Wednesday, December 14, 2011

#12--Olathe Marathon

Olathe, Kansas
March 31, 2007
4:35:51

While in residency, I was usually able to train for and do one marathon a year.  I was now in my last year of residency and had more time to devote to training, so I decided to take advantage of it.  The Olathe Marathon fit into my schedule, and was an easy drive from Omaha.

I remember we stayed in downtown Kansas City the weekend of the race.  I got up early and drove to Olathe.  It was pouring rain, I didn't have a map or a GPS.  I got lost trying to find the area where the buses took the runners to the starting line.  The start of the race was getting very close.  I raced into a gas station to ask for directions.  The attendant looked at me like I was crazy.  I had enough change in my car to buy a map.  I hurriedly figured out where to go and drove as fast as I could.  I barely caught the last bus to the starting line.

After that, the race was almost anti-climactic.  The course was mostly rural.  The clouds parted and conditions were pretty good.  I felt pretty good that I was running marathon #12.  I was humbled by the guy next to me running #212 or something like that.  Now that guy was crazy!

I finished in just over 4:30.  I went back to the hotel where my wife had been watching movies all morning.  She said to me, "Hurry up and change.  We are going shopping!"  Clearly, the novelty of me running marathons had worn off and she had other ideas for our weekend in the KC area.  With that, I made myself an ice bath and soaked for 20 minutes.  After popping some ibuprofen, I was ready to start what felt like my second marathon of the day.

http://www.olathe.org/sports/marathon/

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