2/28/10 ROAD-odend-RUN 6 mile relay

3rd annual race, but my first time here. I thought about running the 6 miles by myself which is a valid option, but Bill Herzog was looking for a relay partner and it is billed as a relay race. So I will run the first and third leg of 1.5 miles each and cheer Bill on during his parts. We will be very happy to be around 7 minute miles. Looking forward to a good hard short speed workout. I ran 10 miles yesterday and it is not like we are in contention for winning, so I'll just do what I can and hope to have a fun time. Great to see the regular racers and a large crowd. Lots of kids too. Race director Jesse Stevick (Capitol City Marathon winner) has things organized well and at a terrific price for this fundraiser for youth running activities. Pre registered runners get a T-shirt and each relay team gets a "commemorative keepsake relay slap bracelet". Unfortunately the bridge on the south side of Capitol Lake is closed during construction so we are not able to run the loop around the lake. Instead we will run around Heritage park and make something of a loop. The sun is out and it is a perfect temperature for running.


Leg 1 - Marci Martin and I are packed in closely with lots of runners. Then we are let loose with a bugle blast to start us off. I am boxed in somewhat, but try to stay calm and not make any crazy moves. Soon I get my chance to find my own pace and things thin out somewhat. Running on crushed gravel. The kids 1.5 mile race started with us about 3 tenths of a mile into it, some of them are walking and/or looking back with fear. Sharp turn with railroad tracks to consider at .4 miles. Then a nice "long" straight section of pavement. I catch, then run along side a woman, but no words are exchanged. I have found a nice pace. Soon I move ahead of her, and then have to make multiple turns on the sidewalk, dodge some landscape equipment and follow the blue marks on the ground to stay on the right path. 6:56 first mile. Two little kids in front of me, I am very impressed with the way they look. One girl is right in front of me as we make the last sharp turn back to the gravel. She grabs the fence post and swings herself around the turn most gracefully. I don't dare try. But I am able to turn it on and pass her. Scanning for Bill as I approach the finish. There he is, we make a good exchange and I am done....for a few minutes anyway. 10:19 or 6:53 pace.


Leg 2 - Gasping for air, but happy with my run I stagger around a bit. Not looking forward to the next leg but I have ten minutes or so to get back in control. I walk over to the far side of the loop and cheer on runners. Here comes Bill and I tell him to slow down so I have more time to rest. But he keeps plowing along and I need to get back to the exchange area.


Leg 3 - Runners are so spread out now and the exchange will be easy as I see Bill approaching with no one directly in front of him. I get the baton and head right out at too fast a pace. Legs feel a little jelly like and I see that I am at 6:05/mile pace, so I ease up a bit searching for a more reasonable tempo. The second time around is uneventful. No one close enough to chase down. My pace slows to 7:08/mile. The really fast guys are about to lap me but I am able to hand off to Bill before that happens.

Leg 4 - Recover, then watch the runners and wait for Bill. He comes in at the same pace as his first lap and we are both happy with our efforts. I really enjoyed seeing all the kids and adults of various abilities. Lots of families running together or as relay teams. Great community event that goes on my growing list of must do again races.

42:29

27th place of 102, 12th of 23 in the male/male relay division
187th race

****

2/14/10 Lost Dutchman Marathon

In October of last year I almost ran the Portland Marathon. I had the flu, but felt Ok that morning. I lined up at the start but with a minute to go, I got light headed and weak and decided to sit on the curb and watch 9,000 people run past me. The next week I was fine and while racing I met Maniac Mellisa from Arizona. I've never been to Arizona and she suggested the Lost Dutchman Marathon as the race that I would most enjoy. I made the plans and Jody and I looked forward to a Valentine's weekend getaway. My struggles with nagging mild injuries affected my training and I do not expect to run well, but I'll have fun at least.

Except that now I am sick again. No fever, but a sinus infection for sure. I have not slept well in three days and my appetite is reduced. We go for a day trip on the day before the race and I alternate between feeling OK and feeling weak and tired. Not sure if I should run at all.


4:30AM - wake up. Am I sick or just tired? There is often some pre-race jitters that can sort of make my head feel funny. It is tough to evaluate, but I know that I feel better than at Portland.


