7/20/13 Lakefair Half Marathon

Second year in a row with this dilemma of having two great races within six days of each other.  I gave it my all at the Tunnel Marathon on Sunday, so there is no way that I can be fast today.  Last year I did run this race hard on tired legs and it was not great fun.  I will take it easy today and just enjoy the event.  I will go sub 2 hours, but not sub 1:50.  1:58 sounds good to me.  Jared bailed at the last minute but Tammy is here and she has the same time goal.  It will be fun to run with her.  We have a long history.  In fact I coached her a little for her first race which was so long ago that she wore a cassette walkman while running it.

It is 7AM and cool and grey with no wind.  The clouds will burn off later, but not until after the race.  Ideal running conditions.  I have not run a half marathon since this race last year.

Start - I find Tammy just before the start and we cross the start line together.  Gradual uphill with turns to get things going.  Crowded but we are at a good pace.

Mile 2 - On the Eastside paved trail.  First water stop is overwhelmed, but I get a cup without much wait.  The trail is just a little narrow for this race.  It can hold 4 across and there are a lot of runners at this pace.  We work our way around some, and others pass us.  It is nicer when we have some room in front of us.

Mile 3 - Steady 8:50 per mile pace.  It is a little faster than I had planned.  Tammy is feeling good and I convince her to relax and hold back for now.  I assume that she will be able to beat 2 hours but that it could be a struggle.

Mile 5 - Now on the Chehalis Western Trail where I run often.  Very familiar territory and a gradual downhill.  Dawn Schuler sighting.

Mile 7 - Feeling hungry right when Tammy offers me a small cookie.  My legs feel tired and tight off and on. We are still holding an even pace.  We are on a long straight section of country road, maybe 36th street. I hear a small "ping" sound on the ground behind us.  It only registers in my brain because a runner 20 feet back yells up to us that Tammy had dropped a key.  She had her car key in her pocket and it had fallen out.  We never would have known or been able to find it, had the runner not seen it and picked it up fer her.  Tammy secures the key in the zipper pocket of her hand held water bottle and we continue on pace.

Mile 9.5 - Volunteer Bill is there and Kari snaps this photo of Tammy and I

Mile 10 - Llama sighting.  Steepest uphill of the course.  Tammy is struggling and I am worried that she is hitting the wall.  I am prepared to stay with her until my two hour finish is threatened, but she toughs it out and tops the hill.  Now she is running well again.

Mile 11 - Through Priest Point Park and then a gentle downhill on Eastbay drive.  Picking up the pace, we are at 8:49 and running well.

Mile 12 - Tammy says that I could go on ahead.  I had thought about running the last mile as fast as possible, but there are only a few people ahead of us that I think I could catch and I really do not want to injure myself just to take a minute or two off my time.  I will stay with Tammy to the end.  Club Oly is staffing the mile 12 aid station and Tammy drops her water bottle there, for a friend to return later in the week.  Neither of us remember that her car key is in the pouch with the bottle until after the race finish.

Mile 12.5 - Pass Judy Fisher

Mile 13.1 - 13.05 on the GPS.  Being the gentleman, I let Tammy cross ahead of me.  We ran very even splits the whole way.  The sprint to the finish gave us a slightly negative split.  I drive Tammy back to mile 12 to pick up her key.

Nice wooden medal again this year.  Rogue Race Timing has laptops set up so I can check my chip timed results right away.

I am thinking that I might skip the Tunnel Marathon next year and try to be fast at this half.  But I love the Tunnel.  I have time to decide. Next race is August 11, my 100th marathon.


1:54:49
129th of 375
Race# 298, Lakefair Half #2
*****

7/14/13 The Light at the End of the Tunnel Marathon

A marathon on my birthday!  Bib #47 to honor the event.  My 4th time at this race.  Up at 4AM.  Park the car in North Bend at 5:45AM.  On the bus and at the start line by 6:30AM.  Ninety minutes to chat with friends and try to stay warm.  Finally the sun peeks out from over the mountain and it starts to warm up.  It is going to be another bright sunny and warm day.  Seems like I am on a streak of warm sunny weather for my races lately.  Maniac Monte's 300th marathon.  My 99th.

