FARGO MARATHON...AGAIN

 North Dakota

May 31, 2025

On the drive home, coming off the high of running down Mt. Charleston, I plant the idea of running one more marathon in my husband's brain. He had high hopes of attaining his BQ on the downhill too, but a severe calf cramp at mile 18 ended his dream for that day. I don't want his rigorous training schedule to go to waste. If we jump back into maintenance he may be able to capitalize on the last training cycle.  We remember loving the Fargo Marathon back in 2017. It started and ended inside the Fargodome and the course was filled with  many cheering residents along tree lined streets and many loud cheering students throughout the campus of the two colleges we traversed. Once home I put that out of my mind and focus on recovery and getting back to regular gym workouts. It takes a few weeks to fully recover from the muscle tears and the stress the marathon puts on the body especially the "older body!"  

Lots of miles with tree canopies

Out of the blue my husband, a few weeks later, lets me know that I qualify for a free entry with my time from Mt. Charleston and he wants to give Fargo a try. Hot damn, we are back in business and switch back into marathon mode.  He does more intense runs as I struggle with a hamstring strain and tight IT band. Lots of things have changed since 2017 the flight and hotel are more expensive as well as the rental car, but we are committed to giving that elusive BQ attempt another shot. Five weeks is not a lot of time. I concentrate on my recovery and finishing a front yard project while my husband focuses on his running.

A few travel hiccups later we make it to Fargo ready to run through the city once again. It happens to be the 50 States Marathon reunion event. We strike up a conversation with the club founder at the expo and he tells us to come to the meeting. We were never formally presented our award for completing the 50 states challenge and they want to make it official six years later. We decide to go and it is fun to hear other runners talk about their 50 states journey and share about ours too.

The good old days

Without further ado race morning is upon us. No noisy hotel hallways to disrupt sleep, we awake ready to run. The second time around isn't quite as special, there were no guest speakers at the expo (Dave the Boston Marathon race director was amazing and inspirational in 2017) and the race starts outside the Fargodome there will be no jumbotrom photo finish to watch runners cross the finish line from inside the stadium. The delicious pizza and Nutbutter cookies as the finish line reward is replaced with a banana and a bag of pretzels, but that is later first we have to run the miles.

Since I have the free entry I have to start with the front pack, my time will be all gun time no chip timing for me, so I want to get as close to the front as possible without interfering with the serious runners. I know based on my hamstring strain I will not be going for a PR just a run around town. My husband elects to start with the 3:50 pacers but they are clearly way under pace and going out too fast, he eventually paces himself. The goal once he passes me at the start is to not see him again until the finish. If I catch up to him that's not a good sign. We don't have ideal weather conditions for running. It is unusually hot and the air is filled with smoke from the Canadian fires. Heat is not my husband's friend. 

The race lost its longtime race director in 2023, he was tragically killed while riding his bike and the race and community lost a hometown hero. The race was taken over by a running event company although Mark can never be replaced the event is still good it is just not the same. The special touches and atmosphere can't be replicated without someone who knows and loves the town and the event. The marathon date moved to the end of May which eliminates the enthusiasm of running through the colleges without any students. The tree lined streets are sparely splattered with people. Where are all the people having neighborhood block parties? Where are the fireball shots? The bands and music are more like one man operations and a few ladies blasting music on their car stereo, but those that do come out are greatly appreciated. That's is the thing about life nothing stays the same, we just roll with the punches and appreciate what any day gives us. Waking up is the blessing and that can never be taken for granted.

Talking makes you forget the struggle

My running is slow, the bounce I had in my step at the beginning of the last marathon is a mere memory. My pace is considerably slower and I am struggling along at mile five we run through a brand new neighborhood with beautiful homes and I catch up to the four hour pacer. I tuck in with them. Once we are back to the tree lined streets I ask a man if he is having fun yet. The best way to gain strength is through shared torment. We run together for approximately four to five miles. Conversation helps the time pass and it always has a way of increasing my pace. Those miles end up being my fastest miles of the day. As I approach the halfway mark, I see my husband heading back after the turnaround. His head is down so that is not a good indication of things to come.  I don't want to catch him...

