room to slow down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The three of us ran together for about a
mile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then the pacer told us to go
ahead, because she needed to slow down to get back to the right pace, and we were
able to go faster.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">While we were still running
with the 4:00 pacer, I gave Olivia a challenge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I told her I ran my first marathon in 3:59:39 and she could run her
first marathon faster.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She took the
challenge.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">In mile 25, we sped up to
9:28.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In mile 26, we took a short
walking break, but there was no question we would easily break four hours.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When we reached the “26”
sign, I could see the finish line arch a couple blocks away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we got closer, I started looking for Julie
and Miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I spotted Julie and waved
just in time for her to take this picture.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjO92t4ddylAfM27TeoC7iiemb-MdtYaWgFkg-mPbTHibBwYOufThpRS-9Kv_8DbfrMMGDldiMx06FF5vfFYty8JPgbxASFMPnoWF-a_kQ4J4hG21bP9TjlXPQoHUddVjUZlGGuPiiHCkpMHtwIJr1tR1difSp5qazU12hdsapTKW9NSWbYMBBWlhpT6SPt" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="302" data-original-width="320" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjO92t4ddylAfM27TeoC7iiemb-MdtYaWgFkg-mPbTHibBwYOufThpRS-9Kv_8DbfrMMGDldiMx06FF5vfFYty8JPgbxASFMPnoWF-a_kQ4J4hG21bP9TjlXPQoHUddVjUZlGGuPiiHCkpMHtwIJr1tR1difSp5qazU12hdsapTKW9NSWbYMBBWlhpT6SPt=w400-h378" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I finished the race in
3:57:25.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Olivia was right next to me.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I was surprised by the
size of the finisher medal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s at
least six inches in diameter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the
upper left corner, there’s a spinner.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhbkxc-i8PEfPIIoUXchHszxj0OH5XfJMBI-5TKYpjZ6CtNq7VCgIQk4957Qtd8aPgYDBAP2FPrUrqj2e6AOkYm5wGjsYMnXy2PqhJcmn2ea8juNnvJugyq52x6N-ehmv2efP7LVIXPWn7iiyYyAE1fNqsJCkgJJo4qMNC0OTwKjfuZ6m19cwNRMHSE89H3" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="317" data-original-width="320" height="397" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhbkxc-i8PEfPIIoUXchHszxj0OH5XfJMBI-5TKYpjZ6CtNq7VCgIQk4957Qtd8aPgYDBAP2FPrUrqj2e6AOkYm5wGjsYMnXy2PqhJcmn2ea8juNnvJugyq52x6N-ehmv2efP7LVIXPWn7iiyYyAE1fNqsJCkgJJo4qMNC0OTwKjfuZ6m19cwNRMHSE89H3=w400-h397" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">As we left the finish
line chute, Olivia spotted Dexter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
qualified for Boston with more than 13 minutes to spare.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s no question that’ll get him into next
year’s Boston Marathon.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I met Julie and Miles,
and we walked over to the BBQ tent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every
runner’s race bib had two tear-off coupons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>One was for BBQ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The other was
for beer.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Julie and Miles joined me
in the beer garden, where we met Dexter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Later, I spotted Olivia in the beer garden and went over to talk to her
and Dexter.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">At some point, they
looked up our results.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s when I
discovered I took second place in my age group, even though I wasn’t going all
out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The winner of my age group was so
fast, that I couldn’t have won my age group, even with an all-out effort.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The age group awards are
patches, but they also have pins on the back, so you can wear it as a pin or sew
it on as a patch.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgKFZXl-cihJGVFb9QFoZZSO7LmOXs1U_7APVYLGFaZZ8r2Ho7WxnQspp24nORxhOsTPuCKGkxfJdA-Wa-Zw6mEd4EGk2ve2ImKVJ5f_Xk86ozNwYa9Zv1cTwT6oxFPl3n9Y7C71JOtqL_ss3IO8YSBBPfeVhE53O8cRLTWthT-tOmzXLDRJYNbm97UthMp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgKFZXl-cihJGVFb9QFoZZSO7LmOXs1U_7APVYLGFaZZ8r2Ho7WxnQspp24nORxhOsTPuCKGkxfJdA-Wa-Zw6mEd4EGk2ve2ImKVJ5f_Xk86ozNwYa9Zv1cTwT6oxFPl3n9Y7C71JOtqL_ss3IO8YSBBPfeVhE53O8cRLTWthT-tOmzXLDRJYNbm97UthMp=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">This was my fifth
marathon or ultra in North Carolina, bringing me one step closer to completing
my fifth round of marathons or ultras in every state.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just have seven states to go.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Despite my indigestion
the night before, I still had pizza for my post-race dinner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This time I had a smaller pizza, and I didn’t
have any toppings that would upset my stomach.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><u>Race statistics</u>:</div><div>Distance: 26.2 miles</div><div>Time: 3:57:25</div><div>Average Pace: 9:03</div><div>First Half: 1:52:58</div><div>Second Half: 2:04:27</div><div>Lifetime Marathons/Ultras: 506</div><div>North Carolina Marathons: 5</div>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07537579568732930585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3046379205507947695.post-5115471983991546742024-02-04T18:00:00.002-06:002024-02-05T14:06:27.535-06:00Race Report: 2024 Surf City Marathon<p>On February 4, I ran the Surf
City Marathon in Huntington Beach, CA. I
do this race almost every year. It’s one
of the few races I can do in the winter and know it won’t be freezing cold.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I flew to California on
Saturday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the past, I’ve sometimes been
able to get a direct flight to the Orange County airport.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This year, I had to change planes in Salt
Lake City, but I still arrived in the early afternoon.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">A few days before my
trip, I read about an “atmospheric river” that was bringing heavy rains to the
San Francisco area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the next day, the
same weather pattern was bringing heavy rain as far south as San Diego.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On Thursday, the Pacific Coast Highway was
flooded in Huntington Beach.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">By Saturday, that storm
had passed and things were drying out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s
good, because the expo is in a parking lot next to the beach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Packet pickup and most of the vendors were
under large canopies, but some of the vendors were in smaller booths in the parking
lot.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEicRGoTVXc9oombMcs1woIpeq_IrLK8mtpaE9ctBebw-TtDVKJQw1MtHBk6mP4k96rw3gZWgZPk0ls6kRMOshL3RkUP06hk2SDtVOoKUyJDT5jHkPZxAWiPkLXlqLYKPVpoHejk0UThJUbqnK1ZUxNIG2OYYAxOBTOvZYzo3zjygblhwtwg_1mDCsb_IQ1m" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEicRGoTVXc9oombMcs1woIpeq_IrLK8mtpaE9ctBebw-TtDVKJQw1MtHBk6mP4k96rw3gZWgZPk0ls6kRMOshL3RkUP06hk2SDtVOoKUyJDT5jHkPZxAWiPkLXlqLYKPVpoHejk0UThJUbqnK1ZUxNIG2OYYAxOBTOvZYzo3zjygblhwtwg_1mDCsb_IQ1m=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhyDxKkrheKsxPBEjfCy9B5YWx-Vg3kCb1UwGJ9N98HYIuTvZbYLRae3l7fWbMFlGtzCBRtmxV1Nzi8PvckDnFSwqDppJnBqFgyTdVkPskW9q5HOap7qGL2XHUy6FNPD7cUsahSiw5AWo5vkxcLxPBZnGvug7IeYFlFP0Ghyh9RVnQI12sRqFMYA64RVonM" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhyDxKkrheKsxPBEjfCy9B5YWx-Vg3kCb1UwGJ9N98HYIuTvZbYLRae3l7fWbMFlGtzCBRtmxV1Nzi8PvckDnFSwqDppJnBqFgyTdVkPskW9q5HOap7qGL2XHUy6FNPD7cUsahSiw5AWo5vkxcLxPBZnGvug7IeYFlFP0Ghyh9RVnQI12sRqFMYA64RVonM=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQIQX7hRMhLoJWI4aPSoPKS8JUjDzMe-PbZ9WuzU_fJZeZgf-gMKNtJPZuZI9pndE93PmRV6Cd9BtgF1LiZlMeUpxWWT_Q1xHqICfj93RuATInesVnW5zvTyuyjK8i1dipQbuAIrC7Cgluch3ejeS9LZYwtA9QXKLauKOkqfVyjiRpFB308IuGQn9baR2E" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQIQX7hRMhLoJWI4aPSoPKS8JUjDzMe-PbZ9WuzU_fJZeZgf-gMKNtJPZuZI9pndE93PmRV6Cd9BtgF1LiZlMeUpxWWT_Q1xHqICfj93RuATInesVnW5zvTyuyjK8i1dipQbuAIrC7Cgluch3ejeS9LZYwtA9QXKLauKOkqfVyjiRpFB308IuGQn9baR2E=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After packet pickup, I
checked into my hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stayed at the
Doubletree Club in Santa Ana.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This hotel
always has a race package that includes race day shuttles, free parking, an
early breakfast before the race, and a late checkout.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t need the late checkout, but I did
need transportation to and from the race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I had a rental car, but I’ve always avoided the hassle of race morning
traffic and parking.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After checking into my
room, I did a workout in the fitness room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then I checked in with Michelle and picked up the wrist band I would
need to board the shuttle in the morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Michelle is the Director of Sales at Doubletree.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s the one who handles everything associated
with the race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She makes sure all the
runners are treated like VIPs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s
one of the reasons I keep coming back to this hotel.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">For dinner, I found a
pizzeria in Irvine where I could get a taco pizza.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I organized my running clothes and
started obsessively checking the forecast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>A second rain storm was expected to arrive on Sunday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The heaviest rain wouldn’t come until Monday,
but I was expecting rain throughout the race.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I did my best to stay on
central time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I went to bed when I would’ve
gone to sleep at home, and that made it easier to get up early on Sunday.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Sunday was race day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I woke up, I immediately checked the weather
forecast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wasn’t raining yet, and it
looked like the rain might hold off until after the race started.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I was conflicted about what
to wear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The temperature was in the 50s,
but I wore tights on the assumption that it would start raining during the race
and there might be a cold wind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was
more willing to risk being overdressed than to risk being underdressed.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The hotel had a
continental breakfast that started at 4:30.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I was dressed and downstairs right when breakfast started, so I could
get something to eat but also have some time to digest it before the race.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Our bus to the start left
the hotel at 5:30.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It took about half an
hour to get there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The race started at
6:30, so I had about half an hour to get ready.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We were dropped off in front of the Hyatt, which is near the start
corrals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I went inside the hotel to use
the bathroom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s a pedestrian
bridge from the Hyatt to the beach parking lot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I hurried across the bridge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then
I started looking for people I know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Other than the other runners who were on the bus from Doubletree, I didn’t
see anyone I knew.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Several of my friends
were at the race, but most of them were doing the half marathon, which didn’t
start until 7:45.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I used my last race to see
what kind of shape I’m in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was ready
to going all out for a fast time in this race, but I didn’t know how much rain or
wind might slow me down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It seemed like
the rain might hold off, and I wasn’t feeling any wind before the race, so I
decided to go for it.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The time I need for a
Boston qualifier is 3:50.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ran in the
3:40s several times last fall, but I had yet to do that this year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Breaking 3:50 seemed like a good place to
start.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a 3:50 pace group, so I
lined up right behind them.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">For the first minute or
two of the race, I ran right behind the 3:50 group, and the pace felt
comfortable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After a few minutes,
however, the pace started to feel tiring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I suspected they were starting too fast, but I wouldn’t know for sure
until I saw my time for the first mile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I allowed myself to fall behind the group a little, but I tried to stay
close to them.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I finished the first mile
in 8:09.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was much too fast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To be on pace for a 3:50 finish, we needed to
average 8:47 per mile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was 38 seconds
too fast, and I wasn’t even keeping up with the group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They finished the first mile about three
seconds ahead of me.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">In the second mile, I
tried to run at a pace that felt right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I fell a little farther behind the pace group, but I was still
influenced by their pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was making a
half-hearted effort to stay close to them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That resulted in another fast mile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It wasn’t as fast as the first mile, but it was still too fast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This time, I was about 20 seconds faster than
my target pace.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After two miles, I was
already about a minute ahead of schedule.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I paid less attention to the 3:50 pace group and more attention to how the
pace felt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In that mile, my pace felt
more like it would be sustainable for the whole race.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The first few miles were
on the Pacific Coast Highway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Later in
the race, we would run several additional miles on the PCH.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The highway has two traffic lanes in each
direction, with a median that’s about a lane wide.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Along the PCH, aid station were usually set
up in the median.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That meant, I had to
move to my left to grab a cub of Gatorade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The first time I did that, it was right before making the right turn
onto Seapoint Street, so the aid station made it difficult to run the shortest
path going around the turn.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After turning onto
Seapoint Street, we were running away from the coast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The next seven miles were on an inland loop
that would take us to Huntington Beach’s Central Park.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The mile three sign was
shortly after that first turn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I
got there, I was pleased to see I ran a more reasonable pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was still a little faster than my target
pace, but it felt sustainable.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">In mile four, I continued
to relax.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was trying to ignore the
3:50 group, even though I could still see them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I relaxed a little too much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That
mile was several seconds too slow.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Overall, I was still well
ahead of schedule for a 3:50 finish, but I didn’t want to settle into a slow
pace this early in the race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now I had
the challenge of picking up my effort just enough to get back on the right
pace, but without starting to go too fast again.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">One of the reasons I
often start with a pace group is so I can let them establish the right pace in
the early miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After a few miles at
the right pace, I’m usually good at staying on the same pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where I need help is setting the right pace
in the first few miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In this race,
the 3:50 group didn’t do me any favors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Their pace was way off base.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
expended extra energy in the first two miles, and I was still on my own to
establish the right pace.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The fifth mile ends with
a steep downhill section.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In this mile,
I couldn’t help but run too fast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Still,
I was surprised how much I sped up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
ran that mile in 8:05, which was even faster than my first mile.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Through the first five
miles, I had one mile that was a little slow, one that was a little fast, one
that was much too fast, and two that were crazy fast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In mile six, I settled into a pace that was a
little bit fast, but felt reasonable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After
that, I consistently kept my pace in the 8:30s and 8:40s.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">For the next mile or two,
we ran through Central Park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead of
running on streets, we were mostly running on paved bike paths.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The path wasn’t wide enough for a large group
to run together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was running by
myself, so I didn’t have any difficulty, but I could see the 3:50 pace group
spreading out more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I started to catch
up to them, even though I was slowing down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They slowed down going around the various turns in the park, but as soon
as they were back on city streets, they started to speed away from me again.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The eight mile mark is
right at the base of a hill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was
the same hill that we ran down in mile five.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Now we had to go back up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is
the only hill in the race that I find to be difficult.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After eight miles, I estimated that I was
already two minutes ahead of schedule.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
could afford to give some of that back, so I didn’t make any effort to sustain the
same pace going up the hill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ran at a
pace that wasn’t too tiring, even though I could tell I was slowing down.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">By the time I reached the
top of the hill, I had lost sight of the 3:50 group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would be about two miles before I saw them
again.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">As I approached the nine
mile mark, I was curious to know how much I slowed down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I expected that mile to be slower than nine
minutes, but I was hoping it wouldn’t be too much slower.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was pleasantly surprised to see that I ran
it in 8:44.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was my second slowest
mile so far, but it was still three seconds faster than my target pace.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The next mile brought as
back out to the PCH on Seapoint Street.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was in this mile that I got careless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The front of my right foot caught something sticking up from the
pavement, and I immediately tumbled into the street.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t see what I tripped on, but I knew what it was.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Where there were lines
dividing the traffic lanes, there were round reflectors that protruded about
half an inch above the pavement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s
easy to trip on one if you’re not paying attention.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Whenever I run this race,
I try to stay within a lane.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I try to
avoid running right on the line between lanes, so I won’t hit a reflector.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Early in the race, I was paying attention to
this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Going through Central Park, I didn’t
need to worry about it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I got back
onto I city streets, I forgot to pay attention to the lanes.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I took the impact on my
right side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The tights I was wearing kept
me from getting bad scrapes on my right knee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>My right elbow was bleeding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s
the same elbow that got banged up pretty badly when I fell in a race last
October.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That elbow was swollen for
several weeks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s only been in the
last week or two that I could put weight on it again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wondered if this was going to put me back
to square one.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I got back on my feet
quickly, but I had to move over to the side of the road to tie one of my shoes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I resumed running, I wasn’t going as fast
as before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Physically, I was OK, but the
fall shook me up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I needed a minute
before I was ready to put any effort into resuming my previous pace.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After about a minute, I
noticed I was keeping up with the runners around me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I started to pass a few of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I turned back onto the PCH, I knew I was
getting close to the 10 mile mark.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I began to accelerate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I realized I was taking a more rapid
cadence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I got to the 10 mile sign,
I saw that I had run that mile in 8:34, in spite of the time I lost when I
fell.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I spotted the 3:50 group
in the distance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were pretty far
ahead of me, but I had to wonder if I would start to catch up to them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had run faster than my target pace in every
mile but one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were going faster,
but sooner or later the pace leaders would have to settle into the right
pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They might even start giving time
back.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">On the opposite side of
the highway, I could see the faster runners starting to come back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I started to see some of the faster pace
groups coming back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">At the beginning of the
race, the wind was calm, but the hourly forecast showed the wind picking up throughout
the morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now that we were close to
the beach, we were more exposed to the wind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This is where I expected to notice the wind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wasn’t feeling it yet, but when I saw some
flags, I made note of the wind direction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It appeared that the wind was blowing across the highway and toward the coast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If that was the case, we could expect a
cross-wind for the rest of the race, which consisted of two long out-and-back
back sections by the coast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first
out-and-back was on the highway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That
would be followed by a longer out-and-back on a paved bike path alongside the
beach.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">As I continued heading
out on the PCH, I eventually saw the 3:30 pace group coming back on the other
side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At this point in the race, they
should’ve been about 10 minutes ahead of me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That meant I was only five minutes away from the turnaround.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After the turnaround, I
immediately noticed the wind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did the
wind suddenly get stronger, or had I misjudged the wind direction?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wasn’t too strong, but it seemed like
there was some wind resistance in this direction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If there was, that would be bad news, because
at least two third of the remaining miles were going to be in this direction.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I picked up my effort, so
the wind wouldn’t slow me down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I continued
to log mile splits in the 8:30s and 8:40s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Amazingly, the 3:50 group was still far enough in front of me that I
could barely see them.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">At the halfway mark, I
was almost two minutes ahead of schedule for a 3:50 finish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At my current pace, I would come close to
3:46.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I chose not to try for negative
splits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My goal was to run the second
half on pace for 3:50, but not necessarily as fast as my first half.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We went slightly uphill
as we crossed a bridge over the channel to an inlet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After the bridge, we continued going uphill,
as we approached the intersection with Seapoint Street.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">This is second biggest
hill on the course, but it’s not as challenging as the one in mile nine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead of conserving my effort, I picked up
my effort enough to keep running the same pace going up the hill.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After going through that
intersection, I came to an aid station where they were playing “Gangnam Style”
by Psy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were playing the same song
when I ran by in the other direction about two miles into the race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could also hear it when I made the turn
from Seapoint onto the PCH in mile 10.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Was that a coincidence, or were they playing the same song over and over?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s one of my favorite songs to hear during
a race, so I’m not complaining.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I can never remember
exactly when we leave the PCH to turn onto the bike path.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was seeing the faster runners on the bike
path.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After passing the 15 mile sign, I
wondered if I was getting close.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could
see the Huntington Beach pier in the distance, and I knew we turned before we got
there.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I thought I was getting close
until I saw a running on the bike path who I know is much faster than me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I knew I still had a way to go yet.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">At mile 16, I still had a
short distance to go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I saw a sign
saying “Course Split Ahead.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I looked at
the bike path again, and I saw the 3:50 group on their way out for the second
out-and-back.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After making the U-turn
onto the bike path, I looked ahead to see if I could see the 3:50 group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were too far ahead for me to see them
around the various bends and undulations of the bike path.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I no longer noticed the
wind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Either it had suddenly died down,
or it was at my back now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whenever I had
seen a flag, it seemed to be blowing straight out toward the coast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was inconsistent with what I was
feeling.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I saw a spectator holding
a sign that read, “You Look Hot When You’re Sweaty.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It occurred to me that I felt sweaty for the
first time in the race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had been wearing
gloves since the start of the race, but now it was time to take them off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By now, I was getting more confident that it
wouldn’t rain during the race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I might
have a headwind in the last five miles, but if I got cold hands with five miles
to go, I could tough it out.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">In my first mile on the
bike path, I sped up to 8:25.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was
my fastest mile since mile two.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Was it
the change in direction (and the resulting change in the wind), or was I trying
a little too hard to catch up to the 3:50 group?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">There’s was no question I
was catching up to the 3:50 group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When
they were on the highway, they were running side-by-side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On a bike path with two-way traffic, they
were forced to spread out into a long line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I eventually caught up to the last runner in this line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I passed a couple of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I gradually caught up with more of the group.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Most of the aid stations
had water and Gatorade, but I came to one on the bike path that just had
water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I skipped that one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So far, I had only skipped one other aid station.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was in mile nine, when there were two
aid stations in the same mile.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When I caught up to the
leaders of the 3:50 group, I wasn’t sure what I would do next.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would’ve bene content to stay with the
group if they were still running at an 8:47 pace or faster, but I had to wonder
if they were slowing down now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wouldn’t
know until I stayed with them for a mile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Without trying, I moved ahead of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I was still running with the same effort, and they weren’t keeping
up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I gradually left them behind.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We eventually passed a parking
area for RVs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Several of them had flags
mounted on them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From the flags, it
appeared that the wind was blowing across the bike path at a 45-degree
angle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was blowing toward the coast,
but it was also partially at our backs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For
the first time, the direction of the flags was consistent with what I was
feeling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I still had two miles before
the next turnaround.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those two miles
would be easy, but it would be tougher coming back.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">There are a few places
along the bike path where you have a clear view of runners on both sides of the
highway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can see two-way traffic on
the highway and two-way traffic on the bike path.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s weird to see four groups of runners at
different points on the course all in the same glance.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">As I came within sight of
the 20 mile mark, I saw the 3:30 pace group going the other way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By now, I expected them to be about 15
minutes ahead of me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t remember
exactly how far it was to the turnaround, but now I realized it would be much
closer to 21 than 20.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After the turnaround, the
first thing I noticed was where the 3:50 group was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was leading them now by the same distance I
had been trailing them four miles earlier.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Next, I noticed the
wind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Right after changing direction, I
noticed wind resistance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would have a
headwind for the rest of the race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On
the bright side, there still wasn’t any sign of rain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Above me, I could see clouds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Looking farther in any direction, I could see
patches of blue sky.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Short after the 21 mile
mark, I was passed by a group of four runners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They were running side-by-side and talking to each other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They passed me easily, yet they didn’t seem
to be putting any effort into it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For
the next few minutes, I challenged myself to keep up with them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I had to let them go.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I picked up my effort as
I fought the wind resistance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My previous
four miles were all in the 8:30s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mile
22 was also in the 8:30s, but I was working harder now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I felt the wind getting stronger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With just over four miles to go, it was
getting increasingly difficult to keep up the pace.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I passed the RVs with the
flags again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now they were blowing straight
toward me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There wasn’t any question the
wind was getting stronger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The remaining
miles would challenge me.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">In mile 23, I slowed to
8:54.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was my slowest mile so
far.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If was only seven seconds slower
than my goal pace, but worried that I would continue to slow down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The wind kept getting stronger.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I passed the aid station
with just water again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I skipped it again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the last few miles, I would pass at least one
more aid station, but I no longer wanted to stop for anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I slowed down for even a few seconds, I
might not get back on pace again.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Somewhere in the next
mile, I saw the Huntington Beach pier in the distance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew it was farther away than it
looked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was at least two miles away,
and the finish line was beyond it.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I ran mile 24 in
8:52.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was a pleasant surprise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was still slower than my target pace, but
only by five seconds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was giving back
time, but not in large chunks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
more of a slow leak.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The wind kept getting
stronger, but I was determined to fight to keep from slowing down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In mile 25, I brought my pace back down to
8:41.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That gave me hope, but I was getting
increasingly tired.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Halfway through the next
mile, I left the bike path to merge in with runners on the highway who were
finishing the half marathon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had at
least a few more blocks to get to Main Street and the pier.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then it would be a few more blocks after that
to get to the finish line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I fought to
keep up a fast pace, but the runners around me were all doing the half marathon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were going at a slower pace, so I had to
be careful not to slow to their pace.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When I passed the pier, I
still couldn’t see the finish line, but I knew I was getting close.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My spirits were lifted when I saw than I ran
mile 26 in 8:31.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I tried to pour it on
in my approach to the finish line, but I was just hanging on.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I finished in 3:46:36.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Remarkably, I was only 16 seconds slower in
the second half, even though my two fastest miles were early in the race.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After crossing the finish
line, I received another surfboard medal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I have nine of these now.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiWVNWgyi5EN3yZexUcWHp1-2xrMisVtLa_VnrvTUMk-GWHR5NaxqPIDtIydj9DAFg47F0H06sz8FO2tosLF-bx3v2pnYQXXtuF4FEkTN1vohtXDR1XXlvFcZgo6KEK_4hok5mkTVLqnJd-HRI32KxIZUwVNK9vcYjA68KEX6rrKfO3y378PFdNxKOaJhX9" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="262" data-original-width="320" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiWVNWgyi5EN3yZexUcWHp1-2xrMisVtLa_VnrvTUMk-GWHR5NaxqPIDtIydj9DAFg47F0H06sz8FO2tosLF-bx3v2pnYQXXtuF4FEkTN1vohtXDR1XXlvFcZgo6KEK_4hok5mkTVLqnJd-HRI32KxIZUwVNK9vcYjA68KEX6rrKfO3y378PFdNxKOaJhX9=w400-h328" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">There were volunteers
handing out water bottles, but I didn’t take one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wasn’t that thirsty, and I knew there would
be better beverages as I kept moving through the finish area.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I picked up a few
post-race snacks and ate them as quickly as I could, so I wouldn’t have too
much to carry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was tough eating a
granola bar with no beverage to wash it down, but I eventually reached the tent
with chocolate milk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I was glad I didn’t
fill up on water.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">My last two stops in the
finish area were the beer tent and the results tent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t win an age group award, but I had to
check.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I walked over to the Hyatt.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The first bus back to Doubletree
was going to leave at 11:30.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I
reached the lobby of the Hyatt, it was only 10:55.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My hands were getting cold, so I put on my
gloves, even though I was indoors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
waited in the lobby for about 15 minutes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then I went outside to see if the bus was already there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Waiting on the bus, I
felt warmer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bus left promptly at
11:30, and we were back at Doubletree by noon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>By the time we got there, my hands were no longer white.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When we entered the lobby
of Doubletree, the hotel staff was lined up inside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They cheered, clapped, and banged on pots and
pans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They do this every year, and they
do it for each bus that comes back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
also gave each of us a bottle of water and one of their signature Doubletree
cookies.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The ovation we get when
we return to the hotel is another reason I keep coming back to the same
hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It never gets old.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It may seem like a small thing, but it makes
you feel like a conquering hero, when would otherwise feel cold, tired and
depleted. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I talked to a few other
runners who always stay at this hotel for the same reason.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">By the time I got back to
my room, my elbow was swollen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Believe
it or not, this is only half as bad as the swelling after my fall in
October.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It remains to be seen how long
it will be before I can put weight on it.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjiNRvY-gCUP0rv1o2BMDZz5wJqhXcL_p5fYAIW16A_8bWeJi9MgyL9ET6ntPXUzod6KCErJ4YK8zyAVIdf8Gp-7iwIR8EpVhoj0yN4F5SBUo1PqUfFuZHxYFQGh7t7OMs71ZZ4iHVXObw-EWqO81KrByhLdBr4c1Dn9PsXy06mNZveI7e0zZEJmyUOcUyd" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="206" data-original-width="154" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjiNRvY-gCUP0rv1o2BMDZz5wJqhXcL_p5fYAIW16A_8bWeJi9MgyL9ET6ntPXUzod6KCErJ4YK8zyAVIdf8Gp-7iwIR8EpVhoj0yN4F5SBUo1PqUfFuZHxYFQGh7t7OMs71ZZ4iHVXObw-EWqO81KrByhLdBr4c1Dn9PsXy06mNZveI7e0zZEJmyUOcUyd=w298-h400" width="298" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><u>Race statistics</u>:</div><div>Distance: 26.2 miles</div><div>Time: 3:46:36</div><div>Average Pace: 8:39</div><div>First Half: 1:53:10</div><div>Second Half: 1:53:26</div><div>Lifetime Marathons/Ultras: 505</div><div>Boston Qualifiers: 161</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><br /></p>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07537579568732930585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3046379205507947695.post-77594378434837597082024-01-28T20:39:00.000-06:002024-01-28T20:39:08.147-06:00Race Report: 2024 Big Beach Marathon<p>On January 28, I ran the Big
Beach Marathon in Gulf Shores, AL. I’m
making a push to finish a fifth circuit of marathons or ultras in every state,
and this was my fifth marathon in Alabama.
As you might guess, Gulf Shores is on the Gulf coast, and it has a big
beach.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjB9_MAmAmS141eGmAUYAJSk-9V3P5sFDEs8LiMXbocn0nUtJErq0HkDJ0ivvHpBvUAujvhfEJLlDhwvDgYTgpKhoBWe0Zfaam1-YP5RdXicThR5Sk19T75a6BvuQYfk63lXNyRADYRLtnx5_O0h-7714zGNlWf7HCeZF1aK0T5AK9-nbvUyeu4aaUSqHX0" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjB9_MAmAmS141eGmAUYAJSk-9V3P5sFDEs8LiMXbocn0nUtJErq0HkDJ0ivvHpBvUAujvhfEJLlDhwvDgYTgpKhoBWe0Zfaam1-YP5RdXicThR5Sk19T75a6BvuQYfk63lXNyRADYRLtnx5_O0h-7714zGNlWf7HCeZF1aK0T5AK9-nbvUyeu4aaUSqHX0=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I could’ve flown into
either Pensacola, FL or Mobile, AL.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
2021, I flew into Pensacola.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This time,
I was able to get better flight times by flying into Mobile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Either way, I needed to change planes in
Atlanta.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I arrived in Mobile Saturday
afternoon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From there, it was a 90-minute
drive to my hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stayed at The Lodge
at Gulf State Park, which was the host hotel for the race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Packet pickup for the race was at The Lodge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I picked up my race packet first, and then
checked into my room.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Most of the rooms at The
Lodge have balconies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had a room
facing toward the highway and Gulf State Park, but there were sitting areas on
the other side of the hotel where I could get a beach view.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is a view of the beach at sunset.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjeHfIn7i-T-eGezWfyR-ORhhL4CwmUjxxbAqOS-j6wS93uuEQcaMR0a4lYGDamJXmGNkMUIbveZX9wVfGVJLKzsP8IfMBWBFFxRPBBHjlBqMnCtcBgcFng7QV9M_DtMf1ZvPT-M5_8xqNBajaVeudvFDjFANiuyx8k_KN3NtdIz-GzXMhfi6vvnLfyUyzq" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="119" data-original-width="320" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjeHfIn7i-T-eGezWfyR-ORhhL4CwmUjxxbAqOS-j6wS93uuEQcaMR0a4lYGDamJXmGNkMUIbveZX9wVfGVJLKzsP8IfMBWBFFxRPBBHjlBqMnCtcBgcFng7QV9M_DtMf1ZvPT-M5_8xqNBajaVeudvFDjFANiuyx8k_KN3NtdIz-GzXMhfi6vvnLfyUyzq=w400-h149" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After picking up my race
packet and checking into my room, I went to the fitness center to do a strength
training workout.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was originally
planning to go into town for dinner, but it was drizzly, so I had dinner in one
of the restaurants at The Lodge.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I was able to get to
sleep early, but I woke up during the night and had trouble getting back to
sleep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt pretty rough when I got
up, but I felt better by the time the race started.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The race started at 7:30
AM.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s parking near the start, but
it’s limited.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I couldn’t remember how
early I arrived when I ran this race before, so I got there an hour before the start.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The race starts and finishes
next to an entertainment venue called The Hangout.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The last time I did this race, I was able to
park in a lot right next to The Hangout.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This year, that parking lot was blocked off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The nearby street parking was filling up
quickly, but I was able to find a parking space about two blocks away.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">All of my recent training
runs have been in winter conditions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Snow and ice on the streets has sometimes forced me to run at a cautious
pace, and cold wind chills have sometimes forced me to bundle up like an Eskimo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve been getting in lots of mileage, but I
haven’t done any training at race pace since December.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have another race next weekend, so I decided
to use this race as a tune-up.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I had been looking
forward to running in temperatures warm enough for shorts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The temperature on race morning was 50
degrees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Normally, that would be warm
enough for shorts, but there was a cold wind near the coast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead of shorts, I opted for tights.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was surprised how cold it was when I was
walking to my car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wore short sleeves,
but I made a last-minute decision to start the race wearing a Tyvek jacket, but
I kept it open in front, so it didn’t cover my race bib.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I ran this same race in
2021, but the course is different now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It used to be two loops.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now it’s
a single loop with some out-and-back sections.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Most of the course is paved, but there are sections of wooden walkways in
Gulf State Park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The starting line is
also in a different place, this year, it was in between The Hangout and the
beach.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhrsLYxzWeX9JRiS8Iy5ctkpg40dwrO7ELZIMdiPruH1HMq0FIko_Jz9Mgl1X1qXYjJnf5wTB32L66x2ySWAjfKivM__9Cm990cEdDOwcjDgpJ0K1eMLJZICxcKWafAmv1SiBYKpQFYYBv40-8GfyvcU2icbT9rDGc5kRtlPUtk6UOc8cIq6YQJ9GaiP7E1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="201" data-original-width="320" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhrsLYxzWeX9JRiS8Iy5ctkpg40dwrO7ELZIMdiPruH1HMq0FIko_Jz9Mgl1X1qXYjJnf5wTB32L66x2ySWAjfKivM__9Cm990cEdDOwcjDgpJ0K1eMLJZICxcKWafAmv1SiBYKpQFYYBv40-8GfyvcU2icbT9rDGc5kRtlPUtk6UOc8cIq6YQJ9GaiP7E1=w400-h251" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I was expecting to have
to wait in the cold to use a port-o-potty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When I got to the start area, I discovered we could use the bathrooms
inside The Hangout.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We could also wait indoors
until it was time to line up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
crowded, but we were sheltered form the cold wind.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi-7btCZWjsf0iIs5nLYEx_wnIl-TiijyTYsp7iC9X8F6mKhYBsnCo6KnDfhmbVpXFJqCWbq5P_cgqTExf7E-Yf2_iTmGatob8Z7TNyrQWJBtzwnxVBRB20YR7UCx8-srlsGTMPm9CHDnvJyoyEtNEsKnCJG42f9pm6Evx3EoA1f575H0Vyp1TDvL0dtjDJ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="151" data-original-width="320" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi-7btCZWjsf0iIs5nLYEx_wnIl-TiijyTYsp7iC9X8F6mKhYBsnCo6KnDfhmbVpXFJqCWbq5P_cgqTExf7E-Yf2_iTmGatob8Z7TNyrQWJBtzwnxVBRB20YR7UCx8-srlsGTMPm9CHDnvJyoyEtNEsKnCJG42f9pm6Evx3EoA1f575H0Vyp1TDvL0dtjDJ=w400-h189" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I wasn’t sure how fast I
would run, but I saw a 4:00 pace group and lined up right behind them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t know if I would run with them, but
it seemed like a reasonable pace to start.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Going around the first
turn, I was almost half a block behind the leader of 4:00 group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I put in a little extra effort to catch up to
him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Within the first half mile, I caught
up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I spotted my friend Heather
just ahead of the group, and I moved forward to talk to her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ended up running with Heather for more than
seven miles.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">For the first mile, we
were on city streets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were running
away from the coast, but I could still feel the cold wind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the second mile, we turned onto a paved
trail that took us through the north side of Gulf State Park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had trees on both sides of us, so I didn’t
notice the wind as much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After about two
miles, I took off my jacket and tied it around my waist.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Heather and I were talking
and running just ahead of the 4:00 pace group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In the early miles, we were averaging 9:00 per mile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was surprised how comfortable I felt at
that pace.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We crossed a wooden
bridge, and a short time later, we crossed another short section of wooden
walkway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The wood was wet from rain the
day before, so it was a little bit slippery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Other than that, these sections didn’t concern me too much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There wasn’t much space between the boards,
and these sections were short.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
sections that worried me came later in the race.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The aid stations all had
water and Gatorade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Usually, the
volunteers handing out water were on the right and the ones handing out
Gatorade were on the left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I usually
slowed to a walk briefly while drinking.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">For about five miles,
Heather and I were ahead of the 4:00 group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then, at one of the aid stations, we fell behind the group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We continued to follow, close behind.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">There was a half marathon
that started at the same time as the marathon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Just after the seven-mile mark, we came to a place where the two courses
diverged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Runners doing the half
marathon turned right onto a trail that would bring them back to Gulf Shores.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those of us doing the Marathon went straight
and continued east toward the city of Orange Beach.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Heather needed to make a
bathroom stop, so I continued on my own at the same pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could see the 4:00 group a short distance
in front of me, but I didn’t make any effort to catch up to them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I reached the eight mile sign, I saw
that I was still on pace for four hours, even though I wasn’t with the
group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I continued running on my own,
but I made a point of keeping them in sight.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Somewhere around nine
miles, we reached the end of the trail we were on and turned onto the shoulder
of a highway going through Orange Beach.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After about a mile along
the highway, we turned onto another paved trail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew there was going to be an out-and-back
section soon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As soon as I turned, I saw
runners coming back from the other direction, so I knew this was it.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">There were port-o-potties
right at the beginning of this section.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I saw the 4:00 pace leader waiting to use one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had handed his “4:00” sign to someone else
in the group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could still see the
group ahead of me.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Before I reached the
turnaround, I saw the 4:00 pace leader go racing by.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was catching up with his group as quickly
as he could.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was still content to
follow them from a short distance.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When I reached the
turnaround, I was right behind the group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Coming back, I started to fall behind them again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wondered if I was relaxing too much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I got to the 11-mile mark, I realized I
was still going the same pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The group
must have sped up.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">A few minutes after the
turnaround, I saw Heather going the other direction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was far enough behind me that I knew she
wouldn’t catch up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I started to gradually
pick up my pace, so I could catch up to the pace group.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After I saw Heather, I
saw a woman going the other way who was asking all the runners coming back
which race they were in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Y’all doing
the full?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Full?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I got the impression that she was doing the half marathon and had just
realized that everyone around her was doing the full marathon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I remembered where the two courses diverged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had already been on the wrong course for
almost four miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even if she turned
around and backtracked to the turn she missed, she would still end up running
almost 21 miles to complete the half marathon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’m not sure what she did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s
worth noting that the turn she missed was well-marked, and there were
volunteers there telling us which way to go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I don’t know how she missed it.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After the out-and-back
section, we briefly ran alongside the same highway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then we turned onto another paved trail to
come back through Gulf State Park.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">At 12 miles, I was still
trailing the 4:00 pace group, but I could see that I was more than a minute
ahead of schedule.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were going a bit
fast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the end of the 13th mile, I had
caught up to the group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, we were
even farther ahead of schedule.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the
halfway mark, we were almost two minutes ahead.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">For almost half of the
race, I was wearing gloves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t
recall exactly when I took my gloves off, but coming back through the park, I
started to feel the wind again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My hands
quickly got cold, but I didn’t put the gloves on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I decided to wait and see if I warmed up
later.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">For now, I was running at
the back of the pace group and making a point of not getting ahead of
them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was conflicted about what my
goal should be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The obvious goal at this
point would’ve been to stay with the group and rest of the way and break four
hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Another goal I often set at the
halfway point is to run negative splits (i.e., run the second half of the race
faster than the first half).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The group wasn’t likely
to run at this same pace for the rest of the race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If they did, they would finish about three
and a half minutes too fast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was more
likely that they would slow down, so they came in closer to their target time.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I continued to run with
the group, but I crept up to the front.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Just past the 14-mile mark, I heard the pace leader say, “we’ll be
slowing down soon.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s when I made
up my mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wasn’t going to slow
down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would go ahead of the group with
the intent of running negative splits.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I ran the next mile in
8:55.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That wasn’t much faster than
before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our average pace in the first
half was roughly 9:00.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My goal now was
to run each remaining mile in 9:00 or faster.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I don’t like running by
myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I prefer to have someone to
follow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I sped up enough to catch up to
the next runner ahead of me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before I
knew it, I had passed him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I
focused on catching up to the next runner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This continued until I finished mile 16 and realized I had sped up to
8:23.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oops.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t mean to run that fast.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I made a sharp turn,
crossed a short wooden bridge, made another sharp turn, and reached an aid
station.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I walked through the aid
station while drinking some Gatorade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That short walking break would’ve been an opportunity to reset my pace,
but as I left the aid station, I couldn’t see the next runner in front of me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t need to run as fast as my previous
mile, but I wanted to run fast enough to get within sight of other
runners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I needed to have someone to
follow, so I could tell if I was keeping up a consistent pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The irony is that I first had to run a pace
that I knew was kind of fast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ended up
running mile 17 in 8:30.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I was running in a different
direction now, so I didn’t feel the cold wind any more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This section of trail was out in the open, so
I also started to notice the warmth of the sun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>My hands were no longer cold.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">There were a couple of
short sections of wooden walkway toward the end of mile 18.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then there was a much longer one at the
beginning of mile 19.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These were
different from the earlier sections.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There
were noticeable gaps between the boards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I slowed to a more cautious pace and paid close attention to my
footing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In mile 18, I slowed to
8:47.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mile 19 was 8:55.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was happy with that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was still keeping my pace under nine
minutes, even as I ran more cautiously.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Whenever I got back onto
firm pavement, I picked up the pace and started chasing the runners in front of
me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the next three miles, I averaged
8:40.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">With just over five miles
to go, I came back to the same junction where the marathon and half marathon
routes had diverged earlier.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This time,
instead of going straight, we turned right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Now, I was headed back toward Gulf Shores, where we would finish.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The next long section of
wooden walkway started right at 22 miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This one was more than a mile long.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There wasn’t a sign for 23, but when my watch gave me a split for that
mile, it was 9:11.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t like slowing
down that much, but navigating this section safely was more important than
keeping up my pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve been known to
trip on surfaces like this.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">To my right, I caught a
glimpse of a pedestrian bridge going over Beach Boulevard, which is the coastal
highway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I mistook this bridge for one
that’s right next to the entrance to The Lodge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That led me to believe that this was the last section of wooden walkway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I reached the end of this section, I
assumed the rest of the race would be paved.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">As I got back onto firm
pavement, I picked up my pace and resumed chasing the runners ahead of me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The next mile took me through a campground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I resumed my previous fast pace.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I was expecting to come out
to Beach Boulevard, but we turned onto another section of wooden walkway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was long.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It didn’t seem familiar until I got to the last section, which went over
water.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I saw another pedestrian
bridge over Beach Boulevard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was
the one by The Lodge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was shocked when
I saw the runners ahead of me running up the wooden ramp to get to the
bridge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was a significant
climb.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This bridge definitely wasn’t
part of the course that I ran in 2021.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The course I ran before stayed on the north side of Beach
Boulevard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This year, we crossed the
bridge to get onto the south side of the road.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When I got off the bridge
and down the ramp on the other side, I still had a mile and a half to go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would all look familiar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s the same mile and a half that I drove in
the morning, when I was on my way to the start.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">In mile 25, I slowed to
9:03.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was disappointing, but not
surprising.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was determined to run the
last 1.2 miles as fast as I could.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
good news is that it was all flat and all paved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bad news is that it was all into the
wind.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The wind was much
stronger now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Running into it wasn’t just
cold.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was tiring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I fought hard all through the next mile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was pleasantly surprised when I saw my
split for mile 26.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Despite the wind, it
was my second fastest mile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ran it in
8:28.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I went on to finish the race in
3:52:45.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was almost four minutes
faster in the second half.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">My pre-race goal was to
use this race as a tune-up before attempting an all-out effort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think it went well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the first half, I learned that I can run
comfortably at a 9:00 pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the
second half, I was running at a Boston qualifying pace.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi7Je5sTj3rxS8XwymWIfRpVPcUz6jY5wJnVpWPThFBUSQ_zTO6r84R0J79nRKzBRD39itw16nQq85LCMsgnlnZaZ1G8Z6q-DFeV1sbb4iT801YHaV5knJUCxJtbUS5Mz07_-lwiFFDZSiUdPpMgih7BVWTrLY5Ndn0X17VaGVBlIHb7EeKHiTH5V7mrDQM" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi7Je5sTj3rxS8XwymWIfRpVPcUz6jY5wJnVpWPThFBUSQ_zTO6r84R0J79nRKzBRD39itw16nQq85LCMsgnlnZaZ1G8Z6q-DFeV1sbb4iT801YHaV5knJUCxJtbUS5Mz07_-lwiFFDZSiUdPpMgih7BVWTrLY5Ndn0X17VaGVBlIHb7EeKHiTH5V7mrDQM=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Near the finish line,
there was a sand sculpture on the beach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>People were posing behind it with their medals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just wanted a picture of the sand art.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiQeLkBeAJaOT2P7GaM7K4rV0c5c7G_pgwa2mPHBEnfap-SKDsKQCduscIxzgnp6RTuptMjC2wxvgGwr-BPswviUBqfX80G4J8MYpnL7hlJfyIXwqF5kyooNWQCbN5mwyHAwtMIpc2REliudPypqiBYS4CG8dISI8GEwZMxiXGWW0vAKxjnBsVgkn2vn1N-" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="218" data-original-width="320" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiQeLkBeAJaOT2P7GaM7K4rV0c5c7G_pgwa2mPHBEnfap-SKDsKQCduscIxzgnp6RTuptMjC2wxvgGwr-BPswviUBqfX80G4J8MYpnL7hlJfyIXwqF5kyooNWQCbN5mwyHAwtMIpc2REliudPypqiBYS4CG8dISI8GEwZMxiXGWW0vAKxjnBsVgkn2vn1N-=w400-h272" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Post-race food and beer was
available just outside The Hangout.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
free food included wraps, cookies, potato chips, and gumbo with rice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For friends and family, there was also food
for purchase inside The Hangout.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After I finished eating,
I spotted Heather in the finish area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
went over to ask her how the rest of her race went.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I spent the next hour and a half talking
with her and other friends inside The Hangout before eventually walking back to
my car.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><u>Race statistics</u>:</div><div>Distance: 26.2 miles</div><div>Time: 3:52:45</div><div>Average Pace: 8:53</div><div>First Half: 1:58:17</div><div>Second Half: 1:54:28</div><div>Lifetime Marathons/Ultras: 504</div><div>Alabama Marathons: 5</div>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07537579568732930585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3046379205507947695.post-85781883601697379022024-01-08T14:28:00.003-06:002024-01-08T14:28:49.642-06:00Race Report: 2024 Las Cruces Marathon<p>On January 6, I ran the State
47 Las Cruces Marathon. I ran this same
race a year ago. Deb’s oldest brother lives
nearby, so it was a chance to visit.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgV0UZRlOur30HHwolULsnQR7M5-0SBPemFUvBDY-_t7LFN81RszB6UzSfRny5lhfgzxzEnpw2dU4DivL0dF-TUtXwO_8tsH2heq1Luy_fKcJOjN_R-err3v60CGJSGbxpGx09TkyX8-WiHCB3JBuQXCq1p_9nFz7nyWbzhzZIGwJJfV71sH0BrbTgZ9LVV" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="222" data-original-width="320" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgV0UZRlOur30HHwolULsnQR7M5-0SBPemFUvBDY-_t7LFN81RszB6UzSfRny5lhfgzxzEnpw2dU4DivL0dF-TUtXwO_8tsH2heq1Luy_fKcJOjN_R-err3v60CGJSGbxpGx09TkyX8-WiHCB3JBuQXCq1p_9nFz7nyWbzhzZIGwJJfV71sH0BrbTgZ9LVV=w400-h278" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><u>Wednesday, January 3<o:p></o:p></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The closest airport is El
Paso, TX, but there aren’t any direct flights there from Minneapolis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead, we flew to Tucson, AZ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a longer drive, but we were able to get
a direct flight to Tucson.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Deb is still
in a wheelchair, so fewer flights meant fewer times that Deb had to endure
boarding and deplaning via an aisle chair.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Rather than fly and drive
the same day, we spent the night in a hotel near the Tucson airport and waited until
the next day to drive to Las Cruces.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Our flight arrived almost
an hour early, but we lost that time and more when we got to our hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had booked a handicap accessible room at
Home2 Suites, but there was a mix-up with our reservation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we arrived, they didn’t have any accessible
rooms available. The hotel manager was very apologetic and found us an accessible
room at Hilton Garden Inn, which was only a block away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our room was free, and we also got a free
breakfast.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Although it took longer than
expected to get into a hotel room, I still had time to go for a run before
dinner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The weather in Tucson was warmer
than the weather in Las Cruces, and it was much warmer than the weather at
home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was nice to be able to run in
shorts and a T-shirt.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The restaurants near the
airport were all fast food and chain restaurants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For dinner, we drove into the city, where we
found a nice diner.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgNYUeIkqcbqgKd6ZwvDD-GJ0JMkPgUQMrObPucMggncy9o2KyZN6kNahKSdlABBoc2KA3JubKuX_a6bftjigd_x00UiBlC2PoBjf8tvbNyjhewNpm4B2n8LGLOxtRTyjvKN8nOdoo7WBt21Jr5fTRRWgBLC6qsZwmX1rYA81-sRiURHBYMbT1hI7tpcaCR" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="119" data-original-width="320" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgNYUeIkqcbqgKd6ZwvDD-GJ0JMkPgUQMrObPucMggncy9o2KyZN6kNahKSdlABBoc2KA3JubKuX_a6bftjigd_x00UiBlC2PoBjf8tvbNyjhewNpm4B2n8LGLOxtRTyjvKN8nOdoo7WBt21Jr5fTRRWgBLC6qsZwmX1rYA81-sRiURHBYMbT1hI7tpcaCR=w400-h149" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><u>Thursday, January 4<o:p></o:p></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Thursday morning, we
drove to Hatch, NM, where we had lunch with Deb’s brother Jim and his wife
Kathy.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">From Hatch, it was a 30
mile drive to Las Cruces.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Deb’s knee was
bothering her, so after we checked into our hotel in Las cruces, Deb relaxed at
the hotel for the rest of the day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I waited
for it to get warmer, and then I went for an afternoon run.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Rather than run on the streets
near our hotel, I drove to La Llorona Park, which is in the Rio Grande
valley.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew I could park there and run
on a paved trail that follows the river.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This section of trail is part of the marathon route, and it has also
been used for the Day of the Dead Series.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’ve run back and forth on this section of trail dozens of times, so I
felt at home running there.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The weather in Las Cruces
on Thursday wasn’t nearly as nice as the weather in Tucson on Wednesday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The temperature was in the upper 40s, but the
wind was so strong that it was blowing sand out of the mostly dry river
bed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also had to endure a brief rain shower.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Neither of us needed a
big dinner, so rather than go out, we picked up some fast food and stayed in
for the evening.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><u>Friday, January 5<o:p></o:p></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We didn’t have to be up
early for anything, so we slept in and had a leisurely breakfast at the hotel.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">For races, I run with a
fanny pack, so I have a place to put things like car keys, room cards, and gloves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I discovered on Thursday that the fanny pack
I brought from home wasn’t in my suitcase.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I realized I must have accidentally left it behind when we left our hotel
in Tucson.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Housekeeping found it and set
it aside, but the soonest I could go back and get it was Monday.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">There was a Wal-Mart near
our hotel, so after breakfast, we went to Wal-Mart to buy a new fanny
pack.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then we went to packet pick-up,
which was at a nearby Holiday Inn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Besides my race bib and T-shirt, my race packet included a pair of
sunglasses.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi15RU3YTzFDsZZ8kqtl4zamMn6qmUDPSwlV6uRATQTVIPLEibP3woO5gR-8q1FcW9rOeuTUvlenXrOBoKuRwAHwLbIbBiO6qzpulAoeY2f--yhuEfJrrOKASYOGyroBow0QwG2798nG3yo12R0-50a8WtoNp6WqWvTPD1zkDWSgZmbdIfzIrf1yAKpnEur" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="161" data-original-width="320" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi15RU3YTzFDsZZ8kqtl4zamMn6qmUDPSwlV6uRATQTVIPLEibP3woO5gR-8q1FcW9rOeuTUvlenXrOBoKuRwAHwLbIbBiO6qzpulAoeY2f--yhuEfJrrOKASYOGyroBow0QwG2798nG3yo12R0-50a8WtoNp6WqWvTPD1zkDWSgZmbdIfzIrf1yAKpnEur=w400-h201" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We spent the rest of the
morning exploring shops in Old Mesilla, where we bought way too many sweet treats.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We also had lunch there.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgBK9bs2nramNUvOwwrV4Y2P-tXZBX9S_na79ZHS6BTWcHLfvrHTZLLRa7WXkl8AwCvTiuYpqUYYTcUw-6J-dL3AoaVKeM5leZwd9gTj4sjS0Qjj7SY0KipJfsU0lgIWXMLzNLEBe6v45e4bKqMtcft80IqNCthk03Th-fBP5h86wc7amYutM9hA6GLha1c" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="253" data-original-width="320" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgBK9bs2nramNUvOwwrV4Y2P-tXZBX9S_na79ZHS6BTWcHLfvrHTZLLRa7WXkl8AwCvTiuYpqUYYTcUw-6J-dL3AoaVKeM5leZwd9gTj4sjS0Qjj7SY0KipJfsU0lgIWXMLzNLEBe6v45e4bKqMtcft80IqNCthk03Th-fBP5h86wc7amYutM9hA6GLha1c=w400-h316" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After lunch, we went to
the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgOInnfmsTk9wlD_iu8fBnS8rjcHigD2TW-K-Tba0e_Q-s-fr98MGvtenvWWE6k5cKt0qbmToDg5mtEr1Rwbthr3mdwvifJez6ej9cy5llvWn3jqj-nTyEYmsuDFr5WCSePq58zp5bvcR2_qQb19mYcI1-1o0Ej6qbZ7h9bWbehhsYl2CF7HsiqBND5Y_Cs" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="182" data-original-width="320" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgOInnfmsTk9wlD_iu8fBnS8rjcHigD2TW-K-Tba0e_Q-s-fr98MGvtenvWWE6k5cKt0qbmToDg5mtEr1Rwbthr3mdwvifJez6ej9cy5llvWn3jqj-nTyEYmsuDFr5WCSePq58zp5bvcR2_qQb19mYcI1-1o0Ej6qbZ7h9bWbehhsYl2CF7HsiqBND5Y_Cs=w400-h228" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj_0fLeprb8LtvPDw8iifej9yi7G5s9qPS06FLcruOa5tfstT_DE8B9kXmK6VVIxsbgPXS_pnXeXzH4nh42Wj6aju5d-WzlG3v2zJg42taf4s4WBmNuWzvPE67Y89m65pJ3t1sVrAHcMeqew6-WtDEN3l4_ir8TeBmENFbwx4vKp7LoQipi1FIsmv4lt0Z3" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="204" data-original-width="320" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj_0fLeprb8LtvPDw8iifej9yi7G5s9qPS06FLcruOa5tfstT_DE8B9kXmK6VVIxsbgPXS_pnXeXzH4nh42Wj6aju5d-WzlG3v2zJg42taf4s4WBmNuWzvPE67Y89m65pJ3t1sVrAHcMeqew6-WtDEN3l4_ir8TeBmENFbwx4vKp7LoQipi1FIsmv4lt0Z3=w400-h255" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">On our way back to the
hotel, I saw someone running on a trail that runs parallel to the freeway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had never noticed this trail before, even
though it goes near our hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For my
afternoon run, I went running on my newly discovered trail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the day before the marathon, so I didn’t
run as far as I did the other days.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">For dinner, we went to an
Asian buffet that was right next door to our hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve stayed at this hotel four times, and I’ve
driven by there many times, but this was the first time I tried it.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><u>Saturday, January 6<o:p></o:p></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Saturday was race
day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The race didn’t start until 8:00
AM, so I didn’t have to get up outrageously early.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As is often the case, I was awake before my
alarm went off.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The start and finish were
both on the track at the Field of Dreams stadium.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was plenty of parking, and the stadium
has heated bathrooms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was
especially nice, since the outdoor temperature was in the 30s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was cold enough for tights, so I wore my
cheetah garb.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I recall wearing the same outfit
for this race last year.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjRf6TDVb5jZPJMx5MVnPIc5MycS4m2VSRsqTdx_y23LiKtKM9zXfcxAesfQ0667tIOFPeydcOAWoi-MYf9nBwafFj8EXkIz6pug5Yu07wNAD0pYwefmQC-WU-xvvu2yPUBBPVLMVHDbXfaM3dchT6GW3eDoT4g9Lu3jBUHyup99rB02LnPGklbUFH1pv23" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="275" data-original-width="320" height="344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjRf6TDVb5jZPJMx5MVnPIc5MycS4m2VSRsqTdx_y23LiKtKM9zXfcxAesfQ0667tIOFPeydcOAWoi-MYf9nBwafFj8EXkIz6pug5Yu07wNAD0pYwefmQC-WU-xvvu2yPUBBPVLMVHDbXfaM3dchT6GW3eDoT4g9Lu3jBUHyup99rB02LnPGklbUFH1pv23=w400-h344" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I started coming down
with a cold just before Christmas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
was worst the week between Christmas and New Years, but I still had some
congestion and an occasional cough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
could tell from my training runs during the week that my cold was slowing me
down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since I wasn’t fully recovered, I wasn’t
inclined to pace myself too aggressively during the race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There would be other races where I could try
for a fast time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This one was all about finishing.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The course was mostly
out-and-back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The majority of the course
was paved, but there was a mixture of surfaces.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>After running around the track, we came out of the stadium onto city
streets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We followed city streets for
about a mile before running on a dirt trail for one block.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then we turned onto an asphalt trail that
took us to the river.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Just before getting to
the river, we crossed a dirt trail with some rocks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then we got onto a wide concrete sidewalk along
the river.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I started the race at a
pace that felt comfortable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was
surprised to see that I ran the first mile in 9:15.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It didn’t feel tiring, but I knew that pace
was too fast, so I eased back until I was averaging about 9:30 per mile.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">About three miles into
the race, I heard two women behind me talking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Their names were Merry and Kimberle, and before long they had caught up
to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I remembered meeting Merry a few
months ago at the Clarence DeMar marathon, so I said hello.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Next, we ran under a bridge
and through the parking lot of La Llorona Park, where I had started my run on Thursday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was an aid station set up in that
parking lot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We each got something to
drink, but as Kimberle and I left the parking lot, Merry was no longer with us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ended up running with Kimberle for the rest
of the race.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">For the next few miles,
we were on the same paved trail where I was running on Thursday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we reached the end of that trail, we
crossed a road and turned onto a different trail that took us away from the
river valley.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Along this section, we
were briefly talking to another runner who was wearing a Boston Marathon jacket.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The jacket caught my eye, because it was from
2013.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the next mile or so, the three
of us were trading stories about our experiences at Boston.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Roughly eight miles into
the race, we turned onto a two lane road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We were on this road all the way to the turnaround.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On one side of the road, we ran past groves
of pecan trees.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Early in the race, my
hands were cold, even though I was wearing gloves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As the sun got higher in the sky, I started
to warm up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Along this road, I finally
felt like I was warm enough to take off the gloves.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I was also wearing arm
warmers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>About two miles after taking
off my gloves, I started to wonder if I would also need to take off the arm warmers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t, because I started to feel a cool
breeze.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The turnaround was between
12 and 13 miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before the turn, I didn’t
know which direction the breeze was coming from.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After the turn, it was obvious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The wind was at our backs before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After turning around, we were running directly
into it.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Shortly after turning
around, we reached the halfway point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At
the time, I was on pace to finish in about 4:12, but I realized the second half
was going to be slower.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Running into the
wind was tiring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew I wouldn’t be
able to keep up the same pace going into the wind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also knew we would be running into this
wind for most of the remaining miles.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The wind wasn’t just tiring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was cold.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I was glad I never took off my arm warmers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After less than a mile going into the wind, I
had to put my gloves on again.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I had a pair of shell
mittens in my fanny pack that I had been wearing over my gloves before the
race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After another mile running into
the wind, my hands were cold enough that I had to put on my mittens as well.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I wasn’t paying close
attention to my pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I found the pace
tiring, but I was trying to keep up with Kimberle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had about three more miles before the next
turn, and I found it difficult to keep up.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Finally, after about 17
miles, we left that road to turn back onto the trail that would take us back to
the river.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, the wind was at our
side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I no longer felt cold, so I
immediately took off the mittens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was tempted
to take off the gloves too, but I knew we would be going in this direction for
less than a mile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then we would get back
onto the trail by the river, and we would have a headwind again.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Before we got back to the
river, Kimberle mentioned that her heart rate was getting too high, so she
needed to take a brief walking break.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
was all too happy to slow the pace down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>For about five miles, I had been finding the pace to be too tiring.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Once we were alongside
the river, the terrain was familiar to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That helped, but we had a tiring headwind again, and we still had eight
