9/9/07 Skagit Flats Marathon

Leave the house at 4AM for the 2.5 hour drive north. First Skagit race, but I did come last year to cheer Billy in his first marathon and I ran the last six miles with him, so I have some familiarity with the course. Very cold and some wind.

Start - Lots of maniacs, but I don't really know any of them. Short opening ceremony and we are off.

Mile 1 - The "big hill" is just the I-5 overpass, after that it is flat all the way. We even will go under the highway on the return to the school.

Mile 4 - Nice and steady. Some wind in the face and it is comfortable temperatures

Mile 10 - A few short conversations. Holding a very steady 8:35 pace, feeling good and having fun.

Mile 12.7 - Turnaround. The head wind was fairly strong, this should be nice for the return and it sure is for a couple of miles.

Mile 17 - Don't feel any tailwind any more. Heating up quite a bit. Still on a super steady 8:35 and feeling good.

Mile 18 - Getting warmer

Mile 19 - Getting hotter

Mile 21 - Bright sun and heat

Mile 22 - Shade is so nice, but so far apart. I see the shade of a lone tree up ahead. Should I walk through the shade to have more time cooling down, or run through the shade because I will be feeling better? Patch of shade is only 30 feet long, what difference does it make?

Mile 23 - After the race I am going to buy some trees and deliver and offer to plant them for the property owners. Then in 20 years or so this will be a beautiful shady road.

Mile 24 - Wilting, walking breaks, feel like I am in Africa

Mile 26.2 - This could have been my day if not for the heat at the end. The first 22 miles were very consistent and well run. Pleased with time and knowledge that I pushed farther into the marathon than ever before. Hope to come back next year.

3:56:20
75th of 185
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9/3/07 Labor Day Classic Elma 3 miles

Bob Green race at Vance Creek Park. I wanted to come cheer Billy doing his first triathlon and saw the short 3 mile race as a nice option that would not wear me out for Skagit. What is up with the 3 mile distance? Why not a standard 5K (3.1 miles)? I never did ask Bob. This would be my first and maybe only race at this distance. With the typical turnout I had a possibility of winning overall. Pleasant weather. Good easy warm up.

Start - Who are these four young fit looking guys? I ask and find out that they are the Elma boys cross country team here to run the 3 miler as a training run. Darn it!!

Mile 1 - I'm in 5 th place with the Elma team all ahead of me. Course is out and back on a country road, mostly flat. Running smoothly.

Mile 2 - Pass one team member, I'm not going to catch the others

Mile 3 - Done so soon. I congratulate each runner who beat me and talk cross country for a bit. I had missed the swim and start of the bike portion of the tri.

Best part of the day was cheering Billy to start the run, then jogging down the course a half mile to be the only spectator and cheering section for all the runners. I tried my best to keep them moving to the finish with a smile. Once I was over my dissapointment with the stiff competition in my race, I had a most enjoyable day.

20:20 (6:51 pace)
4th of 9 runners
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