Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon 5/1/2011

On April 19, 1995, some a-hole parked a Ryder van full of fertilizer and explosives in front of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City and detonated it killing 168 people.  Among the dead were a bunch of children in a daycare just above where the van was parked.  Timothy McVeigh was quickly caught, tried, convicted, and executed for the crime.  Terry Nichols and several others got lengthy prison sentences but were ultimately spared death by flipping on McVeigh and each other while trying to avoid the needle.  The federal building was rebuilt on a site nearby and the original building site has been converted to a memorial to those who perished.  This marathon is run in memory of those killed and to raise funds for the ongoing maintenance and upkeep of the Memorial.

Late spring and early summer is a tricky time to run long distances close to home.  When I put Oklahoma City on the calendar I did it with every intention of waiting until the last minute to decide if I was actually going.  I watched the weather closely and decided on Thursday/Friday to head out on Saturday morning.  TJ and I were the only two originally on board.  As the date approached Hillary signed up.  Then Jerie.  Then on Friday (yes, the day before we left) Rachel jumped in.  TJ flew up solo, the rest of us piled into Kel’s car and drove the 388 miles due north on I-35.  Me (the guy who only likes to stop when the gas tank is empty)…in the car with three girls who are vigorously hydrating for a marathon the next day.  It’s probably not fair to call it a recipe for disaster but it was definitely a recipe for one, one, one slow trip to Oklahoma.  We hadn’t even made it 40 miles when Hillary the first one had to go.  We stopped in Salado, Waco, Fort Worth (combo stop for lunch as well), Ardmore, and Paul’s Valley.  On average, we stopped every 80 miles.  Despite that, we made excellent time arriving in Oklahoma City exactly 6 hours after leaving Austin.

We checked in and hit the expo.  Rachel was leaning towards doing the half but it was sold out so she had to register for the full.  With our packets in hand, the only thing left to do was check the updated weather forecast (rapidly deteriorating) and start making dinner plans.  We found a cool little Italian place, Portofino’s, that was in a building that used to house a PF Changs (big horses still out front).  The service was slow but the food was good and reasonably priced.

Race morning we awoke to temps in the low 50s, rain, lightning, and winds screaming in from the north at 20 mph (bringing more of the same with it).  The start was delayed 30 minutes in an attempt to let the lightning pass through.  It worked, the lightning was gone but the wind and rain stayed and the strong north winds dropped the temperature into the 40s.  We waited until the last minute to leave the hotel which ended up being a mistake.  We couldn’t get closer than two blocks away from bag drop before the crowd of runners and spectators got too thick to allow forward (really backward) progress.  We basically got stuck and had to wait for the race to start to cover the remaining two blocks in the opposite direction to drop our bags.  Once dropped, we worked our way forward and crossed the starting line about eleven and a half minutes after the race had started.  Chip timing minimizes the impact of this but what it doesn’t do is thin the crowd much.  Starting that far back means a lot of weaving early on.  It probably took us two miles to get to a point where the crowd was moving at about our desired pace (roughly 9 minutes per mile).  TJ and Hillary got themselves to the starting line on time so they didn’t have to deal with any of this.

I’m not sure why, but I decided to wear the Garmin for this race.  Jerie, Rachel, and I planned on running the whole race together and wanted to run right at 4 hours…or slightly under.  I’ve done shorter races in conditions like we were running in but never a marathon.  The wind wasn’t a big deal but mixed with the steady rain and cool temps it made for an interesting day.  I usually attempt to gauge my future misery by how quickly I start sweating.  Sweating within a mile means an epic meltdown is close at hand, sweating after six or seven miles is usually a good sign.  Being completely drenched from the start throws that measure out the window so, for today only, I decide to use my frozen fingers as a gauge.

Miles 1 – 5, after a perfect 10:00 minute mile one and a 9:40 mile two we get on track and end up averaging 9:21 through here.  After a mile, Jerie and I lost Rachel in the crowd.  We didn’t know if she was ahead of or behind us so we marched forward.  It is highly unusual for my hands to stay cold after two miles even in the coldest of conditions.  At this point they are still completely numb.

Miles 6 – 10, definitely in a groove now.  Clipping along at an average of 8:57.  My hands are so cold my fingers are actually starting to hurt.  Jerie is handing me an occasional gel blast (cola flavored, yum!)…and I just have to kinda slurp them up out of my palm.  I cannot pinch them between two fingers.

Miles 11 – 15, it’s pretty flat through here plus I stopped to tinkle and Jerie kept going.  I had to speed up a little to catch her and ended up averaging 8:45.  I went through the half in 2:01:31 so I’m set up pretty well for another negative split assuming we can pull off the sub 4.  I have lost all manual dexterity in my fingers.  I find myself pumping my fingers for the better part of the time between miles…only stopping to check my split when the watch beeps.  I’m actually starting to wonder if I’ll ever be able to feel my digits again.

Miles 16 – 20, the sun actually came out at mile 17!!  It didn’t stay long though.  Just long enough for my fingers to thaw out and for Jerie to remove (and discard) her trash bag, plastic gloves, and real gloves.  By mile 18 it was raining harder than before, the temp had dropped another 5 degrees, and the wind was gusting up to 30 mph.  Mile 20 is a rocking downhill and helped us eke out an 8:59 pace through here.  Oh, and I can’t feel my fingers again.

Miles 21 – 26.2, we realize that we are going to be very, very close to 4 hours.  I think we even tried to speed up when we could.  Miles 20 to 24 were a long, slow climb and we were having a hard time keeping them close to 9.  We took turns pulling and, when we could make words, tried to encourage each other and keep each other focused.  I didn’t have my heart rate monitor strap on but I’m pretty sure I know what it would have said…I was giving it all I could and I think Jerie was too.  We averaged 9:12 per and crossed the line in 4:01:41.  I couldn’t actually push the stop button on my watch so I had to wait for the official results to confirm this.  The official results also confirmed another negative split (this time by a whopping minute and twenty seconds)!

Full details here.

If you’ve ever run a marathon you probably know first hand the frustration of knowing that you’re going to be very close to your goal time but really have no energy reserve left to tap to shave off a minute and some change (or even 10 – 15 seconds per mile over the last several) to get it done.  We knew, we tried, it just wasn’t in the cards that day.