5:15AM - get on the bus. We are staying at the host hotel and the bus picks us up to take us to the start line. The hotel is on mile 8 of the course. I figure that if I do start feeling lousy I should be able get a ride back to the room. I decide to carry my cell phone just in case.


6AM - we arrive at the start line up a long dirt road, at a camping area. There are numerous small fires going to keep people warm. It looks really cool, but also smokey and I decide to stay warm in a bus that is here just for that purpose. This is a really well organized race with some thoughtful touches added. They treat the runners well here.


7AM - Sun is rising and it is time to run. As I walk toward the middle of the start area I pass by and get to say hello to four fellow northwest runners. Three of them ran a 31 mile trail race yesterday. I find as good a place as any to start and off we go.


Mile 1 - 9:00 and feeling good. Its crowded on the dirt road but will think out soon enough. I am in no hurry.


Mile 5 - Still on the downhill section and dirt road. I passed the most scenically located port-a-potty I have ever seen. Beautiful desert country. My overall pace is 8:48 and I feel terrific. I am so glad that my head cold is not affecting my running. I know that I am going faster than I should and that I will pay for it later, but I'll deal with than then.


Mile 7 - Now on the pavement. We are on a major highway but we have the shoulder and an entire lane to use. Running with some Maniacs from Minnesota. Pleasant time. Overall pace at 8:40. Hey that is my PR pace. I did have a very good long run at the Pigtails 50K three weeks ago and although that is done at a much slower pace, perhaps I will have good endurance and be able to keep this up. I will not let myself go any faster than this though.


Mile 8 - Running past my hotel, so happy that I feel good. Run with a first timer who hopes to break 4 hours. We are well ahead of that time and he goes on ahead of me. I pass a 14 year old with his mother. He ran the race last year and this year he is wearing Vibrams.


Mile 12 - Long uphill. Sun getting warm. I see a young woman sitting on the curb. She was a runner who must have had a nasty fall. Lots of blood and scrapes on her face, hands and knees. I stop to see if I can do anything. She says that a person on a bike had gone to the next aid station to get help and that she was OK. Other than serious scrapes she looked OK, so I continued on and was happy to see an ambulance arrive right away.


Mile 13.1 - Halfway there and at about 8:45 pace. Long downhill now. I take advantage of the hill and speed up some. Back to the highway for a short bit, then onto roads heading toward the finish line.


Mile 17 - Getting warmer and starting to tire. I shift to a lower gear and continue on.


Mile 18 - The wall. Surprised at how hard it hits. Usually I can trudge along at a slower pace for quite some miles, but this is early and really tough. I need to walk a bit.


Mile 19 - I am toasted. Out of energy. I am running with a guy who is doing his 196th marathon and I ask his advice, already knowing what he will say and what I will do. Should I grind it out, push as hard as I can and still maybe beat 4 hours, or just walk and shuffle it in, relaxing and enjoying the last hour as best I can? Of course I choose the latter. I am going to finish, I never expected to have a good race today anyway. I'm not going to enjoy having so many people pass me, but I can choose what attitude to have and today I choose to smile.


Mile 20 - Out and back section. I see Maniac Robert, then Maniac Mellisa both of whom ran the 31 miles yesterday. I yell to them that they will soon be passing me.


Mile 21 - Long uphill. I can't go more than half a mile without taking a long walk break.


Mile 22 - Leapfrogging with another tired soul.


Mile 23 - Robert passes me. Good for him.


Mile 24 - Big cardboard "wall" at the top of a hill. Just past it I see that first timer who had gotten far ahead of me. He is stopped and is stretching. I ask if he is OK and he says that he is cramping up and trying to stretch it out. I am also passing half marathon walkers so my own slow pace does not seem so bad.


Mile 25 - Another long straight sunny mile, this one uphill. Melissa finally catches me. I have absolutely no competitive spirit and I am happy that she is finishing in decent shape. After what seems like a super long last mile I make the turn toward the finish line. Jody is yelling for me and taking pictures. I am so out of energy I take a walk break with about a tenth of a mile to go, but soon get moving to the finish.


