#99 - Ghost of Seattle Marathon 2010

DATE: Saturday, November 27, 2010

LOCATION: Seattle, Washington

This was a very interesting day! I had already run two marathons in two days, and did not expect a fast run. That said, I felt pretty good. I woke up that morning and I didn't feel overly sore. Once I got my day going, my legs felt good. I left the hostel about 6:30 and drove to Lake Washington. Many of the runners took the early start which meant the parking at the start was all gone. I ended up parking at Seward Park (about a half mile away).

I arrived and picked up my race bib about 7:15 and enjoyed seeing so many of my running friends. Many were running the Quadzilla and it was fun to see them for a third straight day. Other runners were doing the Seattle Double (Saturday and Sunday), so it was great to see other runners that I hadn't seen the last few days. As the time got closer we quickly realized that the race was not going to start on time. So many of waited for the runners to get checked in. We finally got started at about 8:15.

The course started with a 3.6 mile loop around Stewar dpark and then headed north for almost five miles before returning to the start area. We ran this twice for the marathon. I started out running with Terry Sentinella and I was runnign pretty fast. I was running about 7:45-8:00 pace. I felt like this was a little too fast, but I felt great, so I kept going.

When I got to the aid station at mile 7.5, I took my first GU and kept pushing along. I had thought that a sub-4 hour marathon was probably a good goal, but at this rate I was looking at more like 3:30-3:40 marathon. My first thought was that I couldn't keep it up. My second thought was that I wanted to keep my Quadzilla lead (I had the best combined time for all the male runners in the Quadzilla). I ran to the turn around and pushed back to the to the start area for the first half.

At the half way point of the race, I had run a 1:45:50. This was pretty amazing, I had no idea I had that much speed in me. I was on pace for a 3:31:40 marathon. I didn't think I could probably keep it up, but I thought a 3:45-4:00 marathon would be great. I kept pushing, because I wanted to see how long I could keep this up. As I made my way around Seward Park, I felt really good. I knew I had only 10 miles to go and felt I could do it.

When I go to the aid station at mile 20.5 I took another GU and powered to the turn around and back to the finsih. It was so great to see all the other runners on the out and backs. So many of them were Maniacs and it was great to greet all the other Quadzilla runners.

I pushed hard and managed to finish in 3:31:46, which means my second half split was 1:45:56, only 6 seconds slower then my first half. I was absolutly thrilled with my time and it was so great to hang out and chat with the other runners. After a few hours people were headed home, so I went back to my car and drove to downtown and check into my hotel. My mom and two sister met me there. It was all in all a wonderful day!

#98 - Wishbone Run 2010

DATE: Friday, November 26, 2010

LOCATION: Gig Harbor, Washington

Marathon #98 was not an easy one, but was a blast! Bill Barmore once again opened his house to the crazy people that can' get enough marathons. This race was on all trails (mostly single track), it was a figure eight loop that each runner ran four times. The total distance was 27.4 miles, this meant it was a trail ultra. While not quite a 50k it was longer than a marathon, therefore an ultra. Nevertheless it was to be treated like one.

I had to understand the nature of the run and therefpore did not expect a fast time. Like most trail runs and most ultras it was not about speed. I had to settle into a ultra pace for this one. I had planned to run between 4:00 (not likely) and 4:30. This would be about a 10:00 pace.

I arrived about an hour early and checked in at Bill's house. It was so great to see all the other runners and the other Quadzilla runners. They were like family. I felt pretty good although a little stiff at first in the morning.

The race started at 7:30 in the morning and the trail was a little muddy and there was still some frozen sections. It was about 40 degrees, which normally would have everyone complaining, but after running in 28 degree temps the day before, I think were all happy for the slightly warmer weather. Most importantly it was dry and would stay that way until the late afternoon.

Because it was 27.4 miles, means that each loop was 6.85 miles long. In the first loop I was just making sure I didn't get lost. The trail was marked very well, and it went off really well. I ran the first loop in about an hour, and realized I had to slow things down.

In the second loop I was happy to get into a groove I felt comfortable with. I ended up running that loop in 65 minutes giving me a irst half split of 2:05. I once again realized I had and was going to slow things down even more.

In the third loop I took a few walking breaks and just enjoyed the trail. At one point the sun even came up. In that loop I ran 66 minutes which was good for a 3:11 split. I felt pretty gpod, but was looking forward to the last loop.

In the final loop, I took a few more walking breaks and was counting down the mileage. I ended up running that one in 68 minutes. I felt really happy to be done, and enjoyed the moment. I ran a 2:05 first half and a 2:14 second half giving me a 4:19 time, good for 10th place out of about 55 finishers.

I hung out for about three hours greeting the other runners as they finished. I the drove to Seattle and got checked in to the hostel and eat some dinner. It feels good to be half way done with the Quadzilla, but I realize I'm only half way done and I still have another 52 miles left!

#97 - Wattle Waddle Marathon 2010

DATE: Thursday, November 25, 2010

LOCATION: Cedar River Trail near Maple Valley, Washington

Leg one of the first ever Seattle Quadzilla was a bit of a challenge, and not just for me but for everyone involoved. In the days leading up to the race, Seattle was belted with a huge snow storm. Weather got down into the teens and a wind chill near zero. This was all companied by snow. In the week or so leading up to the Quadzilla, I was following the weather forecast very closely. I was at first worried that I might not be able to run the Quadzilla due to heavy snow. But in the finals days leading up to the races, it became clear the storm was going to pass before Thanksgiving.

I had planned to sleep in my car on Wednesay night, but I got a call from my dad, who is a truck driver for Fred Meyer (the northwest chain of Kroeger Foods), and he told me that he was going to layover in Federal Way and asked if I wanted to spend the night with him. This was about two miles from where I was going to sleep in my car, so I said yes. I left and drove up to Federal Way, it was a bit wet, and the weather remained about 30 degrees the whole drive up. I spend the night with him and left early to drive the 30 minutes to the Cedar River Trail near Maple Valley.

I arrived about an hour early at 6am. It was quite snowy out and I was probably the fifth or sixth person to arrive. I chatted with some of the other Maniacs and got ready for the race. At this point I realized that I had left my MP3 player in the hotel room, so I called my dad and he got it and took it back home. This meant I was going to be without music, while I don't need music, I like to have it, and so I was going to have to run without.

When the race started I was off and about three people quickly lead the way. I didn't mind, I had no goal for this race, and because of the snow fall the trail was covered in snow and was packed in pretty hard. I realized this was going to be a challenging run. I was joined by another Maniac that I had not met before, Pedro Infante. We ran together for about 18 miles, before he took off.

The race as a double out-and-back course so the course was basically in four parts of 6.55 miles. In the first out section of the course Pedro and I ran pretty smooth, I quickly relized I was not going to run a normal 3:30-3:45 marathon, and that the snow was going to make this more like a trail marathon. We finished the first quarter of the marathon in about 58 minutes.

