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

*****

7-24-11 Light at the End of the Tunnel Marathon

I have fond memories of doing this race three years ago, running strong and setting a PR of 3:48. Hoping to do even better today. A little worried about the weather forecast, with hot temperatures predicted, but not much I can do about that. I carpool up with Ron and Jennifer and enjoy their company. Get to the bus in plenty of time for the ride to the top of Snoqualamie Pass. It seems cool here, but in the 45 minutes before the start I can feel it warming up. Race is sold out, but bib pick up and restrooms are no problem. They have a 7AM start and an 8AM start and I think that many runners did take the early start, to beat the heat. Getting up at 4:10AM seemed early enough so we are starting at 8AM.

Start - No one seems to want to line up at the front, so I end up close to the start line. We set off right on time. Very short out and back in the bright sunshine.

Mile 0.3 - Sunglasses come off and the Knuckle lights come on. Fun Father's Day present, this is my first time using them. They cast a wide swath of light and serve me well.

Mile 1 - Mile marker is a chalk line in the dark tunnel. Thanks to Matt and Betsy and RD Brian for putting this race on and for providing mile markers on a trail race. The tunnel is a very unique place to run. I enjoy the chance to do this, but I am also watching the light at the end of the tunnel slowly grow, and I look forward to getting out. It is humid in here and at some places there is water dripping from the ceiling. One large drop of water splashes down and gets me right in the eye.

Mile 2.7 - Out of the tunnel and it feels much cooler to be out. Knuck Lights off and into the drop bag that will be sent to the finish line. Soon it warms up, but very runnable, for now. GPS is off from the mile markers by about three tenths of a mile. I settle in for a nice downhill run at a comfortably fast pace.

Mile 6 - Getting warmer. I have been cruising along at a steady pace that will get me a PR. Bob Dolphin sighting, he started at 7AM. Someone is close behind me but not passing. When I run the tangents on this rocky dirt road, she is crossing over and staying right on my tail. The sound is more annoying than anything else. Crunch crunch on the gravelly trail. The course is rockier than I remember, sharp little rocks that I will not trip on, but will wear out my feet long before this race is over.

Mile 9 - Warmer. At an aid station I pass a runner who had been ahead of me but is now dousing himself in a small waterfall. Since I am carrying my fuel belt with water and gatorade I do not need to stop at every aid station and I am able to get away from the woman who was tailing me for three miles. Somewhere around here I apparently ran past a bear sitting in a tree along the trail. Lots of people saw it, but not me.

Mile 16 - Alternating sunshine with shady spots. Really hot in the sun and I have done very little warm weather running this year. Here I realize that my right knee which had been hurting a little after last weeks race is doing great. No aches or pains, just getting sluggish from the heat.

Mile 19 - My pace is slowing and I know now that I will not PR. To mark the moment I walk long enough to grab a ripe salmonberry off the trail edge. Back to running and at least beat 4 hours.

Mile 22 - Getting very hot and difficult now. It is a different sort of tired. Not the typical wall, just a gradual slow down that I believe is due to the heat. The problem is that I keep getting slower and slower. At this point I start to doubt that I will beat 4 hours. Cold water on my head at an aid station instantly turns warm as it trickles off my hair and down my neck.

Mile 23 - Still passing some 7AM starters, but also getting passed by 8AM runners. Not as many as I expected though, perhaps I am not the only one wilting. Catch up to Monte. He encourages me to keep going. At this point though, even though I have eased way back on the effort, it really is a struggle to even shuffle/run. Now this has become a training run, to just keep moving, but it is very very difficult. One of the hardest races I have done in a long time. A couple of times today I have had some light headedness and nausea and I made the easy decision to back off the pace and not end up needing medical aid. Sure I would like to be faster and there is a time to push my limits, but not today.

Mile 26.2 - I can see the finish now and am so glad for this to be over. Someone has run out to encourage another runner who is just behind me. I decide that I have been passed enough for one race and do not let him catch me. Not much of a sprint, but I do get in before him. I forget to stop my watch at the finish and will not know my official time for a while.

Update 7-26: Official time is posted and I added photos by Jennifer Seward. Thanks Jennifer!!

4:06:05

119th place of 287

Race#244, Marathon or Ultra#69

****

7/16/11 Chelanman Half Marathon

Third year here in a row. Jody doing the Olympic distance triathlon. I am not a fan of the open road course with bikes and cars. Also slanty and rough in places pavement. The worst part is the heat but that will not be an issue this time. It is cloudy and much cooler than usual. Even a little mist and light rain at times.