Start - Packed in thick but the short out and back sorts us out well.  Into the tunnel.  Going in I see and inscription with the dates 1912-1914.  Is this tunnel really 100 years old?

Mile 1 - Lost GPS signal and it is dark.  Mile marker of chalk with glow sticks.  Seems wetter than previous years.  The ground is mostly dry, but I get splattered on a couple of times by something dripping from above.  Now I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.  Mostly looking at the ground but once when I look up, it appears that a runner is coming toward me.  Just as I am about to get out of the way, I realize that he is going in the same direction as me, the light at the end of the tunnel made it look like a head lamp and something about his stride made me think he was about to run into me.

Mile 2.2 - Almost out of the tunnel.  I take a look back as the RD had suggested and it is a very cool sight to see all the lights.  Now out of the tunnel and a kind volunteer helps me with my drop bag as the long sleeves come off and I store the knuckle lights.

Mile 3.0 - GPS has snapped into place and I am on 8:55 pace.  Gentle downhill now for many miles.  I get a little faster and am feeling good.

Mile 8 - Average pace is now 8:45 and I won't let it get any faster than that.I am going to try to run sub 4 hours today and that puts me well into that range and perhaps too fast.  It has been one year since I last went sub 4 and it was at this race.  The great news is that I have no injuries, everything has felt fine for a while now.  I may not have the training in, but I will go for it and see what happens.

Mile 15 - Getting warmer out.  Warm breeze swirling around at times.  Funny in this race with so many people I know, I end up running mostly alone or with strangers.  Nice folks though.  Focus on the running, try to not get caught up in the amazing scenery.  I appreciate the gift of being able to run up here.

Mile 20 - 8:50 overall pace and hoping it can continue, but I am just starting to stiffen up and tire some.  Warm.

Mile 21 - The one turn on the course and all of a sudden I am out of energy.  Oh so hard to keep going.  Run becomes a shuffle with walk breaks.

Mile 22 - 4 hour finish slips away.  Lots of people passing me.  Hot and tired.  Pass a woman who is staggering but says that she is OK.

Mile 23 - Maniac S passes me and will go on to beat me by 8 minutes.  What a strong finish for her.

Mile 24 - I am going to have to step it up if I want to beat my 4:09 from my last marathon.  I get in behind a guy and follow on his heels as he is running at a nice pace.  I expect this to last about a quarter mile, but I get into a groove and actually pass him.  Now I am able to keep running much longer than I thought possible. 

Mile 25 - Too bad I had that horrible bad patch from 21-24.  I now feel much more energetic. Stiff but I can keep running.  I have rallied like this before a few times and it is frustrating to not understand what is happening with my energy levels.  Well this one is almost over and mentally I know that I can push on.  Stay even with a woman for pacing support and then pass her.

Mile 26.2 - 26.44 on the GPS.  Stop running and now I feel very hot. The woman who finished right in front of me is being escorted to the medical tent.  I look for some shade.  It takes a few minutes and some ice on the head before I feel better.  I should feel happier with this finish time.  It sure was a fun way to start my birthday.  Now home to celebrate more and eat whatever I want.

My next marathon will be number 100!!  Transcendence 12 hour in Olympia.  It will be another celebration.

Before then though, I am signed up for the Lakefair Half Marathon in six days.  I plan to take it easy on these tired legs and just get in under 2 hours.  Hopefully I will be somewhat recovered by then.


4:06:44
193rd of 390
Race#297
Marathon or ultra #99!
*****

6/22/13 Seattle Rock and Roll Marathon

Fifth year of this event and my fourth time here.  Logistics are easier this year with a start and finish at the Seattle Center a "short" walk from the condo. Jared is running the half and by luck we are assigned to the same corral.  Corral #10 of 42.  I am pleasantly surprised with my bib number.

Start - No trouble getting there.  We line up in time and wait as the corral fills up.  7AM start but with the slow wave starts it is 7:15 before we get moving.  Many corral jumpers.  Runners and walkers with much higher corral assignments are ahead of us and I will have to dodge around them.