miles to go.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">For the rest of the race,
our pace was much slower.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kimberle
needed to manage her pace to keep her heart rate from climbing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We ran at a slower pace, and we took frequent
walking breaks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At this point, I could
have gone faster, but I was enjoying the company, and after several tiring
miles, it felt good to slow down.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The next few miles were familiar
to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, as we retraced the last two
miles through the river valley, the wind got stronger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those miles were tiring.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">It got a little easier
when we finally turned away from the river.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We still had more than three miles to go though.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Instead of taking the
most direct route back to Field of Dreams, we had to do two extra out-and-back
sections that we didn’t do earlier in the race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Those miles were slow, but at least we were no longer fighting a headwind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we had the wind at our backs, it suddenly
felt hot.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When we finally got back
to the stadium, we had to run twice around the track before finishing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Having run this race before, I knew that was
coming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I told Kimberle about it, so she
would also know what to expect.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">In the last 100 meters,
Kimberle started her sprint to the finish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I sped up too, but didn’t quite keep up with her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I finished a step or two behind her.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">My time was 4:32:10.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was disappointing, but not surprising.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was almost 20 minutes slower in the second
half.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was mostly due to the tiring
headwind, but I was also holding back at times so I wouldn’t leave Kimberle
behind.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The finisher medal was in
the shape of New Mexico.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Runners who
placed in the top 47 got a small roadrunner pendant that attached to the
bottom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t place in the top 47.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was 80th.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEik7jMTqcNfsaFReDjPJR4BrypH5n8Wak98ozh6Rr-aAclgQGIpTIVrqUWcDD4CxpjL-yAW4wklyqPn4TqmnfEbywzBhBWps177YVrW5P8PRM-fPWIz9EGD7k3Cp8fdAeMcebAp_soocdFn6XIQY8WrJpp-06XkmswxlUSi9SED7x1O8QY73WJrNA3OdmKB" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="296" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEik7jMTqcNfsaFReDjPJR4BrypH5n8Wak98ozh6Rr-aAclgQGIpTIVrqUWcDD4CxpjL-yAW4wklyqPn4TqmnfEbywzBhBWps177YVrW5P8PRM-fPWIz9EGD7k3Cp8fdAeMcebAp_soocdFn6XIQY8WrJpp-06XkmswxlUSi9SED7x1O8QY73WJrNA3OdmKB=w370-h400" width="370" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">By now, it was 50 degrees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a sunny day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was only the wind that made it feel colder.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Post-race food included
birthday cake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>January 6 is the
anniversary of New Mexico becoming a state in 1912, so we were celebrating New
Mexico’s 112th birthday.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">By the time I finished
the race, Deb was getting hungry for lunch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I hurried back and got cleaned up as quickly as I could, so we could go
out for lunch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We wanted something
quick, so we went to a nearby place with burgers and frozen custard.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">On our way back from
lunch, we saw some vendors selling rocks, geodes, fossils, and jewelry in a
parking lot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We stopped to shop for
almost an hour before returning to the hotel.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We stayed in for the rest
of the afternoon, and I had a good soak in the whirlpool.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">For dinner, we went to
Bosque Brewing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were one of the
race sponsors, and runners could get a discount on food or beer by showing
their race bibs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Besides their beer,
also have a full food menu.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We got their
street tacos.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><u>Sunday, January 7<o:p></o:p></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We were originally
planning to spend the day with Jim and Kathy, but Jim wasn’t feeling well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were other things we could’ve done in
Las Cruces or El Paso, but we decided to drive to Tucson a day early.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">There was a strong wind
advisory in the forecast for later in the day and all day Monday, and we wanted
to get ahead of that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The section of
I-10 between Las Cruces and Tucson is prone to dust storms, and the last thing
we wanted was to get caught in a dust storm during the four-hour drive back to
Tucson.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We left Las Cruces right
after breakfast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During the last hour of
the drive, the wind was picking up, and we could see dust clouds to the
south.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thankfully, we didn’t have to drive
through any dust clouds.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We ate lunch on our way
into Tucson and then stopped by Hilton Garden Inn to pick up the fanny back
that I had left behind on Thursday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
didn’t get a roadrunner for my finisher medal, but I saw one outside the hotel.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg4UObzWrnlzRpfhDYss09FCOUHTB_i1-svy26QtLzTR8M8genpBNM2i-CvbnJ0XbGEPnL1j2zN5D2u4L26ohWUgj4PqXw2Py_4FSmO6gsQalQxM9e5Y2tfbXl1LKGCvWLoj5RZxra7yaO4hld7_pBYKjjCXJ3yqvkB39nncxfVfN8-NgraZK6eEdYEPgnS" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="207" data-original-width="320" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg4UObzWrnlzRpfhDYss09FCOUHTB_i1-svy26QtLzTR8M8genpBNM2i-CvbnJ0XbGEPnL1j2zN5D2u4L26ohWUgj4PqXw2Py_4FSmO6gsQalQxM9e5Y2tfbXl1LKGCvWLoj5RZxra7yaO4hld7_pBYKjjCXJ3yqvkB39nncxfVfN8-NgraZK6eEdYEPgnS=w400-h259" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Rather than stay at
Hilton Garden Inn again, we opted to stay at Home2 Suites.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We appreciated the way they took care of us after
the reservation mix-up earlier, so we gave them a second chance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They had an accessible room for us, and we
were pleased with the accommodations.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Deb and I have been to
Tucson before, so we’ve already done most of the sightseeing there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s just as well, since it rained all
afternoon.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I wanted to do a short
recovery run, but I wasn’t excited about running in the rain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead, I settled for doing some walking on
one of the treadmills in the fitness room.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After a big lunch,
neither of us had room for another big meal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Instead, we opted for smoothies from a place near our hotel.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><u>Monday, January 8<o:p></o:p></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Our flight wasn’t until
the afternoon, so I had time to go for a run before heading to the airport.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The temperature dropped into the low 30s, so
I had to bundle up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It won’t be any
warmer at home, so it’s time to get used to it again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At least Tucson didn’t have any snow.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><u>Race statistics</u>:</div><div>Distance: 26.2 miles</div><div>Time: 4:32:10<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span></div><div>Average Pace: 10:23 </div><div>First Half: 2:06:15</div><div>Second Half: 2:25:55</div><div>Lifetime Marathons/Ultras: 503</div>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07537579568732930585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3046379205507947695.post-39215547204774544402024-01-01T08:57:00.001-06:002024-01-01T08:57:46.105-06:00My Goals for 2024<p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">For the first time
in years, I’m starting the year healthy, and with a good training base.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">My first two goals for the year reflect that.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Run 3,000 Miles in
2024<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">One of my goals
for 2023 was to get back in shape.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did
that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For 2024, I have the easier task
of simply staying in shape, which is mostly a matter of keeping up my
training.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The hard part is to be
consistent all year, which depends on staying healthy all year.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I’ve never run
3,000 miles in a calendar year, although I’ve been in the 2,800s three times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To run 3,000 miles, I need to average 250
miles per month.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ran that much each
month in the last four months of 2023, so I just have to keep training at the
same level, which mostly comes down to staying healthy.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Run at Least 100
Miles in the FANS 24-Hour Run<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I mostly run
marathons, but once or twice a year, I’ll do an ultra.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The last time I did a long ultra (100+ miles)
was two years ago at the FANS 24-Hour Run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When I decided to do this race in 2022, it was a last-minute
decision.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I chose to enter the race when
I discovered that I could compete for a state championship for men over
60.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was pretty sure I could win that,
even though I had not been training for an ultra.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Relying mainly on
experience, I was able to run 101.4 miles, even with minimal training.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This year, I’m starting the year with the
best mileage base I’ve had in years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
race isn’t until June, so I have five more months to train.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">My minimum goal
for this race is to run 100 miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I
can do that, I’m confident I’ll also win another state championship for my age
group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Obviously, I’ll run farther if I
can, but I have to be careful not to overreach.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Run My 100th
Minnesota Marathon</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I’ve run 95
marathons or ultras in my home state of Minnesota.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Running at least five more in 2024 is a
priority.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was already interested in
doing the five-day Summer Camp Series in July.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Those five races alone would be enough to get me to 100.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m also planning to do FANS, and I may do
one or two others as well.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Run Marathons in
50 Countries<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I’ve run marathons
in 46 different countries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That puts me
within striking distance of 50.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve
already booked travel to three new countries this year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ideally, I’d like to add a fourth, although
there isn’t much room in my schedule.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This one is sort of a stretch goal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It might come down to whether I can schedule an international trip in
December.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Run Outdoors
Whenever Possible<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Last year, I
didn’t do any running on a treadmill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Running outdoors is challenging during the winter months, but running
outdoors has forced me to pick up my feet more, so I’m less prone to tripping.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Inevitably, there
will be days when running outdoors just isn’t possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not going to run during a blizzard, nor
am I going to run during a thunderstorm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If my only choices are run indoors or take a day off, I’ll consider
running indoors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Still, I’d like to keep
my indoor running to a minimum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I won’t
run on the treadmill just because it’s easier or more convenient.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Qualify for the National
Senior Games<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The National
Senior Games are held in odd-number years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Qualifying takes place at various state games in even-numbered years.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Minnesota
Senior Games are held in August.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At a
minimum, I’d like to qualify for nationals in the race-walk events.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ideally, I’d like to also qualify for the 5K
and 10K road race events, and perhaps a track event, like the 1500 meter run.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Qualifying at the
state level is usually pretty easy, as the race-walk events tend to be thinly
attended, and you can qualify in road race events just by competing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The difficulty with competing in multiple
events is scheduling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Doing more events
means spending more days away from home, and sometimes there are schedule
conflicts between events in different disciplines.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Stay on Schedule
to Finish a 5th Circuit of 50 States in 2025<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I’m within
striking distance of completing my 5th circuit of marathons or ultras in every
state.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To finish, I need to run
marathons in Alabama, Arkansas, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma,
Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">It would be
possible to schedule all nine of these states in 2024, but some of the races I
would need to schedule conflict with my other priorities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rather than try to finish this year, I’m
aiming for 2025.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I finished my first
circuit of states at the Vermont City Marathon in Burlington.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since Vermont is one of the states I need,
I’d like to go back to the same race to finish my 5th circuit.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I can easily
schedule races in most of these states.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Ideally, I’ll go into 2025 needing just a couple states, with one of
them being Vermont.<o:p></o:p></span></p>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07537579568732930585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3046379205507947695.post-46593044079697804622023-12-31T08:04:00.000-06:002023-12-31T08:04:21.062-06:002023 Year-End Review<p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Every year, I post
a list of goals for the year.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I usually
achieve most of my goals, but I sometimes miss a few.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">This year my goals were fairly modest, so
it’s not too surprising that I nailed them all.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Finish My 4th
Circuit of 50 States<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">At the beginning
of 2023, I had already run four or more marathons (or ultras) in 45
states.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To complete my 4th circuit of marathons
in every state, I needed to run marathons in Maryland, Oklahoma, Utah, Vermont,
and West Virginia.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I got off to a
rough start.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was planning to run the
Sun Marathon in Utah in January, but I had to skip that one because of a
respiratory infection.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The day before I
was scheduled to fly to Utah, I tried running for the first time in a
week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I managed to run just over a
mile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two miles would’ve been too much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A marathon was out of the question.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I recovered in
time to run the George Washington’s Birthday Marathon in February, giving me my
Maryland race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In May, I ran the Maple
Leaf Marathon in Vermont.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then in the
summer, I found another Utah race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
actually ran two of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ran the
Deseret News Marathon in July and the Mt. Nebo Marathon in August.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I finished my
fourth circuit in November by running the Marshall University Marathon in West
Virginia and the Route 66 Marathon in Oklahoma.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I already had my
eye on eventually doing a fifth circuit of states, so I also went out of my way
to schedule races in a few states where I already had four marathons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Besides running my fourth marathon in the
states listed above, I ran my fifth marathon or ultra in Kentucky, Maine,
Idaho, Montana, Colorado, Utah, Kansas, New Hampshire, and Maryland.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the time I finished my fourth circuit, I
just needed nine more states to finish my fifth circuit.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Run Marathons in
Two New Countries<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">This was a fairly
soft goal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the start of the year, I
didn’t have any international trips scheduled, but I had tentative plans to run
marathons in Slovakia and Brazil.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ended
up running both of those races, and I also ran the Antarctica Marathon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>More on that later.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Get Back into Shape<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">At the start of
the year, I was out of shape, and I was carrying a little extra weight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My training was held back by a high hamstring
injury in my left leg and sciatica in my right leg.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">To get back in
shape, I first had to get healthy enough to train.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To lose the weight, I needed to get more
exercise, which also depended on getting healthy enough to train.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve never been able to lose weight through
diet alone.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Things got worse
before they got better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In January, I
came down with a respiratory infection that was mostly likely RSV.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was completely sidelined for about a week,
and it was two more weeks before I was recovered sufficiently to do any real
training.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">My hamstring
injury was healing nicely, but my sciatica got worse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It flared up so badly that I couldn’t run
without pain.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I had a cortisone
injection in February.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first time I
had one of those, I noticed improvement immediately.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This time, I felt no better after two weeks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then something surprising happened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I flew to Argentina to join my tour group for
the trip to Antarctica.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After the 10
hour flight from Atlanta to Buenos Aires, I fully expected to be stiff and
painful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My sciatica was usually worst
after a long period of sitting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead,
I got off the plane with no discomfort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It hasn’t bothered me since.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">It's possible,
although unlikely, that it just took that long for the cortisone injection to
be effective.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s much more likely that
something else changed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One possibility
is that I had a synovial cyst putting pressure on the nerve, and then the cyst
drained, relieving the pressure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those
things can come and go unexpectedly.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">That trip included
a 10-day cruise, so my opportunities to run were limited.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I got back, however, I started gradually
building my mileage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was careful not
to increase my mileage too quickly, but by mid-July, I was running 50+ miles a
week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve kept that up since.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">A goal should be
measurable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wouldn’t consider myself
to be “in shape” until I could run fast enough to qualify for the Boston
Marathon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In recent years, most of my
BQs have been on downhill courses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My
goal for this year was to BQ on a course that didn’t have any net elevation
loss.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">By the end of
April, I was able to run a marathon in four hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To qualify for Boston, I needed to shave off
10 more minutes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In July, I qualified at
the Deseret News Marathon, but that course has almost 3,000 feet of net
descent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In August, I qualified on
another sharply downhill course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
wouldn’t be until September that I would have a chance to test myself on a
mostly flat course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By then I was not
only getting into getter shape, but I had also lost the excess weight.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I felt like I made
a major breakthrough at the Clarence DeMar Marathon, where I qualified for
Boston with more than four minutes to spare.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That course is also downhill, but not by nearly as much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first half descends about 600 feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The second half is relatively flat, although
there’s a tough hill in the last few miles.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Two weeks later, I
finally reached my goal of qualifying for Boston on a course that started and
finished at the same elevation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did
that at the Cape Cod Marathon, which is mostly flat.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I followed that up
with a BQ at the Baltimore Marathon a week later.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That course is moderately hilly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before the year was up, I also had BQs at the
Mankato Marathon (moderately hilly), the Marshall University Marathon (flat), and
the Route 66 Marathon (moderately hilly).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">My final BQ of the
year came at the Hawaii Bird Conservation Marathon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This course descends 3,700 feet, but it’s
worth noting that I was 11 minutes faster this year than I was on the same
course a year ago.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Of all my goals
for 2023, this one was the most important.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It seems like every year I start the year thinking it’s going to be a
rebuilding year, but then I end the year about where I started.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This year, I actually rebuilt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m going into 2024 running better than I
have in years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have a good mileage
base, my weight is down, and I’m healthy.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Do My Winter Running
Outdoors<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Since buying my
first treadmill (to train for the Pike’s Peak Marathon), I’ve fallen into the
habit of doing all of my winter running on the treadmill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s nothing wrong with training on a
treadmill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has enabled me to train at
a faster pace than I could if I had to run on icy streets.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The problem is
that after years of doing half of my training on a treadmill, I developed the
bad habit of barely getting my feet off the ground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On a flat road course, I have an efficient
stride.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On a trail course, I don’t pick
up my feet enough, and I’m prone to tripping.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">In recent years,
I’ve started to trip and fall, even in road marathons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If there’s an uneven spot in the pavement,
I’ll catch it with one of my feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
the latter half of 2022, I was tripping about once per race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes I fell, but even when I didn’t, I
would have a few awkward jarring steps.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>More than once, I aggravated an existing injury.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">To cure myself of
that habit, I committed to doing all of my winter running outdoors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My hope was that running on snow and ice
would force me to pick up my feet.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The first big test
came in the Antarctica Marathon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That
was a hilly course on a dirt road with lots of rocks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were times when I was racing down a
hill, knowing that I would have a bad fall if my foot caught one of those
rocks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It scared me, but I got through
that race without tripping on anything.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I thought I would
make it through the entire year without tripping.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately, I tripped on a pothole in the
Cape Cod Marathon, and hit the pavement pretty hard.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I’ve continued to
use a treadmill for race-walk training, but I haven’t run on a treadmill at all
this year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While I didn’t make it
through the whole year without a fall, I improved significantly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One fall per year is a lot better than one
fall per race.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Doing my winter running
outdoors had another benefit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It forced
me to reacquaint myself with how to dress for different temperatures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t know I would be running in
Antarctica, but dressing properly for that race was a lot easier after running
in similar temperatures at home.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Place in My Age
Group in the National Senior Games<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Most of my goals
were running goals, but I also had two race-walking goals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was competing in two race-walking events at
the National Senior Games.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first was
1,500 meters on a track.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The second was
5,000 meters on a road loop.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Last year, I took
fourth place in the 1,500.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are
medals for the top three and ribbons for places five through eight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got a late start on my training this year,
so my goal was simply to place in the top eight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My time was one second slower than last year,
but I placed higher.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This year, I came
in third, which was good for a bronze medal.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">In the 5,000, my
goal was to place in the top three.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
managed a second place finish, earning me a silver medal.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Move Up Among
Minnesota Runners<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Since 2015, I’ve
been on the Megamarathon List, which lists every runner in the world who has
finished at least 300 marathons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I rank
in the top 400 runners in the world and roughly 50th in North America, but as
recently as 2021, there were still six runners ahead of me in my home state of
Minnesota.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">By the end of
2022, I had moved into 5th place among Minnesota runners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My goal for 2023 was to move into the top
four.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">To move into 4th
place, I needed to run 15 more marathons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I ran 30 this year, easily moving me into the top four.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The three runners still ahead of me have all
run more than 600 marathons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only one of
them is still active, but it’ll be a long time before I run enough marathons to
move into the top three.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Goal That
Wasn’t Even on My List<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">For the second
straight year, my biggest accomplishment of the year was something that wasn’t
even on my list of goals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last year, it
was winning the state championship for men over 60 in a 24-hour race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This year, it was finishing marathons (or
ultras) on every continent.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I had previous run
marathons or ultras on five continents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I was only missing South America and Antarctica.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had plans to run Maratona do Rio in June,
but I wasn’t expecting to run a marathon in Antarctica this year.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I had made a
deposit to run the Antarctica Marathon in 2024, but I was also on the waiting
list for 2023.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Marathon Tours &
Travel was leading two voyages to Antarctica this year, one in early March, and
one in late March.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the outside chance
that I might get in off the waiting list, I avoided planning any other races in
March.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">By the middle of
January, I was getting anxious to finish planning my race schedule for March
and April.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In particular, I wanted to
book a trip to Vienna and Bratislava at the beginning of April.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I went on the second Antarctica voyage, I
wouldn’t get home in time to leave for Vienna.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I called Marathon
Tours to find out if there was any chance of getting into one of this year’s
voyages.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t think there was any
chance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just wanted to know for sure,
so I could start booking other trips.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I was shocked to
find out that both of this year’s Antarctica trips had room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I chose the first one, so I could also go on
the Vienna/Bratislava trip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the time,
I was sick with RSV, so I took a leap of faith that I could recover in time to
be ready for the Antarctica trip.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Antarctica was my
sixth continent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Three months later, I
added South America as my seventh continent by running Maratona do Rio.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU1hVHZcyhxKZ94GJlRMSR_7xGqliUFfCvMDplKMJ8Yab6jPBcNZGFPVy3K2ESdT9r7IbaFv5asH7paOPZsRhyN__ht4ZgP_MpA3WRUnQV2ugR4lU-PiadrDjZcBcrsss1KjFJdcnaA_xo2OwTnhnQ75Y7ZqjTX57576UcMX65a3KxaT8HsM0wARnLqUKT/s1972/7%20continents%20certificate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1514" data-original-width="1972" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU1hVHZcyhxKZ94GJlRMSR_7xGqliUFfCvMDplKMJ8Yab6jPBcNZGFPVy3K2ESdT9r7IbaFv5asH7paOPZsRhyN__ht4ZgP_MpA3WRUnQV2ugR4lU-PiadrDjZcBcrsss1KjFJdcnaA_xo2OwTnhnQ75Y7ZqjTX57576UcMX65a3KxaT8HsM0wARnLqUKT/w400-h308/7%20continents%20certificate.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 1.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><br /></p>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07537579568732930585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3046379205507947695.post-88026445808224874052023-12-18T20:36:00.002-06:002023-12-20T08:24:30.672-06:00Race Report: 2023 Hawaii Bird Conservation Marathon<p>On December 17, I ran the
Hawaii Bird Conservation Marathon on the Big Island. This was the third island Deb and I visited
on our Hawaii vacation. This post picks
up where my Maui post left off. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><u>Thursday, December 14<o:p></o:p></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Deb and I flew from Kahului
to Hilo in the late afternoon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our
flight was a little bit late, so we didn’t arrive until 6:00 PM.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the time we picked up our bags and rental
car and drove to our hotel, it was well after dark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had a light dinner in the hotel restaurant,
and stayed in for the night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><u>Friday, December 15<o:p></o:p></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Our hotel was on the
waterfront, and our room had a balcony with an ocean view.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We didn’t have many activities planned, so we
took our time with everything.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgTG5LSyaeIQy76h2_OSqEMIaCDr0FRw_kwjGmY4HZZJ41JokZQUMt4e6aovrDCSuyPQok5gqmWCpUWezGlPQ7oBjZYppA4xIz8pqi2tR88GerEOUalDmuBa8itAy9heYOGgzVSS06osflHj7G-wDJJDJm8THk4WJn8nzuCqrQ9cUvKv8DH5HDMNVssGOvH" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgTG5LSyaeIQy76h2_OSqEMIaCDr0FRw_kwjGmY4HZZJ41JokZQUMt4e6aovrDCSuyPQok5gqmWCpUWezGlPQ7oBjZYppA4xIz8pqi2tR88GerEOUalDmuBa8itAy9heYOGgzVSS06osflHj7G-wDJJDJm8THk4WJn8nzuCqrQ9cUvKv8DH5HDMNVssGOvH=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgsAvAAKdNV7MZbNA4JsMIHo2pKGBfIUtNnIxwv4Er5jBwQAU00BU4JeshDVdITfVyKvmURww8xAs7fYyhfu_Q9zwRIGwETAfP-axR-lJF3I9C1vey0UMb56oR2YZGUOJXhTfUawCeSnEUDv_uEtMV7YDFpDDESjnI0ZRjXJO5WrHrwsd2k_zuOVKflGoS1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgsAvAAKdNV7MZbNA4JsMIHo2pKGBfIUtNnIxwv4Er5jBwQAU00BU4JeshDVdITfVyKvmURww8xAs7fYyhfu_Q9zwRIGwETAfP-axR-lJF3I9C1vey0UMb56oR2YZGUOJXhTfUawCeSnEUDv_uEtMV7YDFpDDESjnI0ZRjXJO5WrHrwsd2k_zuOVKflGoS1=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">It was drizzly while we
were eating breakfast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I waited for the
rain to stop before going for a run.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After my run, we went to
Rainbow Falls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rainbow Falls is the top
tourist attraction in the Hilo area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s
only 10 minutes away, and it’s wheelchair accessible, so this was an obvious place
to start our day.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjFnTqiogPkmVcblzV8oIRLSoXXme5huQWL_lalMNDJV_d2oc6gfv00BuZ6fdAIsL44BL13CcFyv-SKJ30fAURrn2xDDsN3hHY99nqYq3FNExllxyu5GKeZP45MvSiaKHXXyExJBks3qk5zdj-4p3ra8IBQlhZdgsJ8e1c48doMbBZ16yKu4ttKntVw0Wke" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjFnTqiogPkmVcblzV8oIRLSoXXme5huQWL_lalMNDJV_d2oc6gfv00BuZ6fdAIsL44BL13CcFyv-SKJ30fAURrn2xDDsN3hHY99nqYq3FNExllxyu5GKeZP45MvSiaKHXXyExJBks3qk5zdj-4p3ra8IBQlhZdgsJ8e1c48doMbBZ16yKu4ttKntVw0Wke=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgXODubxCt-qV51SYM5a3Cq48ULxtwSn_RV7rPgnAij4j4QoHoaLZPTkENiDKbRXh2Mg57wcR4czDarMYHoN2Xhd1lEtxK81pFy70gPwBQ9rDsb8hWUaqaodIxzciBso3IivN-oIMz8b3sX_tzQ_pApcFXkFnok9Kcnzfknz2E39BBtZlilYG2VnWHbeV1y" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgXODubxCt-qV51SYM5a3Cq48ULxtwSn_RV7rPgnAij4j4QoHoaLZPTkENiDKbRXh2Mg57wcR4czDarMYHoN2Xhd1lEtxK81pFy70gPwBQ9rDsb8hWUaqaodIxzciBso3IivN-oIMz8b3sX_tzQ_pApcFXkFnok9Kcnzfknz2E39BBtZlilYG2VnWHbeV1y=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">In lieu of lunch, we
stopped in downtown Hilo to get gelato.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As we were driving through downtown Hilo, we happened upon the Hilo farmers’
market.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On one side of the street, there
were food stalls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the other side,
there were craft stalls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is Deb’s
favorite type of shopping.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since we
already had a parking space, we also visited several of the downtown shops
while we were there.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">This was already the 8th
day of our trip, and Deb had some clothes she wanted to wash, so we went back
to the hotel in the afternoon to do laundry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>After that, we decided to just relax at the hotel for the rest of the
day.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><u>Saturday, December 16<o:p></o:p></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Saturday morning, we had
clear skies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From our balcony, we had a
clear view of Mauna Kea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you look closely,
you can see snow on the summit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You don’t
often see snow in Hawaii.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiUAicOgu2UJp3D4i04h2StQ5uWdV6QInOHRUj7WBEGmpuC0isMVkL5Z9H3K0NvYH17ySYGrY1xDdUJTOTV32Ms5XQi0c50v64QxUZzIojSO1axfcihgnoUNAf0c2wY8_iD1LvH_RGiCdYQvAyVMEmTRDSy2LQWXWwJZGs8fsLTa9p5jltRxmBRZC5YK87w" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="133" data-original-width="320" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiUAicOgu2UJp3D4i04h2StQ5uWdV6QInOHRUj7WBEGmpuC0isMVkL5Z9H3K0NvYH17ySYGrY1xDdUJTOTV32Ms5XQi0c50v64QxUZzIojSO1axfcihgnoUNAf0c2wY8_iD1LvH_RGiCdYQvAyVMEmTRDSy2LQWXWwJZGs8fsLTa9p5jltRxmBRZC5YK87w=w400-h166" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After breakfast, we went
back to the Hilo farmers’ market.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s there
every day, but it’s much larger on Wednesdays and Saturdays.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were probably three times as many craft
vendors and twice as many food vendors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We spent the whole morning there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Our lunch consisted of coconut milk and food samples.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">In the afternoon, I
picked up two friends, Stefanie and Julie, from the airport.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was too early for packet pickup, and it
was also too early for them to check into their hotel, so I brought them to
Rainbow Falls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There wasn’t a rainbow on
Friday, but there was on Saturday, visible from the overlook above the falls.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgYf0SxkxmAOBQi2Z2ZeWuVP6MjKVtRe4uG4n3sa4pYhnmidvmhIAn7ld-bUDokY_LH5-3FlKj_iSrJvAkVS_UGxHfMJ5NMfhM1LnPudL_hgSfto81lXWEIkU2aP7mtOctpVrDvHPIy1S07IqjTx7-Nr0vMmolrZqNgksc-hoiONpkyIzhI_3uu70sgzQWK" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="273" data-original-width="320" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgYf0SxkxmAOBQi2Z2ZeWuVP6MjKVtRe4uG4n3sa4pYhnmidvmhIAn7ld-bUDokY_LH5-3FlKj_iSrJvAkVS_UGxHfMJ5NMfhM1LnPudL_hgSfto81lXWEIkU2aP7mtOctpVrDvHPIy1S07IqjTx7-Nr0vMmolrZqNgksc-hoiONpkyIzhI_3uu70sgzQWK=w400-h342" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Next, we went to pick up
our race packets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then we picked up Deb
at the hotel and spent the rest of the afternoon walking around Liliʻuokalani
Gardens and Coconut Island.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhllwglILu857yV_bINEk8y81tjgmHRC6Uk7nU8696mcKZcQxL73WjYz02R1QRmlPUeZNvx3DKfMWuZo_ZA5slWa6BdpDzOX_9apW3phpvlf1wmT-2V9nDTcfF8VhVZWr7sD1mgVY8n2dSoGh3MHpd821L5kR63dunAji6IEtgujK-ltioEb89yXzchjnNE" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhllwglILu857yV_bINEk8y81tjgmHRC6Uk7nU8696mcKZcQxL73WjYz02R1QRmlPUeZNvx3DKfMWuZo_ZA5slWa6BdpDzOX_9apW3phpvlf1wmT-2V9nDTcfF8VhVZWr7sD1mgVY8n2dSoGh3MHpd821L5kR63dunAji6IEtgujK-ltioEb89yXzchjnNE=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgwnDKXyUqUDb0TJZBVSG958yjWZjd8w5xRqJin4Rq1qw0e5WmoEA31l9qFsQJvyRqSHEjAFyKLErhs7URmCp5S1YgRWorIPQOKj8Qr5N3hJbxBOx79skGJgixJyHrgiESq5kywL5lg_A8IvHdmDHwJOcQP7z3BiQWa1V_woycshvauIamsLCSH47No5eqt" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="138" data-original-width="320" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgwnDKXyUqUDb0TJZBVSG958yjWZjd8w5xRqJin4Rq1qw0e5WmoEA31l9qFsQJvyRqSHEjAFyKLErhs7URmCp5S1YgRWorIPQOKj8Qr5N3hJbxBOx79skGJgixJyHrgiESq5kywL5lg_A8IvHdmDHwJOcQP7z3BiQWa1V_woycshvauIamsLCSH47No5eqt=w400-h173" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">For dinner, we went to Café
Pesto.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is my favorite restaurant in
Hilo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every time I’ve been to Hilo, I’ve
had lunch or dinner there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For my
pre-race dinner, I had their luau pizza, which has pineapple and kalua pork.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I was able to get to bed
early that night, but I only slept for four hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I woke up and couldn’t get back to
sleep.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><u>Sunday, December 17<o:p></o:p></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Sunday was race day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The race started at 6:00 AM, but I had to
catch a bus to the start by 4:15.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
pickup point for the bus was a short walk from my hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t need to leave the hotel until 4:00,
but I was in the lobby 10 minutes early.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I was too restless to sit down, so I started walking to the bus loading
point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The buses were there by the time
I arrived, so I got on the first bus.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The start was next to the
golf course in Volcano Village.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
elevation there is about 4,000 feet, so it’s much cooler there than it is in
Hilo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The temperature while we were
waiting to start was in the low 50s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By
contrast, I expected it to be at least 70 degrees in Hilo by the time I
finished.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">This course is one of the
fastest I’ve ever run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It descends
roughly 3,700 feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve run marathons
that had a greater net descent, but those races had sections that were
uncomfortably steep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This race has a gentle
descent, so you can run fast without beating up your legs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only tough part comes in the last few
miles, where there are a couple of uphill sections.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Although it was somewhat
chilly at the start, I dressed for the warmer weather I would encounter later
in the race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To stay warm in the start
area, I brought warm-up layers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They had
a gear check at the start.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We started before dawn,
and we were running on roads that are sparsely lit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone was required to carry a light in the
early miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were also strongly encouraged
to wear brightly colored clothes.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The race starts next to
the Volcano Golf Course on Plimauna Drive, but we quickly turned onto the
shoulder of Highway 11, which is the highway that connects Hilo to the southern
end of the island.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Plimauna Drive is
downhill, but we briefly ran uphill on the highway.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After about a quarter
mile on the highway, I saw the sign on the other side of the road indicating we
had reached the highest point on the highway (4,024 feet about sea level).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From that point on, we ran downhill.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">In the first two miles,
there wasn’t much room for runners to pass each other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I made an effort to establish a fast pace
before we got onto the highway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was
right behind runners who I know are faster than me, but I challenged myself to
keep up with them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In that first mile, I
was already breathing hard.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">My split for the first
mile was 8:10.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My goal for this race was
to break 3:30.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To do that, I needed an
average pace of 8:00, so I needed to be a little bit faster.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first mile isn’t all downhill, so I wasn’t
too concerned, but I picked up my effort in the second mile.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">In downhill races, I
always run with a short stride and a rapid cadence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do that to guard against overstriding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve also found that running downhill this
way lessens the impact on my quads.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Instead, I’m working my glutes pretty hard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ideally, I’m putting all my effort into “spinning
the wheels,” and I’m letting gravity take care of my forward progress.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">In the second mile, there
were places where the shoulder was only two feet wide, and vegetation sometimes
extended all the way to the white line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I never crossed the white line, but I sometimes ran right on it.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">My pace for the second
mile was 7:57.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was better, but I
felt like I was working harder than I should to run a pace that was just barely
fast enough for my goal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That mile was
all downhill, so I expected it to be faster.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Early in the third mile,
we left the highway to run through Volcano Village on Volcano Road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here, we were allowed to use the whole road,
but we generally stayed on the left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Volcano
Road isn’t too busy, but it was still open to traffic.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Where we turned onto Volcano
Road, there was room for an aid station.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This was the first of 10 aid stations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This one only had water, but several of the aid stations had both water
and Gatorade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I drank the Gatorade
whenever it was available.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">This aid station had a
box where we could drop off a flashlight or headlamp.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I turned off my flashlight as I approached,
and I slowed down enough to carefully place it in the box as I ran by.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Volcano Road started out
level, but gradually turned downhill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
were on that road for more than two miles before returning to the highway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I got my split for mile three, I was disappointed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I slowed to 8:21 in that mile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That pace wasn’t going to cut it, so I picked
up my effort.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I wasn’t just putting
effort into “spinning the wheels.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was
also putting extra effort into picking up my pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve run this race three times before, and I
haven’t needed to do that at this point in the race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was working harder this year, and I
wondered if my effort was going to be sustainable.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">My best recent time on a
flat course was 3:42 and change.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve
always been at least 13 minutes faster on this course than I am on a flat
course, so breaking 3:30 seemed like a very reasonable goal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t know why I needed to work so hard to
run at that pace.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">In mile four, I was able
to bring my pace back down below eight minutes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I knew from experience that I was just getting to the fastest part of
the course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve always run fastest in
miles five through seven.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">During the fifth mile, I left
Volcano Road to turn back onto the shoulder of the highway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The shoulder was wider here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the rest of the race, I always felt I had
plenty of room to run.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">My pace in the next few
miles was faster and took less effort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In miles five through seven, I averaged 7:23.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s the good news.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bad news is that I was already starting
to notice some soreness in my glutes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
other times I ran this race, my training had emphasized race-walking over
running.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Race-walking builds the muscles
that I was using in this race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In recent
months, I’ve been building my running mileage, but I’ve been neglecting my race-walk
training. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a result, my glutes were
already showing signs of fatigue.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When you’re running
downhill and the road ahead levels off, it can look like you’re about to go
uphill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is an optical
illusion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were a few sections like
this and one of them came in mile eight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As I reached this section, it felt like I was running uphill, even
though I was pretty sure it was merely flat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I understood why when I got my next split.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even though that mile was much flatter, I was
still running almost as fast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ran than
mile and the next one in 7:34 each.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Now that I had finished
nine miles, I could tell myself I was already one third done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had yet to notice much difference in
temperature.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s possible that the
temperature had risen a few degrees, but there was a cool breeze that felt chilly
on my arms.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">By the 10th mile, I was
starting to moderate my pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the
next few miles, I averaged about 7:50.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">About halfway through
mile 12, I reached a section of the course that started out level, but would
eventually turn slightly uphill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
was no optical illusion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This section
actually is uphill, and it was fairly long.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The uphill section continued well into the 13th mile.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I was able to maintain
the same pace in mile 12, but in mile 13, I slowed to 8:18.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew that was a tougher mile, so I wasn’t
too concerned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As long as I brought my
pace back under eight minutes when the road turned downhill again, I would be
fine.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">During that long flat to
uphill section, I adjusted my gait.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
slowed my cadence and took a longer stride.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That gave my glutes a much-needed rest.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">At the halfway mark, I was
on pace to break 3:25.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t expect
to keep up that pace for the whole race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I had several reasons to expect the second half to be slower.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The three easiest miles were already behind
me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The toughest miles were at the end
of the race, so those were still ahead of me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Up until now, the weather felt comfortable, but I knew it would get
warmer and more humid as I got closer to the coast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally, my effort didn’t feel
sustainable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt like I had been
working harder than I usually do in the first half of this race.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">My goal was still breaking
3:30.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t need to keep up the same
pace I ran in the first half.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All I
needed to do was maintain an average pace of 8:00 per mile until the last few
miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With about two and a half miles
to go, I would reach a tough hill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
wanted to be in a position where I had enough of a cushion that I could afford
to slow down in the last three miles.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Just past the halfway mark,
the road turned noticeably downhill again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Without even trying, I sped up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As I realized I was speeding up, I went back to running with a short
stride and a rapid cadence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the next
two miles, I averaged 7:30.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t
need to run that fast, but I was happy to add to my cushion, as long as I wasn’t
working too hard to do it.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I usually slow down or
walk briefly while drinking at aid stations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>On this section of the course, I reached an aid station and tried to
grab a cup of Gatorade without slowing down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The Gatorade all spilled on the front of my shirt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to stop and reach back for another cup
of Gatorade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The volunteer apologized for
the bad handoff, but it wasn’t his fault.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I said, “My bad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I usually slow
down.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">With about 10 miles to
go, I entered a town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was the first
town since Volcano Village.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I briefly
felt some light drizzle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then it stopped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then the sun came out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then it got cloudy again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The weather can change quickly in
Hawaii.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All of these changes came within
a span of just a few minutes.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Going through this town,
we needed to cross another busy street.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There were course marshals to hold up the traffic for us.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Over the next several
miles, I settled into a pace in the 7:40s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I was happy with anything under eight minutes.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">There were mileposts on the
side of the road, which were gradually counting down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew from experience that if I subtracted
four from the milepost number, it would give me a pretty good estimate of the
number of miles remaining.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I saw milepost
12, I knew I had just eight miles to go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That was the good news.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bad
news came on a sign on the opposite side of the highway.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">There were signs marking
every 500 feet of elevation change.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Because they were on the opposite side of the road, I didn’t always
notice them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With eight miles to go, I
saw the sign for 1,000 feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The elevation
at the finish is about 300 feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had
already descended more than 3,000 feet, but there would only be 700 feet of net
descent over the last eight miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s
still almost 100 feet per mile, but it would take a lot more effort to maintain
the same fast pace.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">By now, I was running
with another runner who was in the same age group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t recognize him, but he remembered
running with me last year too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As the
road leveled off in the late miles, I challenged myself to keep up with him.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I was dividing the
remaining miles into two segments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had
five more miles that would be somewhere between level and downhill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In these miles, I needed to average 8:00 per
mile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the last three miles, the
course is somewhat rolling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew these
miles would be slower, but I was hoping to have enough of a cushion that I
could slow down and still finish comfortably under 3:30.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Over the next five miles,
my pace ranged from 7:39 to 8:00.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
guy I had been running with started to pull away from me with about five miles
to go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wasn’t slowing down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was speeding up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was on his way to a strong finish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was on my own now.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">By now, the sun was out,
and I was also starting to notice the humidity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I felt hot at times, but only when the sun was on me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With so few miles to go, I didn’t feel like I
was in any danger of blowing up from the heat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If I blew up, it would be from the cumulative toll of pushing myself
hard since the beginning of the race.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">With about three miles to
go, I recognized a major intersection.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
knew the only tough hill on the course would be starting soon.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I felt the road turning
uphill with about 2.7 miles to go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s
not a steep hill, but after 23 miles of downhill running, anything uphill feels
like a mountain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t try to
maintain the same pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just kept up
the same effort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I expected to give back
some time on this hill, but I didn’t want to wear myself out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>More than once, this hill has broken me, and
I’ve been slow all the way to the finish.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The top of the hill was
just before the 24 mile mark. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I got
my split, I was pleased to see that I ran that mile in 8:36.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I only gave back 36 seconds in the toughest
mile of the race.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">As I reached the top of
the hill, it started sprinkling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Twice
before, I had felt some light drizzle, but only for about 30 seconds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This time, the rain lasted for several minutes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had been noticing the increase in
temperature, and the rain ensured I wouldn’t get too hot in the last two miles.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The road turned downhill
again, but then I saw what looked like another hill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In all likelihood, the road merely leveled
off, but it still took more effort.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I don’t know if I was
running out of gas or if I just got complacent, but I was disappointed to see that
I ran mile 25 in 8:40. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That
was slower than the previous mile, even though this mile was downhill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t feel like the hill in the previous
mile broke me, so I worked harder to pick up my pace in the next mile.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Mile 26 wasn’t as slow as
mile 25.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ran it in 8:20.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Over the last three full miles, I averaged
8:32.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had budgeted nine minutes for
each of those miles, so I knew I was still going to break 3:30 by a wide margin.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I turned off the highway onto
the road where we would finish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
approach to the finish is slightly uphill, and there’s a bend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can’t see the finish line until you get
around the bend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did my best to finish
strong, but another runner raced by me.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I finished in 3:25:56.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s the fastest I’ve ever run on this
course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was my fastest marathon this
year by more than 16 minutes.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The finisher medals for this
race look like small dog tags.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’re
made of silver.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjn75uQcLCIho1LETO82fJp0MDxLb5bljIVT4YZjl3zTpMRrbqdXMbVOiCG0rwdEw7qkLfDRTZW75tjocROrt36a9_GxRXLXVGwj4QqVgATdoCjYhpURQH3GR2wZNhPlA9VmuiLXVRScNt-ngZdR0VkgEi164ntTXeWkFGTteEAcMT5J8JYJdHZxaxiCgqy" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="188" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjn75uQcLCIho1LETO82fJp0MDxLb5bljIVT4YZjl3zTpMRrbqdXMbVOiCG0rwdEw7qkLfDRTZW75tjocROrt36a9_GxRXLXVGwj4QqVgATdoCjYhpURQH3GR2wZNhPlA9VmuiLXVRScNt-ngZdR0VkgEi164ntTXeWkFGTteEAcMT5J8JYJdHZxaxiCgqy=w235-h400" width="235" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When I picked up my gear bag,
the volunteers had already tucked my flashlight into a separate zippered
compartment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They did that last year
too.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The guy I had been running
with took second in our age group, and I was third.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Age group awards only go to the top two in
each 5-year age group, but I wasn’t disappointed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He finished strong and clearly deserved his
award.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was happy just to have run as
fast as I did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was my fastest
marathon in four years.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I already had a
qualifying time for the 2025 Boston Marathon, but this race will give me a
better corral seeding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s also fast
enough to get me into the New York City Marathon.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">My friend Stefanie finished
about 30 seconds after I did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
lingered in the finish area long enough to grab some post-race snacks, but then
we got on the bus that would take us back to our hotels.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a bus already waiting when we finished,
and we didn’t want to risk missing it and having to wait for the next one.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">While we were on our way
back, another runner was looking up results on her phone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s when we discovered that Stefanie won
an age group award.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We each needed time to
get cleaned up, but then Deb and I picked up Stefanie and Julie and brought
them back to the finish area, so Stef could get her award.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had some time before they needed to be at
the airport, so we stopped downtown to get smoothies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then we drove to several beach parks that are
close to the airport.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There aren’t many
beaches in Hilo that are suitable for swimming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>These are parks where you can have a picnic lunch while watching the
waves crashing on a rocky coastline.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi2ROPaEjQgttAlnwTscOD9OLvJNNT5qC_j9aEsaSODhNRtfeJYYHOfz3lLjm2Jc9HNrlRYE6nLugBPBMvdsjo8_-KQpS2OXLHt408wXCBRWKcUraykW-mei7MMgxVNUGtTYXC42CRW7hBws2gprlD89-SqmvRkORMvmNR3F-M-1B7S4XJ4-VanAEEwdrAB" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi2ROPaEjQgttAlnwTscOD9OLvJNNT5qC_j9aEsaSODhNRtfeJYYHOfz3lLjm2Jc9HNrlRYE6nLugBPBMvdsjo8_-KQpS2OXLHt408wXCBRWKcUraykW-mei7MMgxVNUGtTYXC42CRW7hBws2gprlD89-SqmvRkORMvmNR3F-M-1B7S4XJ4-VanAEEwdrAB=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh-Vgw50rKPDqn60AiZN6F5vYT572t---IuDYciuVaLcdBHB9vUpVdxtaRxgF3uj4Unv3RhJpwTmYgyFpjhXOusU8RNFgf-iIScsXXhIRRD_Ng6t1rGaISdcXI3tqm8WqME-CYgC9gTNDDy4CiBDByKKklw2qkgauK_cGwnVhbuQ72IKf65cRIymd3VUYqh" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh-Vgw50rKPDqn60AiZN6F5vYT572t---IuDYciuVaLcdBHB9vUpVdxtaRxgF3uj4Unv3RhJpwTmYgyFpjhXOusU8RNFgf-iIScsXXhIRRD_Ng6t1rGaISdcXI3tqm8WqME-CYgC9gTNDDy4CiBDByKKklw2qkgauK_cGwnVhbuQ72IKf65cRIymd3VUYqh=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj2gxVE0x9fNokU5ru9VnBgDW6ozI66RUNk23MF9CwBT3dKY-5-cyXaDFkU_lrby2XU9ZR2Goj1HF86vEhIbniSn4-ef1JpAhENMwZdcQrMLpEYsDfyqU_u9Akos0RyR1wFV6vdR67WLNPJlX4mqk4akkxzYDjhYM49DUOgnNjBZVKilzZNfigm7w11yshw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj2gxVE0x9fNokU5ru9VnBgDW6ozI66RUNk23MF9CwBT3dKY-5-cyXaDFkU_lrby2XU9ZR2Goj1HF86vEhIbniSn4-ef1JpAhENMwZdcQrMLpEYsDfyqU_u9Akos0RyR1wFV6vdR67WLNPJlX4mqk4akkxzYDjhYM49DUOgnNjBZVKilzZNfigm7w11yshw=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg2KQ_jq9WEG8eM0RXHAXO6uJcoLPOjn_nUFD0jtNj8rpf3UeS-eW_PYNytRdF7CmTtoN6QUMVm-bDvosW2MbH6kzYic_k2Tozl4N1pOrQDm2pM0CZwc27yCIKKGvYi97xVuVzYpBid2MugLcB-SJjWnT2mO1tDinUquer6xKX5X3LZXhap8lovpgbn-NYU" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg2KQ_jq9WEG8eM0RXHAXO6uJcoLPOjn_nUFD0jtNj8rpf3UeS-eW_PYNytRdF7CmTtoN6QUMVm-bDvosW2MbH6kzYic_k2Tozl4N1pOrQDm2pM0CZwc27yCIKKGvYi97xVuVzYpBid2MugLcB-SJjWnT2mO1tDinUquer6xKX5X3LZXhap8lovpgbn-NYU=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjUdCa6mM06PLi4DhP0AxPJGQLvni48NaFsHBocotrvPlBFEBqLP7ZBbnv5WY9je5gutiCxTfW06dGCEFDmsJgcLepCg9y-wuo4U2n_MrQ4ea9NiRYSJ_cyb5WtUQ5i6bewIOYpJYXGugK-q15NhFwqG9AYILnRYsE_F8EYQGi2D3esBTyx-GFSBWYWCoqT" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjUdCa6mM06PLi4DhP0AxPJGQLvni48NaFsHBocotrvPlBFEBqLP7ZBbnv5WY9je5gutiCxTfW06dGCEFDmsJgcLepCg9y-wuo4U2n_MrQ4ea9NiRYSJ_cyb5WtUQ5i6bewIOYpJYXGugK-q15NhFwqG9AYILnRYsE_F8EYQGi2D3esBTyx-GFSBWYWCoqT=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After dropping off Stefanie
and Julie at the airport, Deb and I went to a park next to Waiakea Pond.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiKNbn3R-j971NAul0Qzdk6bwdr5pB0KbVzcJdBskkT1jDwF-CMsC5bSuzqiiPDtMalXDH8aZsFYHCIsBMz67NMtc_OPPIUrVGX4yafZRKNJFSvr_MyjtTleHeYAS3qeveIAsAvYLT1iSWbWSJNSo-rwaPjtbwk2nLMOtoQnGWMZYyxH3Ikzgo0FAoa2xza" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="192" data-original-width="320" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiKNbn3R-j971NAul0Qzdk6bwdr5pB0KbVzcJdBskkT1jDwF-CMsC5bSuzqiiPDtMalXDH8aZsFYHCIsBMz67NMtc_OPPIUrVGX4yafZRKNJFSvr_MyjtTleHeYAS3qeveIAsAvYLT1iSWbWSJNSo-rwaPjtbwk2nLMOtoQnGWMZYyxH3Ikzgo0FAoa2xza=w400-h240" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi1WDLD0W_xFdIlanVJfGSkC_mWw78A85GShefj60sPCiY1BWOM82FhXQaWIZaEmXCT9LGiibob8H0EAKtjeV-kFMVgZ3HLgBFNX0m7AYb6Bvzl8UnT5RDT4eyonyuFjZV7O8MMC2vk4hVV3lNitFn2iiB3l9BSOhH3Xioi2_K7L0NzfqHJzTolIcUEP56k" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="140" data-original-width="320" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi1WDLD0W_xFdIlanVJfGSkC_mWw78A85GShefj60sPCiY1BWOM82FhXQaWIZaEmXCT9LGiibob8H0EAKtjeV-kFMVgZ3HLgBFNX0m7AYb6Bvzl8UnT5RDT4eyonyuFjZV7O8MMC2vk4hVV3lNitFn2iiB3l9BSOhH3Xioi2_K7L0NzfqHJzTolIcUEP56k=w400-h175" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Deb and I spent the rest
of the afternoon relaxing at the hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We didn’t feel like going out again, so we had dinner in the hotel
restaurant.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><u>Monday, December 18<o:p></o:p></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The next morning, my left
Achilles tendon felt a little tight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>After a hot bath and some stretching, it felt better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also had some sore muscles, mostly in my
glutes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before breakfast, I went to the
fitness center to do some strength training.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Getting some blood flow to all the right muscles helped jumpstart my
recovery.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">It was raining while we
ate breakfast, but as soon as the rain stopped, I went for a short recovery
run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I kept the pace nice and
relaxed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was more about stimulating
blood flow than doing quality training.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>To relieve tension on my Achille tendon, I put some padding under my
left heel.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We spent the rest of the
morning packing and left for the airport around noon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had a short flight to Honolulu and then
had a three hour layover before the overnight flight to Minneapolis.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><u>Race statistics</u>:</div><div>Distance: 26.2 miles</div><div>Time: 3:25:56</div><div>Average Pace: 7:51 per mile</div><div>First Half: 1:42:24</div><div>Second Half: 1:43:32</div><div>Lifetime Marathons/Ultras: 502</div><div>Boston Qualifiers: 160</div>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07537579568732930585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3046379205507947695.post-39682006599165821312023-12-14T20:21:00.001-06:002023-12-14T20:43:31.794-06:00Sightseeing on Maui<p>After the Honolulu Marathon,
Deb and I flew to Mau. This report picks up
where my last one left off.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><u>Monday, December 11<o:p></o:p></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We had an early afternoon
flight from Honolulu to Kahului on Maui.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When we planned this trip, we were going to stay in Lahaina.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since then, most of the town was destroyed by
a fire, including our hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead of
staying in Lahaina, we stayed in Kahului.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Our hotel was on an inlet
that had a nice breeze coming in from the coast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we arrived at the airport, the sun was
oppressive, so it was nice to be someplace where we could sit outside and feel
comfortable in the breeze.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgTYH0devgB3cTnn6_pS8BvO4S4wX4UIbi0J8Z1VstHVx3a_KQbJC0FCRgMv348ibCeN4lGD_LfbSZh0WRTSN2HZ79P8jl_pieJGHGmzBP6GEjyOdVFSqMWBaRnNnlrIjP3UBPDYZrbZVmEQWmi7r892Z8jAgj4oQG6Vgl2mWdM7Zx1Dnufpc9yHNQ1UF-R" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="195" data-original-width="320" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgTYH0devgB3cTnn6_pS8BvO4S4wX4UIbi0J8Z1VstHVx3a_KQbJC0FCRgMv348ibCeN4lGD_LfbSZh0WRTSN2HZ79P8jl_pieJGHGmzBP6GEjyOdVFSqMWBaRnNnlrIjP3UBPDYZrbZVmEQWmi7r892Z8jAgj4oQG6Vgl2mWdM7Zx1Dnufpc9yHNQ1UF-R=w400-h244" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Our hotel also had a beach.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiS4o8IEQTugOBwKObBnfLdUfDTebm6zgnsaQYay5M_GMjujzBtwrCAz0_4zCRCSd8alUkX6NegDvPHe8QppvKaYN866fZkm4AZEYIoX5pbX4ePNY9Tfy0SgjJVSW-dCHqlF5jl-RiwL4Q3p95aQQVjITptKzTKkmhaWeWga4bx7ThkAxtfL-TNaHyAOJvh" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="169" data-original-width="320" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiS4o8IEQTugOBwKObBnfLdUfDTebm6zgnsaQYay5M_GMjujzBtwrCAz0_4zCRCSd8alUkX6NegDvPHe8QppvKaYN866fZkm4AZEYIoX5pbX4ePNY9Tfy0SgjJVSW-dCHqlF5jl-RiwL4Q3p95aQQVjITptKzTKkmhaWeWga4bx7ThkAxtfL-TNaHyAOJvh=w400-h211" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After getting settled
into our room, we spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing at the hotel and
enjoying the breeze off the coast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
had dinner at an Italian restaurant that was just across the street.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><u>Tuesday, December 12<o:p></o:p></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We had breakfast at a
restaurant attached to our hotel. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their breakfast
menu included pineapple upside down pancakes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Of course we had to try those.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After breakfast, I went
for a run. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stuck to roads that kept me
close to the coast, which gave me a few nice views.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi76peticyVtSYnj6Uv3CxFfgRyB7qeDLeWsu-xLmeBgAALooup9yQCs6DjGWwx751ZZbLHCsuK_CCDlkHCNDFW7EzwrbfwGhVONq4LXC0Az_f9RArAYhxme55EBOjC-0k9ymNBDgYuOs-_O4tp8_xJM_1OTmM-6K5B6ttQ4CAClx3DS77pRYgu0DLUDGzs" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="219" data-original-width="320" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi76peticyVtSYnj6Uv3CxFfgRyB7qeDLeWsu-xLmeBgAALooup9yQCs6DjGWwx751ZZbLHCsuK_CCDlkHCNDFW7EzwrbfwGhVONq4LXC0Az_f9RArAYhxme55EBOjC-0k9ymNBDgYuOs-_O4tp8_xJM_1OTmM-6K5B6ttQ4CAClx3DS77pRYgu0DLUDGzs=w400-h274" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We spent the rest of the
morning in the Iao Valley.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjJmuIhN2jU3R-7cItFKrJTcPfOYeoPuFMUpGEOl2H2XQYD2Y_O3Zr1fwxMS0HYCj_X42OAd0TbD_08eliDRMMQsvx9E_MEZBdQFG-C4Ee30o6BiGFHsONOHBDhENIMl5T6laGlYbtQmTCsrTkVhbneAUFxyKGkMmDF64L2vHo-wEfUhe2wWCz0X4Y-v7MQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjJmuIhN2jU3R-7cItFKrJTcPfOYeoPuFMUpGEOl2H2XQYD2Y_O3Zr1fwxMS0HYCj_X42OAd0TbD_08eliDRMMQsvx9E_MEZBdQFG-C4Ee30o6BiGFHsONOHBDhENIMl5T6laGlYbtQmTCsrTkVhbneAUFxyKGkMmDF64L2vHo-wEfUhe2wWCz0X4Y-v7MQ=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg4ZuBIdeS0VACQquk5X3fTAA-zQ1Ofx3L0rf6P5km0ms6U2G3DeIapw0U_15g1RI_0IQtrrSWbW2ExswNUdkxn-sRAgRdIfsj4aBlbP1hnnaH4GrEVF8BEi62C7NfkQBHbKH9kmunPzyRbcs5Gc_XwXej9P5w6GPh724EVj8bqqucy089NS7YtN1inmKqS" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg4ZuBIdeS0VACQquk5X3fTAA-zQ1Ofx3L0rf6P5km0ms6U2G3DeIapw0U_15g1RI_0IQtrrSWbW2ExswNUdkxn-sRAgRdIfsj4aBlbP1hnnaH4GrEVF8BEi62C7NfkQBHbKH9kmunPzyRbcs5Gc_XwXej9P5w6GPh724EVj8bqqucy089NS7YtN1inmKqS=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjmayrF5GeCSq2lxabmxwIfsCUqZC1cJajaiCrKgcFn0to16iGEo6UAgedQzkg1crsNi6U-HSetQu4jdnmMQI6CJ1nUIAdICe8_ZPj3xnfTzStCXNImeMOkrtQbuDaEbw-zeqq8_dyGoWpIPj1GC-p-llnpm3r2MCvxnmDnr3qhpYd0Tra3teJIP3_v8N3E" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjmayrF5GeCSq2lxabmxwIfsCUqZC1cJajaiCrKgcFn0to16iGEo6UAgedQzkg1crsNi6U-HSetQu4jdnmMQI6CJ1nUIAdICe8_ZPj3xnfTzStCXNImeMOkrtQbuDaEbw-zeqq8_dyGoWpIPj1GC-p-llnpm3r2MCvxnmDnr3qhpYd0Tra3teJIP3_v8N3E=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We came back into Kahului
for lunch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then we went to Kula to tour
the botanical gardens.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgsHGOVcvNXMeCp_P4gGb1y1CHsdEHoUiqnmLZmiFog4x2YkYnD1YI1e4vJ414EsWgjQHTvsWsHTlygEOr2tEouOBgpp3-yKy2_mCgaQ6KfUrgl6o4jHmYuBDIXaaLQSnRQdehv5-Hqkr12bXM3eHOr_pQS7gOsJ55lL2ZqHemzqgM4RLGwv1bvLg5gzaPv" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgsHGOVcvNXMeCp_P4gGb1y1CHsdEHoUiqnmLZmiFog4x2YkYnD1YI1e4vJ414EsWgjQHTvsWsHTlygEOr2tEouOBgpp3-yKy2_mCgaQ6KfUrgl6o4jHmYuBDIXaaLQSnRQdehv5-Hqkr12bXM3eHOr_pQS7gOsJ55lL2ZqHemzqgM4RLGwv1bvLg5gzaPv=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEik1ljmWfww8E5koN6SnFKlJuBw4VkWYrNzvAtFC0HmnHX7-d503ajNs4dv1wwsLBZkIIbCYNdr1Hwu_9fgbeLob7M7_43UiGJmk_lBfomIxXQdqC6alJK8I0i1diqqplF6f1iXt0WKe4AbfOrqpoTmDXar61-Sej1DVV0GbcPZhAtQCZ6FdROXSLgYoCF9" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEik1ljmWfww8E5koN6SnFKlJuBw4VkWYrNzvAtFC0HmnHX7-d503ajNs4dv1wwsLBZkIIbCYNdr1Hwu_9fgbeLob7M7_43UiGJmk_lBfomIxXQdqC6alJK8I0i1diqqplF6f1iXt0WKe4AbfOrqpoTmDXar61-Sej1DVV0GbcPZhAtQCZ6FdROXSLgYoCF9=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiMQkqulhRUGpiInER6QNNbyHSqzSrw6Mk-TfqetXbC3g3OIJmPZ4hsMlAI01qN9hQ22YWqCBymEOkysdPf8wzgdFzJf7EvKsBupQauZOAzVAcjMLxIvhSNMY_XgFCnuTN1ut6OdzDbRVpFMT4l9wiOw1Dn_5P2bFYR7LrKkur4AdWzsZrIqyslDCulGHz4" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiMQkqulhRUGpiInER6QNNbyHSqzSrw6Mk-TfqetXbC3g3OIJmPZ4hsMlAI01qN9hQ22YWqCBymEOkysdPf8wzgdFzJf7EvKsBupQauZOAzVAcjMLxIvhSNMY_XgFCnuTN1ut6OdzDbRVpFMT4l9wiOw1Dn_5P2bFYR7LrKkur4AdWzsZrIqyslDCulGHz4=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiu-XRz0fnEVNSFD4a-PokUV24JswX02hc3uT4BmixjupPqnVQiKY85SqMEvq7ryejEQWpmtnp0g4AIKudPorTKwbEJwbIILuJAZjAiObWPUAgpBLbtONZQaMGP70VPs5HeEiw09hlagtmnID6NKAQSlteJItpND9BhDOkQgqKqPhBVG9wTGeVL_t3-e0A8" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiu-XRz0fnEVNSFD4a-PokUV24JswX02hc3uT4BmixjupPqnVQiKY85SqMEvq7ryejEQWpmtnp0g4AIKudPorTKwbEJwbIILuJAZjAiObWPUAgpBLbtONZQaMGP70VPs5HeEiw09hlagtmnID6NKAQSlteJItpND9BhDOkQgqKqPhBVG9wTGeVL_t3-e0A8=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">There was a problem with
our hotel room, but we had to wait until 4:00 before we could move into a
different room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the time we were
settled into our new room we were both exhausted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had dinner at the hotel and retired early.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><u>Wednesday, December 13</u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We left right after
breakfast for an all-day guided tour of the road to Hana.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a private tour, so we could spend more
time at stops that were accessible to Deb and skip the ones that weren’t
accessible.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The Hana Highway is a
narrow two-lane road has 660 turns and 200 bridges.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Having a guide doing all the driving allowed both
of us to enjoy the views along the way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This tour is more about the scenic drive than the destination.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">From the road, we had
frequent views of waterfalls.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgTc4_UNdG2BR612GHhDBVU69jrg7RvBdry5tWV_1ilzZNNPEan5NEHVVisnK3MNTnA5QztvMSGokv24ZBX_m2n_qlALKgcjyy8ub3ixw2EsUShANCJYeI9TQGzQe08L86BtSHnSiV0_I7adA6WJmo6_crMtdymM0MtCppvnhwkVtw6LdZEs3fF5ZfSXDts" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="228" data-original-width="320" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgTc4_UNdG2BR612GHhDBVU69jrg7RvBdry5tWV_1ilzZNNPEan5NEHVVisnK3MNTnA5QztvMSGokv24ZBX_m2n_qlALKgcjyy8ub3ixw2EsUShANCJYeI9TQGzQe08L86BtSHnSiV0_I7adA6WJmo6_crMtdymM0MtCppvnhwkVtw6LdZEs3fF5ZfSXDts=w400-h285" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhOCXqIdh_DYBOxF71Vk6vTvLfnQoYkgfDr9PZF7kuBYToUKSJwc3o0Wtvc6no8kFMxAZHssGl5IesJ2P_R94Mi26mm1TIB8dpYJTT2uMb_LlBJMxSx7WCikhyBfUYXc7KWakx4Skq9ZOJMVcBOM7SF3cUzAhuJWv3Zo8VyY-mEU0FvQd5WxMVFFZaO4b4L" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhOCXqIdh_DYBOxF71Vk6vTvLfnQoYkgfDr9PZF7kuBYToUKSJwc3o0Wtvc6no8kFMxAZHssGl5IesJ2P_R94Mi26mm1TIB8dpYJTT2uMb_LlBJMxSx7WCikhyBfUYXc7KWakx4Skq9ZOJMVcBOM7SF3cUzAhuJWv3Zo8VyY-mEU0FvQd5WxMVFFZaO4b4L=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We stopped at scenic
overlooks with coastal views and drove down to a black sand beach.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjN_K1Q_6xKWsrdbYFEtj0i8ItQmpD4REy7IRHa15h5UQslBqu8godMcdT2YdmITHzWVDly6cJHOgHUVYR9orQXG8kEyZAzpD-uWz--pMhrWAd5Z7Gp9dNFRD8KQFdhjwmkPrARqTKsIrwtzXArMUWdAlM542scN5VOVvb0fNkAKeSd_yUNj6oWAcWjqa0B" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjN_K1Q_6xKWsrdbYFEtj0i8ItQmpD4REy7IRHa15h5UQslBqu8godMcdT2YdmITHzWVDly6cJHOgHUVYR9orQXG8kEyZAzpD-uWz--pMhrWAd5Z7Gp9dNFRD8KQFdhjwmkPrARqTKsIrwtzXArMUWdAlM542scN5VOVvb0fNkAKeSd_yUNj6oWAcWjqa0B=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhj3Rap32we1XDO_VSmvr8iJQYB3wuGNee2omCrgqOClITsUBK5kTLdxliOZN84GB_n1D4k7KpD1CPR3RFynGFgLcw6MO1OJXR9wDeC4aVhO_WaxO1naek0vUMVkXZVq_vtOQE7bKyfqrsxGB7umyfP8BxCBIz3hiVrFT-HgYdBzhZ8h6pdSGAi8_fbOHTD" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhj3Rap32we1XDO_VSmvr8iJQYB3wuGNee2omCrgqOClITsUBK5kTLdxliOZN84GB_n1D4k7KpD1CPR3RFynGFgLcw6MO1OJXR9wDeC4aVhO_WaxO1naek0vUMVkXZVq_vtOQE7bKyfqrsxGB7umyfP8BxCBIz3hiVrFT-HgYdBzhZ8h6pdSGAi8_fbOHTD=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhPdw7y-Wn-JxEGlMiLUnWWka4SmE7hsEKb8oRjZFc2H4JqtMyRA2AwBMv07hwDDvW1_oees48wn3iJbvQ2x5d8p1F1g4KTFnbYhHFmhjv0bxBvKk1vC160G0NgLmb30Q3p9j5awGkhqA-Jm15TzH7TLrwq6hcsi7-nTL880GKjdSBbSat7Fjy7axTi0ilk" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhPdw7y-Wn-JxEGlMiLUnWWka4SmE7hsEKb8oRjZFc2H4JqtMyRA2AwBMv07hwDDvW1_oees48wn3iJbvQ2x5d8p1F1g4KTFnbYhHFmhjv0bxBvKk1vC160G0NgLmb30Q3p9j5awGkhqA-Jm15TzH7TLrwq6hcsi7-nTL880GKjdSBbSat7Fjy7axTi0ilk=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">One of our longer stops
was at an arboretum where we saw rainbow eucalyptus trees and ginger plants,
among other things.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhUl5QsppiAxZCKOjHS_czSSyDO-Fa6vg2hCs-dsQ2B7WJuuzwRHJ0frgc7OPF432aeP2Y93lfBaDBpxH_EwVvXclbIkIpJoYYakVrV8eA8sZgFBuvW4u5YoOYwiDFa17O7zEuqOKqSXtSQKzkItFFgOfGaoLe1-4DZj1iw2xs3L56Qp7Nu_itgDKjMi3gh" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhUl5QsppiAxZCKOjHS_czSSyDO-Fa6vg2hCs-dsQ2B7WJuuzwRHJ0frgc7OPF432aeP2Y93lfBaDBpxH_EwVvXclbIkIpJoYYakVrV8eA8sZgFBuvW4u5YoOYwiDFa17O7zEuqOKqSXtSQKzkItFFgOfGaoLe1-4DZj1iw2xs3L56Qp7Nu_itgDKjMi3gh=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj7LfdZQBV-8ZFh1Cwu5-y7My1cikP-EnuRB5xVsR3-RenSgZzlA9bY8kA6_lXXgTToyKAzHZ5kevMTZAE8gGSlgR9FkNfCh811s6oEeyDj0ECxZE1m3ZrfA0LIGOOVtxb0fD2reyVzOUvsk2eEOb5J0MwXuH03oipaUVmARLZpOUss48s3YiYtaJeGLRSl" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj7LfdZQBV-8ZFh1Cwu5-y7My1cikP-EnuRB5xVsR3-RenSgZzlA9bY8kA6_lXXgTToyKAzHZ5kevMTZAE8gGSlgR9FkNfCh811s6oEeyDj0ECxZE1m3ZrfA0LIGOOVtxb0fD2reyVzOUvsk2eEOb5J0MwXuH03oipaUVmARLZpOUss48s3YiYtaJeGLRSl=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We also stopped at the Ke’anae
Peninsula when we watched waves crashing on the shore and ate warm Auntie Sandy’s
banana bread.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhNhh-vGyN3eeCQoNr7Jnr68p_baK_28-h-dT9v0qvmJxUtVcjEoHuURwdeRUenwyf_e60p25lmrSvQHr_mnUqUcIK1Gz5rJI_xNbdU5vc81qcNmQSQDScgsnobLKznu2ay_DFjCciBFV38rMoHLqayqoh5wvjfrHGiwddNv3e8wmb73E_oZ3PXBMxL73q5" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhNhh-vGyN3eeCQoNr7Jnr68p_baK_28-h-dT9v0qvmJxUtVcjEoHuURwdeRUenwyf_e60p25lmrSvQHr_mnUqUcIK1Gz5rJI_xNbdU5vc81qcNmQSQDScgsnobLKznu2ay_DFjCciBFV38rMoHLqayqoh5wvjfrHGiwddNv3e8wmb73E_oZ3PXBMxL73q5=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We had lunch at Hana
Farms before driving back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We made
different stops on the way back from Hana.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Our last stop was a beach where sea turtles come ashore to rest in the
afternoon and evening.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEioboaKR3nORl6c92X6bt7-WpGY3g4N5FK3FmzXFd4V-0Asoz9ItGMKjypnOtdlARe3ON_hmbpfdgTklRGNkAPxOhTJKgFPE7X86tiHKuzW1bWMCrHy4Xtc502uQQAoFq1wIrachIu68XSVrVEn9EER1xDiUeweTfH3-e71klIipGF9BITdMO0B0HfK93cb" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEioboaKR3nORl6c92X6bt7-WpGY3g4N5FK3FmzXFd4V-0Asoz9ItGMKjypnOtdlARe3ON_hmbpfdgTklRGNkAPxOhTJKgFPE7X86tiHKuzW1bWMCrHy4Xtc502uQQAoFq1wIrachIu68XSVrVEn9EER1xDiUeweTfH3-e71klIipGF9BITdMO0B0HfK93cb=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">This beach is also
popular among surfers, because of the big waves.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgEZxJBXk2HZVw3xMRBY3EQkm6hN64s_vDxAQMe4gATvQ4FEfeRVD2zLdnTQ6Epe8FI5zoE5pyJmttqVeMbVhOygaudVWIrFw_jUYij16sGOebH1ChCvQhJlmPPMLOccm5hnDAXGdBG-uo63EdngxRsPiLMI-7MEupIdKt_TANbJTKurenkZP89iko8QXfR" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgEZxJBXk2HZVw3xMRBY3EQkm6hN64s_vDxAQMe4gATvQ4FEfeRVD2zLdnTQ6Epe8FI5zoE5pyJmttqVeMbVhOygaudVWIrFw_jUYij16sGOebH1ChCvQhJlmPPMLOccm5hnDAXGdBG-uo63EdngxRsPiLMI-7MEupIdKt_TANbJTKurenkZP89iko8QXfR=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We had a wonderful tour
guide.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He took us to places where he
doesn’t normally stop, and he omitted some of the customary stops, because he
knew Deb wouldn’t be able to do the hiking.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><u>Thursday, December 14<o:p></o:p></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Thursday was our last day
on Maui.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a breezy morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I went running, the waves on the bay were
choppy, but the cooler conditions made it possible for me to run a little farther
and take a hillier route without overheating.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg9qFygysa6i1N7VlXAM47mj6sjf_4u819A66iGiV5RG0WbUIgB5JG5bKF_uNwJGEnbgkgCP3SmPFjSyrACJunbfGJuKbwfeQrIJqAPaaBfB5g_cHyhGGZsMCNv5inbiBhuxATFt8MCwq82_iQtrz4YOQkjyJ0-UP4AF-9ykDCYLZ_IH7PoluufVpYcwC5Q" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg9qFygysa6i1N7VlXAM47mj6sjf_4u819A66iGiV5RG0WbUIgB5JG5bKF_uNwJGEnbgkgCP3SmPFjSyrACJunbfGJuKbwfeQrIJqAPaaBfB5g_cHyhGGZsMCNv5inbiBhuxATFt8MCwq82_iQtrz4YOQkjyJ0-UP4AF-9ykDCYLZ_IH7PoluufVpYcwC5Q=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After checking out from
our hotel, we went shopping in Pa’ia, where we also had lunch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pa’ia is a town we drove through on our road
to Hana tour on Wednesday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Deb noticed
that it was a small town with the type of mom and pop shops she likes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not far from Kahului, so it was the
perfect place to spend half a day before heading to the airport for our flight
to Hilo.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We flew to Hilo in the
late afternoon, where our adventures on the Big Island will begin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To be continued …</p>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07537579568732930585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3046379205507947695.post-84906787266379547912023-12-10T19:47:00.004-06:002023-12-11T12:07:28.443-06:00Race Report: 2023 Honolulu Marathon<p>On December 10, I ran the
Honolulu Marathon. I’ve done this race
twice before. In 2009, Deb and I went on
a 7-day Hawaii cruise out of Honolulu that visited three other islands before
returning to Oahu. The day after our
cruise, I ran the marathon. In 2015, I
returned to Honolulu by myself to run the marathon again, so I could complete
my second circuit of marathons in every state.