Well, I catch him at the bell tower, he is having trouble with his groin. That's the thing about running you just never know when your body will refuse to cooperate with your plans. The body has plans of its own. Sadly, I have to let him go we decided long ago that we each have to run our own races. The journey is a battle between what the mind wants and what the body with tolerate. Sometimes the mind wins and we overcome and sometimes the body wins and we relent.

I am battling my own mind, currently I am under the belief that the first half was a struggle, but now I am feeling better and I think I can go for a negative split in the second half. Now would be the time to laugh out loud.  Lofty goals mid-run are truly funny. Something happens to our minds when we run and sometimes we believe the impossible is possible if only for a moment. That idea quickly dissipates in the waning miles. The final goal is to pick up my leg put it back down and pick up the other leg and put it down without letting my body persuade my mind into slowing down or even worse...walking. The few neighbors out in the final miles keep me going. A few homeowners have their hoses out to cool off runners and I did spot one Elvis singing his heart out. We are serenaded with the bagpipers at the Veteran's Memorial and the final run through the downtown section displaying the iconic Fargo sign. 

All in all it is a good marathon run. The celebration at the end is lackluster. Runners must walk all the way across the street to wait in a long line to get their free beer at the Buffalo Wild Wings...pass. We hobble back to the car to shower at the hotel before hitting up the Lucky 13 bar where the entire bar is participating in Bingo. We elect to eat and enjoy a beer minus the bingo. The pub crawl to earn another medal is no longer in existence and we aren't up for five beers anyway. After a visit to the Welcome Center to get a picture with the original woodchipper used in the movie Fargo, we hit up Culver's for a turtle sundae with extra fudge. The perfect nightcap to our little North Dakota adventure.

A week after our return my husband opens up the sliding glass door and yells out to me while I am watering the fruit trees..."They will give you a free entry to the Santa Rosa Marathon" and since it is national run day he gets a twenty percent discount off his entry. I guess he is ready to go for that BQ attempt one more time before the 2026 sign-ups begin in September. I love his fighting spirit, if at first you do not succeed Try Try Again.   And isn't that what life is all about learning, growing, striving and never giving up. Every day is another chance to dream a new dream, accomplish goals and relish new opportunities. Life is not a dress rehearsal get out there and make the most of it.

That's way too big a beer for an old lady

 Revel Marathon

Mt. Charleston, Nevada 

April 5th 2025

     Here we go! What a difference a year can make. One year and three days ago my husband and I were in a rut. He retired and we settled into slowing down and getting old. This however, did not feel quite right. I know deep down there is still more to accomplish and more life to live. The time has come to get after it and so we got after it. Our thirty days of healthy eating and exercise turns into a year of milestones. Shedding pounds leads to setting new goals and striving to accomplish those goals.

     The target race is Two Cities, but others are thrown in as tune ups and training runs and Revel Mt. Charleston is also added as a fast downhill potential BQ race. We ran it in 2019 and know it has 21 miles of downhill before it flattens for the last five miles. Initially, my husband is interested in the Big Bear race in November instead of Two Cities, good thing we ruled it out as it gets canceled on race day to due to snow. We register for Two Cities and Mt Charleston at the same time to have races on the calendar forcing us to stay committed to our objectives of fitness and good health. 

     After the jubilation of qualifying for Boston at Two Cities in November, life quiets and we enjoy the holidays. We taper our training to maintenance miles. We keep our running base and gym schedule, but also allow our bodies to rest and recover before ramping back up for Mt. Charleston. In January, the thought of a twenty mile long run around town does not sound too fun, hence the search for a marathon in February. The options are limited. I suggest Surf City, but my husband vetoes that idea.  My husband dislikes the monotonous long out and back on the highway at Surf City, yet five loops of the American River with mud and roots and unstable footing is not somehow monotonous. At least we add something different to our repertoire. 

     My race time at Jed Smith is disappointing, my legs just run out of gas. After taking time to recover from the race, it is time to dial in our training runs in preparation for Mt. Charleston. I haven't been this hyped to run in a long time. We incorporate speed work and weekly miles at Rocky Hill. Hill work is crucial for a successful downhill race. Clocking a 6:55 on one of my downhill miles gives me an extra boost of confidence. The last time I ran that fast I was in my thirties. Maintaining my forty pound weight loss is key to my training this time around. Instead of yoyoing my weight remains steady. The overall change to our diet is transformational.  That is not to say we have a perfect diet, we still indulge on holidays, birthdays and special occasions, but eliminating seed oils and focusing on protein, fruits and vegetables makes a profound difference.

