10/9/11 Victoria Marathon

I have been wanting to do this one for some years now.  Nice get away weekend with Jody.  Up early on Saturday to catch the Victoria Clipper from Seattle.  Arrive in Victoria by 11AM.  Relaxing way to travel and customs was a snap.  Only staying one night so we did not have much to carry.  Short walk anyway to the host hotel, the Fairmont Empress.  Expo was very crowded, but I won a raffle, a cool natural fiber bag from the Rain Coast Conservation Foundation.  Tried to hook up with Club Oly folks for dinner but most places were full, so we split up and Jody and I went to the Noodle Box which was more than sufficient.

Really good weather on race morning.  Cool and a little cloudy but the sun will come out later.  Very little wind.  8K started at 7:15 and goes in a different direction from the other races.  Half Marathon start at 7:30.  I watch the race go by at about the half mile mark.  Then I have plenty of time to get ready and be at the start line for the 8:45 Marathon start.  Strange that the full starts so late compared to the other races.  They have a 5 hour 30 minute cut off time and this is my only gripe about this race.  Those who will be slower than 5:30 must take the early start at 6:30 AM and if they finish faster than 5:30 their time will not count officially.  Jody should be in the 4:45 range but she has a head cold and will have a bad run today.  She will make it in at 5:12 and will be one of the very last runners of over 11,000 who compete today and will run alone for most of the race.  Checking results later I see that there were quite a number of early starters who did finish in the 5:10 to 5:20 range and I wish that Jody had had more company.  At least they had plenty of post race food and support along the course for all runners, and I suppose that the staggered starts keeps the finish area from getting too congested at any time.

Start - At 8:40 I am lined up with Maniac Guy and we are ready to roll.  Canadian National Anthem and then we are off right on time.  Course is marked in Kilometers but I have my GPS watch set to miles as usual.  I have decided to run the first half in 1:59, one minute slower that in Bellingham two weeks ago.  I fell apart there in the second half.  I do not know how much of that was due to the strong winds, but that poor second half hurt my confidence.  I also have this wonky ankle issue, not sure what will happen after some miles.  If all goes well I will run the second half faster than the first and get in under 4 hours.  I am not confident of the negative split, and I will be thrilled if it happens.  Absolutely not going for anything close to a PR until I have my confidence back and can run a few races without hitting the wall.

Kilometer 0.8 - Pass Jody, somehow she started ahead of me.  It is very crowded but moving along and will open up soon I hope.  Feel like I have to pee though, even though I went just before the start and I did not hyperhydrate.

Kilometer 3 - Having to pee is such a distraction.  I have been looking for alleys or bushes to use.  Finally I see the aid station and a row of SaniCans.  No line, I am in and out very quickly and can now think about other things.

Kilometer 4 - Female runner up ahead falls to the ground, I-Pod skitters on the road ahead.  She is up and running quickly and says that she is fine.

Kilometer 8 - Catch up to Deb and Heike from Olympia.  We run together through a park.  Loop and loop, I am confused about the course but just follow the crowd.  Sometimes have fast runners passing the other way, then the slower ones.  I feel like we did a circle within a circle and I have no idea how we got out of the loop but eventually we are back on the road.  My friends are planning to run a little slower so I go ahead but not too fast.

Kilometer 16 - Along the water and then through residential neighborhoods.  Constant up or down but nothing at all steep or long.  Bagpipe player in kilt adds a nice touch.  Back to the water.  Feeling good.  Good support at the aid stations and lots of friendly spectators, fellow runners and volunteers.  None of the runners seems too serious, it is a nice morning.  This is a long out and back section.  Some half marathoners (Michelle Barnes sighting), and early start marathoners coming toward me on the other side of the road.  Roads mostly closed to traffic, or with traffic patrol, I feel safe and free to concentrate on running.  Up and down but all of it gradual.  Lots of turns earlier, now a long but windy road along the water.  I am careful to run the tangents and that gives me something to concentrate on.  I can't believe how some runners take the long side of the curves and I wonder how much distance they are adding to their race.  Now the full marathon lead runner comes by.  He will go on the finish in 2:14. 

