9/30/12 Bellingham Bay Marathon

6th annual event and my 6th time here.  If I finish today I will be one of only 4 people who have run the full marathon every year.  Last year I tried to run fast and I paid the price in the second half.  This year I will aim for a comfortable 4:15 and speed up late in the race if possible.  My mileage is down, my plantar has been acting up and most of my running lately has been slow and on trails.

In my opinion, this is the best marathon out there.  Every year I rave about it.  Awesome enthusiastic volunteers, comfortable heated waiting area, beautiful course.  425 in the full but after we merge with the half it will become a big event.  And today we get fantastic weather.  Sunshine and no wind.  A little chilly at the start and I will be warm during the last miles, but not too hot.

Start - Nice to sit in the community hall and chat with fellow Maniacs.  Welcome with drums from the Lummi Nation.  Ten minutes before the start we amble off to the start line.  Chip timed, smooth start.

Mile 2 - Holding back and feeling fine.  Very slowly gain on Keith Woods.  He will finish not far behind me, and he is 83 years old!

Mile 4 - How organized is this?  Volunteer tell us that an aid station is just ahead, around the corner, water will be first, followed by Nuun.  Later aid stations will have Hammer Gel far enough ahead of the water so that I can down it and then get a drink.  Plenty of volunteers at each station, even after we merge with the larger half.

Mile 6 - Running mostly alone.  Holding back.  Nice course along the Bay.  Sasquatch sighting.  I give him a high five.

Mile 13.1 - 2:05, on pace for a 4:10 finish.  Starting to tire just a bit though.  I hook up with three others and we have a nice conversation that gets us to the merge.  Up a large hill.  Feet are feeling the road.  Both legs are starting to tighten up.  I have not done enough pavement running lately and will pay the price.

Mile 15 - I have been really looking forward to merge with the half and here it is.  Over 2,000 runners streaming toward us.  They are going just about the same as my slowing pace.  Our little marathon pack gets split up and we lose each other in the crowd. 

Mile 18 - Have to dodge around groups of 4 or 5 that are running side by side together, but overall I am keeping pace with most of the halfers. 

Mile 20 - Walk breaks start.  It has gradually gotten tougher to keep going, even though I am just shuffling along.  I have hit the wall now, but it was a gradual wall rather than a sudden event.  Actually I can speed up if I want, but then my legs start hurting.

Mile 24 - Lots of short walk breaks.  Halfers mostly passing me, but I am sticking near a few other strugglers.  Much harder than I expected.  Maniac Betsy comes zooming past me.  I have been thinking that I should be able to beat 4:30 and I will work toward that.  So I just keep plodding along, working hard but not an all out effort.  Saving something for next week hopefully.

Mile 26.2 - Perk up for the finish.  Happy to be done and happy that I did race today and was able to complete.  It is a shame that I was not in better shape, but I will not dwell on the negatives.  I will see what I can do to come back faster next year.  In the mean time, marathon #90 is done and it was a beautiful Fall day, at a terrific event.


4:28:11
251st place of 425
Marathon or ultra #90
Race #281
****

9/8/12 Evergreen Dash Point Trail Marathon

My first time here.  Right foot is gradually getting better.  Racing last week and some easy runs this week did not affect it, so I will run this race today.  It is 4 loops, so if something starts hurting I can drop out easily enough.  I do not know these trails, but judging from some other trail races I expect to be in the 4:30 to 4:40 range.  But I will take it easy on the foot and maybe just beat 5 hours.  Consider it a training run for Bellingham on 9/30.  I usually run Skagit this weekend but this race is much closer to home, is half the cost and is on Saturday so I can go to church with the family tomorrow.  It has been very hot and may push 80 degrees today, but we should be in the shade for most of the race.

Marathon Maniacs before the start

151 in the 10K, 99 in the half marathon and 39 starters in the marathon.  The other races start 15 minutes after us and the 10K has a shorter loop, but mostly the same as us.