Oklahoma City uses the RunPix technology as a supplement to their regular results.  To illustrate just what I mean when I say we left it all out there…their tracking system says we passed 153 runners in the final 10k and were passed by none.  You’ve probably read enough of my reports to know that I don’t roll like that.  That was all Jerie and I’m just glad I was able to hang on for dear life to her very wet coattails all the way to the finish line.

So, we’ve crossed the finish line…the race should be over, right?  Wrong!  I grab a water, a fig newton, and a cookie and start sleestacking my way out of the finisher’s chute.  Towards the end there is a Carl’s Jr. mobile grill set up and they are churning out the FREE burgers as fast as they can.  As awesome as it looks…I just can’t do it.  We grab our finisher’s t-shirts and check the reunion area for Rachel, Hillary, and TJ.  Empty…duh, it’s raining like gangbusters and the wind is really picking up now.  We’re only a few blocks north of our hotel so we start the walk back.  That north wind is hitting me in the back so hard my neck is cramping!  Then I start getting pelted with hail!!  We duck into the massage tent and wait for it to pass.  It does and now we really start to worry about everyone else…hoping that they’re finished or at least able to find cover.

I finally get back to the room but cannot get warm.  I put on dry clothes and get under two down comforters but am still shivering.  I take a long, hot shower but start shivering again immediately after getting out.  I get back under the covers but this time I take the hairdryer with me.  That does the trick!

We head out to a sports bar for some recovery grub.  I down an excellent burger and fries but have to limit my beer intake to one (gotta drive home).  We hit the road and are not at all surprised to learn that all that crappy weather is basically trapped on the I-35 corridor.  There are a few wrecks, lots of construction, and more hail so the trip home takes about 2 hours longer than the trip up.  I did learn that mildly dehydrated girls (who have just run a marathon) sleep more and pee less than girls who haven’t.

The highlight of the return trip was the obligatory Blizzard stop!  It really hit the spot!!

Oklahoma City is definitely a marathon worth doing.  It was my 25th marathon and my 14th state. 

Next up, The Deadwood Mickelson Trail Marathon on June 5th in South Dakota.

Hogeye Marathon 4/10/2011

The Hogeye Marathon (Fayetteville, AR) celebrated its 35th running by abusing my fat ass for five hours, eighteen minutes, and nearly thirty-three seconds.  The course was tough, the weather was brutal, and there was one VERY long gap (ok, two) between aid stations at a fairly crucial spot in the race.  Hey, it’s a freaking marathon…when is it ever a good idea to jam over 4 miles between water stops?  I know, I know…I sound a little bitter.  Just think how bad I’d be ranting if I hadn’t waited over three weeks to type this out!

I originally had a different marathon, the Garmin Olathe Marathon (Olathe, KS), on the calendar but let Rachel talk me into going to Arkansas.  Her and her husband went to school at the University of Arkansas and were heading up there to visit friends and family.  I decided to tag along.  Meeting and hanging out with their friends was definitely the highlight of the trip, the race and everything associated with it was at the complete opposite end of the spectrum.

The Course – I knew it was not an easy one.  Eyes wide open there.  That being said, it was even harder than I anticipated.  Just driving around town you could tell it was going to hurt.  Not a lot of flat spots anywhere.  I heard a rumor that Jeff Galloway had it on his list of toughest courses…I did not attempt to confirm this but, in any event, agree wholeheartedly.

The Weather – warm, humid, and windy.  Oddly, the wind actually made it seem bearable early in the morning but that faded quickly.  If you’ve ever run in a strong wind you know the sensation of feeling relatively cool when it’s hitting you head on (even while it’s making you work harder) and then how quickly you warm up when it dies down a little or is at your tail.  The twists and turns of the course really exaggerated the effect.

The Training – since I’ve been running marathons every three weeks for the last few months I haven’t been “training” a whole lot in between.  I try to recover for a week after, work hard in the middle week, and taper the week of.  One thing I’ve noticed for sure (and you may have as well) is that the limited training isn’t doing me any favors in terms of losing or keeping weight off.  Complicating that is my growing affection for bourbon.  My buddy Dan (proprietor of Garrison Brothers Bourbon) released a limited run of the good stuff he’s had in barrels for a few years and I like it.  A lot.  Ok, a little too much.

So, put those three (course, weather, training) together and you pretty much get what happened next.  Total annihilation.

Miles 1 – 5, I averaged 9:24 per through here.  Actually started with a 9:26, ran three 9:24s, and rounded it out with a 9:25.  Even with the wind I was drenched in sweat within the first mile…a harbinger of things to come.  A half mile in brought the first, but certainly not last, significant climb of the day.

Miles 6 – 10, the average bumped up to 9:37 through here.  There was one substantial climb but I think net/net this was a mostly downhill section.  We passed a our first pig farm, or at least the scent of one, in here.  I prefer dead pig to live pig…hands down.

Miles 11 – 15, rocking through here at an 11:18 pace.  I walked a pretty good chunk of mile 15.  This portion is basically the “out” portion of a long out and back section in Lake Fayetteville Park.  I recall a water stop around 11 and another one around the turnaround at 15…if there was something in between I missed it!  The blisters on the balls of my feet that came on a little during Virginia Beach are coming back now with a vengeance.  It’s going to be a loooooong day.

Miles 16 – 20, 13:57 pace is all I can muster through this portion.  The sun is out, the temp is soaring, my feet are on fire, and I am officially toast.  The lack of aid stations through here are certainly not helping.  I am seriously considering walking it in (I would hitch a ride if I could).

Miles 21 – 26.2, I average around 15:41 a mile for my “big finish.”  I know I walk ALL of mile 22 in a 17:38.  I run a little each mile but am really just trying to get to the finish line.

In addition to the customary finisher’s medal, I received a couple of additional trophies for completing Hogeye:

These blisters, especially that blood filled one on the right foot, were 100% attributable to my shoes.  New Balance “updated” my trusty 1225 to the 1226.  Apparently the 1226 had a special insert added to the forefoot that creates massive blisters at around mile 11.  I’m not always proud of my reaction to things that disappoint me…below is my reaction to this unpleasant experience:

The last eight pairs of size 11.5 New Balance 1225 that I could find anywhere in the world are now in my closet.  Unfortunately, that only puts off the inevitable for about 18 months.

In closing, Hogeye was my 24th and slowest marathon ever.  13th state.  Next up, Oklahoma City on May 1.  Are we having fun yet??