Mile 0.5 - Jared is going off way too fast.  I had wanted to keep up with him, but it just does not seem wise at this point.  We could have run together until the courses split at mile 6, but I let him go now.  Not much I can do about it really and it is fine.  Now I realize that although all 4 lanes of 5th avenue are closed, we are all squeezed into two lanes.  I move under the monorail track and over to the empty lanes.  Free to run as I wish for the next mile.  I settle into a nice 9 minute mile.


Mile 6 - The bands are good, but it is such a short time that I can hear them.  Fun turn to a downhill and a run under the giant dude.  Now we split off from the half and it gets distinctly quieter.  Over 12,000 in the half and under 3,000 in the full.  Nice run along Lake Washington.  Amazing view of Mount Rainier.

Mile 10 - Holding a steady pace and feeling good.  Catch up to Maniac Mike S and we run together for the next five miles.  Pleasant conversation.  Warm but not too hot.

Mile 15 - Up the steep hill to the Interstate 90 bridge over Lake Washington.  I leave Mike behind and continue on at my steady pace.  This is a very long out and back, much farther than at the November Seattle Marathon.  I look forward to seeing friends and it is a treat to see Pedro, Ginger, Deb and Tracy who is also running her 98th marathon.

Mile 21 - In to the long tunnel and still holding that 8:59 pace.  It is not as easy, but to make it this far at this speed, I am pleased.  Just maybe I can beat 4 hours.  I would be happy with anything under 4:15, after my bad run at the Green River Marathon.  The tunnel is humid.  My feet are starting to tire from all the concrete.

Mile 22.5 - Walk through an aid station at the end of the tunnel and I have a very hard time getting my legs moving again.  Warmer, concrete, and heading up hill.  There is a runner on the ground with two medics tending to him.  He looks OK and is talking on a cell phone, but it is a strong message to me to not push it.  The desire to beat 4 hours is just not enough to chance a DNF and trip to the hospital.  Really I mostly feel good.  Just my legs that are having trouble moving.  No pains, no fuzzy headedness or nausea.  But I am walking too much.

Mile 23 - At Safeco field.  I know that it is a 20 minute walk to the condo and another 20 minutes to the Science Center, so it will be 40 minutes unless I get some running in.  Shuffle downhill.  Happy surprise to hear Debbie G shout for me.  Run a little with a Maniac.  Then walk a little more.

Mile 24 - Run slowly with Maniac Ryan, who ran 20 miles to get to the start line today.  Then I can sense the finish and get some energy back.  Follow a woman who is breaking a path for me and I encourage her to keep up the pace.  We leap frog a little, but having her and Ryan and some guy with an amazing mohawk to try to keep up with gets me through to the finish.  Strong crowd support the last bit.

Mile 26.2 - 26.34 on the GPS.  There is a high entry fee for this race, but they do take care of you at the finish.  Bottle of water, an ice cold wet towel, bottle of gatorade, fruit smoothie from Jamba Juice, recovery bar, fruit, bagels.  Medal of course.  Maniac #1 is there and gets a photo of me and Ryan.  Also we get one with Patti, as we both have cool bib numbers.  I find Jared and we hobble back to the condo. 

Going in to today I had said that this would be my last Seattle Rock and Roll.  But I really did enjoy it.  There are so many June race options though.  I will probably take a year or two off and run something else, but I would not mind coming back here again.


4:09:47
753rd of 2346
Marathon or Ultra #98
Race #296
*****

6/15/13 Run for Rett 5K

I ran this in its first year, 2010, and am happy to make it back for another run.  New start and finish area and other great improvements to an already very good event.  First race I have done that uses the Tumwater Historical Park.  Easy parking, covered area, restrooms, playgrounds.  Why has this spot not been used before?  The course is certified and as I look at the map, it is all places I have run before.  Timing by Craig (guerrilla) so I know that it will be accurate with fast results.  Out and back along Capitol Lake (still closed till further notice), then a lollipop up the hill and left downhill back to the park. Beautiful sunny morning and nice to see some running friends here.