As we headed back to the start area I could feel that we were running a little faster, but not much. It was great to see all the runners behind us as we headed back. Rarely do I get to see the slower runners, and it's always fun to stay hi and you pass each other. We ended finishing the first half in 1:55:55. This felt pretty good, but I did't know if I could repeat it.

As we headed back out for the third quarter of the marathon, I could feel that I didn't have enough energy to keep running at the speed we were going. About five miles into this third section, I slowed down and took a GU, this is when Pedro kept going, and I would never catch him. At ths turn around I looked at my watch and it said 2:55. This mean I ran a one hour quarter.

As I headed back to the start, I felt myself getting slower and slower. I figured I could still run a sub-4 hour marathon. But soon I realized I was struggling. About mile 21 or 22 I started to take walking breaks, and realized I was running about 10 minute miles. Looking back I realize I did not eat enough on Wednesday and was at a lack of calories. I kept pushing and finished the final quarter in 67 minutes.

This meant I finished with a time of 4:01:47. My first half split was 1:56 and my second half split was 2:06. I can't complain everyone's times were slow and I finished in fourth place overall. It felt good and more importantly I felt good afterwards. I stuck around for a few hours to see everyone finish. The race started about 28 degrees and finished about 34 degrees. The snow started melting and the roads became much easier to drive.

#96 - Autumn Leaves 50 miler 2010

DATE: Saturday, October 30, 2010
LOCATION: Champoeg State Park, near Newberg, Oregon

In 2005 I ran the half marathon at Autumn Leaves, in 2006 I ran the 50k, and in 2007 I ran my first 50 miler at Autumn Leaves. But in 2008, the race director changed the date and I was already doing a different race, and in 2009 the race was canceled. This year, a few Portland area Maniac and ultra runner, Bret Henry took over the race. He did a great job in reviving this race. Many people thought this race was dead, due to a lack of interest. But volume of runners this year exceeded everyone’s expectations. There were 75 runners signed up for the 50 miler, and about 45 signed up for the 50k.

I helped by creating finisher medals for the race. And my friend Tim joined me for the race. After running 42.75 miles in seven hours at Operation Jack 7 hour race in early September, I had a desire to see how fast I could run a 50 miler. My PR was 8:33, which was my 50 mile split at Pacific Rim in 2008. I knew I had a shot at a sub-8 hour race. The course is a 6.25 mile loop run eight times. I figured I could run one loop every hour and finish in 8 hours.

I took the early start at 6am, because I wanted to finish sooner. The first loop was completely dark, and a flashlight or headlamp is a must. I ran with Stacy Otter and Genia Kacey, both Marathon Maniacs, for the first loop and a half. The first loop went pretty well, except we got lost at one point that added 0.35 miles to the loop. I finished the first loop in 0:59:41, which I was really happy with.

From that point forward I was cruising pretty good. My slowest loop was a little more than an hour and most were well under an hour. At the half way point, I ran a 3:42:55 and in second half I ran a 3:58:08 which gave me a final time of 7:41:03. This was a 52 minute personal record and 19 minutes faster than my goal.

I hit the half marathon mark at 3:50:34 and the 50k mark at 4:34:50. And if you take out the time I spent at each aid station, I ran all my miles between 8-10 minute miles. I ran a very steady race, and really pushed hard. It was a challenge at times, because I wanted to slow down, but I knew this was a special race, so I kept pushing.

The weather was pretty nice, it was in the upper 40's with a little rain at times, but the rain didn't stay very long. After I finished Tim and I stuck around for a little more than an hour before we headed back home. Overall it was a huge success!

#95 - Columbia River Power Marathon 2010

DATE: October 23, 2010

LOCATION: Umatilla, Oregon

I had originally planned to the Columbia River Power/Gorge double, but when I found out about the Thanksgiving marathon (Wattle Waddle), I had to drop the Columbia Gorge Marathon in order to make Seattle my 100th. This worked out well, because my sister wanted to do the Run Like Hell Half Marathon in Portland on the 24th. So I ended up running the half with her.

I drove out to Boardman on Friday night, where I slept in my car. I drove 30 minutes the next morning to Umatilla and got ready for the race. It was nice to see other Maniacs at the start, many of them were doing the double.

When the race started I was off and running and feeling pretty good. I was running sub-8 minute miles and feeling like I might have a good day. The course had a huge downhill in the first mile or so, and had a few hills in the first 10 miles. Despite the hills, I was on pace to run a 3:25 (or so) marathon.

At mile 10, we turned on to a dirt trail. I didn't really know what to expect. It turned out the dirt trail was a 10 mile out-and-back, and was a very loose gravel. This caused to me slow down. I ended up pushing through the first half of the out-and-back (about 5 miles) and found the loose gravel and rolling hills a bit challenging. I realized at the turn around that I was in sixth place.

I pushed hard in the next five miles to keep my place at sixth and to keep my times in the low 8 minute range. A woman passed me in the last mile of the dirt trail, so that put me in seventh place.

Once I got off the dirt trail we had a huge climb and the finished on a pretty easy bike path back to the finish. I ended up passing a runner who was ahead of me in the last few miles, putting me back in sixth place. I ended up finishing with a time of 3:36, which was great given the course.

I hung out for a while before heading back to Portland. It was a very nice day and I enjoyed the small marathon. I ended up pacing my sister to a 2:07 PR at the half marathon the next day. It was a very fun weekend.

#94 - Portland Marathon 2010

DATE: Sunday, October 10, 2010

LOCATION: Portland, Oregon

This year Portland proved to be an interesting one. In previous years the cost of the Portland Marathon was between $95-105 which is on the high end of marathons in this area. Portland is a large marathon (tenth largest in USA in 2009), but I can pay $60-$80 for most marathons in the region. That said, Portland told everyone, in March, that the cost of the Portland would go from $105 to $135. I was planning to run it and was willing to pay $105, so I registered then. I don't want to bag too much on Portland, but I don't think it worth $135.

In the history of the Portland Marathon, it has never rained for the entire Portland Marathon. In 2008, it rained for the second half, and all the other times I have done it, it has been dry. But this was the year, it would be a wet one. It rained during the entire marathon, I have run marathons in the rain, or I was ready but many were not.

My friend Jon Dotson and I went to the Expo on Friday and got our packets. The Portland Marathon was getting a lot of heat for the high cost, and this year they gave you two shirts, a collector coin, and a really cheap necklace. These were all things I did not need, but whatever.

On race morning, Jon and I drove to downtown and got ready for the race. We found a covered area to stay dry before race start. Jon wanted to break 3:20, I was looking to run a 3:30. We started with the 3:20 pace group, and I quickly fell back in the first few miles. Jon kept up with the pace group.

