#43--Missoula Marathon

Missoula, MT

July 14, 2013

4:37:24

This weekend I completed my 43rd marathon and 41st state, running in the 7th annual Missoula Marathon.  I've gone almost 4 months since my last marathon, which seems like an eternity.

My sister watched our sons for the weekend, while my wife and I took our 3 month old daughter on the trip.  We flew from Lincoln to Denver to Missoula and back.  Missoula is a very cool college town nestled in between the mountains of western Montana.  It is beautiful, as anybody who has seen "A River Runs Through It" can attest to.

We arrived Friday night after an uneventful flight.  The Expo and packet pick-up was held at a downtown park, where the finish was going to be for the race.  There was a 5K Saturday morning that added to the general level of excitement.  Packet pick-up was easy and after that we walked through the Missoula Farmer's Market.  I've been to many and this was one of the best.  After checking out the vibrant downtown and getting some lunch, it was time to get off my feet and rest for the marathon.

The marathon and half marathon were each point-to-point courses, starting at 6 AM.  All runners had to take busses to the start.  I had to get up at 3:15 in order to eat, hydrate, and get to the bus on time.  The start of the race was punctuated by fireworks provided by the University of Montana Army ROTC.  Temperatures were in the high 40's and it was calm and clear at the start.

The course was mostly flat and very scenic.  I ran the first 1/2 in 2:07.  There was a long steep hill at this point that got me out of my groove.  I was a little under-trained for this race, too, as my achilles has been acting up and I've been forced to cut back on my training for the last 6 weeks or so.  Add to that the upper respiratory congestion that I caught from my daughter, and the last half was pretty tough.  I held on to finish in just over 4:37, a very average time for me the last several years.

The finish area downtown had lots of food, drinks, and music to entertain runners and their families.  We enjoyed as much of this as our 3 month old would allow, and then it was back to the hotel to shower and rest.

The Missoula Marathon was a great experience.  The city is beautiful and really embraces the race, with a whole weekend of activities and events.  The race itself is well organized and executed.  With 1,500 runners doing the full and 3,500 runners doing the half, it is just about the perfect size race, too, in my opinion.  I am glad I chose Missoula for my Montana marathon.

#42--Tobacco Road Marathon

Cary, North Carolina

March 17, 2013

4:41:37

This was the second part of my "Atlantic Coast Double."  After a tough trail race yesterday, I had my doubts going into this one.

The race was in Cary, North Carolina, which is a town right next to Durham.  I made it in time for packet pick up.  The expo was small and efficient.  The race director was walking around talking to runners and answering questions.  A very nice touch.  The Embassy Suites was the host hotel, and they had a pasta buffet the night before the race.  It didn't cost much more than most pre-race pasta dinners I've had, and it was very good.

Transportation was kind of a pain.  The start and finish was at the USA baseball complex, 10 miles from the host hotel, which is strange.  Parking at the baseball fields was limited, and you had to pre-register for a parking pass, a detail that I neglected.  If you didn't have a parking pass, you were forced to drive 6 miles or so to an off site parking area, where busses would drop you off at the start.  Runners were encouraged to get there at 5AM for a 7 AM start.  This seemed excessive, but with memories of my near miss in Arizona last year still pretty fresh in my mind, I was there by 5:15.  We made it to the start a full hour before the start of the race and I did my best to keep warm and occupied.

The race started promptly at 7.  There were a few rolling hills the first 2.5 miles.  From there, the course   turned on to the American Tobacco Trail.  We spent the next 20 miles on this trail.  For Lincoln runners, think of the Mopac trail from 84th St heading east.  The trail was soft, flat, and straight.  Although it was pretty boring, my quads needed a break after the hills yesterday.  Aid stations were frequent and well stocked.  There were lots of porta-potties, too.

I ran the fist half in 2:16 and the last half in 2:25.  Considering the race I ran yesterday, I was pretty happy.  The post race party at the finish seemed like it was going to be fun, but I had to catch the shuttle back to the parking lot, get in my car, drive to the hotel, shower, change and go to the airport.

This was my 8th marathon since Labor Day.  I don't race again until July.  I am looking forward to taking a couple of weeks off!

#41--Instant Classic Marathon

Chesterfield, VA

March 16, 2013

5:07:53

I had only done one trail marathon until this one.  That was a race outside Laramie, Wyoming.  That race was really hard and I've avoided trail races ever since.  I only signed up for this one in Virginia because I was going to be able to make a double weekend out of it.

I didn't do a lot of research about the race.  When I did, I found this elevation map.  Although altitude wouldn't be an issue, the dozens and dozens of climbs might be.

I was pretty nervous going into this.  The weather forecast didn't help.  It was supposed to rain the night before the race and all day Saturday.  When I woke up Saturday I looked outside and it was still dry.  I put on my trail shoes and headed to the race.  A few minutes before the start, it began to rain.  There were maybe 100 runners at the start, and nobody was fazed by it.  The race started at 7:45, and we all dashed into the trails of Pochohontas State Park.  