Shamrock Marathon 3/20/2011

Sandy has declared that my marathon weather curse is OVER!  Having now run three marathons in a row that had pretty decent weather she lifted the curse as we shivered in the cold waiting for the start of the 39th Annual Shamrock Marathon (sponsored by Yuengling).  Running a marathon close to St. Patrick’s Day that is sponsored by a beer company was pure genius.  I don’t remember who thought of it but THANK YOU!

Though I spent more time in Virginia Beach than in Jacksonville last month, it was still a very short stay.  I arrived Saturday at around 1:00 pm and left Sunday at 5:40 pm.  Al, Sandy, and POJ (who got there the day before me) picked me up at the airport and we headed straight to packet pick-up.  From there it was off to Zero’s Subs.  I bought a foot long, ate half, and saved the other half for breakfast (the race started at 8:00 am so I knew my typical bagel or poptart wouldn’t cut it).  We went to an awesome Italian restaurant on Saturday night.  Franco’s in Norfolk.  I highly recommend it if you’re in the area and hungry for spaghetti!

I was in bed and sound asleep by about 11:00 pm…at 12:15 am all hell broke loose in the room nextdoor.  I heard several adult voices and at least two children (one a crying baby and the other a toddler).  The initial conversation was between an adult male and the toddler arguing over who was cooler…Spiderman or Superman.  After about 45 minutes, once I was convinced that they wouldn’t be settling down anytime soon, I called the front desk and had them move me down the hall.  Luckily, since the race wasn’t starting until 8:00 am, I still got a pretty good night’s sleep.

It was pretty chilly and very windy Sunday morning.  The temps were in the low 40s and the wind was howling from the NNE at about 10 mph (gusting to 20 mph).  We sought refuge inside a hotel that was right on the water and waited until the last possible minute to venture out towards the starting line.  We didn’t wait long enough…as they delayed the start of the race to 8:15 am.  The delay wasn’t a big deal as the temperature wasn’t supposed to get much higher than 49 degrees at any point during the day.

I looked at the course profile the night before and noticed that there were two “humps” in the first half (one just before mile two and then coming back over it just before mile 10).  The course climbed slighly from 10 to 19 and then turned and dropped by the same from 20 to the finish.  I figured I’d go out slow, try to run effortlessly to mile 19 or 20, and then see how much I could speed up to the finish.

I’ve only run one long training run (18 miles) since Jacksonville.  I had a 20 miler on the schedule for a weekend that my brothers wanted to go fishing…fishing won out over running long and I never made it up.  My weekly mileage stayed up in the mid 40s but I was a little concerned about the lack of running long and the three week taper (I usually do a two week taper).  Carrying about 10-15 extra pounds (gained since October) was adding to my worry as well.  To ice the training cake, I didn’t get any runs in after Tuesday of the week leading up to the race.  If recovery and rest are the key to good marathons…I’m set!

Mile 1	8:45
Mile 2	8:33
Mile 3	8:40
Mile 4	8:49
Mile 5	8:44
Mile 6	9:14
Mile 7	8:53
Mile 8	8:52
Mile 9	8:49
Mile 10	8:55
Mile 11	9:10
Mile 12	9:03
Mile 13	8:53
Mile 14	8:41
Mile 15	8:42
Mile 16	8:55
Mile 17	8:58
Mile 18	8:58
Mile 19	9:00
Mile 20	8:52
Mile 21	8:56
Mile 22	9:03
Mile 23	9:00
Mile 24	8:55
Mile 25	8:51
Mile 26	8:34
Mile .2	1:47

I actually ran a race almost exactly according to plan!  It’s been a VERY long time since I’ve felt so good so late in a race.  I felt like I was in complete control from mile 20 to the finish line.  I passed literally hundreds of people in the final 6 miles.  After mile 23 or so I was having the strangest thought or sensation that I was a running vampire sucking the life force out of everyone I passed.  I even caught myself making a slurping sound and thanking them for their sacrifice as I went by.  Crazy, right?!

One of the guys I caught apparently did not want to be passed by a 225 lb vampire so he sped up right as I moved up behind him.  We were still a ways out, maybe mile 24, so it was too early to throw down.  He gapped ahead of me by 20 meters then grabbed his right hamstring.  He walked it out until I caught him and then started running again.  He put about 10 meters on me before pulling up again.  This time I put on a surge (a la Corey May) and passed him with some velocity.  I knew I couldn’t hold that pace through the end…but he didn’t!  I settled back down after about 50 meters not really knowing how far he was behind me.  I made the final few turns of the race and the course is now on a wide promenade that runs parallel to the shoreline.  It’s very long and very straight.  From here you can see both the 26 mile mark and the finish line but both seem very far away (and about equally spaced).  I sped up just a touch and decided to hold that pace, as best I could, through the mile marker.

Once I pass the marker I realize I’ve just run my second fastest mile of the entire race at mile 26!  I’m completely dedicated to not getting passed at this point…there are also about a dozen people within striking distance ahead of me and I decide to fuel up on as many of them as I can (remember, I’m a running vampire).

I’m running about as fast as I can to cover the final .2 while reserving just a little in case anyone (like Sandy) decides they’re going to sprint for glory at the fat boy’s expense.  I cruise through the finish and am pleasantly surprised when I see my watch…3:52:47.  Back under 4:00:00!  I remember going through the half in 1:56 but can’t remember the seconds.  Either way, there is a good chance I ran a negative split (runner speak for the back half being faster than the front half).  According to the official splits I ran a 1:56:26 first half and a 1:56:21 second half so I did, indeed, go negative.  Second time ever.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I did stop for a potty break and a photo op during the first half so the deck was stacked somewhat in my favor.  The shot below of me, Chekal, and Rumble was snapped at mile 12.

Shamrock was my 23rd marathon and my 5th fastest ever.  It feels good to get back under 4 hours.

There are only three weeks between Shamrock and my next race, Hogeye in Fayetteville, AR (4/10/2011).  Three weeks after that I’m doing Oklahoma City, OK (5/1/2011).

26.2 with Donna 2/13/2011

Twenty-three hours and fifty-five minutes.  No, that’s not how long it took me to complete the race.  It is, however, the total time from landing to take-off that I spent in Jacksonville, Florida.  That wasn’t the plan…that’s just how it worked out.  I was originally supposed to head out Friday afternoon but got busy at work and pushed my flight to Saturday morning.  We landed at 3:30 pm Saturday and took off at 3:25 pm Sunday.  A little tight of a window to get a real flavor of the local scene…

TJ and Allegra were on the flight so that was a bonus.  Al, Sandy, POJ, and Linda were already in Jacksonville and had been to the expo.  They texted to see if we wanted them to get us some tickets to the pasta dinner and we, of course, said YES!  We owed Al $20 each for the tickets so we used up some free time on the plane to make origami whales out of twenty dollar bills (which he promptly unfolded and stuffed in his wallet).  TJ and I struggled mightily with the intricate folds required.  Allegra was very patient with us and jumped in to make the harder folds when necessary.