When I got to the turnaround at mile 9, I was able to see that the 3:20 group was only about a half mile ahead of me, and Jon was still with them. I was running pretty fast and didn't feel that I could run much faster at that point, and just felt like I wanted to keep up the current pace.

When I got to the half way point, I had run 1:39, which I was pretty happy with. I knew a 3:30 was pretty likely, but at that point I was wondering if 3:20 was possible. Once I got to the St John's Bridge, I pushed up the hill and cruised the rest of the way. I never really slowed down, and even pushed pretty hard the last few miles, hoping to run a 3:20. I ended up finishing in 3:21:08. I was very happy with my time.

I met up with Jon who struggled in the last five miles, and ended up running a 3:25:48. While Portland is a nice race, they need to understand that they are not a "Major" marathon like Chicago, New York or Boston. They need to realize that $135 is bit much, when Boston cost $125. The shirts and medals are pretty much the same every year, and now have even more restrictions on pacers in the last few miles. Also they use Ultima as their energy drink, and that has rubbed a lot of runners the wrong way. Not sure I'll do Portland next year.

#93 - Skagit Flats Marathon 2010

DATE: September 12, 2010
LOCATION: Burlington, Washington

I originally was not going to run this marathon. I had planned to run the Grande Ass Marathon, but Michelle and Eric Barnes decided not to put on the race this year, so I decided to run Sakgit Flats in order to keep my monthly marathon streak alive. My friend Jon Dotson joined the Maniacs in July decided to join me.

I did a 10k on Saturday morning and drove up in the afternoon. Jon’s brother-in-law lives in Bellevue which is where we spent the night. We woke up early on Sunday morning and left Bellevue about 6am. It was an 1:15 drive to Burlington. It was raining the whole way up and we were both getting prepared for the worst.

We got our packets and waited a little while for the start. Once the race started it was lightly raining, but didn’t feel horrible. I was running quite fast (7:30-8:00 miles) and felt pretty good. The route is an out-and-back and at the half way point I ran a 1:42, which I was happy with.

In the second half of the race, the wind picked up. It was already pretty cold for that time of the year (55 degrees), but with the wind and the rain, it made for a very challenging second half. I continued to run strong until about miles 19-20, at that point I slowed to about an 8:30-9:00 miles. The finished with a 1:53 second half, and a finish time of 3:35. I was happy to have a sub-3:40, and with better conditions, I could have run much faster. My friend Jon had some cramping issues and ended up running a 3:37.

I hung out for a little while taking pictures of Maniacs and chatting, then I headed home.

#92 - Operation Jack 7 hour Challenge 2010

DATE: Sunday, September 5, 2010

LOCATION: Summerlake Park in Tigard, Oregon

At the beginning of August Sam Fesenfeld contacted me asked me what would be involved in putting together a timed race. He told me that he had a friend (Debbie Bosilevac) in the Portland area that wanted to organize a 7 hour race with him. I told him that Summerlake Park was a perfect place to host a race like that. The three of us organized the race and had pretty much everything nailed down within one day.

On race morning, I arrived at the park pretty early to setup the aid station. We had 17 runners signed up and they pretty all arrived on time for the 6am start. We were off and many of the runners ran 28 loops around the lake to get credit for a marathon, while others ran 33 loops in order to get credit for a 50k. About six runners (including myself) ran the full 7 hours. My goal was to run at least 40 miles. I ended up in second place with 42.75 miles, while Sam took first place with 45.6 miles. Debbie was third with 34.2 miles.

I ran the first 11 miles or so, before my sister joined me. I was working with her to get her trained for a half marathon, so I told her to come and join me for her 11+ mile run. We ran about 13 loops together, which slowed me down, but I think gave me more energy towards the end of the seven hours.

The race, was a fund raising race for Sam’s autism charity (Operation Jack). It was a free race for the runners, but the runners were asked to make a donation to Operation Jack. Sam and Debbie had some side bets going on, and some runners raised pledges. We ended up raising about $2,300 it was a huge success!

#91 - Redmond Watershed Marathon 2010

DATE: Saturday, August 28, 2010
LOCATION: Watershed Preserve Redmond, Washington

This is a race that is put on by the Northwest Trail Runs Series. They host this same race once in the spring and once in the summer. I first did this race in the summer of 2008 on my mission to get 13 marathons in 12 weeks. This time I did it in my mission to get to my 100th marathon by Seattle.

I drove up on Friday and spent the night in my car in Tacoma, like I normally do. Some people think I'm crazy for sleeping in my car, but I put the back seat down and have a foam pad, so it's really not that bad. The weather was not as nice as you night think for August. It wasn't raining, but it was overcast for most of the day.

I arrived at 8:30am for the 9:30am start, and realized that a bunch of runners (mostly Maniacs) were starting their run an hour early. The web site said nothing about an early start and had I know I would have arrived earlier and done the early start. A 9am start time is later than I used to and I would have enjoyed having the extra hour. Oh well.

The course is a 8.74 trail loop that you run three times. But the challenging part is that the loop has a lot of turns and it can be a bit confusing at times. There is one spot where you can have a water bottle (or bag) dropped but otherwise you are on your own for aid. I brought a water bottle, so I didn't feel like I needed a drop bag.

I had no real goal in mind, I thought it would be nice to break four hours. When the race started I was off and felt pretty good. I was running in the 8:30-9:15 pace range for the first six miles. It felt pretty good, but I knew I would have to slow down at some point. Towards the end of the first loop I was running in the 9:30-9:50 range. My first loop was about 1:16 which was pretty good.

In the second loop I did slow down, but I was still feeling pretty good. The trail was a little hilly then I remember, but wasn't as hard as some trail races can be. In the second loop I was running mostly in the 9:30-10:15 pace range. In that loop I ran a 1:23, which was good for a 9:30 pace.

As I went into the third loop, I felt like I was doing pretty well. I continued strong and was putting ip 10:00-10:15 miles for the first five miles or so. In the last few miles, I started to get a little tired and was looking forward to the finish of the run. At that point the sun started to come out and I was getting a little warm. I pushed but could only really manage 10:30-10:50 miles in the next two miles. At that point I knew I only had about a mile to go, so I pushed to the finish and ended strong. That last loop was a 1:26, which was about a 9:50 pace.

Overall it was a fun race. It was great to see some of the Maniacs. I ended up running a 4:05:53, which was a little slower then I would have liked, but overall I was happy with the time. I hung out for about an hour before I headed home.

#90 - Haulin Aspen Marathon 2010

DATE: Sunday, August 8, 2010

LOCATION: Bend, Oregon

The Haulin Aspen course is not an easy one. It's a trail marathon, so your pace and times are going to be slower, and in the middle of the course there is a huge climb. That said, this was also my second marathon in two days, so I was not expecting a fast race. Normally on a trail marathon, I would shoot for a sub 4 hour marathon, but this time I was shooting for a 4:22 (which is a 10 minutes pace).