Loop 1- 6.55 miles (80 minutes 30 seconds) - Uh oh.  I start near the back so as to really go slow and protect the foot as it warms up.  I can feel a little nagging in there but not so bad.  The pace seems plenty fast though.  And soon we are climbing stairs.  And up and down and up and up some more.  And twisting and turning.  When it is flat, it is not flat for long and the single track trail keeps turning sharply.  No place to get running.  The only aid station (other than at the start/finish) is about 2 miles out.  It is after most of the ups and the second "half" is more runnable, but still very twisty.  I am finally able to get into a running groove.  With the trail so narrow I feel like I am going faster than I am.  I know that I am going faster than I should, but I feel fine and my overall pace for this first loop is just under 13 minutes per mile.  80 minutes for the first of 4 loops.  I am now thinking that getting in under 6 hours is going to be a challenge.  Also wondering if I am racing too much, something has zapped my running energy of late.  I will finish as best I can today and then take a break and reduce my mileage some.


 

Loop 2 - 6.55 to 13.1 miles (1:29) - Second time around the course. I have a better feel for where I am going, though the course is well marked.  Still being passed by speedy half marathoners.  I wish that the trail were wider so that I do not have to step off it and stop to let fast runners and recreational mountain bikers pass.  The first two miles up the hill really zap me.  There will be many more walk breaks now.  In fact I am feeling hot and tired and am slowing for sure.  Not having much fun.  As I finish this loop I consider dropping out.  This course is much tougher than I expected.  I think about a goal that I have, of reaching marathon #100 by the Tacoma Marathon in May.  If I drop now, I will just have to find another race to fit in.  I might as well keep going however long this takes.









Loop 3 (1:48) - So hard.  It takes forever to get to the aid station.  They are so supportive out there but again I am not so sure that I will see them for the last loop.  It is really warm now and I am going through fluids so quickly.  I am pouring some water from my bottle onto my head to cool down.  Now I find a runner laying down on the side of the trail.  He looks fine and when I ask if he is OK, he says that he is done.  Does that mean that he finished the race and came back up here to sit in the shade (3 miles from the finish)?  No, he just can not run anymore.  I tell him to walk on in to the finish.  A few minutes later Maniac Monte will find him and make him get up and walk it in.  Not much farther along I find another guy stopped and bent over vomiting.  Again he says that he is OK and I take him at his word, but now I have second thoughts.  Maniac Deb will find this guy in a few minutes and will give him the last of her water and walk him in to the finish, taking a DNF for herself.  Both of these guys were young and fit looking, but neither were carrying any fluids.  I myself was almost out of water by the time I passed the second guy.  I will be out of fluids with a mile to go in this loop, but will make it in to the aid station OK.




Loop 4 (1:58) - My slowest 26.2 mile marathon to date was the Mountain Marathon but it looks like today I will be even slower.  At least that race had long sections of straight trail or dirt road.  Today there was just no place get into a rhythm.  And now I am all out of energy.  Walking up the steps.  Now on a boardwalk bridge I start to get light headed. I have felt this before late in marathons and the S!Caps usually help.  I pop my third, should have taken it earlier.  Now I think about sitting down on these steps.  I could just sit here for a while and recover and then walk the half mile back to the finish and take a DNF.  Instead I keep moving, mostly walking.  Reach the little loop and I will admit that the thought, but not real temptation, to cheat does come to mind.  I consider it briefly but choose to complete the whole course.  Eventually Maniac Monte catches up to me and we run/jog/shuffle and swing our arms together for a mile.  Monte is one tough persistent marathoner and friendly guy.  I am usually quite a bit faster than him, but he sure is showing me how to get it done today.  He says to watch out because usually after him come the sweepers.  There was a 7.5 hour time limit listed for this race and I am sure that I can beat that.  But there was no cut off time given for the last loop and two very experienced Manics were dismayed when they were told that they would not be allowed to finish after completing the third loop. 

When Monte was behind me, but catching up, I was able to push on and keep moving fairly well.  Once I let him get ahead of me, I just could not keep up.  I saw this on the previous loop.  Heidi from Olympia was chasing me for a while and I seemed to run much better until she passed me.  Left by myself I tend to really slow down and walk for way too long. 

I make it to the aid station and am in the best spirits of anytime I have been there today.  Guzzle two cups of cola and fill both bottles with water.  Only 4.5 miles to go now. I stay way too long at the station but get moving and am able to get into a slow jog.  Now another runner is catching up.  I do not know her, but again I am able to push onward better with someone tailing me.  She follows for about two miles, walking when I do.  Eventually I pretty much make her pass me.  She said that she liked following me.  If the trail had been wider, it would have been nice to actually run with someone, and I am sure that I would have been faster.