Warm up two miles and then some strides.  Its been three months since my last 5K and I have done little speed work.  

Start - Some Rett girls ( http://nwrettsyndrome.org/home ) are lined up along the start for added inspiration. It is so good to be able to race and support a local, specific group that is doing real and good work.  Smooth and fast start but I have positioned myself well and can run at my own pace with little passing or being passed.

Mile 1 - 7:26 - Ever so slightly downhill.  Feeling good but wonder if I can hold it.

Mile 1.5 - Somewhere around here is the turn around.  Fun to encourage Gary, Amy and Martinho as they are ahead of me.  Return along Deschutes Way on the road with the outbound runners on the sidewalk.

Mile 2 - Passing a couple of people and no one is passing me, but I am not running all that strong.  Now up the gentle hill and under Interstate 5. I am ready to make the turn down to the park but then I am directed to keep going up the hill.  I had misread the map and I have farther to run.  Keep working hard as I am afraid that Joe might catch me. Finally the turn and this trail/road back down to the park is less steep than the way I thought we were going to go.  I get some nice speed back.  Then it is on to a gravel path for the last half mile or so.

Mile 2.9 - Two small children are running side by side ahead of me.  They have numbers on but could not have completed the 5K that quickly.  They must have done the 3K or they are part of the kids race (they do have numbers on) and are just running on the course.  The boy gets ahead of the girl and I pass her too.  Now the boy and I are sprinting to the finish and I just do not have the heart to pass him.  It probably cost me two seconds but I enjoyed pushing him on and letting him get in before me.  The volunteers take both our finish tags but Craig tells them not to keep the kids tag on the loop.  Craig is able to sort through numerous extra and unlabeled tags and still provide quick results.


Finish  - 3.1 on the GPS.  Pleasant and not lengthy wait for the awards.  Two entertaining kids races and I even get to dog sit for a few minutes.  I take second in my age group which earns me a gift card to Twisty's Frozen Yogurt. A most enjoyable morning.



23:19
15th of143
2nd of 7 in age group
Race #295
5K# 76
*****

6/1/13 Green River Marathon

May is the month that I always run Tacoma and Capital City marathons.  For April and June I seem to be finding different races each year.  Today finds me running from Kent to Alki Beach in Seattle, mostly along the Green River.  17th annual event and my first time here.  I know that it will be urban, with lots of turns and some major street crossings.  I have heard that some runners have taken wrong turns in previous years, and I do not want to be one of them.  I have printed out the directions and have them in my pocket just in case.  Here is a portion, from mile 15.5 to mile 19.0:

Runners continue on path until it runs out. Continue North on "the access road" to 14th Avenue Bridge. Runners continue to the right (East) to the first stop light, Henderson Street. Turn left. Runners will go up a short steep hill and then go down hill. You will see a pedestrian bridge (DO NOT TAKE THE BRIDGE). Stay to the left and GO UNDER THE PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE on the bike path. The path will end shortly. Stay to the left. Continue on road (8th Avenue). Run straight through the next light. Follow all 'Arterial Turns' road signs. These are the main roads. Signs will say Arterial Turns, left (on Kenyon), right (on 5th), left (on Holdon), and then turn right at stoplight.

The good news is that the course is very well marked with orange painted arrows.  Other great things about this race are 1) It is free.  I make a small donation to help with costs  2) It is a low key mostly Marathon Maniac event.  There are a couple of first timers here though.  Small race with plenty of parking and easy logistics for a point to point course.

I park at the finish and hitch a ride with Maniac Jason.  A relaxed hour wait for the start.  A little cool but it will warm up as soon as we start running.  Some aid stations are a little spaced out, so I will carry a water bottle.

Start to Mile 8 -  Running too fast and I know it.  I planned to go a little quicker than recently, just to test what kind of shape I am in.  9/mile would be good, but I am cruising along at 8:45/mile.  Long sleeve shirt came off at mile 2 and it is warm now.  Shade is nice.  Mostly a paved trail along the Green River.  The riparian zone is in awful shape.  The river is levied with a wall of blackberries on either side.  Sometimes there is poison hemlock or reed canary grass to compete with the blackberries.  The other side of the trail is bordered by industrial centers.  Not scenic, but an urban greenbelt I suppose.