Looking at the weather forecast as race day approached it was hard not to get excited.  It was looking darn good.  After travelling hither and yon in search of perfect conditions it was a little surprising that Florida might actually deliver (after striking out in places like Utah, New Mexico, Northern California, Pennsylvania, etc…).  Waking up race morning to discover that the actual conditions were a little better than the forecast made it even better!

The timeline was going to be pretty tight.  The race started at 7:30 am.  I allotted 4 hours to finish.  30 minutes to collect myself, get my drop bag, and pound some coca-cola.  The shuttle ride from the finish line to the hotel would add another 30 minutes.  A quick shower, packing, and checking out would tack on another 45 minutes.  Another 30 minute segment to get to the airport and drop the rental car.  If everything went according to plan we’d be at the airport at 1:45 pm for a 3:25 pm flight (and if we were lucky…have enough time to eat/drink/be merry).  Adding a layer of urgency was our desire to be in line to board the plane on time so as to secure some exit row seats with extra leg room…always good when you just ran 26 miles and those pesky final 385 yards.

So, with good weather and a tight timeline to adhere to we were off to the starting line.  We got an early start.  I woke up at 4:45 am to catch the 5:15 shuttle to the starting line 30 minutes away.  I didn’t mind shivering in the cold for an hour and a half (yes, the shuttle left a little late)…I figured I was lowering my core temperature and that would come in handy once the mercury started rising.  According to the race director’s husband, who is also a local meteorologist (aka weather man), the temperature would climb around 5 degrees per hour.  That meant our 40 degree start time would yield to roughly 60 degrees by the time I finished.  Not perfect but not too shabby.

Plan?  I didn’t really have a plan.  I’ve put on about 10 lbs since St. George in October and I don’t feel like my training since that time has been all that it can be so I knew Boston was not in the equation.  I thought if the weather could hold I might have a shot at a PR but wasn’t certain that was really doable either.  I decided just to go out and run effortlessly for a few miles and see where that put me and, from there, I would devise a goal on the fly.  No garmin, no pacetat, no pace band…just me and my timex clipping off miles.

Miles 1 – 5:  I was running at an 8:19 pace without really breathing hard and with no perceived exertion.  A PR just might be in the cards.  This part of the course takes you over a long, tall overpass from the starting line at the Mayo Clinic to the beach.  Long, tall overpasses are not a big deal at mile one of a race…unless the race is an “out and back” and that overpass is also at mile 24.  But I digress.

Miles 6 - 10:  I covered these at an 8:45 pace including a 9:25 mile 8 were I hit the porta-potty for what turned out to be a one minute stop (yes, I timed it).  A couple of the miles were on the beach which was kinda cool.  The slope to the water was very slight, the breeze coming off the ocean was very nice, and the sand was very well packed.  I give that section a thumbs up for uniqueness!  Another cool bonus of this section was running with Bill Rodgers for about a mile.

Miles 11 - 15:  I clock my first true mile over 9 minutes at mile 13.  It surprised me a little since the couple of miles before and the couple of miles after were all in the 8:40s.  The average for all 5 was 8:56.  I was still running with what seemed like very little effort.  This section was run mainly through some neighborhoods that were off the beach.  There were lots and lots of people, mainly kids, handing out oranges and bananas.  I took both from most.  It was getting close to 9:00 am and I was getting hungry!

Miles 16 – 20:  There will be no more miles in the 8s.  The fastest mile in this section is a 9:06 @ 17 and I clip 10 @ 20.  I thought taking it easy early would save me some energy for later but, for the second time in as many attempts, that just wasn’t the case.  By this point I’ve eaten a GU, a half of a Snickers Bar, several orange slices, a banana, and a bite sized Luna Bar that was in the race packet.  Even with all of that and the reasonable temperature I am running on fumes.  Allegra catches me at 19 and I run with her for about 50 feet before figuring out that she’s too strong.  Within a mile I can’t even see her anymore…and that section of the course is long and straight!

Miles 20 – 26.2:  Mile 21 will be my last mile under 10.  After 23 I wouldn’t be able to get under 11…and that includes the nice downhill after the return climb up the overpass.  Oddly enough, the finish line came up quicker than I thought it would.  I vividly recall seeing the scaffold in the distance and thinking it was more of a gateway leading to the finish line.  My surprise gave way to relief as my quads and calves had had enough of the monotonous lack of terrain change.  I was officially toast and happy to be finished in 4:05:49.

After the shuttle bus ride from hell back to the hotel…we adhered to the timeline pretty well and managed to make it to the airport, claim our exit row seats, and were back in Austin by 6:15 pm.  I consumed several Coronas on the flight back to assist with cramping and recovery.  I tried to pay for each one but the flight attendant would not accept my payment.  I felt like a semi-famous country music star!

22nd marathon.  12th state.  12th fastest time.  Shamrock Marathon in Virginia Beach, VA on March 20th is next.  It’s sponsored by a beer company so how bad can it be??

After peeling off a string of 7 sub 4 hour marathons I’ve now got a string of 3 that are over 4.  They are trending down though (4:38, 4:06, 4:05).  I plan to start making progress towards my ultimate goal of qualifying for Boston again at Shamrock.  It’s only 5 weeks away but that’s enough to get started.

3M Half Marathon 1/30/2011

I ran this race consistently from the time I started getting into running in 2000 through 2004 clocking the following results (paces):

2000 = 2:06:05 (9:38)
2001 = 1:48:10 (8:15)
2002 = 1:45:01 (8:01)
2003 = 1:49:41 (8:22)
2004 = 1:42:04 (7:47)

In 2010, after a six year break from the distance, I thought I had a pretty good shot at clipping that 1:42 PR and made a go at it at Angie’s Half Crazy Half Marathon.  The weather was rough and I crumbled after 7 miles.  I decided right then and there not to let another 3M go by without at least a shot at ratcheting down my time.

3M sells out regularly so I registered right about the time it opened in June of 2010…while my failure at Angie’s was still fresh on my mind.