People come here for the triathlon races. The running events (10K and half marathon) are a bit of an afterthought. Last year the run races started a little late as they were waiting for all the bikers to get on course. I expect the same today and do not go near the start line until about ten minutes before the scheduled start. The 300 or so runners are all being told to stay in a little patch on the side of the road as the bikers are still coming through. The RD says that we will start on time however. I go up to the main road to get in a little warm up. When I get back, the RD is having all the runners cross the street at once and line up in front of the narrow chip mat. I end up about midway in the crowd and it will take me almost 20 seconds to get to the mat when the race starts.

Start - Super crowded and slow in the hotel parking lot. Stay relaxed and try to not do anything drastic as we turn left and then right and up the hill out of the lot. Right turn onto the road, all in the first two tenths of a mile. Now on the road I can pass a whole bunch of people and get even with those who are running about the pace I want to be at.

Mile 1 - 7:44 and now accelerating some.

Mile 2- Average pace at 7:40. On the down hills I get it down to 7:36 and let it go back up on the uphills. I think that my PR pace is 7:40, it will be interesting to see if I can hold it. At times it seems easy, at other times it is more laborious.

Mile 6 - Pleasant running with the other racers. I have passed a few and also been passed, but now that the 10K runners have turned around I am mostly running alone. The kids at the aid stations are great. Yelling out if they have water or gatorade.

Mile 6.5 - Steepish uphill to the turn around. I pass a bicyclist just before the turnaround cone. Now I get to run downhill, with the wind at by back, though it is gentle. Tammy Herzog sighting. She tells me that I am in either 19th or 20th place. She is having a good race and will go on for a sub 2 hour time. I just try to hold the pace.

Mile 8 - Gradually catch one kid who is having tons of fun, hooting and hollering at everything. We encourage the stragglers still heading out.

Mile 9 - One woman has passed me, but now I see that two guys are getting closer. At the aid station they both start walking. I am able to pass them both.

Mile 10 - Merge with the hordes triathlete runners and now I will not know if someone passing me is in my race or a triathlete, unless I think to look for a number on their leg. Mostly though I am focused on my own thing. It is getting harder, but I am still at 7:40 pace. The math in my head does not quite add up though and at the mile marker I see that my GPS is reading long. My actual pace is a little slower than what the watch is reading, if that mile marker is in the right spot. If the GPS is right and if I am able to have a strong finish, I could actually PR. But if the mile marker is right, I will not PR, though it will still be a very decent finish time.

Mile 10.5 - Jody on the bike part of her course, yells to me as she whizzes by.

Mile 11 - Uphill and things start to fall apart. Trying hard but I am slowing.

Mile 12 - Pass by Jody who is at mile 1 of the running part of her race. The watch says that I am at 7:42 overall pace, but after seeing the last mile markers I know that the GPS is in fact off, or that the course is a little long. I will maintain this pace, up that last hill and down to the finish, but my official overall pace will be recorded at 7:47/mile. I try very hard to get a time under 1:42, but come up a few seconds shy. Still more than five minutes faster than last year and one of my top half marathon times.

I placed third in my age group. The past two years we all got finishers medals and I got a nice glass mug for being and age group winner. This year there were no age group awards for the runners as "we gave you medals" we were told. Somewhat beat up after this race but I should be ready to go again next weekend.

1:42:02

17th of 139

***

7/3/11 Tumwater Pioneer Days Summer Run 5K

This used to be the "Dollars for Scholars" race but now it has a new name and course. Still put on by the Tumwater Chamber of Commerce. Now a very flat course on roads near the airport. Although I did receive a flier with course map in the mail, this race was not advertised very well. That plus the variety of local options this weekend leads to a very small turn out today. Looking around at the start I do not see anyone that I know can beat me. Well, Craig is here, but he is not racing. Guerrilla Running is doing the timing and as usual they will have accurate and quickly posted results. The course is certified, so my two requirements (accurate distance and timing) for a good race are met. It is sunny with some clouds, not too warm. I drove in from Hood Canal this morning and managed to remember everything that I need, except sunglasses. I will manage without them. No real time goal since I have not done a 5K since February and I am coming off 3 marathons in the last 4 weeks, plus the Sound to Narrows race. Today is about getting back to some fast running and starting to train for half marathons that I will run later in the Summer.





Start - Still no not see anyone that I know is super fast. Erik is here and we are usually very close, he still beats me more often than not. I did a good 1.5 mile warm up, then some strides. Right foot feels fine. Everything feels good. Ready to run and off we go.