Mile 9 - Mel Preedy sighting.

Mile 15 - Been running off and on with 4 others.  Nice company and I am still on that fast pace.  Starting to feel confident that I may have a good race.

Mile 16 - And just like that I start to tire.  It gets tougher to maintain.  Plus the course has gotten uglier.  We are on the side of some road with cars coming at us from behind and a narrow shoulder.  It is a long straight way and I am glad to get off it.

Mile 17 - That short but steep hill and now things really fall apart.  Oh, so tired.  I have to walk a lot.

Mile 18-22 - Misery.   Lots of walk breaks and super slow "running".  Ugliest course ever. Shipping containers, train crossings, giant pile of 55 gallon drums, cracked sidewalk, broken glass, big trucks.  Seems like everyone is struggling too.  Not many passing me, and I do have the early starters to catch up to.  Serious low point.

Mile 22-26.2 - Things get better when Maniac Ted passes me and then Maniac Mike catches me too.  Somehow I get my energy back.  I am able to run much farther without a walk break.  I catch back up to Mike and we run off and on together to the end.  It is a nice day at Alki Beach with lots of people out, that I must dodge.  This slow running with some breaks is more of what I am used to doing late in marathons.  Compared to the previous miles, I feel great.  Happy to see the finish though and be done.

With so many June options, I probably won't be back for this one again soon.  But I did have a mostly enjoyable day.



4:24:57
Results have me at 75th of 167 but some listed ahead of me took the early start so I may move up when that is sorted out.
Marathon or ultra#97
Race#294
****

5/19/13 Capital City Marathon

I first ran here in 2000.  Then a few years of doing the half marathon and the five miler.  Since 2005, I have run the full, making today my 9th in a row (longest marathon streak) and 10th time running the full marathon.  This is my third year as a pacer.  It works out well to run a little slower than usual and treat it as a training run. It comes soon after Tacoma and prior to a June race. This is a tough course for me to race well at, so I am happy to take my time and help others achieve their goals.  Since this was my original favorite marathon and my home town race that they do so well with, I am honored and proud to serve as a pacer.  Coming off my injury in the Winter I was unsure of what time I could run, so I ended up with 4:45 duties compared to 4:15 last year. 

Pacer meeting at 6:30 to get our balloons tied on. Some last minute shuffling of duties has me running the whole distance alone, but it should not be a problem.  The weather is cloudy and cool but not cold at the start.  It will warm up a little but really be ideal.

Start -  Under 300 in the full marathon so lining up is not a problem.  Smooth start and I am careful to not go out too fast.  It has been difficult to run 10:50 per mile in practice, it is just slower than comfortable for me.  But I will work hard and keep checking the watch to stay on pace.  Walk breaks at the aid stations are planned to get me back on track if needed.

Mile 1 - Hanna H sighting

Mile 2- Haley H sighting

Mile 3 - Runners fairly spread out now.  Two guys are chatting and are staying right behind me.  They comment on the green balloon tugging at my shoulder, like a fish on the line.  I tell them that they will have PTSD the next time they see a green balloon, if they follow me the whole way.

Mile 4- Meet Julie, just hoping to break 5 hours.  We will go a little back and forth the whole way and she will make her goal and thank me after the race.  It is so rewarding to have people thank you afterwards.

Mile 5 - The two guys (Will and Mike) have really latched on to me.  They are both running their first marathon.  They are not concerned with finish time, just getting it done and having fun.  We while away the miles talking about guy stuff.  No one else joins our group.

Mile 20 - 15 uneventful miles.  Up and down.  Feeling very comfortable at this pace.  Still with Mike and Will.  Mike is falling behind a little.  No one has passed us.  With the even pace we have picked off runner after runner, many of whom are taking walk breaks.  Closer to town we start to see more spectators and the excitement for the finish starts to build.