     This year on my husband's birthday he is wearing 31 jeans instead of 36 that he squeezed into last year. For him giving up packaged cookies and cereal is the secret to his success. Focusing on whole foods and eliminating processed foods has made a tremendous impact on our overall health. Too bad it took us so long to figure it out. This year's birthday cupcakes are homemade, no store bought frosting full of junk ingredients. We snack on fruits and vegetables instead of chips and dips. Feeling fit is the best gift we can give ourselves.

    Surprisingly, as marathon day approaches I feel good. There are no aches and pains and my IT band is not full of inflammation for once. The Tuesday before race day I run my predictive five miler. The 40:22 indicts a sub 3:45 marathon, but there are never any guarantees. Taper time is always good and bad time. It is nice to cut out lots of miles, but not as fun to reduce calorie intake with less running.  A spin class on Wednesday, a walk on Thursday and we are ready to drive to Vegas on Friday. My mom joins us on the trip so she can visit my brother and his family. Once in Vegas she hops on a shuttle to Mesquite and we head to the expo. 

Revel is a great marathon organization. The expo is a fun experience. The highlight is listening to coach Paul's advice on how to tackle the downhill course. With seven years of experience running the race he has many helpful tips. Mainly, he says to use gravity as our friend. He recommends starting slow with the first .43 being uphill and high attitude and then to let off the brake and pound down the hill for 21 miles. Mile 5 being the only exception with a uphill portion. After getting our bib and shirt we head to our hotel in Summerlin near the bus loading area. Many people like to stay in Vegas which also has a bus to the start for an extra fee, but we prefer to stay off the strip.

     Diet rules go out the window the day before the marathon. We have a hamburger for protein at lunch and pizza for a carb loading at dinner. We find a surprisingly good pizza place called Lino's in a strip mall. We elect to go the hot tub to loosen our muscles, but the jets are more of a bubbler than a jet. We do talk with four young guys who are hoping to BQ, they need a sub 3:00 to qualify. I share the information from the run coach. They are hesitant to bank time, but it really isn't banking, it is running at race effort and less effort is required on 3-5%  grade. I should have asked their names to see how they all did.

     Now, the challenging part of the day, sleep. With a 3 a.m. alarm set I am hoping for at least two hours of sleep. Me and hotel noise always have a way of finding each other. I turn on a podcast and beckon sleep. My husband is out cold until the hall noise begins. Loud talking, laughing and running down the hall causes him to bolt up. I get to the door before him and nicely ask the fifteen girls who are living their best lives, if they can quiet down. Is the second floor hallway really the best place for Friday night fun.

     Thankfully, I do manage a few hours sleep and awake before the alarm. I haven't been this excited to be up before three in the morning in a long time. We pack up as if we are preparing for the North Pole.  Two pairs of gloves, ear warmers, beanie and a parka. Once at the bus parking area we elect to pass up on the school buses and wait for the charter buses at the back of the line.  A few other runners have the same idea. A few of us keep moving to the back of the line to avoid having to get on the regular school buses. Once the school buses depart we hop back into the line and get the front row seat of the second charter. We board the bus at 4:13 and enjoy the peaceful comfy ride to the top of the mountain. Once at the top the buses one by one move until they reach the drop off zone where we are supposed to get off. By 5:35 we are still on the bus. Our driver is waiting for the okay for us to be let off. Runners begin to get antsy and demand to be let off. Our driver gets upset and starts saying the F word ten times which is ten times funnier in a Chinese accent. Apparently the bus in front broke down. There is momentary chaos, but before anarchy sets in he finally lets us off the bus twenty minutes before the start. The need for our North Pole attire is totally unnecessary. As I am second in line for the potty the announcer states last call for bag drop. I don't want to donate my warm winter coat so I run to bag drop forgetting to take off my running beanie and ear warmers before running back to get in line again for the potties. I donate the items I forget to put in my drop bag.