Kilometer 21 - The halfway mark is up ahead.  I can see the timing chip mat.  I have been good at my pacing and my watch reads 1:58.  I get closer and it still reads 1:58.  I start walking and just before hitting the mat I see my watch roll to 1:59.  Perfect.  Now I tell myself to not get carried away and go faster yet.  At Bellingham and at other races I have picked up the speed right after the halfway point.  Common folklore divides the race into two halves, mile 1-20 and 20-26.2.  I will keep going at this pace, maybe just a second or two per mile faster and keep holding back until at least mile 20.  Committed to running with discipline and restraint today. Ulrike sighting.

Kilometer 24 - Reach the turnaround, nice to be heading straight back to the finish with the race more than halfway done.  Pass Bob Dolphin (early starter).  Get to see Jody and others still heading out.

Kilometer 30 - Ankle bugs a little but not so bad.  Otherwise very comfortable.  I am in the mileage zone now where I could hit the wall.  Every step forward where I do not feel more tired is a blessing and gets me excited for a possible strong finish.  Starting to pass others who are slowing or who were early starters.

Kilometer 32 - Close to mile 20.  They do have mile markers every five miles.  I look ahead to that sign.  Soon I see it and I hit the lap button on the watch.  Now it is hold a nine minute mile and I will beat 4 hours.  Immediately turn a corner and there is an uphill.  I have to work to keep the pace under 9, but I am able to do so.  Now level and then downhill.  Ease into an average just under 8:50.  I decide to keep the speed slower than 8:45 as there is still a long way to go, but really try to stay under 9 if I can. 

Kilometer 36 - Back along the water.  Now a very long gradual uphill.  This is not part of the course that we ran out on, new territory for me.  Passing lots of people and in great spirits.  But I do wish that this hill will end soon.  It levels, twists out of sight, then goes up some more.  I remember from the elevation chart that a nice downhill begins around mile 24 and I just wish it would get here.  Start pouring water on my head at the aid stations, and drinking "GU Brew".  Between that drink and the Powerbar gels, of which I have had two, my stomach has done great with these new to me fuels.  Finally, the downhill.

Kilometer 40 - 2KM to go.  Try to rally some runners who are taking walk breaks.  I can sense the finish and although I can not go much faster, I am not slowing and I know that I will finish without any walk breaks.  Tell those around me that we will beat 4 hours easy, if we do not walk. 

Kilometer 41 - Level now and just a few turns to the finish.

Kilometer 41.2 - Marker says 1KM to go.  Not looking at the watch anymore, figure I will be done in 5 minutes or so.  Really enjoying the moment, but also would like to be done.

Kilometer 41.4 - Sign says 800M to go.  800 meters is twice around the track, that's easy.  One woman goes flying past me and I compliment her, but she says that she just hopped in and is pacing a friend.  The friend comes past, a bit slower.  Other than that, I have not been passed hardly at all in the last hour.

Kilometer 41.7 - Sign reads 500M to go.  Come on!!  That was way too long.  Well it is really almost over now.  More and more spectators, a turn or two and then the finish line up ahead.  Billy, Tammy and Rich cheering for me and cruise on in to the finish.  Very satisfied, thrilled and a little emotional.  Accomplished everything that I set out to do and had fun while doing it.

Final GPS reading = 26.34 miles

Awesome event that I hope to run again.

3:56:25

646th place of 1678 finishers

Race#251, Marathon or Ultra#72

9th time running a marathon in 3:56

*****

9-25-11 Bellingham Bay Marathon

This continues to be my favorite marathon. Not that I always run well here, but I can not blame the RD for that.  Everything about this race is well done.  Some complained about the new $5 charge for day of race packet pick up, but with almost 3,000 participants they need to encourage folks to get their number the day before.  At least day of race pick up is still an option.  We are staying with Jody' parents and she is running the half marathon. My only complaint this year occurred at the Expo the day before the race.  A large projection on the wall was showing a video tour of the race.  I overheard two people who were watching comment on how we will be on the trail and have to run up the super steep California Street hill.  "Oh no", I had to correct them, "They are showing the video from last year. This is the Bellingham Bay Marathon where the course is radically changed every year"  I will miss the long dirt trail part and maybe even the big hill, but the fifth edition of the course, for the fifth running of this event, is really great.  Flatter and faster, though that does not concern me so much, but still very scenic.  About seven miles along the bay, ten miles of rural roads and farmland with a short out and back, then a merge with the large group of half marathoners who will be at their mile four, through residential streets and some park trails, down to the waterfront and back to the downtown finish.