I woke up this morning already having a pretty good idea of what the weather was going to be like…crappy.  I didn’t know how crappy until I actually opened the back door to let the dogs out.  Oh my.  It was 5:00 am and the temperature was already in the mid 60s.  The humidity?  At least 95%…maybe even 100%.  Somewhere in the distance I heard a chorus of goats tuning up to serenade me for 13.1 miles.

Kel was nice enough to “volunteer” to get up early and drive several of us to the starting line.  It can be a mess up there with roughly 6000 people converging…but we encountered no traffic at all.  She’s definitely in the running for the wife of the year award!

The race started on time.  You may find this an odd thing to report but it was delayed almost an hour last year.  The race announcer let us know that it as 73.3 degrees.  Thanks, Evil!  I had on my 1:40 pace band and timex…I was sweating before I crossed the first timing mat at the start line.  I ignored all that and set my sights on getting up to and maintaining a 7:38 pace…knowing full well the “maintaining” part was going to bring with it a lot of pain.  Here is a graphic representation of were/how the pain would ebb and flow:

The format below is Mile, Split, (Average Pace):

Mile 1 = 7:42 (7:42)
Mile 2 = 7:43 (7:42)
Mile 3 = 7:23 (7:36)
Mile 4 = 7:25 (7:33)
Mile 5 = 7:04 (7:27)

The first 5 miles are what I like to call “the good ‘ole miles”.  They would be a fond but distant memory by mile 6.  As you can see on the elevation profile, the first 4 miles are flattish.  5 is the first downhill of real magnitude.

Mile 6 = 7:59 (7:32)
Mile 7 = 8:13 (7:38)
Mile 8 = 8:26 (7:44)
Mile 9 = 8:35 (7:50)
Mile 10 = 8:49 (7:55)

At this point the 1:40 goal is out the window but I was still holding onto a thin thread of hope that the downhill on Duval would help me salvage a PR.  It was raining a little so if the humidity wasn’t 100% at the start it was definitely there now.

Mile 11 = 9:04 (8:02)
Mile 12 = 8:51 (8:06)
Mile 13 = 8:49 (8:09)
Mile .1 = :55 (8:09)

1:47:00 on the dot.  Not happy.

Next up, The National Marathon To Finish Breast Cancer in Jacksonville Beach, FL in two weeks.

Festivus Fat Ass Marathon 12/26/2010

I didn’t have much going on the day after Christmas so I decided to go for a run.  My friend Frank produced a low-key race in the “Fat Ass” vein (which basically means no frills…no medal, no shirt, no support).  The weather was near perfect and he needed 10 starters and 7 finishers for anyone looking to qualify for Boston or add Texas to their 50 states so I showed up to help make sure he had both covered.  38 started and 28 finished…most of the 10 who started but didn’t finish weren’t planning on doing the whole thing.

The course consisted of three 8.75 mile loops on the Brushy Creek Regional Trail (a la Frankenthon).  Knowing there would be no mile markers I went with the Garmin.  It died around the same time I did…mile 23.  I clocked a 4:06:10.  32 minutes faster than than CIM a few weeks ago.  I actually felt pretty good the whole time.  I approached it as more of a really long training run and, in that regard, got exactly what I wanted from it.

Several from the Ship were there.  Besides Frank…Scotty T., Big Jerie, Wayne/Cristy, Barbara, and Rachel (who finished her very first marathon) all showed up and ran the whole thing.

Kathy Cleary brought some of the best darn cookies I’ve ever tasted.  I’m not sure what all they had in/on them…but they exploded in my mouth in the yummiest way possible.  We annihilated the cookies, popped a few Shiners, and grilled up some venison sausage.  Seriously…does it get any better?

21st marathon.  11th state.  Running from an Angel is a scratch.  Jacksonville is next.

California International Marathon 12/5/2010

I’m always shocked by the rapidity with which epic meltdowns occur.  Especially when it occurs early, or somewhat early, in a race.  Unfortunately, CIM is a “point-to-point” course…which means it starts at one point and finishes 26.2 miles away at another point (as opposed to a “loop” course which starts/finishes at the same place).  When you crash and burn on a point-to-point you really have no choice but to make your way to the finish line.  That pretty much describes my race on Sunday.

I approached this race much more conservatively than St. George.  I had zero intention of attempting to run a qualifying time for Boston…and it’s a good thing.  I was hoping and expecting to come away with a PR somewhere in the 3:39 range.  I strapped on the Timex and slapped on a 3:40 pacetat and headed out the door.

My splits were perfect through 10 or 11 miles.  Even at the half I was within a minute of where I needed to be.  That would be the extent of the positive news from the split front for the duration.  By mile 15 I went from running mid 8s to mid 10s (though I still wasn’t feeling bad).  By mile 16 I was taking walk breaks.

Shortly thereafter, my running buds started passing me.  Hillary had already gone by when the 3:40 pace group clipped me at mile 11, then C/M, then Sandy.  Sandy, of course, had to “check on me” (by bumping me with her shoulder) and “encourage me” (by issuing me a little nah-nanny-boo-boo).  As she sprinted off down the course (more hopping with joy than running) I yelled out that the RACE WASN’T OVER YET and that she’d better be checking over her shoulder for the next 9 or so miles.  A guy walking next to me on the side of the road (aka the shoulder of shame) looked me square in the eye and said, “Dude, your race is over.”  Why thank you, complete stranger!

Vance, POJ, Linda, Jerie, and Amber all must have passed me as well but I never saw them.

An interesting twist in this race was the fact that Kel was running the relay with Linda and a local girl (Ruthie, who Linda found via a relay matchmaker web site).  Kel had the final 5.7 mile leg and Linda thought she’d be handing off to her at around the 3:30 mark in the race.  I quickly adjusted my “plan” to try to arrive at the relay exchange within a few minutes of Linda and run in with Kel.

What felt like three weeks later, when I arrived at the relay exchange point, I made sure to make eye contact with every runner that was waiting for their partner.  I didn’t see Kel.  About 50 yards past the exchange I did see Linda.  That meant that Kel had a head start on me…and, depending on her lead, I may or may not be able to catch her.  Linda informed me that her lead was about 4 minutes.  I gave myself about a 1% chance of closing that distance over the remaining miles.