Three miles to go and I can feel a blister on the side of my right foot, near the back.  I rarely have blister trouble and never in that spot.  If it was earlier in the race I would go change socks or something.  But I am almost done.  The blister slows me even more but there is nothing I can really do about it out here.  When I know that I have two miles to go I celebrate by pouring some water on my head and not conserving it any longer.  Drink up and keep moving.  Satisfaction as I cross the finish and some disbelief that it was so hard.  Call home to find that Jody was not worried about me and that it is fine that I will be about two hours later than I expected.   

In summary - My worst marathon time yet.  I will attribute it to a hot day, a vicious trail, a hurt foot, blister, some lightheadedness and a general sluggishness of late.  So glad that I did finish and really I would not have chosen to do anything else with my time today.  I do not feel a need to come back here again, but I won't rule it out either.


6:35:45
24th of 33 with at least 8 DNF or drop to the half
89th marathon or ultra
280th race
****

9/1/12 Over the Narrows 10 Miler

Third annual event and my third time here.  Almost did not race today as I am having a new foot problem.  I think that it is just some strained tendons, it hurts pretty bad when I flex the foot and have pressure on it as in a calf stretch.  Top to middle of foot pain. No swelling or bruising and of course it showed up after taking three full days off.  Two weeks ago I completed a very high mileage week of 84 miles, including two races.  I took it real easy the next week.  My legs were so tired that I could just not get out of first gear.  After that easy week I took three consecutive days off and really rested up.  The next day, while walking, I felt the pain in my foot and at times it was painful to walk.   More rest.  Wednesday I ran a little and found that if I alter my stride, run like a zombie, it does not hurt.  Another easy run on Thursday, painful at first then it loosened up and seemed OK.  Walking has been better, just every once in a while it flares up.

So I arrive today with tired legs and a bad foot.  I will do a little warm up and give it a go if it feels OK, but not worry about finish time.  Warm up goes well, it is easier to run than walk actually.  Club Oly runners Heather, Terra, Amy and their friend Jemma are here.  They plan to run easy and to stick together.  I do so much running alone, it sounds like fun to me to run with them today. 

Start - Just before the start I see my old friend Charlie who is running her first race.  Kimpossible is there to pace her.  They are lined up near the back and I am still with them when the race starts.  With almost 400 runners it takes a few moments to get from walking to running.  Soon we are jogging and I move ahead to catch up to the Club Oly runners.

Mile 0.5 - It takes about half a mile to catch them and it is still very crowded.  We have about three feet on the side of the road to run this downhill.  Any time I want to pass someone I really have to think about how I am going to get around them.  Good news is that the foot feels OK.  I am not running like a zombie, although I am aware of how I am flexing on each step.

Mile 2 - Down, steep up, more down on this tough course.  More room on the road and the crowd is thinning some.  Really fun to run at this easier pace and to be running with these friends. Over the Narrows on a cool, cloudy and great running day.  We try to be as goofy as possible for the photographer. 






Mile 4 - Lead runners coming toward us from the out and back.  Wave to Ginger, Martinho and Judy.  I know where I would be in that mix, and how I would be feeling, if I were running hard.  Instead it is so pleasant just to be out here and feeling good.  My legs feel very good.  At any moment I can put on a surge to pass someone and I feel strong.  I don't have to stay with this group, but I like their pace and I am enjoying the day.  Jemma is new to racing, maybe has not run this far before.  If she starts slowing a lot, I will go on ahead, but otherwise this is working for me.  At the turn around we have about a 9:05 overall pace going.  9/mile gets us in under 1 hour 30 minutes.  That would be nice, but a negative split will be very difficult on this course. Still chatting with Amy and Terra.  Fun times on the road.

Mile 8 -Up, down and then up.  Our pack still together.  Now Jemma takes the lead.  I had expected her to fade but she is looking strong.  Our pace has gotten quicker and we just may get in under 1:30.  Up the hill for the last mile.  Amy and I think that Jemma will slow but she does not.  We decide to catch back up to her.  The surge is easy and fun.  So happy that my legs feel good.  We have been passing people the whole way and now pass a few more to get even with Jemma.  Less than a half mile to go and Amy takes off.  I had threatened to run with her till the very end and then put on a quick sprint just to say that I beat her.  She is not going to let that happen and she moves ahead so quickly.  Our pack falls apart.  I sprint to the end and assume that I am well ahead of the others but Jemma puts on a great kick and finishes even with me.  Terra and Heather are close behind.

Finish - 10.03 miles on the GPS.  Negative split!  Watch Charlie and Kimpossible come in.  No awards for me and I need to get back home, so I do not stay longer than that.  Hope to come back next year.