As far as trail races go, this was pretty easy, I think.  There were some creeks to cross, tree roots to hurdle, and rocks to avoid, but it wasn't too bad.  As the map shows, there were tons of hills.  You were either running up one or down one.  There were very few straight, flat stretches.

The race ended up being a lot of fun.  The trail was pretty sandy, so it absorbed a lot of the rain.  There was certainly some muddy areas, but nothing like I had feared.  After 30 or 40 minutes the rain stopped, and by the end of the race the sun actually came out.  It never got too hot.  The scenery was great and the course was challenging, but not terrible.  There were no spectators, basically, only volunteers every 3 miles or so at the aid stations.  These were stocked with skittles, M&Ms, pretzels, water, and gatorade.  I walked up the steepest hills in order to try and conserve energy for the marathon in North Carolina the following day.  I finished at 5:07:53.  I grabbed some water and gatorade, fruit, and a burger.  I walked to my car and changed into some dry clothes and hit the road.  

This was a no-frills race in just it's second year of existence.  Packet pick up was at the local running store, with no expo.  There were no timing chips.  There was no music or spectators on the course.  Volunteers grilled burgers and brats at the finish for runners.  As somebody who has up until now preferred large urban marathons (NYC is still my favorite), this small, low-key trail marathon in Virginia was a real treat.  When the race organizers decided to call it the "Instant Classic," I think they were on to something.

#40--Myrtle Beach Marathon

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

February 16, 2013

4:39:45

With Myrtle Beach, I continued my winter swing through the south.  Winter marathons are tough to train for and can be even harder to run, with unpredictable travel and weather.  A few years ago, this race was actually cancelled because of snow!

I left on Valentine's Day and took my wife.  Somehow, I convinced her that it would be a very romantic trip to watch me run yet another marathon.  My sister watched the kids for the weekend and we made it to Myrtle Beach easily.  I was lucky enough to find a nice restaurant for dinner that night.

The expo was small and efficient.  One of the benefactors of the marathon is a preserve for rare wildlife.  The highlight of the expo was seeing several baby tiger cubs playing with each other.

The race started at 6:30 AM.  I like early starts because I am usually up anyway and sooner you start, the sooner you finish!  It was cool at the start and the temperatures were forecast to be in the low 50's for most of the day.  It was perfect conditions.  Continuing with the wildlife theme, there was an elephant at the start line to help see runners off.  I'm glad he or she wasn't easily spooked.

I ran a slow, steady race.  We had walked around a bunch the day before, so my legs were a little bit tired.  The course was flat and fast.  Surprisingly, there weren't as many ocean views as I had hoped for, but there were a few.  Aid stations were plentiful and well stocked.

I finished in just under 4:40, running almost even splits for the two halves of the race.  I met my wife at the finish and we walked to a nearby movie theater.  I was the only one at the movies with my sweaty running clothes on, a race bib on my shirt, and a medal around my neck.  Isn't this how you are supposed to spend Valentine's weekend?  

When we walked out of the theater, a very cold rain had started, which turned into a light snow later that night.  As we packed our bags to return home, I realized there was more snow on the ground and it was colder in Myrtle Beach than in Lincoln.  Not exactly the getaway I had hoped for.  We had a nice seafood dinner that night, but anxiously checked the weather.  Fortunately, the flights home the next day went smoothly.  I was happy to have finished my 40th marathon, anxious to see my two sons, and ready to train for the double marathon in Virginia/North Carolina next month.

#39--Louisiana Marathon

Baton Rouge, Louisiana
January 20, 2013
4:30:32

This was just the second year for this marathon.  I always thought I would run my LA marathon in New Orleans, but this fit better into my schedule this year.  It was a well executed, no frills marathon.

Getting there was pretty easy, with an on time connecting flight from Houston.  I checked in at the host hotel/casino, the Belle of Baton Rouge.  This was kind of an odd fit for a host hotel.  There was a very nice, small packet pick up and expo.  The pasta dinner Saturday night featured two inspirational speakers, one woman battling recurring brain cancer while she competes marathons and triathlons, and a man who is a bilateral arm amputee who, despite his disability, has done nearly 100 tri's with a special bike and unorthodox swimming technique.

The race started at 7 AM in front of the state capitol.  Conditions were cool, calm, and clear.  It was a relatively small field of runners, which was nice.  The course ran through the cypress tree lined parks and neighborhoods of Baton Rouge, and included a segment through the campus of LSU.  I felt good and ran a very steady race, crossing the half mark in just under 2:15 and finishing in just over 4:30.  Aid stations were well stocked and plentiful.  There were very few spectators and basically no entertainment on the course.  I don't need either one, but they are kind of nice to have.  I have found that Sunday marathons in a southern city generally aren't well attended by local spectators.