They moved the start line of the race to a middle school, not far from the finish. In prior years the start and finish were at the same spot, which had basically no parking. The new start had tons of parking, and runners were bused back to the start after the race. It worked out really well.

Since I ran a marathon in Seattle the day before I had a lot of driving to get to Bend. I left Seattle and stopped off at my apartment for about an hour, before heading to Bend. It was dark and late when I arrived in Bend, and I was quite tired. I found the school and found other runners, who were sleeping in there cars as well. So I slept in my car and woke up early to get my race stuff. I was able to catch up with other fellow Oregon Maniacs.

When the race started it was a bit chilly, but sunny and ended up being quite warm. When I started, I felt pretty good, I was cruising along the dirt trails. In the first five miles, I was running between 8:30-9:00 miles. After that I slowed a bit to about a 9:30-10:00 pace. I felt pretty good and was enjoying the course. At about mile 10 is when the up hill climb begins, when the race started we were about 3,400 feet above sea level, but at mile ten it's about 4,000 feet, and over the next three miles to the half way point it climbs to about 5,500 feet. This stretch of three miles is very hard and I ended up walking parts of it. The views are amazing, and you just need to enjoy it and keep going.

At the half way point I was feeling pretty good, and my time was about 2:12, which was about on pace for my 4:22, but I knew the second half was going to be faster. I made the turn and headed downhill, It was smooth sailing, and the single track trails for the next seven miles or so, were awesome! At about mile 22 I slowed due to the rocking sections. I kept pushing and finished strong in the last three miles. I ended up running a 4:05:49, which was much faster than I had thought, and even gave me a negative split (2:12 first half, 1:54 second half).

After the race, I hung out for a while and chatted with other Maniacs. I had the awesome food afterward then headed back home. Overall it was an awesome weekend. This was my 90th marathon!

#89 - First Call Summer Marathon 2010

DATE: Saturday, August 7, 2010
LOCATION: Bothell, Washington

In February I ran a marathon on President's Day in Bothell. The race was put on by Adrian Call, a fellow Maniac, he hosts about five races a year at the same location. I missed the race in the spring, but decided to come back in the summer. Another reason to run this race was because I decided in July to make Seattle my 100th marathon and needed to add a few races to get to 100 by Seattle.

This was the first day of a long distance double. The first race was in Bothell and the second race was on Sunday in Bend, Oregon, about seven hours apart. I drove up to Tacoma and slept in my car on Friday. Then on Saturday morning I drove to Bothell. I arrived there very early. I decided to take the early start to give me an extra hour to travel to Bend.

So in order to take the 7am early start, I arrived about 6:30am. Once I got ready to go, I headed out on the double out-and-back course. I ran a pretty consistent race. I started out running about 8:20 miles and slowed down tot about 8:30 miles at times. When I arrived at the half way point of the marathon, I ran about a 1:51. I felt pretty good and headed back out to the second half.

As the day went on I thought I would slow down, but instead I continued to remain strong. I felt great and continued to run in the 8:25-8:35 range. My final time was 3:42:04, I felt great. At that point I realized that I ran even splits. My first half time was 1:51 and my second half time was 1:51. I stuck around for about an hour before I headed back home. I stopped to take a shower (at a nearby 24 Hour Fitness), and drove to my apartment for about an hour before I headed to Bend.

#88 - Foot Traffic Flat Marathon 2010

DATE: July 4, 2010

LOCATION: Sauvie Island, Portland, Oregon

This has become a tradition for me to run a marathon on the Fourth of July. Since the race is only about 25 miles from my house, it's a must do. In past years it has been a two loop marathon, this time they added two out and backs in order to avoid the second loop. The only problem with this is that it added a few hills that prevents it from being a "flat" marathon.

In the previous months I had been putting together the Maniacs newsletter. In doing so, I had befriended a Maniac in California, Sam Felsenfeld, who was running 60+ marathons in 2010 to raise awareness for autism. He was coming to Portland to do the Foot Traffic Flat. So wanting to meet him, I met him for dinner the night before. It was great to finally meet him and get a chance to talk about his mission.

My friend Jon and I drove out to Sauvie Island very early in the morning. The race started at 6:45 and the traffic getting on to the island is very bad, so you have to get there very early. We ended up getting there about 6am, I was hoping to get there about 5:45, but 6:00 ended up being fine. We had a chance to talk and meet other maniacs from out of state that came to do this marathon.

When the race started we ran together for about the first four miles before Jon took off. I was fine with that I wasn't looking for a real fast marathon, I was planning to run about a 3:40 marathon. I started out running 7:30-7:40 miles for the first four miles, before slowing down to about 7:45-8:00 miles for the ten miles. I felt pretty good and the weather was perfect. It was cool and cloudy, which isn't always the case on the Fourth of July. At the half way point I had run about a 1:41 first half. That seemed like it was a little too fast, so I slowed it down.

In the second half I continued to run in the 8:00 minutes per mile range for about another five miles. At about mile 18 I slowed to about a 8:20-8:30 pace for the rest of the race. I was feeling really good and decided to go for it. I quickly realized that I was going to break 3:40, and ended up finishing in 3:33:08.

After wards we stuck around for a little while longer to see some friends finish. The weather was nice and it ended up being a wonderful race. By the way, my friend Jon ran a PR with a time of 3:24.

#87 - Pacific Crest Marathon 2010

DATE: Saturday, June 26, 2010
LOCATION: Sunriver, Oregon

Pacific Crest was my first marathon in 2005. I have run a race at this event every year. In 2008, it was my 50th marathon and while I had three years of good events, that year was a nightmare. The weather was hot and I got heat sickness in the second half. In 2008, after recovering from a sciatic pain I opted to run the half. This time it was back to the marathon.

I had just got done with a three day, 338 mile bike trip down the Washington Coast. I wasn't looking for a fast time, I just wanted a good experience, It was warm and I was a little concerned.

At the start line, I met up with my friend Jon, and we were both hoping the heat would not be an issue. The race is two half marathon loops around Sunriver. The first half is usually pretty good, but the second loop is when it gets hot and hard.

In that first loop I felt pretty good. I got off to a fast start, I was running between 7:30 and 7:45 miles for the first three miles. Then I started to slow to about the 8:00-8:45 range. That was a range I would end up setting in for a while. At the half way point, I had a time of 1:47. And while that is not super fast, it didn't seem too bad. But I knew the second half would be a lot slower.

Going into the second loop, I was really worried about the heat and the sun. I was hoping it wouldn't be a repeat of 2008. My second half was pretty consistent, but slow. I ran most of my miles in that second half in the 9:00 pace range. My worst miles was the last few (23-26 miles), I had to stop and walk at times. I ended up running the second half in 2:00. This gave me a time of 3:47. I was pretty happy with the time, but I'm sure hoping next year will be better.