Rested my foot for another two days and it seems to be getting even better.


1:29:07
125th of 384
Race #279
Over the Narrows 10 miler #3
****

8/18/12 First Call Summer Marathon

My first time heeding the call of a First Call Marathon.  These very low key events are put on by Maniac Dr. Adrian Call.  For a couple of years now he has hosted races on the paved trail along the Sammammish River in Bothel WA, about 4 times a year.  The races are free, and no frills.  But he does accept donations and there will be plenty of food at the finish line.  Part pot luck, part provided.  On course there are some large jugs with Gatorade and water but no cups or staff.  I have wanted to run one of these races and today is the day to do it.  I am still mapping out my course to get to marathon #100 at Tacoma next May.  I need to fit in as many as I can, to get there.

Since I ran the 12 hour race just six days ago I am still recovering from that.  In fact if I can finish the 26.2 miles today, I will have a new mileage record for any seven day period (84 miles). Any kind of time goal is out of the question.

Very small race, but lots of friendly Maniacs.  Two things complicate the day a little.  One is that there are three different races (half, full and 50K) and three different start times (7,8,9) , but apparently any runner can start at any of the times.  The other change is that runners will have to go west on the trail for out and backs until after 10AM when the permit will allow us to run the eastern section.  I will start at 8AM.  That means that I will run west for 3.3 miles and then back to the start.  Repeat that, and since it will be just after 10AM, I can then go east for 6.55 miles and return to the start/finish line.  Double out and back first half, single out and back second half.  This will be the most crowded paved trail that I have ever run on.  So many bicyclists, walkers, joggers, and dogs.  And with so few runners in our race, starting at different times, I will seldom run with anyone.  After days of very hot weather it is cloudy and much cooler.  Temps will peak in the lower 70s, which is warm for racing, but will not seem so bad now after some of the hot running I have done recently.

Start to Mile 3.3 - Briefing by the RD and we are off.  Over the bridge and off to the right.  7AM starters coming toward us.  I take it nice and easy and actually the legs do not feel very sore.  I ran a total of 5 miles between Monday and Friday.  If anything will trouble me today it will be my left heel/plantar and or my right ankle.  Loosening/warming up now, I go just a little faster.  Suddenly I have very sharp pains in a couple of spots up and down my left leg.  In front and behind my knee, in the upper hamstring and maybe down in the shin too.  Very surprising and worrisome.  I walk and it feels fine.  I run slowly and it is fine.  I go faster and it comes back.  Walk and it is fine, run slowly and it is better, go faster and the pain comes back.  I take it really slowly and ponder if I should drop out after the first out and back.  Let John Shaphorst  and Andy Lin go on ahead.  More surprised than anything.  No idea what is wrong.  I continue on and the trail becomes more urban.  Two short tunnels that are good for loon calling.

Mile 3.3 to 6.55 - Return trip.  Hand slap Maniac Deb.  Short slow stride feels fine.  Before the start area I pick up the pace a little and have no pain.  Go a little faster and all seems well.  Whatever the problem was, it worked itself out.  It will not bother me at all any more today or after the race.

 

Mile 6.55 to 13.1 - Meet Maniac Stephanie who also ran the 12 hour last weekend.  She is only doing the half today.  From last weeks race, only Maniac Linda and I are running the full today.  We will finish with about the same times in both races.  This section is uneventful.  The trail is fine, but crowded.  I get back to the start at 2:08, about a 10 minute per mile pace.  No way that this will hold.