26.2 - Done. Beautiful course, great race but lousy run for me. I feel like a rookie going out too fast. It was hard to judge how much the head cold, then the heat would affect me and in the first half I started thinking that I would have a good run. It really blew up bad at mile 18 and there just was nothing I could do at that point. I'd like to come back and run this one again.


4:13:34

198th place of 471

186th race, 4oth marathon, 43rd marathon or ultra

****

2/7/10 Geoduck Gallup 10K

The Evergreen State College mascott is the geoduck, our big native clam. This race has a larger half marathon and has been put on for a few years now, however there is a new race director this year. Jody thinks that she is ready to PR in the 10K so I will run with her and try to run even 8:54 per mile to get her that best yet time. We arrive in plenty of time to register and see some friends. More and more people arrive and the sign up line keeps growing. Soon we hear that the race will be delayed by thirty minutes because of the larger than expected turn out. It would be nice to have a warm building to wait in, but we are gathered at the soccer fields away from the campus buildings. It is cool and foggy, great running weather.

The course is a bit of a mystery. I have been studying the map for some time and can not quite figure out exactly where we are going, with small loops and big loops and a different course at times for the longer race. We are going to have to trust that it will be well marked.

Start - Finally we head out. Shannon runs with us. After the GPS bounces around some the pace settles in and we are at 8:53/mile for a long time.

Mile 2 - Shannon is feeling good so she takes off faster. Mile marker is a little off. The GPS is reading a shorter distance than the mile marker, so that means that 8:53 is actually a little faster, if in fact the markers are correct. Course has long gentle uphills and downhills. Jody is fairly quiet, I am pleased with our steady pace

Mile 4 - Now the mile markers are considerably off. We are holding 8:53 by the watch, so either way we are in good shape. Runners are spread out, miles go by uneventfully.....

Mile 4.2 - ....until we see a long steep downhill. Down into the ravine we go. We are on roads that are open to traffic. Though there are not many vehicles, a truck is coming up up towards us and we have to watch for cars. We pick up the pace some on the downhill, but now there is a major uphill. Jody slows significantly. I tell her to pump her arms, shorten her stride, lift her knees...anything to keep her moving. We crest the hill and then there is a little more uphill. I am dismayed to see the average pace hit 9:01. She needs to pick it up but I do not know how to get her moving faster.

Mile 4.5 - The course has been well marked for us, with volunteers at most turns. Later I would learn that some half marathoners added a mile and a half to their route by missing a turn. Jody and I make the correct turn onto a paved path and continue on a flat route. I urge her to go more quickly but we only get the pace down to 9:00. I miss the marker for mile 5. After a while it looks like we are nearing the campus again. Even though I drive around on these roads from time to time, I am completely lost at this point. After a slight downhill and a turn I can see a parking area and what I think is the finish line. We are four minutes under her PR time, I know that we can reach that group of people, I just am not sure if that really is the finish. Yes it is!! I can relax. Jody can relax. She will cruise in to a two minute PR.

Finish - We cross the line together and she is thrilled with her time. GPS reads 5.96 and I am convinced that the course is short, but she still had a great run and would have set a best time even at the right distance. Accurate distance is my most important factor when judging a race. Not having a warm waiting area or enough restrooms and having to pay for food other than drinks after the race also take this race down a notch. Roads open to traffic and some folks taking wrong turns add more strikes. Funny that yesterday's race put on by a pre-school was better done that this race organized by a college. The published results have our times off and show Jody finishing 20 seconds ahead of me despite crossing the line together.

53:29

31st of 69

**

2/6/10 Friendship Run 5K

Fundraiser for the Westside Cooperative Preschool. I ran the inaugural race here in 2004 and came back in 2006, but have not been here since. Amazed to see how this little race has grown. Who are all these people? Most of my Olympia friends are at the training run for the May marathon, so it is just me and a couple of regular racers, and a whole lot of people that I do not know. $20 day of race entry fee with the no T-shirt option.

I am going to race again tomorrow and still getting over some nagging issues so I have vowed to take it real easy today. I'll start in the back and maybe put in a faster last mile if I feel like it. No concerns about finish time today, its just about enjoying the day and the event. Cool but no wind and blue skies. Great running weather.