Mile 23 - The last long uphill.  Will has not run farther than 13 miles, but he feels great and decides to finish strong.  He goes on ahead and will beat me by nine minutes.  Mike is hanging on not far behind me.  Every once in a while I get a mysterious pain deep in my left foot.  With a few careful steps it goes away.

Mile 23.5 - Catching up to a Maniac.  Ah, Mama Lisa.  I have seen her at each of my last three marathons.  Nice to see her here, then she rallies and goes on ahead.  Meanwhile the free beer at the last unofficial aid station has energized Mike and he is back with me.

Mile 24 - Pass a couple of people who seem to think that I am ahead of pace.  I think that I am at most 2 minutes ahead and I should slow down some.  The GPS is reading long, so the math is not quite as easy. Plus, I do not have a seconds reading after one hour, so I am not exactly sure of the time.

Mile 25 - Downhill all the way now.  I suggest to Mike that he finish strong, but he is happy to just stay with me.  The Pacer's job is really done at mile 25 in this race.  Anyone who can stay with a pacer all that way will have no trouble picking up the pace for the final downhill mile.  Other that Mike, no one is near me.  I slow some more in hopes of coming in just under 4:45

Mile 25.8 - Just like last year, I underestimated my time ahead of schedule.  Now the finish looks far away and it is 4:43.  I start running faster.  I hate to do this to Mike, but I am supposed to come in under my goal time.  Last year I ran much harder and just barely made it.  This year it is out of reach.  I started the sprint too late, plus it really does not matter.  Mike and I run fast to the finish and are pleased with our times.

26.2 - 26.49 miles on the GPS watch.  Most of the crowd has left, but there are some friends here to celebrate with.  Jared ran the half marathon, his first, and crushed his predicted time.  Lots of people got their BQs, age group awards and PRs.  Another Capital City Marathon is done and it continues to be a terrific event.


4:45:18
220th of 293
Race #293, Marathon or Ultra # 96
*****

5/5/13 Tacoma City Marathon

Squak Mountain trail marathon was three weeks ago.  I have not raced since then, but have had some running experiences.  Shortly after Squak I was trail running and turned my right ankle and fell hard.  Except it was all a dream.  It seemed so real, I wondered if I had actually hurt my ankle.  All is fine though.  Then we had the events at the Boston Marathon.  Many friends said that they were thinking of me.  Luckily I ran Boston last year, I would not have finished this year.  I had one friend who finished just a few minutes after the bombs and one friend who was very close to the end, but not able to finish.  I feel so bad for what they experienced and for everyone who was affected.  Only one friend suggested that I not run Tacoma in case something happens here.  I went to a community run that week and it was great to connect with fellow runners.  I am also so looking forward to seeing my Maniac family at Tacoma.  Two weeks ago Jared ran the open one mile race at the Kings Invite.  He wore a dress shirt and tie.  At the last lap he picked up a bunch of flowers and delivered them to a friend at the finish, asking her to the prom.  The crowd in the stands, including his parents thought that was terrific.

What goal time for Tacoma as I am still improving after my injury time off?  That is the hard question.  My last three long runs/marathons...Squak 6:50!!, Redmond Watershed in March = 5:12 (about 35 minutes slower than I have raced it previously, Presidents Day = 5:15 with a brutal painful last 10 miles.  I have been building mileage, increasing each month since November.  111 miles in March and 120 in April.  Other than the marathons I have done a couple of fairly fast ten milers.  If I can get in quality workouts I run best at about 120-140 per month.  Since my last two marathons were on trails I have done all other running on pavement and I think that I will not have the leg pains that came on Presidents Day due to lack of mileage.  But how is my endurance?  I have gone sub 4 (barely) each year at Tacoma but I really think that to set off at that pace would be foolish.  I decide that I will stay with the 4:20 pacer until at least the halfway point and see how I feel after that.  I am pacing the 4:45 group at Capital City in two weeks and I need to gain some confidence.  I will be happy today with a comfortable sub 4:30, under 4:20 would be good.  Hopefully by July I can get back under 4 hours.