This year, Deb and I came back to Hawaii together.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">A few weeks before our trip,
Deb started experiencing severe pain in her left knee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After she had an MRI, her doctor advised her not
to put any weight on that knee for at least three weeks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Obviously, that put limitations on our
plans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were able to get Deb a light,
compact transfer chair before the trip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Deb
could still get around, but she needed me to be with her to push her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We could still go where we wanted, as long as
it was paved and didn’t involve steps.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What we couldn’t do was to go our separate ways.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I went running or went to packet pickup by
myself, Deb wouldn’t be able to shop or do sightseeing on her own.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><u>Friday, December 8<o:p></o:p></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We arrived in Honolulu in
the late afternoon after a nine-hour flight from Minneapolis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a direct flight, but it was still a
long travel day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the time we got to
our hotel in Waikiki, it was 6:30 PM.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s
a four-hour time difference between Minnesota and Hawaii, so to us it felt like
10:30 PM.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We had enough food on our
flight that we didn’t need to have dinner. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After checking in and unpacking a few things, I
went to a nearby ABC store to pick up food for breakfast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The running joke is that ABC stands for “All
Blocks Covered.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You rarely walk more
than a block in Waikiki without passing one.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><u>Saturday, December 9<o:p></o:p></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We were up well before
dawn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nothing is open that early, so we
ate a light breakfast in our room, and I went down to the fitness center to do
a workout.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As soon as the sun came up, I
went for a run around Diamond Head Crater.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiEKco6OYhc-xTE1Q98YfWPVhaLwD7M1KzYU4all3kAZnYnQ6RhN22kcy0pSdzj6o_2mD5sQt3orab-biCd0NbUB4jUMmqXmHlsOnOBfdVXsotc5uEkUAePK-DDgMxbl5Rcq3swI7QyEHXWxJzVUmE-qMYGYNhgjuBcuk7ST3V8eUUkrUdCHsWrdZMAyRsB" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="158" data-original-width="320" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiEKco6OYhc-xTE1Q98YfWPVhaLwD7M1KzYU4all3kAZnYnQ6RhN22kcy0pSdzj6o_2mD5sQt3orab-biCd0NbUB4jUMmqXmHlsOnOBfdVXsotc5uEkUAePK-DDgMxbl5Rcq3swI7QyEHXWxJzVUmE-qMYGYNhgjuBcuk7ST3V8eUUkrUdCHsWrdZMAyRsB=w400-h198" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After my run, we had
brunch at Lulu’s Restaurant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is my
favorite breakfast spot in Waikiki.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s
a second floor restaurant, and I didn’t see any way to get up to the restaurant
other than the stairs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I went in to ask
if there was another way up and found out there’s a hallway to the restaurant
from the second floor of the adjacent hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Going through the hotel worked fine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It pays to ask.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Next, we went shopping at
Duke’s Marketplace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is an alleyway
in the center of Waikiki where dozens of vendors set up market stalls to sell
souvenirs.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiLybS1xHcE84deoGN_dEZvR5RzGNzXAx8CPdTi_Ybf0tSJP4OpkXiZsfuW5UOsw34M_EiI_TBJxffBhS_XSTI6Xhm8GRmoXk0QUfcqo-0QdLANg1j7Cf8i8TM9i-9q6cJIAiK0AP9I8rxPUYbBL-yesfFVJRPOT25IKDGJhqepCd_7iYLIev_aMcJO_vcM" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiLybS1xHcE84deoGN_dEZvR5RzGNzXAx8CPdTi_Ybf0tSJP4OpkXiZsfuW5UOsw34M_EiI_TBJxffBhS_XSTI6Xhm8GRmoXk0QUfcqo-0QdLANg1j7Cf8i8TM9i-9q6cJIAiK0AP9I8rxPUYbBL-yesfFVJRPOT25IKDGJhqepCd_7iYLIev_aMcJO_vcM=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After bringing Deb back
to the hotel, I walked over to the Hawaii Convention Center to pick up my race
packet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew there was a trolley that
went to the expo, but I did know where the stops were.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I couldn’t find any information about it on
the website for the marathon, so I just walked there and back.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We spent the rest of the
afternoon alternately shopping and relaxing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Here’s a view of Diamond Head from the hotel’s pool deck on the third
floor.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjgCgl0-t7_mFIDZdM4Nim8X-7jQBmrSWhbwCUQn9aAnt0oBZyxS8hW8Wjva64rGP9XKzYHQ_Dh9oJFWdbLLIyADgO0kiIT-wB0WaIFH5_v2N6r6jLnCjw0X6-NpOLag0KbFO17LL3O8tn8HERM6-HrBhzfLnIHucmcA_DG5koWCbr0kLUkinIhWDWGXsWV" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="77" data-original-width="320" height="96" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjgCgl0-t7_mFIDZdM4Nim8X-7jQBmrSWhbwCUQn9aAnt0oBZyxS8hW8Wjva64rGP9XKzYHQ_Dh9oJFWdbLLIyADgO0kiIT-wB0WaIFH5_v2N6r6jLnCjw0X6-NpOLag0KbFO17LL3O8tn8HERM6-HrBhzfLnIHucmcA_DG5koWCbr0kLUkinIhWDWGXsWV=w400-h96" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The only other
sightseeing I did was to walk out to the end of Waikiki Walk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I couldn’t bring Deb out there, because there’s
too much sand for a wheelchair.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg2GqJ-6PMZTP-IkGhGTaPPW72v2AHsuzrGo_QQ1GX1ZBUalpO00SgM3ahgVK7hFbhim_daSbu9HzOScE_itRKqrRHU2xVmVgg06t90ETf06TSga98mBVNODOPAnVYvBk5kLkYWN5CZyP3JSc_zzOusat_By1GcCiTpL8S8xFa8iLgVyCIIMfaDQeGPDDJk" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="320" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg2GqJ-6PMZTP-IkGhGTaPPW72v2AHsuzrGo_QQ1GX1ZBUalpO00SgM3ahgVK7hFbhim_daSbu9HzOScE_itRKqrRHU2xVmVgg06t90ETf06TSga98mBVNODOPAnVYvBk5kLkYWN5CZyP3JSc_zzOusat_By1GcCiTpL8S8xFa8iLgVyCIIMfaDQeGPDDJk=w400-h243" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgwrJ6AQnSj3dP0rXHPyI_5c_n6gZAjYosiT9QyosrRBAIdpFZmODuy1aC3QDPMDw79-ebygLshn8oRru9xphs2sbZhFGoYerUrZ_W42qODtDyfh1sFWdHoGrhRWQfIfc82VAVNVxXHxOSgLoP_VU_KdtsE4QlzH7MvikHdvbFqdhRa4uq2zjvYij-mn-QN" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="174" data-original-width="320" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgwrJ6AQnSj3dP0rXHPyI_5c_n6gZAjYosiT9QyosrRBAIdpFZmODuy1aC3QDPMDw79-ebygLshn8oRru9xphs2sbZhFGoYerUrZ_W42qODtDyfh1sFWdHoGrhRWQfIfc82VAVNVxXHxOSgLoP_VU_KdtsE4QlzH7MvikHdvbFqdhRa4uq2zjvYij-mn-QN=w400-h217" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We had an early dinner at
an Italian restaurant in Waikiki.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
normally don’t open until 5:00, but for marathon runners who wanted to carbo
load, they opened at 3:30.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><u>Sunday, December 10<o:p></o:p></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Sunday was race day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The race started at 5:00 AM, but the start
was two miles from our hotel, so I took a bus to the start.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The buses left from a street alongside the
Honolulu Zoo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our hotel was on that
street, so I was able to walk across the street from the hotel to catch a
bus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The last bus leaves at 3:45, so I
had to be up pretty early.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I got up at 2:30, but I
wasn’t ready to leave the hotel until 3:20.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I didn’t realize I was cutting it close.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>After crossing the street, I saw the line of runners waiting to board a
bus. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wasn’t surprised that the line
went all the way down the street.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What surprised
me was seeing that the line went around the corner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I got to the corner, I couldn’t see the
end of the line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to walk for five
minutes just to get to the back of the line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The line moved fast, but I wasn’t on a bus until 3:45.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By then, there were only a few buses left,
and they were packing them so full that several of us had to stand in the
aisle.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Once I was on a bus, it
only took 15 minutes to get to the start area at Ala Moana Park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I still had an hour before the race
started.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I spent 20 minutes of that in
line to use a port-o-potty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I
started walking to the start corrals.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The start corrals
stretched out for several blocks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From
the back, you couldn’t even see the starting line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Based on my estimated finish time, I was
assigned to the blue start group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My
race bib has a blue background.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I saw other
runners with bibs that had orange, green, or purple backgrounds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There may have been a few other colors as
well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I walked toward the starting
line, I expected to see signs for the various color groups.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead, I saw signs for numbered zones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t know how these zones corresponded to
the different colors.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I kept walking until I
could see the starting line, and I lined up at a distance that made sense to
me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew from experience that you need
to be fairly close to the start if you plan to run the whole way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This race has no time limit, and a substantial
percentage of the participants will walk the whole way.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I lined up close enough
to the front that I was reasonably sure that there wouldn’t be any walkers in
front of me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Looking around me, I saw
runners with bibs of all different colors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Everyone was deciding for themselves where to line up.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgvCpoB24VEY3UlwEQuXPvLjD-FxwSRmFxKvmPZnCZo1UoXEvHmbOi6OIqET99W9Smj4XY017Wp8RvJWo2tOWLSkebiBnsGDw8CwG2O4RTogo-C1zdFsYrnllimR06FzefBx2td6LYaEjUHNLk5PRot1XAm5Bnj0kAjvdaY1H8JN-Ocxm4ivnTLqvxRCRZw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="298" data-original-width="320" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgvCpoB24VEY3UlwEQuXPvLjD-FxwSRmFxKvmPZnCZo1UoXEvHmbOi6OIqET99W9Smj4XY017Wp8RvJWo2tOWLSkebiBnsGDw8CwG2O4RTogo-C1zdFsYrnllimR06FzefBx2td6LYaEjUHNLk5PRot1XAm5Bnj0kAjvdaY1H8JN-Ocxm4ivnTLqvxRCRZw=w400-h372" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When the race started,
fireworks went off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I took one quick
picture and then put away my phone, so I could start running.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhsyDjjVz7N4Sn7txkKjJ3rRTb3jDlgb9gl-yI8Yo0PUOnr3-4bCqj3BwV_mItAA1irPkyxoSv7van8NqApGpN_N8ruG5yMWmrEQ-t1WhsPdR0reft_It74sOPtuwFpWYwG8bnVb1IfvDP6UGMzIJLuEkLpde0_1B955523xDwJxzyvHdd0_yMdF4VHcpAW" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="320" height="332" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhsyDjjVz7N4Sn7txkKjJ3rRTb3jDlgb9gl-yI8Yo0PUOnr3-4bCqj3BwV_mItAA1irPkyxoSv7van8NqApGpN_N8ruG5yMWmrEQ-t1WhsPdR0reft_It74sOPtuwFpWYwG8bnVb1IfvDP6UGMzIJLuEkLpde0_1B955523xDwJxzyvHdd0_yMdF4VHcpAW=w400-h332" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">It was still about 90
minutes before dawn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first several miles
were in the dark, but we were on city streets with plenty of street
lights.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I never had any trouble seeing
the road.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">For the first half mile,
I had to weave around slower runners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After
that, there were no longer any slower runners in front of me, so I could find
my own pace.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I felt like I was running
at a pace that might be too fast for the conditions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was 75 degrees with high humidity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the end of the first mile, I was already
feeling the humidity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I realized I
wasn’t feeling any wind.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I ran the first mile in
9:40.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s a minute slower than most
of my recent marathons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was closer to
the pace of an easy training run, yet it didn’t feel easy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It didn’t feel like it would be sustainable
for a marathon. I generally hold up well in hot temperatures, but if the humidity is high enough, it can force me to slow down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mile two was a little
faster, but then I slowed to about 9:40 for the next two miles.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The first time I reached
an aid station, I only saw water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
cooler conditions, I’ll sometimes skip an aid station if there’s no
Gatorade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In these conditions, I had to
take in fluid at every opportunity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I
saw Gatorade, I drank it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I didn’t, I
was happy to drink water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The important
thing was to drink at every aid station.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The first four miles were
a loop through the downtown area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then
we went past Ala Moana Park again and headed toward Waikiki.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">As I reached Waikiki, I
started to slow down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the next few
miles, my pace slowed into the 9:50s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
still seemed like I was working too hard.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">At about six miles, we left
Waikiki and reached Kapiolani Park, where the race would eventually
finish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They had a 10K race called “Start
to Park.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It started out the same way as
the marathon, but finished in Kapiolani Park.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We ran around one side of
the park on Diamond Head Road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then we
continued to run past the south side of Diamond Head Crater.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Going past Diamond Head,
there were only two lanes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had to stay
in the left lane, because runners would eventually come back on the other side
of the road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I though it would be a long
time before anyone would come back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
didn’t think about how much faster the elite wheelchair athletes would be.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">In the eighth mile, I
started up a gradual hill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t want
to work too hard on the hill, so I allowed myself to slow down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was the first mile that took me more
than 10 minutes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would also be the
last.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">It was also in the eighth
mile that I started to feel a strong breeze.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We were near the coast, and the breeze really helped to counter the
effects of the humidity.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">By now, I could make out
the shapes of clouds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At ground level,
it was still dark, but the sky was beginning to lighten.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">By the end of the ninth
mile, I saw several pace vehicles go by on the other side of the road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were ensuring the lane was clear for the
lead wheelchair athlete.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was too lazy to
figure out what his pace was, but it was obviously fast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was just getting to nine miles, and he was
already past 23.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The wheelers started
before the runners, but only by five minutes.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The next several miles
were slightly rolling, but we enjoyed a cool breeze.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was usually a headwind, but it wasn’t
strong enough to be tiring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It helped a
great deal with the humidity.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The first seven miles had
been flat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My pace was generally in the
9:40s and 9:50s, and it felt tiring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
next several miles wouldn’t be as flat, yet they were much easier.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now my pace ranged from the 9:30s to the
9:40s, and it didn’t feel tiring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
wind was a gamechanger.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The next several miles
were mostly out-and-back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I reached
the 18K mark, I saw another pace vehicle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This one was in front of the lead male.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The next two runners were close behind.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">By the time I finished 11
miles, there was plenty of light at ground level.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sun was above the horizon by now, but I
couldn’t see it yet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was too low in
the sky to be visible above trees and buildings.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">In mile 12, I
inadvertently sped up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ran that mile
in 9:13.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was much faster than any previous
mile, but it didn’t feel like it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s
possible that mile was downhill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I certainly
wasn’t trying to speed up.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I saw more pace vehicles
go by.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This time it was the lead
women.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two women were running stride for
stride, while a third gave chase.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">A lot of people walk this
race or run it slowly, but there’s no shortage of competition among the elite
athletes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before the race, they
announced that the first place male and female would each get a solid gold
medal weighing more than six ounces.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They had these medals on display at the expo.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Before the race, I told
Deb I would finish sometime between 9:00 and 9:30 AM.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That corresponds to a finish time between
4:00 and 4:30.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the halfway mark, I was
on pace to be right in the middle of that range.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I assumed at this point that I would slow
down in the second half.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In a few miles,
the conditions would get much tougher.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Between 15 and 17 miles,
we did a loop that would eventually lead us back to the same road, but in the
opposite direction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was about halfway
through this loop when I stopped feeling the wind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was gradually changing from a headwind to
a tailwind as we changed directions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That might sound like good news, but it isn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When it’s hot and humid, the wind is your
friend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A headwind will cool you
off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A tailwind doesn’t provide the same
cooling effect.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">At about 16 miles, I heard
someone in the crowd call my name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
all had our names on our race bibs, but this sounded like someone who
recognized me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I turned my head in time
to see Glen, who lives here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was
surprised to see him in the crowd.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
thought he would be running the race.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">By 17 miles, I was starting
to feel the sun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wasn’t
constant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were still shady areas,
but when I was out in the open, the heat of the sun was one more thing that
would make the last nine miles more difficult.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I fully expected to slow
down now, but I didn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the previous
few miles my times were consistently in the 9:30s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, my slower miles were in the 9:30s, but my
faster miles were in the 9:20s.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Often, I’ll work hard to
maintain or improve my pace in the second half of a race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wasn’t trying to do that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This wasn’t a goal race for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My next race has a fast course, and I’ll be
gunning for a fast time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was planning
to hold back in this race, to make sure I would still have gas in the tank for
the next one.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I was on auto-pilot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t know if I was simply continuing to
run with the same rhythm, or if I was subconsciously running at the same pace as
the people around me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Usually, the
runners around me will begin to slow down in the second half of a race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That didn’t seem to be happening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was speeding up slightly, but I wasn’t passing
the other runners.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The next few miles were
tough, but I kept up my pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I got
to 20 miles, I could see the top of Diamond Head in the distance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew it was still a few miles away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also knew the finish would be a few miles
beyond that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Still, it was a tangible
sign of my progress as I headed back toward the city.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">By now, the sun was
getting higher in the sky.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were
still shady spots, but most of the time the sun was on me.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After the 22 mile mark, I
started passing most of the other runners around me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some were walking, but I was also passing the
ones who were still running.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I assumed
the people around me were finally slowing down in the heat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>At 23, I saw that I had sped up to 8:58 in that mile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was my fastest mile so far by a wide
margin.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I was almost back to
Diamond Head Road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before I got there, I
had to climb a gradual hill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a
brief downhill, but once I turned onto Diamond Head Road, I had to go uphill
again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I slowed in mile 24, but not by
much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was still faster than 9:20.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Now I was on the last
hill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the same hill that slowed
me down in mile eight, but now I was approaching it from the opposite
direction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew I would crest the hill
just before the 40K mark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also knew it
would be mostly downhill from there to the finish.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">By now, it was obvious to
be that I was going to run negative splits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>My pace in the second half had been consistently faster than my pace in
the first half.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My slowest mile of the
first half was mile eight, when I was climbing this same hill from the other
side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That mile took 10:11.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I could run mile 25 in 10 minutes that
would still be faster.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I put some effort into
this hill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought I might slow down a
little, but I was pretty sure it would be faster than 10 minutes.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Near the top of the hill, there are two small parking areas for a scenic overlook. In one of these parking areas, there was a drum band, accompanies by a guy blowing a conch shell. I focused on the beat of the drums as I made it up the last part of the hill.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Just after I crested the
hill, I saw a beer stop set up in another parking area near the Diamond Head Lighthouse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I was still going uphill, I would’ve
skipped it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Knowing I was beginning a
long downhill section, I saw no reason not to have a dixie cup of PBR before
charging down this hill.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When I got my split for
mile 25, I saw that I didn’t slow down at all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I ran mile 25 in 9:19. That's the same time as mile 24, in spite of the hill. This was the mile that I would've been happy to run in 10 minutes.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">It was downhill all the
way to Kapiolani Park, and I worked it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I reached the 41K mark just before entering the park.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Earlier in the race, we
ran around one side of the park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, we
had to run around the other side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had
just under half a mile to go, but I would have to go around one last bend
before I could see the finish line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
finish was level, but most of mile 26 had been downhill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I sped up to 8:13 in that mile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was by far my fastest mile of the race.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">With about 100 meters to
go, I had a sudden urge to pee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Was that
the beer?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Was that all the water and
Gatorade I drank during the race?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Was I
starting to relax in anticipation of finishing?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I didn’t know, but I had to hold it in.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I finished the race in
4:10:18.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ran negative splits by six
minutes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you told me I would do that
at the halfway mark, I wouldn’t have believed you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Conditions were tougher in the last 10 miles,
and I wasn’t trying for negative splits until the last three.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It just happened.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The finisher medals had
the same design as the ones the winners received, but they weren’t made of
gold.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgfqKjOgQkCvIIpBAVPfWFHEQt-On71zUjPDRH2lWxMraau7KbmZ6VY0O3kpG3BJy7bTRGCksgiA1uWFEsGTpVLfs6y8_DHdesXRNCz0qtVKY9BdDP6m5paHV0plWg2cpFT1-2U2CtHGZJR7jqIIqDrtQpgIJVYR6dk-TBKtt5fWVP4sd6QcdxF9BikuhII" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="283" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgfqKjOgQkCvIIpBAVPfWFHEQt-On71zUjPDRH2lWxMraau7KbmZ6VY0O3kpG3BJy7bTRGCksgiA1uWFEsGTpVLfs6y8_DHdesXRNCz0qtVKY9BdDP6m5paHV0plWg2cpFT1-2U2CtHGZJR7jqIIqDrtQpgIJVYR6dk-TBKtt5fWVP4sd6QcdxF9BikuhII=w353-h400" width="353" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">As I made my way through
the finish area, my first priority was making a bathroom stop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I picked up my finisher shirt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most races give you a shirt at packet pickup,
but some of the older races still give you your shirt at the finish line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is one of those old school races.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">On my way out of the
park, I picked up a banana and a sweet roll to eat as I walked back to the
hotel.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">For the rest of the day,
Deb and I stayed close to the hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
each had different reasons for not wanted to venture out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Deb didn’t want to spend too much time in the
intense afternoon sun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was too fatigued
from the race to do too much additional walking.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Tomorrow, we’ll fly to
Maui.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To be continued<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>…<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><u>Race statistics:</u></div><div>Distance: 26.2 miles</div><div>Time: 4:10:18</div><div>Average Pace: 9:33 per mile (5:56 per kilometer)</div><div>First Half: 2:08:15</div><div>Second Half: 2:02:03</div><div>Lifetime Marathons/Ultras: 501</div>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07537579568732930585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3046379205507947695.post-37926156716018613732023-11-20T08:23:00.000-06:002023-11-20T08:23:03.398-06:00Race Report: 2023 Route 66 Marathon<p>On November 19, I ran the
Route 66 Marathon in Tulsa, OK. This was
the fourth time I’ve run this race. It’s
a popular race among members of the 50 States Marathon Club and Marathon Maniacs.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There aren’t any direct
flights from Minneapolis to Tulsa, so I had to change planes in Atlanta. To make sure I would arrive with plenty of
time, I took the first flight to Atlanta.
It’s not the first time I’ve been on a 5:25 AM flight. Whenever I do that, I regret having to get up
early enough to get to the airport on time.
On the bright side, I arrived in Tulsa just after noon,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Having done this race
before, I was already familiar with the logistics. I stayed at the downtown Doubletree, which is
connected by skyway to the Cox Business Convention Center, where the expo was
held. Doubletree has an airport shuttle,
so I didn’t need a car.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">After checking in at
Doubletree, I walked over to the convention center to pick up my race packet. My first stop was the 50 States Marathon Club,
where I got my wrist band for the VIP tent in the finish area. It’s called Maniac Corner, and it’s only available
to members of Marathon Maniacs and the 50 States Marathon Club.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Next, I got my race bib. I had to request a change to my corral assignment. Corrals are based on your estimated finish
time. I registered for this race so long
ago, that I had no idea what shape I would be in now. At the time, I needed a good race to break
four hours. Now, I’m consistently running
times in the 3:40s. Changing my corral
assignment was easy.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I reached two big milestones
at this race. I was finishing my fourth circuit
of marathons or ultras in all 50 states, and this was also my 500th lifetime
marathon or ultra. As recently as two
weeks ago, I was planning to go at an easy pace and treat this race like a
victory lap. Then I looked at the
elevation profile for the course.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This race used to have a
hilly course, but they changed the course since the last time I ran it. It still has some hills, but it’s not as difficult
as the course I remembered. In
particular, it’s no any hillier than Baltimore or Mankato, and I was able to
break 3:50 in both of those races. I saw
no reason why I couldn’t do it again on this course.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">After packet pickup, I
had time to do a workout in the hotel’s fitness center. Then I explored the downtown area. I started by walking over to the Cyrus Avery
Bridge, which is the on the historic Route 66.<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEMxJVPK7f0j1rmU8gRlw1nPeUIfRsBoNjIBqBP860TAAoV-Y1R8LuxTosDCkQ3A4qL35XfhRySry3SuGEY26pYjF-KwPVgtsLhyp40Vs93FOTDaBMeF4p1BaZUqO-yvbZWI7aOW8L54oaC0yciIv79GGR-Ld-fdHXNawv0SOkCKCeE7MlDPqL_LsvXLbY/s1971/route%2066%20sign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1971" height="127" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEMxJVPK7f0j1rmU8gRlw1nPeUIfRsBoNjIBqBP860TAAoV-Y1R8LuxTosDCkQ3A4qL35XfhRySry3SuGEY26pYjF-KwPVgtsLhyp40Vs93FOTDaBMeF4p1BaZUqO-yvbZWI7aOW8L54oaC0yciIv79GGR-Ld-fdHXNawv0SOkCKCeE7MlDPqL_LsvXLbY/w400-h127/route%2066%20sign.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<p class="MsoNormal">Next to the bridge, I saw
this bronze statue. It honors Cyrus Avery,
who is considered to be the father of Route 66.
I’ve run right past this statue before, but somehow I never noticed it.<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh559QGO1zSP7CO8HaRZyeWP-NvhClNsj-ADXFPKYKAXEK8aSLDR1UyySPaZZLbh1yJB6T3pfcXJ3joCssQgo6bn_ZEc2MH26Ti-be1hh5V9Rak6i1ab-2-x0AbxS3jKd7z02GHd0TOqld_S-7X69gZnPd4oZ1gLG1ywUesbdSsK13GWs5Zb7KGXtu_j-lR/s1769/statue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="910" data-original-width="1769" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh559QGO1zSP7CO8HaRZyeWP-NvhClNsj-ADXFPKYKAXEK8aSLDR1UyySPaZZLbh1yJB6T3pfcXJ3joCssQgo6bn_ZEc2MH26Ti-be1hh5V9Rak6i1ab-2-x0AbxS3jKd7z02GHd0TOqld_S-7X69gZnPd4oZ1gLG1ywUesbdSsK13GWs5Zb7KGXtu_j-lR/w400-h206/statue.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<p class="MsoNormal">Next, I walked over to
the East Village district, which is on the opposite side of downtown. The East Village is home to several
breweries. I also found a good brick
oven pizzeria there.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The race didn’t start
until 8:00 AM, so I didn’t have to get up outrageously early. I set an alarm, but I was awake before it
went off.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The temperature was in
the 50s. That would’ve been ideal, but
it was raining. I left the hotel wearing
a plastic rain poncho, but I didn’t know if I would need it for the whole
race. I wanted warm something to wear
after the race, in case I discarded the rain poncho, so I rolled up my Tyvek
jacket and stuffed it into my fanny pack.
It was a tight fit, but that worked.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The starting line was
only half a mile from my hotel. They
close the start corrals five minutes before the race, so I left the hotel 20
minutes before the race, to make sure I would have plenty of time to get into
my corral and find the 3:50 pace group.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When I got there, I
couldn’t find the 3:50 group. I saw a
3:55 group near the back of the corral, and I saw several other pace groups
closer to the front. I saw a 1:55 pace
group for the half marathon, so I lined up next to them. They were starting at the same pace, and we
would run about 12 miles before the two races separated from each other.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I mainly needed help with
pacing in the first five miles. Miles
one through five had some hills, and it would be much easier to run at the
right pace if I could just stay with a group and let the pace leaders set the
correct pace.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The first mile started
out downhill. On my own, I probably
would’ve started too fast. At first, I
stayed behind the pace leaders. At some
point, I had to move around a slower runner, and I accidentally got in front of
the pace group. I forced myself to go at
a pace that felt easy, so I wouldn’t get too far ahead of them. I assumed they would eventually catch up to
me on an uphill section.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The first time I reached
an aid station, I slowed down to grab a cup of Gatorade and drink, and the pace
group went by me. It just happened that
we were starting to go up a hill. Now that I was behind the group, I found it
difficult to catch up to them going up a hill.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The same thing happened
again at the next aid station. After
getting ahead of the group on a downhill section, they passed me at an aid station. Again, we were just starting to go up a hill,
and I had to work hard to keep from falling further behind.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The rain poncho caused me
to get hot every time we went up a hill.
It was still raining, but I had to get rid of it. I waited until the road leveled off. Then I took it off and handed it to a
spectator, so I wouldn’t have to just dump on the sidewalk.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">By the time we had run
four miles, the rain seemed like it was stopping. It was still mostly cloudy, but I started to
notice small patches of blue sky between the clouds.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The next aid station came
right near the end of the fifth mile.
This time, I managed to grab a cup and drink it without slowing
down. For once, I went through an aid
station without getting passed by the pace group. That was just before starting a long downhill
section.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I had studied the
elevation profile before the race, so I knew mile six would be mostly
downhill. I tried to stay relaxed and
not work too hard, because I didn’t want to get too far ahead of the
group. Up until now, some miles were a
little too fast and others were a little too slow, but on average, we were staying
pretty close to out target pace of 8:46 per mile.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">About halfway through the
seventh mile, we started a 10-mile stretch that was flat. I was running a little bit ahead of the
group, but I was more confident that I could stay on a consistent pace now that
it was flat. I’m much better about holding
my pace when I can stick with a consistent rhythm. I can’t do that going up and down hills.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I started to feel like I
was overdressed. Normally, with
temperatures in the 50s, I would wear shorts.
Because of the rain, I opted for tights.
I was starting to wonder if I would regret that decision. I was about to take off my gloves when it started
raining again. I kept the gloves
on. I wasn’t cold, but I was no longer
in any danger of getting too hot.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">For the next couple of miles,
we ran on a road alongside the Arkansas River.
This section was nice and flat. I
started to see runners going the other direction on a bike path that was closer
to the river.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">At times, I wondered if I
was running away from the pace group.
They were behind me, so I never saw them again. Then I would hear spectators cheering them,
and I would realize they were right behind me.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Between 10 and 11 miles,
we turned onto the Cyrus Avery Bridge.
Now we were running on Route 66.
It was here start I started talking to another runner. His name was Charles, and he used to live in
Minneapolis. We ran together for the
next several miles.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">After crossing the bridge,
we did a short loop and then came back to the bridge from the other side. This was the point where the marathon and
half marathon routes diverged.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Because we were talking,
neither of us noticed the sign indicating that marathon runners were supposed
to keep to the left of a line of traffic cones.
Charles and I were running in the lane for the half marathon. If wasn’t a big deal at first, but soon we
came to a point where the half marathon would continue across the bridge, but
the marathon turned left and went onto a pedestrian bridge instead.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There was a volunteer at
this point who saw our race bibs and yelled to us to get over to the other lane
and turn left. It’s a good thing he saw
us. We would’ve continued across the
bridge, which would’ve put us on the half marathon course.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The pedestrian bridge was
parallel to the road bridge, but it was covered. I had never run across this bridge
before. After crossing the bridge, we
went underneath the road bridge and turned onto the same bike path where I had
seen runners going this way before.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">By now, Charles and I
were talking to another runner who was doing his first marathon. He was happy to discover that we were on pace
for 3:50. He was hoping to break four
hours, but he wasn’t wearing a watch.
Before talking to us, he didn’t know what his pace was.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Soon I learned that
Charles also had a goal of breaking four hours.
I wondered how much longer I could run with these two runners. I might have to choose between staying with
them and continuing to pace myself to break 3:50.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">At the 12-mile mark, I
saw that we had slowed to 8:58. That was
good, because the previous mile had been 8:30, which was too fast. I decided to wait and see what our pace was
in the next mile before making a decision about continuing to run with Charles
or going ahead on my own.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Charles and I kept
running together and carrying on a conversation. After a while, I realized that the guy
running his first marathon was no longer keeping up with us. It wasn’t until we finished our next mile
that I saw we were speeding up again.
The pace felt somewhat tiring, but I didn’t realize how fast it was
until I saw that we ran mile 13 in 8:18.
That was faster than any previous mile.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">At the halfway mark, I
saw that we were more than a minute and a half ahead of schedule to be on pace
for 3:50. I could afford to relax a
little in the next mile. For now, I
could keep running with Charles.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I knew it wasn’t a good
idea to keep running at that pace, and I worried the pace would break Charles
if he kept up with me. As we started out
next mile, we decided to back off a little.
That didn’t last long. As we
continued talking, we quickly went back to running at a pace that felt
tiring. The next mile was even
faster. It was 8:13.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We managed to back off a
bit in the mile 15. It was still a
little fast, but not so fast that it felt tiring.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We were nearing the end
of a long flat section of the course, but I knew a long uphill section was coming. In the middle of the 17th mile, we would
start a section that would be mostly uphill for about four miles. It wouldn’t be steep, but it would be a long
grind. In anticipation of that section,
we eased up a bit to conserve energy.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">By now, the rain had
stopped again. I didn’t mind the
rain. It was just sprinkling
lightly. It wasn’t enough to make me
feel cold or soaking wet. Without the
rain, I most likely would’ve been getting hot.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">About halfway through mile
17, we started up a long gradual hill. I
knew we would have an uphill trend for the next four miles, so I ran with an
effort that didn’t feel tiring. We
started this section with a cushion of at least two minutes, so we could afford
to give back about 30 seconds per mile over the next four miles.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">At first, Charles started
to fall behind me. I made a point of
slowing down enough that he could keep up on the hills. Over the next few miles, we averaged about
nine minutes per mile. We could afford
that.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This is a race where
spectators will set up beer stops, as well as stronger stuff. I had seen beer stops, mimosa stops, and Jell-O
shots. I also saw spectators giving out
donuts. If I was just going at an easy
pace, I would have indulged in a few of these.
Because I had a time goal that would take a good effort, I wasn’t
willing to even consider an adult beverage until I was past this long uphill
section. Even then, I would have to be
confident that I would have no trouble maintaining my pace.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Midway through the 19th
mile, which we were going up a hill, I noticed another beer stop. Nope.
Too soon, and certainly not on a hill.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I was thinking the uphill
section ended at 20 miles. I was off a
bit. Charles and I were about halfway
through the 20th mile when we started up a long hill. We told ourselves this was the last
hill. We were wrong. We crested that hill and saw another one.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This next hill came in
two parts. About halfway up the hill, we
would go downhill briefly to go under a bridge.
Then we would continue up the hill.
The 20 mile sign was under the bridge.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There was an aid station
just before the 20 mile sign. Charles
took a little longer at that aid station, and I was afraid he would fall behind
me as I started the last part of the hill.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">At the 20 mile sign, I
saw that we were still about 50 seconds ahead of schedule. I continued up the hill at the same pace and
hoped Charles could stay with me.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">At the top of the hill,
we turned a corner. As I made the turn,
I looked back for Charles. He wasn’t too
far behind me. Looking ahead, I saw that
we still had to go slightly uphill for about half a block. I went slowly enough that Charles was able to
catch up. Then we started a long gradual
downhill section.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">On our right, I saw
spectators offering whiskey shots. I couldn’t
do that so soon after the hill. I needed
time to recover and get us back to our previous pace. Maybe in a mile or two, but not now.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The next mile was mostly
downhill, but as we got closer to 21, we had to go uphill again. I knew the last six miles had a downhill
trend, but it wasn’t all downhill. The
21 mile sign was right at the top of this hill.
When we got there, we were still on pace, but our cushion was only 24 seconds.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Charles fell behind me at
another aid station. We had the luxury
of going a little slower over the previous four miles, but we couldn’t keep
doing that. We had to get back on our
previous pace. My legs were getting heavy,
and I knew I would have to work harder now.
I put in the necessary effort and hoped that Charles could keep up. I knew there was a good chance he would fall
behind. I enjoyed running with him, but
I was determined to break 3:50. Charles had
been shooting for anything under four hours.
I couldn’t expect him to run at my pace for the whole race.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In the next mile, I sped
up more than I needed to. That mile was
mostly downhill, and I sped up to 8:22.
That was about 24 seconds too fast.
I knew at that point that I wouldn’t see Charles again until the finish.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The aid stations had
water and Gatorade. Some also had gels
or other food. The next time I reached
an aid station, there was a volunteer in the middle of the street with Gatorade
and another volunteer was next to the table on my right. I’m right-handed, so I prefer to take a cup
with my right hand. I went by the guy in
the middle of the street and then saw that the woman by the table was filling
cups with pieces of bananas and oranges.
There were cups on the table, but there were all filled with water. Having missed my chance to get a cup of Gatorade,
I just kept running. I quickly realized
that was probably a mistake. I worked up
a real sweat on that long uphill section.
I should’ve had something to drink, even if it was water. I prefer Gatorade, so I can get some sugar,
but this late in the race, that didn’t matter so much.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Mile 23 wasn’t as fast as
mile 22, but it was still faster than my goal pace. I had dropped Charles, but I was staying on a
pace that would easily get me to the finish in less than 3:50.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Most of the aid stations
had small cups, and they were usually only half full. That makes it easier to grab a cup and drink
without spilling. Right at 23 miles, I
reached an aid station with larger cups.
I grabbed a cup of Gatorade that was almost full. Drinking that made up for missing the previous
aid station, but I had to slow to a walk for several seconds. A runner who had been near me for the last
two miles was now almost half a block ahead of me. I was determined to catch up to him.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The runner I was chasing
was hard to catch. I was slowly gaining
ground, but he was maintaining a fast pace.
He was passing most of the other runners. As I chased him, I also passed most of the
other runners. I finally caught him at
the end of the 24th mile. That mile was
my fastest in several miles.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">At this point, I knew I
could just follow this runner for the rest of the race, and he would bring me
in under 3:50. Then it occurred to me
that he looked like he could easily be in my age group. Were we competing for an age group award? I had to pass him. Going into the last two miles, I picked up my
effort even more.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I was getting close to
the downtown area. I was at least
halfway through the 25th mile when I looked ahead of me and saw a bridge. I could see that coming up to the bridge
meant going up a small hill. Then I
thought the bridge looked familiar. I
started to recognize all the businesses I was passing as I approached the
bridge. I knew exactly where I was. I had walked over this same bridge on Saturday. I was running through the East Village.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">After crossing the
bridge, I turned right, and I immediately felt rain. It felt different this time. It was coming down in bigger drops, and I
immediately felt cold.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I only ran one block in
this direction before turning left. After
turning, I ran right past the pizzeria where I had dinner the night
before. As the crow flies, I was getting
close to where I would finish, but there were still lots of turns. My actual route to the finish was still well
over a mile.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">At the 25 mile sign, I
saw that I was at least a minute ahead of schedule. I ran mile 25 in 8:14. That was my second fastest mile so far.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In the last mile, there’s
a detour you can take to a place in downtown Tulsa called the Center of the
Universe. The Center of the Universe is
a circle with interesting acoustics.
When you stand in the center and talk, you can hear your voice echo, but
people standing a short distance away can barely hear you. The detour to the Center of the Universe and
back adds three tenths of a mile to the race distance.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Runners who do this
detour get a souvenir coin. In past
years, you had to sign up in advance, but this year you could decide when you
got there.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">If I was just taking it easy,
I would’ve taken the detour. If I was on
pace to break 3:50 by a wide margin, I might have taken the detour. If I couldn’t break 3:50, but I was still on
pace to break four hours by a wide margin, I would’ve taken the detour.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I was on pace to break
3:50, but I didn’t think I could afford to go three tenths of a mile out of my
way. I skipped the detour and kept
running straight.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When I finally made the
next turn, I saw that I was about to do downhill to go under a railroad bridge. On the other side of the bridge, I would have
to go uphill again. Suddenly, this all
looked familiar. Other parts of the
course were different, but the last few turns before the finish were the same.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I fought my way up the
hill and made the next turn. I saw a large
digital clock about a block ahead of me.
It was the 25.9 mile mark.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">They put that there for
the benefit of people who took the Center of the Universe detour. For them, this was the 26.2 mark. It’s a marathon split with a timing mat. Your time there, however, is just for your
own information. Your official time is
measured at the finish line, which is still three tenths of a mile away.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As I reached this clock,
I looked at my watch and realized I would break 3:50 by at least three minutes. I actually did have time to take the detour,
but I didn’t know that at the time. That’s
assuming, of course, that I didn’t slow down on the detour. To get to the Center of the Universe, you
have to go up and over a hill. Then you
turn around and go over the same hill from the other side. That probably would’ve slowed me down.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There were still two more
turns. After the first of those turns, I
went up the last little hill. Halfway up
that hill, I reached the 26 mile mark. I
ran that mile in 8:09. That was my
fastest mile of the race.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">After the last turn, I
could see the finish line, but there were patches of mud all over the
street. With the rain, it was getting
slick. I watched my footing carefully as
I charged toward the finish line. I got
there in 3:46:48.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Shortly after crossing
the line, I stopped to put on my gloves.
I also took the Tyvek jacket out of my fanny pack and put that on. Then I started watching for Charles. He came in about three minutes behind
me. He also broke 3:50, but just barely.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This race always has cool
finisher medals. They had special versions
for people who also completed a challenge by also running other races. Mine is their regular marathon medal.<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHY3q7nhFo4_s4anfYzGOVbjJ7ad2ophY_2KuuzQ1lszd6hPDZ9M2WxbFJ3C29RyFLyOmom4DoTr5MnhMltbMsh-4VxsTZweAei2yRqnI-efO-Sru8MIwJOIEEU9nnNW8-gmg6_8-WPH83fQjYJT6FD1Gy6lYGCzGkNe0sE-gJDP5ejeM2XbEL_jB2AgXl/s1866/medal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1866" data-original-width="1471" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHY3q7nhFo4_s4anfYzGOVbjJ7ad2ophY_2KuuzQ1lszd6hPDZ9M2WxbFJ3C29RyFLyOmom4DoTr5MnhMltbMsh-4VxsTZweAei2yRqnI-efO-Sru8MIwJOIEEU9nnNW8-gmg6_8-WPH83fQjYJT6FD1Gy6lYGCzGkNe0sE-gJDP5ejeM2XbEL_jB2AgXl/w315-h400/medal.jpg" width="315" /></a><br />
<p class="MsoNormal">Besides my medal, I also
received a much-needed space blanket.
Then I kept moving through the finish area.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As I reached the food
tent, I saw people walking away with slices of pizza. I walked past all the other food without
looking. I just wanted a slice of pizza.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I continued to make my
way through the finish area to get to Maniac Corner. Along the way, I stopped at the beer
tent. I had coupons on my race bib for
two free beers, but I could only carry one, and I didn’t want to stand there in
the rain long enough to drink one. I
hurried to get to Maniac Corner, where I could sit down under a tent.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Inside the tent, they had
two kinds of burritos. One had chicken,
the other had BBQ pork. The BBQ pork
burrito really hit the spot.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I wanted to stay in the
tent and talk to other runners, but there was a limit to how long I could stay. I had to walk more than a mile to get back to
my hotel, and I needed to get started before I got too cold.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The walk back to the
hotel was cold. The rain eventually
stopped, but the wind picked up. It was
blowing so hard that my space blanket was rattling in the wind. Along the way, I saw another runner who
looked even colder. I asked him if he
was OK. He was really cold, but his
hotel was close. I stayed with him until
I could see that his hotel only a block away.
When I knew he would get there safely, I continued to my own hotel.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When I got there, I
couldn’t get my room card out of my fanny pack.
If was in a small zip-lock bag in a compartment that was hard to
reach. My hands were almost numb. I managed to take off my fanny pack and asked
someone at the front desk of the hotel if he could get my room card out for
me. Once I had it in my hand, I was able
to go to my room.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I had to run warm water
over my hands for a couple minutes before I could use them. They were still white, and they felt tingly, but
now I could continue getting out of my wet clothes. I took a long hot bath. Then, finally, my hands had color again.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Some friends from Houston
were also in Tulsa for this race. After changing
into dry clothes, I met them for lunch and beers. We spent the afternoon together trading
stories about the race. When I got back
to the hotel, I didn’t feel like going back out again. I eventually had dinner at the hotel.<o:p></o:p></p>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">I’ve gone all out for Boston-qualifying times in six
of my last seven races. I have a few
weeks before my next race. I plan to
take it easy in that one. Really.</span><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><u>Race statistics</u>:</div><div>Distance: 26.2 miles</div><div>Time: 3:46:48 </div><div>Average Pace: 8:40 </div><div>First Half: 1:53:14</div><div>Second Half: 1:53:34</div><div>Lifetime Marathons/Ultras: 500</div><div>Boston Qualifiers: 159</div><div>Oklahoma Marathons: 4</div><div>Circuits of Marathons/Ultras in all 50 States: 4</div></div>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07537579568732930585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3046379205507947695.post-14803510347662831712023-11-05T17:59:00.000-06:002023-11-05T17:59:48.375-06:00Race Report: 2023 Marshall University Marathon<p>On November 5, I ran the Marshall
University Marathon in Huntington, WV.
