#50--Mayor's Midnight Sun Marathon

Anchorage, AK

June 21, 2014
4:35:42

This was my 50th marathon total, NOT my 50th state.  Nevertheless, this one felt like a milestone.  FIFTY MARATHONS.  It doesn't seem possible.

The name implies that this marathon is run at midnight.  Although possible with the 22 hours or so of daily sun this time of year, this race is not run at midnight.  It starts in the morning and is run on the Saturday closest to the Summer Solstice each year.  This year, it happened to fall on the longest day of the year.

This is obviously a destination marathon and one that I have looked forward to for a long time.  The biggest challenge, logistically, was arranging coverage for our 3 small children while my wife and I made a mini-vacation out of this race.  Thanks Mom & Dad, Tracy and Mike!

Secure in the notion that our kids were well taken care of, we left Omaha Wednesday afternoon.  Getting to Anchorage was relatively easy, with a flight from Omaha to Seattle, a brief layover, and then on to Anchorage.  Each flight was a little over 3 hours.  Arriving in Anchorage a little before midnight, with the sun still shining, was disorienting to say the least.

The weather was perfect in Anchorage, mid 60s and sunny.  We rented bikes and spent the first half day biking around town and along the coast.  We logged 30 miles or so on the bike, probably not ideal 2 days before a marathon.  I picked my race packet up later that afternoon, a task that only took a few minutes thanks the the small expo.  From there it was back to the hotel for R&R.

The morning of the race, there was a steady rain.  I didn't come real prepared for in-climate weather.  I grabbed an extra trash can bag from the hotel and turned it into a poncho.  I boarded the shuttle to the start of the race at Bartlett High School.  The gym was open, so we didn't have to stand in the cold rain for 2 hours, thankfully.

The starting gun went off at 8, and the thousand or so runners began to run through a steady, cold rain.  I didn't really hear anybody complaining, not that it would do any good anyway.  I didn't really know what to expect out of myself on race day.  I had done very little running since my double a few weeks ago, and although I hadn't had any IT band pain in my knee for weeks, I was more than a little worried about that, particularly on this hilly course.  I settled into an easy, 10:30/mile pace and tried to avoid other runners.  The first stretch of the course is on a trail similar to the trail along HW 2 for the Lincoln Marathon, fairly congested.  The pack thinned out some and I watched the miles tick by.  At mile 6, the rain had let up and I discarded the home made poncho.  The course then turned into an army training area, with miles of old muddy tank tracks to run on.  With my recent trail running experience, I found this to be the funnest part of the race.  The course was scenic, but the clouds and fogs obscured the mountain views.  I ran the first half in about 2:25.  From there, my pace quickened some and I was able to come in at 4:35, running a "negative-split" marathon for the second straight time.  I finished in the top half of all marathoners.  I grabbed some recovery food at the finish and then boarded a bus back to the hotel.  For a change, I didn't have to leave right away, so I was able to take a long, hot shower and actually relax and enjoy the accomplishment of finishing my 50th full marathon.

***That's it for the countdown.  52 marathon posts in 52 days.  This weekend I will run the Las Vegas Rock & Roll Marathon, finishing my 50th state and 53rd marathon total.  Thanks to everybody who has followed this blog and read my posts.  It's been a fun trip down memory lane for me.  I appreciate your interest and support.  Now, it's off the Nevada for my Las(t) Vegas Marathon!!****

#49--North Olympic Discovery Marathon

Port Angeles, WA

June 1, 2014

4:46:17

This was the Sunday marathon of my weekend double.  Port Angeles is in far northwest Washington, so it was a 6 hour drive from the Mt. Hood area in Oregon.  Needless to say, spending six hours in a car right after a difficult trail marathon was not ideal!  My wife drove most of the way, so that at least allowed me to recline and rest a little.

We got into town around 8PM and found the hotel.  There was a great Thai restaurant right across the street.  After carbo loading, we checked into the hotel.  I laid my stuff out for the morning and then as soon as my head hit the pillow, I was out.

We stayed at the host hotel, and they started breakfast at 530 for runners.  After fueling, I walked across the street to catch the bus to the start of the race.  There, I was able to pick up my race bib.   Allowing packet pick up on race day is almost a must for doing a double weekend, and usually only done by smallish marathons.  I am grateful when they allow this.