    Amazingly, we make it to the start area before the official start, but wait for the pack to clear out before we begin, 2,678 people is a lot to navigate in a congested start area. The beginning is just as I remember, hard.  It is hard to breathe and hard to run, but I just need to remind myself it is less than half a mile before the gravitational pull shifts in my favor.

     I quickly regret the fanny pack that I haven't used in years. It isn't tight enough around my waist and is bouncing around like crazy. The first few miles although fast are a struggle with my fanny pack flopping below my fanny. I try to focus on getting into a rhythm and enjoy the scenery. At mile five the parking lot uphill loop is the perfect time to walk and make some adjustments. Taking off my jacket and putting the fanny pack over the jacket eliminates the bouncing and frees my mind to focusing on running. It is also the first aid station for water and electrolytes. The wind is so strong that the cups are flying out of the trash cans creating a symphony of dancing cups as we run. It is one of the craziest things I have heard on a marathon run. 

    Finally, at mile six, I settle in to my stride and start to feel good the miles effortlessly fly by. It feels amazing to be lost in the moment. Most runners around me seem to be in the same Zen space gliding down a mountain with ease. There is no labored breathing coming from me or those around me. A rare magical race is unfolding. Coach Paul said to lock it in at mile six and don't let up until mile 21 and that is what I do. These kind of days are few and far between and must be relished. The only annoying things is having to pee, but I refuse to waste a minute or two of my potential PR time on a potty stop. Shortly after the halfway mark the need to pee dissipates and I no longer have to look it see if there are lines at the potties. Even as the grade lessens I keep reminding myself it is downhill capitalize on it. At mile 17 I start to feel a blister forming on the bottom of both feet. I went round and round about wearing the new pair or the old reliable less cushioned pair. I chanced the new pair for more cushion and tell myself suck it up I don't care how bad it gets, I will run through it. When I hit mile 21, the tough part begins. The blister pain is no longer the focus and the count down begins. The time isn't passing nearly as quickly and the effortlessness is gone. The magic of  the mountain shifts to getting past the 3/4 mile uphill section called "Just Get Over It" mile 23. As I am running mile 23 I keep thinking the hill is coming at mile 24. So as I am powering through the get over it mile it is a pleasant reward to realize the uphill section is done. Mile 24 is actually flat and somewhat downhill. The last two miles are where I completely fell apart in 2019. It reached 87 degrees that day and I began the bargaining of if I run a tenth I can walk a tenth.  It feels so good today to run strong through this section and pass a few people doing the walk run shuffle. When I finally hit the 26 mile marker I know it is going to be a new PR and hang on for the final turn before the homestretch on an incline. I am unable to push that final .20 because I must have left it all on the road behind me and that is all you can ask of yourself. Crossing the finish line is glorious. A year of hard work pays off.

     The weather, the downhill, and the training coalesce into a new personal record. Eight being the theme of the day, my PR at age 58 is now eight minutes faster last broken eight years ago. Once across the finish line, my legs immediately tighten, I take a medal and a water as I seek a place to sit, ground, curb or chair in the medical tent. Let's go medical tent. As I comfortably recuperate I check my watch for my mile paces. My watch indicates four new records fastest 5k 23:26, fastest 10k 48:32, fastest 1/2 1:44:03 and fastest marathon 3:37:22. 

Revel puts on a great runners race. Photos are included in the entry along with a personalized video (still waiting for that). Their downhill courses rank as the top five BQ qualifying courses.  An artificial intelligence analysis of your race effort is also available on the results page.

After our fun run down Mt. Charleston we hobble to the buses to return to the parking lot. Downhill races are twice as painful afterwards. It's the price that must be paid for the effortless euphoric ride down the mountain. We marathon shuffle back to our hotel room and collapse. If not for hunger we may have crawled in bed for the night, but we make it to the hotel diner for a much needed burger and fries before  going straight back to bed. While many running celebrate at pool parties and fancy dinners our greatest reward is sleep and sleep we finally get. Awaking at nine a.m. is a shocking surprise thanks to no hall noise and blackout curtains. Now we are off to Mesquite to celebrate my brother's birthday, but not before a quick stop for a Krispy Kreme donut. My husband has severe calf cramps in the last few mile of his race and he is having a difficult time walking. When we arrive at my brother's house my husband gets so much sympathy and compassion as he struggles to walk and get up and down.