Mile 0.5 - Three runners are ahead of me on this long flat straight road. Erik is right at my side. I am going way too fast, but it feels OK. I probably should slow down a little because I will never hold this pace. But I see that the three in front of me are not getting any farther away. The lead two are about 40-50 feet ahead and now we are running at the same pace. If I could go a little faster, I could catch them and then go back to the slower pace and maintain with them for a while. I should not do this, but how often do I have a chance to win a race? I step it up a little, break from Erik and try to gain ground.





Mile 1 - 6:45 - Way too fast, I am supremely confident that I can not maintain this pace. But I have caught up to and passed the third place guy and I am much closer to the lead two. I had meant to focus on form but instead I am grinding this out as fast as I can and I am not thinking about form at all.





Mile 1.5 - It is such a short time from the one mile mark to 1.5, where the race is almost halfway over. Still flat with long straight aways. Blow through the aid station and douse my head, try to get a small drink but spill it all on my face. Overall pace now at 6:52 and Erik passes me.





Mile 2 - Guy with toe shoes passes me. He remembers me from the Capitol City Marathon where I helped pace him. He thanks me for that and I tell him that he should let me beat him today, but no, he eases on ahead.




Mile 2.5 - Pace is slowing. I can still see the lead runner, who is now extending his lead. I am not within range of catching anyone. At a turn I look back and see that no one is close behind me. After some great competition I will run the last bit of this race in "no man's land". The pace slows a little more.





Mile 2.8 - I am closing the gap on one of those ahead of me but there is not time to catch him. This is a fast course for sure, however at the very end we turn left, then take another left and immediate right into a parking lot where the finish line is. Not able to sprint at the very end, but still a good course.



Mile 3.1 - Finish OK and I am pleased with my time. I should not have gone out so fast, but I knew the gamble I was taking, and I did not fall apart so badly. Legs felt very good and I am pleased with the effort. Chamber of Commerce races have really good raffles and with the small turn out I am sure that I will go home with something. Unfortunately my number is not called. I do get a blue ribbon for earning first place in my age group. Nice little event that I would do again.






22:08

5th place of 35

5K#61

Race #242

****

6/25/11 Seattle Rock and Roll Marathon

Third annual event and my third time here. See previous posts for course description. The trip to the expo on Thursday, the 3:30AM wake up today, and the associated costs have me thinking that I will take next year off. There are so many other races that I could do in June. It is fun to be part of this massive event though, despite the hassles. Today is special in that when I finish I will have completed 19 marathons or ultras within 365 days earning me Iridium (4 star) status in the Marathon Maniacs. I mapped this out quite some time ago and almost had it in April but had to skip a race then. I think that the 16 long races I did in 2010 was more manageable and I plan to stick to something closer to that for the near future. This will be my third marathon in four weeks plus the Sound to Narrows race. I had a very good run in Vancouver six days ago and I have not ever raced marathons six days apart. So I expect to be a little slower than usual, hopefully not crashing too bad. Must hold back in the early miles!! If I could break 4 hours that would be awesome but is not mandatory for me to consider the day a success.

Get to the start line in plenty of time for the 7AM start. I wander around the "Athletes Village" for a while. 20,000 runners, most doing the half, but I do not see anyone that I know. Find a few MMs. There is supposed to be a group photo of the 143 MMs who are here, at 6:20AM. At a normal race that would give plenty of time. I was going to join the photo but it is getting so crowded I can hardly walk anywhere, I still need to use the bathroom, and my corral is really far away. So I work my way up to corral 7 and get there in good time. Chat with Marie for a bit and then line up with Betsy and Ashley. Betsy beat me by a few minutes here last year, passing me late in the race, and she hopes to run a similar time, so we will run together some I am sure. Cloudy and not too warm, a little humid.

Start - Wave starts make it relatively easy to get up to pace. First mile is a little slow. No need to dodge around everybody, its good in that it makes me hold back.

Mile 3 - Ashley goes on ahead. She is more comfortable at 8:45 pace and I refuse to go faster than 8:50 in the first half.

Mile 4 - Betsy gets ahead at an aid station where I walk through. I'll keep her in my sights for a long while.

Mile 10 - Runner ahead of me has his bib on his back. That is not so unusual, but what is memorable is that his number is the same one that I had at this race last year. (5050 in honor of my 50th) I can not quite catch up to him.

Mile 11 - On the I-90 bridge on Lake Washington. I see an osprey. Then I watch it set up for a dive. It plummets straight down, but then pulls up short of the water and starts hovering again.

Mile 12 - In the long tunnel. Warmer. I start to tire. Also my right foot aches a little.

Mile 13.1 - 1:57, good job of holding back. Tiring. Aching foot is a little worse. Awesome view of Safeco Field.

Mile 15 - On to the Alaska Way viaduct. Foot is better, manageable discomfort.