I ran continuously for a mile and a half and did not see her anywhere ahead of me.  I decided that I would try to pick it up a little more for another mile in a last-ditch effort to close the distance.  Within a half mile or so I finally saw her up ahead.  When I had closed the distance down to about 50 yards she took a little walk break.  When I got within 10 or so yards she started running again and I really wasn’t sure I’d be able to reel her in.  Fortunately I did and we made our way to the finish line together (kinda, this race has a split finish line…one for chicks and one for dudes).

I clocked a 4:38:47…about 56 minutes slower than St. George two months ago.  My streak of sub 4 hour marathons  in 2010 is over.  CIM was my 20th marathon in my 11th state.

An hour or so after the race we headed over to Pete’s and, you guessed it, ate well and pounded lots of beer.  I split my burger with Big Jerie who arrived a little late (after most of us had ordered) and was looking might hungry.

After an awesome night’s sleep, Kel and I met Corey and Ashley for breakfast at Capitol Garage.  Corey was raving about the tamale omelette that he’d had on Saturday morning.  When we arrived we discovered that their weekend menu is different from their weekday menu and there wasn’t a tamale omelette to be found.  Our waitress, Crystal, offered to “check with the kitchen” and came back with the best news I’ve heard in quite a while.  They would, in fact, be able to produce for me a tamale omelette!

Peer closely between the light, fluffy layers of whipped egg and tell me what you see.  Your eyes are not deceiving you…that is a whole tamale wrapped up in there!  What a treat!!  I am now a huge fan of the tamale omelette.

After breakfast it was off to the airport.  Kel was heading home and I was heading to DC for a couple of days of work.  Somewhere around midnight on Monday I arrived in DC.  Sometime around 4:45 pm on Tuesday my luggage arrived.  I did all but one of my meetings on Tuesday in blue jeans (dirty), a 2005 New York Marathon shirt (dirty),  and running shoes.  The hotel did have a toothbrush/toothpaste but no razor.  I hadn’t shaved since Saturday.

Next up is the National Marathon To Finish Breast Cancer in Jacksonville, FL in mid February…unless I squeeze in Running From An Angel in Boulder City, NV in early January.

St. George Marathon 10/2/2010

St. George is a lottery marathon…meaning you have to “apply” by a certain date and then, about a month later, they draw names to establish the field.  11,000 runners put in for 7,400 spots.  You can also put in as a group of up to five runners.  The Ship put in three groups, two of which were selected. 

The course is nearly perfect, theoretically.  It drops pretty good for the first seven miles, climbs for the next five miles, and then drops hard to the finish line (with the exception of another little rise at mile 19).  The climbs are manageable…with only the first mile and a half (roughly mile 7.5 to mile 9) of climbing at a steep grade while the balance is just grinding.  On paper, the mile 19 climb, while not in an ideal spot on the race course, should be somewhat of a relief after all the downhill running between 12 and 19.  It should also set you up for the final 10k which, on a day when the weather is cooperating, should be an awesome way to finish a marathon.  Notice the overuse of the word “should”.

Uncooperative weather.  Seriously.  If I had a nickle for every time an announcer said something to the effect of “this is the hottest it’s been in <insert large number> years” before a race I’d have at least a half dozen nickels.  My friends are going to stop running out of town marathons with me.  New York, Marine Corps, San Antonio, Eisenbahn, Mesa Falls, South Bend, and Nashville all had horrible weather on race day.  Most had awesome conditions either the day before or the day after but NOT on race day.  This year’s St. George, according to the announcer, was the hottest race in 15 years.  By Tuesday of the following week it would be 12 to 15 degrees cooler across the board…but that didn’t stop them from bringing out the bonfires at the start!

Though it was relatively cool at the start, I was sweating up a storm within a mile.  I, of course, ignored that and went on about the business at hand (ie grinding out miles at as close to 7:40 pace as possible in an attempt to qualify for Boston).  I knew it was a longshot but had to try.  Most of my running buddies have qualified recently and are running Boston in 2011…I didn’t want to be left out.

The format below is Mile, Mile Split, Overall Average:

Mile	Split	Average
1	8:10	8:10
2	7:49	7:59
3	7:37	7:52
4	7:42	7:49
5	7:42	7:48
6	7:20	7:43
7	7:37	7:42
8	8:28	7:48
9	9:05	7:56
10	8:07	7:57
11	8:37	8:01
12	8:42	8:04
13	8:41	8:07
14	7:34	8:05
15	7:56	8:04
16	8:01	8:04
17	8:02	8:04
18	8:04	8:04
19	9:21	8:08
20	9:32	8:12
21	7:57	8:11
22	9:15	8:14
23	8:48	8:15
24	9:03	8:17
25	9:11	8:20
26	11:36	8:27
0.2	2:11	8:28

I started very conservatively, got myself right on pace through 7, ran the big hill at 8 almost exactly as prescribed, ran 9 & 10 too slow, got back on track on 11, too slow again on 12 & 13, right on at 14, and 15 is where I knew I’d need to adjust my goal.

Some of you may be looking at the 15 split and thinking 7:56 isn’t too bad for that point in a marathon (when your goal is 7:40) but, let me tell you, that was a beautifully smooth, downhill mile that I ran pretty much as hard as I could.  The fact that I could barely crack 8 on that bad boy foretold of some major pain to come.

16, 17, and 18 are all gentle downhills that are just a pleasure to run.  With very little effort and on very tired legs I was able to keep it right at 8.  At this point the sun is out and the mercury is rising.  Mix that with the lack of shade and it was game on in the battle between body and mind.

The slight uphill at 19 was hard, much harder than the incline would have lead one to believe.  I spent the better part of mile 20 trying to recover.  21 drops like a rock…as do it’s close associates 22, 23, and 24.  As previously mentioned, I would love to run this course on a day when the high temp was around 40 degrees.

Just past the 25 mile mark, St. George has a 25.2 mile marker.  That’s a pretty cool touch because it’s very easy to look at your watch, add the time it takes you to run a mile, and ballpark your finishing time (much easier than trying to figure out 1.2 miles in a degrading mental state at 25 even).  That’s a long way of saying that at 25.2 it dawned on me that I could PR today…something I’d given up on several miles back after seeing all the 9s.  That was energizing so I picked it up a little.  Within about 1/4 mile my quads disagreed and both locked up completely (one of the downsides to running hard downhill).  I was forced to walk about 100 yds or so before they finally released.  It was at this very moment that Paul Williams, with whom I’d been volleying with for the entire race, caught me…again.  Paul encouraged me to start running and I did…kinda.  Really more sleestacking than running.  The finish line finally appeared in the distance but covering the ground between here and there was akin to slo-mo running in a bad dream where the target seems to be getting further away no matter how much ground you cover.