7th annual event and my 6th time here.  Each year I regret not running the first year.  Especially because at the time I wanted to run it, but did not think that it was possible to run marathons on back to back weekends, and Capital City was only seven days after Tacoma.  This year is also the 10 year celebration of the Marathon Maniacs.  Due to family considerations I will skip most of the festivities.  I did get some great swag at the expo.  In addition to the race shirt, all Maniacs got a very nice hat and poster, and a "press pass" that is neat but I am not sure what to do with it.  Short time at the expo but I get to see a bunch of friends and that is what this race is really all about for me this year.

In addition to my anticipated pace, I spend most of my thoughts agonizing over whether to park at the finish and take the shuttle to the start or park at the start and get a ride back after the race.  There are supposed to be shuttles back to the start, but the expectation is that most runners will park at the finish.  Since Jody and I are staying at Hood Canal for the weekend, it makes sense to park at the start line.  I get an extra hour's sleep before the 7AM start and save the toll on the bridge.  I leave my press pass on my dashboard so they will know who's car it is, if I have trouble getting back there. 

Hot on Saturday and supposed to be even hotter today.  Brilliant sunshine.  Maybe 7AM is a good time to start.  It feels cool here at the start, at the Narrows Airport.  The new course covers mostly familiar territory.  It will be interesting to run through Defiance Park in the opposite direction. Since I have my car, I can stay warm in there, have breakfast and organize my stuff before heading out to greet friends and go to the start line.

Start - Looking for the pacers.  I see Betsy (5 hours) not the others.  Then I hear that the pacers signs were not delivered to the start but would hopefully be picked up at about mile 4.  I start behind Betsy, it is so crowded, but I know that I will have plenty of time to get moving and I would rather start slow than fast.  No nerves, just ready to enjoy the morning, and we are off.

Mile 1 - Short out and back.  Rogue Wave sighting.  I get ahead of Betsy.  Catch up to Maniac Tracy.  She is the one who finished just ahead of the bombs in Boston.  She was having a blister attended to in the medical tent when the bombs went off and they started bringing injured in to that area.  I was hoping to see her and run with her some today.  She says that Pacer Brian is right behind us, but that he is pacing 4:25, there is no 4:20 pacer.  I guess that I will stay just ahead of him.  Maniac Kurt is pacing 4:10.  I will not let myself pass him and now I do not have to look at my watch to think about pace.

Mile 3 - Over the Narrows.  What a beautiful day.  Nice gentle breeze.  Feeling good.  Running with Tracy.

Mile 4.5 - Up the hill.  Pacer Kurt not far ahead.  KP sighting.  Crowd thinning out, there will be plenty of running room now.

Mile 5 - Tracy says that she needs to walk and will try to catch up to me.  Did I mention that she ran a marathon yesterday?  The "Ghost of Tacoma" was a low key event that attracted quite a few Maniacs for the double.  I will be slower than most of my normal rivals, but hopefully faster than those who are running the double.

Mile 6-9 - Now I run a few miles with non Maniac Ron Fowler.  I have not run with him in a long time, so it is fun to reconnect.  He will be at Capital City in two weeks, for the 30th consecutive year.  I also run about a mile with Maniac Ken.

Mile 10 - Pacer Kurt goes running off the the bushes.  I am now ahead of him.  I expect him to catch me but he does not do so.  Am I going faster than 4:10 pace or is he having a bad day?  I should be doing the pacing math in my head, but the 9:20/mile according to the watch seems very comfortable.  Proctor Street bridge.  Tacoma Neighborhoods that I have not been to before.  Lots of great spectators.  Some have hoses set out, others have unofficial aid stations.

Mile 13.1 - Uh oh, I am going too fast.  Make myself walk a little before the chip mat.  Cross the mat in 2:03, about seven minutes faster than I had planned.  Now it is just a matter of how much endurance do I have?  I hope that I can make it to 20, 21 or maybe 22 before hitting the wall and walking.  In the mean time there is the reverse of the Sound to Narrows course. 