    We enjoy a delicious meal at my brother's favorite restaurant Gregory's. It is the best way to celebrate my brother and the food is amazing. My mom has to go every times she visits. Now that we are home and my husband is healed from his soreness and I recover from a week of the flu...we must contemplate our next big goal.  It is important to always be working for and striving toward something...

also some cat sitting my grand kitties

Jed Smith Marathon

February 1, 2025 

Whose idea is it to slip a marathon into our training before our big race at Mt. Charleston. Oh, I guess that is my brilliant idea. I still haven't learned to think quietly to myself. Once something is muttered to my husband there are only two options will we run Ventura or the Jed Smith Trail Marathon which includes a 50 mile option as our training run in February. With the idea put out into the universe, it is not a matter of if we will be running, but which one with it be.

After discussing the options we choose the Jed Smith. It has been going on for many years 47 to be exact and takes place in the Sacramento area where my husband attended college and he votes for nostalgia. It is a small no frills race, but it includes a shirt and medal. The course consists of an out and back section followed by FIVE loops of the America River Parkway. We did twelve out and backs in Erwin, TN once to get an official marathon race for the  50 states challenge. A redo of Tennessee was required to make up for the Chattanooga Marathon that was deemed short by half a mile due to a misplaced mile marker. That out and back didn't seem too bad at least that is the way I remember it. Five loops sounds doable, plus it is a road and trail race and we have never completed that type of marathon. Who knew it would be a wet and rainy slog on February 1st.  As we drove to Sacramento the day before the race, we encountered rain.  The weather forecast for race day is heavy rain with flood warnings for the area. After what turned into a long drive we check into to our hotel and eat some dinner before hunkering down for the evening. Rain and dark skies makes for an ominous adventure.  One of the good things about this race is a late start for the marathon. The 50 miler which is TEN loops of the same course we will do starts at 7:30 and our race begins at 8:30. The good thing about race morning is getting there early to snag a parking spot close to the start line. We pick up our shirts and sit in the car waiting for the run to begin.  Thankfully, one of the potties is close to the car.

Expectations for the race are up in the air.  Training has been slow going following our run in early November. We have not fully ramped up our training following the holidays and the last marathon. It is a good way to get in a forced long run with the added bonus of wind and rain to keep it interesting. With little fanfare we line up with 28 other runners and the race begins. We start with the out and back section that quickly turns into a gravel road with mud puddles, my favorite. Dodging rocks and mud will become the theme of the day. On our way back to begin the first loop I ditch one of the jackets, I was layered up with, into the car.  I will pass our vehicle five more times before I can finally get in the car and dry out.

The first loop allows each runner to get a feel for the course that we will eventually become very familiar with as the loops pile up. It is advertised as a fast and flat course. No, it is not flat. It includes some climbs and a steep descent at the end of each loop. Usually, I can tear down a hill and take off seconds, but this downhill is so steep that major brakes must be applied in order to stay in control. Being a small race and also a Fifty miler there are only two aid stations and it is self serve. When stopping and filling a cup with water the seconds tick by. I am used to grabbing a water and drinking on the run. They do offer soup and hot dogs which may come in handy for the the fifty miler, but not ideal for the marathon. I feel pretty good through the first half, but by the third loop the fatigue sets in. Each loop gets wetter and wetter and the rocks and trail becomes more burdensome to navigate. By the end of the third loop a BQ is out of the question and just getting through the final two loops is the focus. It becomes a mind game on the fourth loop, I start telling myself I only have to run that hill one more time and cross the bridge one more time. There are good course monitors on the course who try to be positive and encouraging. The second aid station is staffed by a family who helps out the runners with nutrients and encouragement. I have never been so excited to begin a final loop and knowing every inch of the course makes it painstaking. The last two miles are the worst with the rocks and sticks. In the last mile I trip over a branch and fling in the air, but am able to catch myself and stay on my feet. That slows me down even more. I definitely do not want to take a spill in the home stretch.