There was an awesome misting station just past the finish line.  I got in and stood there for what seemed like an hour.  I even got out, found a popsicle, and got back in.  I was thoroughly nauseated by the popsicle but that didn’t stop me from consuming the better part of it.  Once I extracted myself from the cool, flowing water I grabbed a coca-cola and laid down in the grass.  I had no plans of vacating that spot until they closed the park.  I had no desire to reunite with the shipmates that I knew finished ahead of me or the ones that were behind me.  I just wanted to lay there and pout…so I laid there and pouted.

What’s good for pouty, whiney babies??  Beer!

That was by far the coldest beer in the coldest mug I’ve ever had.  Once I started pounding them I couldn’t stop (kinda like what OU was doing to UT on the TV screen).  After about 5 (@ 20 oz per) with no warm fuzzy feeling forthcoming I realized they were probably 2% due to the altitude.  That’s ok…they were big and cold!

It was time to say goodbye to St. George.  Beautiful place, beautiful course, warm fires, cold beer, and (again) my second best time in a marathon ever (3:42:18).  The streak of sub 4 hour marathons in 2010 is alive and well.  The count now stands at 19 marathons (in 10 states).

Next up is California International…which is this Sunday because it took me two months to write up this report!

Eisenbahn Marathon 8/28/2010

We nixed our planned excursion to Beaver Island when a crucial member of the travel squad succumbed to injury a month or so ago.  That ended up being a very good call as Beaver Island caught the fringe of hurricane Earl.  Apparently the runners dealt with 50 mph winds (with “sand and rain pelting bodies” in the words of the race director in an email that went out post-race).  No thank you!!  After a brief scramble to find a race either the week before or week after Beaver Island we settled on Eisenbahn in West Bend, WI. 

Eisenbahn is German for “railroad” aptly named due to the fact that the course is on a converted railbed.

In the days leading up to the race I surprised myself by how little I knew about it.  The course, the weather, aid station spacing…all of the things I would normally study and/or strategize about were a mystery to me.  I didn’t know until the Tuesday before the race that 20 of the 26.2 miles were on crushed limestone!  It wasn’t until I got to Wisconsin that I found out that it was a first year race.

I made a conscious decision to run this race as a training run for St. George (which is on October 2nd).  With that in mind, I decided to set out at a comfortable pace and hoped that it would lead to a sub 4.

A month or so back we had a newcomer, Mike, join the ship.  During a workout someone asked Al what his next marathon was.  When he said Eisenbahn, Mike chimed in that he grew up nearby…and then made an offer I’m sure he’ll regret for the next couple of years.  He alleged that his parents would love to host us (and by us I mean Al, Sandy, POJ, Linda, Frank, Shelley, and I) for spaghetti dinner on the Friday night before the race.  Never ones to pass up a free meal we immediately took him up on the offer.  On Friday evening we showed up at their beautiful home and were greeted with a fabulous spread of water, gatorade, spaghetti, salad, bread, and dessert!  Mike’s mom mentioned that we needed to bring up a few chairs from the basement so, being that I have only seen one or two basements, I volunteered.  What luck!!  As I made my way into the storage area of the basement I glanced over my shoulder thinking that someone was down there with me.  Well, there was and there wasn’t.  Over in the corner staring back at me was a life-sized, cardboard cut-out of Mike running the 800 meters his freshman year in high school!  Now, I know my mom loves me…but she doesn’t have any 6 foot tall cardboard “Jeffs” crushing fools on the football field from the old days.  After getting over the initial shock of how much more Mike’s mom loves him than mine loves me, I scooped up cardboard Mike and a few chairs and made my way back upstairs.  Needless to say, cardboard Mike was a huge hit with the rest of the ship.  We posed for many pictures with him but stopped short of setting him a place at the table!

Saturday morning came early.  The race started at 6 am.  The course was a point-to-point from the town of Eden back to West Bend so it required an almost 26.2 mile bus ride to the start.  We had driven to Eden the day before so we knew how to get there…unfortunately, the bus driver didn’t!  After a few gentle corrections from the backseat we got her on track and arrived with about 25 minutes to loosen up.

The race started and we took off down the trail.  After about 50 meters or so I realized I didn’t turn my watch on so I fumbled around to get it going.  I elected to go back to the garmin for this race as I wasn’t sure that it would be well marked due to fact that it was on a trail that didn’t allow vehicular traffic.  That fear proved unfounded as the course was marked every mile (and pretty darn accurate to boot).

1	0:08:37
2	0:08:31
3	0:08:30
4	0:08:44
5	0:08:30
6	0:08:43
7	0:08:38
8	0:08:38
9	0:08:52
10	0:08:41
11	0:08:38
12	0:08:40
13	0:08:29
14	0:08:46
15	0:08:47
16	0:09:04
17	0:09:21
18	0:09:11
19	0:09:36
20	0:09:54
21	0:09:40
22	0:09:46
23	0:10:14
24	0:10:13
25	0:10:11
26	0:10:00
0.2	0:02:25

You should be able to get all the Garmin related data here.

The course was supposed to be flat to downhill.  That was pretty much the case with the exception of some pretty hairy climbs at mile 5/6 and again at mile 12/13.  These were the only sections where you got off the trail and ran on rural roads.  As the course approached West Bend the crushed limestone gave way to asphalt to let you know you were almost done.  I knew after mile 25 that I would need to pick it up a little to clip 4 hours.  It also dawned on me that I did not start my watch right away at the start and I had no idea how many seconds my watch was behind my chip time.  The race clock said 4:00:11 when I crossed.  My chip time was 3:59:53.

My streak of sub 4 hour marathons in 2010 is alive and well!  My total marathon count now stands at 18 (in 9 states).

We departed West Bend shortly after the race and headed back to Milwaukee.  We figured spending the night there was a better plan for early morning flights on Sunday.  It also gave us the opportunity to visit Rock Bottom Brewery on the Milwaukee River for some post-race recovery.  I started with a Whitetail Ale and quickly graduated to the Whitetail Ale spiked with jalapeno before returning to the Whitetail Ale.  That evening we went to Miller Park to watch the Brewers play the Pirates, the Brewers won in extra innings (none of which we saw due to the fact that we left after 7).