My friend Jon, ran a 3:30 and got third in his age group. Our family ended up staying for another day or so. On Sunday, I walked the 5k with my 86 year old Grandma. Overall a fun time.

#86 - Newport Marathon 2010

DATE: Saturday, June 5, 2010
LOCATION: Newport, Oregon

This was my PR in 2008, and at the time I ran the course with a GPS and my watch said it was 25.75 miles. I just kind of went with it, and didn't worry too much about it. Last year it was remeasured and they found the course was short. So they remapped it. Marc Frommer (a few Maniac) doesn't count Newport before last year toward his PR. It's still a fast course and I was hoping to run a good race.

My mom and I drove to Newport on Friday night. We got there early enough for me to get my packet at the host hotel. We then drove to Beverly Beach (about 7 miles away). I reserved a yurt to stay in there. This is much cheaper than a hotel and more comfortable then a tent. We had dinner and went to bed.

We woke up early on Saturday morning. She dropped me off at the start line at about 6am. When I arrived the other runners hadn't got there quite yet. The start and Finish are about a mile and a half apart, so buses take runners from the finish to the start. Since my mom dropped me off I had arrived before the buses did.

Once the buses came I was able to meet up with Marc Frommer along with dozens of other Maniacs (many from out of state). This was the first race in which people identified me as the Maniac newsletter guy. It was fun to meet some people that I had seen in so many photos.

The race started at 7am. Once we started I was going at a fast pace. In the first four miles, I ran a 28:45 or a 7:11 pace. The first four miles are in town and at the end of that four miles is a downhill drop from there you go out along the river and is pretty flat. I felt goo, but knew at that point I wasn't going to PR. I decided to shoot for a 3:20-3:30 time.

At the half marathon point, I had run 1:38:08, this was on pace for a 3:16. I knew that might have been a bit too fast for the first half. I knew a 3:16 was not going to happen. I kept pushing at when I got to the turn around (mile 15), I was still running around 7:45-8:00 miles.

On the turn around, I got a second wind as I saw all the runners behind me. That is one of the reasons I like races with out and backs, you get to see all the slower Maniacs that you don't normally see. I continued to run in the 7:45-8:00 range of mile until about mile 23. Once I got to mile 22 I started to slow down. I was pushing hard because I was on line for about a 3:20 marathon. In the last four miles, I lost some time, I slowed to about a 8:20-8:30 miles. I passed Marc Frommer in the last few miles, he apparently was having some cramping issues. I finished in 3:23:33, which I was very happy with given that it was my second straight sub 3:30 marathon.

After the race I hung about for a while as I was able to meet Maniacs that came in from California, Tennessee, Washington, Texas and other states. That evening Marc organized a Maniac dinner at a local restaurant. It was a fun a time and the weather was perfect!

#85 - Forest Park 50k 2010

DATE: Sunday, May 30, 2010
LOCATION: Forest Park, Portland, Oregon

I can't remember when I decided to run this race. I've run this race a few times. The nice thing for me about this race is that it's a "hometown" race for me. The starting line is about 13 miles from my house.

The race is in Forest Park, a park with more than 70 miles worth of trails. The race is made up of five 10k stretches. Each 10k ends at an aid station. The first 10k is uphill, the second 10k has a few rolling hills, the third 10k is a loop with a huge steep downhill drop. The fourth and fifth 10k's are the same as the first two going the other way.

In the days leading up to the race, it had rained a lot, this meant the trails were going to be very muddy. When the race started it was dry, but that did not last long. It started lightly raining, and picked up as the run when on. I started off a little fast in the first 10k, I averaged about a 10:20 pace. Once I got to the first aid station I grabbed a little food and headed back out.

Upon getting to the second aid station, I was feeling pretty good. My second 10k was about as fast as the first one. I knew the next 10k would be a challenge with the big drop. I knew this 50k was going to be a slow one, so I decided to relax a little and just enjoy the trails.

In the third 10k, I slowed down mainly do to the steep downhill drop. I ran a 1:15 loop, which is about 12:00 pace. I ended that loop pretty happy, and just wanted to keep running and cross the finish line. In the last two 10k's I ran a 1:18 and a 1:09. I felt pretty good with my 5:57:43 time. Given the rain and the mud I was just happy to have been done with the race. I was also looking forward to Newport Marathon the next weekend and didn't want to push too hard in this race.

#84 - Tacoma City Marathon 2010

DATE: May 2, 2010
LOCATION: Tacoma, Washington

In 2007, Tim Lawson and myself went to Yakima to run in the Maniac reunion race. This year, I heard the reunion was going to be in Tacoma. I had never run the Tacoma Marathon and felt it would be a fun race to do. Plus the Maniacs offered a discount on Facebook earlier in the year for the first 10 people that used a special promo code. I jumped at the chance and got in for only $45.

They announced that they were having a special gathering for the Maniacs the day before. So I left Portland Saturday morning in order to get up their for the meeting. It was a lot of fun to see and meet so many Maniacs that I hadn't met before.

I spent the night in my car, and headed to the starting area before the race. I enjoyed seeing so many Maniacs before the race, and seeing so many runners wearing the Maniac gear. The weather was perfect, it was dry and mostly cloudy and not too cold.

I had no real goal, I thought a 3:30 marathon would be great, but I was happy with a 3:40 or 3:45 time as well. When the race started I started with the 3:30 group, I figured I could start with my faster goal and if I slowed down to the 3:40 or 3:45 group that would be fine.

The course was hilly, but I didn't worry too much about that I just ran. In the first half I felt great and was pushing and ended up running a very speedy 1:40 first half. When I got to that point, I was on pace for a 3:20. I didn't expect to keep that up, but I figured if all went well I could run a 3:30 without too much trouble.

In the second half I continued to push the pace, I wanted to run a strong race. I knew the last two or three miles were all downhill so I just needed to get to that point. I still felt pretty good and kept going strong. Towards the end of the race, I knew 3:30 was in the bag and realized I was very close to running a 3:25. As I approached the finish line, I kicked it up and finished in 3:24:56. I was so happy to have run such a fast time.

After the race, I hung out for a while and chatted with the other Maniacs. I ended up getting third in my age group and the post race pizza was awesome.

#83 - Dizzy Daze 50k 2010

DATE: April 3, 2010
LOCATION: Green Lake, Seattle, Washington

Two years back Jonathan Bernard started this race. I liked it, it's a 10 lap race 3.2 mile trail around Green Lake. I was wondering if I needed more time to rest after the 24 hour race, but I figured I could handle it with two weeks between. In those two weeks, I had a very bad cold, and it kept me from getting the running in I wanted to, and going into this race, I was still coughing and congested.