Start - Loud wind gusts kept me up last night.  At 5:45AM as I boarded the shuttle bus it was raining pretty hard.  So although it is warm in the 60s, I will bring my Maniac jacket and a large trash bag to wear as a rain coat if needed.  The rain stops by 7AM but the wind persists. So nice to have the indoor area at the Lummi Reservation.  Warm welcome with drumming from the Lummi's is so cool, just like last year.  Great to see many Marathon Maniac friends.  Eventually we head out to the start line and the race starts right on time.

Mile 0.25 - Downhill but into the fierce wind.  A hat comes right off a woman in front of me and the wind is so strong that the hat just smashes into my chest and stays there.  I am able to hand it back to the runner.

Mile 0.5 - Left turn and now running along the bay.  Gulls in the air are facing us and making no progress as they hover in the wind.  Gusty wind is mostly slanted toward us but generally at our backs.  Feels great.  I settle in and make myself not go out too fast.  I really want to run a negative split and I will not try to PR.  Hope to run the first half in 1:58 and then go faster after that.

 Mile 8 - Rain is holding off, jacket is tied around my waist.  Away from the water now.  Feeling good.  In fact I need to rank my feelings on a scale of 1-10 and I give it an 8.  The sticker on my bib identifies me as a subject in a psychology research project.  A professor at WWU is collecting data on marathon runners and I thought it would be fun to participate.  I will learn the actual focus of the project later for now I am just to answer some questions.  I filled out an online survey a week before the race and I will fill out another survey later today. At three points in the race someone will run along side me and ask me three questions that I will answer on a score of 1-10.  How good do I feel?  How bad do I feel? How likely am I to run another marathon?  The last question may skew the results and there are a couple of other Maniacs doing the survey too.  I am already registered for six future marathons, so I will answer that with a 10 each time.  At mile 8 I feel good at an 8, and feel bad at a 2.  I think that I may have answered 7 for feeling good but I had just passed through an aid station.  Each aid station is staffed with these amazing kids who are so supportive and fun.  They give me a boost every time and are one of the things that I love about this race.  It truly stands out from other races.

Mile 10 - new section of course and I like it.  Very Skagity if you know what I mean.  Flat farmland.  But now we are turning into the wind.

Mile 11 - Strong wind in my face and a long straightaway.

Mile 12 - Short out and back section.  Grandma Lee sighting, she is going really fast. 

Mile 13.1 - Hit the mark just under 1:58, right where I want to be.  Now I will pick up the pace just a little.  Go about ten seconds per mile faster than I had been, nothing to dramatic.  But it is another long straight shot right into the wind.

Mile 15 - Near the edge of the road with a steep ditch.  Blast of wind knocks me closer to the edge and I have to twist my leg a little to keep from falling down the embankment.  A minute later the wind actually almost blows a contact lens out of my eye.  I get it back in place OK though.  Now my right ankle which has been giving me some trouble for a few weeks starts to flare up.  Discomfort bordering on mild pain off and on.    At this slightly faster pace I am passing some runners.  Very gradually picking them off and wondering if they will catch back up if/when I slow later on.

Mile 16 - Feel good=5, feel bad = 5, will race again = 10.

Mile 17 - Merge with the halfers.  Wonder if I will see Jody.  But they are going just a little faster than me.  Now I am swallowed up in a much larger race with almost 1,800 participants, compared to 443 in the full who are all spread out at this point.  As I am passed, if I care, I can look to the bib color and see what race the person is in, mostly it will be halfers though.

Mile 20 - Some stomach issues/nausea off and on.  Ankle a little worse and now I am just getting tired.  Pace is slowing.

Mile 22 - Really slowing now and it is just too difficult to keep going at any pace.  Disappointing.  I find a slower groove and stay with that along with some walk breaks, especially when the ankle hurts.  Major shift in focus now, from pacing and trying to have the fastest result, to just keeping up a happy spirit.  More jokes with the spectators and volunteers.

Mile 23 - Along the water and really into the wind again.  On the boardwalk over the water and the wind is so strong it almost stops us a couple of times.  Now up the hill and I am running but so slowly that I get passed by a walker.  Funny.

Mile 24 - Good =1, bad = 9, will I race again = 10.  I must love suffering.