Mile 13.1 to 26.2 - Now the longer out and back, heading east to Woodinville.  This is all new for me and it is nice to run somewhere different.  Except the part about not being sure of the course.  A half mile into it and the trail splits and I really am unsure where to go.  John catches up ( I had passed him earlier) and we decide to go over the river.  Then we turn right and see a road and another road that goes more closely to the river and has faint purple chalk arrows on the ground.  We follow the arrows and it takes us down and around and back up to the road where we were on.  Other runners stayed on the upper road which goes straight to the continuation of the paved trail.  Our route added less than a tenth of a mile, and I am still not sure which was the correct route.  Now on the paved trail and it splits again.  The RD had said to follow the detour signs.  There is a detour sign here right in the middle of the split, with no arrow.  Really unsure about this one.  Maniac Mellisa joins us and we all go right, hesitantly. I don't mind a little adventure, but I really do not need any extra miles today.  So it is with great relief that after a mile more I see the aid station jugs.  Running and walking alone now.  Feet tiring.  Getting warmer.  Nice flat trail but crowded.  I resort to music, for the first time during a race in many years.  I have to keep the volume very low for safety though and it does not provide any great boost.  Look at landmarks ahead and try to run to them before taking a walk break.  Stop twice for blackberries.  Bridge way off in the distance that I can focus on.  So happy to see the turn around and start heading back.  Set a very easy goal of beating 5 hours.  John is way ahead now.  Linda starts catching up.  When I reach the detour/road area I know that I am getting close and I put on what speed I have so that she will not catch me.  Going well here and the legs feel fine.  Feet are the worst part.  Slow pace meant that my stomach was good and I was able to tolerate gels and Gatorade on the course.  Reach the finish in decent shape.  26.3 on the GPS.  Enjoy the recovery area and post race food.  Wait for a few runners to come in and then head home.

90 minutes from home, this race is a good option if I need to get a long run in, or am trying to build up marathon numbers. I hope that it stays small. 


4:43:20
11th place of 25
Race #278, Marathon or ultra #88
****

8/12/12 Transcendence 12 Hour - Olympia

Third annual event and my third time here.  I did not think that I would want to race today, it is my 23rd wedding anniversary.  But when Jody decided that this was the best time for her to have a vacation in Japan.....transcendence here I come.

The good: so close to home, 1.5 mile loops means no carrying aid and no getting lost, great organization as usual from Guerrilla Running and an amazing number of Maniac friends here today.  The multiple loops means that I should be able to see and run with many friends.

The bad: 1.5 mile loop around Capitol Lake.  I ran 38 loops last year and that event along with the previous year has done something to my mind.  This is a local hot spot for the running clubs and generally a nice place to run, but I start to shudder every time I drive by this place.

The history: The first year was extremely hot.  I ran 33.5 miles, a distance record for me.  I quit after about 6 hours due to the heat, but had fun.  Last year the weather was much better.  I ran 57.9 miles, my current record, in 11 hours 42 minutes.  Last year I ran about 10 minutes per mile for the first 6 hours and then dropped to 14 minutes per mile for the second half.  I had OK energy at times but had pain up my right leg that was much better during walk breaks.  Late in the race I was able to run better while on the crushed gravel than on the pavement.

The plan:  I must start slow.  Repeat: I must start slow.  Yes it will be cooler in the early hours, but running faster early on is not the strategy that I will take today.  I will try my best to keep the average pace between 10:30 and 11:00 per mile for at least the first 5 hours.  Hopefully then I can maintain that pace for a longer time.  I had a 12/mile average last year and quit with 18 minutes to spare.  If I can run a little faster average pace and squeeze in an extra lap, that will be a new record for me.  If everything goes very well and I do three more laps that last year, then I will have 62.4 miles which would be 100K. 

But then came the weather forecast.  Its going to be a hot one.  Maybe not as hot as the first year but still very warm.  In fact it will peak at 89 degrees in Olympia.  That is the same temperature as the Boston Marathon reached, but today I will try to run for 7 more hours than at that race.  The unshaded back half of the course will seem much hotter than the front half. 


0-26 miles - I do well to keep a nice slow pace.  Mostly on my own until mile 13.  The the Rogue Wave joins me for ten miles.  She is not my pacer, just doing her own run before volunteering here,  but we do run together.  I hold about a 10:35 pace, taking walk breaks any time that my pace approaches 10:30.  This course is so boring, all of the loops just merge together in my mind.

26.2-31.1 - Reach the marathon distance in about 4:50, about the same as my Boston time.  It is really hot now.  I have been putting ice cubes under my hat, but now Joe gives me a small Ziploc bag full of ice.  I can position that on my head and hold it in place with my hat and it is oh so nice.  It must have a small leak because a little drip of cool water keeps running down here and there.  It melts away by the end of each loop, where I can fill it with fresh cubes at the aid station.  I try to not linger at the aid station but I always get ice and have something to drink.  About every third time I stop at my supplies (cooler, chair and stuff) for one reason or another.  At about mile 29 I am hurrying to make a quick stop at my place when I smack my left shin into a metal picnic table seat.  I am tripping and almost falling on my face.  Balancing on my right leg as my left shin is screaming at me I manage to not fall over.  Surprisingly with all the people around, I do not think that anyone saw my crazy moment.   Sunscreen refreshed and I am on my way. Although the lake is fetid and nasty, at one one of these loops I stop for a moment to get a great look at two otters splashing around.