Mile 17 - Finally reel Betsy in as she is tiring. I feel better than I did a few miles back. Good enough energy, beat up legs.

Mile 18.5 - Kid with a sign that reads "Release the Kraken". Too funny. Finally hit the turn around and can head back towards the finish.

Mile 21 - Whoa, tiring fast now. Pretty sure that I will not beat 4. I am able to keep running though. Legs are sore and shot. I am over 50 miles for the week. I can run on shot legs, but it just is not all that fun. Still keeping a good attitude. Through another tunnel with very slanty camber and back up onto the viaduct. Figured out that I can make the spectators on the bridge tops above us cheer if I just put my arms in the air.

Mile 25 - Last out and back, now up the final hill. At 3:50 and the 4 hour mark is just out of reach. Level ground. Make the turn to the off ramp at 3:56. If I can run down the ramp in two minutes and then hit the last two turns in another two minutes.....it doesn't look that far from up here.

Mile 26 - Well it was farther than I thought it would be. I did push hard the last bit, but I will not beat 4. I gave the whole race a good effort and I am happy with the results.

4:02:13

68th Marathon or Ultra

Race#241

1,000th place of 3,520

*****

6/19/11 Vancouver USA Marathon

Inaugural event. 7AM start with the larger half marathon starting at 8:30. I wait for a while, sitting in a plush chair in the lobby of the Hilton Hotel, reading the complimentary Sunday newspaper. Eventually make my way outside to find the gear check, start line and see if any friends are around. Just before the start I am chatting with Steve Walters and Larry Macon. I realize that my recent accomplishments ( this being my tenth marathon or ultra of 2011) are nothing compared to these guys. Steve ran 52 marathons in the past 52 weeks. Larry Macon is in the Guinness Book of World Records for his 107 marathons last year. Yesterday Larry ran Grandma's Marathon in Minnesota.

I have had some discomfort in my right foot since running two shorter/faster paced races last weekend. I took and extra day off this week and it feels OK now but I am a little apprehensive about it. My last marathon was two weeks ago where I went out too fast and paid for it in the second half. I will not try to PR (3:48) today. Instead I will really focus on holding back and hope to have a faster second half than first (negative split). If I can beat 4 hours and be fresh enough to run the Seattle Rock and Roll Marathon in six days I will call it a success.

It is cloudy with a little mist that lets up just before the start. Big event for this small city. I have not previewed the course but it has been billed as flat and scenic, along the Columbia River. Announcer asks how many are from out of state and I almost put my hand up. I think that this will be my tenth Washington State county to have run a marathon in.

Start - Smooth start on the wide street. Quick left turn, then a right and just as we are getting some running room there is another left turn and we are herded onto the sidewalk. I am not quite up to speed and will have to pass some people, but I am in no hurry. At least everyone is running and there is room to pass on the sidewalk. Up and over a bridge.

Mile 2 - Running for a bit with Maniac Georgina from Olympia. Some people on the sidewalk, some on the side of the road. Eventually we are all on the road, that is open to traffic, but there are not many cars. A long straight flat road. Himalayan Blackberry, Teasel and Poison Hemlock along the road's edge at the Port of Vancouver. Not quite the scenery I was hoping for. My foot aches just a little bit but will not get worse. It is a pleasant enough run but not all that special.

Mile 6 - I Can see the lead runners coming back on the other side of the road. Then we turn into a park for a lollipop section so I do not get to see all of the runners. This park is called Frenchman's Bar, and we do get to run along the mighty Columbia River for a little bit. The paved path in the park is all curvy and at one point I can see lines of runners going in five different directions. Soon I am snaking through the park and then heading back to town.

Mile 10 - Running comfortably at a pace almost 30 seconds per mile slower that I did two weeks ago in Port Angeles. Definitely feel like I am holding back. Listening to people talk but not actively socializing. A little wind in the face on this long straight section but not too bad. Still cloudy and I am not warm or cold.

Mile 13.1 - Just under 1:57. One thing I know is that I feel way better than I did at this point two weeks ago. Hopefully I can just keep going at this pace for many more miles.

Mile 14 - Small hill and bridge back into town. I chug up the hill and ease back on the downhill. Passing a few runners and feeling good.

Mile 15 - More spectators here in town. One man is walking down the road in front of me. As I pass him I see a group of three also walking and more up ahead. Oh, this is the tail end of the half marathon participants. They are at mile 2 of their race. Our races have merged and I will have to pass many walkers and slow runners of the half marathon.

Mile 17 - More sidewalks and then open roads with orange cones. At times the walkers are four abreast and I really have to go out of my way to get around them. Generally it is not so bad though. I am holding pace and feeling good and I am sure that is helping my mood.