Mile 25 - Tracy Marshall passes me with a smile.  I catch up to Maniac Christopher who I was with at the very start of the race.  He had passed me a while back but now we are struggling along at the same pace.  I decide to just stick with him and we run the final half mile together.

Mile 26.2 - Done.  Horrible second half but I take some solace when I check results and split times and see that many runners who finished around my time also had very bad second halfs.  Still a great race that I will come back to next year.


4:09:44
161 of 443
Race#250, Marathon or Ultra#71, Bellingham Bay Marathon#5
*****

9/17/11 Tumwater High School Commemorative 5K Race

Part of the 50th anniversary celebration of Tumwater High School.  Race put on by coach Rich Brown and Club Oly.  $15 preregistered with my Club Oly discount.  Cotton T-Shirt.  Flat course on the streets, finishing on the track.  Unfortunately we have a fairly heavy rain coming down. It is a little breezy and feels cold.  It is a short race so I am in my shorts and singlet.Get in almost two miles of warm up and my legs feel ready, but my right hand is slightly numb. 
Small event.  The entire cross country team and the girl's volleyball team is running so it seems like mostly kids.  Hey now there is a surprise; my new arch nemesis is here!  In my previous two races Mark and I finished with no runners between us.  He beat me by a few seconds at the Run Like a Dog 5K and I beat him by a few steps at the Narrows 10 miler.  Nice that we get to talk a bit before the race.
Start - Just a few minutes late.  I would like to get going with this cold rain.  We are off soon enough.  Big group of High School runners charges forth.  I get boxed in a little but am not concerned, there will be plenty of time to sort out.
Mile 1 - 6:46.  Feeling great and am even with Mark.  But now it gets tougher and I slow some.  He gradually pulls away and soon I doubt that I will catch back up to him.  Turned into the wind, dodging some puddles and just not feeling my best.  I did run 57 miles last week which is a lot for me.  I have PRd at the half and 10 miles recently but it looks like that is not going to translate into a faster 5K time.  Losing steam but grinding along.
Mile 2 - 7:04 average pace.  Catch a HS runner who is barely breathing hard at all.  I mention that he does not seem to be working as hard as me and he says that Coach told them to take this as a tempo run, but most of his team seems to be racing it.  Now Mark is directly in front of me and it looks like he is not gaining any more distance.  It is early but I decide to really push it now and see if I can catch him.  I gain some ground but not enough. 
Mile 3.1 - For the third race in a row we will come in directly after one another.  Turn on to the track finish and sprint as best I can.  I managed to run the third mile faster than the second but my finish time is a little disappointing.  GPS reads 3.1.  Watch some finishers then jog a little with Tammy.  Raffles (but I do not win) and medals to the top in each age group.  I am second in my age group, behind Mark.  We do not know when we will face off again but I look forward to that day when it comes.  Thanks Rich, Erin, Billy, Shannon, Sabrina, Terra and others for putting this event on.  If only it had not been raining and if I could have run just a little faster, I would have enjoyed it even more.


21:54
13th of ??
Race #249, 5K#64
***

9/3/11 Over The Narrows 10 Miler

Second annual event and my second time here. Last year I missed a PR by two seconds on this tough hilly course. My PR from 1997 stands at 1:16:20 and this will be my eighth time racing this distance. Feeling good and confident that if i have a good day I can beat that PR time. I know for sure that I could beat it on a flat course, but this is anything but flat. Very well organized and inexpensive event. This year they have us parking in a lot on the other side of the street and we have to walk about a quarter mile to packet pick up. Bright sunny day, I have plenty of time and it is not warm yet so the walking is no problem.

Start - Lots of people here. I find my running pals and line up near the front. Chip timed but no mat at the start, only at the finish. We start right on time and go screaming out of the parking lot. Now the one mile downhill. Going about 7:15/mile, hoping to bank some time for the return trip up. The road is open to traffic so we are given a narrow lane marked by cones on the edge of the road. Have to watch for bumps in the pavement. In the shade the sunglasses come off to see better, but there will be a lot of open sun where I will be glad that I have them.

Mile 2 - Turn and a steep uphill. I forgot about this part from last year. Now level and then downhill and on to the Narrows Bridge with its long downhill on this side

Mile 3.5 - One of those wonderful moments that I capture in my mind. Running strong with the Rogue Wave, amazing scenery. Way above the Puget Sound with a large boat going under the bridge. On shore there is a train winding down the tracks. Blue below and above, green trees on the hillside ahead. It is just so awesome to be here now and to be running strong and fast.

