My first time here was in 2011. Happy to be able to come back. Maniac Central with tons of great folk to run with. 3.2 miles around the lake so some people I will barely see all day. Race directors Betsy and Matt know how to put on a great event and the food selection is astounding. The weather is even amazing. Cold at the start but it will warm up a little and be dry all day. For a 12 hour race to count as a race in the Marathon Maniacs club I have to go at least 50K (31.1 miles), so I will have to complete 10 loops and that will give me 32 miles. My plan is to hopefully add an 11th lap and finish with 35.2 miles and a body that does not need weeks to recover. No serious time goals.
7AM - We gather for a quick briefing ("keep the lake on your left") and off we go. There are so many people that I would be happy to run with. We are all packed together of course and the trail is only good for two together. I start off nice and easy and after about a mile I feel like going faster so I work my way around a pack and get moving, probably faster than I should. I find myself with Katie and we talk and run the whole rest of the loop together and that is great.
Lap 2 - Run with Michael. We talk goals and I like his quest for his 100th marathon in Washington State. Later I will look at my numbers and see that I have 97 marathons in WA, so another goal to reach soon.
The next couple of laps are pretty much by myself. I hold a ten minute mile that includes some walk breaks. I grab a handful of food each time at the aid station, typically roasted potatoes and peanut M and Ms. Power aid and then later Carbo Pro. I carry a small bottle in my Defiance vest pocket and that is plenty to get me around the Lake. Oh and I start a tradition of having one GuChomp and short walk break every time I pass the Starbucks.
The Rogue Wave is here to volunteer and she is getting in some miles prior to that. She asks if I want to run a loop with her and her dog Jukka. I say that is great, as long as they do not mind going slowly. I had seen pictures of Jukka but I had not realized what a beast he is. An 80 pound 9 month old puppy. A puppy who wants to chase after every squirrel, crow, duck, dog and person on the trail. It is chaotic at first but he does settle down on the backside of the lake and the Rogue Wave keeps a tight grip and control. A wonderful and distracting lap. I always enjoy the chance to run with RW, but one lap was probably enough for today.
There is a big board at the timing station that lists where everyone is at. When I complete my 6th loop I see that they have correctly recorded my previous 5. The sixth is not there yet because I just came through. I never should have looked at that board because later I start to get confused on what lap I am on. I have my GPS watch, and I know that I passed 26.2 miles in about 4:30, thinking that I could have run a marathon in decent time today. I should reach 50K in about 5:30, but now all those loops have gotten to me. I am on the far side and I think that I am on loop 8 but I am afraid that it might only be loop 7. I catch up to Deb. Always nice to run with her. I am lapping her ( and yes I have been lapped by a few runners myself already) and based on that and when my mileage total (26.8) finally sinks into my brain she convinces me that I am on lap 9! Wow, what a sudden happy moment. It should be easy to run the rest of this lap with Deb, then one more to 50K and then a victory lap.
Before my 10th lap I linger at the aid station and totally lose my pace ( I had been slowing, but now I don;t care about my time). Chocolate chip pancake. I carry my camera for this loop to document the path.
Last lap - Tracy is stretching but asks if I want to to run with her. She started late and has a few laps to go. She is running another marathon tomorrow so she is in no hurry. I put the camera away and soon we are off. We do a lot of walking and talking and it is all very pleasant. My feet started hurting a little a few miles ago, but not too bad. Other than that and some stiffening shoulders, I feel well. I enjoy the last lap and finish comfortably. I feel like I could totally keep on walking/jogging/shuffling and probably reach 50 miles, but I choose to stick with the plan and leave here with a good chance for quick recovery.
I get my key chain medal and change into some less smelly clothes. Come back for pizza. I hang around longer than I usually do post race. I actually have an appetite so I feast and enjoy the company. I leave just a little guilty as I see others continuing on....it is a 12 hour race. But 6 and a half hours is enough for me today. I really like the price, logistics and vibe of this event. I don't need to go run around Green lake again any time soon, but perhaps in a year I will be back for this race.
37th farthest of 133 participants
Race#322 (on 3/22)
Marathon or ultra#108
*****
