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.

It took me over 2 months to dig out the lawn

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.