31.1 to 40 - Nice to have the 50K done.  Quite a few Manics will quit here since they got the required distance in to count for Maniac stats.  I decide to change my shoes and keep going.  I have never done that in a race before and hope that it will give me a lift.  I have been slowing.  The new shoes are a little roomier and feel nice, but do not make me any faster.  My pace is slowing with the heat.  Although I am better heat acclimated that in previous Summers, I am still afraid of pushing it in the super warm weather.  I just do not want to be that guy that collapses and no finish time or place is worth the risk to me.  At one point I get just a little fuzzy with the heat.  It is near the end of the loop, so I walk it in and sit for a while.(thanks Riki for looking out for me and for the lemon bar!)  Most of this section is a blur.  Running mostly alone.  What I remember is that Ginger had just passed me and then Jeff was helping her with ice and they spilled a bunch of ice cubes on the ground in the "oven" section of dusty gravel.  The next time I came around the ice was melted.  The next time around the damp spot was starting to dry.  The next time it was almost gone, then I could not see it anymore.  That was the highlight of that two hours.

40 to 51.8 - At times I feel like I am the last one still running.  I will never beat last year's distance so how far should I go?  Then I see a pack of runners or see that Craig has updated the leader board and I remember that this is a race.  I catch up to Marie and correctly guess that this is the final loop that she needs to do to complete 50K, which will give her 100 lifetime marathons or ultras.  I walk the second half of the loop and exchange a high five when she crosses the line.  She is not done yet and I decide that I am not either.  There is plenty of time left and my legs feel fine (feet are getting a little beat up) and I have good energy.  I should be able to reach 50 miles.  That loop will end at 50.2, so if I make it that will be my second farthest ever run.  Maybe it is getting a little cooler.  Ginger catches me and I am able to pick up the pace and stay with her for a short while.  She will go on to win the women's race and set a course record of 67 miles.  Counting down the laps now and in no hurry.  I am able to chat with more runners than I had previously.  Meet someone new, check in with old friends.  Encourage Katie who is a lap behind me and trying to get to 50 miles.  She is going to have to work hard to get there, while I stroll along, but she does it!  I reach 50.2 miles a little after 11 hours.  Some runners will stop here as it is a nice round number.  I have plenty of time, so I add one more lap, to finish at a slightly higher place.  At 11:33 I cross the line and call it quits.  I see no reason and no one can talk me into going for just one more.

I have 30 minutes to recover and relax before dinner is served.  Nice awards ceremony and I am surprised to see that I was the 2nd male masters runner and came in first in my age group.  Slow persistence paid off I guess.  I ended with over a 13min/mile pace and I second guess my strategy. Maybe next year I will go out faster and see what happens.


51.8 miles, 11 hours 33 minutes, 44 seconds
9th of 80
Race #277, 87th marathon or ultra, 3rd T12
*****

8/5/12 Race Against Crime 5K

Last minute decision to run this one.  I have not done a 5K in four months and have not done any speed training, so I expect to be well off my best.  This will get me some forced speed work for the week. I ran the 10K here two years ago. Day of race registration costs and extra $5 but I also get $5 off as a Club Oly member.  $25 includes a T-shirt.

Hot one.  Really hot.  Bright sun, no wind, and probably about 80 degrees.  The start is at 9:15AM.  It will reach 90 later in the day.  The crows in Rainier Vista Park in  Lacey all have their beaks open in a cooling posture.

My warm up is not so good.  I get in two miles and try to pick up the pace, but just do not feel like I have any speed.

Start - I line up directly behind the front row.  Lots of slower and more casual runners, plus more of the faster ones probably are running the 10K which started five minutes ago.  I should place well, maybe get an age group award.  It is a smooth start and I go out at a good clip, but not too fast.

Mile 1 - 7:18.  Really warm now.  Dump water on my head.  Turn right on to the paved trail. Shaded but not much relief.

Mile 1.55 - Turn around.  I am just behind one guy.  No one very close behind me though.  I am ahead of the first woman and quite a ways ahead of the next man.

Mile 2 - Holding steady pace but it is not easy.  I pass the one guy and can only hope that he will not challenge me later.  We are all spread out and as long as the one guy does not catch back up, no one will.  But I will not pass anyone else, the leaders are far out of sight.  Struggle along the road and bring it on home at a steady pace.