The race started promptly at 730.  Weather was perfect.  Overcast, no wind, cool, and dry.  The course was a point-to-point run.  It was run on the Olympic Discovery Trail, a paved trail near the Olympic mountain range.  It was generally flat and fast.

I started out slow, as expected.  I felt surprisingly strong, and was actually able to pick up my pace as the race went along.  I ran the second half faster than the first, and my last 6 miles were the fastest 6 miles I ran all weekend.  The finish area was right in front of our hotel.

The hotel offered late check out for runners.  I had 15-30 minutes to shower and change before checking out.  We left the hotel right at 1PM and headed to Seattle, to catch a flight home the next morning.

I felt an unusual satisfaction after this weekend.  I knew this would be a major challenge.  With this double weekend behind me, I have only four more states to reach my goal.

#48--Timberline Marathon

Mount Hood National Forrest, Oregon
May 31, 2014

5:32:16

This was the first marathon of my Pacific Northwest Double.  Just a few weeks after my trail marathon in Delaware, I was very nervous going into this because of my slow time in Delaware, my knee pain that has hampered my training, and the prospect of running another marathon the next day!

My wife accompanied my on this trip, the first time she's gone along for one of these double weekends.  It was great to have her along.  This is a pretty exclusive, very low key trail marathon.  We stayed at a mountain climbing lodge at the base of Mt. Hood.  It was a neat experience, with community meals and a dorm style living.  We were fortunate enough to have a private room with bunk beds!

There was no packet pick up until race day.  The start of the race was a little hard to find.  I did manage to make it right before the start of the race.  The first couple miles of the race were very hilly and quite technical, reminiscent of Delaware.  After that, the course "flattened" out into a beautiful two lap course around Timothy Lake in Mt. Hood National Forrest.    The course was stunning, and this was quite possibly the most beautiful marathon I've ever done.

There were only 3 or 4 aid stations along the course and these only stocked water and gatorade so runners could refill their own containers.  I expected this and brought along my Ultimate Direction water belt and bottle.  I consume a gel pack every 45-60 minutes to keep my blood sugar up.

I ran the first half of the race in 2:40, 10 minutes slower than my previous race in Delaware, but I felt much better at the half way point than I did a few weeks ago.  My pace the second half of the race slowed only a little, and I finished the race in just over 5 1/2 hours.  Given the course and my difficulties training up to this race, I was satisfied.

I collected my shirt and medal at the finish.  We drove back to the lodge and I was able to take a quick, cold shower.  I quickly refueled and we began the 6 hour drive north to Port Angeles, Washington for the marathon on Sunday.

http://roguemultisport.com/featureevents/timberlinemarathon.html

#47--Trail Triple Crown Marathon (Formerly Delaware Trail Marathon)

April 26, 2014

Newark, DE

6:49:34

Numbers don't lie.  This was by far my slowest marathon and the toughest one I can remember.  I ran a trail marathon in Wyoming in 2001 that was pretty hard, too, but I think this past weekend was harder.  I have only run a few trail races and most of them have been pretty easy courses, relatively.  I saw that this small trail run in Delaware would fit nicely into my 2014 schedule, so I signed up months and months in advance.  I did so with warning, as the website warns 50 staters like myself:

"Note to 50-Staters: This is the hard way to earn your Delaware marathon finish! Expect ruined shoes and a possibility of not finishing.  If you do finish, it will likely be your slowest ever finish time."

Undeterred by the warning, I signed up.  In my training, I never included any trail runs.  BIG MISTAKE.  Flat, fast, easy "trails" like the Mopac don't count, I guess!  

Getting there was easy.  Newark, pronounced "New-Ark", is a short drive from Philadelphia.  There was no expo and no packet pick up the night before.  Just show up at the state park before the start, get your number and shirt, and start running.

The marathon was part of a day of racing.  The triple crown, included a half marathon, 10K, and 5K.  Runners could do one, two, or all three of those, hence, the triple crown.  The marathon was a stand alone event.  Sixty or so runners competed in the marathon.

There was a lot of rain the night before the race, but race day was absolutely perfect.  The course was a little muddy from the night before, but not terrible.  The course was mostly single track trail, with some rugged terrain, but manageable.  Lots of tree trunks and roots to hurdle.  The high light of the course if you want to call it that, was a knee-high creek that runners had to wade across.  It was probably twenty yards across, and the water was very cold.  The marathon crossed the creek at various spots FOUR times!  The first time I put on knee high water proof boot covers to try to keep my shoes and socks from becoming totally drenched, but they didn't work that well and I had to carry them 2 or 3 miles after the crossing to find a place to properly dispose of them.  It wasn't worth the hassle, so I crossed the remaining 3 times without cover.  Coming out of the creek, my trail running shoes and socks were completely soaked, of course, and covered with mud.  It was a neat experience, though.