I drove up on Friday night and spent the night in my car. I arrived at Green Lake about 6am for the 7am start. I arrived and they were setting up the start/finish line. I noticed a few other runners had already arrived. Igot my stuff and got ready for the race. The weather was pretty good at the start, it was cold, but dry.

The race started at 7am and I was off and running. I felt pretty good in those first few laps. I was running in the 8:30-9:00 range. I felt pretty food, but after a few laps around Green Lake I would stop at the start/finish area to get some GU and continue on. My first 10 miles were run in 1:32 or about a 9:00 pace.

I continued that pace over the next 10 miles when I hit the 20 mile marker at 3:05, but the wind was getting really strong and with the temperatures in the low 40's it felt really cold. I kept pushing I ended up running the marathon in about 3:55, which I felt pretty good with. I keep pushing and finished the 32 mile race in 4:59:20. My 50k time was 4:50:50, which wasn't bad. I ended up finishing 8th of 22 runners.

I stuck around for a little while before heading back to Portland. I feel the cold got to me, but it was overall a good day.

#82 - Pacific Rim One Day Run 2010

DATE: March 20-21, 2010
LOCATION: Lake Sacajawea Park in Longview, Washington

I had no intention of doing this race until January. I was gearing up for the Pigtails/Yours Truly double, and thought I should maybe do as much of the 24 hour race as I could. Plus I noticed that a lot of my Maniac friends were doing the race. So I decided to start training. In 2008 I started training 4-5 months before the race, this time I was only giving myself two months.

In early February, I thought about ways to make this race special. It was just after the earthquake in Haiti and wondered how I could make an impact. I decided to take pledges and donations for Medical Teams International (a Portland based international relief organization). Because this race is based how many miles you run and not on your time, it creates for a unique opportunity for people to make a per mile pledge and gave me an incentive to run more miles.

My goal was to run 100 miles, and so based on that I had a goal of raising a total of $20 per mile, which means I would raise $2,000. I started in early February by asking people for pledges and the response was incredible. I was asking people to donate $0.25 per mile and many donated $0.50/$1.00 per mile and some even threw in additional incentives for me if I ran more than 100 miles. I ended up raising about $23 per mile, so the pressure was on to run at least 100 miles.

I drove to Longview on race morning and got all my stuff setup for the race. It was fun to see so many of my Maniac friends. The weather was nice and I was looking forward to a good day. I started off running at a decent pace, I didn't want to get going too fast, but also wanted to put in as many miles as I could early.

In the first three hours I ran about 20 miles, but then after that I started to take walking breaks. I was running nine minute miles, but I would the slow that down to about 10-11 minute miles, at started to take in some food on the run as well.

I hit the marathon mark in about 4:05, which I felt like was a little too fast, but I felt pretty good. I slowed it down more, and ended up running a 50k in 5:02:25. In a race like this you need to be really careful to not push too hard too early. In the first 6 hours I had run a little more than 37 miles, and knew I was on pace for 100 miles. It was fun to see the other runners, as they passed me and as I passed them.

From that point forward I was pushing and felt pretty good, but knew there was still a long ways to go. I hit the 50 mile split in 8:59, and the 100k split in 11:37:15. At this point I was about half way and the sun had set, so we were entering into the dark hours when it gets tough.

I continued to run pretty good until midnight (about 15 hours into the race), I believe I had about 77 miles. When I got back to the start finish area, I started for a minute to grab a bit to eat, and then started going again. But this time, my legs stiffened up and I couldn't get running again. At this point I knew I had to just keep moving, and I knew I had to run at least another 23 miles. So what was I going to do? With nine hours left, I decided to start walking. I started out with a fast walk (15-17 minute miles), and just kept walking the rest of the race. It was really hard because I wanted to run, but my legs wouldn't let me. But I knew so many people were counting on me running at least 100 miles.

It took me a long time to go from the 100k mark (11:37) to the 150k mark (21:00). But I got to it at about 6:00 am. At this point I had only 9 more miles to get to the 100 mile mark. I pushed really hard after that hit the 100 mile point in 22:36:09. I noticed that quite a few of the leaders had stopped after 100 miles. This meant I was pushing up in the standings at this point.

My mom and sisters arrived about this point to cheer me on. It was such a welcome sight to see them, because I was really down and wanted the race to be over! My two sisters walked with me for the last three miles and I ended up finishing with 103 miles in 23:53. At this point I was done! I had reached my goal of 100 miles and I was whipped out!

Shortly after the race was over I found out that I once again was the 5th male finisher (also got fifth in 2008). So I got a 5th place plaque and my mom drove me home so I could get some rest. During the race, we never really had any rain, it remained pretty dry, but on the drive home it was pouring down rain. It started raining pretty hard five minutes after the race was over. We got lucky!

As for the money raised for Haiti, I had a number of people that gave money after the race, and I ended up raising $2,600 for Haiti relief! This was $600 more than I planned. It made me feel so good that I could make such a difference in my running.

In the next few days, I came down with a cold and it took me about two weeks to recover from the race. I struggled in those last nine hours and it was because I didn't put enough training into do this race. Next year, I plan to break my 107 mile personal record!

#81 - Hagg Lake 50k 2010

DATE: Saturday, February 20, 2010
LOCATION: Hagg Lake Park, near Gaston, Oregon

Hagg Lake has a reputation for being a muddy mess. In the first year I ran it (2006) it was pouring rain, and the mud was incredible. But since that time, the weather has been dry and nice. But the course is always going to be muddy. In 2009, I had a really bad run, and I was happy to just finish. This year, I just wanted to feel good.

I drove to the lake, and being just six days after my triple weekend, I just wanted a good run, and didn't really have any time goals. The race had a change in race directors and Kelly Johnson, who organizes my Monday group run, was know one of the race directors. I really liked what they did with the race, the communication was awesome, and they made the runners feel special.

The weather that day was nice, it was a little chilly, but dry and sunny. If I remember correctly, we had rain a few days before so the trails were muddy. In the first three miles, which is an out-and-back before heading around the lake, I ran pretty well, I didn't push too hard, and took it easy on the uphill and cruised down the hill.

Upon getting entering the loop around the lake, I saw many 25k runners, who were just arriving. It was nice to be cheered by Paul and Dave Harkin and a few other runners I knew. I knew the course was going to be muddy and I just wanted to have a smooth run. I settled into a groove and felt pretty good. The loop around the lake is about 14 miles long, I ran the first loop in about 2:24. This was fine, I felt pretty good, but wasn't able to cruise because of a few very muddy sections.