Mile 14 - Mildred Street hill is not nearly as bad in reverse and at the slower pace.  Yet all of us are walking up it.  The course is plenty hilly.  Nothing super steep but continual up and down so far.  Into the park and thankful for shade.  Another  up hill.  I am running but most others are walking.  Nice to be passing people.  Feeling good, just wondering how long it will last.

Mile 15 - Run a little with Maniac Hope a doubler.  Then I catch up to Maniac Melissa and we run a mile together.  This is her 100th marathon.  It would have been my 100th had I not been injured all winter.  I am happy for her.  I go ahead of her and she says that she will kick my but if I let her catch back up.  Looking at the results afterword it is interesting to see how some people that I passed ended up finishing long after me,but others stayed right behind me and probably had me in their sights the whole way.

Mile 17 - A mile long downhill in the shade.  Wonderful.

Mile 18 - Back to the sun and getting warmer.  Uphill and flat with a short out and back.  Steepish hill down to Ruston Way.

Mile 19 -Now the long mostly flat but hot trek to the finish.  The wind is at our back but we do not really feel it.  My legs and feet are doing great.  I feel like at any point I could speed up, but I am worried about my head and the heat and the remaining distance.  I start having trouble holding my head up.  I know that if I can just keep from walking, other than through aid stations, I will have a good finish time.  The farther that I can go without taking a walk break the better.  My pace has slowed but I am running and I do not feel so bad.  I can not hold my head up for long though.  So mostly what I remember is trudging along in the heat looking at the concrete road. 

Mile 21 - Pacer Kurt  (4:10) passes me.  He encourages me to stay with him.  But in my mental state I think, no, I am supposed to stay between him and Pacer Brian.  I keep along at my own pace.  I am definitaley passing more people that are passing me.  A few are running strong and pass me, but more are reduced to walking.  Now the one uphill/overpass on Ruston Way.  At the top there is a guy in a blue shirt bent over.  I am afraid that if he passes out he could fall off the bridge.  I stop to see if he is OK.  He says that his back hurts.  I ask how his head is and he says OK.  I go on down to the aid station.  After getting my water, mostly dumping on my head, I remember that guy.  I look back and he is way back there but moving down the hill.  I ask two volunteers to check on him and hope he is OK.

Mile 23 - Still running.  OK a few walk breaks in there but I have had much worse finishes.  Longing for shade, and a little walk when I do get some.

Mile 24 - Last uphill to get us off Ruston Way.  Happy to see Maniac Lisa and Deb here.  Run with them just a bit.  I would be happy to finish with them.  Deb is the first one to walk on the uphill and I say that I will stay with them, but as we near the top and I know that mile 25 is close, I take off on a jog.  A non Manic that I do not know, who I have been leapfrogging with, grinds to a walk so close to the top.  I encourage her to get running again.

Mile 25 - Over a bridge and then turn on to Pacific Ave.  My new running friend and I go back and forth and run together.  We are ready for this to be over.

Mile 26 - Where is the finish?  I thought that I would be able to see it from here.  From the course map I thought that it was the same finish as last year, but no we have to turn, go downhill and turn again.  We give it a good final effort and come in together.

Mile 26.2 - 26.19 on the GPS.  Mix and mingle and watch finishers come in.  There is a bus back to the airport and when I get on, the driver says that this is his last trip.  It is only about the five hour mark with many runners still on the course.  I had been talking shuttle return with Ginger and she is not here, but then I see her crossing the street.  Close call but we make it back, hopefully no one was really stranded.  Recovery is good.  I am really happy with how the legs felt and how I was able to keep moving late in the race.  No real wall.  2:03/2:09 split means that I slowed some but I have had much worse split times.  I probably should have tried to stay with 4:10 to give myself a challenging goal late in the race.  Without any hard goal I just cruised on in, tough but no agony.  I do now have the confidence that I needed for my pacing duties at Capital City and I believe that I can get back under 4 hours soon.

So great to be running with the Maniacs.

4:12:30
286th place of 885
Race#292, Marathon or ultra #95, Tacoma City Marathon #6
*****