This is the third time I’ve done this race. I ran it in 2007, and I race-walked it in
2017.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">All races in West
Virginia have one thing in common.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s
tough to get to them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There isn’t a marathon
in Charleston, and that’s the only city with a major airport.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To get to any of the races in West Virginia,
I have to fly to a city with an airport and then drive the rest of the way.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The closest airport is in
Charleston, but there aren’t any direct flights from Minneapolis to
Charleston.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two flights plus a long
drive makes for a long travel day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
could get a direct flight to either Columbus or Cincinnati, but then it’s a
longer drive.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After considering flight
times and the length of the drive, I chose to fly to Columbus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s the same thing I did the other two
times I traveled to Huntington for this race.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I took the earliest
flight of the day, and I arrived in Columbus around 10:30 AM.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was too early for lunch, so I started driving
to Huntington.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The drive took two and a
half hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I considered stopping for
lunch somewhere along the way, but I decided to get to Huntington as quickly as
I could.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I stayed at the Doubletree
in downtown Huntington.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the time I
got there, I was getting hungry, but it was kind of late to be eating lunch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was planning on an early dinner, so I didn’t
want to have a late lunch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At
Doubletree, they always give you a cookie when you check in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I decided that was enough to tide me over
until dinner.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After checking in, I went
to New Baptist Church to pick up my race packet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The race shirt was a hooded long-sleeve shirt.<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxW8kRJgE_K9_C3RwNG02ZUry9bGt9Cve0_pr_HNtNiFuCgTxvlz3fzQ6hG4QjjvnWeCDjAdrC5nf-b7VlRoHQ4_hj7YrYkalKpVIaR3yvB1sNv__ZvPJniSWvCM_VDh3WOQ9yHkKU3eWx2PqWCCpoN0c4o-p-hN1_Y86_I_JWAKDpRikx0RNoNJj7eJbZ/s225/hoodie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="157" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxW8kRJgE_K9_C3RwNG02ZUry9bGt9Cve0_pr_HNtNiFuCgTxvlz3fzQ6hG4QjjvnWeCDjAdrC5nf-b7VlRoHQ4_hj7YrYkalKpVIaR3yvB1sNv__ZvPJniSWvCM_VDh3WOQ9yHkKU3eWx2PqWCCpoN0c4o-p-hN1_Y86_I_JWAKDpRikx0RNoNJj7eJbZ/w279-h400/hoodie.jpg" width="279" /></a><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After packet pickup, I organized
my clothes for the race, and then I relaxed at the hotel long enough to charge
my phone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I explored the downtown
area on foot.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">For dinner, I went to
Backyard Pizza & Raw Bar, which serves seafood and brick oven pizza.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I couldn’t resist combining the two by having
a pizza with scallops and bacon.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The night before the race
was also the night we sets the clocks back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In theory, that should’ve given me a chance to get an extra hour of
sleep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In practice, it never works out
that way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I’m staying in a hotel, I
usually use the alarm clock in my room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
didn’t know if the clock would automatically adjust for the time change or if I
would need to change it manually.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Without knowing, I couldn’t trust it to wake me up at the correct
time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead, I had to use the alarm on
my phone.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">My phone’s alarm will
only stay on for a limited time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve
learned the hard way that if I happen to be sleeping deeply when the alarm goes
off, I can sleep through it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Without
being able to trust either alarm, I found myself looking at the clock during
the night (and not knowing if it was off by an hour).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I took the extra few seconds to wake up my
phone and look at its time display, I would know what time it is, but then I
couldn’t get back to sleep.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I got to bed early and
slept for about half the night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After
that, I couldn’t get back to sleep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When
it was time to get up, I started getting ready just like I would for any other
race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was tired, but I knew from
experience that it’s possible to have a good race after not sleeping well.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">On race morning, the
temperature was in the upper 40s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
expected it to warm into the upper 50s by the time I finished.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s much more comfortable than the cold weather
I had for my last race.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I was originally planning
to drive to the start, but I would’ve needed to get there before they started
blocking off the streets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The start was
only about a mile from my hotel, so I decided to walk instead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t need to leave as early, so I could
use the bathroom in my room rather than waiting in long lines in the start
area.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">This race has a fairly
flat course, and I’ve always had good times here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I ran it in 2007, I finished in
3:07:59.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That still ranks as my 8th
fastest marathon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I race-walked it
in 2017, it was the first time I broke five hours walking.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">My goal this year wasn’t
that ambitious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just wanted to get
another Boston qualifier.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A year ago, I
wasn’t in good enough shape to break four hours, much less 3:50.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My goal then was incremental
improvement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I worked on getting a
minute or two faster in each race until I was fast enough to qualify for
Boston.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I qualified a few times
on downhill courses last summer, but it wasn’t until October that I finally did
it on a flat course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now my goal is to be
consistent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’d like to run qualifying
times more often than not.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">This was my fifth
consecutive weekend with a marathon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
the first three, I ran times in the 3:40s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Last weekend, I held back a little to make sure I would have enough gas
in the tank for an all-out effort this weekend.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The course is a double
loop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We started in front of Joan C.
Edwards Stadium.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s where the Marshall
University football team plays its home games.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I knew they had pace
groups, so I was hoping started running with the 3:50 group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I like starting races with pace groups,
because it takes the guesswork out of how fast to start.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I trust the pace leaders to set the right
pace, and I’m now confident I can sustain that pace, even if it feels like it’s
a little tiring.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When I lined up for the
race, I saw a 3:30 group and a 4:00 group, but nothing in between.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They didn’t have a 3:50 group, so I was on my
own to set the right pace in the early miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That shook my confidence more than the lack of sleep did.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">In the first mile, I tried
to remember how I felt in the first mile of some of my other recent races,
where I was starting with a pace group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I did my best to run at a pace that felt the same way.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Ahead of me, I could see
two runners who were wearing 50sub4 shirts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I wanted to catch up to them to say hello, but I already felt like I
might be starting too fast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After half a
mile, I decided to ease up a little and drift back in comparison with the
runners around me.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The first mile or two took
us around a neighborhood east of the university.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After running east for several blocks, we
turned and ran for four short blocks on a street paved with bricks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bricks were weathered, so they seemed
more like cobblestones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was a
little uncomfortable, but this section was slightly downhill, which made it
easy to keep up my pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just had to
watch my footing.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I ran my first mile in
8:28.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My target pace was 8:45, so I
started too fast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I began the second
mile, I eased up again and let more runners go by me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That lasted for a minute or two, but then I once
again found myself running at the pace of the people around me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess that’s appropriate, since “running
with the herd” is a theme of this race.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">My second mile was
8:34.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That wasn’t as fast as my first
mile, but it was still too fast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
repeated the process of easing up and letting some runners go by.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The next mile was 8:37.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would take a few more miles for me to
reach my target pace.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After running around the
university, we ran through the downtown area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then, in the fourth mile, we briefly ran alongside the Ohio River before
leaving the river to run through the west side of town.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">In mile four, I slowed to
8:40.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was getting closer to my target
pace, and in the next mile I didn’t worry as much about drifting back through
the pack.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I continued to run with the
herd, with the result that I sped up a little in that mile.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Most of this course is flat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The miles that were parallel to the river
were especially flat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Occasionally, we
ran perpendicular to the river.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those
sections were mostly flat, but sometimes there would be a noticeable slope for
about a block.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Mile six had two sections
like that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I turned a corner and saw
the first small hill of the race, I made a point of conserving energy and
letting other runners go by.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did the
same thing on another small hill near the end of that mile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My lack of effort paid off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the first time, I was within a second of
my target pace.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">As I finished that mile,
I saw a large hill ahead of me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I
wasn’t already familiar with this course, I would’ve thought we were about to
run up into the hills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead, we
turned to run along the north edge of Kiwanis Park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On my right, inside the park, there was a
tall ridge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The road we were on,
however, was flat as we ran parallel to the ridge.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Along this road, I went
back to running with the herd.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I sped up
slightly, to 8:39 in each of the next two miles.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Just past the seven mile mark,
we ran past the Memorial Arch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s a
flag hanging within the arch, and it was bathed in the warm glow of the morning
sun shining over the ridge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was
tempted to take a picture, but I had established a good rhythm, and I didn’t
want to stop.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Just before eight miles,
we left the road and started running along a walkway that was firmly packed
dirt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We went under a bridge and ran
alongside Fourpole Creek.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eventually, we
crossed a small bridge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The walkway on
the other side of the creek was concrete.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I know some people hate concrete, but I found it to be a faster surface
than the dirt walkway.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When I finished mile
nine, I saw that I slowed to 9:00.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That
was by far my slowest mile of the race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was 21 seconds slower than my previous two miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was surprised, because I didn’t feel like I
slowed down in that mile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe the dirt
slowed me down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe I got a little too
relaxed in that mile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t know why
I slowed down, but I made a concerted effort to pick up my pace in the next
mile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a guy in a yellow
sweatshirt that had consistently been right in front of me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now he was half a block ahead of me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I made a point of catching up.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">In the next mile, we started
making our way back toward the downtown area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Near the end of that mile, I saw a railroad bridge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We went down a ramp to go under the bridge,
and then we had to go up a ramp on the other side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I remembered these ramps from the last time I
did this race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wasn’t a big deal now,
but we would do this again later in the race.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">In mile 10, I got my pace
back to where it was before, but I had to work hard to do it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In mile 11, I thought I was running with the
same effort, but I inadvertently sped up to 8:28.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s as fast as I started the race.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The next part of the loop
was retracing our route back to the university.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>On the other side of the street, I saw the lead runner going out on his
second lap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The next runner was nowhere
in sight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I saw him eventually, but he
must have been trailing by a mile already.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">As we came back on the
section by the river, I saw the third place runner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I was finishing that section, I saw a
group of 8-10 runners who were together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was the 3:00 pace group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There
were only a few other runners ahead of them.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Mile 12 wasn’t as fast as
mile 11, but it was still faster than most of my earlier miles. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I kicked it into a high gear starting with
mile 10, and I wasn’t backing off yet.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">In the last mile of the
first half, the marathon and half marathon routes diverged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Runners doing the half marathon went straight
down 3rd Avenue toward the stadium, where they would finish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those of us doing the marathon turned right,
ran about half a block, and then turned left onto a sidewalk that took us straight
through the Marshall University campus.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We eventually emerged on
5th Street, which took us behind the stadium.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Mile 13 was 8:24, which was my fastest so far.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">At the halfway point, I
was easily on pace to break 3:50, and I was almost on pace for 3:46.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could afford to slow down in the second
half, but I didn’t want to do that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
often have a secondary goal of running negative splits. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was pushing harder in miles 10-13, and I didn’t
think I could sustain that effort for 13 more miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Still, I had to try.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wasn’t just going to “phone it in” in the
second half of the race.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">With the half marathon
runners gone, there weren’t as many runners around me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could no longer run with the herd.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was only one runner right in front of
me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The other runners I could see were
at least a block away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I chose to follow
this runner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As it turns out, she was
running much stronger than anyone else around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It took an effort to keep up with her.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We were running around
the neighborhood east of the university, but this time we were running it in
the opposite direction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we turned
onto the street paved with bricks, we were running it in the uphill
direction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I struggled to maintain my
pace here, and another runner passed me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was the first time I had noticed someone passing me since the end of
the ninth mile.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After turning onto 3rd Street,
we had smooth pavement, and I was able to pick up my pace again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I passed the guy who had recently passed
me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I caught up to the woman who
was setting a fast pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ran mile 14
in 8:26.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had just run my two fastest
miles of the race, and I wasn’t slowing down.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Most of the runners ahead
of us were starting to slow down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
woman I was following kept passing all the other runners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I kept pace with her, so I was passing them
too.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I kept pace with her for
two more miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ran those miles in
8:28 and 8:26.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With 10 miles to go,
running negative splits was sounding much more likely.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">As we left the section by
the river, I reached a narrow section of the sidewalk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was two-way traffic on this section, so
I made a concerted effort to get around a slower runner, to avoid getting boxed
in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s when I inadvertently got
ahead of the woman I had been following.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In the next mile, I sped away from her.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Now I had to set the pace
on my own.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I couldn’t follow any of the
runners ahead of me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They all seemed to
be slowing down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t trust any of
them to hold a consistent pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to
keep putting in the same effort on my own.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I slowed down in that mile, but only by a few seconds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was still faster than 8:30.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">In the next mile, I
picked up my pace again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I reached mile
19, which was essentially a repeat of mile 6.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This mile had two brief uphill sections.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The first time I ran them, I made a point of conserving energy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This time, I didn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ran 20 seconds faster.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">With 7.2 miles to go, the
remaining distance seemed manageable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had
been pushing hard for 10 miles now, but it seemed plausible that I could keep
it up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What I really needed was someone
to set the pace for me.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">As I turned to start
running past Kiwanis Park again, I saw what looked like a pace group way off in
the distance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were at least three
runners together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two of them had green
shirts that looked like the shirts pace leaders wore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Another was wearing a black shirt, but was
carrying a sign.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was too far away to
read it.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">If it was a pace group,
it must be a 3:45 group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I never saw a
3:45 group before the race, but the start area was crowded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My own pace had to be pretty close to
that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Regardless of their target pace,
they were the first runners I had seen in a few miles who weren’t slowing down.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I worked even harder
now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just keeping up with these runners
would’ve taken effort, but I was trying to close a large gap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were about a quarter mile ahead of me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even with my best effort, it would take time
to catch them.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">In mile 20, I sped up to
8:16.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could tell I was gaining ground
on the group I was chasing, but they were still pretty far ahead of me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I still couldn’t read the sign or the writing
on the T-shirts.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">In mile 21, I went even
faster.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ran that one in 8:14, but I
couldn’t tell if I was any closer to the group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I still didn’t know for sure that they were a pace group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I kept chasing and hoped that I could keep up
this effort for five more miles.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">As I started mile 22, I
realized it was essentially the same as mile nine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was the mile where I slowed down
before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I still didn’t know if that mile
was tougher than the others or if I just had a lapse in concentration.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">As I started that mile, I
had just moved onto the dirt path.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
mile had some turns and some undulations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was easy to believe that this mile just wasn’t as easy as all the
others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This time there wouldn’t be any lapses
in concentration.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was focused on
catching the three runners I was chasing.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I was finally close
enough to read the writing on the back of the green T-shirts: “MUM Pace Team.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I still wasn’t close enough to read the sign.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">By the end of that mile,
I finally made out what the sign said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was 3:45.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I ran mile 22 in 8:27.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That wasn’t as fast as the previous few
miles, but it wasn’t as slow as I ran the same mile the first time around.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">In the next mile, I
caught up to the pace group, and I started talking to them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of them asked me if this was my first
marathon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I said I’ve run “several.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I told them exactly how many.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We ran together for a
while, but then they noticed that they were getting ahead of schedule.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of them told me to go ahead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was reluctant at first.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had finally found someone to run with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then it occurred to me that their target pace
was 8:33, and my last 10 miles had all been faster than that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would have to slow down to stay with them.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I was coming to the
railroad bridge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just ahead of me, I saw
one of the 50sub4 runners I had seen in the first mile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After running down the ramp on one side, I
focused on catching up to her coming up the ramp on the other side.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">As we started talking, I
learned that her goal was 3:55.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were
ahead of the 3:45 group, so she was obviously crushing that goal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also learned that she’s working on BQs in
all 50 states.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We ran together as far as
the next aid station.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then she needed to
take a walking break, so I went ahead on my own.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">In that mile, I sped up
to 8:15.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had just over three miles to
go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After two more turns, I would be
back on 3rd Avenue, heading into downtown.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After turning onto 3rd
Avenue, I saw a runner still going out on her second lap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was almost to 24, so she had roughly 11
miles to go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wondered if she was on
pace to beat the time limit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I saw
another runner behind her … and another … and another.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were actually several more.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I kept pressing hard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In mile 24, I sped up to 8:12.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was my fastest mile so far.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mile 25 was more difficult.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were several turns, and an uphill
section that I didn’t notice the first time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I tried to take it fast, but I slowed to 8:23 in that mile.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I was expecting the last
mile to be the same as the last mile of the half marathon course, but it wasn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where the half marathon goes straight down 3rd
Avenue, the marathon route turns to go through the university again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I turned onto the sidewalk that takes us
through the heart of campus, a volunteer offered to hand me something.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I initially thought she was offering me
water, and I didn’t want to stop for any.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was only as I was running by that I realized she was holding a flower.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">There’s a fountain that’s
a memorial to the 37 players and coaches who died in a plane crash 53 years
ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think she was offering me a
flower to leave at the fountain as I ran by.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I was pouring it on at
this point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our route through the
university took us past several small flower gardens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Going around each one was like a small
roundabout.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After the last one, I could
hear the finish line announcer inside the stadium.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I came out to the street that’s
right next to the parking lot for the stadium.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>After turning left on that street and running for about half a block, I
turned right onto 3rd Avenue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I ran
past the front of the stadium to enter at the northeast corner.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When I finished mile 26,
I saw that I ran that mile in 8:00.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s
been a long time since I’ve run a mile that fast that wasn’t either downhill or
part of a 5K race.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">All through that mile, I
wondered if I was going to have anything left for the finish inside the
stadium.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wanted to finish strong,
because it’s a dramatic finish.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I ran down a short ramp
to reach the corner of the football field, where a volunteer handed me a
football.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Running with a football is
optional.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first time I ran this
race, I skipped that part, but this year I wanted the full experience.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I ran down the sideline
carrying the football for about 80 yards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then I turned to run to the middle of the field before turning again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The last 80 yards is running to the goal
line, which is also the finish line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Here’s a view looking back from the end zone.<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh22EgdgA6FLX6f_1LyfjL8lxp7rUNe220I4WZYwhYQBxcZJpHjXPlOaEmstZbOy9-IMESAl0kBXpr35a5gHkQH_zECVdV8EAOeaysHX5aB65udEdmcnI19gCv_2QuEEO8P10a1EqP0hMGnaZDzC8CgZQgcJN6whaHzpyLiWVimCwDGKao_6F3EmI4uVKVs/s2048/end%20zone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1638" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh22EgdgA6FLX6f_1LyfjL8lxp7rUNe220I4WZYwhYQBxcZJpHjXPlOaEmstZbOy9-IMESAl0kBXpr35a5gHkQH_zECVdV8EAOeaysHX5aB65udEdmcnI19gCv_2QuEEO8P10a1EqP0hMGnaZDzC8CgZQgcJN6whaHzpyLiWVimCwDGKao_6F3EmI4uVKVs/w400-h320/end%20zone.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I finished in
3:42:11.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s my fastest marathon this
year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was even faster than the Mt.
Nebo Marathon, which was mostly downhill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I ran negative splits by more than four minutes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you told me at the halfway mark that I was
going to run the second half four minutes faster, I never would’ve believed it.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The finisher medal has
designs on both sides.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The front depicts
the head of a buffalo, which is the Marshall University mascot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The back talks about the Memorial Fountain.<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieqG7vLu8zleEhiy4FL6YHlsO-PWN89aspCSXrAXqbUFd81DuSfqCa-Nr4tvNSQWAv6ckD5k6TrY4N_5mt-IEfsch0_v7Uqr2eue2RzbDU-zk05Q31UQWraxgMhZzs0mYdkyWnHxWFRI1ft-NAi05GcsawVWasoN0Pv8aO79xyamFyg5m3VDcGPvJrAQLc/s1595/medal%20front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1595" data-original-width="1180" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieqG7vLu8zleEhiy4FL6YHlsO-PWN89aspCSXrAXqbUFd81DuSfqCa-Nr4tvNSQWAv6ckD5k6TrY4N_5mt-IEfsch0_v7Uqr2eue2RzbDU-zk05Q31UQWraxgMhZzs0mYdkyWnHxWFRI1ft-NAi05GcsawVWasoN0Pv8aO79xyamFyg5m3VDcGPvJrAQLc/w296-h400/medal%20front.jpg" width="296" /></a><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqBGmBI92BmfiTp5Gn75aNZVwgd3uitio885wG9nvba9mM5MN3bFSc649cG80IA1dbwTsWh376SU3_HVo8N880wOdG2uGg_135i45jjCtJLrHO8Zj8c7PddahtrQxEvlR1nXJbkRucBp3YlJ9wPM_HaFgPp-KccdLMYi1pwFWkdn-LvkITaXo078nOdntB/s2000/medal%20back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqBGmBI92BmfiTp5Gn75aNZVwgd3uitio885wG9nvba9mM5MN3bFSc649cG80IA1dbwTsWh376SU3_HVo8N880wOdG2uGg_135i45jjCtJLrHO8Zj8c7PddahtrQxEvlR1nXJbkRucBp3YlJ9wPM_HaFgPp-KccdLMYi1pwFWkdn-LvkITaXo078nOdntB/w300-h400/medal%20back.jpg" width="300" /></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Just outside the stadium,
they had post-race food, which included hamburgers, hot dogs, chili, chips, and
a few other things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had a chili dog
and then started walking back to the hotel.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After washing up and
changing into dry clothes, I went back to Backyard Pizza & Raw Bar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On Sundays, they’re only open for brunch, and
their brunch menu includes a pizza I with bacon, scrambled eggs, cheese, and a
crust drizzled with maple syrup.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I have another tradition
besides post-race pizza.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I get a
BQ, I celebrate with BQ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I already had
pizza for lunch, so for dinner, I went to the Marshall Hall of Fame Café, and I
had a BBQ ribs & salmon combo.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">My goal before this race
was simply getting another BQ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead,
I did that incremental improvement thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Next week, I’m finally resting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
my next two races, I’ll be taking it easy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>My last race of the year is on a downhill course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That will be my next all-out effort.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The race is over, but I
still have to travel home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tomorrow, I’ll
be getting up early for the drive back to Columbus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I need to return my rental car by 10:30 AM,
and it’s a long drive.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><u>Race statistics</u>:</div><div>Distance: 26.2 miles</div><div>Time: 3:42:11</div><div>Average Pace: 8:28 per mile</div><div>First Half: 1:53:12</div><div>Second Half: 1:48:59</div><div>Lifetime Marathons/Ultras: 499</div><div>West Virginia Marathons: 4</div><div>Boston Qualifiers: 158</div>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07537579568732930585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3046379205507947695.post-7460232921418812622023-10-29T17:14:00.000-05:002023-10-29T17:14:21.781-05:00Race Report: 2023 Mill Town Marathon<p>On October 29, I ran the
Mill Town Marathon in Dundas, MN. This
is a small marathon that’s only been held once before. The race was first held in 2020, during the
COVID-19 pandemic. At the time, larger
races were all being cancelled, so a group of runners created their own route,
got the course certified, and organized their own race. They had to keep it small, so it was limited
to 25 runners in the marathon and 25 runners in the half marathon.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I first heard about the
race while I was doing the Running Ragged 20 in 20 Series.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On one of the last days of the series,
another runner form Minnesota asked me if I was doing Dundas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t know at first what he was talking
about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I try to do every Minnesota
marathon at least once, so I normally would’ve been interested.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately, I had accumulated enough aches
and pain while running 20 marathons in 20 days, that I needed to take a break.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I couldn’t remember the
name of the race, and I never heard of it again until this year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After the Twin Cities Marathon was cancelled,
the same runners who organized this race in 2020 decided to hold it again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s still a relatively small race, but this
year they were able to accommodate 100 total runners between the marathon and the
half marathon.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">As luck would have it,
the race fell on one of the few weekends that I didn’t already have a race
scheduled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had three reasons for
wanting to do this race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First, I do
every Minnesota marathon, and this was one I had never done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Second, I was hoping to run my 500th marathon
or ultra at the Route 66 Marathon in November.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>To make that possible, I squeezed three additional races into a schedule
that was already busy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the Twin
Cities Marathon was cancelled, I was no longer on schedule to reach that milestone
in November.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This race allowed me to get
back on schedule.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally, I’m hoping to
do my 100th Minnesota marathon or ultra sometime next year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the Twin Cities Marathon was cancelled,
I lost a Minnesota race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This race made
up for it.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Lately, I’ve been pushing
myself pretty hard in my races.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To recover
from races quickly enough to race on consecutive weekends, I typically have to
hold back a little.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In all of my recent
races, I’ve pushed right to my limit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>For this race, I decided to stay closer to my comfort zone.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When I signed up for this
race, I had no idea how cold it would be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Overnight, the temperature dropped into the mid-20s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were expecting a small amount of snow
overnight, but thankfully the snow stayed farther south.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had dry roads for the drive to Dundas and
a dry course for the race.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I’ve done training runs
in colder conditions, but this was one of the coldest marathons I’ve done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Figuring out what to wear is tricky when you’re
going to be running in cold temperatures for four hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you’re even slightly underdressed, you’ll
get progressively colder during the race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If you’re even slightly overdressed, you’ll start to get hot and sweaty.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I typically wear tights
in cold conditions, but today I wore a pair of tight-fitting sweatpants that
are easily twice as warm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On top, I wore
three layers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My outer layer was a Tyvek
jacket that I kept unzipped, so it wouldn’t cover the race bib pinned to the
shirt underneath.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also wore two layers
on my hands, a winter hat, and ski goggles.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Deb and I drove to Dundas
together, arriving about an hour before the race started.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Deb volunteered to fill in wherever they
needed help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She started out by helping
with runner check-in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Later, she helped with
post-race food and door prizes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
between, she tended the bonfire in the start/finish area.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After picking up my race
bib, I waited in the car until it was time to make a port-o-potty stop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got there just before it got busy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I did my best to keep warm near the
bonfire during pre-race announcements.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmQeOqUjVvFes_XDK0xn1UDuTywEKox9Tze2ClgfkvSXjc8Fd11sB_tQTRQnW1A7aRzNpCa8ovuyMzoO_Sz6joYiO1XBbjLnQfycukmmgh_AdcnuinsIb5LWtpA4zeWtEupobLPHUvQXObO404sgsKDbf5RyfiQgoMWn5yc3QCN_8oY2UCs79Tl6wwD6ix/s1588/bib.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1018" data-original-width="1588" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmQeOqUjVvFes_XDK0xn1UDuTywEKox9Tze2ClgfkvSXjc8Fd11sB_tQTRQnW1A7aRzNpCa8ovuyMzoO_Sz6joYiO1XBbjLnQfycukmmgh_AdcnuinsIb5LWtpA4zeWtEupobLPHUvQXObO404sgsKDbf5RyfiQgoMWn5yc3QCN_8oY2UCs79Tl6wwD6ix/w400-h256/bib.jpg" width="400" /></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The course was a 6.55
mile loop that we ran four times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We started
at Memorial Park in Dundas, ran along the east bank of the Cannon River,
crossed the river in Northfield, and then come back on the west side of the
river before crossing the river again in Dundas.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When the race started, I
was surprised how cold my legs were.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
had to go slow at first, because my legs just wouldn’t respond.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After the first turn, I forced myself into a
rapid stride to try to warm up my legs.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We were on city streets
for about four blocks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then we turned
onto a paved trail for the next three miles.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">My goggles kept the top
half of my face warm, but they limited my peripheral vision.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was running alongside the river for almost
a mile before I noticed how close it was.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We didn’t have any snow,
but there were lots of fallen leaves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Most of the trail was visible, but there were a few spots where the
leaves had settled, and we had to crunch through about two inches of dry
leaves.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">For the first two miles,
I was averaging about 8:50 per mile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That’s faster than I intended to start, but that was just to get my legs
warmed up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Starting with the third mile,
I was warming up enough that I could ease up a bit. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was still running faster than I do in most
of my training runs, but it was significantly slower than the pace of my last
few marathons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wanted to run fast
enough to stay warm, but not so fast that the effort would leave me drained.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I started to drift back
from the pack of runners I had been following earlier.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, other runners were gradually passing me.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">There were four aid
stations per lap, including the one in the start/finish area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first time I reached an aid station, I
decided to skip it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My goggles covered
the top of my face, but my mouth and cheeks were cold.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I couldn’t imagine trying to drink.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wasn’t sweating yet, so I could afford to
wait.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">As we reached the
northern end of the loop, we crossed the river on a pedestrian bridge that had
a smooth concrete surface.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then we got
back onto city streets and ran past a Kwik Trip convenience store.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Outside the store, there was another aid
station.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I knew I had to drink at
some of the aid stations, so this time I stopped to grab a cup of
Gatorade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was expecting it to be ice
cold, but it was room temperature.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That
was a pleasant surprise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Other runners
enjoyed that too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nobody wanted to drink
anything too cold at this point in the race.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I settled into a pattern
of drinking at every other aid station.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I needed to take in some fluids, but I didn’t need as much as I would in
warmer conditions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Drinking twice per
lap seemed about right.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Coming back on the west
side of the river, we were initially on a sidewalk, as we ran through the southern
edge of Northfield.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ahead of me, I could
see a factory for Post cereal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I look at
the smokestacks at the top of the building to see which way the wind was
blowing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was blowing toward me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wasn’t a strong wind, but I knew I wasn’t
likely to warm up on this side of the river.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When the sidewalk ended,
we moved to the shoulder of a highway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This highway was busy, but we had a nice wide shoulder.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Next, we turned onto a
road that wasn’t as busy, but it also didn’t have much of a shoulder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here, there were traffic cones near the edge
of the road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of the cones were only
a foot from the edge of the pavement, so we had to run right on the white
line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was awkward at times.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We eventually turned off
the road and onto a paved trail that ran parallel to the road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were still going into the wind, but we had
more room to run without having to worry about traffic.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I didn’t notice what my
pace was in miles four and five, but by the fifth mile I had settled into a
pace between 9:30 and 9:45.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would stay
in that range for most of the race.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">My favorite part of the
course was where we turned to cross some railroad tracks and then ran through
some woods.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On this section, we were
sheltered from the wind.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Before getting back to Memorial
Park, we had to run a few blocks on city streets in Dundas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had to cross one somewhat busy street, but
there were course marshals to help us get across safely.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Across the river from
Memorial Park, there’s another small park called Mill Park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We ran through Mill Park and then crossed
another pedestrian bridge over the Cannon River to get back into Memorial Park.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The surface of this
bridge was wood, but some of the wood planks had a glittery appearance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was frost on the bridge, and the morning
sun was at a low enough angle that it reflected off the ice crystals.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">As I finished my first
lap, Deb was right there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I drank a cup
of Gatorade, told Deb I was doing OK, and started my second lap.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I knew by now that I
would have the wind at my back in the first half of each lap, but I would have
to run into it in the second half.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For
the next three miles, I felt fairly comfortable, with one exception.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt like I was going to need a bathroom
stop.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">There’s a building with
bathrooms in Memorial Park, but the water was shut off for the season, so pipes
wouldn’t freeze.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were
port-o-potties in the park, but they were a distance away from the course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Kwik Trip next to the second aid station
has bathrooms, but going into the building would also be out of the way.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I was almost to the north
end of the loop when I noticed a port-o-potty in a small park next to the
course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was considering stopping there
when the runner in front of me left the trail to head to the port-o-potty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was only one, and I wasn’t inclined to
wait, so I held on for another lap.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After passing the aid
station by Kwik Trip, I started to notice an aroma like someone was baking
cookies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t think much of it at
the time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just kept running.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">By now, we were getting
spread out enough on the course that I couldn’t always see the next runner in
front of me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead of just following
the crowd, I had to pay attention to where the turns were.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That turned out to be pretty easy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There weren’t many turns, and they were
well-marked with red chalk arrows.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was
looking for the arrows during my first lap, even though I didn’t need to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This time around, I already knew the turns,
but I still looked for the arrows.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">At halfway, I was on pace
to finish in 4:10.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t have a time
goal in mind, but that seemed reasonable.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Some of the runners were
doing a half marathon, so they were done after the second lap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wondered if the field would thin out as I
started my third lap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It thinned out a
little, but not that much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>More often
than not, I could still see at least one runner ahead of me.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I was planning to stop
when I got back to the port-o-potty that was right next to the course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In anticipation, I started to speed up when I
was still almost two miles away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During
those two miles, I passed two runners.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When I emerged from the
port-o-potty, I saw a runner coming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
initially assumed this was simply one of the runners behind me, and he caught
up while I was in the port-o-potty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then
I saw there was a volunteer leading him on a bicycle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was the lead runner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was still in my third lap, but he was in
his final lap.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I had expected to slow
down after my bathroom stop, because it took me out of my rhythm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ordinarily, after stopping for a minute or
two, I settle into a slower pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Instead, following a faster runner caused to me go a little faster than
before.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After crossing the pedestrian
bridge in Northfield, I gradually settled back into my previous pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stopped to drink at the aid station near
the Kwik Trip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I noticed the cookie
aroma again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was stronger now, and it
seemed more like brownies.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I always noticed this
aroma when I was downwind from the Post cereal factory.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They must have been making a chocolate
flavored cereal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I made a mental note
that I would need to have a brownie after the race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the meantime, I still had to run about 10
miles.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The two runners I passed
earlier in this lap were now ahead of me again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They passed me while I was in the port-o-potty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the end of this lap, I passed them both
again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, as I was running through
Mill Park, a runner passed me.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">As she went by, she said
something to encourage me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was going
fast, and I wondered if she was finishing the half marathon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I realized that anyone doing the half
marathon would’ve been done by now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By
the time I got to the bridge, I heard them announcing her finish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the lead woman in the marathon, and
she was already finishing her last lap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She set a new course record.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When I crossed the
bridge, I could still see frost, but it no longer had a glittery
appearance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sun was higher in the
sky now.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">As I finished my third
lap, I noticed my time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My time for the
third lap was about the same as my time for the second lap, even though I had a
bathroom stop.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Deb saw me finish that
lap and asked me if I was OK.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I told her
I was, but I realized I was starting to get warm. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew I would feel much warmer in the first
half of my last lap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead of having a
headwind, I would have a tailwind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I
kept my jacket on, I would have to slow way down to keep from getting too hot.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I decided to take off my jacket
and tie it around my wait as I started my last lap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Normally, I can do that without slowing
down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With gloves and shell mittens on
my hands, it wasn’t as easy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
tough to get one sleeve off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The other
sleeve came off easier, but I accidentally turned it inside out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To fix my sleeve and tie my jacket around my
waist, I had to briefly slow to a walk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then I noticed that my watch band was coming loose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was also tough to fix with mittens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to slow down again to fix my watch.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">There was one intersection
on this side of the river where they had course marshals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I got there, I already had my jacket tied
around my waist, but I was still trying to tuck one of the sleeves to make sure
it wouldn’t be flopping around loose.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">One of the volunteers
asked me if I wanted to drop my jacket there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Before the race, we were told we could drop off clothes after any lap,
and they would keep them at the finish line for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have no doubt this volunteer would’ve
brought my jacket back to the finish line, but I opted to keep it with me.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Once I had my jacket squared
away, I picked up my pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For now, I
was warm enough, but I had the wind at my back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Later, I would have a headwind again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I had to commit to running a fast enough pace to stay warm without the
jacket.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I started to see more runners
ahead of me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was catching up to
people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first person I passed in
that lap wasn’t going very fast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then it
occurred to me that this was still her third lap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was starting to catch up to people who were
at the back of the race.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I passed several people
on that lap, including a couple of local runners I know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some were still on their third lap, but
others were harder to catch, so I knew they were runners who were on the same
lap as me.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">A couple miles into the
lap, I reached an aid station that I had previously gone by without stopping.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On this lap, I slowed down long enough to
take a drink.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was several degrees
warmer than it was at the start of the race, so I started drinking at all the
aid stations.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When I reached the second
half of the loop, I noticed the brownie smell again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also noticed the wind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wondered if I could run negative splits if I
pushed hard for the last few miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My second
and third laps were each a few minutes slower than my first lap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To run negative splits, this lap would have
to be faster than my first lap.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I wasn’t paying attention
to my recent mile times, so I didn’t know how fast I started this lap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I only knew that the first mile was slow
because I was struggling to get my jacket and watch squared away.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I picked up my effort as
much as I could, but the wind was stronger now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>For the next two miles, I was looking forward to the place where I would
enter the woods and get out of the wind.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The last time I looked at
my watch, I was already past 23 miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
thought I must be getting close to 24, so I looked at my watch again. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was already reading 24.11.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Somehow, I never noticed when my watch
recorded a split for 24.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I kept running.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I thought I was getting close to 25
miles, I looked at my watch again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was
already at 25.07.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I missed another split.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Grr.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I had no idea if I was on
pace for negative splits, but I committed to that as a goal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was trying to take the rest of this lap as
fast as I could.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I finally reached the
section of trail that was sheltered from the wind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My recollection was that it was about a mile
long, but I realized now that it couldn’t be more than a half mile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I enjoyed it while I could.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After that, I just had a
few blocks on city streets, then through Mill Park and across the bridge for
the last time.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I crossed the bridge and
ran to the balloons surrounding the finish line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got there in 4:08:39.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ran negative splits by roughly a minute.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">This was a small race
that was organized quickly, so I expected it to be low frills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wasn’t expecting a finisher medal, but they
had them.<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhemQr_D4cZhocIVc3CQdNsndlnKJq9foSs3itiddxpdcITUmRiIp5AK9O2l4OO1mHPGpKcIShIu6q1kX2-2geO-Bu1QZVPLQokDo9lMLXmIqZvpTahx5dtMt89nC09nLxQQdyYju6qBCsVSdzf_pJkVvrIMLq9ezhUJW7K-Jej5F05cb-Q2Au6xhRt2M9S/s2048/medal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhemQr_D4cZhocIVc3CQdNsndlnKJq9foSs3itiddxpdcITUmRiIp5AK9O2l4OO1mHPGpKcIShIu6q1kX2-2geO-Bu1QZVPLQokDo9lMLXmIqZvpTahx5dtMt89nC09nLxQQdyYju6qBCsVSdzf_pJkVvrIMLq9ezhUJW7K-Jej5F05cb-Q2Au6xhRt2M9S/w266-h400/medal.jpg" width="266" /></a><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">They also had many of the
other things you would expect from a larger race, including chip timing, and
post-race snacks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The results were
available online before we drove home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
had enough volunteers for aid stations and traffic control.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, the bonfire in the start/finish area
was nice.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I hope this race becomes
an annual event.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a nice little
race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Talking to Deb after the race, I
learned that many of the other runners felt the same way.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><u>Race statistics</u>:</div><div>Distance: 26.2 miles</div><div>Time: 4:08:39</div><div>Average Pace: 9:29 per mile</div><div>First Half: 2:04:49</div><div>Second Half: 2:03:50</div><div>Lifetime Marathons/Ultras: 498</div><div>Minnesota Marathons/Ultras: 95</div>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07537579568732930585noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3046379205507947695.post-40185940424198412332023-10-21T17:30:00.000-05:002023-10-21T17:30:23.754-05:00Race Report: 2023 Mankato Marathon<p>On October 21, I ran the
Mankato Marathon. I’ve done this race
before, but not since they redesigned the course. The old course started near the university
and finished downtown. It was net
downhill, but there were some tough hills in the first half of the race.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The new course is a loop
that starts and finishes downtown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s
no longer any net elevation loss, but it’s also less hilly overall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was cautiously optimistic that I could run
a fast time on this course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After qualifying
for Boston in my last four marathons, I wanted to see if I could keep that streak
going.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Mankato is about 75 miles
from where I live.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was originally planning
to get up early and drive to Mankato on the day of the race, but I was able to
get a room at the last minute at a downtown hotel.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">My friend Cade flew into town
for the race, so I picked him up at the airport and we drove down together.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The expo was in the Mayo
Clinic Health System Event Center, which was only one block away from my hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cade and I picked up our race packets, and we
met Cade’s friend Todd, who gave Cade a ride to their hotel.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After unpacking and
getting my clothes organized for the race, I went out to see the start of the
5K race.<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgszkzbIua3xZWJAjHe1ucDkd8LI03xDZiihf1Ot3p5M5UYgeAyoU-QX_Kn_56nGLSymhu2yYjmL_rDoLCpFX6raIlZub6lIPgiFoSbknHe0Lm7hrHYAW-uVqGzTVEcLHHfk46jUhDFgCha6ACfXvyRSfTjEECko6uKSl5lQsxpaCH10AUnZVrm953x-ZDB/s2000/5K%20start.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgszkzbIua3xZWJAjHe1ucDkd8LI03xDZiihf1Ot3p5M5UYgeAyoU-QX_Kn_56nGLSymhu2yYjmL_rDoLCpFX6raIlZub6lIPgiFoSbknHe0Lm7hrHYAW-uVqGzTVEcLHHfk46jUhDFgCha6ACfXvyRSfTjEECko6uKSl5lQsxpaCH10AUnZVrm953x-ZDB/w400-h300/5K%20start.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Then I had dinner with Cade
and Todd at one of the downtown restaurants.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I didn’t sleep great, but
I didn’t have to get up early, so I rested in bed until it was time to get
up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt like I got enough sleep to
get by.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The temperature at the
start was about 50 degrees with a cold breeze in the river valley.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I expected it to warm into the mid-50s during
the race, but no warmer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wore tights,
because I would rather risk being too warm than too cold.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The start was less than
half a mile from my hotel, so I didn’t leave until 20 minutes before the race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They had a gear check, but I didn’t bother to
check a bag.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead, I wore a Tyvek
jacket to the start and tied it around my waist before I started running.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The race had pace groups,
and one of the groups was pacing for a 3:50 finish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s the pace I need for a Boston
qualifier, so I started the race with the 3:50 pace group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My last race gave me confidence that I could run
that pace, but it wasn’t going to be easy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Each of my recent races have been all-out efforts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s tough to do that every weekend.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I was starting at the
same pace as my last race, but this time it wasn’t as tiring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead of starting with three uphill miles,
we started with four mostly flat miles.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After leaving the
downtown area, we ran a loop through the neighborhood immediately west of
downtown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The old course ran through
this neighborhood at the end of the race, so I was familiar with the
streets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wasn’t used to running through
this neighborhood at the beginning of the race, and we were running some of these
streets in the opposite direction.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The early miles were
mostly flat, but not completely flat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On
the occasional small hill, I found I had to work much harder to keep up with
the pace group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Running downhill, I
would get ahead of them.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">In my last race, I could
run in front of the pace group, but I would still hear them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a large group with multiple pacers,
and one of the pacers was always talking to the group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In this race, it was a much smaller group,
there was only one pacer, and he didn’t talk much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Consequently, I couldn’t tell if they were
right behind me or if I was pulling away.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">In the fourth mile, I inadvertently
started pulling away from the group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
didn’t realize it until I saw my time for that mile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ran that mile about 10 seconds too
fast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew the next mile was uphill,
so I wasn’t too concerned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I tend to run
faster than most people going downhill and slower than most people going
uphill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew the group would catch up
to me on the big hill that was coming up.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Going through aid stations,
I usually slowed down for a few seconds while taking a drink of Gatorade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I started mile five with a small lead over
the pace group, but my lead evaporated at an aid station.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the time we reached the base of the hill,
the group was right behind me.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">This was by far the
toughest hill in the race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a rise
of 224 feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I lifted my effort as much
as I could, but I still couldn’t keep up with the group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The best I could do was to keep from falling
too far behind.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The five mile mark came
just before the end of the hill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ran
that mile in 9:22.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was 36 seconds
slower than the pace I needed to average to break 3:50.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Overall, I was off the pace by 20 seconds,
but I knew the next several miles would be relatively flat.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">As I crested the hill, I
was about 50 feet behind the pace group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Now that the course was leveling off, I was able to put in the additional
effort to catch up to them.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Staying with the group
was easier now, but not as easy as I expected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The group sped up to 8:30 in the next mile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was 16 seconds faster than our target
pace of 8:46.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the end of the seventh
mile, we had already made up the time we lost on the long hill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was nice to know we were back on pace, but
the faster miles forced me to work harder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I was able to keep up with the group, but I felt like I never got a
chance to recover from the hill.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">This section of the
course had numerous turns, as we snaked through residential neighborhoods.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our pacer reminded us to run the
tangents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was already doing that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each time I came out of a turn, I looked
ahead to the next one and took the most direct line to the next corner.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The next two miles weren’t
as fast, but I still felt like I was running pretty close to my limit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A week ago, I was 10 miles into the race when
I started to question whether I could sustain my effort for the whole
race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This time, I was only nine miles
into the race when I started to doubt whether my effort was sustainable.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After about 10 miles, we
turned onto the sidewalk of a busy street that runs through the university campus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before, we were either on paved trails or
residential streets that weren’t busy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Here, there was enough traffic that we had to stay on the sidewalk.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We ran right past the
parking lot where the race used to start.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We went a little farther east and then turned right to begin a long
section running south.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This section was
similar to the early miles of the old course.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I often found it easier
to run in front of the group than to run behind them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had been running just in front of the group
for at least a mile when I started to follow two runners who were running
together in front of me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were going
a little faster than the pace group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
didn’t realize I was speeding up until I reached the 11 mile sign and saw that
I ran that mile in 8:24.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was 22
seconds too fast.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I eased up a little in
the next mile, but it was also a little fast. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t know how far back the group was, but
I assumed I was about 30 seconds ahead of them.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We were far enough south
to be out of the city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, we were
surrounded by farmland.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I started to
notice the wind pushing on my back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
tailwind might have explained why I sped up so much in the previous two miles.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">It was an unusually windy
day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I first noticed that when I was
walking from my hotel to the start.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Early in the race, we never ran in the same direction for very long, so
the wind wasn’t a big factor, other than feeling cold.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, we were surrounded by open fields, so we
were more exposed to the wind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We also
weren’t turning as frequently.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Just before the 13 mile
mark, we turned right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now I really felt
the wind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a cross wind, but it
was so strong that it was still tiring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It felt like a headwind.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I was disappointed to see
that I slowed down to 8:57 in that mile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I gave back some of the time I gained in my previous two miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I may have started getting lazy when I
realized I had a tailwind.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">At the halfway mark, I
was almost a minute ahead of schedule.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That should’ve been encouraging, but I also noticed that the 3:50 group
was right behind me.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">This part of the course
was familiar to me, because it was also part of the old course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The wind was tiring, and it knew we would be
completely exposed to it for the next mile or two.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the distance, I could see some trees, but
they were still far away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew we
would eventually begin descending and we would start to get cover from the
trees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I couldn’t wait to get there, but
it would take a while.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">In the meantime, I picked
up my effort enough to get ahead of the pace group again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Following them always seemed to take more
effort than running in front of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
knew that was psychological, but that didn’t make it any less real.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I always run races much
faster than I run my training runs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do
that even though I’m running more than twice as far.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To do that, I have to coax myself to run at a
pace that’s just barely sustainable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Continuing to pour it on when you’re tired has a huge psychological
component.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Realizing that I seemed to
struggle any time the pacer got ahead of me, I worked hard to keep that from happening.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After about a mile, the
road began bending slightly to the right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We were on the right shoulder of a highway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the other side of the highway, there were
trees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On my right, it was open
farmland.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The wind was coming from my
right, so I was still completely exposed to it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As we turned slightly to our right, the wind became more of a headwind.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">About half a mile after
the 14 sign, I saw another banner that looked like a mile marker.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was much too soon to be the 15 sign.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a mile marker, but it wasn’t one of
ours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the 8 mile sign for the
half marathon course, which had recently merged with the marathon route.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The road started to turn
downhill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That helped, but running
downhill with such a strong wind was still tiring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What I really needed was to get out of that
wind.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Eventually, we left the
highway to turn onto a paved trail that followed the road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was still downhill, but now we had trees
on our right, which gave us some relief from the wind.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When I saw the 9 mile sign
for the half marathon, I started to look for the 16 mile mark of the marathon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before I got there, we reached the point
where the marathon and half marathon routes diverged again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The half marathon route went straight, but we
needed to turn left and go through a tunnel under the highway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was disappointed that we weren’t going
straight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was familiar with that
section of trail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was part of the old
marathon route, so I knew it had a downhill trend.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Miles 15 and 16 were both
a little fast, but only because they were downhill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I sped up, but the 3:50 group also sped
up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were right behind me as I
reached the 16 mile mark.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I started hearing other
runners talking about an uphill section coming up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Starting at 17 miles, we would begin a long
uphill stretch, but it would be gradual.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That was still a mile away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
the meantime, it was flat.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We were running on a
trail though the forest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was among
the most scenic parts of the course, but I was struggling to keep up with the
3:50 group.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We crossed a long wooden
bridge over the Blue Earth River, which meets the Minnesota River on the west
side of Mankato.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Crossing the bridge, I
watched my footing carefully.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the
past, I’ve been known to catch my shoe on a gap between the boards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I breathed a sigh of relief after getting
across the bridge safely.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">At 17 miles, we began
running uphill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was so gradual that
you could barely see that it was uphill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I knew it was uphill only because I could feel the difference in my
effort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were going the same pace, but
it was even more difficult to keep up with the group.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">In the 19th mile, I finally
put in the extra effort to get out in front of the group again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>About halfway through that mile, we finally
reached the top of the gradual uphill section, and we turned onto a road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I slowed down to drink at an aid station, and
just like that the group caught up to me again.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Our next turn brought us
onto a road that had traffic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were
traffic cones between the driving lane and the shoulder, and we needed to stay on
the shoulder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a narrow shoulder,
so it was tough to get around slower runners.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I put in some extra
effort to get around a few runners, so I had daylight in front of me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As result, I also got out in front of the
pace group again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I managed to stay
ahead of them for the next mile, but I never knew if they were right behind me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At 19 miles, I knew I only had seven miles to
go, but I questioned whether I could keep up my effort for that many miles
without running out of gas.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I turned a corner just
before the 20 mile mark, and a volunteer said it was all downhill from here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then a runner behind me said, “except for the
hill at Mount Kato.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Having looked at
the elevation profile, I already knew there was at least one more hill, but from
what I knew of the area, it seemed likely that it was mostly downhill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Already, I could see the beginning of a
downhill section that started a short distance after the mile marker.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">In contrast to the long
gradual uphill section we ran earlier, this section had a noticeable
grade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here, I was able to speed up, and
it was downhill all the way to the 21 mile sign.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ran that mile in 8:16, which was 30 seconds
faster than my target pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s
possible the 3:50 group also sped up here, but I suspected I had put some
distance between us.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The next mile wasn’t as
sharply downhill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The road briefly
turned uphill in one spot, and other sections were level, but into the
wind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt myself slowing down at
times.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After crossing another
bridge over the river, we came back onto a section of trail we were running
earlier, but now we were going in the opposite direction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were almost to the end of a six mile loop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Volunteers at an aid station said we were
almost to 22.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I saw a banner, but it
wasn’t 22.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was 16.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had seen this mile marker right after
going through the tunnel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, we were
about to go back through the same tunnel.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After the tunnel, we
turned left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Earlier, I was disappointed
that we weren’t going to run the same section of trail as the half
marathon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, six miles later, we were.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">This trail has a downhill
trend, but it’s not all downhill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just
before the 22 mile sign, I had to go up a short but tiring hill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I remembered seeing a 50 foot hill on the
elevation profile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Was this it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If so, was this the last hill?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I took the hill at the
best pace I could and then endeavored to pick up the pace again when the trail
turned downhill again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I once again
questioned how much longer I could keep up this effort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It helped to know that I was still in front
of the 3:50 group.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We eventually came
alongside the highway, and I saw a billboard for Mount Kato, which is a ski
area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We began climbing another short
hill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I reached the top of this hill,
I crossed a driveway and looked to my right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I saw ski lifts and a hill that was definitely steep enough for ski
runs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It just needed snow.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I had just over three
miles to go, but I was fading.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After
running mile 22 in 8:54, I ran mile 23 in 8:51.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I was no longer keeping up the same pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I built a nice cushion in mile 21, but I was
slowly giving it back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wondered if I
was subconsciously giving myself permission to slow down, knowing I was still
ahead of the 3:50 group.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Mile 24 was also a bit
slow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ran that one in 8:57.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The next mile was mostly downhill, and I
picked up my effort to make sure I would stay ahead of the group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If they caught me in the last mile, I would
have enough fight in me to stay with them to the finish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If they caught me now, I might not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Staying in front of them seemed easier than staying
with them.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I ran mile 25 in
8:44.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had mixed feelings about
that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On one hand, it was reassuring to
know that I had brought my pace back down to my target pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the other hand, I only beat that pace by two
seconds in a mile that was mostly downhill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I should’ve been able to run faster in a downhill mile.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">It was during that mile
that I recognized a stadium with a track on my right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t know what school this was, but we
had run past the same track early in the race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Now I had a good feel for where I was in relationship to where we would
finish.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When I reached the 12
mile sign for the half marathon, I looked at my watch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I could run the last 1.1 miles in 11:06, I
would break 3:50.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s more time than
I had at the same point in the Baltimore Marathon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s worth noting, however, that the last
mile of that race was sharply downhill, and I expected the last mile of this
race to be mostly flat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Still, I only
needed to average 10 minutes per mile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
had yet to run a mile slower than 9:22.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I crossed a street and
turned left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Immediately, I felt a
strong headwind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was slowing me down,
but I only needed to run into that wind for one block.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I turned and ran up a short hill.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I turned again and ran
downhill for one block.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I had
another right turn and another left turn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>All of this was unfamiliar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
knew I was close to the downtown streets, but I had never come from this
direction before.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Ahead of me, I saw a right
turn onto Front Street.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew we
finished on Front Street, so this was the last turn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After the turn, I could see the 26 sign.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The street bent slightly to the left before
the finish, so I couldn’t see the finish line yet.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When the finish line was
finally in sight, I did my best to keep up my effort all the way to the line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had been running on empty for a long time,
but I finished the race in 3:48:28.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
second half of the race was difficult, but I came close to running even
splits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I only slowed down by 16 seconds.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I felt completely spent,
but I needed to keep moving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stopped
just long enough to get my finisher medal and pick up a few post-race
snacks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I kept walking until I
reached my hotel.<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU6PQcYL7NeovzdTLubv6r-JW8ZsppPMWSd9PccG_Cjp8quE35SrSayAk6Yzgyv5FONDMQU3fWfAU7Iyl_CdQ1CGZXxrEyZOUTpBK2P8heTwqGWz2JhCPfsCDX_47oD4ZMN1TKZXSKQEz1W0J1x3UqsEYi6Y07vjgKfjvfr-C4chNX86WGgdbzOUsXJRH3/s1551/medal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1551" data-original-width="1156" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU6PQcYL7NeovzdTLubv6r-JW8ZsppPMWSd9PccG_Cjp8quE35SrSayAk6Yzgyv5FONDMQU3fWfAU7Iyl_CdQ1CGZXxrEyZOUTpBK2P8heTwqGWz2JhCPfsCDX_47oD4ZMN1TKZXSKQEz1W0J1x3UqsEYi6Y07vjgKfjvfr-C4chNX86WGgdbzOUsXJRH3/w299-h400/medal.jpg" width="299" /></a><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The hotel had given me a
12:30 checkout, but I knew every room was booked for Saturday night, so I did
my best to be out by noon if I could.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That would make it easier for housekeeping to have the room ready for
the next guest.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After a quick shower, I
got dressed and finished packing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was
out of the room and down to the lobby by noon.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After checking out, I
drove to Cade’s hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was ready by
the time I got there, and we left for the airport.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After dropping off Cade,
I was tempted to go somewhere for pizza.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I decided to get home quickly instead.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I’ve qualified for Boston
in my last five marathons, including three straight weekends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each one has been more difficult than the previous
one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have another race next weekend,
but I don’t think I have another BQ in me right now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll probably stay in my comfort zone next
week and save my energy for the next one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Still, it’s been four years since I last qualified on back-to-back-to-back
weekends, and I’m pretty happy about that.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><u>Race statistics</u>:</div><div>Distance: 26.2 miles</div><div>Time: 3:48:28</div><div>Average Pace: 8:43</div><div>First Half: 1:54:06</div><div>Second Half: 1:54:22</div><div>Lifetime Marathons/Ultras: 497</div><div>Minnesota Marathons/Ultras: 94</div><div>Boston Qualifiers: 157</div>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07537579568732930585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3046379205507947695.post-9125938791822317442023-10-15T08:45:00.001-05:002023-10-15T08:52:39.812-05:00Race Report: Baltimore Marathon<p>After our trip to Cape
Cod, Deb and I flew directly from Boston to Baltimore, where I ran the
Baltimore Marathon on October 14.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQrOq6eFvZqgyI9JVIjwMmtTQbJ2bm5mFCbE-aEyV6wP9JIRDoAVJDf3Kma3eOR9p4hZj6bJHno7D7Sna0-2Vx105JSGpQPeIaCvSdnuXTtentgVIF2SRb9Q032ZvPOn4DwGIU-ovzBXUyY7wSPiEz9tP-nlitwqxD2G9JYZ0l8gIgW4SSlyof9GUp1jYr/s1544/banner.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1544" data-original-width="1500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQrOq6eFvZqgyI9JVIjwMmtTQbJ2bm5mFCbE-aEyV6wP9JIRDoAVJDf3Kma3eOR9p4hZj6bJHno7D7Sna0-2Vx105JSGpQPeIaCvSdnuXTtentgVIF2SRb9Q032ZvPOn4DwGIU-ovzBXUyY7wSPiEz9tP-nlitwqxD2G9JYZ0l8gIgW4SSlyof9GUp1jYr/w389-h400/banner.jpg" width="389" /></a><br />
<p class="MsoNormal">We were originally
scheduled to arrive in Baltimore at 2:15 on Friday, but Delta changed their
flight schedule. Our revised arrival
time was 3:07, which didn’t give us as much time as we were originally
expecting to have. I would’ve been nervous
about that, but the expo went until 8:00 PM.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We stayed in a downtown
hotel that was right next to Camden Yards, where the race started. It’s a shame the Baltimore Orioles lost in the
American League Divisional Series. Had
they advanced to the championship series, they would’ve had a home game on Saturday. Our hotel was so close to the stadium that we
had this view from our hotel room.<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUFBb7BDL2eZj7A3v7_xiKzLPNGNBdEeh99ZJgXAtNptAu-shiskT_g7jzWC115nPiNeb5PAc4421v_ZMr5gS_4eSukqiiRy0stO8vkS3a2ObzQH6UZJpESJM_zGBm0c-QPxsl_I9sTKWlRxL5BsnIrEfm65RebX-7CDnM5UeV3UDcT_WfuUi4n3EZUjeV/s2000/stadium%20from%20room.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1277" data-original-width="2000" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUFBb7BDL2eZj7A3v7_xiKzLPNGNBdEeh99ZJgXAtNptAu-shiskT_g7jzWC115nPiNeb5PAc4421v_ZMr5gS_4eSukqiiRy0stO8vkS3a2ObzQH6UZJpESJM_zGBm0c-QPxsl_I9sTKWlRxL5BsnIrEfm65RebX-7CDnM5UeV3UDcT_WfuUi4n3EZUjeV/w400-h255/stadium%20from%20room.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<p class="MsoNormal">We were also just a
couple of blocks from the convention center, where the expo was held. We didn’t get to our hotel until 4:15, but I
was back from the expo by 5:00.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">After organizing my clothes
for the race, I had dinner with my friend Aaron at a Detroit-style pizza place
near the waterfront. On my way to
dinner, I walked right past the finish area for the marathon. Most of the barriers were already in place.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I got to bed early, slept
well all night, and woke up about 30 minutes before my alarm would’ve gone
off. The race didn’t start until 8:00 AM,
so I didn’t need to be up too early.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The temperature was in
the 50s, but I didn’t know when the rain would start. For most of the morning, there was about a
50% chance of rain. There was no question
it would rain in the afternoon, but I didn’t know how much of the race would be
in the rain. I was only expecting
intermittent showers, but to hedge my bets I wore tights. I had a Tyvek jacket that I wore to the start. In case of heavy rain, I kept a plastic rain
poncho folded up in my fanny pack.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The starting line was
close enough to my hotel that I could wait until 20 minutes before the race
before going outside. I was able to use
the bathroom in my hotel room, so I didn’t need to allow time to wait in
port-o-potty lines in the start area.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I neglected to pack the
charger cable for my GPS watch. After
using it for the Cape Cod Marathon and two shorter runs, I didn’t know for sure
if I had enough battery life for another marathon. I left that watch at the hotel and used my older
Timex, which is just a plain stopwatch.
I’ve grown accustomed to my watch giving me splits, but I had to go back
to my old practice of just reading my watch at each mile marker and doing the
arithmetic in my head.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I ran Boston qualifying
times in my last three marathons, but those were all on fast courses. One was sharply downhill, one was slightly
downhill, and the other was mostly flat.
This race was hilly, so I went in with lower expectations. I needed to wait and see how I felt after the
first few miles.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When I got to the start
area, I saw there was a 3:50 pace group. I lined up with them and decided to run at
that pace long enough to evaluate whether the pace would be sustainable on this
course.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Besides having a view
into the stadium, our hotel room also had a view of the starting line. Deb was taking pictures before the race started.<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIX5XJpBUFb4ZmCDf7tnj78PmxXinXc0ouYCy2_yzlK1Z8enQ9fuJcyXA4C58daFu_m9-UxgWwJQy5wBV_j8V8WTnBBrRpLUzz0m9gz5FpBXih8OeAz8Rlw4omAxwWms1pyNVIi9iqp_1_jnp6HELXNZuGrZlAKUTtMuC_nPSbfRSh4Kga_xFHR4U42oxC/s2000/start%20from%20room.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIX5XJpBUFb4ZmCDf7tnj78PmxXinXc0ouYCy2_yzlK1Z8enQ9fuJcyXA4C58daFu_m9-UxgWwJQy5wBV_j8V8WTnBBrRpLUzz0m9gz5FpBXih8OeAz8Rlw4omAxwWms1pyNVIi9iqp_1_jnp6HELXNZuGrZlAKUTtMuC_nPSbfRSh4Kga_xFHR4U42oxC/w400-h300/start%20from%20room.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<p class="MsoNormal">About 10 minutes before
the race started, it started to rain. It
was only sprinkling, but I decided to keep my jacket on, instead of tying it
around my waist.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Starting with the 3:50 pace
group took all the guesswork about how fast to start. I followed the pacers, and I didn’t look at
my watch for the first half of the race.