In the second loop around the lake, I slowed way down, but continued to feel pretty good. My friend Scott was running the race and really wanted to break 5 hours. I thought that was a good goal, but I knew I wouldn't have the speed for that given the triple the weekend before. Scott passed me in the second loop, but missed his goal by 6 minutes. I ran the second loop in 2:33, which was pretty close to the time of my first loop. This gave me a final time of 5:25. I enjoyed some post race food, before heading home.

This was my final marathon (or ultra) before my big 24 hour race in March.

#80 - Call of the Wild President's Day Marathon 2010

DATE: Monday, February 15, 2010
LOCATION: Bothell, Washington

Adrian Call, a fellow Maniac, puts on about 4-5 races a year in Bothell, Washington. These races are free, and pretty low key, that said runners donate to help provide for a great race. Most of the runners are either Maniacs or Fanatics. I had not run in any of his races, but decided to do this one in order to make for a triple. Since this was President's Day and I had the day off work, I decided to run it.

The race starts at a really nice park along the Lake Sammamish trail, a well kept bike trail. It's a double out-and-back, with a few water tables setup. However you need to bring your own water bottle because they do have volunteers or cups. This is fine, as I have been pretty used to these types of low key marathons.

The weather was perfect, it was partly to mostly sunny and felt pretty warm for that time of the year. I started out and felt pretty good. I ended up pushing out miles between 8:30-9:00. I felt great and by the half way point I had run a 1:54. Being the third day of triple, I felt great!

In the second half, I expected a huge slowdown, but ended up running a pretty good pace. My second half time was 1:58, and I enjoyed seeing Monte and Marie as we had all run this triple. It was also great to see Matt Hagen, who was giving good support for doing the triple.

I ended up finishing in 3:51:55, which was good for 8th of 28 marathoners. I felt great and enjoyed the post race food. Steve Yee ran the half marathon and it was good to chat with him for a bit. The Marathon Maniacs in the Seattle area are such a great and support bunch of runners. I feel real blessed to live in the northwest.

After grabbing a bit to eat after the race, I headed back home. This was my third triple, and I really enjoyed the whole triple. As far as I'm concerned, if I'm heading to the Seattle area, I might as well get as many races out of the trip as possible. I felt pretty good about my training for the 24 hour race.

#79 - Fishline 50k 2010

DATE: Sunday, February 14, 2010
LOCATION: Poulsbo, Washington

This race was little weird to me, because the only think I knew about this race was when and where it was. It was put on by the Poulsbo Running Store, and they only asked that you bring a canned good for the food bank. It was a pretty simple double loop. Each loop was about 15.5 miles on a pretty hard core trail. Because of the rain on Saturday, the trail was quite muddy.

The race started at 8:30, so I arrived about 7:45 and got ready. They guys that organized the race, kept it pretty low key. You didn't have any aid along the 15.5 mile trail, so carrying a water bottle was very important. After the first loop you could get some water or food and head back out for the second half of the race.

The weather ended up being pretty good. It was again overcast and chilly, but dry. I knew this was going to be a slow day, with the trail being so muddy and hilly, I had to expect a slow day. In the first half I was also having to get familiar with the trail and I wanted to make sure I made all the correct turns. My first half time was 2:44, and while I felt okay, I knew the second half would be a slow one.

I pushed to try to get a little speed going, but it never came. So at this point, I decided to just relax and enjoy the trail, no matter what my time. I ended up running a 3:11, which seemed really slow for me. This ended up giving me a time of 5:55:38. And ended up being good for 6th place out of 22 runners.

After the race, I wanted to wait around to see Marie and Monte finish, as they were the other two Maniacs running the triple, but I realized it was going to take they a lot longer, so I headed out of there and on to Bothell for Monday's marathon.

#78 - Cupid's Marathon 2010

DATE: Saturday, February 13, 2010
LOCATION: Rochester, Washington

As a lot of Marathon Maniacs know, Bob Green is known for putting on these holiday marathons. They are a little over priced and the course is not really that great. As most Maniacs here in the northwest, I tend to avoid his races. If the race was free or dirt cheap (less than $25) then I would be more likely to do them, but they tend to cost about $50-65.

That said, I ran this marathon, because it was the missing piece of a triple weekend. In my desire to do Pacific Rim 24 hour race, I was looking for good ways to train for this big event. I did a six hour night run, in early February, and with Adrian Call's Veteran's day marathon, and a free 50k in Poulsbo. I wanted to run this race as a triple, which in my mind was a good way to train for Pac Rim.

The race didn't start until 10am, so I decided to drive the two hours on race morning. I arrived about 9am, and saw a few other Maniacs there. I realized at that point, that most Maniacs had already written off Bob's races. I saw about five Maniacs (including myself), and three of us were only doing it in order to do the triple. The other two Maniacs are good friends from Portland, that wanted to do a marathon that month and this was the only race that fit into their schedules.

We took off for the double out-and-back, it was overcast, chilly, and lightly raining. The rain picked up as the race went on. I wasn't feeling that fast and realized early on that this was going to be a hard race, if I tried to run it hard. I decided to take it easy and just push out another marathon. In the first half I ran a 1:50, which seemed to be a challenge. I felt like I had to work pretty hard for this time, and was seriously wondering how this triple would go.

In the second half, I continued to struggle and slowed down to running in the 9:00 pace range. The second half was a hard fought 2:05. While the race was a huge struggle for me, and continued to run the whole time and every resorted to walking. My final time ended up being 3:55:20.

After the race I got some food and decided to hang out for a bit, because I had lots of time to spare. The most exciting part was when I locked my keys in my car. I didn't realize my keys were on the passenger seat when I closed the door. Bob Green was kind enough to call for a tough company to come and unlock my car. It was a lesson learned to always make sure I have my keys in hand before closing my car door. After that whole order it was off to Poulsbo for the Fishline 50k.

#77 - Yours Truly 50k (Cedar River) 2010

DATE: January 24, 2010
LOCATION: Cedar River Trail, near Maple Valley, Washington

After running the Pigtails 50k on Saturday, I was looking forward to Brian Pendleton's 50k. This was a low key small, fat ass style 50k. It was a simple double out-and-back. I arrived early and waited for some of the other runners to show up. Very few runners from Saturday did this race, but other Maniacs who could not do the race on Saturday did this one instead.

I started a little before the race was suppose to start, but it's a fat ass so it doesn't really matter. I started running and felt pretty good, I decided to push the pace and see what I had for the day. In the first quarter I ran a 1:12:24, I felt this was really good. I wondered at that point if I could break 5 hours. I figured I could but it just depended on how much I would slow down.

When I got back to the start area after the first out-and-back I had run a 2:25:48, which made me think a sub-5 was really possible. I didn't take much of a break and headed back out. Sometimes the second out-and-back is the hardest, but I pushed and continued to run a fast pace. At the second turn around I was at 3:40:23, with just 7.75 more miles.