I finished the first half in 2:45, which, given the course conditions, wasn't too bad.  As I started the second half though, I could tell it was going to get much tougher.  The constant up and down running had really taken a toll, and my legs at 13.1 felt like they usually do at 20 miles.  My pace slowed considerably the 2nd half.  I was passed by more experienced trail runners, who were quick with words of encouragement.  Another thing that kept me going was the encouragement from the runners competing in the other events.  They knew how tough the marathon was, and their cheers and acknowledgments helped.

I never considered dropping out of the race.  Even if I wanted to, I don't know how I could have.  Once you were out in the trails, you had the get back somehow.  There wasn't much support out there.  I suppose if somebody was really hurt, they could have called for help and gotten an injured runner out safely.

It helped knowing that there was no cut off time for the race.  After four hours, the aid stations were self service, which was fine by me.  I just had to keep going.  Relentless forward progress.

As I neared the finish, there was a group of teens in the park playing volleyball who stopped and stood and cheered as I crossed the finish.  I was one of the last runners, but not THE last, to finish.  I was exhausted mentally and physically.  I was handed a tiny finishers medal and commemorative coffee mug.

I wasn't sure how I was going to get cleaned up after this.  I had already checked out of my hotel and had a flight to catch in Philly.  Fortunately, the park had a public bathroom with running water and a soap dispenser.  I had an extra pair of clean socks that I used as a wash cloth and a pair of dry shorts that I used as a towel.  I washed off most of the mud and blood from my legs, and drove to the airport, exhausted but proud, with #47 in the books.

#46--The Marine Corp Marathon

October 27, 2013

Washington, D.C.

4:49:59

This was a marathon I had looked forward to for a long time.  It has a well earned reputation for being one of the finest mega-urban marathons, due in no small part to the efforts of the marine volunteers.  I was fortunate just to get in, because registration many months before was a fiasco.  Starting next year, organizers are moving to a lottery system, similar to the NYC Marathon.

This was my last marathon for the year, and I took the whole family.  Two adults and 3 small children in a hotel room for 5 days posed its own unique challenges.  Between nap times, resting for the race, and trying to connect with college friends, we didn't get to do as much sight seeing as I would have liked.  The boys loved riding the metro trains, and still talk about it to this day.

Ever since the Boston Marathon bombings, security at large races has really intensified.  This race was no different.  At peak times, it took hours to go through security and pick up the race packet and schwag at the expo.  I had to make two trips to get it all done, one with kids and one without.

Race day came early.  I tried to sneak out of the room without waking everybody up, but I wasn't successful.  I think marathon day was harder on my wife than me.  I took the metro to the pentagon, where the race started.  There, the start was patrolled by marines toting automatic machine guns.  There would be no repeat of Boston here, that was for sure.

The course was very scenic, with quite a few of the early miles through the rolling hills of northern Virginia, in surprisingly rural areas.  Aid stations were well stocked and plentiful.  I struggled almost from the beginning.  This was my 3rd marathon in 15 days, and I was TIRED.  The pain of the marathon faded when I ran through a make-shift memorial where pictures of fallen marines lined the course.  Their sacrifice really puts the marathon in perspective.  Another highlight was seeing my wife and 3 kids, who were somehow able to make it down to the National Mall to cheer me on.

The finish was fantastic, as runners raced up a hill to the Marine Memorial. I posted pictures in a previous post.  After crossing the finish, a marine put the medal my neck and shook my hand.  It felt weird to accept congratulations from men and women who put so much on the line for us.  I took the opportunity to thank each one.

The line to get on the metro stretched for blocks.  I thought I would save some time and hopped a bus that would take me to the next metro stop.  My plan didn't save any time, and I didn't get back to the hotel until almost 3PM, some 9 hours after I left!  My wife was good natured about it all, or just numb, I'm not sure.

We spent the next day doing some last minute sight seeing, taking in the Lincoln Memorial and getting our picture taken in front of the White House.

The Marine Corp Marathon was one of the highlights of what was a very busy 2013.