The fatigue set in long ago and now the final loop takes some real motivation to keep moving. After I reach the downhill and the run through the parking lot, that finish line can't come soon enough. Crossing that finish line and stopping instead of continuing with another loop is a glorious feeling. I can't imagine having to run an additional FIVE loops. The Fifty milers have my complete respect.

I take my wooden medal and head straight to the car to warm up and get out of my wet clothes. My husband runs by shortly after and we regale about our experience. The plan is to celebrate with burgers and fries and even a beer.  Every year after running the Modesto Marathon we would hit up the Red Robin in Turlock. After a five year hiatus the burgers were better than I remember and the beers were ice cold. It is our only transgressions on the road to qualify for Boston. Now it is back to healthy eating and no alcohol. Hopefully we will celebrate my brother's 60th birthday in April with a couple of Boston qualifying times after we tear down the mountain in Nevada.

 

 

TWO CITIES MARATHON

Fresno, California

November 3rd, 2024

Will She or Won't She...That is the Question?

I have read that if you can dedicate yourself to something for six months you can change your life. Now, I don't know if someone with almost six decades of bad habits can change completely or lastingly in those months, but the attempt is made. With a few lbs. shed through improved diet and hours spent in the gym and on the pavement, November 2024 is shaping up to be a great month of reckoning. The 20 weeks of marathon training is ending and the true test begins...how well can my body perform on a crispy autumn Sunday morning. What starts out as a crazy idea back on May 2nd to go for that blue "I Qualified for Boston" shirt advertised on the marathon page ends with pounding the pavement through Fresno and Clovis for 26.2 miles. Will I earn the coveted shirt or will I fall short that is the question!

Woodard Park Loop

The two weeks leading up to marathon day is usually a nice little break with lots of tapering  on the schedule. The week before marathon day is a measly fifteen miles and also the time when little aches and pains are more readily felt. The five miler predictor run lets me know the range of my probable marathon time. In the past a 42:20 indicates a time well under four hours, but only if all goes well on race day.  It has been at least five years without a sub-four hour finish time. As an older runner, the body needs more rest and recovery and muscles strains flair up more often. My hamstrings and glutes are still areas of weakness and they constantly remind me and object with knotting jolts of pain when I push too hard. My body has become quite comfortable running ten minute miles and mid nines, but is less happy at miles in the eights. The outcome will come down to a battle of the mind over the body. 

The Humboldt Marathon in August had a Boston qualifying time for my age of 4:05 which I missed by about ninety seconds. In September the BAA announced new qualifying time standards for the 2026 race tightening the times by five minutes for most age categories.  My age group must now run 4:00 or less to qualify. In order to actually get into Boston, runners need a good buffer of at least five to ten minutes. The cutoff times are announced each year in September so many runners without a significant buffer must anxiously wait to see if they make the cut. At this point my goal is to chase after the 'blue qualified shirt!"  Anything under four will be a victory to me. Actually, just being able to run again is the true victory.

We drive up to Fresno the day before the race to get our bib, shirt and sweatshirt even though race day pick-up is allowed. I know my husband is going to make me get up super early, regardless of whether we go to the expo, to get a good parking spot on race day. We make the extra uneventful trip and wait in an unusually long line just to get inside the expo venue. Instead of going out to eat on the way home, we pick up a Traders take and bake pizza. It's the best family run pizza establishment in town that we've enjoyed for over thirty-five years. It's a nice reward for our healthy eating habits the last seven months.  Pizza carbs are the best kind of splurge for our pre-race meal. 

Pizza Carb loading

Amazingly, I am able to fall asleep without too much trouble and wake up at 3 am raring to go, but first I spend 45 minutes foam rolling and using a tennis ball to work out some very sore spots. Breaking up that bad fascia that gets inflamed makes for a less painful run experience. 