Mile 4 - And just like that every thing falls apart with the change in incline. Now it is real work to get up the far side of this bridge. The Rogue Wave glides up these hills so easy but I can not keep up. Working very hard now, I see Ginger heading back downhill very intent on her own race. Finally to the top and the turn around. We are not quite at 5 miles yet and this year we are turning around before crossing the road, I hope that the course has been adjusted to be an accurate ten miles.

Mile 5.5 - Sure was easier coming back down. Marthino and Kimpossible sightings. Now on the flat part of the bridge and well below PR pace. Get my rhythm back. I sense someone catching up to me. Now I feel someone grab the back of my singlet and tug on it a little. Ah, Maniac Pedro. I had expected to see him here. Running a smart race, he says hi and then goes on ahead. Now I am mostly alone. I can see runners ahead of me but we are mostly all spread out. Last week at the 5K race I ran side by side with a guy for the last two miles and it helped me keep up the pace. Looks like today it will be a solo effort on the uphills and I really do not know if I will get that PR.

Mile 6 - Now begins the crazy uphills. Steep up off the water. We should turn here, where we came on to the bridge, but no the volunteer has us going on straight. This is the course change to keep it an accurate distance. But it makes us go up and even steeper hill. I can see a guy in a green shirt up ahead and he is taking a walk break this hill is so steep. Maybe I will catch him, but no he starts running again. Brutal hill, finally a turn onto some flat.

Mile 7 - Bob Martin passes me. Now the steep downhill and my right foot is not happy. I have had a nagging issue in there for some time now. I think that the slapping downhills are not helpful for it. Well, soon enough I will be going back up.

Mile 8 - Turn and now it is flat and gradual uphill. I can not do the math very well to know if I will PR. Stop looking at the watch and just work hard.

Mile 9 - OK, reset the watch and realize that if I can get up this hill, this last mile in 8:11 I will match my best ever time. I am very unsure if I can do it, but know I will try my best. It is tough but not as brutal as I expected. My form is holding well and I attribute that to recent core strengthening work I have been doing. I am not going blazing fast, but I am not falling apart either.

Mile 9.5 - Guy with the green shirt is walking a little again and I am able to catch him. Just as I am even with him I realize that it is the same guy that I ran with, who beat me by one second, last week!! I really am focused on that PR so I blaze on and now I have the fear that he will catch me to keep me moving as fast as I can.

Mile 9.75 - Hear the finish line announcer say that Bob Martin has come in. I must be close as I crest the hill and enter the parking lot. Give it my all. Then ease up knowing I will get that PR. But now I can see the clock still in the 1:15:50s and I sprint hard to get in before it gets to 1:16:00. Awesome feeling to run so well. GPS read 10.04 miles. Run Like a Dog guy is only seconds behind me and he congratulates me. I want to talk with him, but Tony wants to take my picture (thanks for the photos today), and I can not find him after that. Its always fun to race with someone who is right about my level and recently I have a couple of people who are right with me.

I have time today to stay around for food and awards. I can definitely see myself coming back for this race every year.

1:15:56 PR

41st of 356 5th of 24 in age group

Race#248, Ten Miler#8

*****

8/27/11 Run Like a Dog 5K

Nice day for a local 5K that is run about five miles from my house. I contemplate running to the race and running home, but decide that I do not need so many miles. I am ahead of my mileage goal for August already and still a litle worn out from the 12 hour race that was two weeks ago. $25 day of race entry fee gets me a cool looking cotton T-shirt and a bag full of items for the dog. I could have also gotten a T-shirt for my dog, but opted out of that. I left the old dog at home today, since I would like to run faster than he can handle these days. It is partly cloudy and after a mile and half warm up I am sweating, but it is not very hot.

Start - My third time here and each time I have the same worry about the crowded start line and the large number of dogs. We run in the parking lot, make a very quick turn and then it narrows onto the paved Chehalis Western trail. It could be a tangle of leashes and mayhem if we are not all careful. I start near the front. It is very crowded but we negotiate the first couple of hundred feet and make it to the trail OK.

Mile 0.5 - Places are sorting out. I am passing people and being passed. Now only one dog in front of me. One guy blocks me in as I try to pass on the inside curve of the trail. Frustrating, I have to go around him the other way. Two people on bikes are trying to come the other way on the trail. Not a good time for that, but I get past them OK.

