State #35 Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Sioux Falls Marathon

September 10, 2017

"This is the last one for the year," I tell my husband. 2017 is supposed to be a rest and recovery year...but let's just do one more! He agrees, even though he has not trained all summer and he is not ready for another marathon two weeks after Nebraska! The idea of coloring in his last state in the Midwest is the deciding factor. So back to LAX, we go to cross off another state. Sioux Falls is not exactly a hub for airlines requiring a stop in Denver. The last time we had a layover in Denver, we spent twelve hours in the airport with multiple flight delays. Using a discount airline with a layover is risky especially with a tight connection, but everything goes smoothly and we even arrive early. The hotel's free shuttle picks us up from the airport five minutes after landing. The expo along with the start and finish line are in the Denny's Center. It's a very nice arena where many popular musician's perform, in fact Garth Brooks is performing six shows the week after the marathon. He puts on a great show~we had the opportunity to see him 25 years ago~is that really possible, "I'm too young to feel this damn old!"  

Once we check into the motel, we walk over to the stadium to pick up our bibs and shirts. It is similar to the Fargo Marathon with a stadium venue just a smaller version.  Well...much smaller version (347 marathon finishers). A small expo takes place on the floor level. We stroll through the stadium before heading back to the motel brimming with families and lots of children. The mini-water park inside the center court of the motel makes it is a busy place. 

We elect to have dinner and steer clear of the water craziness. Our day began at 4 a.m. with alarm sounds and an ensuing two hour and forty minute drive to the airport (how sweet the drive is on an early morning non-work day...even better when my husband drives the whole way while I sleep). The only hiccup is our usual parking area is completely full and we drive up and down the lot before finding an open spot. Saturday is spent traveling to our destination and getting ready for race morning hard to do with a motel full of kids running up and down the halls screaming, yelling and slamming doors. Once the motel calms down, we get some sleep. Marathon morning begins with rain and lightening. "What, it is supposed to be hot, but lightening puts a damper on things?" As we make our way across the street to the stadium the parking lot is empty. 

"Where is everyone?" After checking our bag and using the bathroom we make our way to the start corral. We are practically the only runners there. An announcement is made about the race being delayed due to the weather.  Apparently most people are 'technology suave' and already know about the delay via Facebook. After a short wait, the race gets underway.  

I had good luck in Fargo starting close to start line for a quick start~but my legs were much fresher. I employ the same strategy for Sioux Falls. "The difference between dreams and reality is discipline..." My discipline is lacking as usual and I am still recovering from the last run two weeks ago in Grand Island. Why did I run so many miles the day before we left for the race? Even after seventy marathons, I have a temporary lapse in judgement and make several rookie moves. I break the number #1 RULE of running a marathon~don't go out too fast...especially on legs that are still healing from the last one. Boy, do I pay for my mistakes in the last three miles. In fact, the numerous mistakes grow on the hilly South Dakota course. I have nothing to eat for breakfast not even my normal banana and my energy drops. It feels way too hard, way too early. A conversation with a teacher from Wisconsin has me running too fast at mile two. Thank goodness for

for the water stop when he pulls ahead. I slow down, but not nearly enough. The course is a nice mixture of residential and quaint downtown streets, parks and the famous falls. The change in scenery is a helpful distraction with a diminishing energy supply.

Sioux quartzite almost as hard as diamond

Downtown clock tower of the courthouse in the background

I can't wait to reach the GU station at mile seven. I ingest my only package of Honey Stingers at mile six and wait for an energy boost that never seems to come. Another marathon mistake, trying something new during the marathon. I don't get the surge of energy that usually happens after taking a GU.  Mile seven comes into sight while the 3:45 pace group passes me with ease. 

There goes my hopes of a fast finish...

There is no way to maintain their pace as I watch them wiz by in a quick blur. (Oh dear, how many more pace groups will pass me today!)

It's a good day to mentally break the marathon miles into two parts, first counting up to 13 and then counting down 13. Mile 11, feels like the fatigue of mile 24 and there are still two long miles before I can begin the final count down miles. Runners employ different mind games~at least I do~to deal with the mileage. The count up-count down strategy somehow feels the least painful approach for the day's torture. The second half of the marathon begins on an uphill section. I walk through a water station and get one of the many helpful volunteers to open my GU pack. My hands are too sweaty to open the package and I chug down pain reliever with caffeine at the same time to prepare for the next thirteen miles of hilly terrain. As I reach the turn to yet another climb there is a teenager lying on the ground directing runners. I give him an extra glance as he lies there on the pavement. At least he made it out here to volunteer on an early Sunday morning.