The course has changed considerably. Apparently they have been changing it every year. We will start behind the school, then turn left onto a hitherto unknown section of the Maclane trail. Paved curvy path up and down a bit. Then we will climb up and over Mud Bay Road, a course change that makes the route much safer. No road crossings, however a few more hills on this course. Onto the old course/trail, then turn onto a quiet street before rejoining the trail. Back over the bridge, then head back the short way to the school.

Start - I find myself in about the middle. Lots of kids running and lots of real little kids in strollers. Lots of walkers too. This is a great race to finish with a good relative placing with so many casual runners, compared to Steilacoom where I am usually last in my age group. Off we go right on time, a smooth start considering the pack of kids up front.

Mile 0.5 - Picking my way through the crowd, but not in an anxious manner. Tough to pass on the narrow trail and it is slower going than I had intended. No worries, it will thin out soon enough.

Mile 1.5 - I have been going a little faster than I had planned and continue to pass people. Everything feels great and I pick up the pace even more.

Mile 2.5 - Definitely way faster that I had planned, but still in control and not red-lining. This is a fun way to run a 5K. Pick off a couple more people then up the little hill to the finish. About a minute and a half slower than my last 5K, but a most enjoyable time.

I grab my camera and jog around a bit to cool down and take some photos. So many runners still coming in. Later it is the awards ceremony where I am surprised to learn that I took second in my age group out of 14. The red ribbon is nice, but I am more pleased to win a $25 gift certificate to the local cinema. Great post race snacks, large indoor staging area, nice course. I hope to keep coming back to this one.

23:37

31st place of 296 runners and walkers

2nd of 14 in age group

race# 184, 5K#51, Friendship run#3

*****

1/23/10 Pigtails Lake Youngs 50K

9.6 mile loop trail around Lake Youngs in Maple Valley. The lake is part of the water supply for King County so it is closed to the public with a very long fence. As a rookie trail runner I like this as I know I will not get lost. Just stay on the trail next to the fence. To make the race 50K (31 miles) we will do three loops of the lake. Then we will start a 4th loop but turn back after 1.1 miles. I also like this because I will never be more than 5 miles from my car. I have been battling some Achilles tendinitis and if it flares up today, I would rather drop out of the race and not injure myself anymore. I rested a whole lot this week and I think everything is OK but I will monitor closely.

If my Achilles does well I will be happy with any finish time. A PR is always nice. I figure if I do each loop in 1hr 41 minutes that will give me thirty minutes to "run" the last 2.2 miles and get that personal best time. But seriously, just to be out there doing this is great. This is not a peak race. Its actually training for future marathons. I think a couple of 50Ks will make 26.2 seem more manageable. Contrary to the weather report it is drizzling and fairly wet. At the last moment I decide to wear my heavier rain jacket and hat. Van Pigtails Phan gives the shortest pre race announcements ever and we are off.

Loop 1 - 1:37:06

My loop times will be different than the officially reported times as I will reset my watch upon leaving the check in area each time. There is only one aid station and I will try to not linger there, but I will need to refill my fluid bottle and grab a few munchies. As we start I know that there will be a steep downhill right away on a somewhat narrow trail. We were given detailed instructions via email and the race web site. It is still somewhat dark at 7:30 so we pick our way down the hill carefully. There is a surprisingly large crowd with some runners only doing one or two loops. Lots of people that I do not know, but many friends to make this an enjoyable day. At the half mile mark my pace is about 12/mile which will not do at all. But soon the trail gets wider and I can pass a few people and find my stride. Soon I develop a plan for this course with its rolling hills. I will run the flat parts nice and easy, use gravity to speed up on the downhills and then walk up any steep uphills. Walk breaks are in the plan from the start. The major uphills are spaced about 2 miles apart and after a few miles of settling in and not feeling all that great, I start to feel very comfortable. Its still raining lightly though and I'll keep my jacket on for the next loop.

Loop 2 - 1:36:20

Still raining. Trail is a little muddier the second time around. Some leapfrogging with Ken Briggs. Then we run together for quite a while. Not talking, but it is nice to have him with me. I know that his finish times are about the same as mine (he is 15 years older than me) so it makes sense to be near him. We have the same strategy of running and then walking up each hill, so we

talk about that a bit. I know that I was ahead of pace after the first loop, but the second time around seems easier and I just do not feel like going that slow. I am sure it will hit me on the third time around. Rain might have stopped for a bit, but it is on again.