Mile 1 - 6:40. Much faster than I wanted to go. Now all I can do is see if I can hold it together. Turn onto the road and one guy tries to pass me. I stay with him and we run side by side.

Mile 2 - Still running with the guy. Every once in a while one of us gets a few steps ahead, but then the other of us catches up. Plenty of open room to run now. Its great to have someone right with me, I am sure that I would not be going as fast without the competition.

Mile 2.5 - Back onto the trail on this lollipop course. Some dog walkers still heading out and I have to watch for the dogs that are on long leashes. I am still well under 7/mile pace and still with the guy. I do not care if he beats me, I am happy enough with my own time. I will not beat my time here from 2 years ago, but it might be close. Up a little hill and he gets a few steps ahead of me for good. But no one else passes me at any point after the first mile.

Mile 3.1 - I turn it on for a good sprint to the finish. I feel like the race went very well, but I could have done better. Not at my best today, but fairly close. GPS reads 3.04 as does Marhtino's. Fun to run with him and see other friends there. I stay for the awards and raffles but do not win anything. I really like how so many non racers and casual runners come out for this with their dogs for a fun morning. The proceeds benefit the Humane Society which is a plus too.




21:03
21st place of 348 runners and walkers
Race# 247, 5K #62, Run Like a Dog #3
****

8/14/11 Transcendence 12 hour

Second annual event and my second time here. Since I ran my first 50 miler in March, my goal today is to go at least 51 miles and also beat my time from then (9:44). If that goes well I hope to continue at an easy pace and go for at least 11 hours, making the most of the event. Last year I quit at 33.5 miles (6:22) mostly because of the intense heat. Today it will be much cooler and very nice for running.

Start to 26.2 miles - You would think that with such a long race there would be much to write about. But this course is so dull, 1.52 miles per loop around Capitol Lake, every loop blends into each other. I go a little faster than I should but also am not wasting time at the aid stations. I try to stop for water after every two laps, then have food and some other liquids on every 4th lap, being careful not to linger. Planned walk breaks after each loop give my legs a rest and a chance to digest some. I reach the marathon mark in about 4:20. Faster than planned and I am feeling good.

Mile 26.2 to 31.1 (50K) - I need to have goals within the larger goal in order to stay motivated and on task. I soon realize that if I can keep up this pace I could set a PR for the 50K distance. My PR is 5:09. I start watching the clock more closely. Then it becomes something of a challenge. I pick it up and start telling people what I am trying to do. At about 30.5 I catch up to a woman who wants to help me and she starts pacing me to go quicker. Soon I realize that she is not in the ultra race, she is just running a few laps around the lake as it is open to the public. Now we are going at about 8:30/mile pace, way faster than I should go, but I hit my mark in 5:07. Not an official PR and my GPS is off from the official race distance, so I won't count it for my records but it was a fun challenge. Now I can slow down and start thinking about 50 miles.

Mile 31.1 to 50 - This is way too long of a distance to have as a leg of this race. I have a couple of rewards planned for reaching milestones. I told myself that after 6 hours I would grab my music player and use that diversion. I also have my camera and plan to run one loop with it. But I do neither. I don't feel like taking the time to do those things. Still trying to go fast through the aid stations. I do have some fun with food. For one lap I grab 4 grapes and eat one at each quarter of the loop. I also break into my Starbucks cold frappachino drink and experiment with that. Stomach handles it well and it sure hits the spot. In the end though it was the fellow runners who made this section more than tolerable. Running mostly alone, but I keep catching up to someone taking a walk break and I can walk with them for a stretch. Or someone catches me and we run together for a bit. Rose, Esther, Guy, Monte, Marie and pack, Marilou, Robert, Cyndie, Mike and others. Jody has stopped by twice and it was great to look forward to seeing her on the back side of the course. My energy level is good, but unfortunately I am getting some pains up and down my right leg. If I walk it goes away. I am able to run farther on the gravel path than the concrete but with both surfaces I eventually get some pain and go to a walk for a while. I have plenty of time to reach my goals so I am in no rush, I for sure do not want to injure myself. I adjusted my GPS to match the official distance and now I close in on 50 miles. The Rogue Wave catches up to me and it is fitting that she is there when I hit 50 miles and cross into new mileage territory. I hit the 50 mile mark in 9:32.