The first few miles had a gradual uphill trend. Running uphill, I found the pace to be
tiring, but I knew it would eventually get easier. I forced myself to keep up with the group,
even though it seemed like I was working way too hard.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The first song I heard
during the race was <i>Fallin’</i> by Alicia Keys. That was a reminder that I fell during my
last race, and I should pay attention to my footing. In the downtown area, the pavement had cracks
in a few places. Also, the pavement was
slippery from the rain.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">About halfway through the
second mile, I started to feel hot. I
took off my jacket and tied it around my waist.
After taking off my jacket, I realized there weren’t any drops hitting
my arms. Because the pavement was wet, I
didn’t notice that the rain had stopped.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Shortly before the three
mile mark, we entered Druid Hill Park.
As we crested a hill, one of the pacers told us this was the highest
point on the course. There would be
other hills, but from here, it was more downhill than uphill.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As we continued through
the park, we entered the Maryland Zoo. The
zoo has African penguins, and two of the zookeepers brought one of the penguins
outside to watch the race. We all got to
see the penguin as we ran by.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Where we entered the zoo,
it was the beginning of a downhill section.
The leaders of our pace group were running the whole race at a
consistent pace. They ran uphill at the
same pace that they ran downhill. For
most of the runners in the group, the downhill sections were a chance to rest
and recover from the uphill sections. I’m
used to speeding up going downhill, so I took the downhill sections at my own
pace. I often got ahead of the pace
group, but they would catch up to me again on the next uphill section.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Shortly after leaving the
zoo, we reached a spot where we had a good view of the downtown area to our
right. One of the pacers told us when
this view was coming up. In general,
they gave us lots of useful information throughout the race.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Between six and seven
miles, we turned and started running back toward the downtown area. The next two and a half miles had a gradual
downhill trend. One of the pacers told
us to pay attention to how this section of the course felt, because the section
from 24 to 26 would be similar.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I continued to speed
ahead on the downhill sections, but I was never too far ahead of the group. They were always talking, and I could hear
them right behind me.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">At nine miles, we passed
close to where we would eventually finish.
Then we started an out-and-back section along the west side of the inner
harbor. When I got to the 10 mile mark,
I asked myself how I felt. I was getting
tired. It didn’t seem like my effort
would be sustainable for 16 more miles, but I decided to stay with the pace
group until the halfway mark and then re-evaluate.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">By now, it was raining again,
and I also felt more wind near the inner harbor. Earlier, I had been hot going up hills, so
the colder conditions initially felt good.
I knew I’d get cold if it rained for the rest of the race, but my more
immediate concern was the condition of the streets. They were getting slick again.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I could see faster
runners coming back on the other side of the street. When I saw the 3:40 group coming back, I knew
we were only a couple minutes away from the turnaround.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Somewhere between 12 and
13 miles, we reached the end of the out-and-back section, and we started heading
east. The next few miles were along the
other side of the inner harbor.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">By now, the rain had
stopped again. I questioned whether I
could keep up with the group, but I was afraid to drop back. I was afraid that if I unhitched myself from
the group, I would keep slowing down until my pace felt comfortable. There’s a big disparity between my all-out
race pace and the pace I find comfortable.
If I started running by myself, I could easily slow down by a minute per
mile. If I did that now, I could easily
give up so much time that I wouldn’t even break four hours. For that reason, I wanted to keep up with the
group until I had no more than 10 miles to go.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I was so determined to
keep up with the group for a while longer, that I sped up and ran in front of
them. I could still hear them, so I knew
I was never too far ahead of them.
Somehow, it felt easier to stay ahead of them than to follow them.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When I reached the
halfway mark, I looked at my watch. I
was more than a minute ahead of schedule foe a 3:50 finish. Then meant I had a little bit of room to slow
down later in the race.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Suddenly, the pace no
longer felt difficult. Maybe it was just
psychological, but I easily stayed ahead of the group for the next few miles.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">By the beginning of the
15th mile, it was starting to rain again.
Now I had an extra incentive to keep up my current pace. If I slowed down, I was more apt to get cold. I would also be out in the wet conditions for
that much longer.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">While each additional
mile I finished, staying on my current pace for the rest of the race seemed
more feasible. In my previous two races,
I managed to dig deep and pick up my effort in the late miles. I was feeling tired earlier in this race, but
I wasn’t trying for as fast of a time.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As I got close to 16 miles,
I could hear one of the pacers talking to the group, but I couldn’t hear
everything she said. I heard “Don’t
panic” and “you can see the merge.” I
looked ahead and saw a huge pack of runners coming from the left and turning
onto the same street we were on. It was
about a block and a half ahead of me.
This was the point where the half marathon merged with the
marathon. For the next 10 miles, we
would all be running together.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I didn’t know if these
runners would be going at a faster or slower pace. They outnumbered us by about 20 to 1, so if
they were slower, it would be difficult to keep up a consistent pace.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As I reached the merge
point, it quickly became apparent that the runners merging in with us weren’t
going as fast. I look around to see
which runners I recognized as marathon runners.
There were two runners in front of me who I had consistently seen in
front of me for the last mile or two.
One was a guy in a red T-shirt.
The other was a woman wearing a clear plastic rain poncho. I followed them through the crowd of slower
runners.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It wasn’t long before I
passed the guy in the red shirt. Then I
could only follow the woman in the rain poncho.
She was weaving through the crowd aggressively. It took a lot of effort to keep up with her,
but I was afraid that if I didn’t I would start running at the pace of the
runners around me.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I suspected I had sped up
since the merge. I wasn’t looking at my
watch, so I didn’t actually know how fast I was going. It just felt faster. I could no longer hear the pace group behind
me. I didn’t know if I was getting way
ahead of them or if they were no longer audible over all the other
runners. The street was incredibly
crowded now.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We turned a corner and
started up a hill. Going up the hill, I
couldn’t keep up with the woman in the rain poncho, but I tried to stay close
enough that I could still see her. I got
hot running up this hill. That’s when I
realized the rain had stopped again.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This hill was long and tiring. I realized here that the “don’t panic”
comment wasn’t in reference to the merge.
The pacer who said that probably told the group about this hill and told
them not to panic, because there would be downhill sections later.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I never saw the 16 mile
mark. When I saw the 4 mile sign for the
half marathon, I realized I had also missed the 17 mile sign.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As I continued up a long
hill, I started to lose contact with the runner I was trying to follow. As I neared the top of the hill, I didn’t
care as much if there were slower runners in my way. I was slowing down anyway.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We turned another corner
and started a long downhill section. Now
I cared. I can speed up on the downhills,
so I didn’t want to be bottled up behind a wall of slower runners. I found a gap and raced down the hill. By the time I reached the bottom, I caught up
to the woman in the rain poncho. Then we
started up another hill, and I fell behind again.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">By the time I reached the
19 mile mark, I was getting really tired, but I didn’t have much more than
seven miles to go. I was sure I could
hang in there for seven miles.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Next, we began another
out-and-back section along one side of a lake.
I didn’t know how long it would be, so I started looking for pace groups
coming back. I saw a pace group, but I
couldn’t see their sign, so I didn’t know which group it was. Then I recognized Aaron. I knew he started with the 3:40 group, so I
assumed he was seven or eight minutes ahead of me by now. That meant I was within four minutes of
reaching the turnaround.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">By now, I had lost sight
of the woman in the rain poncho. I had been
moving through the crowd of half marathoners for the last four miles, so the people
around me weren’t that much slower than my own pace. It would have been easy to just run with the
crowd. At times I did, but then I’d
remind myself to keep passing people. It
wasn’t as easy when I didn’t have someone else setting the pace for me.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">If I was alert, I would’ve
started looking for the 3:50 group as soon as I made the turn. By the time I thought of it, I had already
missed them. For the past few miles, I
thought I was way ahead of them. Now I
realized they must be pretty close to me.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There was one more
out-and-back section. This one was much
shorter. Going out, it started out
downhill, but the last part before the hill was uphill. Going downhill, I spotted the woman in the
rain poncho. She was only half a block
ahead of me now. I was gaining ground,
but only until I started uphill. Then I
lost ground again.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This time, I looked for
the 3:50 group as soon as I made the turn.
They were right behind me. After the
turn, we briefly rain downhill, but then turn uphill again. By the time I reached the next turn, they had
caught up to me.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">After the group caught
me, I really struggled to keep up with them.
I thought they would drop me. Then
we hit another uphill section, and it got even harder. After falling behind, I dug deep and summoned
up the effort to catch up to them again.
It was raining again, and trying to accelerate on slick pavement made it
even harder.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I got alongside of one of
the pacers and asked her when we would crest the hill. She said it would be like this for another
mile. She asked me if I remembered what
she said earlier as we started the stretch from seven to nine, which was mostly
downhill. I did. Then she said after this uphill section, we
would get to that same downhill section.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">She yelled to the entire
group that she needed everyone to put on their big boy or big girl pants. This was the last really tough section of the
course. It wasn’t easy, but I gave it
everything I had for the next mile.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The spectators in the late
miles were great. One of them told us we
had two more minutes of climbing, and then it would be downhill. That information really helped.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">After cresting that hill,
I saw the 23 sign. It was still another
mile before the section of the course I was anticipating. Fortunately, this mile was also downhill.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">At first, I needed to use
the downhill to recover, while staying with the group. After a few blocks of running downhill, I was
able to speed up and get a little bit ahead of the group.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Between 23 and 24 miles,
I turned a corner to start the last long section running back into the downtown
area. We weren’t on the same street as
before, but this street ran parallel to that one, and it had the same gentle
downhill trend.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The section from seven to
nine had a short uphill section, so I assumed this street would too. I could see it from a distance, but I felt it
when I got there. It was tough, but the
spectators were encouraging. When I got
to the top, a woman said, “Just one more hill.”
I didn’t know there would be another hill, but I appreciated the advance
warning.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When I reached the 25
mile sign, I didn’t think to look at my watch.
Instead, I looked when I saw the 12 mile sign for the half
marathon. It was the first time I looked
at my watch since the halfway mark. To
break 3:50, I needed to run the last 1.1 miles in 9:40. At my current pace, I would do it, but I was
hoping for more of a cushion.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The last 1.1 miles were
mostly downhill, and I really worked the hill.
As I moved through the crowd of runners, I caught sight of the woman in
the rain poncho. It had been three or
four miles since I last saw her. I worked
hard to close the gap, but the closest I came was half a block.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The last hill was steep,
but it was also short. I shortened my stride
and pushed hard to keep up my pace. After
cresting the hill, I worked the last downhill as much as I could.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When I made the final
turn onto Pratt Street, I knew I was only a few blocks from the finish. Looking ahead, I could see the finish. It was comparable to making the turn onto Boylston
Street at the end of the Boston Marathon.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I finished the race in
3:47:58. It was the third time in 21
days that I qualified for Boston. The
last time I did that was four years ago.
This one wasn’t as fast as the last two, but it was a tougher
course. I no longer need a fast course
to qualify.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The second half of the
race wasn’t quite as fast as the first half, but it was close. I slowed down by less than a minute.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The finisher medal is in
the shape of a crab, and the shell opens to reveal the image of the Constellation,
which is docked in the Baltimore harbor.<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZZjUgeBOq9sk7fcMtnGpzWjlqFMOyfuabOq9uwzGmid-BmMrIYDnv2krr4TBtaV6NHEin6kxxG5_sIy2xie0ek2kPGQwAOruGl9drtp0dmlQApWwQIEmCTYUxGXmdguAkUFFFeimLoO_c0e1ZfIHalJg02JC-rS8Iaol2z7nDRsMMaSN1HWcVCbOU5sph/s2048/medal.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1751" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZZjUgeBOq9sk7fcMtnGpzWjlqFMOyfuabOq9uwzGmid-BmMrIYDnv2krr4TBtaV6NHEin6kxxG5_sIy2xie0ek2kPGQwAOruGl9drtp0dmlQApWwQIEmCTYUxGXmdguAkUFFFeimLoO_c0e1ZfIHalJg02JC-rS8Iaol2z7nDRsMMaSN1HWcVCbOU5sph/w343-h400/medal.jpg" width="343" /></a><br />
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibegwM8vzkhyIKvh2A9fkckL1bBnINeTTdOquBpoH-HTNM7sLrvr2P0BlZ_SZn9Eml7IckQCyLR7iryWSKNRjD1L5QvQIo824TCgtJQTqkSk2PX2F9Drm_FcSvJHqwqGtPd6B5Mw4qm03dOxrMnvYYOiMeYhamOEA5MFdSQ6fIwmgr678PLxoFDvjekOTL/s1756/medal%20inside.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1427" data-original-width="1756" height="325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibegwM8vzkhyIKvh2A9fkckL1bBnINeTTdOquBpoH-HTNM7sLrvr2P0BlZ_SZn9Eml7IckQCyLR7iryWSKNRjD1L5QvQIo824TCgtJQTqkSk2PX2F9Drm_FcSvJHqwqGtPd6B5Mw4qm03dOxrMnvYYOiMeYhamOEA5MFdSQ6fIwmgr678PLxoFDvjekOTL/w400-h325/medal%20inside.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<p class="MsoNormal">I had been drinking at
every aid station, so I didn’t need to drink anything in the finish area. My clothes were wet, and I was cold, so I
didn’t hang around for long. I picked up
some post-race food and walked back to my hotel as quickly as I could. I ate while I was walking.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">One of my cousins lives
in the Baltimore area. Deb and I went to
his house for dinner later in the day.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Saturday wasn’t a good
day for sightseeing, because it rained all afternoon. Sunday morning, Deb and I walked down to the
harbor to see the Constellation.<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuxwZR9_0p_CwWCcD2x1PlaFdip7qCs2kOvPe7Ew9tSn8EoRHAI80jopEacrVvu5-7agDi8t_D9Rvtmrc8MisDn67bMkcc_R-sQ9J-cwzrwLLoEro23621WrZQ9lRZi2XauWgTwakHnp-lOLP0e-eVyVknZ7zdTNXbmID7jRdvbG0B6V_ctKHqxG9J4ZU5/s1343/Constellation.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1110" data-original-width="1343" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuxwZR9_0p_CwWCcD2x1PlaFdip7qCs2kOvPe7Ew9tSn8EoRHAI80jopEacrVvu5-7agDi8t_D9Rvtmrc8MisDn67bMkcc_R-sQ9J-cwzrwLLoEro23621WrZQ9lRZi2XauWgTwakHnp-lOLP0e-eVyVknZ7zdTNXbmID7jRdvbG0B6V_ctKHqxG9J4ZU5/w400-h330/Constellation.jpg" width="400" /></a><br /><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><u>Race statistics</u>:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Distance: 26.2 miles</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Time: 3:47:58</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Average Pace: 8:42</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">First Half: 1:53:38</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Second Half: 1:54:20</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Lifetime Marathons/Ultras: 496</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Maryland Marathons: 5</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Boston Qualifiers: 156</span></div></div>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07537579568732930585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3046379205507947695.post-35290548720551477502023-10-12T17:56:00.000-05:002023-10-12T17:56:35.372-05:00Race Report: Cape Cod Marathon<p>On October 8, I ran the
Cape Cod Marathon. Deb has always wanted
to visit Cape Cod, and I had never run this marathon before. Deb was also interested in visiting Martha’s
Vineyard, Nantucket, and Plymouth. Since
these places are all close to each other, we decided to spend a week in the
area.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguWwRWnwL5hwsdDU6ssIyKG8v8FxoVvD_UdazfzhMoXq1gSh0kOAkqJVarMxNQ18Vz6TjdsMbMOpqX52jb71o27UYceaPCc9IyUYyzhJIu9kUSSA67zdvgODmGDdEcS_mtfZiN0ox-VNhDEhr1RzSzgppRD-AwqRHi3Tnwv9mKUpPuefPqLjRpUy5MNLbb/s1698/banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1698" data-original-width="1389" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguWwRWnwL5hwsdDU6ssIyKG8v8FxoVvD_UdazfzhMoXq1gSh0kOAkqJVarMxNQ18Vz6TjdsMbMOpqX52jb71o27UYceaPCc9IyUYyzhJIu9kUSSA67zdvgODmGDdEcS_mtfZiN0ox-VNhDEhr1RzSzgppRD-AwqRHi3Tnwv9mKUpPuefPqLjRpUy5MNLbb/w328-h400/banner.jpg" width="328" /></a><br />
<p class="MsoNormal"><u>Saturday, October 7<o:p></o:p></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We flew to Boston and drove
from there to Falmouth. I had received
emails from the race organizers warning us that construction on the Bourne
Bridge was reducing traffic to one lane, causing significant delays. With that in mind, we took a route that
avoided this bridge. It was a longer
route, but the drive time was more predictable.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The remnants of Tropical
Storm Philippe was making its way up toward Maine. The storm wasn’t hitting Massachusetts
directly, but it brought rain to the region.
We encountered some rain on our drive to Falmouth, but it was winding
down by the time we arrived.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Packet pickup for the
marathon was at Mullen-Hall School. Packet
pickup on Saturday was only available until 3:00 PM. To make sure we got there in time, we went
there first, before going to our hotel.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">After checking into our
room, we did some shopping along Main Street.
Then we went for a scenic drive, stopping at Nobska Lighthouse.<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF6CZyif1CBtivf5FMkSgSmEdCfj8XgegKFMBcl6hPAn2VU5LiOieSuDqu57x822gt9OxqLYECVq6ZyRG42tzEdXAZgrhP25abiznmdOIWQkhbdJ9heMrI3t3KQ48UBpoSj78z_DSXeuhWvrsLE_TuMXzdXZRgQgbPStiHDJFnptT6T8R1L1LeoeRYKBRF/s2048/Nobska%20lighthouse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1540" data-original-width="2048" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF6CZyif1CBtivf5FMkSgSmEdCfj8XgegKFMBcl6hPAn2VU5LiOieSuDqu57x822gt9OxqLYECVq6ZyRG42tzEdXAZgrhP25abiznmdOIWQkhbdJ9heMrI3t3KQ48UBpoSj78z_DSXeuhWvrsLE_TuMXzdXZRgQgbPStiHDJFnptT6T8R1L1LeoeRYKBRF/w400-h301/Nobska%20lighthouse.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<p class="MsoNormal">We returned to Main
Street for dinner, where I was able to get a pizza with scallops and bacon.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u>Sunday, October 8<o:p></o:p></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Sunday was race day. The race didn’t start until 8:00, so I was
able to grab a quick bite to eat before we left the hotel. Deb dropped me off at Mullen-Hall School,
where the race started. We were able to
come into the building to stay warm until the race started. They had a gear check, so I could wear extra
layers to the start and have them available later when I finished.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This is a relatively flat
course. There are few hills, but they’re
not that big, and they’re mostly in the early miles. In the last year, I’ve qualified for Boston
four times, but all four of those races were on downhill courses. One of my goals has been to get back into good
enough shape that I can qualify on a course that doesn’t have any net
descent. This was the right course, but
with the weather was challenging. The
temperature was in a comfortable range, but we had winds averaging about 20 MPH.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Without the wind, I would’ve
committed to goal of breaking 3:50, which is what I need to qualify for
Boston. Because of the strong winds, I
didn’t think that would be feasible. I
decided to see how the first few miles went before committing to any goals.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When the race started, I
almost instinctive began running with a short stride and a rapid cadence. That’s how I run in downhill races. Three of my last four marathons had downhill
starts, so I started running that way without even thinking.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As I realized how rapid
my cadence was, I paid more attention to how I felt. I wouldn’t have a good feel for my pace until
I finished the first mile. In the
meantime, I tried to establish a good pace, while not working too hard. That’s always easier said than done.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">For most of the first
mile, we were running straight toward the coast. There were enough runners around me that I
wasn’t noticing the wind too much. When
we reached the coast, we turned and started following the coast. Now, we were going straight into the wind, and
it was strong. I was worried my hat
would blow off, so I pulled it on as tight as I could, and I tilted my head
down.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I reached the first mile
marker in 8:25. I knew that pace wouldn’t
be sustainable, particularly now that I was fighting the wind. I eased up a bit, so I wouldn’t wear myself
out.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Early in the second mile,
we turned and ran away from the coast.
Now we weren’t going into the wind, so it was a little easier to gauge
whether my effort was sustainable.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I reached an aid station
much earlier than I expected. I didn’t
feel like I needed to drink yet, and I didn’t want to disrupt my rhythm, so I
skipped that one. There were plenty of aid
stations. I drank Gatorade or water at all
of the others.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Mile two wasn’t quite as
fast as the mile one, but it was still easily fast enough for a Boston
qualifier.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Next, we turned onto a
paved bike path that eventually brought us back to the coast. We were surrounded by trees, so we were
sheltered from the wind. That mile was
slightly faster than my first one, so I had to back off again.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When we got back to the
coast, we turned back onto the same road we were on earlier. At first, I could feel the headwind. Then we road moved away from the coast, and
we had shelter from trees on both sides.
That helped a lot. It took most
of the sting off of a section of the course where we were going into the wind.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This was the only part of
the course that could be called hilly.
Miles four through six were rolling.
The hills weren’t all that big, but it was enough to affect my pace. I slowed down a little going uphill and then
picked up my pace going downhill. Mile
four was the first one to be slower than 8:40, but I was still going at a Boston
qualifying pace. With each mile, I got
more serious about that goal.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">At the five mile mark, we
ran past Nobska Lighthouse. Coming up to
the lighthouse, we had to climb a hill.
Just as I crested the hill, I felt the full force of the wind. There was no shelter now. After the lighthouse, it was briefly downhill,
but the wind resistance was crazy. We
ran past a beach, and I saw big waves crashing on the beach.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">My time for mile six was
8:48. That was my slowest mile so far,
and it was the first one that wasn’t on a Boston-qualifying pace. I knew, however, that we were reaching the
westernmost point on the course. After that,
I could enjoy several miles with the wind at my back.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Right at 10K, we turned
onto another paved bike path. The next
several miles were flat, and the wind was mostly at our backs. At first, I could actually feel the
tailwind. Then, as we were more
sheltered by trees, I didn’t feel the wind at all. The important thing was that I no longer felt
any resistance from the wind.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">For the next few miles,
my pace was in the low 8:30s. I
questioned whether I should be running that fast. On one hand, it’s faster than I needed for a
Boston qualifier. On the other hand, I
knew that later in the race, I would have to run into the wind again. I expected the late miles to be much slower,
so I wanted to get in some faster miles while it was easier.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">After about nine miles, I
started to feel warm. I could feel the
inside of my shirt getting sweaty. I had
been wearing gloves since the beginning of the race, but I didn’t feel like I
needed them anymore. I took them off and
stuffed them in my fanny pack. I knew I’d
have to run into the wind later, but I also expected it to warm up a few
degrees by then.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">By now, we were back on
that same coastal road, but we were going in the opposite direction. Looking out at the waves, I could see that
the wind was coming from the southwest.
It wasn’t directly at our backs, but it would feel like a tailwind whenever
we were going east (along the coast) or north (away from the coast).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We turned onto the same
street we started on, but after a few blocks, we turned and continued east
until we reached the inner harbor. Then
we ran around the harbor.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Mile 10, shouldn’t have
been any more difficult than the previous three miles, but I slowed down by
about 10 seconds. It’s possible I just
got relaxed a bit in that mile, but I started to second guess whether I had
been running too fast. Was I starting to
get tired already? I continually asked
myself the same questions. Was I working
to keep up my fast pace? Yes. Was I working so hard that I would run out of
gas later? Maybe. I wasn’t sure, but I was committed to
breaking 3:50 if I could.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I saw a mile marker up ahead,
but I knew it was much too soon to by coming up on 11 miles. It was the 25 mile sign. Later in the race, we would come back this
same way. From here on out, every easy
mile with a tailwind would be balanced by a mile with a headwind. The tougher miles would all come at the end,
when I might be running out of gas.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I sped up to 8:32 in mile
11. Then I slowed to 8:42 in mile 12. In mile 13, I tried to pick up my pace
again. I apparently overdid it. I ran that mile in 8:17. That was my fastest mile of the race. I’m still not sure how that happened. I know I was picking up my effort in that
mile, but I didn’t think I picked it up that much. Maybe we had a stronger tailwind in that
mile.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Between miles 11 and 12,
I saw the 24 mile sign for when I’d be coming back. I never saw 23 or 22. Then, just before the 13 mile mark, I saw the
21 sign. When I looked at a map of the
course before the race, I noticed a couple loops that we would run on the way
back, but not on the way out. The 22 and
23 mile marks, were apparently on one of those loops.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">At the halfway mark, I
was almost on pace for 3:45. Knowing I
would have to come back into the wind, I didn’t expect to run as fast in the
second half. I was cautiously optimistic
that I could break 3:50, but I just didn’t know much I would slow down going
into the wind.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In the 14th mile, we
turned and crossed a long bridge over one of the many inlets. I started to see faster runners coming
back. As they came back over the bridge,
they turned to begin a loop that we wouldn’t run until later. The fastest men had already gone by, but I
saw a few of the elite women coming back across the bridge.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In the next mile, we
turned and ran away from the coast.
Before I got to 15, I saw the 17 mile sign for the runners coming
back. That told me I had less than a
mile before turning around to come back.
When I eventually saw the 16 sign for the runners coming back, I knew I
was almost to the turnaround. I had
mixed feelings about that. On one hand, it
always feels better psychologically to know you’re on your way back toward the
eventual finish. On the other hand, it
would get tougher physically. I still had
the wind mostly at my back, but after the turn the wind would be against me.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As I started coming back
toward the coast, I could feel the wind resistance. I picked up my effort to compensate. Some runners were slowing down, so I made a
point of going past them. I saw one
runner who wasn’t slowing down. She
seemed to be maintaining a consistent pace, so I tried to keep up with
her. At first, it took effort just to
keep from falling farther behind her. I
continued to pick up my effort until I was gaining ground. When I finished the 17th mile, I saw I actually
sped up to 8:23 in that mile. I didn’t
expect to go that fast with wind resistance, but I was working harder now.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Soon we turned and headed
back toward that long bridge. Here, we
were going more directly into the wind.
Suddenly, I caught up to the woman I had been chasing. She must have slowed down going into the stronger
wind. I didn’t want to slow down, so I went
past her.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">At times, I was tempted
to tuck in behind another runner, so they could block the wind for me. Doing that might mean slowing down to their
pace when I could go faster. I kept
going around people, even though it meant fighting the wind myself.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">After the bridge, I
turned and started one of those loops. I
liked the loops. On these sections, we
felt the wind from different directions, instead of just going straight into
it. Also, these sections took us farther
form the coast, where we were more sheltered from the wind.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As soon as I turned the corner
to start this loop, I saw the 18 mile sign.
I knew 19 and 20 were also on this loop, because I never saw them
before. My time for mile 18 was also in
the 8:20s, despite the wind resistance.
I didn’t expect to actually speed up when I started running into the
wind, but it gave me a lot of confidence.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In my next mile, I didn’t
have to fight the wind, but I also didn’t have anyone to chase. Several of the runners ahead of me were
either walking or slowing down. I tried
to keep up the same pace, but I must have let up a little. This mile wasn’t as fast as the previous two.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Before I finished that
loop, the woman I had worked so hard to catch before passed me. Now I had someone to chase again. That helped me pick up my pace, but only
until I passed her again.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I reached the 21 mile mark
just as I was getting back to the coast.
In miles 19 and 20, I slowed to roughly 8:30, but in mile 21, I sped up
to 8:21. Then I turned the corner and
felt the full force of the wind. Along
the coast, there was no shelter from it, and I was now going directly into it.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I fought like mad to keep
from slowing down too much. At times, I
wondered if this would wear me out too much for the remaining miles. It reminded me of last January’s Las Cruces
Marathon. After maintaining a good pace
for 21 miles, I turned into a strong headwind. I wasn’t able to keep up the same pace running
into that wind, and I used so much energy, that even after turning out of the
wind, I kept slowing down.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I had to fight the wind
for almost a mile, before we turned to begin the last loop. As I turned the corner, I told the runner next
to me that it was nice to get out of that wind.
He agreed.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Right after the turn, I
saw the 22 mile mark. I slowed a little
in that mile, but not as much as I thought.
I slowed to 8:35, but I was pretty happy with that.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">On the loop, a volunteer
said to watch for the turns. This course
has a lot of turns, but they’re all marked well. In addition, there were volunteers at every
turn to make sure you knew which way to go.
I give this race high marks for that.
You won’t miss a turn and get lost on this course.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I sped up to 8:24 in mile
23, but then I had to run along the coast again. When I turned into the wind, I didn’t remember
how far it was to the next turn. Ahead
of me, I could see a hill. I didn’t want
to have to run up that hill going into the wind, so I was hoping we would turn
before the hill. At first, I didn’t see
any runners on the hill, but as I kept looking ahead of me, the runners
reaching the hill continued going straight.
Getting up the hill was tough. After
the hill, I still couldn’t see the next turn until I got around a bend. When I got close enough, I recognized the
turn.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We were starting to go around
the inner harbor again. I could remember
where I had seen the 24 mile sign before.
When I saw it, I kept running hard until I got there. I was no longer running into the wind, yet I
was just as tired. I was still putting
in just as much effort.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I ran that mile in 8:25,
even though it was mostly into the wind and there was a hill. If I was happy about running mile 22 in 8:35,
I was ecstatic about running mile 24 ten seconds faster.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Our race bibs had our
names printed on them, so I heard a lot of spectators cheering for me by
name. As I was making my way around the inner
harbor, I heard two women yell, “Go David” and “Keep it up, David.” Just as I was passing them, one said in a
softer voice, “He looks tired.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I knew how tired I felt,
but hearing someone say that made me acknowledge it more completely. That could’ve taken the wind out of my sails,
but then I looked down the street and saw the 25 mile sign in the distance. I focused on getting there. I ran mile 25 in 8:24. After so many recent miles in the 8:20s, I
realized I might actually be running the second half faster than the first
half. By now, I was confident I had
already done everything I needed to do to break 3:50. That was in the bank. My goal now was to run negative splits. I might even break 3:45.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There was a brief
downhill section right at the 25 sign. I
used that to keep up my pace as I headed into the second-to-last turn. After the turn, I knew it was only about half
a mile to the last turn. I was going
into the wind, but not for that much longer.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">About a block before the
last turn, I saw a course marshal guiding us to turn right at the next
corner. As I made the turn, I caught up
to a runner who looked like he was struggling to keep moving. I said, “We’re done with the wind. Just run to the school.” I don’t know if it helped him to hear that,
but it’s what I would’ve wanted to hear.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">With about half a mile to
go, I kept up my effort. Then my watch
recorded my split for mile 26. It was
8:21. My watch sometimes recorded splits
before I got to the mile marker, so I looked at my watch again when I reached
the 26 sign. My time so far was
3:42:06. I wanted to know if I would
break 3:45. I had almost three minutes
to get there. It was in the bank.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As I looked at my watch,
I briefly took my attention away from the road.
There was a small pothole. It was
only about five inches in diameter, but my toe caught it, and I went down. I slammed into the pavement so hard that my
fanny pack came off. I got to my feet as
quickly as I could. The runner closest
to me stopped to make sure I was alright.
When he saw me pick up my fanny pack, he resumed running.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">For the record, I don’t
remember seeing other potholes on this course.
Most of the pavement was in excellent condition. I just picked the worst possible time to take
my eyes off the road.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I didn’t take the time to
put my fanny pack on before I started running again. It was awkward to run while carrying it, so I
had to put it on while running.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I didn’t have far to go,
but that fall took a lot out of me. I wasn’t
running nearly as fast now, but I just needed to keep moving. I’d get there in time.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I felt like I scraped my
hands, but when I looked at them, there were no visible scrapes. I also felt like I skinned my knee, but I was
wearing tights. I’d have to wait until
after the race to see if there was a hole or tear in my tights.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I was just starting to
pick up my pace again when I heard a runner approaching from behind. It was the same woman I had passed in mile 14
and again in mile 21. Apparently, she
was never that far behind me. After we went
through the final intersection, she passed me like I was standing still.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">At this point, I was only
competing with the clock. I could see
that I would easily get there before 3:45.
I crossed the line and stopped my watch, but I didn’t look at my time
yet.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As I moved through the
finish area, I drank a cup of Gatorade, and then I got my finisher medal. I don’t need to bother taking a picture of my
T-shirt. The finisher medal depicts the
T-shirt design. It’s a nice shirt.<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-XDcKQIcGAlk3t0JQdjGzHtDBHv0w_Ix8JOwQzGHGDygi6HO1ZpukNDbffQXF6FXlK7PhTOu_YeHUKzDUOsBtgOQJK_Q4bxGJ0tZ7Igrn3znbV8WOrJjyKqpf5w_UMZOE727xOeUDHKnEkNNtGTytwQyl0vEl8LSHQL24BtyP5D-Zfd0q-NFFUiNl9_RK/s2048/medal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1525" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-XDcKQIcGAlk3t0JQdjGzHtDBHv0w_Ix8JOwQzGHGDygi6HO1ZpukNDbffQXF6FXlK7PhTOu_YeHUKzDUOsBtgOQJK_Q4bxGJ0tZ7Igrn3znbV8WOrJjyKqpf5w_UMZOE727xOeUDHKnEkNNtGTytwQyl0vEl8LSHQL24BtyP5D-Zfd0q-NFFUiNl9_RK/w298-h400/medal.jpg" width="298" /></a><br />
<p class="MsoNormal">I saw Deb waiting for me
at the exit from the finisher chute. She
was tracking me online and was able to show me my official time. It was 3:44:04. Despite falling, I ran negative splits by
more than a minute.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I really don’t know how I
did that. With the wind, the second half
was much tougher than the first half. Also,
this course, while mostly flat, is nowhere near as easy as the Clarance DeMar Marathon,
yet I ran faster here than I did at that race.
I don’t know where that came
from. This was my second consecutive BQ,
but this time I did it on a course with no net elevation change. I also did it with more than five minutes to
spare.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I stopped in the food
tent long enough to get a donut, a can of NA beer, and a bag of potato
chips. Then I went inside to retrieve my
gear bag, and we drove back to the hotel.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Deb dropped me off, and
then she went shopping while I got cleaned up.
When I took off my tights, I saw multiple cuts and scrapes on my right
knee. The tights didn’t seem to be
damaged at all, but my knee was bleeding.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I also banged my right
elbow when I fell. By chance, I already
had a band-aid on that elbow from a previous scrape. I could’ve taken that band-aid off a couple
days ago, but I kept forgetting. I
banged my elbow exactly where the band-aid was, so it kept me from scraping the
same spot even worse. I didn’t realize
it yet, but the band-aid was also providing compression.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When I took off the
band-aid, my elbow looked no worse for wear.
Thirty minute later, I look at my elbow, and there was swelling about an
inch thick. I had never seen swelling like
that. It didn’t happen until after I
took the band-aid off.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I also started to notice
some mild soreness on the right side of my rib cage. I don’t think I broke anything. It didn’t hurt that much.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When Deb got back, we
went back into town together to have ice cream at one of the shops on Main Street. Then we had dinner at an Irish pub.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">By the end of the day,
the swelling on my elbow was only half as thick. By the next morning, the swelling had gone
down completely.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u>Monday, October 9<o:p></o:p></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We left Falmouth right
after breakfast to drive to Hyannis, where we dropped off our rental car and
boarded a ferry to Martha’s Vineyard. The
ferry trip took an hour. When we arrived
in Oak Bluffs, we only had to walk about two blocks to get to the inn where we
were staying.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When we arrived, it was
too early to check into our room, so we stored our luggage and started
sightseeing. We did a little window shopping,
ate a lunch, and walked around the Martha’s Vineyard Camp Meeting Association, to
see all the colorful homes.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGNnBFoVy0najpSwAAkvJoVNsa64flsIx7nefhbvaWorlc4Tx7e1yzJAbTrYr67hBgcq-bdVYv7EzAB1al-CNQpZERcPiAoPcUOEplDJTwvcvSWJeXXfchzSjtLBiQIftgub6S-C0DOaLbbvlczevv_OX0lJTuil8Ye7w81mjb9gjUh_nlfaNJmLcMnRgu/s2048/Oak%20Island%20houses%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1405" data-original-width="2048" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGNnBFoVy0najpSwAAkvJoVNsa64flsIx7nefhbvaWorlc4Tx7e1yzJAbTrYr67hBgcq-bdVYv7EzAB1al-CNQpZERcPiAoPcUOEplDJTwvcvSWJeXXfchzSjtLBiQIftgub6S-C0DOaLbbvlczevv_OX0lJTuil8Ye7w81mjb9gjUh_nlfaNJmLcMnRgu/w400-h275/Oak%20Island%20houses%201.jpg" width="400" /></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgFeMr3bDyqw0LkU5buFTqknl_TPF5K7dUo85ARTJjcCC6WSuVYP37golfF1oTwDtXGNpqjGhlSOJIJZOcvfzdXbDBChGtbMzGJmUmnQ3-dvt7yNjw9YcAhmOOVw3xfaIl8-AkqGhXaNYbyV9NqnCKLmGDvLvyFfCq0RbShGokx1JJfW0t75g4HE944C6h/s1777/Oak%20Island%20houses%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1281" data-original-width="1777" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgFeMr3bDyqw0LkU5buFTqknl_TPF5K7dUo85ARTJjcCC6WSuVYP37golfF1oTwDtXGNpqjGhlSOJIJZOcvfzdXbDBChGtbMzGJmUmnQ3-dvt7yNjw9YcAhmOOVw3xfaIl8-AkqGhXaNYbyV9NqnCKLmGDvLvyFfCq0RbShGokx1JJfW0t75g4HE944C6h/w400-h289/Oak%20Island%20houses%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd2UyGIWCAooIZ1lq8zHy5OcR_uGAxe84PgxzW4nJqf-fJBWrpTS4H6g1ZGjK_xTdftWdQVd9RHUqH_OYBm-jSftUJ46xFktuIh-NxJlaHMdBhZn5mP6scGegCxTkssyFF8gxrvDEZSXvzMoX8x4GDvcv3Hr-DesQMuX8SRJ0bZFoxunbNIsJS0EgCCCPa/s1471/Oak%20Island%20houses%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1470" data-original-width="1471" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd2UyGIWCAooIZ1lq8zHy5OcR_uGAxe84PgxzW4nJqf-fJBWrpTS4H6g1ZGjK_xTdftWdQVd9RHUqH_OYBm-jSftUJ46xFktuIh-NxJlaHMdBhZn5mP6scGegCxTkssyFF8gxrvDEZSXvzMoX8x4GDvcv3Hr-DesQMuX8SRJ0bZFoxunbNIsJS0EgCCCPa/w400-h400/Oak%20Island%20houses%203.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDmyIvjundb8PqUKLAau3ICWCzzFGz9asUvj5KDEH6bnOJIgCSmZpmClUp2EhWHXQyQxqJab1Ixy323aIdsTnBzZK-1TBZx-_yTfTyuf7A0S-9bB7NdYlVUnGBUCnODJufYeUrtMeScn1yYTkEt-OkGLgSx2EnWUBzpueWOuzvD9K6h2oOd7dwh76KTHw1/s1504/Oak%20Island%20houses%204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1271" data-original-width="1504" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDmyIvjundb8PqUKLAau3ICWCzzFGz9asUvj5KDEH6bnOJIgCSmZpmClUp2EhWHXQyQxqJab1Ixy323aIdsTnBzZK-1TBZx-_yTfTyuf7A0S-9bB7NdYlVUnGBUCnODJufYeUrtMeScn1yYTkEt-OkGLgSx2EnWUBzpueWOuzvD9K6h2oOd7dwh76KTHw1/w400-h338/Oak%20Island%20houses%204.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzUsGA0Yhzqc0So0O1EN4gh9qOhg4aOk-nw3Q_OiXsOE5XSeIKRzuAPADeOXt1ntkV2_317amFKmtIWievlgyCB3R3sSc7s_9Sbq1qOSJoDnqKCHA_yp63RJpLzrJ1s5uRU-Knj7qq-yTPoOFLM93Y4Aov73KDY-a6znKgvR8FBf3ig9TrWljaVIfWfEqL/s1970/Oak%20Island%20houses%205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="1970" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzUsGA0Yhzqc0So0O1EN4gh9qOhg4aOk-nw3Q_OiXsOE5XSeIKRzuAPADeOXt1ntkV2_317amFKmtIWievlgyCB3R3sSc7s_9Sbq1qOSJoDnqKCHA_yp63RJpLzrJ1s5uRU-Knj7qq-yTPoOFLM93Y4Aov73KDY-a6znKgvR8FBf3ig9TrWljaVIfWfEqL/w400-h308/Oak%20Island%20houses%205.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgulckVuc5DQgJ1zSDIRNCQu-4V3FwdW_I3bzfRj0udPNPk2R5rprZSAjTFtnYL_GmSvwZDpzk-L9I9QNhLM0VDamH8O9qsyxuRBV0eoU3sMbdzBrC27dbpVMnIrBxIZpwoOTT4mwfhtiHLLNJjzNS9oxJUfEABx_r_nKilQZCMyYvK3wrxJYNlQmcaEJKD/s1863/Oak%20Island%20houses%206.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1863" data-original-width="1863" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgulckVuc5DQgJ1zSDIRNCQu-4V3FwdW_I3bzfRj0udPNPk2R5rprZSAjTFtnYL_GmSvwZDpzk-L9I9QNhLM0VDamH8O9qsyxuRBV0eoU3sMbdzBrC27dbpVMnIrBxIZpwoOTT4mwfhtiHLLNJjzNS9oxJUfEABx_r_nKilQZCMyYvK3wrxJYNlQmcaEJKD/w400-h400/Oak%20Island%20houses%206.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<p class="MsoNormal">When we were done with
sightseeing in Oak Bluffs, we checked into our room. Then we took a bus to Edgartown to do some
sightseeing there. We started by walking
to the Edgartown lighthouse.<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiem1eI3ddZu66yv4-LpjrvqFfs52E0RCX6U7TEARdTolT38YmcXlQ0rHXjMlSIv6CP2RD3VkgqlvYOvvseOQ9ajUGdCe_2BstQdd7kXd9UDS8QjUw5rH1RGgAg459Xilghm8LUQHpBM_taNOwdKX11xJJJFU_7jFOFx6_qJyf69I0hxV__CAj1abIbY-O1/s1899/Edgartown%20lighthouse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1899" data-original-width="1528" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiem1eI3ddZu66yv4-LpjrvqFfs52E0RCX6U7TEARdTolT38YmcXlQ0rHXjMlSIv6CP2RD3VkgqlvYOvvseOQ9ajUGdCe_2BstQdd7kXd9UDS8QjUw5rH1RGgAg459Xilghm8LUQHpBM_taNOwdKX11xJJJFU_7jFOFx6_qJyf69I0hxV__CAj1abIbY-O1/w321-h400/Edgartown%20lighthouse.jpg" width="321" /></a><br />
<p class="MsoNormal">On our way back into the
downtown area, we stopped by the waterfront.<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjpU2kjZUo-KFYWI8J55ncKjCWgy3S51x86svaNJ-SVKC5UZlPB-8fFzc3uyYgnfBUG1zMmGhXjswuumqIGNBw0hp_Fe-jetYQlqyWdHhmydcYqpY2TBq_fU1A3o5qu6waI84fEQU4jpHSqzmr8fgCofCK4NVuAoar6ek2bcHPhZ0q7wmMHTYlTz_zIWIi/s2048/Edgartown%20harbor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjpU2kjZUo-KFYWI8J55ncKjCWgy3S51x86svaNJ-SVKC5UZlPB-8fFzc3uyYgnfBUG1zMmGhXjswuumqIGNBw0hp_Fe-jetYQlqyWdHhmydcYqpY2TBq_fU1A3o5qu6waI84fEQU4jpHSqzmr8fgCofCK4NVuAoar6ek2bcHPhZ0q7wmMHTYlTz_zIWIi/w300-h400/Edgartown%20harbor.jpg" width="300" /></a><br />
<p class="MsoNormal">The homes in Edgartown
are all white with black shutters, so it wasn’t as colorful as Oak Bluffs. Some of them, however, had flowers and
interesting decorations.<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3L_mqUEgMltNdrv1RPn-EuMJpL5E9i4oUl4UH0OlZHzOQFjBo0RIaYA33umtKQHHwp1d55JRy025lCcCHBYivPPyrdo3nt57yoLIWohzDKMco31WdlWcDnnt3h1uchIY8RusKTF0IOcmPjoaZR_mfCKZz3IawxN3tEDRQgBmdFscvZSIoGRVxemxOW8UZ/s1935/Swans%20and%20flowers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1121" data-original-width="1935" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3L_mqUEgMltNdrv1RPn-EuMJpL5E9i4oUl4UH0OlZHzOQFjBo0RIaYA33umtKQHHwp1d55JRy025lCcCHBYivPPyrdo3nt57yoLIWohzDKMco31WdlWcDnnt3h1uchIY8RusKTF0IOcmPjoaZR_mfCKZz3IawxN3tEDRQgBmdFscvZSIoGRVxemxOW8UZ/w400-h231/Swans%20and%20flowers.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<p class="MsoNormal">On our way back to the
bus stop, we saw the Old Whaling Church.<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh25Spqqso1dePwjY9UHJ0jNYTCKkvPdPTzQMWBt5hYsq1U98A0TxtDk9I-Gsj7u_dzEf2OeB8WfdVQkXT_dCLdTjxXcLkwCmDwrnyE1vVy9aRtqPrl5r2h6rSARVDrPxFlu4uKyKGoH70moMK-JgacpqMv7kaVxZFe1gc5YWjPiqli-Jkov2AXy5VZidjC/s1742/Old%20whaling%20church.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1742" data-original-width="1393" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh25Spqqso1dePwjY9UHJ0jNYTCKkvPdPTzQMWBt5hYsq1U98A0TxtDk9I-Gsj7u_dzEf2OeB8WfdVQkXT_dCLdTjxXcLkwCmDwrnyE1vVy9aRtqPrl5r2h6rSARVDrPxFlu4uKyKGoH70moMK-JgacpqMv7kaVxZFe1gc5YWjPiqli-Jkov2AXy5VZidjC/w320-h400/Old%20whaling%20church.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<p class="MsoNormal">When we got back to Oak Bluffs,
Deb went back to the Martha’s Vineyard Camp Meeting Association, while I went
back to the inn to do a workout. Some of
the exercises I do require putting weight on my elbows. That was difficult with the scrapes on my
right elbow. I also started to notice
that the right side of my ribcage was more painful when I took a deep
breath. It’s possible I bruised a rib
when I fell.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">For dinner, we went to
restaurant that’s known for having the best lobster rolls on the island. It was certainly the best lobster roll I’ve
ever had.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u>Tuesday, October 10<o:p></o:p></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">After getting up early to
eat a light breakfast, I went out for an early morning run through Oak Bluffs. My route took me past the East Chop
Lighthouse, and I was out early enough to see the sunrise.<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQEbImKJvzaBx3KGj7QVJRQCfjKvj6zH7_j_-xcTVv4YB5L-J2JIMQhSOg5OR9ip5bPqkr83BlLovVEYuUl-CZ_Rh-HYsDeI2ctqLTfIpA1pp9ZIgAWgywD4Ck1ivMzcajWKmgKQ9qVpkWez-yTZb3W8Ewb82iWG7_BwwQTmmn4fB44yXitrZLAlfId20P/s2000/East%20Chop%20Lighthouse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQEbImKJvzaBx3KGj7QVJRQCfjKvj6zH7_j_-xcTVv4YB5L-J2JIMQhSOg5OR9ip5bPqkr83BlLovVEYuUl-CZ_Rh-HYsDeI2ctqLTfIpA1pp9ZIgAWgywD4Ck1ivMzcajWKmgKQ9qVpkWez-yTZb3W8Ewb82iWG7_BwwQTmmn4fB44yXitrZLAlfId20P/w300-h400/East%20Chop%20Lighthouse.jpg" width="300" /></a><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiivSx4hmaTLZcD-HmlMF18o9e5TV-vPYDegaU1J-E1VJfD7_B77OaRCn3aBmh-b9C14VABn4Vv9P47LjYBSOV8yiHw0XapCCwNihqM2euIOwv2p3AkmgeVhUBL1JMK_riuVQn7ZD0du2ffwHsRLOi7oE6A_L9IvMQaXMPRAyPh9C931WhPB_4pv0rvJvzL/s2000/sunrise.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiivSx4hmaTLZcD-HmlMF18o9e5TV-vPYDegaU1J-E1VJfD7_B77OaRCn3aBmh-b9C14VABn4Vv9P47LjYBSOV8yiHw0XapCCwNihqM2euIOwv2p3AkmgeVhUBL1JMK_riuVQn7ZD0du2ffwHsRLOi7oE6A_L9IvMQaXMPRAyPh9C931WhPB_4pv0rvJvzL/w400-h300/sunrise.jpg" width="400" /></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">While I was running, Deb
watched the sunrise from the pier.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">After waiting for a brief
rain shower to pass, we went out and explored another neighborhood in Oak
Bluffs.<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSxsbql3tPmlqhDK-XD56Az7UgVgJbyzVthqkh1rE7m73upSFafDcSxI28hhH-oyKbkfAQiQcnI92j1dkFKBVKulXq2qcOYeQV36IKc3O-C6WtPiHiGA0R7aZbeBwqhS3h0J3pG_0xsecd53h9Ksoj796RTk9YUXM2WLy0bQhAGL_4ArY4yTVXPzN5UIMk/s2048/more%20Oak%20bluffs%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSxsbql3tPmlqhDK-XD56Az7UgVgJbyzVthqkh1rE7m73upSFafDcSxI28hhH-oyKbkfAQiQcnI92j1dkFKBVKulXq2qcOYeQV36IKc3O-C6WtPiHiGA0R7aZbeBwqhS3h0J3pG_0xsecd53h9Ksoj796RTk9YUXM2WLy0bQhAGL_4ArY4yTVXPzN5UIMk/w400-h300/more%20Oak%20bluffs%201.jpg" width="400" /></a><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihQZ462hg9BURhVm5PXC8vuTSUKyZO5ItsGWNdXwSXSsDnBwKA6j6_XayW9L3fZWQ1brBwbwAmvflNXMp4tZTpg1TuZ_bKStpcgC932a4sdGoX1Z0KG6fPclh07Hv8Ku8pmjhmvcjmjAULdvWYnpcgFIh6KoctTkQLTtymOURysHLHWAYtpCLuVON5I-0h/s2048/more%20Oak%20bluffs%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihQZ462hg9BURhVm5PXC8vuTSUKyZO5ItsGWNdXwSXSsDnBwKA6j6_XayW9L3fZWQ1brBwbwAmvflNXMp4tZTpg1TuZ_bKStpcgC932a4sdGoX1Z0KG6fPclh07Hv8Ku8pmjhmvcjmjAULdvWYnpcgFIh6KoctTkQLTtymOURysHLHWAYtpCLuVON5I-0h/w400-h300/more%20Oak%20bluffs%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEildcDRj0G9cNce98GB_dS6XcYJhg9YrwBtxWAbDZhGUSB3hb3Ndfi3lIY6mlDDD2CsVK3_6HEI3SwW71GSOJlp6OpuCGmZ4reObBI4vkM2sjLlUTyZLm612_gExHSvVUp9zKoQZhcj6uf9Yjx6kC_8F8_JUQ0DJHLhmQl4uvhGyS-LPfushl-iBalcyliy/s2048/more%20Oak%20bluffs%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1811" data-original-width="2048" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEildcDRj0G9cNce98GB_dS6XcYJhg9YrwBtxWAbDZhGUSB3hb3Ndfi3lIY6mlDDD2CsVK3_6HEI3SwW71GSOJlp6OpuCGmZ4reObBI4vkM2sjLlUTyZLm612_gExHSvVUp9zKoQZhcj6uf9Yjx6kC_8F8_JUQ0DJHLhmQl4uvhGyS-LPfushl-iBalcyliy/w400-h354/more%20Oak%20bluffs%203.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2LkNzvroO6oFWcMQBZ7zT1PqusGFJ3upXvqzkKEkBNy_1esiCkWhOp4fIDjhA6yozaWx7xGXommDhKt3DGDlIJOyLKIsz0ENSTecMXoW6Ly_OvqVlmLw_7e5Ya33aLw8qc2djB6TSLHc1EXUh84AI8ylAd93SErD58xEfEPCeFZsGWzxUgIBRtXt7r8_B/s2048/more%20Oak%20bluffs%204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2LkNzvroO6oFWcMQBZ7zT1PqusGFJ3upXvqzkKEkBNy_1esiCkWhOp4fIDjhA6yozaWx7xGXommDhKt3DGDlIJOyLKIsz0ENSTecMXoW6Ly_OvqVlmLw_7e5Ya33aLw8qc2djB6TSLHc1EXUh84AI8ylAd93SErD58xEfEPCeFZsGWzxUgIBRtXt7r8_B/w400-h300/more%20Oak%20bluffs%204.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal">We were originally
planning to take a ferry to Nantucket in the morning, but it was late in the season,
and Hy-Line Ferries trimmed their schedule back to just one ferry per day from
Martha’s Vineyard to Nantucket. Instead
of leaving at 9:05 AM, we didn’t leave until 12:55 PM. That gave us time to have lunch before leaving,
but we didn’t have as much time on Nantucket.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We arrived in Nantucket
at 2:15. As we entered the harbor, we
had a good view of the Brant Point Lighthouse.<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMiyYvwpulDEGnnuXIUgJm5857Myzq9g0AEk4jVrgJrUVaS35wAHTOS1v24p5ALWSAmuXup53peZpD24y-uS2sUU3-xJAKGRqBgMCElyR4ypkNc5dOY140c2IZ8IyhOLzSGTb4L_db2wj3xw2Ip_zWFY2qNX4tjRI6as7anss1SjzN0fLMw3MNU1mNcvWN/s206/Brant%20Point%20Lighthouse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="206" data-original-width="191" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMiyYvwpulDEGnnuXIUgJm5857Myzq9g0AEk4jVrgJrUVaS35wAHTOS1v24p5ALWSAmuXup53peZpD24y-uS2sUU3-xJAKGRqBgMCElyR4ypkNc5dOY140c2IZ8IyhOLzSGTb4L_db2wj3xw2Ip_zWFY2qNX4tjRI6as7anss1SjzN0fLMw3MNU1mNcvWN/w371-h400/Brant%20Point%20Lighthouse.jpg" width="371" /></a><br />
<p class="MsoNormal">As we walked to our hotel,
we noticed all of the streets in the city center were cobblestone. This is Main Street.<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiJn7Bnn24-H0YqatyCX_x34MRCdp1lWh4d7C8aO2cKNxol3WY4Rz3QX_G_fhTuKXy_mOV1yu8a7tgTknC9a-aehC7y3s38aVLMCr8TXLdzf180LcmPUvw4a56m6eWITZQDqMpKSe7TRxkpGtxt7-yxxxF-ZL1dqllMqhFgrUMxxWPOMiIhZCYYjT4TTFE/s2048/cobblestones.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1807" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiJn7Bnn24-H0YqatyCX_x34MRCdp1lWh4d7C8aO2cKNxol3WY4Rz3QX_G_fhTuKXy_mOV1yu8a7tgTknC9a-aehC7y3s38aVLMCr8TXLdzf180LcmPUvw4a56m6eWITZQDqMpKSe7TRxkpGtxt7-yxxxF-ZL1dqllMqhFgrUMxxWPOMiIhZCYYjT4TTFE/w353-h400/cobblestones.jpg" width="353" /></a><br />
<p class="MsoNormal">We spend the rest of the afternoon
exploring the streets around our hotel, which is the oldest part of Nantucket Town. Most of the buildings have weathered cedar siding,
so they tend to look alike.<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZfrat-MMnKGVRfAbUEM8uWNtUFo8Ey-P8Km-XYbYrfTVJ4rkY1Mq2dfWx6mmz46JdRPpTvTWPQgE6crjsxN-eObUVTP1Ee0BaTBHrwMg5vva0xReLkqZd-f-B51naehqR0QrG890WwA6O2RLURubT1v8QuKOgEFzkCXCzFPtXoEeDxGFLu3hEuI0uW6qc/s2048/Nantucket%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZfrat-MMnKGVRfAbUEM8uWNtUFo8Ey-P8Km-XYbYrfTVJ4rkY1Mq2dfWx6mmz46JdRPpTvTWPQgE6crjsxN-eObUVTP1Ee0BaTBHrwMg5vva0xReLkqZd-f-B51naehqR0QrG890WwA6O2RLURubT1v8QuKOgEFzkCXCzFPtXoEeDxGFLu3hEuI0uW6qc/w400-h300/Nantucket%201.jpg" width="400" /></a><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5lT41mmz-DqHRf4HpIdM5zc_BTuuollRR1uRcGpObdEcXizsqNmYhHzegI2Q8yAyGN1UMJjkmj1n_VOzbP3ORfEb69MDqJoR3BjRb03z0RLc77f8iPPnAC0S9R1iHALbYlG3eCjq3LZBygfMv0PHdj7hvqnU2O2dTuG5Gdg2kU6gQPJQea10P5u57OpN3/s2048/Nantucket%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5lT41mmz-DqHRf4HpIdM5zc_BTuuollRR1uRcGpObdEcXizsqNmYhHzegI2Q8yAyGN1UMJjkmj1n_VOzbP3ORfEb69MDqJoR3BjRb03z0RLc77f8iPPnAC0S9R1iHALbYlG3eCjq3LZBygfMv0PHdj7hvqnU2O2dTuG5Gdg2kU6gQPJQea10P5u57OpN3/w400-h300/Nantucket%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgni1gz8gtZoO8axgjgzpJc9V7Qwx0iJHtpusKG8xLycctfLayKbiAYrhT3IO-r9nmlAQAtKh1P42QHPKFj5uRtEEaLB1ScfMPZ129uCL4F99d2hpugD5SZ-5dQ6dqqjAX7jARkheDS46kTCpGprG_Q6SKe0ih90prclMNsYOcXfVZT-uLd2vBSryWnjYow/s960/Nantucket%204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgni1gz8gtZoO8axgjgzpJc9V7Qwx0iJHtpusKG8xLycctfLayKbiAYrhT3IO-r9nmlAQAtKh1P42QHPKFj5uRtEEaLB1ScfMPZ129uCL4F99d2hpugD5SZ-5dQ6dqqjAX7jARkheDS46kTCpGprG_Q6SKe0ih90prclMNsYOcXfVZT-uLd2vBSryWnjYow/w400-h300/Nantucket%204.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNJbum6F8vAb2__3hDonDMsAxR1pA2hMlRExJL2VPAL0qZXCBN3cXWd363Mr5j1hxNMtc3n9wV8aeHnfY11CHfsFavtM69c78qf6o72Hr_SNG-L-bKJZpEKnGGO1cTq9mBpx0zYjRwkzkQu9-klBOdr9htYbJoh0V6sdu1NgMdcb_BdvdJR9lBJd2o4QYw/s2048/Nantucket%206.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1578" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNJbum6F8vAb2__3hDonDMsAxR1pA2hMlRExJL2VPAL0qZXCBN3cXWd363Mr5j1hxNMtc3n9wV8aeHnfY11CHfsFavtM69c78qf6o72Hr_SNG-L-bKJZpEKnGGO1cTq9mBpx0zYjRwkzkQu9-klBOdr9htYbJoh0V6sdu1NgMdcb_BdvdJR9lBJd2o4QYw/w309-h400/Nantucket%206.jpg" width="309" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal">We also walked to the Old
Mill. The blades of the windmill had
been taken down, presumably for winter.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi00keIN1OHD7WnjuhLU9zFVXSVWKXJAi2WBJo1a2OqIWHzKJvzoSJT1TASSO4BAniIAejGiHeOz7cPgJDuhosaMSwbbzQLloAfwCAwT1oSJXXGY4z3D9rzrO2OPtf5bkTGL9ujjSUxr8qXaqolor_EfA6xuOtrRRekeelGyosF4mbLS1DAUnf45WkwIpNf/s2048/Old%20mill%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1839" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi00keIN1OHD7WnjuhLU9zFVXSVWKXJAi2WBJo1a2OqIWHzKJvzoSJT1TASSO4BAniIAejGiHeOz7cPgJDuhosaMSwbbzQLloAfwCAwT1oSJXXGY4z3D9rzrO2OPtf5bkTGL9ujjSUxr8qXaqolor_EfA6xuOtrRRekeelGyosF4mbLS1DAUnf45WkwIpNf/w359-h400/Old%20mill%201.jpg" width="359" /></a><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_qt84lIbGSI-_kkThIB_KnT_903wMR3yn5XAFCpcT2TZ-MfgD18ed8gfw-oPsvBGmfMlkdcfTvJtBS2gwsc2sgw1SdfE8GVS6Vca1j5MaD4mSZOEtRwPC7tKze3AcONDR7Arg_UL38bXljz-wJyfvJVVTjb8j4Nzme3lwnnhB7wxtRDA9dZxUcm8kTliw/s2048/Old%20mill%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1770" data-original-width="2048" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_qt84lIbGSI-_kkThIB_KnT_903wMR3yn5XAFCpcT2TZ-MfgD18ed8gfw-oPsvBGmfMlkdcfTvJtBS2gwsc2sgw1SdfE8GVS6Vca1j5MaD4mSZOEtRwPC7tKze3AcONDR7Arg_UL38bXljz-wJyfvJVVTjb8j4Nzme3lwnnhB7wxtRDA9dZxUcm8kTliw/w400-h346/Old%20mill%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We got tired quickly
after doing so much walking on brick sidewalks and cobblestone streets. We had dinner at a restaurant that was near
our hotel, and we didn’t venture out again until morning.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u>Wednesday, October 11<o:p></o:p></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We had a couple hours in
the morning to continue exploring Nantucket Town. Then we boarded another ferry to take us back
to Hyannis. After picking up a rental
car at the ferry terminal, we checked into a hotel in Yarmouth and then
returned to Hyannis to do a little sightseeing.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We stopped at the Veterans
Memorial Park to see the JFK Memorial and the Korean War Memorial.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGft12iPEJ73y5TXL5PMH6Yo7MvpK_YttJDWfpttvO2SlTPyYEJ8hHV8t9a5LfUuu6YIkCmyV8nz1gj11AXUTtEN8cCXqhEPB57O4EeggLHzANdZ6qskLVuQuGLOccWves8ESAMPs_gcBPBlphdgcnX0HVZxP9B8cKXhlZ0HUpUG4nysibqtifpilnM3Sy/s1860/JFK%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1137" data-original-width="1860" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGft12iPEJ73y5TXL5PMH6Yo7MvpK_YttJDWfpttvO2SlTPyYEJ8hHV8t9a5LfUuu6YIkCmyV8nz1gj11AXUTtEN8cCXqhEPB57O4EeggLHzANdZ6qskLVuQuGLOccWves8ESAMPs_gcBPBlphdgcnX0HVZxP9B8cKXhlZ0HUpUG4nysibqtifpilnM3Sy/w400-h245/JFK%201.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXCZnFNUWOEku7O3uDBDo4oWJet_eo-_o3aO8j_QwVa2IkCkLC7mFX2UDQvaPRxLxS3VVAriA9bdf-sy3DYGGttmawSF6NCn9GDrCcysd73MAcKOwJyg8wEk4UrWnHFtDaKHg-PjfbqtyXvQcCHB2G3JPl-ow0DOeTdlRFaWNSIHblzKyK2OAjhkL5R5Oj/s2000/Korean%20War%20Memorial.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXCZnFNUWOEku7O3uDBDo4oWJet_eo-_o3aO8j_QwVa2IkCkLC7mFX2UDQvaPRxLxS3VVAriA9bdf-sy3DYGGttmawSF6NCn9GDrCcysd73MAcKOwJyg8wEk4UrWnHFtDaKHg-PjfbqtyXvQcCHB2G3JPl-ow0DOeTdlRFaWNSIHblzKyK2OAjhkL5R5Oj/w400-h300/Korean%20War%20Memorial.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<p class="MsoNormal">Since we were already
there, we also walked down to Veterans Memorial Beach, which is almost empty at
this time of year.<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV210yq1sRkvx2KE1CxXpZvfRmsxUA7znuBBeQAGLvja_ky2Tm0-OMoGUk4Ivd80sXsHeANaL6DJNjRQJnSFcj5LoSN9HCb7I7CqRP_2lme8QKQuRGyHFSwmPT2w_dgS30CGkTw-c7gT4ocM_oPr0ol0Opu9t6j2tQn-0W4AANrb5c83u6I66IehpHIp3W/s2000/Veterans%20Beach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="866" data-original-width="2000" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV210yq1sRkvx2KE1CxXpZvfRmsxUA7znuBBeQAGLvja_ky2Tm0-OMoGUk4Ivd80sXsHeANaL6DJNjRQJnSFcj5LoSN9HCb7I7CqRP_2lme8QKQuRGyHFSwmPT2w_dgS30CGkTw-c7gT4ocM_oPr0ol0Opu9t6j2tQn-0W4AANrb5c83u6I66IehpHIp3W/w400-h174/Veterans%20Beach.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<p class="MsoNormal">We stopped at the hotel
long enough for me to go for a short run.