Loop 3 - 1:39:10

Start off strong and gradually pass a pack of guys. Then I am all alone. Not going as fast this loop but on the downhills I am able to hammer the overall pace down some. Finally at mile 24.5 my legs start to feel tired and I slow some. So happy that I made it this far without fatigue or pain. At mile 26 (I have my hat and hood on) I am at a narrow part of the trail and completely daydreaming/zoning out, and some runner politely says "on your left" so he can pass me. I was so startled I practically jumped off the trail. Back to reality and slogging out the miles. A couple of people have passed me and I have marveled at how muddy the backs of their legs are. It is still raining and the trail is getting muddier, but how did these people get mud all the way up their legs? Matt Hagen catches up to me and the last two miles of this loop go quickly with him.

2.2 mile out and back - 24:27

I arrive at the finish area to check in and see that the clock reads 4:52 I am ten minutes ahead of schedule and can run the last part in forty minutes and still PR. Matt and I make a quick turnaround and head out. At this moment I feel my left Achilles for the first time. Its a minor soreness and I will walk it in if it gets worse. Matt has tons of energy left and leaves me in the dust (mud actually). The downhill is so steep I can feel it now in my quads and my energy level is low. I had been able to eat and digest well today and I think that helped a lot. I am at mile 29, of course I am low on energy. The turnaround takes forever to arrive, but eventually the flour mark on the trail is seen and now I am going to the finish line. With one minor issue. In another eight tenths of a mile I will have to go up that steep hill that I had been going down at the start of each loop. What a difficult way to end a race. I can see the hill in the distance and it takes some time including short walk breaks to get there. Finally I am climbing up. It is steep but short. I am walking and at one point I think about stopping to rest a bit, as if I were out for a hike, but I keep moving and then cover the last bit of mud to the finish.

After finishing I go to the car to dry off and change my clothes. It is there that I notice the backs of my legs are caked with mud and I laugh. Later my Achilles is a little sore but not as bad as it had been. I get my camera and snap a couple of pictures near the finish, including that last hill. Not sure if I will race before 2/14, but today was a good effort and gets me that needed long run prior to that race.

5:17:03 PR by 16 minutes

results pending

3rd 50K, 42nd marathon or ultra

*****

1-9-10 Run for Faith 5K

First time event sponsored by the Lutheran church in Elma. Barb Johnson is the race director and I know her from many years of local runs. Fliers were posted at the running store so I hope for a good number of runners, but expect it will be small. I have been resting and tending to a tender Achilles heel this week. I had to abort a run on Monday after half a mile due to pain and then rested for two days. I eased back into running on Thursday and although the pain is gone, there is still a little ache in there. Today I opt for the 5K race instead of the 10K, so as to not overwork the heel. Jody, Bill and I make the 30 minute drive to Elma together and with a 10AM start I even get to sleep in a little. The weather is perfect. 46 degrees, dry and no wind. We find the church in plenty of time and get registered. $25 day of race includes a long sleeve T-shirt. I see some regulars and a couple of folks from the church who will walk the 5K but other than that it is a very small event. Bill and I do a mile warm up. I meet a newcomer to the area, moved here recently from Alabama. He looks fast and I am glad that he will run the 10K. As Barb is giving us directions she asks to see who is doing which race. There are only 4 in the 10K. About a dozen in the 5K. Other than the Lindberg twins and one unknown, I am sure I can beat everyone else in the field. Well Bill is here and I will have to work to beat him, but although he has been getting faster, I have confidence, as long as the Achilles does not nag.

Start - Out the parking lot and right onto Main Street. Bill and Joseph (Alabama) are in front and I am right behind. Eventually Erik Lindberg passes me and runs with Joseph, they pull away just too quickly to keep up.

Mile 0.5 - Onto the quiet back road, I catch Bill and run along with him.

Mile 1 - 7:07. Running with Bill. I feel good and know that I can not catch Erik so I settle into a comfortably hard pace. Through the school parking lot, through some gates, then right on Third Street.