Mile 50 to 57.9 - Now I have 2.5 hours to just keep moving and add to my distance record. The pain comes more often and I am walking a lot. At the 10 hour mark the leader board is updated and I am pleased to see that I am in 10th place overall. 4th Masters runner but I will not be able to catch my buddy Ron who is two laps ahead of me. The posting does not say who has stopped running, so I need to keep going. There is quite a battle for the woman's first place. I know all three women who are close to being in the lead and as I see them I encourage each of them. Jesse and Matt continue to lap me and Jesse will end up with over 80 miles! I am doing loops in about 25 minutes now, being passed by a lot of people. I decide to not start any lap after 11:30 and when I reach the check in at 11:20 I know that I will do one more lap. 3/4 of the way through, Jill Hudson blazes past me and I wonder if I just lost 10th place. It turns out that she was still one lap behind me. Also three guys who I do not know had passed me since the 10 hour mark so really I am in 13th place. Now Kimpossible passes me and again I wonder if she is on the same lap. I do not want her to beat me, so I start running faster. I work very hard and am surprised at how fast and long I can keep running. Reach the finish in 11:42. Kimpossible was one lap behind me and now she sets off to do one more. If she can not get in under 12:00 that lap will not count. It is close but she makes it. Exciting finish. Finally I sit down, for the first time since 6AM. I am able to get out of my chair when I need to but I do not feel so good. Its going to be a rough recovery but I think I will be fine in a few days. I totalled 72.9 miles in the last 7 days and that is a new record for me.

Although the course is boring and the lake is disgusting (they really need to make a decision and either dredge it or revert it to an estuary) I prefer this kind of ultra. I can't get lost, probably wont fall and don't have to carry anything as I reach the aid station and my stash of goods every 1.5 miles. The loops let me see lots of friends. Plenty of volunteers and accurate results posted in a timely fashion. Hope to come back again next year.

57.9 miles (38 laps)
11 hours 42 minutes 23 seconds
13th place of 74
Race #246 Marathon or Ultra #70 Transcendence 12 hour #2
*****

8/6/11 Tacoma Narrows Half Marathon

My best half marathon time was here, three years ago (1:40:23). I missed the race in 2009 but ran a 1:41:44 here last year. A good half for me is anything under 1:43. I think that I am in decent shape for this year. My 1:42 at the tough Chelan course and my PR at the Sound to Narrows in June has given me enough confidence to at least try to go for a sub 1:40 and PR today. Its funny how a 1:39 sounds so much better than 1:40. Its like buying something for $3.99 thinking that is so much cheaper than $4.00. It has been 15 years since I started running halfs in the 1:40s and anything under that is always what the fast people do. To have just one finish under 1:40 in my running career would mean a lot, at least to me. I feel great, the weather is perfect, I know the course, there will even be two runners pacing 1:40. I will stick to the pacers and see if it is to be my day.

Start - Getting to the start is a snap. I have plenty of time to greet friends, be in a group photo with the Marathon Maniacs and do a very short warm up. Now lined up with Bullseye Bob one of the 1:40 pacers and ready to follow him all the way from Gig Harbor to Tacoma. Just before the start I see Maniac Ginger. We give each other the evil eye. Then we are off so fast. I do not see Ginger ahead of me, nor do I see her at the out and back at the half mile mark. So I assume that she is behind me, and throughout the race I think about that and expect her to breeze past me. But no, she is ahead and running a great race. If she is having a good day at all, I have no chance of catching her and today will be one of those days.

Mile 2 - The pace seems so fast. We need to average 7:39/mile but here we are going at 7:25. It is somewhat downhill with uphills to come. I will trust my pacers.

Mile 3 - On the Narrows Bridge going downhill. Amazing views. I am running comfortably hard and I have Bullseye Bob on my left, the Rogue Wave on my right and another friend, Paul H with me too. I love this moment. Paul spits out over the bridge and I feel like that is something I should do too, so I do. I can not be too chatty at this pace, but I am able to talk a little and stay relaxed. So far so good.