3 a.m. is the perfect time to roll out the pain

We arrive at Clovis Community College an hour before the race and get a great parking spot which makes up for having to get up so early. We have time to get in line for two potty breaks before dropping off our bag of warm clothes at bag drop before heading to the start line.  The start is packed with runners as we weave our way through the crowd and find the 3:55 pacers. My plan is to keep the pacers in sight for as long as possible. The first mile is really slow as there is no room to maneuver around all the other people. A little warm-up mile never hurts unless you are trying to hit a time goal.  My pants keep sliding down and I spend a few miles continually pulling them up. After working up a sweat the need to hold onto my pants fades into a distant memory. Now the focus is running and staying near the pacers.

The run down Sheppard is uneventful as I lock into a rhythm before turning onto Friant. The race used to start in Fresno and go to Clovis and then back to Fresno. Friant brings back memories of struggling through the final tough miles. Now they are the smooth sailing miles of the first half. The course deviates off from the half marathoners onto a trail section with views of the vista. It's a serene peaceful break from the thoroughfare before rejoining the herd on Friant Street. The full marathoners take another detour around Woodard Park before again rejoining the pack of half runners making their way back to Sheppard. There are people out cheering the runners on.

The Elusive 3:55 Pacers

My half marathon time is not as good as I hoped. If I continue at this pace, I doubt I can maintain the pace needed to break four hours. After the second GU pack of the day kicks in, I am able to increase my pace. The pacers are faintly visible as I stride little by little to catch up. 

Leapfrog partner

One lady in the crowd is very encouraging. I encounter her three more times in the last ten miles. She reminds me of a high school running coach giving each runner the words they need to hear. I can't remember the exact words, but her encouragement really resonates within me. She has no idea how her passionate words uplift and empower me in those lonely moments to keep fighting and pushing for my goal. I leapfrog with one tall runner, using his pace to pull me along. Once the full turns towards Clovis and the half marathoners turn toward the finish, the course becomes more about each individual runner fighting his or her own battle with the road; the mind has the plan but do the legs have the capacity to comply.

Downtown Clovis

The road to Clovis is an out and back with three tunnels along a bike path with a loop through downtown followed by another out and back around Cottonwood Park. I am able to keep the pace going through the downtown section. The real struggle hits on the way to the out and back to the park. The trail is very uneven broken pavement that requires intensified focus on my footing. My pace is slowing and my energy is zapped. My leapfrog friend is pulling away. It's time to pull out the magic pills in my pocket that I carry for dire situations. The Modesto pace coordinator, who is a pharmacist, told me many years ago to take acetaminophen with caffeine for a boost of energy when necessary. It is just an over the counter pain reliever, but is better tolerated by the liver and kidneys. I rarely use them, but I packed them for a just in case scenario and this seemed liked an appropriate time.  As soon as I approach the water table with some of the loudest students passing out water and cheering runners, I take two magic pills. As I make my way back to the the main trail I cross paths with my husband, I tell him I don't think I am going to make my time. He is looking strong and he tells me to keep going. It takes almost a mile to feel the increase in energy from the pain reliever as I make my way to mile 23. Back through the three tunnels more words of encouragement from the lady and finally I hit the mile 25 marker. Now, it comes down to pure grit. The energy burst in gone and it all comes down to how bad do I want it. I have to push, push, push and force myself to maintain the pace. You can slow down and coast in or you can push through the fatigue and fight until the final timing mat is crossed. 

Will there be a 3 as the first number on the finish line timer? There are two more turns. I am catching a lady who breaks into a walk until her friend comes back and encourages her to start running again.  I make the final turn and hear them announce my name. As I look at the clock the time reads 3:59:24. I barely make my time. I move to the side of the road and feel the urge to vomit momentarily, but it quickly passes as the reality sets in that I have accomplished the goal. Seven months of discipline has paid off...

Chip Time 3:58:49

We have a few of the breakfast items provided as we recover and listen to the band. We forgo the two free beers and the chocolate sundaes. Now that is progress...alcohol and sugar are no longer desirable rewards. The satisfaction of a healthier body and the ability to strive towards goals is the best kind of reward.   

Thankfully, the country is also rewarded on November 5th with a return to common sense for the country. The darkness of the last four years is slowly coming to an end. The air feels lighter and spirits seem more hopeful for the future! Looking forward to better days and another chance to improve my marathon time. The shirt arrived...but it is a Men's medium and is too big, but it fits my husband perfectly. It served its purpose as the motivation I needed to push myself and now my husband can use the same shirt as his carrot on a stick (gifted it to him) to motivate him to go for the gusto on our next downhill race in April. 