Mile 1.5 - Bill had gotten ahead and I caught up to him. Now at the turn around he is ahead again. We are going back up and over the highway. I am feeling tired and if I let Bill get too far ahead, that would not be good. I put on some speed and get even with him. Nice to make that turn back onto the less used road. Out and back course, so I can see Jody and others.

Mile 2.0 - Nice flat section of good pavement. I decide to speed up and see if I can put Bill far enough behind me that he will not catch up. I can see Erik still far ahead, but the gap may be narrowing a bit. I find a new, faster gear, knowing that I will not be able to hold it for a long time. Intersection ahead. I blow through it and see a truck coming towards me. I wave at it trying to signal that another runner is behind me. The truck continues on and I know that I have put some space between us.

Mile 2.5 - Dog barks in yard. Silence for a few seconds. Dog barks again. I know how far back Bill is, without having to look. He is actually very close. I need to keep working hard. Right turn. I want to look back but I know that is a sign of weakness, plus what is the point? I know he is right there behind me. Up a little hill after the turn and I can feel the tiredness in my legs. I can feel the Achilles with every step but it is not painful. My stomach feels fine and breathing is OK considering. I am having a decent race, my finish time will not be outstanding, but maybe is better than expected.

Mile 2.8 - On Main Street heading toward the finish. I see Erik turn in for the win. I keep up the pace, all the while listening for Bill's footsteps. I can not hear him so I relax but finish strong.

Mile 3.1 - Done. Stop. Turn off my watch. Turn around and there is Bill. He has run a PR by 22 seconds and is thrilled. I'd like to think that my running with him and his having to chase me helped him run such a fast time. So I will take some credit for his time.

Now it is spectate and wait for the others. I congratulate Erik (58 years old) and then I realize that with only 4 runners in the 10K, if Jody comes in ahead of Ruhamma she will be the overall female winner. She is and gets a trophy. Lots of food at the awards ceremony. Barbara Olafson (in her 70s) is female winner of the 5K, and yes there were at least three other female participants. Very enjoyable race that I plan to do again. Next race, as long as the Achilles is OK, will be the Pigtails Lake Youngs 50K on January 23.

22:21

2nd of 11 runners and walkers

*****

1/1/2010 Steilacoom 5 Miles

My fifth consecutive New Years Day five mile race at Steilacoom. My 7th time doing this race. My ninth New Years Day race. Previous times here:

2000 - 37:00

2004 - 39:13

2006 - 37:32

2007 - 36:18

2008 - 35:33

2009 - 37:44

I have not done any fast running since November and have had minor recovery issues from my last race, so I really do not know how fast I can go today. Plus with the late night last night, this race is just difficult to predict. At least I made it to the start line and I feel good. It is windy and threatening to rain. I will go out at a 7:30/mile pace and try to hold that, unless I feel like I can go faster.

Start - Large crowd and I am farther back than I should be. Have to pick my way around some runners, but I take my time and gradually find my pace.

Mile 1 - Running with M1074, but she pulls ahead some and I let her go.

Mile 2 - Slowly gaining on M844, run with him a bit then pass him. He jokes that I am trying to get revenge for the Rainier Round Up of 5 years ago. That was really funny. But soon I am struggling to maintain pace and the negativity arrives.

Mile 3- It is very difficult to maintain a positive attitude. I am not getting passed, and I am holding pace, but it is very hard and not fun to do so. I have not raced this distance much lately and it has been a long time since I have had these feelings. I remind myself that this is part of red lining. I am right on the edge. I can ease back just a tiny bit and feel better, or pick it up and fall apart completely. It is a battle of breathe and legs and willpower and I play back and forth on either side of the edge. Hearing M844 just behind me compels me to work harder. Seeing my pace maintain, allows me to not stress or struggle as much.

Mile 3.5 - Gradually catch up to M726. We encourage each other as best we can and note how tough this distance is.

Mile 4.5 - Pass M726 and finish as strong as I can down the hill and onto the track. Very difficult going but I managed to pass a couple of people in the second half and not get passed at all myself. Try to speed up around the track and finish strong.

37:09

58th of 162 runners, 8 of 11 in age group

***