#45--Atlantic City Marathon

Atlantic City, NJ

October 13, 2013

4:42:50

After checking out of my hotel in Baltimore, I got on I-95 and headed for Atlantic City.  I ate Lara and Power Bars in the car to refuel.  It took about 3 hours to get to AC.  I checked into the host hotel, Bally's, and walked to the expo at Caesar's.  This is the second marathon I've done where the host hotel is a casino (Baton Rouge being the other one).  It is a little weird walking through a smoke filled casino floor to pick up a marathon bib, but that's what I did.  Once I picked up my packet, I went back to my room and ordered room service, as I wasn't feeling up to venturing out to find dinner.

The race started at 8 AM, on the boardwalk right in front of Bally's.  The half and full marathons started together, but it didn't feel too congested.  The sky was overcast and it was very windy, but cool and dry.  After a brief jaunt on the boardwalk, the course turned into downtown Atlantic City.  There were a few hills early in the race, which taxed my already aching quads.  I settled into a comfortable pace after a while.  The course soon returned to the boardwalk and the half marathoners finished where we had started.  Runners doing the full continued along the Jersey shore and ran in some of the residential areas of the city, before once again returning to the boardwalk.  The last several miles were into a very stiff wind, which made the finish tough, physically and mentally.  One half mile before the finish, Rosalita by Bruce Springsteen started playing on my iPod, a happy coincidence and fitting end to my New Jersey marathon.

At the finish line I chatted with a couple runners who had also run Baltimore the day before.  We talked about the races, training strategies, and other marathons we had run.  We said good bye and I went back to the hotel to pick up my luggage, which I had to leave with the Bell man before the race, because the hotel did not offer a late check out.  I improvised as best as I could to get cleaned up and refreshed in the hotel lobby bathroom, before getting in my car and driving to Philadelphia, where I would return the rental car and board a flight back to Omaha.  I was satisfied with my time and proud to have completed my third "double-marathon" weekend.

#44--Baltimore Marathon

Baltimore, MD

October 12, 2013

4:33:35

I have wanted to visit Baltimore for a long time, so this was naturally going to be my Maryland race. The weekend started with a 3:30 AM alarm Friday in order to make my 5:50 flight out of Omaha.  After connecting in Chicago I rented a car and drove to the host hotel in downtown Baltimore.  After checking in and dropping off my luggage, I headed to the expo.  The expo offered the usual check in procedures and running related booths.

I would have liked to tour the city a bit, but I was really tired and with 52.4 miles of running ahead of me, I walked to the Lexington Market and devoured a lump crab cake, one of the city's signature dishes, at Faidley's Seafood.  Later that night I took a taxi to the Little Italy section of town and loaded up on pasta for the weekend ahead.  There were several runners also there and we compared notes and shared stories of other marathons.

The race started at 8, which I don't like because I am always up way before that and I usually need extra time after the race to get checked out of the hotel, make a flight, etc.  The hotel offered a 1PM checkout, which would be cutting it close.  I also had to make it to Atlantic City by 6PM to pick up my packet.  It shouldn't be a problem, but I was unfamiliar with what traffic on I-95 would be like.

Although the forecast called for rain, the start was dry with temperatures in the mid 60s.  With the humidity, it felt much warmer than that though.  In a departure from other races, the marathon and marathon relay started at 8 AM in one place, with the half marathon runners starting roughly 90 minutes later at a point near the half way mark.  This made for a less congested start, which was nice.  One noticeable change from previous marathons was an obviously enhanced police presence.  Security measures were tighter and the fact that bomb sniffing dogs patrolled the start reminded all of the Boston Marathon tragedy.

The race is considered to be pretty hilly, and that was certainly the case.  There were also TONS of pot holes in the roads, so you really had to watch your step.  The course was a good glimpse of the city.  Lots of miles along the harbor, through the many parks highlighted by various monuments and sculptures, and a good deal of time witnessing the poverty in the housing projects just outside of downtown.

I ran an easy pace, but not as easy as I would like.  I had to be done in time to get back to the hotel, shower, and drive to New Jersey.  I finished in just over 4 1/2 hours. The half marathoners who joined the race finished at about the same time.  Although the start was not congested, the finish was.  There were long lines for food that I didn't have time to wait in.   I grabbed my medal and a bottle of water at the finish, and ran about another half mile to the hotel.  I took a fast shower, grabbed my luggage, and checked out right at 1PM.  I got in my rented Hyundai and headed for Atlantic City, NJ.