Then we went back into Hyannis to walk up and down Main Street and check
out the shops. Then we had dinner at an
Italian restaurant near our hotel.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u>Thursday, October 12<o:p></o:p></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We needed to drive back
to Boston, but we had most of the day to get there. That gave us time to spend half of the day in
Plymouth.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Our first stop in
Plymouth was Plymouth Rock, which may or may not have been the site at which the
settlers of Plymouth Colony came ashore.<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeCFUHiTaNmwtKxtsus1Pq1nRn3Zc3FkIuSfY79BMY7dCFMnXN_SHh8-v2YStNGBKs__XjWEbX16ENMTj5AIT3fdVg1fx6eO2J2zvN1Yc8IUqEKyQM_tHCbbsoR3Ojv8sjBXPl6RgJRkjpavfBlKg-P6PE0aTD9U8_oWp0EF_O9cqlR8fHGuZOXeXQJthn/s1941/Plymouth%20Rock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1438" data-original-width="1941" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeCFUHiTaNmwtKxtsus1Pq1nRn3Zc3FkIuSfY79BMY7dCFMnXN_SHh8-v2YStNGBKs__XjWEbX16ENMTj5AIT3fdVg1fx6eO2J2zvN1Yc8IUqEKyQM_tHCbbsoR3Ojv8sjBXPl6RgJRkjpavfBlKg-P6PE0aTD9U8_oWp0EF_O9cqlR8fHGuZOXeXQJthn/w400-h296/Plymouth%20Rock.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<p class="MsoNormal">Next, we toured the
Mayflower II, which is a replica of the original Mayflower.<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsyzolrX7gPSewBTZhDI8b0iAArO-07FMIapXXqE2kDwJR6vr3IW0vIR4qLEj99otcYExIKpZUzJRW7EB2-pDqKUcbcmkTFe33Jw_52w5boiwddQQgEuHJqHgSuo1Cd6AkXuPvD-VwzS2BTN-FvzescgrToLMoqoIvVo7jT5fjsN7vIZHsgtMWYqaAU00I/s1848/Mayflower%20II.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1393" data-original-width="1848" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsyzolrX7gPSewBTZhDI8b0iAArO-07FMIapXXqE2kDwJR6vr3IW0vIR4qLEj99otcYExIKpZUzJRW7EB2-pDqKUcbcmkTFe33Jw_52w5boiwddQQgEuHJqHgSuo1Cd6AkXuPvD-VwzS2BTN-FvzescgrToLMoqoIvVo7jT5fjsN7vIZHsgtMWYqaAU00I/w400-h301/Mayflower%20II.jpg" width="400" /></a><br /><p class="MsoNormal">This is the deck where 102
passengers and their animals all lived for 66 days.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjCdFZkUyQI3_c1656_m3Sx6VjZlIAz5IMVlwOjZz2EiCgL8sE7ajP5wAaIdN0XfqZsUTMhGXRS11_EDlGmj5tsm0xVCfPRNGdhFgjQ0MkyZqML4Djc7Rvn50rGnZEja-p89fesPl4SuxPF5dzXR-o78eQgynRAGRXtGllXPYCen6WWFRhGda0LOhgSNyS/s2000/Mayflower%20middle%20deck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjCdFZkUyQI3_c1656_m3Sx6VjZlIAz5IMVlwOjZz2EiCgL8sE7ajP5wAaIdN0XfqZsUTMhGXRS11_EDlGmj5tsm0xVCfPRNGdhFgjQ0MkyZqML4Djc7Rvn50rGnZEja-p89fesPl4SuxPF5dzXR-o78eQgynRAGRXtGllXPYCen6WWFRhGda0LOhgSNyS/w300-h400/Mayflower%20middle%20deck.jpg" width="300" /></a><br />
<p class="MsoNormal">We also went to the
Plimoth Patuxet Museum. This is an
open-air museum which recreates the type of homes found in the abandoned Wampanoeg
settlement of Patuxet, which is where the Plymouth Colony was founded.<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUviKD2-TxQqngq_D2EoS4zFCpg4jd8fhOzQK81oO8thxWQlJd24jXAGK4htv6Ph6jFOCZyNa2v65UmyiuaPGQbDgjAeh6L2EtOKceowQ9zjGeKxZ2NrGeD_O7YRssmnf_aOkTqK0Ft80ZhE_bM0aUyIj6bi9S1BlKRcgLbhH7XEIP_H-psuOFNKBJPMqZ/s2000/Patuxet%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUviKD2-TxQqngq_D2EoS4zFCpg4jd8fhOzQK81oO8thxWQlJd24jXAGK4htv6Ph6jFOCZyNa2v65UmyiuaPGQbDgjAeh6L2EtOKceowQ9zjGeKxZ2NrGeD_O7YRssmnf_aOkTqK0Ft80ZhE_bM0aUyIj6bi9S1BlKRcgLbhH7XEIP_H-psuOFNKBJPMqZ/w400-h300/Patuxet%201.jpg" width="400" /></a><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKDojURt9xVwk2Yqr9DnJXodiXg5b8gLT6U021mrA3jKzRIlI3hCgPf8aRwf_1hqtn_B4jJAMr016bvZq0LLE34mGeJ1csJ7D8BAY5ArKLLpQJd9sqfI6i09FaQ75OGhJn3H4BL4uvDBOU1xSYWHEbLoLiC2BSjP1NfoHh3Hk-XpBBU6KG6zkaFdOKYOAV/s1794/Patuxet%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1794" data-original-width="1500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKDojURt9xVwk2Yqr9DnJXodiXg5b8gLT6U021mrA3jKzRIlI3hCgPf8aRwf_1hqtn_B4jJAMr016bvZq0LLE34mGeJ1csJ7D8BAY5ArKLLpQJd9sqfI6i09FaQ75OGhJn3H4BL4uvDBOU1xSYWHEbLoLiC2BSjP1NfoHh3Hk-XpBBU6KG6zkaFdOKYOAV/w335-h400/Patuxet%202.jpg" width="335" /></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There’s also a recreation
of a 17th century English village, populated by actors in period costumes,
going about their daily tasks.<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMdOy2kgLRd851mX-FtOPjE6dzBEKf7v7HKJc9h5x-2VDpFcsMaNTqoltfAnYfevWs49pzg7xek5lBCZGL0suEeUfHK0uoygTcvC2ZIwcLLWXoAN1dCT-e-duiHcAr3XHlRApp25w9sqsrcVgzSbCmm50QJ2kuXir5fzsAYCkqczRwLEM_jlF0XwjLQNEL/s1965/English%20village%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1314" data-original-width="1965" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMdOy2kgLRd851mX-FtOPjE6dzBEKf7v7HKJc9h5x-2VDpFcsMaNTqoltfAnYfevWs49pzg7xek5lBCZGL0suEeUfHK0uoygTcvC2ZIwcLLWXoAN1dCT-e-duiHcAr3XHlRApp25w9sqsrcVgzSbCmm50QJ2kuXir5fzsAYCkqczRwLEM_jlF0XwjLQNEL/w400-h268/English%20village%201.jpg" width="400" /></a><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPV5uqWWzq1WLltJppFxbf7SVUmqYekfZmR2yet1lAZB9FGr-CjL3Xiej-ImJfBnSmpxNu20dnemLwTLAHIvPpBgkmBaGiA0gvcTHZm2kEvmxoplAh-fkPn6hkQx4T0eo2uBsDLLummBd_TIBUMqnVbv90MOzHC0cKac5eKbyis30hK2w0gLI5GJT0DxKW/s2000/English%20village%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPV5uqWWzq1WLltJppFxbf7SVUmqYekfZmR2yet1lAZB9FGr-CjL3Xiej-ImJfBnSmpxNu20dnemLwTLAHIvPpBgkmBaGiA0gvcTHZm2kEvmxoplAh-fkPn6hkQx4T0eo2uBsDLLummBd_TIBUMqnVbv90MOzHC0cKac5eKbyis30hK2w0gLI5GJT0DxKW/w400-h300/English%20village%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></p>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">When we were done in Plymouth, we continued to Boston,
where we checked into a hotel near the airport.
Our flight wasn’t until Friday, so we were able to spend the late afternoon
and evening in Boston.</span><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><u>Race statistics</u>:</div><div>Distance: 26.2 miles</div><div>Time: 3:44:04</div><div>Average Pace: 8:33</div><div>First Half: 1:52:41</div><div>Second Half: 1:51:23</div><div>Lifetime Marathons/Ultras: 495</div><div>Boston Qualifiers: 155</div></div>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07537579568732930585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3046379205507947695.post-72901595298152985182023-10-01T12:49:00.000-05:002023-10-01T12:49:22.945-05:00Non-Race Report: 2023 Twin Cities Marathon<p>This morning, I was
scheduled to run the Twin Cities Marathon, which starts in downtown Minneapolis
and finishes in front of the state capitol in St. Paul. This would’ve been my 15th time doing this
race. Unfortunately, the race was
cancelled.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">This would’ve been my second
of five consecutive weekends with marathons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I don’t usually stack them this close together, but this is a hometown
race, so it didn’t involve any travel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s hard to resist when it’s one of your favorite races, and you get to
sleep in your own bed.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">This race usually has cool
weather, but this year it was unusually hot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The overnight low was in the upper 60s, but it was forecast to get up to
88 degrees in the afternoon. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t
remember a year that was warmer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
2007, the temperature climbed to 79 degrees during the race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After the race, I heard a rumor that they
were going to stop the race if the temperature hit 80. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was the same day that the Chicago Marathon
stopped their race.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">A few days before the
race, I received an email to all runners from the race’s medical director.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here’s an excerpt:<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghJNy1BlkPr11EVouGhZuCcTKQkYxNEM2PqTkkBir8ngjsCmqokg5PUa-1gIXPdxu1qt2kyQUW0acjRbt-s_LLXIRVK_gnTKfr6l2R985JLTTe45_HE8tFadjnEb4TVW1ei8DS6VA8fy17AfhP8gMAxji57E9GI1oqn_sMUfXUY-NOI9oJm7GrHuOBOHPS/s800/Letter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="602" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghJNy1BlkPr11EVouGhZuCcTKQkYxNEM2PqTkkBir8ngjsCmqokg5PUa-1gIXPdxu1qt2kyQUW0acjRbt-s_LLXIRVK_gnTKfr6l2R985JLTTe45_HE8tFadjnEb4TVW1ei8DS6VA8fy17AfhP8gMAxji57E9GI1oqn_sMUfXUY-NOI9oJm7GrHuOBOHPS/w482-h640/Letter.jpg" width="482" /></a><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The letter went on to
give tips for running in hot humid weather.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>After reading this, my biggest concern is that the race would be
cancelled if the temperature and/or humidity reached a certain threshold.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I’m of the opinion that a
race should never be cancelled because of heat or humidity. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Three weeks ago, I ran 51 miles in hotter conditions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ultramarathons are never cancelled because of
hot weather, yet marathon sometimes are.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’ve also run marathons in Belize, Thailand, Jamaica, Costa Rica, Singapore,
and other locations where everyone knew it would be hot and humid, because it’s
always hot and humid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those races never
cancel because of the heat.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">That said, if you’re
going to cancel a race for weather, you should do it before the race
starts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once people start running,
shutting down the race doesn’t do anything to make the runners safe. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It just leaves them stranded in unfamiliar neighborhoods
without support and without a plan for getting home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone knows how they’re going to get home
after finishing the race, but hardly anyone has a plan for getting home from
some random spot along the route.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I had that experience in
2015, at the Rock ‘N’ Roll Savannah Marathon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was somewhat hot and humid, but no more so than it is every
year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had conditions that were normal
for Savannah at that time of year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
actually felt surprisingly comfortable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then
a runner who was doing the half marathon collapsed and died.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After that, someone in charge panicked and
they pulled the plug on the race because of the unsafe conditions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s tragic that a runner died, but I
question whether it was related to the conditions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The runner in had not run that far, and it
was early enough in the day that it wasn’t that hot yet.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Once they made the
decision to pull the plug, runners doing the half marathon still continued with
their race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Runners doing the marathon
who had not yet reached the point where the courses diverge were forced onto
the half marathon route.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Runners who
were beyond that point continued along the marathon route, but they removed two
out-and-back sections.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We all still had
to make our way on foot to the finish area, but instead of running 26.2 miles,
we only ran 20 miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t see how
that made anyone safer.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Getting back to the
events of this weekend, I went to the expo on Friday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the expo, I saw a sign describing the Event
Alert System.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The wording for “black
flag” conditions was different from the email I received on Wednesday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead of saying participation would be
stopped, it said the race wouldn’t start in black flag conditions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That subtle change in wording seemed
encouraging.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When I got home from the
expo, I saw another email from the medical director.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This one clarified that they would only start
the race if they were confident that the conditions would be red flag (or
better) for the entire race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got the
impression that they wouldn’t stop the race once it had started.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The letter also said they
still expected that they would be able to hold the race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was encouraging, although I was a little
surprised. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Earlier in the week, the forecast
high for race day was 83 degrees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By
Thursday, it had been revised to 85 degrees. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By Friday, it had been revised to 88 degrees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t know exactly what combination of
heat and humidity would be considered unsafe, but this was going to be much hotter
than 2007.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The letter told us what
measures they were taking to help keep the runners safe in hot conditions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Among other things, they were going to have
more water than usual at the aid stations, and they were going to have cooling
or mist stations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was happy to see
that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the Chicago Marathon was shut
down in 2007, a major contributing factor was aid stations running out of water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was up to the runners to pace themselves
appropriately for the conditions, but having plenty of water is one of the main
things the organizers could do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
letter also told us how many medical personnel they were going to have along
the route.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were planning to have
enough that they would have eyes on every part of the route to look for runners
in distress.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When I woke up on
Saturday, I saw an email that had been sent out the night before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It told us that the Saturday running events,
which included a 5K and a 10K, would take place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got the impression the final decision on
whether the marathon would take place was going to be made Saturday evening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were told to expect an email by 8:30 PM.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t want to see the race cancelled, but
if you’re going to cancel, that’s the appropriate time to do it.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After dinner, I waited to
get what I assumed would be the final word on the weather.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At 8:20 PM, I got an email saying they still
expected to hold the race, but they would keep monitoring the weather and send
another update at 5:30 AM on Sunday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This email also suggested that they could still cancel the race at any
time if conditions changed.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I slept well at first,
but I woke up at 2 AM, and I couldn’t get back to sleep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After laying awake in bed for the next hour
and a half, I finally got up and had an early breakfast.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I got dressed for the
race, but I wasn’t going to leave the house until I received the expected email.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When it arrived, I was shocked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here’s the email:<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2YPn6SxfctVNY71e6YPa7Wo5MtgLPDUbQufX4iCsXkvDBswSddPFo19v5nnuWZ9Qr_baBz9N5UVoVBunLGNU-1AjA2-ckyP2coAKuCypoFxy6He8Fq9UmCRQosDomjnGoNDGJAWxlsGxsh5z5hCR5HpLH3AScrCt4LHTysz_z7fZ52uguHKjlMO7xLRWN/s723/Letter%204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="723" data-original-width="625" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2YPn6SxfctVNY71e6YPa7Wo5MtgLPDUbQufX4iCsXkvDBswSddPFo19v5nnuWZ9Qr_baBz9N5UVoVBunLGNU-1AjA2-ckyP2coAKuCypoFxy6He8Fq9UmCRQosDomjnGoNDGJAWxlsGxsh5z5hCR5HpLH3AScrCt4LHTysz_z7fZ52uguHKjlMO7xLRWN/w554-h640/Letter%204.jpg" width="554" /></a><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">What made this so
shocking to me is that the forecast had not really changed since the night
before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe, they were already expecting
to cancel based on the previous forecast, but they were hoping it would get better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>More likely, I think, is that the race
officials sincerely believed they would be able to hold the race, but one of
the cities forced them to cancel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Race
organizers are always at the mercy of the city governments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They can only hold the race if the cities
will grant permits, and the cities can always rescind those permits.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">One reason I believe this
is that they didn’t just cancel the marathon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They also cancelled the 10-mile race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There was absolutely no reason for that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The marathon wasn’t scheduled to start until 8:00 AM, but the 10-mile
race was scheduled to start an hour earlier, when the temperature was still dropping.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An hour into the race, it would only be 66
degrees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the time the temperature got
back into the 70s, almost everyone would be done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even someone who walked the whole way would
be done before it got out of the low 70s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There’s just no way you can make a compelling argument that conditions
were dangerous for the 10-mile race.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I find it hard to believe
that the race organizers would be so callous as to cancel the 10-mile race just
because it would be inconvenient to still hold one race after cancelling the
other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s far more believable that one
of the cities pulled their permit, and that forced the cancellation of both
events, since they took place on the same morning using many of the same
streets.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I was already up, and I
was ready to run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since I couldn’t run a
marathon, I figured I might as well get out for a training run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was tracking a friend who was running the
Spartathlon in Greece, so I waited to see his result before starting my run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got started a few minutes after 8:00, which
is about the same time the marathon would’ve started.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">As I started running, I
was surprised how cool I felt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where I
live, it was 68 degrees, and there was a strong breeze.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After about five miles, I started to notice
the humidity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was sticky, but no
worse than any day during the summer.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I didn’t run a marathon
distance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was no reason to run
that far If I wasn’t racing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ran 11.25
miles, which is just a little farther than my average training run.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The rationale for
cancelling today’s race was that conditions were dangerous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t believe that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ran far enough this morning to conclude that
conditions weren’t going to get any worse today than they did for most of my
training runs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I live in the Minneapolis/St.
Paul area, so I’m pretty familiar with our weather.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Was this an unusually hot day for
October?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Was it as hot and/or humid as the weather in
July or August?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not even close.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anyone signed up for these races who lives in
this area would’ve done the bulk of their training during the summer, when
conditions were worse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They should’ve known
what these conditions feel like and how they affect their bodies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If they were doing long training runs in
August, they should’ve known how to pace themselves in these conditions.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I’ve run more than 50
ultramarathons, and most of them were summer races.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve run 100-mile races where the temperature
got into the 90s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve run at least one
50-mile race where it got up to 100 degrees by the time I finished.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve run 12-hour and 24-hour races with
temperatures in the 90s and high humidity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In one of those races, the heat index was well above 100 degrees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Was the race cancelled?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Were
any of the runners hospitalized?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>No.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ultrarunners know how to take
care of themselves in the heat, and they’re running much farther than a
marathon.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Maybe some significant
percentage of marathon runners are too inexperienced to make good decisions
when racing in hot weather.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Alternatively,
maybe the people making decisions to cancel races just don’t give the runners
enough credit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m sure every city
official who issues a permit wants to avoid a situation like Chicago in 2007,
but that isn’t really aa fair comparison.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>At that race, the aid stations ran out of water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was an avoidable situation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The race officials knew it was going to be
hotter than normal, and they should’ve realized thar runners would be using more
water, yet they had the same amount of water that they had other years, when it
was cool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once they ran out of water,
runners started dropping like flies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So
many needed to be taken to hospitals that the emergency rooms were overwhelmed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’ll never know what would’ve happened that
day if they had an adequate amount of water for all the runners.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Since large marathons in
hot humid climates never need to be cancelled and smaller races also never seem
to get cancelled, I really think the problem with the large urban marathons is
city officials who are overly cautious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Maybe part of the problem is also a need for more education within the
running community.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I ran the Boston Marathon
in 2012, when it was 89 degrees and sunny.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That race didn’t start until 10:00 AM, so we were running through the
hottest hours of the day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The race officials
knew all week that it was going to be hot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What did they do?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were well
aware of what happened in Chicago in 2007, so they had four times as much water
as they normally would.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All week long,
they were encouraging the runners to adjust their goals and just run at an easy
pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During the race, there were road
signs with flashing messages telling us to slow down.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Another thing the Boston Marathon
organizers did was to give runners the option to defer their entry to the
following year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s tough to get into
that race, and they were justifiably concerned that some runners might feel
compelled to run in conditions they weren’t prepared for, because it might be
their only chance.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">There were some runners
that year who tried to run too fast and struggled in the late miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most runners, however, managed the heat
appropriately.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They probably had more
runners than usual needing medical attention after the race, but it wasn’t a
disaster like Chicago in 2007.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Because I didn’t have to
travel, the only thing I lost out on was the opportunity to run another marathon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ran one last weekend, and I’ll run one next
weekend, so it’s not that big of a deal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I feel bad for the runners who traveled from out of state just to do
this race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They not only lost an opportunity
to run a marathon, but they’re still out all the money they paid for airfare and
hotels.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After the race, I read
comments online from a few runners who will never do this race again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s a shame, because it really is a good
race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately, it’s now a race
that carries the risk that if could be cancelled if it happens to be unusually
hot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are races I’ll never do for
the same reason.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s just not a risk
you want to take when you’re traveling to a race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can handle the weather.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just want to have the opportunity to do the
race.</p>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07537579568732930585noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3046379205507947695.post-33983886732020429242023-09-24T18:04:00.001-05:002023-09-24T21:59:22.235-05:00Race Report: 2023 Clarence DeMar Marathon<p>On September 24, I ran the
Clarence DeMar Marathon in Keene, NH. This
is a relatively small race, but it’s a big enough event to fill all the hotel
rooms in Keene. I was able to find a
room at the Hampton Inn, but the rates were expensive. Fortunately, I had enough Hilton points to
get two free nights.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Figuring out my flights
was also difficult.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could get a direct
flight to Hartford, but there weren’t many flight options and I had to allow
time for a 90-minute drive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were
more flights to Boston, but the drive time to Keene form Boston was an hour
longer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To get to any of the other airports
in the region, I would need two flight segments, and I would still have a long
drive.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I eventually decided to
fly to Hartford Friday morning and fly home Sunday morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was just one problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The race was on Sunday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Somehow, I thought it was a Saturday race
when I was making the reservations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
didn’t realize my mistake until I started getting emails with race
information.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My hotel, flights, and rental
car were all booked for the wrong days.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">By the time I realized my
mistake, it was too late to change my hotel reservation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I couldn’t get the same room for another
night, because all the rooms of that type were booked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, when you book a room with points, it’s
difficult to change the reservation.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I called Hampton Inn and
explained my problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The person I spoke
to was very helpful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She said I could
have a 2 PM checkout, and she made a note to that effect in my
reservation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She also gave me her name,
in case there were any questions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After
that I still had to change my flight and rental car reservation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The race started at 7 AM, so I clearly wasn’t
going to make it back to Hartford in time to catch an 11:45 AM flight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fortunately, there was also a 6 PM flight out
of Hartford.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I arrived in Hartford just
before lunch on Friday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t need to
be in any rush to get to Keene, so I stopped for lunch in Springfield before
driving the rest of the way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After
checking into my room at Hampton, I had a few hours before packet pickup started.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I used that time to go for a run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After three hours on a plane and almost two
hours in a car, my legs were unusually stiff, but they eventually loosened up.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">My run turned out to be a
bit of an adventure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t want to
run on city streets, but there was a trail that was less than a mile from my
hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought I knew the way, but I
quickly encountered construction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
sidewalk was newly paved, but there were sections missing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I encountered a roundabout that wasn’t
on any map.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">That was the reason for
the construction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This roundabout was so
new that it wasn’t finished.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I made
my way around the roundabout, I found myself heading toward the downtown
area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I quickly realized I was on the
wrong street.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I somehow missed a
turn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I saw another runner turning onto
a trail, so I turned there too, it wasn’t the Cheshire Rail Trail, but at least
it got me off of the city streets.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">This trail only went one
block before I reached a dead end.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Should I turn right or left?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
turned right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As it turns out, I
should’ve turned left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each time I
reached an intersection, I had to decide whether to turn or wait for the
light.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I turned, I always turned
left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was starting to do a loop though
the downtown area.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I noticed a brewery on my
left that I had seen on a map.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
across the street from where I was supposed to turn onto the Cheshire Rail
Trail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I looked across the street and
saw a sign for the trail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had made a
big loop and was approaching it from the opposite direction.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I ran along the trail
until it seemed like I should turn around and go back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I reached the point where I had entered
the trail, I turned right, thinking I was now on the most direct route back to
the hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I reached a dead
end.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was supposed to cross a bridge
over a stream, but the bridge was closed for construction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had no choice but to backtrack and find
another place where I could cross the stream.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I eventually found my way
back to the same trail I had run on briefly before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I was able to retrace my route back to
the hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I got back to the new roundabout,
I saw the turn I had missed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
closed for construction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was now on
the opposite side of the same bridge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
was only planning to run for three or four miles, but I ended up running closer
to five.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I could’ve picked up my
race packet on Saturday, but they were encouraging runners who could to pick up
their race packets on Friday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Friday
packet pickup was available for a few hours at a shoe store in Keene.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I parked my car, I saw this mural on a
building.<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPMcNofb16eNiEPDwmC9bwu8VDZJoPl65btQBpptKZDonVO82eB9kGfqYRzmgVwvChIUBajMrd-IHgqD-10gcjnRJUdGubPwJxSC5PZhas344RZLnE3dyUWSP0e3sXgigeytQ0Dwng8lq8F6GqM85U-MEZCtYyvrVKDes_69LbB3sUXwPhIO2GYnLWWgLB/s2048/mural.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1904" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPMcNofb16eNiEPDwmC9bwu8VDZJoPl65btQBpptKZDonVO82eB9kGfqYRzmgVwvChIUBajMrd-IHgqD-10gcjnRJUdGubPwJxSC5PZhas344RZLnE3dyUWSP0e3sXgigeytQ0Dwng8lq8F6GqM85U-MEZCtYyvrVKDes_69LbB3sUXwPhIO2GYnLWWgLB/w373-h400/mural.jpg" width="373" /></a><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Besides the usual stuff
(race bib, T-shirt, safely pins, gear bag tag), my race packet included a
sticker, lip balm, a few food samples, a two-page bio of Clarence DeMar, and four
pages of race info.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The race info was
mostly stuff I had seen in emails, but it’s worth noting that the pre-race
emails contained a wealth of information.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This race really does a good job with pre-race communication.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">For dinner, I decided to
go to the same brewery that I had run by earlier.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They had a fairly extensive food menu, and I
now knew the most direct way to get there, in spite of the construction.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The race wasn’t until
Sunday, and I already had my race packet, so I had all day Saturday to do sightseeing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After eating breakfast and doing a workout at
the hotel, I set out to find a few of New Hampshire’s covered bridges.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">There were four covered
bridges in Swanzey, which is just south of Keene.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My first stop was the Sawyer’s Crossing
Covered Bridge.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWZ1XiythrbTwv6DT26Doieg4OgXO0AD1DJfXj1E8tYd-jMAOaIqm6XmDxt93jkaoklhkIPkqB-3nNjHPJIcvohV_30PiYxNcAP7QuYoHm4zpT10_Mc_4q3nzsDbIP6TXnkAqsmfbU_i9MSLsq_Ja2EGmLEm9bAyg2ajSG3Ag5VXqu5ELWinA3S6yy92je/s2000/Sawyers%20Crossing%20front.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWZ1XiythrbTwv6DT26Doieg4OgXO0AD1DJfXj1E8tYd-jMAOaIqm6XmDxt93jkaoklhkIPkqB-3nNjHPJIcvohV_30PiYxNcAP7QuYoHm4zpT10_Mc_4q3nzsDbIP6TXnkAqsmfbU_i9MSLsq_Ja2EGmLEm9bAyg2ajSG3Ag5VXqu5ELWinA3S6yy92je/w400-h300/Sawyers%20Crossing%20front.jpg" width="400" /></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgil1tahXmkHX32mXu0tMRUROj4lzNfrbwzk6gZDB7UnqSQjAgY1uRBl1n6Ub-zkgEL3z70pvZwysO4vNRl8is6wd6BFvezxEheUpyL97SiKNG20ngRRgYk2vzFri0GpPfLUtFW-OHwI8lMkh-5qD0fK_veRb_A3EvchBdqBx9y50EUCIBIRFDeya6xanhx/s2000/Sawyers%20Crpssing%20side.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgil1tahXmkHX32mXu0tMRUROj4lzNfrbwzk6gZDB7UnqSQjAgY1uRBl1n6Ub-zkgEL3z70pvZwysO4vNRl8is6wd6BFvezxEheUpyL97SiKNG20ngRRgYk2vzFri0GpPfLUtFW-OHwI8lMkh-5qD0fK_veRb_A3EvchBdqBx9y50EUCIBIRFDeya6xanhx/w400-h300/Sawyers%20Crpssing%20side.jpg" width="400" /></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Next, I visited the
Thompson Bridge.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg09kkl8gB1gUl8gZzhuhYX0k3L6wk3Sm7Pwo2r3ofJDChsyQn8McEvjRYy5-F8z0PpPUrb-Ple5d8Z2WsfvfqNJ2Cwll-uvGFXEgJDb1w09Fr49ckqHt3F4FBCoHrRiqe2vsfutvC5STLz-MjiOAeqooDAqunTvd9nEEfv7yQqUgQdqGNmu21ACBGD3uAR/s1974/Thompson%20front.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1178" data-original-width="1974" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg09kkl8gB1gUl8gZzhuhYX0k3L6wk3Sm7Pwo2r3ofJDChsyQn8McEvjRYy5-F8z0PpPUrb-Ple5d8Z2WsfvfqNJ2Cwll-uvGFXEgJDb1w09Fr49ckqHt3F4FBCoHrRiqe2vsfutvC5STLz-MjiOAeqooDAqunTvd9nEEfv7yQqUgQdqGNmu21ACBGD3uAR/w400-h239/Thompson%20front.jpg" width="400" /></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7w68tw0oUdYvIvH5WdzrbHNG9Y-ZMQkvEL6R90l9Rd-HSZLg-31ToBOUvfwpkIFCJ8SUWm47RT9H6Ybu6KKlL4iZR2Rc3ku_jBDiPPe0eIV1YjNiKHqD1_PhLIRFBwMb3yXfaLOf-H1mORRy8nLwNZVGWcow19jWvK18m1oaSPT0wP359yf9wgs7BY4eT/s2000/Thompson%20side.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7w68tw0oUdYvIvH5WdzrbHNG9Y-ZMQkvEL6R90l9Rd-HSZLg-31ToBOUvfwpkIFCJ8SUWm47RT9H6Ybu6KKlL4iZR2Rc3ku_jBDiPPe0eIV1YjNiKHqD1_PhLIRFBwMb3yXfaLOf-H1mORRy8nLwNZVGWcow19jWvK18m1oaSPT0wP359yf9wgs7BY4eT/w400-h300/Thompson%20side.jpg" width="400" /></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">My next two stops were
the Slate and Coombs bridges.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMFvac_1wSJxaiCxQr3PAFO_F-pYCRFF6X6_5YJ2HC9WcbeuWefyDd5Ferz9GHsClVzFDag9M3mBPyyU595rhnncxhsnPOwE9a_2yuRUwW1ezBgVK7XoUHCT1yUZHGdPmIiYBWGf3mo_R52QsiBQuRy-1MV0YZIh8nb_ZVf79pczsbpWG_zgES0IErWRsm/s1675/Slate.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1675" data-original-width="1494" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMFvac_1wSJxaiCxQr3PAFO_F-pYCRFF6X6_5YJ2HC9WcbeuWefyDd5Ferz9GHsClVzFDag9M3mBPyyU595rhnncxhsnPOwE9a_2yuRUwW1ezBgVK7XoUHCT1yUZHGdPmIiYBWGf3mo_R52QsiBQuRy-1MV0YZIh8nb_ZVf79pczsbpWG_zgES0IErWRsm/w356-h400/Slate.jpg" width="356" /></a></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAU24msQf1C5aicGVyLoorjl-09RCO63tEmoOF-WIKj3ZV2Z_GF0Haf9OyGVO_rDCB-BlKji5CpQZuY75b-ppOMAfwKPQBBIYxVlFRCwWPiTAhpJKxhDeXDc-EccMol0viF5m9txJM8wFot1W5DMee8MQ0pnfh1TnNJtKbrrQWvZ_08z9BpfCqwhHgWIqI/s1987/Coombs.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1389" data-original-width="1987" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAU24msQf1C5aicGVyLoorjl-09RCO63tEmoOF-WIKj3ZV2Z_GF0Haf9OyGVO_rDCB-BlKji5CpQZuY75b-ppOMAfwKPQBBIYxVlFRCwWPiTAhpJKxhDeXDc-EccMol0viF5m9txJM8wFot1W5DMee8MQ0pnfh1TnNJtKbrrQWvZ_08z9BpfCqwhHgWIqI/w400-h280/Coombs.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">To get to my next stop, I
needed to drive through Winchester, where I encountered a significant traffic delay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the day of the Winchester Pickle
Festival, which brought traffic to a standstill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While I was stuck in traffic, I rolled down
my window, so I could listen to the band.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When I finally made it through Winchester, I stopped at the Ashuelot Covered
Bridge.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9w8JEGjq1QHeEQUV4lBn3rpykjMKKvpcU7dDR-tHiVhbTFr0l-DZkmc_e1oqTmZY7VEasnHSHMgH1_0yxQRGHuZdksTpfTfpqAZhzZmFVgupqfSKGzt2-pVns8MomivTAYpT2hSqxre8uiVRXbCFxY7Fdu6qPnX2eorT621M6rD24-uwdUy9SIeBkeBIs/s2000/Ashuelot%20front.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9w8JEGjq1QHeEQUV4lBn3rpykjMKKvpcU7dDR-tHiVhbTFr0l-DZkmc_e1oqTmZY7VEasnHSHMgH1_0yxQRGHuZdksTpfTfpqAZhzZmFVgupqfSKGzt2-pVns8MomivTAYpT2hSqxre8uiVRXbCFxY7Fdu6qPnX2eorT621M6rD24-uwdUy9SIeBkeBIs/w400-h300/Ashuelot%20front.jpg" width="400" /></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1izprmo_fQBNi1C4VL6aQjme2296fo0GiTnz-yEju2d7q05Hy0PScDFJ9xwm7AaJKXq__lUQ1Ar32on_RKUNpm9PKRbq5fj9MBUA2HqYo6jJ9yhZLjhrd7NTn3zhs5w7uKhzwRuhDTkodRntgTck5SB4g_fOYGxdHCyNeUfzd5PXiaXiZqGGESqb5lYh-/s2000/Ashuelot%20side.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1izprmo_fQBNi1C4VL6aQjme2296fo0GiTnz-yEju2d7q05Hy0PScDFJ9xwm7AaJKXq__lUQ1Ar32on_RKUNpm9PKRbq5fj9MBUA2HqYo6jJ9yhZLjhrd7NTn3zhs5w7uKhzwRuhDTkodRntgTck5SB4g_fOYGxdHCyNeUfzd5PXiaXiZqGGESqb5lYh-/w400-h300/Ashuelot%20side.jpg" width="400" /></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I continued driving along
the Ashuelot River until I reached Hinsdale.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then I returned to Winchester to eat lunch at a restaurant called The
Rustic Table.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All of their daily
specials had pickles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had their baked
Sea Scallops with a cup of Polish pickle soup.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After lunch, I returned
to my hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before going out again, I
wanted to have all my clothes organized for the marathon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I drove up to Gilsum, where the marathon
starts.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">From Gilsum, I drove the
course back into Keene.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stopped at the
Gilsum Stone Arch Bridge and climbed down to the river to get this view.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The course goes across this bridge, but we
wouldn’t get this view during the race.<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_V3YczHQEK9LDNB6hYqPgbxWnezz9ooxHLSk-c0XpYKZfKDr8uZseWdQJujHampuVOfoSp5SBPWrh0aBazzQH-J10ECOnvCDm_CJ9lFFPal3usXmC_zcVYklScNIqUQYX5nbAz2ZdNWQMqXPJAw5exFCTmO6niz2bT-f3rnNnIiSgXMXTosviYLXUkcWh/s1721/Gilsum%20stone%20arch.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1442" data-original-width="1721" height="335" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_V3YczHQEK9LDNB6hYqPgbxWnezz9ooxHLSk-c0XpYKZfKDr8uZseWdQJujHampuVOfoSp5SBPWrh0aBazzQH-J10ECOnvCDm_CJ9lFFPal3usXmC_zcVYklScNIqUQYX5nbAz2ZdNWQMqXPJAw5exFCTmO6niz2bT-f3rnNnIiSgXMXTosviYLXUkcWh/w400-h335/Gilsum%20stone%20arch.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We would, however, get
this view as we crossed the bridge.<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn4JMJjcCnBxbLvluGYP-xTZPBNyCtXPd5OvjRDKIwh3arcgWfTWecd99NWvs8Ivs8uDHHPR3YjMVvpjkrL4jsgL3dU_BvxqQLhuhqh1RPVinjo_0qrJ1zXiSeGS1CkpYcPTyHdbaj6YWXR22YSskNmmd7TzTra0LjPZgH3tKGBp0fVYFnxGiGTyAWv-0I/s2000/view%20from%20bridge.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn4JMJjcCnBxbLvluGYP-xTZPBNyCtXPd5OvjRDKIwh3arcgWfTWecd99NWvs8Ivs8uDHHPR3YjMVvpjkrL4jsgL3dU_BvxqQLhuhqh1RPVinjo_0qrJ1zXiSeGS1CkpYcPTyHdbaj6YWXR22YSskNmmd7TzTra0LjPZgH3tKGBp0fVYFnxGiGTyAWv-0I/w300-h400/view%20from%20bridge.jpg" width="300" /></a><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">It was pretty easy to
follow the course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Signs marking the
turns were already in place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the
early miles, there’s a lot of descending, but there were also uphill sections
that were noticeable, even driving a car.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The first half of the
race has a lot of nice scenery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m glad
I drove it, because I don’t always notice the scenery during the race.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">There were two places
where I couldn’t follow the course, because a section was closed to cars.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first one was the last part of an out-and-back
on Surry Dam Road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a sign
saying, “Awesome views ahead,” but I would have to wait until the race to see
those views.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The other section was
where the race goes through Wheelock Park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>By the time I got there, I was already into the late miles, where the
course is going through Keene.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t
know where I could pick up the course again, so I just drove back to my
hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The late miles would have several
turns, but not much elevation change (or so I thought).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As far as I knew, I had seen what I needed to
see to mentally prepare for the race.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When I got back to the
hotel, it was starting to rain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I spent
the rest of the afternoon relaxing at the hotel before going to dinner.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">It took me a long time to
decide where to go for dinner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I finally
settled on an Italian restaurant on Main Street called Fireworks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I got there, I saw a pizza on the menu
called pig & fig.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I still have my
knack for finding the best pizza in any city.<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwR3yEpZSDV6dUo6MVjHflUGiJN52P0pLvCd7adZ4Rtl4YYpmWacNYHrTUHYi6hSYNTRfUOkdYmM2IoMKs6AcxyQHN1xhX9Pe-3yr1s0eP_7kVeD9A8SpNdPveykRARjBYW7E423ZafqTnKVb7oRRFhd-r9V4ip_5OzZ8hxgxN7ZB7EKXB8YzXtA1_lnMh/s2048/pig%20and%20fig.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwR3yEpZSDV6dUo6MVjHflUGiJN52P0pLvCd7adZ4Rtl4YYpmWacNYHrTUHYi6hSYNTRfUOkdYmM2IoMKs6AcxyQHN1xhX9Pe-3yr1s0eP_7kVeD9A8SpNdPveykRARjBYW7E423ZafqTnKVb7oRRFhd-r9V4ip_5OzZ8hxgxN7ZB7EKXB8YzXtA1_lnMh/w400-h300/pig%20and%20fig.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I got to bed early.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t sleep perfectly, but I got enough
sleep to be OK for the race.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The course was
point-to-point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It started in Gilsum and
finished in Keene.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Having driven most of
it on Saturday, I had a pretty good idea of the elevation profile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first half has a gradual downhill trend,
while the second half is mostly flat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
can be a fast course, but you have to pace yourself appropriately.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In that respect, it’s similar to the Boston Marathon
course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s appropriate, since Clarence
DeMar won the Boston Marathon seven times.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">To get to the start in
Gilsum, I had to catch a bus that left from Keene State College.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was able to park in one of the parking lots
on campus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Much of the college campus was
used to support the race.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The marathon didn’t start
until 7:00 AM, but buses to the start left between 5:15 and 5:45.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To get there in time to catch a bus, I had to
get up at 4:00.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve never liked the
logistics of point-to-point races, but it’s the fourth one I’ve done in the
last three months.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The temperature was in
the low 50s, with a chance of a passing shower.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I was initially planning to run in shorts, but when I went out to my
car, it was sprinkling, and I also noticed a surprisingly cool breeze.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t expect the rain to last long, but
there was a chance we might get more rain during the race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was ahead of schedule, so I made a
last-minute decision to go back and change into tights.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The race provided a gear
check, but I didn’t want to take the time to retrieve a gear bag after the
race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead, I wore warm-up pants that
I was willing to discard and a light jacket that I could tie around my waist
before I started running.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I got to the college
early, so I was on the first bus to Gilsum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We got dropped off around 5:30, so we had a long wait before the race
started.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were able to go inside the gymnasium
to sit down and stay warm until it was time to walk to the start.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bathrooms in the building weren’t open,
but there was a long row of port-o-potties outside.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I had been awake for a
couple hours, but my digestive system wakes up on its own schedule.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was on the bus when I started feeling
pressure in my intestines.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we got
off the bus, everyone else went into the gym, but I went straight for the
port-o-potties.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What I was feeling
turned out to be mostly gas, but you never know.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">This was my first
marathon since the beginning of the qualifying period for the 2025 Boston Marathon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since this race has a somewhat fast course,
an obvious goal was to qualify for Boston.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The qualifying standard is my age group is currently 3:50.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Registration for the 2024
Boston Marathon closed on September 15.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>After registration closed, the B.A.A. announced that they received
33,000 applications from time qualifiers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Last year, they only had 23,000 slots for time qualifiers, so it looks like
10,000 applicants will be turned away.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">There’s no question that
the B.A.A. will tighten the qualifying standards, but it’s unclear when new
standards would take effect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ideally,
they would want to tighten the standards for 2025, but the qualifying period
for 2025 started on September 1.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
was already the fourth weekend of qualifying, and there hasn’t been any announcement
yet about changes to the qualifying standards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>To announce tighter standards now would be somewhat unfair to people who
have already run a qualifying race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When the B.A.A. changes
their qualifying standards, they generally change them by five minutes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I expect the qualifying standard for my age
group to be 3:45 for 2026, but I ran this race assuming the standard for 2025
will still be 3:50.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I placed in my age group
in my previous four races, so another obvious goal was to win an age group
award.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To do that, I needed to place in
the top two among men aged 60-69.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t
know how fast I needed to run to place in my age group, but that’s something I
would keep in mind in the late miles.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Another common goal of
mine is to run negative splits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That
didn’t seem like a realistic goal today, because the first half of the course
is much easier than the second half.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My
primary goal was to get a BQ, and to do that I planned to really work the
downhill sections in the first half of the race.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We started on Main Street
in Gilsum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Running down Main Street, it
was sharply downhill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m getting pretty
good at downhill running, so I used the downhill start to get off to a fast
start.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">As we turned onto Highway
10, it was still downhill, but not as steep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I continued to run at a relatively fast pace, but not so fast that it
would be tiring.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Just before the turn onto
Surry Road, the road briefly turned uphill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>On the short uphill segments, I was willing to work to keep up my pace,
knowing I would quickly get a chance to recover when we resumed running
downhill.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Toward the end of the
second mile, there was a more noticeable hill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Again, I was willing to work to keep up my pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On this hill, I started to get out of breath,
but I knew there would be lots more downhill.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The first three miles
were the fastest part of the course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On
these miles, my average pace was 8:20.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
didn’t need to run that fast to break 3:50, but I was taking advantage of the
fast miles, knowing the course would level out later.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The next two miles were
still downhill, but it wasn’t as noticeable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I maintained the same effort, but my pace was 15-20 seconds slower.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">About five miles into the
race, we turned onto Highway 12A.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From driving
the course on Saturday, I knew the next several miles would still have a
downhill trend, but the slope was gradual, and some sections were slightly
uphill.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I wanted to keep up a Boston-qualifying
pace, but it took more effort now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
large races, I can stay on pace just by keeping up with the pack of runners
around me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In smaller races like this
one, I need to focus on individual runners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Some runners were rapidly pulling away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Other runners weren’t going as fast, so I was passing them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I noticed one runner who always seemed to be at
least 100 feet ahead of me, so I focused on keeping up with her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a woman in green shorts.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">At times, it seemed like
I was gradually falling farther behind the woman in the green shorts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I’d pick up my effort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At times, I questioned if this effort would
be sustainable for the whole race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
felt like I was pushing the envelope a little. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In most miles, my pace was faster than what I
needed to break 3:50, but I expected the second half of the race to be slower.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">At about 10 miles, we
made a sharp left turn onto Surry Dam Road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Right after this turn, I passed the woman in the green shorts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With nobody to follow, I had to pay more
attention to my effort to make sure I kept up my pace.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Before long, we reached
the first section of the course that I wasn’t able to drive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We ran across the dam and then turned around
and crossed the dam again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The awesome views
here were of Surry Mountain Lake.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">As I was crossing the
dam, I found someone new to chase.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
was a guy in a yellow shirt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was
taking pictures as he ran.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He looked
relaxed, but I had to work to keep up with him.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Coming off the dam, we
hit a downhill section.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I took the
downhill faster than the guy in the yellow shirt, so I ended up passing
him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once again, I was on my own to
maintain a fast enough pace.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">At 11 miles, we turned
onto East Surry Road and ran by a golf course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This mile had rolling hills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Somehow, I didn’t notice that when I drove the course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I sped up by about 10 seconds in this mile,
but only because I was really working to keep up my pace on the hills.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Halfway through mile 13,
I reached an aid station that was at the bottom of a hill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I recognized this as the longest hill on the
course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was gradual, but it was a
total rise of about 100 feet. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the
first half of the hill, I did a good job of keeping up my pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the second half of the hill, I slowed down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This hill took a lot out of me.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Since the beginning of
the race, I had been wearing gloves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Running up this hill, my hands started to feel sweaty, so I took my
gloves off and stuffed them in my fanny pack.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When I reached the 13-mile
mark, I saw that I had slowed to 8:54 in that mile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was my slowest mile so far, and I wasn’t
quite to the top of the hill.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I reached the halfway
mark in 1:52:59.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew I was ahead of
my target pace, but I was still surprised.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I was on pace for 3:46, but I didn’t expect to keep up the same pace in
the second half. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first half was
mostly downhill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The second half would
mostly flat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would take more effort
just to run at the same pace, and my current effort already seemed like it
might be unsustainable.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I was almost to the top
of the hill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then there was a brief
downhill segment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was one more brief
uphill segment, and then there was a long downhill section.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I finally picked up my pace again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ran the 14th mile in 8:34.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was reassuring.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Running downhill, my
hands got cold.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Apparently, I took my
gloves off prematurely. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s tough to put
gloves on when they’re already sweaty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>My hands were cold for the rest of the race, but I had to live with
that.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Next, we made a sharp
turn onto Court Street.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was sharply
downhill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Coming around that corner and
across Court Street, I could feel one of my insoles slipping forward inside my
shoe.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When I drove the course,
I noticed that the turn was downhill, but I didn’t notice how sharply downhill
Court Street was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I really picked up
speed on that section.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I started thinking about
how fast my first half was and how much room I had to slow down in the second
half.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wondered if I could break 3:50
just by running nine-minute miles the rest of the way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the halfway mark, that wasn’t quite fast
enough, but I ran mile 15 in 8:24 after running the previous mile in 8:34.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now a nine-minute pace would be fast enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That gave me a lot of confidence going into
the last 11 miles.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I found someone new that
I could chase.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a guy in a while
tank top.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I first noticed him ahead
of me, I had to work hard to keep up with him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then I got closer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I was
right behind him, and he looked over his shoulder at me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I couldn’t be sure, but it occurred to me
that he might be old enough to be in my age group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I passed him.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">At 16 miles, we turned
onto the loop that I had noticed when I drove the course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Recognizing this part of the course gave me a
feeling for where I was.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Earlier in the race, I
noticed every time my watch recorded a split.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Now I started missing them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
didn’t see my time for the 16th or 17th mile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then I ran the 18th mile in 8:29.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I only knew my splits from two of the previous four miles, but those two
were both faster than 8:30.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I could
keep up that pace for the rest of the race, I might break 3:45.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That seemed highly improbable. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To do that, I’d need to run the second half a
minute faster than the first half.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
first half is much easier, and I didn’t feel like I was holding back at all.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">It didn’t seem possible,
but it was a goal worth pursuing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>3:45
would be a BQ even if the B.A.A. tightened the qualifying standards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t know if I was running 8:30 or faster
consistently, but I was determined to keep up my effort until I got another
split.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">At 19 miles, I missed my
split again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My watch was consistently
reading high.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whenever I saw a mile
marker, I looked at my watch and saw that it had already recorded that mile,
but I didn’t notice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At 19 miles, my
watch read 19.08.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I never noticed the
vibration when it recorded a split.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When
I looked at my watch, it was too late.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I was entering the next section
of the course that I wasn’t able to drive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I was running on a trail through Wheelock Park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the rest of the race, nothing was going
to look familiar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, I had to take each
mile as it came.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I continued to miss my
mile splits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t know how fast I
ran mile 20, or mile 21, or mile 22.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
optimistically assumed I was keeping up the same pace as before, and I kept
pushing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I had fewer miles to go, I
was got confident that my effort wouldn’t break me.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I was now focused more
and more on my other goal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wanted to
place in my age group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was constantly
looking at the runners ahead of me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’d
see a couple runners who were clearly younger than me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t need to complete with them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I’d look farther up the road, and I’d
see a couple guys who could plausibly be in my age group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To know for sure, I’d have to get
closer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’d pass the younger runners and
gradually catch up to the older guys until I could see them more clearly.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Sometimes I’d see a guy
who looked like he was as old as me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then I’d pass him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Other times, I’d
realize the guy I was chasing wasn’t that old.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’d pass him anyway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was
relentless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was passing everyone.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">In a few places, there
were signs that were either inspirational or humorous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just before we entered Greenlawn Cemetery,
there was a sign saying, “You’re entering a cemetery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Try to look alive.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was easy to look alive at first, because
the road through the cemetery was sharply downhill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As it leveled off, I found myself
tiring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That often happened after a
downhill section.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the road leveled
off, I was still trying to keep up the same pace, but it took more effort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I never let up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Going downhill, I worked the hill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the flat, I tried to go as fast as the
downhill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Going uphill, I tried not to
slow down any more than I had to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
most races, I try to keep my effort consistent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In this race, I was running the terrain.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">There was another
downhill section, but eventually, I had to run uphill again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This hill was tiring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was getting out of breath, and I could tell
I was slowing down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did my best, but I
wondered if it would wreck me for the rest of the race.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">That was in mile 23.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ran that mile in 8:54.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was as slow as mile 13, which had the biggest
hill of the race. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the road turned
downhill again, I couldn’t run it as fast as I ran other downhill
sections.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By now, both of my insoles had
slipped so far forward that running downhill was getting uncomfortable for my
feet.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">With 3.2 miles to go, I
had more than 32 minutes left to break 3:50.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I just needed to average 10 minutes per mile, and every mile so far had
been faster than nine minutes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
obvious that I would break 3:50, but it was just as obvious that I wouldn’t be
able to break 3:45.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">In those last few miles,
I didn’t let up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was no longer racing
the clock, but I was still trying to place in my age group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even more than before, I tried to catch
anyone who looked like they might be older than 60.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since the middle of the race, I had passed as
many as 10 men who might be in my age group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It made me wonder how many of them actually were in my age group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It also made me wonder how many might still
be ahead of me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every time I passed one,
I saw another.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How far back was I at the
halfway mark?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Was I even in the top 10?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I ran mile 24 in
8:46.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was disappointing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ran mile 25 in 8:42.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Breaking 3:45 was out of reach, but 3:50 was
in the bank.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">They had a sign at one
mile to go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love races that do that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did one last time check.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To finish in 3:50, I just needed to run the
last mile in 12:38.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then it occurred to
me that I might be really close to 3:46 if I could speed up in the last
mile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I gave it all I had.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I passed another older
runner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Chasing him helped me to keep up
my effort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the distance, I could see one
more older runner who was wearing a red shirt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I couldn’t gain ground on him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Even if I could, he was too far ahead for me to catch him before the end
of the race.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I was almost to the
college campus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I made the turn onto
Main Street.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I saw my split for
mile 26, it was 8:38.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was going to
be really close.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I poured it on.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">As I made the final turn
onto Appian Way, another runner passed me like I was standing still.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He looked much younger than me, so I didn’t care.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ran hard to the line, and I finished in
3:45:47.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wasn’t close to breaking
3:46, but amazingly, I ran negative splits by 11 seconds.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">People were telling me
where to get food and water, but I only cared about two things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first was my finisher medal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The second was finding out how I placed in my
age group.<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYDR3VXFN19lpMf2_J3NMT2bzVGiCOJarh0g4r0J__n8Q4s4ntPxnxdTRfJ-vszGdafNbDKtX3O8WxemRQwzqzYX4zF5vqNZM9SJOhDyXmlfZhzRqXfAyy7cR6IhhdT-1Tyz6g4ANpRz7fSD_4xms09qp48lKe5u_N8Q_6Z18-C77zsQPfpnsSLckXtsl0/s2048/medal.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1610" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYDR3VXFN19lpMf2_J3NMT2bzVGiCOJarh0g4r0J__n8Q4s4ntPxnxdTRfJ-vszGdafNbDKtX3O8WxemRQwzqzYX4zF5vqNZM9SJOhDyXmlfZhzRqXfAyy7cR6IhhdT-1Tyz6g4ANpRz7fSD_4xms09qp48lKe5u_N8Q_6Z18-C77zsQPfpnsSLckXtsl0/w315-h400/medal.jpg" width="315" /></a><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">As I was walking toward
the results tent, I saw a BQ bell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You
were supposed to ring it if you qualified for Boston.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s still possible that the B.A.A could
tighten the standards for 2025, but under the current standards, I qualified
with more than four minutes to spare.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
went over and rang the bell.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When I got to the results
tent, they entered my bib number and displayed my result.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was shocked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was 6th in my age group, despite running a
solid race and passing everyone I could.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This was a competitive race.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Getting back to the hotel
proved to be a little bit of a challenge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I was told I could get out of the parking lot without crossing the course
by exiting to the right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t see
any streets where I could turn right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Other cars were going out to Main Street.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Was I supposed to turn right on Main Street.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was impossible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were runners on Main Street.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even if there was a large enough gap between
runners, it was impossible to turn onto Main, because there was already a long
line of cars backed up.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I found two runners who
lived in the area and asked them if there was another way out of the parking
lot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of them told me that I could
get out by following a serpentine route west and north of the parking lot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That worked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I eventually found my way out to Winchester Street.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From there, I knew my way back to the hotel.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">By finishing the race
faster than expected and leaving the finish area quickly, I was able to get
back to the hotel just after 11:00.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
didn’t need to check out until 2:00, but I managed to be ready to leave by
noon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I actually needed to leave by
1:00, because I needed to return my rental car by 3:00, and I wanted to allow
two hours to drive to Hartford and fill my tank.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">About halfway through the
drive, it started to rain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This wasn’t just
a few sprinkles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was steady rain for
the rest of the drive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The rain was
actually helpful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It made it easier to
fend off road hypnosis.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The rain reminded me how
lucky I was that it didn’t rain at all during the race. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After the race, my fingers were turning
white.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If it had rained, I would’ve been
much colder.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><u>Race statistics</u>:</div><div>Distance: 26.2 miles</div><div>Time: 3:45:47</div><div>Average Pace: 8:37</div><div>First Half: 1:52:59</div><div>Second Half: 1:52:48</div><div>Lifetime Marathons/Ultras: 494</div><div>New Hampshire Marathons: 5</div><div>Boston Qualifiers: 154</div>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07537579568732930585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3046379205507947695.post-8887895157366615452023-09-10T06:56:00.007-05:002023-09-10T19:07:00.485-05:00Race Report: 2023 Patriots Run<p class="MsoNormal">On September 9, I ran the
Patriots’ Run in Overland Park, KS. This
is a fixed-time race where you run as far as you can in nine hours and 11
minutes. I ran this race in 2005, but
several things have changed since then.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">First, the race used to
be held on September 11, regardless of what day of the week it was. Now they hold it on the weekend, which makes
it easier for people who work during the week.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The second change was the
course. It used to be a 0.72 mile loop
around a park in Olathe. Now it’s a 1.5 mile
road loop around the Aspiria Campus in Overland Park. The longer loop is significant, since
fractional laps don’t count. You only
get credit for laps that you complete within the time limit.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The third change was the
start time. The race used to start at
noon and go until 9:11 PM. When I ran
this race in 2005, it was a 90-degree sunny day, and I had to run through the
hottest hours of the day. Now the race
starts at 7 AM. It was going to be
another hot afternoon, so I was glad I could get a few hours under my belt before
it got hot.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The fourth change was the
prize money. In 2005, there wasn’t
any. Now there are cash prizes to the
top three men & women. In 2005, I
won the race, but I was only competing against the local runners. There weren’t any other experienced ultrarunners. This year, I had every reason to expect that
the prize money would attract some serious competition.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The last thing that
changed was me. I’m 18 years older
now. I’m just not the same runner I was
when I was still in my mid-40s. I’m more
experienced, and I have a good mileage base, but my top speed today is slower
than my “all day” pace was back then.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When I did this race in
2005, I drove, and Deb came with me. The
drive time is about seven hours. That
used to be within my driving range, but my lower back doesn’t tolerate long
drives the way it used to. This year, I
chose to fly to Kansas City and rent a car.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I flew to Kansas City Friday
morning. My flight arrived early, giving
me time to buy groceries before lunch. I
bought several bottles of Gatorade for the race and some pastries for my
pre-race breakfast.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I had lunch with my
friend, John, who lives in the area. I
first met John 13 years ago at a reunion of the 50 States Marathon Club, when we
were both celebrating our 50 states finish.