The finish line was again in front of the state capitol.  There was a great finishers area, with fruit, water, beer, and local flavors including red beans and rice and jambalaya.  The latter two are just about the perfect recovery food, with a great combination of carbs and protein. 

I had a flight to catch so I wasn't able to stick around for the post race party, which was getting a lot of buzz.  After a quick shower, I headed back to the airport.  Proud of finishing my 39th race, I was nevertheless humbled by the lady sitting next to me who just finished #361.  Now she is crazy!

#38--Marshall Marathon

Huntington, West Virginia

November 11, 2012

4:42:12

I signed up for this marathon late to serve as a substitute for the NYC Marathon.  For a 50 Stater, this was a great race and I would recommend the West Virginia race for any 50 Stater.

Huntington was surprisingly easy to get to, with a flight into Huntington connecting from Charlotte, NC.  I rented a car (no accident this time) and drove to the packet pick up.  It was small and crowded, but went pretty smoothly.  There was a pre-race pasta dinner on site included in the registration fee.  For those who signed up early, they received a Brooks running jacket in addition to the race t-shirt.  For the $55 entry fee, this was the best value I have ever seen.  Most pasta dinners are $10 at a minimum.

The race started promptly at 7AM in front of the football stadium.  It was calm and cool, with temperatures in the 50s most of the race.  It was generally flat and consisted of two loops in and around town.  The highlights were the portions along the Ohio River and those through the city parks and university.  I was battling a GI bug and spent an inordinate amount of time in the porta-potties along the race.  Note to director--there could have been more!  Aid stations were plentiful, but never had any Gels or Gu's or anything.  Thanks to the kid at mile 21 handing out oreo's.  Almost right on cue, John Denver's tribute to West Virginia, "Country Roads" came on my iPod at mile 24 and took me home.  The finish was on the goal line inside the stadium.  You could carry a football the last 100 yards.  I didn't have enough left to do a dance in the end-zone, but I did spike the ball!  The University closed the rec center and allowed runners to use the shower facilities, which was a huge bonus for those of us checked out of hotels and looking to get out of town.

I was very pleased with the Marshall Marathon.  It is a great value, small regional marathon that should appeal to any 50 Stater.

#52--Day of the Dead Marathon

October 27, 2014

Las Cruces, NM

5:40:04

With this weekend marking the "Day of the Dead" holiday, it is a good time to post about the marathon I recently completed in Las Cruces, New Mexico.  This was a really unique race.  Named after the Mexican holiday honoring the deceased, "Dia de Los Muertos," is not one marathon but actually a series of SEVEN marathons on SEVEN consecutive days!!

I was supposed to run in Albuquerque, NM, but changed plans at the last minute.  Thankfully, this race was still open.  I only ran the first marathon of the series, but about half of the 25 or so runners who showed up for the first one on 10/27 intended to run most or all of the races.  CRAZY!

Getting to Las Cruces wasn't real easy, but travel went smoothly and I checked into my hotel, where the World's Largest Chili Pepper greets guests at the front, shortly before midnight.

After a short night, I showed up to the race an hour before the start at picked up my bib and shirt.  I mingled with the Marathon Maniacs and we traded stories about favorite marathons, etc.  One of the guys was running his 200th marathon that day.

The course was flat and fast.  I guess you could still call it a course.  It was along the Rio Grande River bike trail.  Runners would run out a little over 1 mile and turn around and return to the start.  We did this 13 times.  It was very monotonous, but runners would high five others as we passed one another on the trail time after time after time.

The race organizers take care of the food and stocked the tables in front of their RV with anything you could want or imagine.  I don't think I've eaten so much during a race before.  I particularly enjoyed eating olives, a first for me during a marathon.  One lady even offered to warm up some lasagna for me if I wanted.

There was no time limit and I wasn't going to be able to catch a flight until the next day, so I wasn't in any hurry.  I basically took a short break during each turn around spot, enjoying the food and drink offered, and visiting with the organizers, volunteers, and fellow runners.

Temperatures climbed into the 70's, which for this time of year is pretty warm.  That affected my pace some.   After mile 16 or so, my left IT band flared up, and this forced me to walk a fair bit and stop and stretch some.  This race was only a week after my Maine marathon.  Although my knee didn't bother me in Maine, all of the hilly miles on the cambered road had finally caught up to me.

I ran slow, finishing in just over 5:40.  This actually put me in the top half of the runners for the day.  Most, I assume, were pacing themselves for the following days races.  The last place runner was awarded a commemorative caboose, the only prize given to any runner.

New Mexico marked my penultimate marathon.  The Las Vegas Rock and Roll Marathon, which I have called my Las(t) Vegas marathon, will be my 50th state.   What a long, strange trip it's been.

Here are some pics from "El Maraton."