  

Humboldt Bay Marathon

Eureka, CA

August 11, 2024

Let the Fun Begin

This can't be how my story ends. After four and a half years, the stagnation rut and the absence of growth tug from within. Life is precious and meant to be lived why am I wasting time! Is a return to the road out of the realm of possibility. The craziness of our world causes profound turmoil and we each handle it in different ways. Isolation and disbelief is how life played out for a few years along with too many bad eating habits. 

First Marathon Start Line in 4 1/2 years

As another birthday passes and a new year begins, the idea of reclaiming life and fitness is the prevalent nagging theme continuously running through my mind. While the goal of walking twenty miles per week is accomplished in 2023, my overall healthy lifestyle is still lacking.  Too many unnecessary pounds crept their way onto my body.  A negative mindset generates a who cares attitude and nothing good comes from that...

Race begins and ends by the bay

To jump start the new year, an impulse registration in January for an early March half marathon seems like a good way to bounce back into a better fitness regime. Transitioning from walking to running isn't quite as easy as anticipated, however. The body needs more time to adjust to running after years with less activity and carrying extra weight makes it even more challenging. Little injuries and strains hamper the lead up to race day. The plan is to run-walk the half marathon, but as the miles pass, my old runner mentality emerges, and I start pushing the pace until pain radiates from my hamstring down into my calf. Immediately, I am forced to walk. The remaining miles are an extremely tough painful slog to the finish line. 

The Boardwalk section

That's not how anyone wants to begin a new fitness journey.  After resting and healing the remaining weeks of March a new idea swirls. It is going to take something different to get myself back on track this time around. The concept of 75 Hard seems too hard. After a discussion with my husband we decide to challenge ourselves to our own version of 30 Day Hard. It includes two workouts per day one outside, lot of water, no eating out, a strict diet and daily reading. If you mess up, the 30 days starts over.

30 Days isn't so Hard

Thankfully, we are successful and complete the challenge on our first attempt. Once we are done, there is a "Now What" feeling! As my recently retired husband sits on the porch on a random Tuesday, I approach him with "An idea!" It doesn't take long to convince him to come out of marathon retirement. With plenty of time on our hands why not go big.  The plan is to follow an actual 20 week marathon plan with a full scheduled for November 2024. The goal is to earn the "I qualified for Boston" shirt at Two Cities Marathon...

Sometimes you Go Big or Go Home

It is a rather lofty goal, but worth a shot. After two months of solid running we schedule a mid training tune-up run in Eureka. It is one of the coolest places to run in the summer with very mild temperatures. I sign up for the full and my husband signs up for the half. It is the best way to get in a forced long run with aid stations and other runners for motivation. The run goes fairly well. I run the first half with runner #2 and the 4:05 pacer. It is a double loop with two out and back sections in each half. It allows me to know exactly what comes next.  The second out and back section makes up approximately the last 8 miles of the first half. I don't want to run it alone and tuck in behind #2.

I attempt to pass a few times, but the guy in the lead counters every attempt with an increase in his pace. Upon our return back to the start line, he lets me pass just as the second loop begins. The 4:05 pacer is on my heels until we reach mile 22. After a short stop for water and Gu the pacer leaves me in the dust. The plan to stay with him for the remaining miles, evaporates as I watch him disappear along with my enthusiasm.  Waning energy and pace force me to finish the run alone. The last three miles are tough as my pace drastically dropping on the last mile. I finish is 4:06 while the 4:05 pacer finishes in 3:59. If only he had maintained the 9 to 9:20 pace he held for the first 22 miles I may have been able to stay with him. Overall, the run is a success. After briefly feeling some hamstring pain in the early miles, some gait adjustments allow for a successful training run. 

We visit with my husband's parents and aunt while we are in town before spending a few days in Oregon. A ride in a jet boat down the Rogue River is our reward for reaching the halfway point of our goal. 

After our vacation fun, it is time to buckle down for ten more weeks of running in preparation for Two Cities Marathon. Other than babysitting my grand kitties, I will be out pounding the pavement.

Double Trouble