At mile 11 I gave up on the idea of breaking four hours, but now that I am over the hump with 12 remaining miles, I feel somewhat revived and my pace increases. There is momentary hope that I can still pull it off.  During a downhill section my pace increases steadily, I hit the next mile marker with a 7:52...wow maybe I can do it...oh wait, no, there is another hill. I end up taking at least four walk breaks between mile 14 and mile 24. Once on the bike trail section the wind feels like a full fledged gale force wind. The resistance of running into the wind takes my remaining strength and dampens my resolve. Forward progress is extremely slow. Luckily, there are spectators with signs and interesting outfits to help us

through the very tough sections. As we cross a bridge and turn around, the wind is finally at our backs. At mile twenty some mental calculations determine a ten minute pace will break four hours. It is so doable, yet doubtful. "Even Humpy Dumpy had wall issues."  It is funny how the mind works.  One minute I am determined and fighting to get there, the next minute I am walking.  
Where did my fight go...it is gone!

When other runners pass me, I don't have the fight to push. Is that the four hour pacer...oh yes, there he goes and my enthusiasm goes too. I don't even attempt to run with him. There is no gas left in the tank no matter how hard I press on the pedal. I usually ingest four GU packs to finish under four, but I fail to eat anything in the last six miles. The volunteers and spectators continue to encourage all the runners with positive affirmations. One lady even say to me, 

"Look at you with your hair down blowing in the wind looking so good."  I must give all the volunteers and spectators a big "thank you" for being out there and encouraging us.  The creativity and willingness to motivate tired runners with the big lie "looking good" always makes me laugh! The long stretch along the canal takes forever...

It is the longest two miles...and I am beyond exhausted.  I want to walk more than anything, but I just keep slowly shuffling along at a snail's pace. With plenty of time to think and wonder "if only" I had run a smarter race and fueled better would the outcome be different?  We will never know...  

The stadium is close and yet so far. The mile 26 sign is a joyous sight! Finally, I make the turn and enter the building to a blast of cold air. I see the clock 4:03 and change. I will happily take it with great gratitude. An endless supply of could of, would of, scenarios are ever present on this journey called life, but also there is always something to learn in each experience!

Although I have run many marathons with much slower times, today's run feels usually tough. The last time I felt this bad was at the Napa Marathon in 2000, when I virtually walked the last six miles. I find out later in the very detailed results that I was in the lead for my age group until I hit that crazy "wall" in the last few miles...and sputtered my way through to the finish.

As my husband likes to continually tell me, "Lesson Learned" Definitely! I grab a bottle of water and collapse spread eagle on the coliseum floor. A few minutes pass before a fellow runner lays down right next to me just as exhausted. I can't say for sure which one of us feels worse,but at least I am in good company with other exhausted runners. Once able to regain my composure, I lift myself up to a standing position and seek out food...There are mini tri-tip sandwiches for the runners and I scarf down two before looking for the BEER..but it is already all gone. No Way! I change into dry clothes while waiting for my husband to finish.  
It's freezing in the stadium and I go outside to warm up making it back just in time to take his picture as he come through the finisher's shoot. He is so ready to be done too. It is another hot one out there as the sun shines brightly in the final miles.  We waddle our way back to the completely empty hotel. We have lunch at the onsite restaurant before we enjoy the pool, slide and hot tub.  In celebration of the last marathon for the year, I slide down the slide five times one time for each decade of my life before soaking in the hot tub. My husband is happy to be done for the year and sends me to run the New York City Marathon in November with my mom. After our swim, he takes a nap while I get my happy hour beer in the empty bar. What a difference from the madness of the day before. We talk about walking to a restaurant later in the evening, but exhaustion prevents us from leaving the room. The alarm clock blares at 6 a.m.

We were hoping to catch up on our sleep with an afternoon departure but after being abruptly awake we decide to take a recovery walk. What starts out as a stroll to the falls and a walk around downtown turns into exhaustion. Too bad we have to walk back to the motel after breakfast. Our little walk turns into five long miles with some monster hills. That damn alarm clock! Yes, we are definitely ready to go home and rest up for awhile. I drive all the way home~just to be fair~once we land at LAX.  Don't worry soon the planning for the remaining fifteen states will begin...