You’d have never known Eisenbahn was a first year race by the organization and execution, nearly flawless!  It’s obvious these folks have put on races, if not marathons, before.  Packet pick-up was a breeze, bus transportation was sufficient, the course was well marked, the water stops (every two miles) were well stocked (with water/gatorade/ice) and well manned.  The weather was acceptable (low 60s at the start with humidity about the same). 

Next up is St. George on October 2nd.

Poconos Marathon 5/16/2010

After eleven weeks of not running a marathon it was good to get back on the road and grind one out.  For a guy accustomed to running one…maybe two a year I’m not sure when I crossed over to thinking that 11 weeks in between was “too long”.

After completing both the Texas Marathon Challenge and Marathons of Texas I was looking forward to traveling outside of Texas for a race.  Coach Al found a list of races that sported a high percentage of Boston Qualifiers (BQs)…which I translated to mean downhill and decent weather.  First up, Poconos Run for the Red in Stroudsburg, PA.

My strategy, after reviewing the course profile, was as follows:  run the first 10 miles at an 8:30 pace, run the next 12 miles at an 8:00 pace, and try not run any slower than 9:17 pace for the final 4.2 miles.  Doing it this way would put me in the best position to take advantage of the course and squeak in with sub 3:40 PR.  With that in mind…I strapped on the Timex, rolled out the 3:40 PaceTat, and hit the road to Tobyhanna (the little town that the race started in).  Frank and Shelley were nice enough to give me a lift to the starting line from the hotel so that I didn’t have to catch the bus 2 hours prior to start time.

Quick sidenote.  After disclosing my strategy to Coach Al, he thought about what I was planning and proposed the following three bets.  Bet 1 was that I would run mile 1 faster than 8:30.  Bet 2 was that the first 10 would be sub 8:30 pace.  Bet 3 was that I would run miles 11-16 at a sub 8:00 pace.  Of the three bets…I took him up only on the one that covered miles 11-16 (aka Bet 3).

The format for the splits below is Mile, Split, (Overall Pace), comment.

Mile 1 = 8:41 (8:41) – shoulda taken bet #1
Mile 2 = 8:25 (8:33) – a little more downhill than up
Mile 3 = 8:20 (8:28) – getting dialed in
Mile 4 = 8:36 (8:30) – missed 4 so this is the average of 4/5
Mile 5 = 8:36 (8:31) – missed 4 so this is the average of 4/5
Mile 6 = 8:36 (8:32) – nice rythm
Mile 7 = 8:37 (8:33) – running like a metronome
Mile 8 = 8:23 (8:31) – prepping for downhills
Mile 9 = 7:56 (8:27) – LOVED this mile
Mile 10 = 8:04 (8:25) – this one rocked also (woulda lost bet #2)
Mile 11 = 8:07 (8:23) - make it three in a row
Mile 12 = 8:04 (8:22) – ok, maybe four
Mile 13 = 8:17 (8:21) – more realistic
Half = 1:49:39 – perfect half per goal time
Mile 14 = 8:19 (8:21) – wow, this is kinda fun
Mile 15 = 8:26 (8:21) – still digging it
Mile 16 = 8:11 (8:21) – won bet #3…8:12 pace
Mile 17 = 8:23 (8:21) – starting to believe I can PR
Mile 18 = 8:21 (8:21) – really thinking it’s possible
Mile 19 = 8:44 (8:22) - hmmmm, maybe not
Mile 20 = 8:40 (8:23) – but then again
Mile 21 = 8:49 (8:24) – first substantial late hill
Mile 22 = 9:09 (8:26) – second substantial late hill
Mile 23 = 9:29 (8:29) – it’s just me vs the last 3.2 miles
Mile 24 = 9:28 (8:31) – doubt is creeping in
Mile 25 = 9:48 (8:34) – doubt is prevailing
Mile 26 = 9:57 (8:37) – really had to speed up to keep it under 10
Mile .2 = 2:09 (8:39) – thank you finish line

I’d rate the course as “as advertised”.  Lots of rollers for the first 8, lots of downhill for the next 12, and lots of rollers from there to the finish line.  I pretty much ran the race I set out to run and clocked a 3:46:48.

The list we were working off touted a 30% BQ ratio for this race based on 2009 results.  They just updated the list with 2010′s results and 30.9% of this year’s participants qualified.  Both are pretty impressive, ranking Poconos as #5 for 2009 and #2 for 2010 (2010′s ranking could change as more races are completed and calculated).  What’s even more impressive?  71.43% of the ship who ran qualified!  5 out of 7.  Frank, Michelle, Sandy, POJ and Al all punched their tickets…POJ for the first time!  Michelle and POJ also had significant PRs.  Sandy and I both ran our second fastest times ever.  Al ran his fastest time in his last 40 marathons.

Fast?  Yes!  Easy?  No!!

I walked back to the hotel to freshen up a bit before heading out to Barley Creek Brewery for a little recovery fuel.  I scarfed down a pretty good burger and rinsed my mouth out with their Rescue IPA.

After lunch it was off to Philly.  We spent the night there, checked out some historical sights in the morning, and blasted through some Philly Cheesesteaks from Pat’s and Geno’s.  Yes, they’re right across the street from each other so we had to try both.  Pat’s wins!

We all attempted to “run” up the steps to the Philly Art Museum (where Rocky sprinted up during one of the movies).  Here is coach Al making it to the top!!

And the view from up there back towards town.

We also saw the Liberty Bell.

And Rocky himself!

The girls then wanted to know if their butts made this statue’s butt look big.  Yes!

I hauled it over to the airport to catch my flight home.  Warning!!  The Philly Airport is a complete CF.  I was running a little late and could not believe the line at security.  They had 14, yes 14, scanning lines…3 of which were open.  We were in a long line that snaked back on itself no less than 8 times.  I timed the first leg at 7 minutes.  56 minutes to get through security.  I’ll never make it!!  I called Continental to see what my options were…the next flight out wasn’t until the next day.  As I made the final turn, they lifted one of the glass doors and opened a new line.  I was first up, through security, and standing at the gate with 5 minutes to spare.  Nice.

Next up?  Beaver Island in September.  This is a destination marathon and long training run for St. George in October.

I’ve now run seventeen marathons in eight states.  I managed to do four in 2009 and another four so far in 2010.  Interestingly, I’ve managed to run all of my 2010 races in under 4 hours.  Beaver Island will put that streak to the test.