Mile 3 - Turn into the park.  Quick look to see that no one is close behind me.  Been thinking that I might be able to beat 23 minutes.  Now I see that it will be close.  I try to go faster, but just do not have the power.

Mile 3.1 - Finish in 23:05.  My slowest road 5K in quite a while but 7th out of 98 looks great.   Terra Perkins expertly places my tag on the results board.  Another volunteer hands me a cold wet cloth which is a wonderful treat.  I walk back to watch the others and the 10K finish.  Stick around to get my giant gaudy ribbon.


23:05
7th place of 98
Race#276, 5K#70
*****

7/21/12 Lakefair Half Marathon

After three years of missing this race in order to be with Jody at Chelanman, I am able to run this year as she is not doing that triathlon.  New this year is a half marathon. I signed up some time ago and with the no T-shirt option the price was more than reasonable.  We will get a nice wooden finisher's medal,along with an accurate and well supported course.  The only problem that I have is that I did the Light at the End of the Tunnel Marathon just six days ago.  My legs are still shot.  I "ran" two miles on Tuesday.  On Thursday I ran about 4.5 miles but still felt tired legged.  I keep telling myself to just have fun today and not worry about time.  Well I have a streak of sun 1:50 halfs, so I will try to beat that, but who knows how it will go?

Weather is looking very good, cloudy and comfortable.  I got my race number and timing chip yesterday, so I can leave the house this morning after 6AM and still be in downtown Olympia well before the 7AM start.  I like the big local race where I can see so many friends.

Start- On Fifth Avenue.  We start two minutes after 7AM and it is smooth going out.  Turn on Jefferson and begin climbing.  It is not steep but I can feel it in my legs.  I hope that the extra day off yesterday would help, but my legs are still shot.  I can run, fairly quickly, without pain, but I am sore and tired.  Can I go on like this for 13.1 miles?

Mile 1 - Pass Judy Fisher.  I beat her by two minutes at the marathon and I will come in two minutes faster than her today.  That is not to brag.  She is 68 and absolutely amazing.  Finish mile 1 in 7:57 but I am still settling into a decent pace.

Mile 2 - Paved bike trail that parallels I-5 and takes us across Jefferson.  Nice route that I have not run on.  First water station has large cups that are totally full.  I go to grab one off the table and drop it because I did not expect it to be so heavy.  Not many cups or helpers either, I hope that it is not swamped with all the runners just behind me.  The race was capped at 350 registrants and I think that was a good idea.

Mile 3 to 7 - Steady 8:04 pace.  Every once in a while I get the feeling that my legs will buckle under me and I will fall to the ground.  Other than that I am having fun.  Now we are on the paved Woodland Trail.  I have run here often and I am very familiar with the rest of this course.  Plenty of room to run, great volunteers at the couple of road crossings and at the water stations.  Fun to see Rich and Phil.  Chehalis Western Trail has a nice gentle downhill and I have run here so often.  I pass a couple of people, but also get passed.  If I can hold this pace the rest of the way I will be happy.

Mile 7-11 - On 36th street now.  Little traffic and cars will not be an issue.  I can hear footsteps behind me, catching up.  Now they get louder.  Now ridiculously loud.  Someone is stomping their feet at my heels and it can only be Martinho.  He finally comes up next to me and I laugh.  I figure that he will move on ahead but he stays with me.  Warming up now.  At one aid station I want to dump a little water on my head but they only have gatorade.  Small uphill before Priest Point Park and that does me in.  I can not help but slow now.  Martinho goes ahead and I simply can not keep up.

Mile 11-13.1 - Very short section of dirt trail, then the road in the park.  Over the bridge and down and around to East Bay Drive.  It is all familiar and a gentle downhill for most of it.  I am slowing but will get under 1:50 for sure.  I get passed by a couple of guys and only catch one myself.  Happy to see the finish and I cruise on in with what energy my legs can muster.

Overall I had fun and I am glad that I raced today.  Running on tired legs is difficult and a drag at times.  My legs never buckled and it was probably good training for something but I wish that I could have run on fresh legs.  I love the Tunnel and I love Lakefair so I will continue to do both races, sacrificing a speedy time for a fun time.

Now I can rest up a bit as my next race is not for three weeks. 


1:47:18
58th of 303 finishers
Race #275 , half marathon#26
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