It’s been a long time since I last saw John at a race, so it was nice to
have a chance to catch up.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">After lunch, I went to my
hotel to check in. I had a mini fridge
in the room, so I was able to get the Gatorade cold before the race.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Packet pickup didn’t
start until 4:00 PM, so I had time to do some exercises at the hotel. Then I drove around the course. John has run this race since they switched to
the current course, and he had warned me that it was hilly. I wanted to see it for myself before the race. I had studied the course map, so I knew where
to go, but it would’ve been pretty obvious even if I didn’t. The entire loop was marked with small
American flags. The loop had a couple
hills, but they were fairly gradual. It
was actually very similar to the loop I used for my training runs at home.<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-J4bn9iTxVcN76DgU4E4LLMjyIMDp1MtVCFQlcfwyHXmy11vEIajSxyr11wQsep0gD2oXz6JH21T2eXgaIbeBXlJ5Sy1e_wP4RLUF1gcVSsaxcPDA5fryLlQanJ30w_pb6NvVeysfXkYiZlAFsQI3vjC-SquAf9TobVKvy-TkBQ0VhcklrP98CBGpadhz/s2048/flags.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-J4bn9iTxVcN76DgU4E4LLMjyIMDp1MtVCFQlcfwyHXmy11vEIajSxyr11wQsep0gD2oXz6JH21T2eXgaIbeBXlJ5Sy1e_wP4RLUF1gcVSsaxcPDA5fryLlQanJ30w_pb6NvVeysfXkYiZlAFsQI3vjC-SquAf9TobVKvy-TkBQ0VhcklrP98CBGpadhz/w300-h400/flags.jpg" width="300" /></a><br />
<p class="MsoNormal">Packet pickup was at the
ROKC climbing gym in Olathe. Besides my
race bib and T-shirt, I got a pair of red, white & blue socks.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When I was looking for a
place to eat dinner, I noticed there was a North Italia. This is a restaurant I’ve been to in
California, but I didn’t realize it was a national chain. Their pizza menu includes a chef’s special,
which changes from day to day. Their
chef’s special on Friday was an asparagus and mushroom pizza. I like asparagus, but I don’t have it very
often. Anytime I can get asparagus on a
pizza, I’m going to give it a try.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I got to bed early enough
to get a reasonable amount of sleep.
That’s more important for an ultra than it is for a marathon.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I had to leave before the
hotel restaurant started serving breakfast, so I made some tea in my room and
ate several of the pastries I picked up on Friday. I ate a bigger breakfast than I normally
would, knowing that I would be hard-pressed to take in enough calories during
the race.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I got a real break on the
weather. As recently as a week ago, it
looked like the temperature would get into the upper 90s. Since then, cooler weather arrived. In the morning, the temperature was in the
low 60s, and the forecast high was only 86.
That’s still hot, but I was expecting worse.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There was an area near
the start/finish line where people could set up tents. All of the relay teams had canopies and
tables. Many of the solo ultra runners
also had canopies and tables. I didn’t
have a tent or table. I just had two
small coolers and a tote bag to store my warm-up clothes.<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKAYIfgye2tlL7LosQA8HuYAW_s-UXT6Mlyg7arL1A4MTo2wnZEaIghQcRhEC-2U7x5jk5-NR-6cS1wmbQhJrcuNdollAemRgFS8RmROazL2DvH2Ne5FVdM70VA0aJE5pRF7X9vBK53EQZh-tCJ-JqPlplvCPnkpiGGHm3HgzzbmYlD28J0RQl6ItrTqy7/s2048/tent%20city.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKAYIfgye2tlL7LosQA8HuYAW_s-UXT6Mlyg7arL1A4MTo2wnZEaIghQcRhEC-2U7x5jk5-NR-6cS1wmbQhJrcuNdollAemRgFS8RmROazL2DvH2Ne5FVdM70VA0aJE5pRF7X9vBK53EQZh-tCJ-JqPlplvCPnkpiGGHm3HgzzbmYlD28J0RQl6ItrTqy7/w400-h300/tent%20city.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXEwckIoJTPbfBe61pvj-ndj3p_iFwryKUbbWPYmin_wkJ2XnXzBCfUAPLWkbq755PPzlcayS_rAbjq-zzrARXdzKmkFJFjJGifIhInVkwvEybxFXvoJelqG549-N2Tukt3TW6aIfYDYKkuqcV5J1iZT-lPLWr-TPIC4WRudZxDPOMmZwmL83vn_u6sNlA/s2048/my%20pit%20area.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXEwckIoJTPbfBe61pvj-ndj3p_iFwryKUbbWPYmin_wkJ2XnXzBCfUAPLWkbq755PPzlcayS_rAbjq-zzrARXdzKmkFJFjJGifIhInVkwvEybxFXvoJelqG549-N2Tukt3TW6aIfYDYKkuqcV5J1iZT-lPLWr-TPIC4WRudZxDPOMmZwmL83vn_u6sNlA/w400-h300/my%20pit%20area.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<p class="MsoNormal">I didn’t know how far I
was capable of running, so I set multiple goals. My first goal was 32 laps, which is 48
miles. That’s just short of the 48.06
miles that I ran in 2005. Since I was
starting earlier in the day, that seemed like it should be an attainable
goal. Still, it’s not very satisfying to
come up just short of what you’ve done before.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">My next goal was 33 laps,
which is 49.5 miles. This goal was more
challenging, but it still seemed realistic.
My ultimate goal was to run 34 laps, or 51 miles. I didn’t know if this was realistic, but it would
be much more satisfying to get above 50 miles, and the only way to do that was
to complete that 34th lap. I also thought
51 miles might be enough to get me into the top three.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There was an aid station
with food, water, and a sports drink, but I brought my own supply of
Gatorade. Besides wanting to drink
something familiar, I also thought it would be easier to keep track of my fluid
intake if I was drinking from bottles. I
brought a small cooler filled with bottles of Gatorade, and I also had a large insulated
bag filled with ice, so I could put ice cubes in my hat when it started getting
hot. I also brought a small supply of
gel packets and some electrolyte capsules.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">My last ultra was the
FANS 6-hour race in early June. In that
race, I was able to run the whole race at a slow-but-steady pace, without
taking any walking breaks. I knew I
wouldn’t be able to do this race without walking. For starters, this race was longer. Also, it was going to be a hotter day. Knowing I would inevitably need to do some
walking, I started to take walking breaks at the beginning of my second lap.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">My most ambitious goal
was 34 laps. If I wanted to have any
chance of reaching that goal, I had to pace for it from the beginning. If I started at a slower pace, I couldn’t
realistically expect to speed up in the afternoon. It was only going to get hotter as the race
progressed.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I employed a pacing
strategy I’ve used many times before. I
call it <i><a href="https://goalorientedrunner.blogspot.com/2014/12/pacing-yourself-with-variable-length.html">Variable-Length Walking Breaks</a></i>.
I set a target time for each lap.
If I finished a lap early, I walked until I reached the time that I was
supposed to finish the previous lap.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">To finish 34 laps in 9:11,
I needed to average 16:12 per lap.
Rather than target that pace from the beginning, I chose a target pace of
16:00 per lap. Why 16:00? It’s a nice round number, which made the
mental arithmetic easier. Also, it gave
me room to slow down a little in the afternoon, when it got hotter.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The race started just as
the sun was rising. As we were lined up
for the start, I could see half of the sun above the horizon. It was a red-orange disk. When I was far enough into my first lap to
see the sun again, it was already fully visible above the horizon. Now it was yellow.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The loop we were running
was shaped like a pear. We were running
clockwise, so most of the time we were curving to the right. There were two places in each lap where the
road briefly bent to the left. As I saw
those turns coming, I always paid attention to running the tangents.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">After each lap, I stopped
to get a bottle of Gatorade from my cooler.
After taking a drink and returning the bottle to the cooler, I’d check
my watch to see how much time I had for a walking break. After my first lap, I was able to walk for a
minute and 20 seconds. On my walking breaks, I usually power walked. The more ground I could cover while walking, the less I needed to run.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When I resumed running, I
was already partway into the lap, so I was farther ahead of schedule after two
laps than I was after one. As a result,
my walking breaks gradually got longer. On
my third lap, I was able to walk for two minutes, and my walking breaks
eventually got as long as four minutes.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Early in my fourth lap,
another runner lapped me. At first, I
didn’t know if he was doing the solo ultra or if he was on a relay team. Later in the same lap, another runner lapped
me. In his case, it was obvious that he
was on a relay team, because he was wearing a pack.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There were two types of
relay teams. Runners on teams in the “heavy”
division had to wear heavy packs. That
made them easy to identify. There was
also a “light” division. I didn’t know
at first how to distinguish those runners from solo runners. It wasn’t until about two hours had elapsed
that I started to notice the runners on the “light” relay teams were carrying
batons. The batons were small and flat,
so they weren’t easy to see.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">After about five laps, I
had to make a bathroom stop. The
port-o-potties in the start/finish area were a distance away from the
course. There was a port-o-potty about
halfway through the loop that was right next to the course, so I stopped there.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The time I spent on my
bathroom stop cut into my next walking break.
Whenever I made a bathroom stop or took longer than usual in the start
area, my walking breaks would shrink. If
I didn’t have excessive downtime, they would gradually grow. For most of the race, they were between two
and four minutes.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I was set up right next
to an aid station. They had a sports
drink that was provided by one of the sponsors.
There were about four guys working that aid station. One of them told me to let him know if I needed
anything. At the time, I was eating a
gel, so I asked him if he could throw away the wrapper for me.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">He told me his name, but
by the time the race was over, I was having trouble remembering. Eventually, he noticed that I was opening one
of my coolers to take out a bottle of Gatorade each time I finished a lap. Whenever he was around and saw me finish a
lap, he opened the cooler and took out a bottle before I got there. After I drank, he would put the bottle back
and close the cooler for me. That
probably saved me about 10 seconds. It
was really nice to have a total stranger crewing for me. I arrived at the race expecting to be
completely self-sufficient.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I brought enough 20 oz. bottles
of Gatorade to be able to go through a bottle every three laps. In the first half of the race, I didn’t need
that much. The weather was still
comfortable enough that it was all I could do to drink 5 oz. after each
lap. At that rate, a bottle lasted four
laps.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Despite drink less
Gatorade than I planned, I kept making bathroom stops. In the first four hours of the race, I made
four bathroom stops.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">After about three hours, I
started to feel sweaty. The sun was high
enough in the sky that I could feel it. There
wasn’t a cloud in the sky, and there isn’t much shade on this course. By now, it was 70 degrees, and the sun made it
feel hotter.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">To stay cool, I started
putting ice cubes in my hat. The hat I
was wearing drapes down to cover the back of my neck. As the ice cubes melted, the ice water
filtered down through the back of my hat.
I also wore one of those cooling bandanas around my neck. The ice water dripping down through my hat
was absorbed by the bandana, so it was always cold. I used to have a problem with ice water from
my hat running all the way down my back and legs and eventually getting into my
shoes. The bandana prevented that from
happening.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">At first, I didn't need to put ice in my hat every lap. It took more than a lap for the ice to melt completely, so I added more ice every other lap.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When I finished 17 laps,
I was halfway to my goal. During the
next lap, I reached the marathon mark, although I wouldn’t get credit for it
until I finished my 18th lap. For what it’s
worth, I reached the marathon mark in roughly 4:35.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In theory, if I could run
a marathon in 4:35, I was on pace to run 52.5 miles by the end of the
race. That would be slightly less than
two marathons. That was a little
misleading though. I started the race by
running the first full lap. That was my
only lap without a walking break, so it was faster than the others. I wouldn’t have a fast lap like that in the second
half. To be on pace for 52.5 miles, I
would need to speed up a little. That
wasn’t going to happen. I had finished
the more comfortable half of the race.
The second half would be brutally hot.
If anything, I was going to slow down.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In the second half of the
race, I finally felt like drinking more Gatorade. For the rest of the race, I was drinking a
third of a bottle after every lap.
Despite drinking more, I no longer needed to make bathroom stops.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I wasn’t noticing as many
runners on the course now. Some people
were starting to take breaks. Others
reached their goals and stopped. I know
a few runners just wanted to do enough laps to complete a marathon.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">For most of the summer, I’ve
been doing my training runs in the afternoon.
I’ve been doing that to get used to the summer heat. I usually ran at least 10 miles, with
temperatures ranging from the upper 70s to the upper 90s. On one of those runs, the heat index climbed
to 109 by the time I was done running. I
didn’t take walking breaks on those runs.
Instead, I ran at a deliberately slow pace, so I wouldn’t overheat.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When I ran this race in
2005, I didn’t realize how hot it would be.
I didn’t do any heat training that year, and on race day, I really
suffered. After finishing enough laps
for a marathon, I was feeling so awful that I decided to stop as soon as I completed
enough laps for 50K. I dragged myself
through the next seven laps by promising myself I could quit after 44 laps.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When I finished my 44th
lap, I asked the lap counter how many laps the leader had. Earlier in the race, there were a few runners
who lapped my multiple times, but nobody had lapped me again recently. I didn’t think I could complete with
them. I was just curious.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The lap counter looked
through her sheets and then said, “Number 138 has 44 laps.” I looked down at my shirt. I was wearing bib number 138. I was shocked to find out I was leading the
race. What happened to those guys who were
way ahead of me?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As it turns out, I was
the only one who kept moving the whole time.
Everyone else had to stop and take a break after overheating. I had been prepared to quit, but you can’t
quit when you’re winning. I dragged
myself through 17 more miles, not stopping until I was out of time. I ended up winning that race by one lap.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">On this year’s course, I needed
21 laps to get past 50K. When I finished
my 21st lap, I wanted to ask the same question, but they no longer do manual
lap counting. Now they have chip timing,
so laps are recorded electronically. They
had a display that showed real-time results, but it was confusing, and the
print wasn’t big enough for me to read it without leaving the course.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I knew by now there were
at least two runners who had lapped me three or four times. There was at least one other runner who may
have lapped me early in the race and who always seemed to be ahead of me when
we were on the same lap. I assumed, at
best, I was in third place, but that seemed doubtful. It wasn’t going to affect my race
strategy. I was going to run until time
was up, and I was still focused on finishing 51 miles. I couldn’t do more, and I wouldn’t settle for
less.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">After another lap, I just
needed 12 more laps to get to 51 miles. That’s
18 miles. Last weekend, I did an 18-mile
training run on a loop that was the same length. That run was a dry run for this race. I was pacing myself the same way, and I was also
rehearsing my nutrition strategy. Since
the remaining distance was something I had done recently in training, it seemed
more manageable. It was the first time
in the race that the remaining distance didn’t seem intimidating.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There was a half marathon,
but it didn’t start until 1:00 PM. They
had a different starting line. That had
to run 1.1 miles, followed by eight complete laps. I ran by them as they were getting ready to
start.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">By the time I finished
that lap, the half marathon had started and the fastest runners were catching
up to me. For the rest of the race, the
course didn’t seem as empty.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">By now, it was hot enough
that I had to put ice in my hat after every lap. By the time I finished a lap, the ice had
mostly melted.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">After I finished my 23rd lap,
another runner started his lap just as I was done putting ice in my hat. It was a runner who I had seen go by five
times. I asked him what lap he was
on. He said he didn’t know his lap
count, but he had 42 miles. I was at
34.5 miles, so he was 7.5 miles ahead of me.
That was five laps. Surprisingly,
he wasn’t winning the race. He said
there was another runner ahead of him.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There was a long gradual
uphill section in the first half of each lap.
The race organizers thought it was notable enough that they put signs at
the top. On one side of the road, a sign
read, “End Patriot Ascent Section.” A
sign on the other side of the road read, “Start Patriot Descent Section.” Early in the race, I didn’t think of this as
a “hill,” but later in the race I did.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">For most of the race, I
was running the last mile of the loop as fast as 9:30. That mile included the descent section, so it
was net downhill. Now, it was
consistently taking me more than 10 minutes to run that mile. The miles were adding up, and the heat was
taking a toll on me. I couldn’t run as
fast. Because of that, my walking breaks
were getting shorter. When they got to
be less than two minutes, I knew I had to make an adjustment.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Since the beginning of
the race, I had been setting a target time of 16 minutes for each lap. That was a faster pace than I really needed to
get to 51 miles. With each lap, I was
putting 12 seconds in the bank, and that time gradually adds up. It was time to make a withdrawal.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">With 10 laps to go, I did
the math and realized I could afford to average 16:40 per lap the rest of the
way. I didn’t want to cut it too close,
so I adjusted my target time to 16:30.
That still gave me room to slow down a little more later. It also meant my “walk to” time would still be
a whole minute on every other lap. I
really needed those extra 30 seconds of walking. Now I was back to walking almost as far as
before.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">After another lap, I only
had nine to go. Three laps earlier, 12
laps seemed like a manageable distance.
Now, nine laps seemed like a lot.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">After two more laps, I
only had seven to go. That’s 10.5 miles,
which is the distance I do most frequently for training runs. Knowing that didn’t make it seem any more
manageable. Each lap was tough now, and
10.5 miles still seemed like a lot.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I felt the same way with
six, five, and four laps to go. I could
grind out the laps, one at a time, but the remaining distance to get to 51 miles
always seemed intimidating.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There was a 5K race that
started at 3:00 PM. Their starting line
was a tenth of a mile before the start/finish line of the ultra. As I was finishing my 31st lap, I saw those
runners lined up on one side of the road.
I passed them just before they started.
Then the fastest 5K runners raced by me before I crossed the line to
finish the lap. Most of the others
passed me as I was stopping to drink some Gatorade and put ice in my hat.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">After crossing the main start/finish
line, the 5K runners had to do two full laps.
I still needed to do four laps. I
was jealous.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">With four laps to go, I
was able to make another adjustment to my target time for the remaining
laps. Now I could budget 17 minutes for
each lap. Even with the extra 30 seconds
of walking, my walking breaks still weren’t as long as they were earlier in the
race.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">While I was on my walking
break, the last of the 5K runners went by.
I few of them were walking the whole way. I heard one 5K runner say to another, “This
is stupid. When I signed up for this, I
didn’t realize how hot it would be.” It
seemed cruel to make them start at the hottest hour of the day, but at least
they only had to run a few miles. It
seemed even more cruel to make the half marathon runners start at 1:00. They had to go a long enough distance that
the heat would take more of a toll on them.
It wasn’t until after the race that I realized why they did that. The time limit for every race came at 4:11
PM. That made it possible to do all the
awards at the same time.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As I resumed running, I
passed the people who were walking. Then
I started to pass the runners at the back of the pack. Amazingly, I was passing 5K runners all the
way up the hill. It wasn’t until the
descent section that I stopped passing them.
I could go a little faster there, but they could too.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Late in the race, I found
that every time I drank some of my Gatorade, I had a sudden urge to pee. Since I always felt that while I was
drinking, it seemed like it must be a psychological thing. When I started moving again, the urge would
subside.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">With three laps to go,
the urge to pee wasn’t subsiding. When I
reached the port-o-potty at the other end of the loop, I made a bathroom
stop. I managed to pee a little, but
only a few drops. Then I couldn’t pee
any more. I think I was under too much
physical stress to relax enough to pee.
The same thing happened to me once in a 100-mile trail run where I was
overheated. I was frustrated that I
wasted time on an unproductive bathroom stop.
That time would come out of my next walking break.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">After my 32nd lap, I had
already reached my minimum goal. At this
point, however, I wasn’t going to be satisfied with anything less than 51
miles. I knew I had enough time. I only had to run three more miles, and I
would have two walking breaks. For the
first time in 10 laps, the remaining distance didn’t seem intimidating. I would still have to work hard in those two
laps, but I knew I could do it, and it wouldn’t take too much longer.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When I finished that lap,
there was 20 minutes left in the race. I
drank some Gatorade, but I didn’t bother to put ice in my hat. The ice from the previous lap had melted, but
my hat was still wet. With only one lap
to go, I figured that was good enough.
In retrospect, that was probably a mistake. I didn’t realize how much I was in danger of
overheating.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I usually worked a little
harder on the hill, so I wouldn’t slow down.
In this lap, I seemed to be slowing down on that section. I didn’t feel confident until I crested the
hill and began the descent section. At
that point, I knew I could run to the finish, but that didn’t make it any
easier.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I finished the race with
51 miles. That was my top goal, but it
took a toll on me. As I walked to where
my coolers were, I went by the tent where they were handing out finisher
medals.<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjads19wCIMj5wSEtVjOc9JHSz4DC1TP5I8DYwpXrtAZslZSiDrUEwQiWwIRml8EPIA650G4B138H0qgMKCT1-L56n03cPKgJNYQ4H61llplVURDBoZ4vsUmRtF8rTxG23_pqbcZyL3xhITmW11Two5Tej54LIztnwDcvoNrzl07bRCcZ6INfoAd0NhvOyR/s2048/finisher%20medal.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1546" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjads19wCIMj5wSEtVjOc9JHSz4DC1TP5I8DYwpXrtAZslZSiDrUEwQiWwIRml8EPIA650G4B138H0qgMKCT1-L56n03cPKgJNYQ4H61llplVURDBoZ4vsUmRtF8rTxG23_pqbcZyL3xhITmW11Two5Tej54LIztnwDcvoNrzl07bRCcZ6INfoAd0NhvOyR/w303-h400/finisher%20medal.jpg" width="303" /></a><br />
<p class="MsoNormal">Shortly after finishing,
I had to sit down on one of my coolers. I
sat there for several minutes. When I
felt like I could get up, I walked over to the timing tent, where several other
runners were looking at the screen with live results. The screen was so confusing, that I couldn’t
tell where I placed. I couldn’t even
tell what my own mileage was, although I already knew.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I recognized another
runner who had lapped me several times, and I asked him how far he ran. He said 53 miles. In fact, he ran 52.5 miles, but his watch was
reading high by about half a mile. Mine
was too.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">After talking to him, I
needed to sit down again. I saw a few large
coolers and sat down on one. After
sitting for a minute or two, I started to feel light-headed. I felt like I came close to passing out.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">At least two people asked
me if I was OK. Without hesitation, I
told them I wasn’t. I’ve never felt like
this after a race. I was pushing pretty
hard for the last several laps, and I was closer to my limit than I
realized. Also, I don’t think my body
reacted well to sitting down. Ideally, I
should’ve kept walking around, but I was too tired.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">They had a doctor in the
finish area, but he had to tend to a runner who had collapsed near the finish
line. The people tending to me were
other runners. One of them asked me if I
knew where I was. I did. I felt lightheaded, but I was still coherent.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">They placed several wet
rags over my head, neck, arms, and legs to cool me down. After several minutes, they asked me if I
wanted to lie down. Three people helped
me walk over to an open space on the grass, and they helped me lie down. Then they brought a chair so I could elevate
my legs.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">After a while, one of
them asked me if I wanted something to drink.
I couldn’t drink more Gatorade, but water sounded good. I couldn’t drink while I was lying down on
the grass, but now I felt like I could sit in a chair. The wet rags had been effective in bringing
my core temperature down.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Holding an ice cold bottle
of water made my right hand so cold that my fingers turned white. I have Raynaud’s Syndrome, so when one hand
gets cold, both hands turn white. I was
hot earlier, but now I needed to put on a jacket, so I wouldn’t get any colder.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">By now, they were doing
the awards ceremony. They started with
age group awards for the 5K and half marathon.
By the time they got to age group awards for the ultra, I was able to
get up and walk. I didn’t place in the
top three overall, but I won my age group.
This was the fourth straight race where I won an age group award.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This race is a fundraiser
for Folds of Honor, which provides scholarships for military and first responders. The age group awards were Folds of Honor
squadron coins.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjtl_3W78dE4-bpNGvGEPBrXzIxfvuUsWTZ9ltW1tYpQzJIFkvpeLxwvtKxHZ0Hw2pn63gcfnJT6MtXUL47RDIRI1He__3BqdDWllUpiF20NL2a05AKsWv9Yeyp1oSzzbCq1KP6KWSqjxCouhGVxlFNhL6PSLDtWdGaxDlPul0PKIh0t65goLt35MFq-DK/s1886/fold%20of%20honor%20front.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1816" data-original-width="1886" height="385" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjtl_3W78dE4-bpNGvGEPBrXzIxfvuUsWTZ9ltW1tYpQzJIFkvpeLxwvtKxHZ0Hw2pn63gcfnJT6MtXUL47RDIRI1He__3BqdDWllUpiF20NL2a05AKsWv9Yeyp1oSzzbCq1KP6KWSqjxCouhGVxlFNhL6PSLDtWdGaxDlPul0PKIh0t65goLt35MFq-DK/w400-h385/fold%20of%20honor%20front.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHPSeLeNuFcpw9eGeGUVZWlR7FsDvuy-mRkyyew3EzLS_MPKJ-vcWLl6K7DWtiR5ZDSzikEO1i3x7b5R1ubu9PdaKTgSIrkB8Jq20wIUdUocPyYZU8fUcwDRnWTFdActQUTKkOqoBq6gm9leZrUGJVIzoMve7poRZxvE7PB3u4AkFtkKhCvEmeAh0nKZkl/s2048/fold%20of%20honor%20back.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1999" data-original-width="2048" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHPSeLeNuFcpw9eGeGUVZWlR7FsDvuy-mRkyyew3EzLS_MPKJ-vcWLl6K7DWtiR5ZDSzikEO1i3x7b5R1ubu9PdaKTgSIrkB8Jq20wIUdUocPyYZU8fUcwDRnWTFdActQUTKkOqoBq6gm9leZrUGJVIzoMve7poRZxvE7PB3u4AkFtkKhCvEmeAh0nKZkl/w400-h390/fold%20of%20honor%20back.jpg" width="400" /></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">While we were waiting for
the overall awards, one of the other runners brought me some food. I ate a banana, some orange slices, and half
a hamburger.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When they got to the
first place award for the solo ultra, it was a guy I didn’t recognize. He had changed into different clothes. If he was still wearing his running clothes, I
probably would’ve remembered seeing him pass me.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The second place runner was
the guy who had been five laps ahead of me when I talked to him during the
race. Later in the race, he had to start
walking, but he still finished four laps ahead of me. It was a long time before they got to third
place, but I already knew there was another runner who finished a lap ahead of
me. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When I was up to it, I
drove back to the hotel. By now, it was
already 5:30 PM. Fortunately, I didn’t
have to drive far. I took a long hot
shower, did some stretches, and worked on a few muscles with a massage stick.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I was tempted to go to
the pool area and soak in the hot tub.
That would be soothing for my legs, but I was worried I would
overheat. When you’ve overheated
recently, it doesn’t take much for you to overheat again.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">After my shower, I ate a
bag of potato chips I brought back from the race. Between that and the food I ate in the finish
area, I didn’t feel like eating dinner until 8:00. I didn’t feel like going anywhere, and I
wouldn’t have wanted to take the time to drive to a restaurant. Fortunately, the hotel had a restaurant. By the time I was done with dinner, I was
ready to crash for the night.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I can usually tell if I
got dehydrated during a run. I didn’t
feel that way later in the day, nor did I feel like that the next morning. I think what I experienced was a spike in
core temperature after finishing the race.
That can happen when you stop running.
Your metabolism doesn’t just shut off.
Your muscles are still producing energy, but it all turns into heat when
you stop moving.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In retrospect, I should’ve
put ice in my hat before my last lap. I
also should’ve put ice in my hat after I finished.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p>Surprisingly, I didn’t
have any sore muscles the next morning. At
the pace I was going, I wasn’t putting too much stress on my legs. What made this race so difficult was the afternoon
heat.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><u>Race statistics</u>:</div><div>Distance: 51 miles</div><div>Official Time: 9:11:00</div><div>Actual Time Before Stopping: 9:07:29</div><div>Average Pace: 10:44 per mile</div><div>Place in Age Group: First</div><div>Lifetime Marathons/Ultras: 493</div><div>Kansas Marathons/Ultras: 5</div>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07537579568732930585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3046379205507947695.post-68470098732822938912023-08-26T16:36:00.000-05:002023-08-26T16:36:08.771-05:00Race Report: 2023 Mt. Nebo Marathon<p>On August 26, I ran the Mt.
Nebo Marathon. This race starts near Mt.
Nebo in western Utah and runs through Payson Canyon, finishing in Payson, UT.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The nearest major airport
is Salt Lake City.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I flew to Salt Lake
City on Friday and drove to my hotel in Provo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I chose to stay in Provo rather than Payson, because Provo is a larger
city, so it has more hotel and dining options.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>At the time, I didn’t know where packet pickup would be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I assumed it would be somewhere in
Payson.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two weeks before the race, I found
out packet pickup was at a mall in Provo that was only half a mile from my hotel.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When I rent car, I generally
go with whatever type of car is cheapest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Usually, it’s an economy car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This time, it was a “sporty” car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I wasn’t quite sure what to expect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It turned out to be a black Dodge Challenger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With the right detailing, it could’ve passed
for the Batmobile.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The drive to Provo took
about an hour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After checking in at my
hotel, I went to pick up my race packet at Provo Towne Centre.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I went back to the hotel to do some
strength training exercises before dinner.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">From anywhere in Provo, I
could see mountains to the east.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of
them had a white “Y.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It reminded me of
the “M” in Missoula.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The “Y” represents
Brigham Young University.<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD2-iX--f8-7XoSvC0nhpNYOb8wQEe4Dh5fcas2hP_gAiDvAtQa2SpuKbfNlY1tUDGBccnBe7aEmqenBjRqBnunHoaBKzoeLcb9tDmGDATahL25XGHe2F5dcgyzGMbwxgfFxYkc573J4JsnUd77Vd45NZxg1YU2fznvr69BAGiivt0OOmK3_mvum5yyQsL/s2048/Y.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1212" data-original-width="2048" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD2-iX--f8-7XoSvC0nhpNYOb8wQEe4Dh5fcas2hP_gAiDvAtQa2SpuKbfNlY1tUDGBccnBe7aEmqenBjRqBnunHoaBKzoeLcb9tDmGDATahL25XGHe2F5dcgyzGMbwxgfFxYkc573J4JsnUd77Vd45NZxg1YU2fznvr69BAGiivt0OOmK3_mvum5yyQsL/w400-h236/Y.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I had an early dinner and
got to sleep early, but I was only able to sleep for about two hours before
waking up again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I spent the next
several hours resting in bed before finally getting up.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">This is another one of
those races where you have to get up really early to catch a bus to the start. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to drive 15 miles to Park View Elementary
School in Payson.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Buses to the start
left the school starting at 4:00 AM, with the last bus leaving at 4:30.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I knew the easiest place to
park was at the school, but I didn’t know how early that parking lot would
fill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were other nearby parking
areas, but I didn’t want to drive around looking for parking lots in the
dark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got to Payson a little early to
make sure I would easily find parking.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When I got there, it was
too early to board a bus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were two
port-o-potties across the street, so I made a bathroom stop before getting in
line to board a bus.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">While waiting to board a
bus, I bumped into my friend, Gwen, and we both got on the first bus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gwen is also from Minnesota, and she’s also a
member of the 50sub4 club.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">As soon as we got out of
town, we were on a narrow two-lane road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was dark, but we could tell there were lots of turns.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We could also tell that we were constantly
climbing.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After about 45 minutes,
we saw what looked like the start area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then the driver told us that was where the half marathon started.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At first, I thought he was joking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wasn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was another 30 minutes before we reached the start area for the
marathon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the time we got there, I
was really glad I made a bathroom stop before boarding the bus.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Because we were on the
first bus, we were able to get in the bathroom lines before they got long.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were six port-o-potties for about 200
runners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the time the last bus arrived,
the lines were long.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">There were three 50sub4
members at this race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After we each had
time to make a bathroom stop, we took a group picture.<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_1xGeIl7xoFi1QwdQXz7ECLeHXkd_h8w3fqxDGgvli4U581miBkoJQkPJeBXEHOxsuZGZrwOkVrRXndMC3s8HQLBQQ-RqU3jGV-PbUTIeW5WBwLs3EzX9ESJp_fRIEhI1LMEd5e2ky6Q5HXTLN5_zQV470EFHuK_Zqinacwz_UiBoyqhHjrJAvtPoA9v5/s1124/50sub4%20pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1124" data-original-width="843" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_1xGeIl7xoFi1QwdQXz7ECLeHXkd_h8w3fqxDGgvli4U581miBkoJQkPJeBXEHOxsuZGZrwOkVrRXndMC3s8HQLBQQ-RqU3jGV-PbUTIeW5WBwLs3EzX9ESJp_fRIEhI1LMEd5e2ky6Q5HXTLN5_zQV470EFHuK_Zqinacwz_UiBoyqhHjrJAvtPoA9v5/w300-h400/50sub4%20pic.jpg" width="300" /></a><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">This race invites
comparison with the Deseret News Marathon, which I ran five weeks ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Both races start in the mountains, descend
through valleys, and finish in a city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Unlike the Deseret News Marathon, which was steepest in the first few
miles, this one is steepest in the second half.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It starts at a higher elevation, so there’s a bigger temperature change
during the race.<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_hA8yuqYOKPjfk-aNJB5LppZRo3kK1WJeAo2aQWEf_mgDVB9RICVtosD3CHvkg2_6DjBOvsoaUykF5XngyEj78em8Ap53T42jUVBrDLSZWL31cIdW4h7ohHBlPwIRNRFDGbTXcR4eBLQvPOUMaUyPqK2Tw79bhC4mRpYmTTbUqYslL812q_EzeVPJis24/s1299/elevation%20chart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="691" data-original-width="1299" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_hA8yuqYOKPjfk-aNJB5LppZRo3kK1WJeAo2aQWEf_mgDVB9RICVtosD3CHvkg2_6DjBOvsoaUykF5XngyEj78em8Ap53T42jUVBrDLSZWL31cIdW4h7ohHBlPwIRNRFDGbTXcR4eBLQvPOUMaUyPqK2Tw79bhC4mRpYmTTbUqYslL812q_EzeVPJis24/w400-h213/elevation%20chart.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When we left Payson, it
was 60 degrees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because of the elevation
difference, I was expecting it to be about 30 degrees colder where the race
started.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They have a gear check, so I
was able to wear extra layers while I was waiting for the race to start.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even after checking my gear bag, I still needed
warm enough clothes for the freezing temperatures during the early miles of the
race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some layers I could remove during
the race, but I had to commit to wearing tights for the entire race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew I was likely to get hot in the late
miles, but my legs don’t respond well to cold temperatures, and I thought it would
be freezing for at least half of the race.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">As it turns out, it wasn’t
as cold as I thought it would be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
chilly, but <br />
I didn’t need all the layers I brought.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I wore my jacket in the start area, but I took it off before the race
started.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wasn’t sure if I really
needed the tights, but I had already committed to wearing them.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The elevation at the
start was about 9,200 feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the first
half of the race, there was 1,300 feet of net descent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s an average of 100 feet per mile, but
it’s worth noting that it wasn’t all downhill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There were uphill sections, and at that elevation, running uphill is
really tiring.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">My goal for the entire race
was to break 3:50.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s the Boston
qualifying standard for my age group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew
I wouldn’t be able to keep up that pace in the first half of the race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My goal for the first half was to keep my
time as close as I could to two hours. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I could do that, I was confident I could
run the second half fast enough to break 3:50.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When we started, it was
still dark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was just enough light
that I could see the pavement where I was running, but I couldn’t see far
enough ahead of me to see if it was uphill or downhill.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">As I started running, the
road felt flat, but it quickly turned downhill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It wasn’t very steep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I sped up a
little, but then I suddenly felt myself slowing down as the road turned
slightly uphill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As it turns out, there
were three brief uphill sections in the first mile.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">There were traffic cones
dividing the right and left lanes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
were instructed to stay in the right lane.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The other lane was open to traffic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In the first mile, a few cars went by in the other lane.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each time, I was temporarily blinded by the
headlights.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That made it even harder to
see changes in the slope of the road.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I finished the first mile
in 9:30.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was pleased with that pace
for a mile that had a few uphill sections.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I knew some miles would be slow.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">As I started the second
mile, I crested a hill and began a long downhill section.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To my right, I could see the sunrise across
the canyon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just above the mountains on
the other side, there was a red orange glow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I wanted to take a picture, but I would’ve needed to take off my gloves
to use my phone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t want to come
to a complete stop for that long when I was just starting to run at a faster
pace.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The second mile was all
downhill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ran that mile more than a
minute faster than the first mile. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
next two miles were mostly downhill, but they had occasional uphill
sections.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those miles weren’t quite as
fast, but I was pleased with my average pace so far.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The next time I had a
good view across the canyon, the color of the sunrise had changed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, instead of red-orange, it was more of a
yellow-orange.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By now, there was plenty
of light to see the road.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">There were seven places
where we had to cross cattle guards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
race organizers put sheets of plywood over them on the side of the road where
we were running.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you’ve ever run over
a cattle guard without anything placed over it, it’s not fun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You could easily twist an ankle.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">As I started the fifth
mile, I could see that we were starting a longer hill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were a few turns, so I couldn’t see the
entire hill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I reached the start of
the hill, I saw a green sign.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was
the first of three hills that had names.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That’s never a good sign.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
forget the native name, but it translated to “Skunk.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sign said it was a 200-foot rise.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I saw another runner walking
the hill, but I was determined to run it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I was willing to take it slow, but I wanted to limit the damage.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The hill wasn’t steep,
but it was long.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because we were still
at high elevation, it was unusually tiring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I started to get warm climbing this hill, so I took a short walking break,
so I could take my gloves off and stuff them into my fanny pack.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">More than once, I thought
I saw the top of the climb.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I would
make it around a bend, and I would see that the road kept going up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I eventually had to take another walking break.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I walked for about 30 seconds and then forced
myself to run the rest of the hill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Skunk”
went on for most of the fifth mile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
that mile, I slowed to 10:20.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Mile six was mostly
downhill, but it also had a named hill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This one was called “Rabbit.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
was much shorter, but it was steep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Rabbit”
was a 73-foot rise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because we were
still at high elevation, this hill also forced me to take a walking break.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Overall, however, that mile was reasonably
fast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ran it in 8:30.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Midway through the next
mile, I saw another hill up ahead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then
I saw the people ahead of me turning onto a different road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At first, I was relieved that we didn’t have
to go up that hill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I saw a runner
coming back from the road I was about to turn onto.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was about to start an out-an-back
section.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eventually, I would still need
to run up the hill I saw in front of me.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The out-and-back section
was on a dirt road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was the only part
of the road that wasn’t paved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There
were rocks embedded in the road, so I had to watch my footing carefully.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">There was a steady stream
of runners going out, but I only saw a few runners coming back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That told me this section was long.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The runners I saw coming back were the
runners who were near the front of the race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They were spaced farther apart than the runners in the middle of the
pack.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That suspicion was confirmed when
I saw Gwen coming back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gwen is <i>much</i>
faster than me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At this point in the
race, she was probably at least a mile ahead of me.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The out-and-back section
was at least a mile each way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It may
have been closer to a mile and a half.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Going
out it was slightly downhill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That meant
coming back it would be slightly uphill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When I finally reached the turnaround, I knew it would be tiring coming
back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The grade wasn’t at all steep, but
the elevation was still well above 8,000 feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>At that elevation, running uphill for more than a mile is tiring.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">My split for mile eight
was 9:30.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That mile included some of the
downhill running before the turnaround, so it wasn’t all uphill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wasn’t looking forward to seeing how much
slower I would be in the next mile, which was all uphill.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I wanted to run this
whole section, but I was eventually forced to take a short walking break.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I continued to limit my walking breaks to
about 30 seconds.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When I finished the
out-and-back section, I turned back onto the paved road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was downhill at first, but only briefly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I reached the start of the hill I had
noticed earlier.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This hill also had a
name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was called “Eagle.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was another 200-foot climb.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I was just beginning to
climb “Eagle” when I got my split for mile nine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was another 10:20 mile.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">“Eagle” was the most tiring
climb, partly because I was still tired from the uphill half of the
out-and-back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ran until I was getting
out of breath, and then I took a 30-second walking break.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I ran until I was getting out of breath
again and took another 30-second walking break.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I repeated this process until the hill leveled out enough that I could
run the rest of the way to the top.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
forget if I needed three or four walking breaks.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Before the race, we were
told that there would be hills for the first nine and a half miles, but after
that it would be downhill the rest of the way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When I reached the top of “Eagle,” my watch read roughly 9.5 miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could see a fairly long downhill section
ahead, so I assumed I wouldn’t have any more hills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As I started mile 10, the road seemed to turn slightly uphill
again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The grade was subtle, but it definitely
seemed to be uphill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I saw other runners
taking walking breaks, so I know it wasn’t just me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t need to do any walking on that hill,
but it was disconcerting to think it would be all downhill now and then having to
do another small climb.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After that, it really was
all downhill for several miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, in
the middle of the 12th mile, the grade got a little steeper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It seemed I was finally getting to the fast
part of the course.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I ran miles 12 and 13
faster than most of my previous miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
reached the halfway point in 1:58:55.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
was a pleasant surprised to get there in less than two hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first half was tougher than I thought it
would be.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">To break 3:50, I needed
to be at least nine minutes faster in the second half.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On paper, that seemed easy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the second half of the race, we would
descent about 250 feet per mile, and there wouldn’t be any more uphill
sections.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Still, my previous two miles
made me question whether I could it fast enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ran the previous two miles in 8:32 and 8:33
respectively, even though they were all downhill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought the grade in those miles was
similar to the average grade in the second half, yet my pace in those two miles
wouldn’t quite be fast enough for me to run the second half in 1:50.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I needed a pace in the low 8:20s.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Right on cue, the road
turned more sharply downhill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ran
miles 14 and 15 in 8:04 and 8:09, respectively.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>My goal now was to run each remaining mile in 8:20 or faster.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had no idea how easy that would be.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">In the next mile, I saw a
road sign indicating a hairpin turn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There had been lots of turns so far, but none of them were actual
switchbacks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This signaled the beginning
of the steepest part of the course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ran
mile 16 in 7:20.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was the first of
seven straight miles that were all faster than eight minutes.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">With about 10 miles to go,
I felt the sun hitting me for the first time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The sun had risen much earlier, but we were always in the shadows of the
mountains.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now the sun was finally high
enough in the sky that it sometimes shone over the mountains.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Earlier, my hands would
get cold whenever there was a breeze.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Now, for the first time in the race, I felt hot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thankfully, I only felt the sun
occasionally.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>More often than not, I was
still between mountains that provided adequate shade.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">As I continued descending
through the canyon, sometimes my ears would pop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each time, I would suddenly start to hear my
surroundings more clearly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Over time, my
hearing would gradually diminish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
wouldn’t notice it was happening until the next time my ears popped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I could hear clearly again.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">With about eight miles to
go, I started to feel some discomfort on the bottom of my left foot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wear orthotics, so I have to wear
replacement insoles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I run downhill
with wet shoes, my insoles can slip forward within my shoe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What I was feeling was the insole in my left
shoe sliding forward and bunching up under my foot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There wasn’t anything I could do about it
during the race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just had to live with
that discomfort for the rest of my race.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I didn’t realize before
how much I was sweating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
perspiration on exposed skin evaporated quickly in the dry air.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Inside my shoes, however, my socks were
probably drenched with sweat.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">With seven miles to go, I
got my first view of the Utah Valley in the distance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could see how much farther I still needed
to go to get there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could also see
that I was still at a higher elevation than the valley floor.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">As I continued descending,
I noticed it was getting warmer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With
five miles to go, I started to feel hot, even when I wasn’t in the sun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, I was finally conscious of how much I
was sweating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The tights on my legs didn’t
help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fortunately, I only had five miles
to go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just had to tough it out.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">With about four miles to
go, it seemed like I was getting closer to the end of the canyon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The road leveled off for a while.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also felt the sun on me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the rest of the race, the heat of the sun
was going to be a big factor.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The guy just ahead of me
started walking, but I kept running.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
wasn’t going to take a walking break on a flat section.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead, I picked up my effort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I tried hard to avoid slowing down any more
than I had to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wasn’t able to run that
mile faster than eight minutes, but I kept it under 8:20.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I managed to do that for the rest of the
race.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I started to notice more
people ahead of me who were walking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
seemed everyone ahead of me was walking now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I had caught up to the back of the pack of the half marathon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That race started 30 minutes after the
marathon, but they started at our halfway point, so they had a big head start.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After that mile, there
was more downhill, but it was no longer constant, and if was no longer steep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Downhill sections alternated with flat
sections.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To keep my pace close to eight
minutes, I had to work harder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With only
a few miles left, I was determined to do that.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I saw a sprinkler set up
over the road, and I ran under it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s
out of character for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t usually
like to get my clothes wet during a race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>At this point in the race, <br />
I was desperate to cool off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After running
under the sprinklers and getting my clothes wet, the breeze immediately cooled
me off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The effect didn’t last long, but
it momentarily rejuvenated me, enabling me to keep running hard.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">With about a mile and a
half left in the race, I finally left the canyon and got onto the streets of
Payson.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From here on out, it was going
to be flat, and it was going to be hot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>By now, the temperature had risen into the upper 70s, and I was
overdressed.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I ran the 25th mile in
7:55.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was a pleasant surprise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That mile started out downhill, but flattened
out as I got into town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was working
hard to keep up my pace, but I didn’t know if I could do that for another
mile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The next mile wasn’t going to have
any downhill sections.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">As I started the next
mile, I saw another sprinkler set up over the road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Running through that rejuvenated me
again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was what I needed to prepare
me to fight hard for one more mile.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Five weeks ago, in the
Deseret News Marathon, I came in second in my age group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I kept that in mind as I ran the last mile
through town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I looked for anyone who
might be in my age group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t see
any men who might be in my age group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
fact, I didn’t see any men at all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had
passed a number of men over the past several miles, but now I only saw
women.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I saw women walking who were probably
doing the half marathon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I saw a few
women running, but I didn’t need to complete with them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I passed a few of them, but only because I
was trying to run the last mile as hard as I could.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">There were a few turns
going through town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each time I came
around a corner, I looked to see if there was anyone I needed to pass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There never was.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When I got my split for
mile 26, it was 8:03.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That wasn’t as
fast as the previous mile, but this one was flat, and I was struggling with the
heat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Under the circumstances, I was
happy to keep one more mile under 8:20.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When I made the last
turn, I saw the finish line, and I accelerated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I finished in 3:42:30. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After
finishing, I had a few beverages, and then Gwen spotted me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gwen showed me where I could retrieve my gear
bag and where I could look up my official result.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I won my age group.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">As soon as I had a chance
to sit down, I took off my left shoe, so I could adjust my insole.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even after fixing my shoe, I still had
discomfort on the bottom of my left foot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I assumed I had developed a blister.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">There were three 50sub4
members at this race, and all three of us won our age groups.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After the awards ceremony we posed together
with our finisher medals and our age group medals.<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCLh8W1n0418ca_NWoBCLqAaRlQvq2VI79_6kWZc3AVUH736AaejvSivuhZfOZVymmuQzuUNxc8Qu61uSKX-2glFXPddVhLugRIeI5uSan1b5s7ZLKq0zmnZO6XqUVxPGJE2yCC4pUFiaHQP5toAGHzKATtPbjRW_Z7i-evxO5OX5uybSsKHLtJEXQ-Ahx/s1536/AG%20awards%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1470" data-original-width="1536" height="383" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCLh8W1n0418ca_NWoBCLqAaRlQvq2VI79_6kWZc3AVUH736AaejvSivuhZfOZVymmuQzuUNxc8Qu61uSKX-2glFXPddVhLugRIeI5uSan1b5s7ZLKq0zmnZO6XqUVxPGJE2yCC4pUFiaHQP5toAGHzKATtPbjRW_Z7i-evxO5OX5uybSsKHLtJEXQ-Ahx/w400-h383/AG%20awards%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I didn’t eat much food in
the finish area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was mostly thirsty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the time I got back to Provo, I was
starving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t usually eat a meal
until I get cleaned up, but there was an Arby’s right next to my hotel, so I
went through the drive-through to get a fast food lunch, and I ate it when I
got back to the hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That won’t stop
me from having a celebratory dinner later.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When I took my shoes and
socks off, I discovered that I not only had a blister in the arch of my left
foot, but it had ripped open.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was not
prepared for the sting when it came in contact with hot water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It doesn’t hurt as much now, but training runs
may be uncomfortable for a while.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">This was my second Utah
marathon in two months.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Deseret News
Marathon brought me closer to completing my fourth circuit of marathons or
ultras in every state.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This race helped
me make progress toward an eventual fifth circuit. <o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><u>Race statistics</u>:</div><div>Distance: 26.2 miles</div><div>Time: 3:42:30</div><div>Average Pace: 8:30</div><div>First Half: 1:58:55</div><div>Second Half: 1:43:35</div><div>Lifetime Marathons/Ultras: 492</div><div>Utah Marathons: 5</div><div>Boston Qualifiers: 153</div>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07537579568732930585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3046379205507947695.post-86440470857818574842023-08-13T17:29:00.002-05:002023-08-14T10:16:35.826-05:00Race Report: 2023 Boulder Rez Marathon<p>On August 12, I ran the Boulder
Rez Marathon in Boulder, CO. Deb likes
the Denver area, so Deb and I built a short Colorado vacation around this race.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><u>Wednesday, August 9<o:p></o:p></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We flew to Denver in the
early afternoon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We stayed at a hotel in
Broomfield, which is about halfway between Denver and Boulder.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We had dinner at Beau Jo’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Beau Jo’s is a restaurant Deb discovered on
one of her previous visits to the Denver area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They have what they call mountain-style pizza.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><u>Thursday, August 10<o:p></o:p></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The race wasn’t until Saturday,
so we had two days to do fun things in the area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On Thursday, we did things in the Boulder
area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the drive into Boulder, there’s
a scenic overlook where you can get a nice view of the mountains.<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2LoHBcgqUFjWv2oUFPzhWv8cxBZn8v2ZqMFns6wotbasWsyUgCD8_IykHRKVdugGzWCfKyRiRfLkY9juMFsH_y0ogVrf2Euz1RIn3imgjOoGfHaDik8rQebu13ue45aDpQs1n9qMTNcOgjidHQ3lNMKKB8iG-0O5PDKfNmJPBKKeHTgyNYJrlSmA30N22/s1802/mountains.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="381" data-original-width="1802" height="85" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2LoHBcgqUFjWv2oUFPzhWv8cxBZn8v2ZqMFns6wotbasWsyUgCD8_IykHRKVdugGzWCfKyRiRfLkY9juMFsH_y0ogVrf2Euz1RIn3imgjOoGfHaDik8rQebu13ue45aDpQs1n9qMTNcOgjidHQ3lNMKKB8iG-0O5PDKfNmJPBKKeHTgyNYJrlSmA30N22/w400-h85/mountains.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">On our way into Boulder,
we made the obligatory tourist stop at the house that was used for exterior shots
for the “Mork & Mindy” TV show.<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCt-OW1doqOH17S9cM6fqawYnNuhdDq5Dlvmg9GCY1KSOslBqyGo2r8gA2K6qiClGUz61--Qp0krh-CtNx5N9F0eTDHpd_MmUKqIsxnz_SK_yeXkG7NcSKk2x2XVvyiHqLEgwEVS4_M_L7pC6bnhefx48P-p9UTiRCMMGMOrnTW4Wq_DKOIVnHiodCWcQ1/s2048/MorkNMindy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCt-OW1doqOH17S9cM6fqawYnNuhdDq5Dlvmg9GCY1KSOslBqyGo2r8gA2K6qiClGUz61--Qp0krh-CtNx5N9F0eTDHpd_MmUKqIsxnz_SK_yeXkG7NcSKk2x2XVvyiHqLEgwEVS4_M_L7pC6bnhefx48P-p9UTiRCMMGMOrnTW4Wq_DKOIVnHiodCWcQ1/w400-h300/MorkNMindy.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Next we went to the Pearl
Street Mall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We got there before the shops
started opening, so we started out by walking up and down the four-block pedestrian
mall to view the flowers and statues.<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1-iv0KsA-H0iiHrAVZudcEFhe5ROQthrusWeNY9uDmB8k5MEitw59lcT4WgarRVU4qZwzTwkw3chLHgL3dXcDMfptxd5rqTcIGmHujTbzB4Opyu4WhjXxRwpz2eA5sqfSYdFURvDT85-sOtRBUDRudLNm6t3YT6l6QdPhp-wUdcqcp6feKMtnnMFMSoaV/s1662/Pearl%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1296" data-original-width="1662" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1-iv0KsA-H0iiHrAVZudcEFhe5ROQthrusWeNY9uDmB8k5MEitw59lcT4WgarRVU4qZwzTwkw3chLHgL3dXcDMfptxd5rqTcIGmHujTbzB4Opyu4WhjXxRwpz2eA5sqfSYdFURvDT85-sOtRBUDRudLNm6t3YT6l6QdPhp-wUdcqcp6feKMtnnMFMSoaV/w400-h313/Pearl%203.jpg" width="400" /></a><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTBxLsrALNVJLpvm7A8oltxWFhMjV-NDDRqZSyhDOqn1W7k0BVg-xzvvF317hYy-qearWTh04fFpzZiEyEeqcQL93iPVb7YRAmR_BgDMwA47vK0iKnkI1H5aiELcpUUSRpV_ak-g9ie6CQa_i3JflOgPAymHKds-4tlZuK0i5vtk3MxUxhhQa93BWgOxCV/s2048/Pearl%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTBxLsrALNVJLpvm7A8oltxWFhMjV-NDDRqZSyhDOqn1W7k0BVg-xzvvF317hYy-qearWTh04fFpzZiEyEeqcQL93iPVb7YRAmR_BgDMwA47vK0iKnkI1H5aiELcpUUSRpV_ak-g9ie6CQa_i3JflOgPAymHKds-4tlZuK0i5vtk3MxUxhhQa93BWgOxCV/w300-h400/Pearl%202.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV_f_QQglmymHciHQkh2h8GWNEdjKyZ8YcDvuYw8BFs5e1iOvCHK_Ns65OKvnjfUh9jpeqIszfJg8Zw6boZZIwiR8MdAXI7SS2DjjZlxgypgCJfCkanhc0cVHzwfk105MJpA3oDfiPoF6DLZRQj4HQQdHjXxDUiGM7kVXfP3C0DKOPzI6hMt9pjtr9IW5e/s1778/Pearl%204.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1158" data-original-width="1778" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV_f_QQglmymHciHQkh2h8GWNEdjKyZ8YcDvuYw8BFs5e1iOvCHK_Ns65OKvnjfUh9jpeqIszfJg8Zw6boZZIwiR8MdAXI7SS2DjjZlxgypgCJfCkanhc0cVHzwfk105MJpA3oDfiPoF6DLZRQj4HQQdHjXxDUiGM7kVXfP3C0DKOPzI6hMt9pjtr9IW5e/w400-h260/Pearl%204.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2nICVlONJ_Fvgh78ene5ae80t7hwSj11RPX1NsfSpmeFsn1UGc-nyr5W2QC-K4hWzqaYUrHfoJSslA26GICgdQiB5vxMJET8qf-9xMXqhxxHy9R7NbTAJeEgwB1zywV3LeAmnxeVQLeNzpug7iaPV00IaIMjW1eqGJT9fSMeWMCdxiuSlGgChc6qoCGI-/s2048/Pearl%205.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1716" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2nICVlONJ_Fvgh78ene5ae80t7hwSj11RPX1NsfSpmeFsn1UGc-nyr5W2QC-K4hWzqaYUrHfoJSslA26GICgdQiB5vxMJET8qf-9xMXqhxxHy9R7NbTAJeEgwB1zywV3LeAmnxeVQLeNzpug7iaPV00IaIMjW1eqGJT9fSMeWMCdxiuSlGgChc6qoCGI-/w335-h400/Pearl%205.jpg" width="335" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC4mHFpHDqgYkKd_xSFvOIh6Agsz9qLrx26xd6oqgvZkG6L62w70KqGXN5JKboD2haO2LQtbgknk2nG1zQa4iWMgSpmO9eh00JFy2W8BhvzVNKIBLUT-4rYB3MEQBcyX_JmvH22Yyb6UQy2D9_UkcZO5MkF0jBvO4mTgsVNFRjRD7Yp_QgfZVzG9vNusdz/s1341/Peart%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1341" data-original-width="1030" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC4mHFpHDqgYkKd_xSFvOIh6Agsz9qLrx26xd6oqgvZkG6L62w70KqGXN5JKboD2haO2LQtbgknk2nG1zQa4iWMgSpmO9eh00JFy2W8BhvzVNKIBLUT-4rYB3MEQBcyX_JmvH22Yyb6UQy2D9_UkcZO5MkF0jBvO4mTgsVNFRjRD7Yp_QgfZVzG9vNusdz/w308-h400/Peart%201.jpg" width="308" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">They have a train that
goes around the mall. It’s meant as
entertainment for children, but Deb was in touch with her “inner child.”</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlB7UUIvwVbFzLyUgWHIRCnsWBWDsk5Y5IQsS95bkmKZ2LQ6gjRlNQZUkEgu5bbd8Qobc3hzYzdstSn9g1__itYqBaCIq2-wdxRSgCK7Zxa5MU5OvUdlKlrQM31eqH2EcOkd8XMxaHBMMo9Ujl9k2vlXY2fWhie7jaeHQITbOjXCxUkq79gl5u_Xl7RTT7/s880/Train.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="601" data-original-width="880" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlB7UUIvwVbFzLyUgWHIRCnsWBWDsk5Y5IQsS95bkmKZ2LQ6gjRlNQZUkEgu5bbd8Qobc3hzYzdstSn9g1__itYqBaCIq2-wdxRSgCK7Zxa5MU5OvUdlKlrQM31eqH2EcOkd8XMxaHBMMo9Ujl9k2vlXY2fWhie7jaeHQITbOjXCxUkq79gl5u_Xl7RTT7/w400-h274/Train.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When the shops opened, we
window shopped until we were ready to stop for lunch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For lunch, we went to the Boulder Dushanbe
Teahouse.<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZgVzpGt9RqbuUNZPJaDmR8MMd_X8D-OHiMpWcQGkzUSWPPiE5fUNy88_UuQ-GORuRebEUf4lGIey1mtZEC32N4bX4E9gDDGHQpana36pUuqWRIMTWYdp2YLDyPEkm8mSu6NNavN-k7K016IDlTJAjHImLsM7_3V47LHNmo8TXaupP735PUpCMoZgYO2J2/s2048/Teahouse.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZgVzpGt9RqbuUNZPJaDmR8MMd_X8D-OHiMpWcQGkzUSWPPiE5fUNy88_UuQ-GORuRebEUf4lGIey1mtZEC32N4bX4E9gDDGHQpana36pUuqWRIMTWYdp2YLDyPEkm8mSu6NNavN-k7K016IDlTJAjHImLsM7_3V47LHNmo8TXaupP735PUpCMoZgYO2J2/w400-h300/Teahouse.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After lunch, we visited
two city parks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First, we went to
Boulder City Park and explored the Boulder Creek Path.<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpTEkiQq80l33Vtmh2tBnBufixVgq-44c7KjwrWgBrWfXt22_2Sue_TUw6ewtdYCjCNfCTYsUf97dX0XAPgNJGjKLubUasDe-MzkNFwaK_Gz5Hj1Q0DOIepf1kChIVcJRFSJbUE5mS45FXGrcy5pIRCJdt6PW1RUHbqSdEcK2InSvsJxE-cKmKukDUdbYE/s2048/Creek%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpTEkiQq80l33Vtmh2tBnBufixVgq-44c7KjwrWgBrWfXt22_2Sue_TUw6ewtdYCjCNfCTYsUf97dX0XAPgNJGjKLubUasDe-MzkNFwaK_Gz5Hj1Q0DOIepf1kChIVcJRFSJbUE5mS45FXGrcy5pIRCJdt6PW1RUHbqSdEcK2InSvsJxE-cKmKukDUdbYE/w300-h400/Creek%201.jpg" width="300" /></a><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMiFKCtbtHltjKN-mClSH9tSeGfpE_Pr99zeE2wNfsonrowzGtYyC1nq9sy5UD887Ox5UxGSkt3eeUm1wbi3FabjRM7ROO4BvIqHt1FMAgTcvUIOa7FG5pfND83M3LZupURcQnNwfqOXtf-RPtk9cUp7by_CuhOqp4Oy5hwaF5uVdKoMGVb3VM-G1zGOld/s2041/Creek%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1425" data-original-width="2041" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMiFKCtbtHltjKN-mClSH9tSeGfpE_Pr99zeE2wNfsonrowzGtYyC1nq9sy5UD887Ox5UxGSkt3eeUm1wbi3FabjRM7ROO4BvIqHt1FMAgTcvUIOa7FG5pfND83M3LZupURcQnNwfqOXtf-RPtk9cUp7by_CuhOqp4Oy5hwaF5uVdKoMGVb3VM-G1zGOld/w400-h279/Creek%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Next, we went to Chautauqua
Park, where we got a view of one of the Flatirons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are trails into the mountains from
here, but it was getting to be too hot to go hiking.<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH2FP9A-zFqGYnHo9nczMsnToCrcq8B9fpZxwVjJhjc4hkWElnamIoBg48u_dQIIuXnZjyygdjn1yqpFttDOi4V4t3nJ79CWb4AqkjKNKmAH-8b_Ui7vwCdEdta-hDJK7dNi7DVPuyb-63NR-ND7sTlis4hGzzCQwikT14AJnG6l0LSvyvDOE5skzuwPPr/s2031/Flatiron.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1077" data-original-width="2031" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH2FP9A-zFqGYnHo9nczMsnToCrcq8B9fpZxwVjJhjc4hkWElnamIoBg48u_dQIIuXnZjyygdjn1yqpFttDOi4V4t3nJ79CWb4AqkjKNKmAH-8b_Ui7vwCdEdta-hDJK7dNi7DVPuyb-63NR-ND7sTlis4hGzzCQwikT14AJnG6l0LSvyvDOE5skzuwPPr/w400-h213/Flatiron.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After Chautauqua Park, Deb
dropped me off at the hotel, so I could go for a run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While I was running, Deb went grocery
shopping for fruit and beverages.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I ran a little over six
miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew my route would have me
starting uphill, but I wasn’t quite prepared to run uphill continuously for the
first two miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The elevation in
Broomfield is about 5,400 feet, and I did 500 feet of climbing in the first two
miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At this elevation, I tire quickly
going uphill.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After that, I had about a
mile of downhill running, followed by two miles that were rolling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was a little easier, but I never
recovered from those first two miles.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">With about two miles to
go, I was starting to heading back toward our hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could see dark clouds to the west, and it
looked like it was raining just a few miles away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had doubts about whether I could make it back
to the hotel before the rain started.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">With just under a mile to
go, I started feeling drops.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The last