Mile 4 - Now the part of the course that I fear. The long uphill side of the bridge and more up after that. RW says that it is not as bad as it looks from here, and I know that I have done this before, its just where things get tough. Pacer Bullseye Bob starts to drop back and the other pacer MM1694 (Brad) who I have not met before is holding the same pace up this hill. Should I stay with Bob? He had said that we would ease up on the hill and make the time up later. He also is just getting better from having the flu and I think that he asked for a second pacer just in case he did not have the energy to run so fast today. I end up sort of splitting the difference. I just can not keep up with Brad or the Rogue Wave on this uphill, but I also leave Bob behind somewhere. I will not look back to see where he is. Paul is also behind now, but will finish right after me.

Mile 5.5 - Through the neighborhood with its turns and ups and downs. Seems like every little uphill I lose ground on pacer Brad and RW but reel them back in on the flats or downhills. This is a little frustrating because one thing I have been working on in training is hill repeats. Guess that I need to work them even harder. I claw my way back to them. Now with most of the uphills done the running gets easier and we are at 7:33 average pace, ahead of schedule. We are back on the paved trail along Highway 16, same route as the Tacoma Marathon. Feeling good.

Mile 6.5 - Our 1:40 pace group has fallen apart. RW is ahead. A couple others are hanging in off and on. I have been side by side with Brad for a while. I could go faster, but it is way too early to do that. Brad has to use the port-a-potty. I offer to hold the 1:40 sign and keep running as he goes and promises to catch up to me. How exciting! I am now the pacer. I feel a little surge of energy but vow to hold the pace at the 7:33 we have been running. I do catch up to the Rogue Wave and tap her with the sign just to freak her out and show her that I am now in charge. We remember that she had a similar experience at the Tacoma Marathon one year.

Mile 7 - I am glad to pass the sign back to Brad and let him keep track of pacing. RW must be feeling good, she is forging ahead and will leave us in the dust going on to her own PR. I think about trying to keep with her but decide that the PR and the sub 1:40 are my primary goals and that staying with Brad is the smart thing to do.

Mile 8 - Off the paved trail. Around and then into Cheney Stadium. Run around the warning track of this Minor League baseball stadium. See ourselves on the Jumbotron. I love this course. Exit, through the parking lot and back to the paved trail.

Mile 10 - Very steady 7:33 pace the whole way so far. A few small uphill sections and I feel like I am starting to struggle. Now the watch says 7:34 average. Focus on the Target Store logo in the distance. Encouraging words from Brad about how it is only a 5K to go. How fast can I run a 5K? 21:30 on a good day. "Well you only need to run a 24 something to reach your goal time" he says. He also says that I should pick myself up and get moving like Scott Jurek at Badwater.

Mile 10.5 - I hate this little hill out of the trail and onto the road. Steep little bugger. Brad is a little ahead, I just can not keep up. I am next to a woman who has been with me off and on for a long while. I say that we need to pump our arms to get up this thing. I often forget to do that. It really makes a difference. We both pump our way to the top. the whole hill is like 50 feet, but it is always so epic. Because now it is flat and then a huge downhill.

Mile 11 - Make the turn to the downhill and fly down the steep. I have also been off and on with a guy with a green shirt. We joke about how bad this must be for our bodies to go pounding down like this. Soon it is over and now it is flat and gentle downhill the rest of the way.

Mile 12 - Pacer Brad says that we did the last mile in 7:25. I still am not convinced that I will PR. I feel like I could fall apart at any moment and I am afraid to push harder.

Mile 12.5 - Now I know that I will make it. What a terrific feeling.

Mile 12.8 - Brad says that it is time to sprint but I don't. I am afraid that I won't be able to.

Mile 13- Now I go for it and I am surprised at how much speed I still have in me. I should have gone faster earlier and I fly into the finish area. So thrilled to see 1:38 on my watch and know that I could have been even a little faster if I had picked it up earlier.

Mile 13.1 - Fist pumping and just so happy. This is the same finish line as the Tacoma Marathon where I missed a PR by one second back in May. Those last miles had been torture, I cursed at the finish line and then barfed a minute later. Today it is all smiles and feeling great. I get a hat for being one of the top 100 finishers. Recover, check results at the computer station, have a slice of pizza and watch finishers come in. Whatever happens in my running career I will always have this sub 1:40 half. Now if only I could get ino the 1:20s where the fast runners are.....

Next race is the Transcendence 12 hour ultra on 8/14. I will be running a whole lot slower on that day, but hopefully getting a mileage record.

1:38:37 PR

76th place of 826

Race #245 Half Marathon#23

*****