Mile 19 - The elevation chart of the course showed the biggest uphill occurring here just before mile 20. So I know that it is coming and that it is only about 150 feet up. After that it will be downhill and flat until a small hill very close to the finish. Here is the hill. I remember to pump my arms and it really helps. I am passing tons of people both halfers and full runners. "Use your arms, use your arms" I say. One woman responds with "And use your glutes, use your glutes". The hill has two sections to it and for me on this day it was no challenge. Steep section of downhill where I have to use my brakes...too bad, I hate wasting energy like that.

Mile 21 - Just before mile 21, we have gone downhill and into a parking lot. As we reach the end of the parking lot/road there are two signs, one for the half and one for the full. A volunteer is directing halfers to follow the sign on the sidewalk and to curve back around. He tells me to take the full route which stays on the road but also curves around a tighter corner than the halfers are taking. That will be nice to split off from the halfers for a while. But after two seconds I see that my route would loop back to the hill that everyone is coming down and I know that is not the way back. Most everybody is on the sidewalk and I have no idea where to go. I stop and ask the halfers where I am supposed to go. No one knows. It does not seem right but I go up on to the walkway and down a small incline with all the halfers. Whew, what a relief to see the mile 21 marker for the full marathon. I know that I am on course. We do not split races here and I have no idea why the signs and the volunteer was directing us to do so. Now along the river but due to flooding on the paved trail the course has been altered and it is more sidewalk and roads.

Mile 23 - Still feeling good. Very pleased. I have been able to down my fig newtons and a gel. I don't want to, but I take another gel here. It is rough on the stomach but I get most of it down. I have passed enough halfers now that I have caught up with those who are running the event. Can't tell who is in the full and struggling and who is in the half as I pass. Very few runners are passing me and this is a much more enjoyable way to finish a race.

Mile 24 - Angie Vlatch cheering for me. That was a nice surprise. Still on pace for a negative split. I know that I will beat 4 hours.

Mile 25.2 - Last uphill and it happens. I hit the wall in dramatic fashion. It's funny and I even comment to a runner who passes me. "Wow, I just hit the wall" My legs have felt a little beat up for a long way now, but I had plenty of energy to keep moving at pace. Now I am suddenly drained. If that is going to happen, I am glad that it is mile 25 and not 18. With the uphill and my lack of energy I see the negative split slip away. I keep running, just slower and long for the end of this hill and the finish line.

Mile 26 - Almost there. Try to pick up the pace. Mile 13 of the half. Tenth of a mile to go. Two more turns before the finish and that last tenth seems so long. Finally done and pleased with how it went.

I perform some calculations from the results page. I estimate that I passed 618 half marathon participants during the last 11 miles of my race. That is about one person every ten seconds. I also passed quite a few full marathoners so the numbers are higher than that. I was not out to break any records today so the passing and dodging did not bother me, but I think that it should be considered as they plan for next year. I hope to run this one again.

3:54:48

207th place of 798
Race #240, Marathon or Ultra#67

*****

6/12/11 Evergreen Classic 5K

A little stiff from yesterday's hard race but could not resist a small local event. Some discomfort in my right foot that I hope will go away as I loosen up. Smaller turn out than last year. Sunny but not too warm.

Start - Line up just behind Craig. Tell him that I will let him take the lead for now :). Smooth start on time. Foot feels fine and soon I am going too fast.

Mile 0.5 - Through and around two parking lots. Catch Ruhamma who started even faster than me. Sharp turns then a straight section where I can see ahead and all of the runners in front of me. I am in 11th place. Not so far behind one runner, but she is not getting any closer.

Mile 1.5 - Slowing down some and now a steepish uphill that really slows me. Shaded back country road. Do I hear footsteps behind me? Quick look back at a turn tells me that no one is close.

Mile 2.5 - Back to campus and I am able to pick up the pace a little.

Mile 3.1 - Hard to run so fast, but the race is over so quickly. I end with the same overall pace that I had for yesterday's 7.5 mile race. Ran all alone for the last 2.5 miles. Good effort this weekend, and I feel a little beat up. Will take extra rest this week as I think about the Vancouver USA Marathon to be held in seven days.

Win a one hour massage at the race raffles, which I am happy to give to Jody. Quick look at the results board before I leave. It has me in 11th place which I believe is correct, but my time is not right. The person in 10th place is listed with the time that I know I finished in, and my time is listed as almost a minute later than what I know I ran, probably what the 12th place person finished in. I hope they fix that, but it does not really matter.

22:42 (watch time and I am sure this is correct)
11th of 50
Race #239, 5K#61, Evergreen Classic#2
***