mile to the hotel was downhill, so I did my best to pick up my pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My concern was getting my shoes too wet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I needed to wear the same shoes for the race
on Saturday, so I didn’t want them to get so wet that they wouldn’t dry in
time.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The rain and wind picked
up a little as I was running through the hotel parking lot, but I finished before
getting my shoes soaked.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Later in the afternoon,
we returned to Boulder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Deb wanted to
visit an antique jewelry store in the West End.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then we had dinner at a farm-to-table restaurant in the West End.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><u>Friday, August 11<o:p></o:p></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We went for a scenic
drive through a canyon to get to Nederland.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Most of the time we were driving alongside a stream.<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEX-zwc3-emhW4lZ7f_DBF_8MHSL45_0zbIlS8gyGIhlp4HC1W9Zc76d1ASfG8VLVXnwWdVWbL3SFQT_aCVFOAvdiQZbLj3aMxCKiFHoOIajJRLebucmVAGXxpmIBLwLFnOiXNS9C5aOkiGQSvgmK5Km5Zq14P7sebc7JmscxY_gLQqj9pBhC0ZByGNUwS/s2048/Stream%20in%20canyon.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEX-zwc3-emhW4lZ7f_DBF_8MHSL45_0zbIlS8gyGIhlp4HC1W9Zc76d1ASfG8VLVXnwWdVWbL3SFQT_aCVFOAvdiQZbLj3aMxCKiFHoOIajJRLebucmVAGXxpmIBLwLFnOiXNS9C5aOkiGQSvgmK5Km5Zq14P7sebc7JmscxY_gLQqj9pBhC0ZByGNUwS/w300-h400/Stream%20in%20canyon.jpg" width="300" /></a><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When we got to Nederland,
we started going north on the Peak to Peak Scenic Byway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After a few miles, we had to stop, because
Deb was having difficulty with the elevation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Her allergies were causing her to be congested, and when you’re
congested, your ears can’t adjust to differences in air pressure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were at an elevation of about 8,200
feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Had we continued on the scenic
byway, we would’ve gone higher.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Already,
her head felt like it was in a vice, so we turned around and went back.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">On our way back, we
stopped by Boulder Falls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> We parked the car, and </span>I hiked in a short distance to get a view of the falls.<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8kx7SjKJ5kZ9DAft29Rv5h6WlwrxQC0Opy1kC5Ow4RhMJJRS7c8OoopP3F16wYBnv7Qjy6_jkD5cWEcIXRhZFka0QgqJ7s0x34U_D_bF037C-IjkPXU1Kbv9_wzf0h-W8MdfOLyoWLFpNTlxtxV2P_veJlqQJaWcJ-xTz6VHAlr3sKGYlpXJbLumESsB3/s2048/boulder%20falls.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8kx7SjKJ5kZ9DAft29Rv5h6WlwrxQC0Opy1kC5Ow4RhMJJRS7c8OoopP3F16wYBnv7Qjy6_jkD5cWEcIXRhZFka0QgqJ7s0x34U_D_bF037C-IjkPXU1Kbv9_wzf0h-W8MdfOLyoWLFpNTlxtxV2P_veJlqQJaWcJ-xTz6VHAlr3sKGYlpXJbLumESsB3/s320/boulder%20falls.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After taking a brief rest
break at the hotel, we had lunch at a brunch spot in Louisville called The
Huckleberry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you’ve never been to
Louisville, CO, it feels more like a small town than the surrounding
communities.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Between the elevation and
the intense afternoon sun, Deb needed to spend the afternoon relaxing at the
hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I drove back into Boulder to
locate as many of the murals as I could.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There are at least 90 murals in Boulder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I focused on the ones near downtown, so I could park the car in one
place and walk around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some are in
alleys, so you really have to go out of your way to look for them.<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjqYQbYmFiEdcN0VwDClQDJYdDjZsGlXcMRsuFE9neusXl7CX9W3sZkpcF_biA4bg2os38NIpQ1R35ML6xeAfX0AHgBO_y30z9WF0q5GUQUAOALBnLu9NDI7MuNVb5dof0il9weihtphp5Pxw_-6WNXeGzZbutgU8twEpXaLJ41aP05gBqu-ebkv4JdeBl/s1188/Street%20art.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1188" data-original-width="1093" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjqYQbYmFiEdcN0VwDClQDJYdDjZsGlXcMRsuFE9neusXl7CX9W3sZkpcF_biA4bg2os38NIpQ1R35ML6xeAfX0AHgBO_y30z9WF0q5GUQUAOALBnLu9NDI7MuNVb5dof0il9weihtphp5Pxw_-6WNXeGzZbutgU8twEpXaLJ41aP05gBqu-ebkv4JdeBl/s320/Street%20art.jpg" width="294" /></a><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlZN71rC__gkxlD_nxIK11VFsq2dI8CMJMOUq-GzkntLchts2gh3hllQw2OR6QaGtnsXgp-mx6Rvm4wVQLr1BZso910NIjScAN9hFh5sqMK1jqvov3tbE_OXTrkMJBejvU77G4PIthI0HV2fdgveuOalqVua-OlWV3HTbDsKfW9X-6cPJoPtD_UqM5OPN7/s1803/mural%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; 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margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="812" data-original-width="648" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxHwN_PW-pEKhyuXuZ2P_DxLZSRshJZPA48uvP_p36KFzSHEhkKAk0HL99Q74l6UOb8A9s-i2FV4rltac2pBhOWmt18r5K9tH9t4BWUHt_MUfBtjsRnYxC2Iz58PbWPyNuTF8HCCMHGqB3DHAbf1rO-1F_TWpwxs5z8pVoFYN66GfgPDkuniQ5qg63L9Th/w319-h400/mural%205.jpg" width="319" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLgSe-1-XQEX-MspE3lexBg3Cno5ElFtVTYpem9SmIGfPStCcwzlTZynNBatadCQV6CAJLr97Joqc_NS7-tjfKBuOxVvYzGIg7PfUXzI5diKwgipcXUOG3aGtKDYaMpjcID6NHeHVmy0khGMdfteU-hfSFoojJHz4coTFH2Ebm73WpFkTmIVF8qiEAMPXv/s1587/mural%206.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1587" data-original-width="1450" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLgSe-1-XQEX-MspE3lexBg3Cno5ElFtVTYpem9SmIGfPStCcwzlTZynNBatadCQV6CAJLr97Joqc_NS7-tjfKBuOxVvYzGIg7PfUXzI5diKwgipcXUOG3aGtKDYaMpjcID6NHeHVmy0khGMdfteU-hfSFoojJHz4coTFH2Ebm73WpFkTmIVF8qiEAMPXv/w365-h400/mural%206.jpg" width="365" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuWHHewp0xfSzUkii-bexUk2hRUAjEcrzAsYSzZpE1o7IcDI3aWjDPs9lCrYtf8JwbbJt76Obqwt75I1zHCVtPjH_ahMIkDftn-U3XEVHAbGCwZbXQWaJNnC9m7hmVRqIUwK8yUAw5SL3CnV0BKFeSuwlJuUXvcgVJH6VXI0R0Dz37zARQw1LIX0F_98jX/s1441/mural%207.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1333" data-original-width="1441" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuWHHewp0xfSzUkii-bexUk2hRUAjEcrzAsYSzZpE1o7IcDI3aWjDPs9lCrYtf8JwbbJt76Obqwt75I1zHCVtPjH_ahMIkDftn-U3XEVHAbGCwZbXQWaJNnC9m7hmVRqIUwK8yUAw5SL3CnV0BKFeSuwlJuUXvcgVJH6VXI0R0Dz37zARQw1LIX0F_98jX/w400-h370/mural%207.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Q987TSmqI5s9NYxIA1TYKxRb8KfsWZbGv3VVnBN5ewq0VjSOHD1U4QTWeH843nwSVks1vF3jPk42YUJzti9vm-tM1vmvo66scabS-Syubk0fGVbKUxz7ps6uIStNrm8wYqXgMc3EUaoOe2UdmUetIuEwMBCoQ8I5FFs6ZqwXAVZy0zl9yJVrATwa-FRl/s789/mural%208.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="789" data-original-width="679" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Q987TSmqI5s9NYxIA1TYKxRb8KfsWZbGv3VVnBN5ewq0VjSOHD1U4QTWeH843nwSVks1vF3jPk42YUJzti9vm-tM1vmvo66scabS-Syubk0fGVbKUxz7ps6uIStNrm8wYqXgMc3EUaoOe2UdmUetIuEwMBCoQ8I5FFs6ZqwXAVZy0zl9yJVrATwa-FRl/w344-h400/mural%208.jpg" width="344" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6oq860WpzFWX_3o_JG7x1zRR5Zes5-RZNU6AAXvIskXt1HRtbegTXcANcQkyoRb4vqyXZcUBok0A8d8wEm1SSacu3PdqypdLRnqvfUnV49hkGVErBnuo2MBCtbNQD2PHGlL2kFhm5zfD6EHxiPfjE7EAPkbSbgq1i8yuk5IGe8l1M7v4zhC7MF1GVmB-i/s1433/mural%209.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1119" data-original-width="1433" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6oq860WpzFWX_3o_JG7x1zRR5Zes5-RZNU6AAXvIskXt1HRtbegTXcANcQkyoRb4vqyXZcUBok0A8d8wEm1SSacu3PdqypdLRnqvfUnV49hkGVErBnuo2MBCtbNQD2PHGlL2kFhm5zfD6EHxiPfjE7EAPkbSbgq1i8yuk5IGe8l1M7v4zhC7MF1GVmB-i/w400-h313/mural%209.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtAAxoUmWiu2S7a10HqpXYoFeq7acv9Kd_MSuCOkfSZpJR0f1GUTerwc5e9NVt8Wqb2Fda55TWBOAMY6Y-EurdUcCQllL88-HfFWHdCK1M4vGyr_Ewe1z4bVPFZsvNKqXq3Wq4MFnAabi64hiQEjocXtRLm7jk8-E1zqh_HgwIog5lEMeeA9qhVj1f2zVX/s1896/mural%2010.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1896" data-original-width="1334" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtAAxoUmWiu2S7a10HqpXYoFeq7acv9Kd_MSuCOkfSZpJR0f1GUTerwc5e9NVt8Wqb2Fda55TWBOAMY6Y-EurdUcCQllL88-HfFWHdCK1M4vGyr_Ewe1z4bVPFZsvNKqXq3Wq4MFnAabi64hiQEjocXtRLm7jk8-E1zqh_HgwIog5lEMeeA9qhVj1f2zVX/w281-h400/mural%2010.jpg" width="281" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyELrxZ4n-j5wYJYnaDrjFVUDjAAWstD6gyOl-eT6rWm34FRyA7dvBA6XfVKTiMx0rw4Oq-hxVbXrBcBfyY4wOS1gbce2rVEkIubVSFkscLj9Hu7uT894-mS25TjnYFRwIqLnhR_zWLRe2TtSl4QNSvSbx5VVXmM1shi93gLsr571IELnDYfJrsd57pWXC/s2048/mural%2011.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyELrxZ4n-j5wYJYnaDrjFVUDjAAWstD6gyOl-eT6rWm34FRyA7dvBA6XfVKTiMx0rw4Oq-hxVbXrBcBfyY4wOS1gbce2rVEkIubVSFkscLj9Hu7uT894-mS25TjnYFRwIqLnhR_zWLRe2TtSl4QNSvSbx5VVXmM1shi93gLsr571IELnDYfJrsd57pWXC/w385-h400/mural%2011.jpg" width="385" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1JU20FpDs_XBFHOW2luIzz5zILtr-_jpUOCatbmQk79gxDKcn5RaqyGMrJ6yMVnJGbJmPWyy-FrOPrAnjC2Vwhwba-WUJcHX5MzBL-5aFRkla-kDJZmquNWgr_yy-CKe5L-zvfqBi8UXUG0WUswa4hpsEInRAk7AnkP-awNLQIG-mIl5VA-mrnMk2Up-h/s2048/mural%2012.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1325" data-original-width="2048" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1JU20FpDs_XBFHOW2luIzz5zILtr-_jpUOCatbmQk79gxDKcn5RaqyGMrJ6yMVnJGbJmPWyy-FrOPrAnjC2Vwhwba-WUJcHX5MzBL-5aFRkla-kDJZmquNWgr_yy-CKe5L-zvfqBi8UXUG0WUswa4hpsEInRAk7AnkP-awNLQIG-mIl5VA-mrnMk2Up-h/w400-h259/mural%2012.jpg" width="400" /></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When I got back to my
car, I drank a full bottle of water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Everywhere we went, Deb and I had water bottles with us, but no matter
how much I drank, I always felt dry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve
run other races at similar elevations, but I usually arrived the day before the
race and flew home the day after.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Being
in the area for two extra days, meant I had two extra days to get
dehydrated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Drinking enough was a
continual challenge.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When Deb and I were in
Louisville for lunch, we noticed other restaurants that looked good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was planning to go to a pizzeria in Louisville
for dinner, but it was impossible to find a parking space anywhere in the
downtown area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a street
festival of some type going on, which didn’t help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I eventually gave up and had dinner at a pizzeria
I had driven by earlier.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><u>Saturday, August 12<o:p></o:p></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Saturday was race day. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The course was four laps around the Boulder
Reservoir. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The marathon started at 7:15
AM, but I needed to get there earlier for packet pickup.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It takes about 30 minutes to drive to the reservoir,
so I had to leave by 6:00 to ensure I had plenty of time to get ready for the
race.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Before this race, I had
never heard of this race, so I didn’t know how large it would be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I got within a mile of the reservoir, I started
to see signs for the race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then there
were volunteers showing us where to park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There were apparently enough runners that we needed to park in a large
field rather than in the parking lot for the reservoir.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From where I parked, it was a five-minute
walk to the start/finish area.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When I finished picking
up my race packet, it was just after sunrise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I saw the sun over the reservoir, and I also the mountains in the glow
of the morning sun.<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqSv4tgzLBcD52eEMeCsr0zQ-G7ODKegVq8TXLQ5SvNn5hlY8TqM06YCnKedxYAsvg36jEdNNAWOoYVaXUb0CZzVEaLtY5MgmlwXmV3F4ToiXmHa39Px4ixVZ5kwe41DLyu1_v3E6-l_twZ5n1m_CaHhyxfGXBo5iwYN-BFBfM7V0nIccTIRnD6HWps1lV/s1999/sunrise.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1291" data-original-width="1999" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqSv4tgzLBcD52eEMeCsr0zQ-G7ODKegVq8TXLQ5SvNn5hlY8TqM06YCnKedxYAsvg36jEdNNAWOoYVaXUb0CZzVEaLtY5MgmlwXmV3F4ToiXmHa39Px4ixVZ5kwe41DLyu1_v3E6-l_twZ5n1m_CaHhyxfGXBo5iwYN-BFBfM7V0nIccTIRnD6HWps1lV/w400-h259/sunrise.jpg" width="400" /></a><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7t-fv89kTX23GZlgMa-nmGIks3CSje64EgRBX0x2jWpMJOC2fSeW0I88Zw9D7S5vkFDpBgZWLx1NiD4XH4s5-RXUOMUrgllEWlC7Im3qmiLqnkOCfT-3y5Z6ke8aAl1unR_rbiWNXK_TTc9_ucKatkNwse-0Dc5VnCGkMwxYvi6iCs6bQk1zctGEH8JJ1/s1999/mountains%20in%20morning%20light.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1999" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7t-fv89kTX23GZlgMa-nmGIks3CSje64EgRBX0x2jWpMJOC2fSeW0I88Zw9D7S5vkFDpBgZWLx1NiD4XH4s5-RXUOMUrgllEWlC7Im3qmiLqnkOCfT-3y5Z6ke8aAl1unR_rbiWNXK_TTc9_ucKatkNwse-0Dc5VnCGkMwxYvi6iCs6bQk1zctGEH8JJ1/w400-h180/mountains%20in%20morning%20light.jpg" width="400" /></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I don’t usually drink
much before a race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This race was an
exception.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I brought two bottles of
water with me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the time the race
started, I had finished one bottle and started in on the second one.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">In all, there were five race
distances.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The 5K race had an
out-and-back route that only went partway around the reservoir.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The 10K race did one full lap around the
reservoir.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The half marathon, ¾ marathon
and marathon all ran a modified version of the loop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To make the distance come out right, we had to
do a short out-and-back in the middle of the loop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The longer races did this modified loop two,
three, or four times.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">About a quarter of the
loop was paved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The rest was a
combination of dirt road and dirt trail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The route has a few hills, so I wasn’t expecting a fast time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even on a flat course, running at this
elevation will slow me down by 5-10 minutes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>On a hilly course, I expected to be much slower.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s on hills that I really feel the effects
of the elevation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My training run on
Thursday was a reminder of that.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">It's rare that I do a
race without bumping into someone I know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This was one of those rare occasions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Although I didn’t know anyone, I still struck up conversations with a
few of the other runners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the runners
I met before the race was Josh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t
know it at the time, but this was his first marathon.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Another runner I met
before the race was a local runner who was doing the ¾ marathon as a long
training run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I mentioned how much
difficulty I had been having staying hydrated, she said the humidity was
actually much high than usual.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Normally,
the humidity is only about 10%.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lately, it’s
been about 40%.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To her, it felt humid,
but to me it felt dry.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">On the elevation profile,
I noticed two large hills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One was near
the end of the first mile, and the other was near the end of the second
mile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She assured me that those hills
aren’t as bad as they look on the elevation profile, and after that, the rest
of the lap is fairly easy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since she
lives at this elevation, I had to wait and see how my body would react to the
hills.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The temperature at the
start was in the 60s, but if I learned anything from the previous two days, it’s
how quickly it warms up once the sun comes up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>By the time I finished, it would be in the 80s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also expected the sun to be intense.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I didn’t feel like I had
a realistic chance of breaking four hours, so I chose to start the race at a
pace that felt relaxed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wasn’t trying
for a fast time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just wanted to finish
the race and save my best effort for the next one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I lined up near the back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I started running, I kept the pace nice
and slow, even though I felt like I could be going faster.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We started out on
pavement, but almost immediately turned onto a dirt road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first mile seemed to have a slight
downhill trend, but I didn’t allow myself to pick up speed.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Lately, I’ve been
training in the afternoon, and I’ve often run with temperatures in the 90s and
high humidity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That has forced me to run
at a nice relaxed pace, so I’m not in danger of overheating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I started this race at the same relaxed pace.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Toward the end of the
first mile, I saw a hill and realized this must be the first of the two big
hills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wasn’t as bad as I thought.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was slightly more tiring, but at the pace
I was going, it wasn’t going to wear me down.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Just before the top of the
hill, I finished the first mile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My pace
was just under 10 minutes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That
surprised me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt like I was starting
slower than that.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After cresting that hill,
I had a nice long downhill section before the road leveled off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I reached an aid station.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were five aid stations in each lap,
including one in the start/finish area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The aid stations had water, Gatorade, and gel packets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I drank Gatorade at every aid station.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wasn’t too concerned about my time, so I
slowed to a walk while I drank.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">It was during the second
mile that I saw a faster runner go by.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He looked like he was fast enough to win the race, so I wondered why he
was behind me in the first place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My
initial thought was that he must have been late for the start.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Toward the end of the
second mile, I encountered the second of the two largest hills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This one seemed longer than the first one,
but it still wasn’t that big of a deal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>After the two-mile long hill at the beginning of my training run on Thursday,
these hills weren’t a big deal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a
relief to know that.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Before the top of the
hill, I reached the two-mile mark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
mile was faster than the first one, but it’s worth noting that much of this
mile had been downhill.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">During the third mile, I
reached the out-and-back section.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the
time I finished the out-and-back, two more fast runners passed me.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Next, we turned onto another
dirt road that went along the north edge of the course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were well north of the reservoir, and
there was farmland on either side of the road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The road on this side was nice and flat.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">As more fast runners
passed me, I finally realized where they came from.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The ¾ marathon started just five minutes
after the marathon, and the half marathon start wasn’t too much after
that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was seeing all the fast runners
from the shorter races.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would continue
to see them go by for the rest of my first lap.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">At the northeast corner
of the loop, we turned onto a paved road, which was also nice and flat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here, I inadvertently sped up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After running the third mile in 10 minutes, I
sped up to roughly 9:30 in the fourth mile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>After that, I settled down again.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Next, we left the road to
turn onto a gravel trail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The trail was
initially serpentine and had a small hill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>For the first time since those two early hills, I was breathing harder.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">This trail brought us
across a levee on the east side of the reservoir.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It occurred to me that it was the first time I
had seen the reservoir since leaving the start/finish area.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">A runner next to me
noticed my sunglasses and asked me if they were the Goodr Boston Marathon sunglasses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That started a long conversation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her name was Angela, and we run the rest of
the race together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like me, Angela has
run the Boston Marathon several times, and she also does ultramarathons.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The last part of the loop
was on a paved road, which eventually brought us around a building and back to
the start finish area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I forgot to check
my watch at the end of the first loop, but I knew my average pace was under 10
minutes.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">In the second lap, we continued
at the same pace until we reached the first hill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Angela wanted to walk the hills, and I saw no
good reason not to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At this point, I
could’ve easily run up the hills, but I was enjoying our conversation.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Other than walking the
hills, we ran the second lap slightly faster than the first one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was much more comfortable than I thought I
would be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was expecting the sun to get
hot, but it was staying cloudy.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">At the halfway point, we were
still averaging less than 10 minutes per mile, but we started to slow down in
the third lap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The biggest difference
was taking more time at aid stations.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">In the fourth lap, we
slowed down substantially.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We sometimes
got as slow as 11 minutes, even in miles that didn’t have hills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was also the first lap where I felt like
I was breathing harder, even on flat sections.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Maybe is just took time for the higher elevation to take a toll on me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or perhaps it was the heat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was still cloudy, but the temperature was
climbing.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">About halfway through
that lap, we came to an aid station, and someone said, “Are you David?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At first, I thought it was one of the volunteers,
and I wondered how he knew my name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then
I saw it was Josh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t notice him
at first, but he had been sitting down at the aid station.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the volunteers said he had been sitting
there for an hour.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Angela was able to
persuade Josh to get up and start walking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We both walked with him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Knowing
how long Josh had been sitting there, I assumed he was still on his third
lap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I asked him, he said he was on
his last lap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That meant he only had to
hang in there for about three miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
also meant he must’ve started <i>much</i> faster than we did.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After we turned onto the
paved road, Angela suggested Josh try running for short distances.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were traffic cones separating the driving
lanes from the shoulder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We ran until we
passed two cones and then walked until we passed the next two cones.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We kept this up for a few
minutes, but then Josh needed to just walk the rest of the way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He told us to go ahead, and he assured us
that he would be able to power walk the rest of the way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We said everything we could to encourage him,
and then we went on our way.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">In the last two miles, we
were going slower than before, but I was still breathing hard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We eventually finished, but that last lap was
slow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I finished the race in
4:30:56.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Angela crossed the line right
next to me.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">At the finish line,
volunteers were handing out bottles of water and Gatorade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t usually want to drink more Gatorade
after a race, but the Gatorade was in a larger bottle, and I thought I should
drink as much as I could.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even though I
drank at every aid station, I still felt dry.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">While I was drinking my
Gatorade, I saw Angela go over to the timing truck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The guy in the truck looked at her bib
number, but said he only had splits for her first two laps.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I told him we finished at the same time and
asked him to look up my time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He didn’t
have a time for me either.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It turns out an
ethernet cable had come loose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Times
were getting recorded at the finish line, but they weren’t making it to his
laptop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After he restored the
connection, we learned that Angela had placed second in her age group, and I
had placed third in mine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our awards
were tumblers with the same artwork as the finished medals.<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhswlZtkNFkQUenfRUR-b5xqHubsPDohBHgcMP8NLSECjleByhz9esbvbGohVZddbAswzNlyEVF33utZ-b19WHTF8ZDBnsf9BTrI5NjAJ8_BAi2TKwnG5PgDZcjWZiHe4CZhN9i2f0umFcyrp1JPGYg3g_J0ZkmGj3QCoOdZO_Xmml3tiFjYobSRpV5p2pG/s960/tumbler.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="731" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhswlZtkNFkQUenfRUR-b5xqHubsPDohBHgcMP8NLSECjleByhz9esbvbGohVZddbAswzNlyEVF33utZ-b19WHTF8ZDBnsf9BTrI5NjAJ8_BAi2TKwnG5PgDZcjWZiHe4CZhN9i2f0umFcyrp1JPGYg3g_J0ZkmGj3QCoOdZO_Xmml3tiFjYobSRpV5p2pG/w305-h400/tumbler.jpg" width="305" /></a><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAx9M1XMZ147-afZvfxP4zRCoqxBYPW2nnq-pvMb8mppWTVGj-Y1C7dcAqJwVtryiJoYjgbA4DS0L6BHt7ksf5Vmpy-JTt4ATXDzchVdnnpxIznpi3Jz-lMMRHftI9A6JWhijd5bDqXNYdGDbArY0Q9M9vcAoZUDbBJ3a2SkP-Izh0-3AA7OdXPhW7x1gV/s960/medal.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="651" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAx9M1XMZ147-afZvfxP4zRCoqxBYPW2nnq-pvMb8mppWTVGj-Y1C7dcAqJwVtryiJoYjgbA4DS0L6BHt7ksf5Vmpy-JTt4ATXDzchVdnnpxIznpi3Jz-lMMRHftI9A6JWhijd5bDqXNYdGDbArY0Q9M9vcAoZUDbBJ3a2SkP-Izh0-3AA7OdXPhW7x1gV/w271-h400/medal.jpg" width="271" /></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Post race food included
sub sandwiches from Jimmy John’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
had turkey sandwiches and veggie sandwiches.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After we ate our
sandwiches, Angela and I both went to start watching for Josh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We watched for a long time, but we didn’t see
him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It had stayed cloudy the whole time
we were running, but now it was sunny, and it felt much hotter if you were in
the sun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt bad for the people who
were still on the course, including Josh.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Angela and her husband had
to leave, but I kept watching.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I still
didn’t see Josh, I felt conflicted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
wanted to keep watching, but it had been 30 minutes since I finished, and I wanted
to call Deb to let her know I was done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My
phone was in my car.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I walked back to the car,
so I could call Deb.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was sitting in
the car with the windows open when I heard the finish line announcer calling
Josh’s name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He finished in 5:09.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I rushed back to the
finish area, so I could find Josh before he left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I congratulated him on finishing his first
marathon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He introduced me to his family
and told them that I had helped him get moving again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Angela actually deserves most of the
credit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was the one who persuaded Josh
to get out of the chair and start moving again.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Had I known before the
race that this was Josh’s first marathon, I probably would have given him
advice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First on the list would be not
starting too fast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He ran the first 23
miles in three hours, sat for an hour, and then ran the last three miles in about
an hour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s not ideal, but the
important thing is that he didn’t give up.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">This was my fifth marathon
or ultra in Colorado.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m still working on
my fourth circuit of marathons in every state, but I’m also making progress on
my fifth circuit whenever I can.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Later in the day, I had
dinner with my friend Chavet and her husband Tim.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We talked for about two hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I enjoyed that conversation as much as the
one I had during the race.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><u>Race statistics</u>:</div><div>Distance: 26.2 miles</div><div>Time: 4:30:56</div><div>Average Pace: 10:20</div><div>First Half: 2:09:18</div><div>Second Half: 2:21:38</div><div>Place in age group: 3rd</div><div>Lifetime Marathons/Ultras: 491</div><div>Colorado Marathons: 5</div>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07537579568732930585noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3046379205507947695.post-74257341914446637962023-07-24T16:07:00.006-05:002023-07-25T13:30:57.922-05:00Race Report: 2023 Deseret News Marathon<p>On July 24, I ran the Deseret
News Marathon in Salt Lake City. This is
the oldest race in Utah. It’s part of
the Pioneer Day festivities, which celebrate the arrival of Brigham Young and
his followers in 1847 and their decision to settle here.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I flew to Salt Lake City
on Sunday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I arrived, I had an
aggravating experience picking up my rental car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were 20 people in line ahead of me and only
two employees at the counter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were
taking several minutes for each person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I was in line for an hour before I got my car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve had similar experience at two different
airports with Payless, which is why I no longer rent from them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was the first time I had a bad
experience with Dollar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll make a note
never to rent from them at this location.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After checking in at my
hotel, I drove to Rice Eccles Stadium to pick up my race packet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Local runners were encouraged to pick up
their race packets on Saturday, but packet pickup was available Sunday
afternoon for runners who were arriving from out of town.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">At packet pickup, I asked
how early they start closing streets for the marathon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m glad I asked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Besides closing streets for the marathon,
they also close the streets along the parade route for the Days of 47 Parade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those streets are closed all night, so I had
to make a point of avoiding them in the morning.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After packet pickup, I still
had enough time before dinner to go to the fitness room and do some core and
leg exercises.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was feeling a bit stiff
after my marathon on Saturday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think
this workout helped me to work out any residual soreness.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When I left the hotel to
walk to dinner, it was 98 degrees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
restaurant was only five blocks away, but I felt like I was inside an oven.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Walking back, it was even hotter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was 102 degrees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew it wouldn’t get that hot during the
race, but it still got my attention.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I had to get up early on
Monday, so I went to bed as early as I could. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was able to get to sleep early, but I woke
up after a few hours and had trouble getting back to sleep.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">This is a point-to-point
race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It starts at Big Mountain and follows
the route of the pioneers through Emigration Canyon before finishing in
downtown Salt Lake City.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To get to the
start, we had to park at Rice Eccles Stadium and take a bus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The race starts at 5:30 AM, with buses leaving
from 3:45 to 4:15 AM.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Whenever I do a race like
this, I have a “what was I thinking?” moment when I realize how early I need to
set my alarm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I set my alarm for 2:30,
so I could be ready to leave by 3:30.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
was awake an hour before the alarm went off.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">It was another hot day,
but thankfully not as hot as Sunday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When I woke up, it was 87 degrees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The temperature was forecast to bottom out at 80 degrees before rising
again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The forecast high was 102
degrees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew it wouldn’t get that hot
before I finished, but 90 seemed likely.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">It’s normally cold at the
start, but I had to wonder what the temperature would be on such a hot
day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Would I need warm-up clothes?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I certainly wasn’t going to wear anything
extra as I left the hotel, but I brought a space blanket, just in case I needed
something to stay warm in the start area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They had a gear check at the start, but I didn’t want to bother with
that, so I didn’t bring any clothes that I wasn’t willing to discard.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I didn’t know how long it
would take to get to the stadium, since I was going out of my way to avoid the parade
route.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got there early, but people
were already getting onto buses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was
on one of the first buses to leave.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The bus I was on made a
stop at a hotel to pick up some elite runners, but we still got to the start
area more than an hour before the race started.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When I got off the bus, it didn’t feel the least bit cold.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bus was air conditioned, so it was
actually warmer outside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It felt like it
was about 70 degrees.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I made a bathroom stop
while there weren’t any lines.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I
took a picture of the historical marker.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I also took a picture of the lights of the city, which were visible over
the mountains.<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggqTH17NTd0TUSZEpNEjFKr0fOTaAUs8HIEeJ9wZRFzpIYx-Fwha4V3ApOtfsMcs0usOtJX5gtiPjAVi4-NjkeX2vEmtAm4hAGKEt2MeM0-GGrltKt9-9M5k3Dd-ru1HpfqJu9mekPcvgPgHgfHRaXb8UdYtVLASRf5Wfr10YJhx0YstSecWmYjgW2TLJF/s2048/big%20mountain%20plaque.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggqTH17NTd0TUSZEpNEjFKr0fOTaAUs8HIEeJ9wZRFzpIYx-Fwha4V3ApOtfsMcs0usOtJX5gtiPjAVi4-NjkeX2vEmtAm4hAGKEt2MeM0-GGrltKt9-9M5k3Dd-ru1HpfqJu9mekPcvgPgHgfHRaXb8UdYtVLASRf5Wfr10YJhx0YstSecWmYjgW2TLJF/w400-h300/big%20mountain%20plaque.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGGVNPAAFVRaU7ng_x24F91tFBtchhE5z71erHkQjTjHKMU3RkAPlIJBFzpTtSdiEEVqN0EXDxrABZ3j80GI1AzcaeNfTlihjmFCIlRAsYKCocAsdCaoC3oIXVkbzOBLH2nk462zmljaodcgevDK1fmlMTcoEmlsr3wNPydS1vIjEmJlh9ZwhNlDSHICMb/s2048/city%20lights.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGGVNPAAFVRaU7ng_x24F91tFBtchhE5z71erHkQjTjHKMU3RkAPlIJBFzpTtSdiEEVqN0EXDxrABZ3j80GI1AzcaeNfTlihjmFCIlRAsYKCocAsdCaoC3oIXVkbzOBLH2nk462zmljaodcgevDK1fmlMTcoEmlsr3wNPydS1vIjEmJlh9ZwhNlDSHICMb/w400-h300/city%20lights.jpg" width="400" /></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Most of the other runners
were milling about in the start area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then I saw a runner who found a bench to sit on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sitting sounded better than standing around
for an hour, so I joined him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bench
was cold, but I was able to sit on my space blanket.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The other guy sitting on
the bench was Jacob.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s 21 years old,
and this was his first marathon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
asked me if I had any advice for him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
told him what I knew of the course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
also told him he would need to pay attention to how he felt as it got hot in
the late miles.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">While we were talking,
another runner came over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He said, “I’ve
got good news and bad news.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The good
news is, it’s not cold in the start area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The bad news is, it’s not cold in the start area.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Typically, it’s freezing
in the start area, but it’s still hot at the finish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was nice that I didn’t need warm clothes
in the start area, but it didn’t bode well for later.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">This race is mostly
downhill, with roughly 3,000 feet of net descent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I generally run well on downhill courses, so
it made sense to go for a fast time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
most obvious goal was 3:50, which is what I need for a Boston qualifier.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had three reasons, however, to question
whether I could run that fast.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">First, the course isn’t
all downhill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was talking to another
runner who has done this race, and he mentioned going downhill and then uphill,
before going downhill again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to
take a close look at the elevation profile to see it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first several miles are downhill, but
then there’s a section that has at least 250 feet of ascent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s spread out over a few miles, so it’s
fairly gradual.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Still, when you’re 6,000
feet above sea level, even a gradual hill can feel tiring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I couldn’t expect to maintain a fast pace
over this section.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Second, it was going to
get hot as I descended toward Salt Lake City.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I might not feel it until the second half of the race, but I expected the
heat to slow me down in the late miles.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Last, but not least, this
was my fourth marathon in a span of seven days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I did a good job of holding back on Tuesday and Wednesday, but I ran
faster than I planned on Saturday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With
only one day off between races, I questioned whether I had recovered sufficiently
for an all-out effort.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">With all that in mind, I
had to take each section of the course as it came.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to pay attention to how I felt and wait
until late in the race before deciding what was a realistic goal.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I don’t usually drink much
before a race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll have a cup of tea
when I wake up, but I won’t drink anything else until after I start
running.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today, I made an
exception.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After the National Anthem,
while everyone else was lining up to start, I dashed over to the tent with
water and Gatorade, and I drank a cup of Gatorade right before lining up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As usual, I also drank at every aid station
on the route.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When we started running,
I was surprised by how steep the grade was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was sharply downhill, and there were a lot of switchbacks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ran this section the same way I always run downhill
courses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I kept my stride short and
focused on maintaining a rapid turnover.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When I do that, I don’t need to put any extra effort into running
fast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gravity takes care of that.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I ran the first mile in 7:54.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was actually surprised that it wasn’t faster.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the next two miles, I sped up to about
7:30.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those miles didn’t seem any
steeper, and I wasn’t putting any more effort into them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think the first mile wasn’t as fast because
there were so many runners in front of me at the start.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">As we descended through
the valley, I sometimes felt a cold draft.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I didn’t know where that cold air was coming from, but it made the early
miles feel more comfortable.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The fourth mile wasn’t as
steep as the first three.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At first, I
found the pace to be tiring in this mile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then I realized I was still running with the same fast cadence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As long as I did that, I would maintain the
same fast pace, but it took more effort when the road wasn’t as steep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I recalibrated my gait until I found a stride
that didn’t take much effort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wasn’t
as fast as the first three miles, but the goal was to run only as fast as I
could without working too hard.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">In the next mile, the
road briefly leveled off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the first
time, I was comfortable coming to a stop, so I could take a picture of the
valley.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stopping briefly also gave me a
chance to recalibrate my stride again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
didn’t want to keep running with the same rhythm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I needed to constantly adapt to the road.<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Oz_-eKzt0FWJ0XgpOmXqmZlBj9c90RhQ4iZ7ALAsB3fG2GBNuENtN5jm69bewb5M6iMPffwQtmcyFefxLoFP3XYCUuNGEcoTO4uDlnuQ9IvJcdGkqS3hLgbLEEUBPH3ukc5OGIdn6C9E3_vpn5LbIKbpqdJwTPOclWvuXim1YaqYQzJx0v7rmV6Cm8Ef/s1902/valley.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1531" data-original-width="1902" height="323" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Oz_-eKzt0FWJ0XgpOmXqmZlBj9c90RhQ4iZ7ALAsB3fG2GBNuENtN5jm69bewb5M6iMPffwQtmcyFefxLoFP3XYCUuNGEcoTO4uDlnuQ9IvJcdGkqS3hLgbLEEUBPH3ukc5OGIdn6C9E3_vpn5LbIKbpqdJwTPOclWvuXim1YaqYQzJx0v7rmV6Cm8Ef/w400-h323/valley.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Early in the next mile,
as I was pausing to drink at an aid station, I saw that the road was about to
turn uphill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew there would be an
uphill section, but it started earlier than I expected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Going uphill, I went at a pace that didn’t
feel too tiring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew it would be mostly
uphill for the next few miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t
care if I slowed down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My only priority
was to get through this section without wearing myself out.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">As I got around the next
bend, I saw switchbacks going up to a pass in the distance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I noticed there was also a road that
went to the left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That road seemed to go
downhill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Would we take the high road or
the low road?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I got closer, I could
see runners on both roads.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We started with
the road on the left, but it was just a short out-and-back section.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then we had to climb the switchbacks up to
the pass.<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnJUL3zAEZD2y3PcWrt8fIlgqBAm5tqkpRMPSY-XhOLeo-kzMY5Z-KUiamlXpZ9HLBbXCwVrynzNniN-siiDlcyDpqqIP4TFtWSHgK3mHMa588X7Q5_KzKjm0CTQ5hsykjuyoxKy7BUxQEF-7K1BhQIjph4yVSHUJ6Um3U_CWfIJ8lSy8OT-T2UhPSWz5d/s2048/switchbacks.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="984" data-original-width="2048" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnJUL3zAEZD2y3PcWrt8fIlgqBAm5tqkpRMPSY-XhOLeo-kzMY5Z-KUiamlXpZ9HLBbXCwVrynzNniN-siiDlcyDpqqIP4TFtWSHgK3mHMa588X7Q5_KzKjm0CTQ5hsykjuyoxKy7BUxQEF-7K1BhQIjph4yVSHUJ6Um3U_CWfIJ8lSy8OT-T2UhPSWz5d/w400-h193/switchbacks.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The out-and-back was
downhill going out, but uphill coming back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>On my way out, I saw a pace group on their way back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the 3:30 group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After making the turn myself, I saw another
pace group that was a short distance behind me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was the 3:45 group.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Because of the
switchbacks, I couldn’t see the whole climb.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I focused on one segment at a time and kept my effort manageable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Surprisingly, I still noticed a cold draft.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had been worried that I would start to get
hot as I ran uphill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The cold draft was
a pleasant surprise.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">It was steepest in the
last mile of climbing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In miles six and
seven, I slowed to about 9:30.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was
happy with that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I expected to be
slower.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In mile eight, I slowed to
10:20.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I reached the eight mile sign,
I could see that I was almost to the top.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As soon as I started descending again, it got much easier.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">As I began descending, it
occurred to me that the 3:45 pace group was still behind me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought they would pass me on the
climb.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t expect to stay ahead of
them for the whole race, but it was nice to still be on that pace with the
hardest section of the course behind me.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Before long, the descent
got steep enough that there were switchbacks going back down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After a couple turns, I saw the pace leaders
of the 3:45 group coming alongside me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There
were two of them.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Running downhill, I have
to go at the pace that feels right, depending on how steep it is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By chance, my pace on this section was the
same pace that the 3:45 group was running. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ran with them for the next two miles, and we
started talking.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">One of them asked me what
my goal was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I told them I would be very
happy if I could break 3:50, but I didn’t know yet if that was realistic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At some point in our conversation, I learned
that they were wearing pace bands, but they weren’t trying to run at a
consistent pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their pace bands were tailored
to this course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They ran faster in the downhill
miles and slower in the uphill or flat miles.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Somewhere in the 10th
mile, we saw a long row of port-o-potties on the shoulder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just past them, we reached a timing mat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My first thought was that this must have been
the start area for the half marathon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then it occurred to me that we were still a few miles short of being
halfway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we continued running, one of
the pace leaders recalled that the marathon and half marathon would have
different routes once we got into the city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We would have an extra out-and-back section.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then it made sense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Right on cue, we saw the one mile sign for
the half marathon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What we saw earlier was
definitely where they started.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When the grade got
steeper, I found myself running ahead of the pace group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When it leveled off a bit, they caught up to
me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I found myself having to work
harder to keep up with them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I still had
15 miles to go, so it didn’t make sense to put extra effort into trying to keep
up with the 3:45 group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t even
know if 3:50 was a reasonable goal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
eased back to a pace that felt right, and I gradually fell behind the group.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">For the first time, I
started to notice the sun was coming out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Before the race, other runners were commenting that it would be cloudy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the sun was on us, it would feel
hotter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I looked up and saw mostly blue
sky.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wasn’t feeling hot yet, but I started
to worry about it.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When I reached the
halfway point, I was still on pace to break 3:45.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had lost contact with the 3:45 group, so they
were obviously ahead of their pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That
made sense, since they were pacing for the course, rather than running a
uniform pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first half of the race
is the easier half.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I expected to be slower
in the second half.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The uphill section was
behind me, but there wouldn’t be nearly as much descent in the second
half.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also expected to get hot as I
got closer to the city, and I assumed the heat would force me to slow down.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">As I continued
descending, I started to feel a cold draft again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wasn’t always there, but it felt
nice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes, I saw a nearby
pond.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Other times, I saw a stream.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The water was probably ice cold, and any
breeze blowing over it was going to feel cool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I didn’t realize it at the time, but it also started to get cloudy
again.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Somewhere between 15 and
16 miles, I saw a pace group ahead of me that I didn’t remember seeing
before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were walking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I got closer, I realized this was a pace
group for the half marathon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were
the first half marathoners I had seen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We finally caught up to the back of the pack of that race.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I didn’t quite catch up to
them before I reached the point where the marathon and half marathon
diverge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They went straight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We turned left to begin the extra
out-and-back section.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Based on where we
had seen the half marathon start, I realized this section would be at least
three and a half miles.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">An out-and-back section
isn’t going to have any net elevation change.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>At best, it would be flat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At
worst, it would be rolling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As soon as I
made the turn, I started up a hill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
was short, but it was steep enough to force me to slow down.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When I reached the top of
the hill, I could see some of the downtown buildings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were below us, but not by that much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most of the descent was behind me now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I got closer to the city, I expected to
feel much hotter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew the temperature
had to be in the 80s by now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt
warmer, but not that much warmer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I kept
waiting for the other shoe to drop.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After cresting that hill,
I began a section that was slightly downhill and surprisingly long.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had mixed feelings about that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A long downhill now meant a long uphill
later.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After a while, I realized
I wasn’t seeing any runners coming back from the other direction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This wasn’t a true out-and-back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We went out on one street, but we would come
back on a different street.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Eventually, the road
leveled off and turned uphill again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I picked
up my effort so I wouldn’t slow down too much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When I reached the next mile marker, I expected that mile to be
slow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Descending through the valley, my pace
was pretty close to 8:30.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This mile was
8:32.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was a pleasant surprise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It really felt like I was slowing down.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">To break 3:50, I needed
to average about 8:45 per mile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All of
my recent miles had been faster than 8:40.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The longer I could keep doing that, the better my chances of breaking
3:50.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I still expected to slow down as
the course flattened out and it got hotter, but I felt more optimistic that it
just might be possible.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I put more effort into my
next mile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I couldn’t tell if it was
flat or uphill, but I was working harder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When I finished my 18th mile, I was disappointed with my time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was 8:59.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After two quick turns, we
were on our way back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The street we were
on was straight enough that I could see at least half a mile ahead of me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What I could see was downhill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I noticed that I could still see the two
3:45 pace leaders, who were both wearing orange shirts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They weren’t as far ahead of me as I expected
them to be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were only about two and
a half blocks away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Knowing I was that
close to the 3:45 group gave me renewed confidence that I could stay on pace
for 3:50.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I picked up my effort.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">In mile 19, I sped up to
8:22.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was downhill, but not as much
as most of the earlier miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was
working harder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now I was closer to the
3:45 group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were only about a block
ahead of me.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The next mile was slightly
uphill, but I was motivated to try to gain on the 3:45 group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the end of the next mile, I was getting
close.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We crossed a chip mat, and I
realized we had probably merged with the half marathon course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t notice exactly where it happened, because
I wasn’t seeing any of the runners from that race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because of the extra miles we ran, they were
all well ahead of us.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I caught up to the 3:45 pacers
at the next aid station.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had less than
six miles to go, and I was on pace for 3:45.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Breaking 3:50 not only seemed realistic, but likely.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The sun came out again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the first time, it was high enough in the
sky that I immediately felt warmer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
started talking to one of the pace leaders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I told him I was surprised that I wasn’t suffering more in the
heat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It had to be in the 80s, but it
really didn’t feel that hot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I
asked him if the air was dry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m used to 80 degrees with much
more humidity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wasn’t suffering
because the air is much dryer than what I’m used to.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Next, I asked him what
his pace band said for the remaining miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He said we would be running a 9:00 pace the rest of the way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had worked hard to catch him, but staying
with him felt really easy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could keep
up that pace easily, but I questioned whether it was really fast enough to stay
on pace for 3:45.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We were almost to the 21
mile sign.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we got there, I looked at
my watch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We ran the first 21 miles in
three hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That gave us 45 minutes for
the last 5.2 miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we averaged nine
minutes per mile, it wouldn’t be fast enough to break 3:45, but it would easily
be fast enough to break 3:50, which was now my primary goal.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We turned onto University
Avenue, which is downhill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I saw
Rice Eccles Stadium ahead of us on the right, I knew where we were.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was able to pick up the pace on this
section.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I decided to let myself get
ahead of the 3:45 group.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">After the next turn, the
road immediately leveled off, but I was almost to the 22 mile sign.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I followed the runners ahead of me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to work harder on level ground, but I
noticed it was cloudy again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t
have to contend with the heat of the sun, and I was confident I could handle a
dry 80-something degrees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wasn’t
going to be as bad as I previously thought.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The road started to turn
slightly uphill again, but then we turned, and it was downhill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I figured this was probably the last downhill
section before it leveled off for good, so I picked up my pace again.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Just before I finished
mile 23, I recognized the half marathon pace group I had seen earlier.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the 3:30 group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I assumed that was the time limit for the
half marathon, because I never saw anyone behind them.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I went through an aid
station and drank a cup of Gatorade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One
of the volunteers offered me another cup of Gatorade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Another offered me a cup of water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thanked them both, but one cup of Gatorade was
enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then another volunteer said I
still looked strong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It occurred to me
that I probably did look strong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
downhill here, and I had a nice stride.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">In the late miles of a
race, the path of least resistance is to simple follow the runners ahead of you
and match their pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now that some of
the runners ahead of me were doing the half marathon, I had to be careful not
to drift into a slower pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I
could, I tried to gain ground on anyone ahead of me and eventually pass them.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I passed a few
runners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I tried to gradually catch
up to a runner that had been within sight for several blocks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was almost to the 25 mile sign when I
started to come alongside him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He looked
over his shoulder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then he looked over
his shoulder again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He reacted to seeing
me there by speeding up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He took off
like the two of us were racing for first place.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">Earlier, I was trying to
catch him, but now he was going much too fast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He was pulling away from me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
didn’t know why he was so intent on staying ahead of me, but he wanted to beat
me more than I wanted to catch him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
maintained my same effort.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">With about a mile to go,
we turned onto 2nd Street East.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now we
were on the parade route.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The parade had
not started yet, but there were crowds on both sides of the street.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before the race, another runner said that some
people were already there at 3:30 AM.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
was now after 9:00.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wasn’t going to
catch the runner ahead of me, and I was easily going to break 3:50, so I
stopped one last time to take a picture.<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNAw6q-JH61kg9f4OTJO2_w5rfmfzE8fgJBAM3PrDQ96R42KaV9X0AigrqNhogf2J9NfGEGW74-8FzZ_jp4EkXFn72TsakeiV62qePwceBRKuvml47j0CncSUdNXtOA_Poswod3bt7uOEjOkXpjTg9xoD1xXVDMadQT16qLCXP3lucmYONwT_5F4xv5r_q/s2048/parade%20route.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="905" data-original-width="2048" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNAw6q-JH61kg9f4OTJO2_w5rfmfzE8fgJBAM3PrDQ96R42KaV9X0AigrqNhogf2J9NfGEGW74-8FzZ_jp4EkXFn72TsakeiV62qePwceBRKuvml47j0CncSUdNXtOA_Poswod3bt7uOEjOkXpjTg9xoD1xXVDMadQT16qLCXP3lucmYONwT_5F4xv5r_q/w400-h176/parade%20route.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">We had a narrow lane that
was marked with traffic cones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wasn’t
expecting to turn until 8th Street South, but the cones went around the corner
at 7th Street.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I started to round the
corner when someone said I had to keep going to 8th.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I went outside the cones and into the street.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When I turned on 8th, I
was still on the parade route.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There
were thick crowds on both sides of the street for as far as I could see.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were waiting for the Days of 47 Parade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sweaty runners going by were just the
warm-up act.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was exciting to see such
big crowds after so many lonely miles through the canyon.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I had to make two more
turns before the finish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I made the
last turn, I saw the 26 mile sign right in front of me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the distance, I could see the finish
line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The guy who sped away from me
earlier was almost there.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I eventually finished in
3:46:44.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After crossing the line, I
turned around to look for the 3:45 pacers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I couldn’t see either of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They had fallen off their pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The last time I saw them, I don’t think any other runners were with
them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They had all fallen off the pace
earlier.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The finisher medal design
features downtown buildings with the mountains in the background.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was appropriate for this course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The T-shirt had the same design.<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilRSCiWr-FW8iee9qOaZZzF43dBQzxfz0_Y2M61Mzw-bqCa_clxn_W4A7Qp_Xx1F2i-sgsjcQYvTzEmAzNfEUTyxYVScJKm5kbEqc4uk93M9QfdQ31dY90En5EogCP5O6Q_KYUB56p6auo3flih1pSD1c5z3jT0INMY65MWH7raXermgyu6EuLEuF4bw_O/s1458/finisher%20medal.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1458" data-original-width="1137" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilRSCiWr-FW8iee9qOaZZzF43dBQzxfz0_Y2M61Mzw-bqCa_clxn_W4A7Qp_Xx1F2i-sgsjcQYvTzEmAzNfEUTyxYVScJKm5kbEqc4uk93M9QfdQ31dY90En5EogCP5O6Q_KYUB56p6auo3flih1pSD1c5z3jT0INMY65MWH7raXermgyu6EuLEuF4bw_O/w313-h400/finisher%20medal.jpg" width="313" /></a><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The finish area was in
Liberty Park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I entered the park, I was
handed a box with a Crumbl Cookie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
saved that for later.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was more interested
in something to drink.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I saw a cooler
with ice and cans of pop, and I found a can of Dr. Pepper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I started drinking that, I saw a table
where they were handing out ice cream bars.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I looked around for the
guy who raced away from me earlier.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When
I found him, I asked him about it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
said I looked like I might be in his age group, and he wasn’t going to take any
chances.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Competing for an age group award
was the last thing on my mind, but it turns out we were both in the same age
group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If he edged me out for an award,
he deserved it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had a strong finish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s no way I could have kept up with him
over that last mile.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">When I was done eating and drinking, I took out my phone to see how hot it was. It was 86 degrees, but it was a dry 86. It didn't bother me nearly as much as I thought it would.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">To get back to where I
was parked, I had to take a bus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I
was ready, I made my way over to the pick-up point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I sat down on the bus, I realized I was
across the aisle from the guy who out-raced me in the last mile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He looked at me and told me I should go get
my medal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had won our age group and
he was sure I must’ve been second.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
realized he had to be right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only one
runner finished between us, and that was a woman.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">The bus was just starting
to move when I told the bus driver I needed to get off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I went back to Liberty Park and found the
results table.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I told one of the
volunteers I thought I placed second in my age group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She printed my result.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then she said, “Yes you did, and you also
qualified for Boston.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyIUifOjz-IFsSpY21DXz7AaYx2URPPfQwA56zSiIhjMAoaJ4N4V_0M1oD3nCA-MRN5MRu2OQE8YWw1af9IozUdNi-KnPVIU8BqQ0WVtxdWmQBJc0IB6LS1lxCfJ_0jL4fBJUqNxM-ttGqLBfOduUhYLLY3vliuZOqIFyowVsTPq2gWjBK2eDszFhMElQL/s2048/results%20card.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1696" data-original-width="2048" height="331" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyIUifOjz-IFsSpY21DXz7AaYx2URPPfQwA56zSiIhjMAoaJ4N4V_0M1oD3nCA-MRN5MRu2OQE8YWw1af9IozUdNi-KnPVIU8BqQ0WVtxdWmQBJc0IB6LS1lxCfJ_0jL4fBJUqNxM-ttGqLBfOduUhYLLY3vliuZOqIFyowVsTPq2gWjBK2eDszFhMElQL/w400-h331/results%20card.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">She directed me to the
table with the awards, and I got this medal for second place in my age group.<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtWCbTUOqlMjQLUmI22Pij0ozPfEdvixP3iiC8Izz4clqLhjwX382SGxw8XPava7y1jFdW_1vcNUv8q0KRnfB1ATW_whiAtBcri_RxStl5KPfeAx0MMIcJQ-szPRYoNYNk9fIIJ5MJcJj7tYT8y5c6k1ejUjWcrIMBA7ZTdnU9LQSDB4huoV283DpNjH3G/s1834/AG%20award.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1834" data-original-width="1506" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtWCbTUOqlMjQLUmI22Pij0ozPfEdvixP3iiC8Izz4clqLhjwX382SGxw8XPava7y1jFdW_1vcNUv8q0KRnfB1ATW_whiAtBcri_RxStl5KPfeAx0MMIcJQ-szPRYoNYNk9fIIJ5MJcJj7tYT8y5c6k1ejUjWcrIMBA7ZTdnU9LQSDB4huoV283DpNjH3G/w329-h400/AG%20award.jpg" width="329" /></a><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">I went back to the bus
pick-up point and boarded the next bus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>After getting dropped off at the stadium, I drove back to my hotel,
making a point of taking a route that took me around the marathon route and the
parade route.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">This was my fourth
marathon or ultra in Utah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was originally
planning to run the Sun Marathon last January, but I was too sick to run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve now run at least four marathons in 48
states.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To finish my fourth circuit of
marathons in every state, I just need to run marathons in West Virginia and
Oklahoma.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><u>Race statistics</u>:</div><div>Distance: 26.2 miles</div><div>Time: 3:46:44</div><div>Average Pace: 8:39</div><div>First Half: 1:51:47</div><div>Second Half: 1:54:57</div><div>Lifetime Marathons/Ultras: 490</div><div>Utah Marathons: 4</div><div>Boston Qualifiers: 152</div>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07537579568732930585noreply@blogger.com0