In that last stretch I pushed and finished in 4:58:17, which was good for 2nd place out of 17 runners and a sub-5 50k. I was happy and enjoyed some chili until some more runners finished. The weather turned out to be dry, but chilly. Rain hit later after I had finished. It ended up pouring down rain the whole drive home.

#76 - Pigtails 50k 2010

DATE: January 23,2010
LOCATION: Lake Youngs Watershed, Renton, Washington

Van "Pigtails" Phan has hosted this 50k in January for a number of years. I first ran this race in 2008 with my friend Tim Lawson. This time I was running it solo. I originally chose this as my January marathon in order to keep my monthly streak alive. But as I looked at the calendar I realized that Brian Pendleton was going to once again host the Yours Truly 50k at the Cedar River trail (only about 20 minutes away from Lake Youngs), so I decided to make it a double weekend. Also I had been thinking about doing the Pacific Rim One Day race in March, so I thought this would be a great training tool.

I drove to the start after spending the night in my car. I arrived about an hour early as normal, and got ready for the race. It was neat to see so many other friendly Maniac faces. The races is pretty simple, it's a 9.6 mile loop three times and then a 2.2 mile out-and-back to complete the 31 mile run. The trail is also pretty hilly. The hills aren't huge, but there are a lot of rolling hills that are short and steep. The trail is also a dirt trail that gets muddy when wet.

The weather this day was WET. It rained pretty much the entire time, so that made the race harder with mud. It was also cold, in the upper 30's and low 40's. This created a very tough day.

In the first loop I was running pretty good. I believe my first loop time was about 1:28, which wasn't bad, but I knew I was going to be slowing down as the day went on.

In the second loop I slowed down, I ran this one in 1:34. I knew the last loop and the out-and-back would be tough, so I stocked up at the aid station and pressed on. In the final loop was a rough one, I had to do a lot of walking, but wanted to save some energy for the next day, so I took it easy. The final loop was run in 1:45. After that I powered though the out-and-back and finished in 5:10:51, which was good for 22 of 80 ultra runners. I felt pretty good, but was looking forward to drying off after the wet day.

#75 - Pigtails Flat Ass Marathon 2009

DATE: December 19, 2009
LOCATION: Cedar River Trail, near Maple Valley, Washington

As I looked at my running log, I realized that I had started a new marathon streak in August when i returned to marathon. I had run a marathon a month since August. As I looked toward 2010, I realized I needed 9and wanted) to continue this marathon streak. This meant I needed to run a marathon in December. In 2008, I had planned to do the Pigtails Flat Ass Marathon, but due to a huge snow storm, I was not able to make the trip north. This time, we had a very warm winter, and decided to make the trip.

On Friday night I drove to a rest stop near Olympia and spent the night in my car. The next morning, I drove the rest of the way to the Cedar River trail. I arrived early, and got there about the same time, Van was setting up for the start. I got my bib and waited for the race to start.

It was lightly raining at the start and the weather was in the upper 40's. During the course of the race it was lightly raining for much of the time. This weather was not bad, I never really felt that the weather was a major issue.

The race was a pretty simple out-and-back. We started with a short mile (or so) and out-and-back, then ran out the Cedar River trail for about 12 miles and back. The trail seemed to be pretty flat, but much of the trail was gravel, which slowed me down.

In the first half, I ran pretty good, but never felt like I was running super fast. At the turn around, I knew my time was going to be a little slower than normal. As I continued I felt that I was just wanted to finish strong. I ended up finishing in 3:54:42, which was good for 8th place of about 66 runners. I was suprised of how well I did in the results, given that I ran about 10 minutes slower than my average.

I enjoyed the race, and enjoyed seeing a field pretty much full of Maniacs. I hung out a little while longer before heading back home. It was a good day and a good race!

#74 - Seattle Marathon 2009

DATE: November 29, 2009

LOCATION: Seattle, Washington

The Seattle Marathon is probably my favorite marathon. It's a great course through Seattle, I love running with all the Maniacs and the support on the course is awesome. It's also the only marathon I have run every year since I ran my first marathon in 2005. It's become a Thanksgiving tradition.

That said, I was planning to run the double (Ghost of Seattle and Seattle Marathon). But the weekend before I was running a half marathon in Eugene, Oregon. Upon completing that half marathon, my right foot hurt really bad! I had such a severe pain that I could hardly walk. I thought maybe that I had a stress fracture. I waited a few days in order to see if the pain would continue. On Wednesday, the pain was just as bad as it had been, and then on Thursday the pain was completely gone! Not sure what it was, but I seemed to be back to normal. What's weird is that the pain was so bad, but yet it went away all of a sudden.

I decided at this point to do the Seattle Marathon, but decided to skip the Ghost of Seattle Marathon. My cousin was California flew up and joined me and my sisters on the trip to Seattle. It was her first time in Seattle, so we spent the day in Seattle doing the tourist thing. We went to Pike's Place, we saw the Space Needle and hit the expo where I met up with my friend Jon Dotson.

We stayed at the Best Western Hotel at the Seattle Center which meant I could walk to the start line and back after the race. I had no goal for this race. After not running for a week due to my foot pain, I just wanted to have a good race despite my time.

At the start I met up with Jon and had a chance to chat with a few other Maniacs. The weather was once again pretty good. It was overcast and cool with temperatures in the lower 50's. I started out running pretty smooth. I felt great and really enjoyed the energy of the event.

At the half way point I believe my time was about 1:50. I was feeling pretty good and more importantly I was enjoying the marathon. It was great to see so many of my Maniac friends. Upon coming to about mile 19 you head up a big hill, at this point, my time was slowing way down, but I still felt pretty good. Coming to the final few miles, my legs started to cramp and I was wanting it to be over.

The last mile was the hardest. My legs were cramping really bad, and I felt really bad because all the spectators at the finish were cheering me on, but my calf was cramping to the point, I was limping into the finish. I ended up finishing in 3:46, which is about average for me. I figure I didn't do a real good job of taking in calories, and the week off of running probably didn't help. I headed back to the hotel, and took a shower and we headed back to Portland.

#73 - Portland Marathon 2009

DATE: October 4, 2009

LOCATION: Portland, Oregon

This was my fourth Portland Marathon, I was happy to do this one again. My friend Jon Dotson was unable to do this marathon in 2008 because of an injury, but this time, he was good to go. At lunchtime we went down to the expo and picked up our packets on Friday.

Come Sunday morning, Jon and his family picked me up. His family dropped us off at the start and we met up after the race. We stopped by our office to use the bathroom and headed to the start. The weather was nice, and of course there were lots of first timers. I knew a gal from my church running her first marathon. I never saw her there, but I spotted her family who cheered me on.

When the race started, Jon wanting to qualify for Boston, was looking at a 3:30 marathon. So I likewise that it would be good to get a 3:30 race in. But when the race started we were well behind the 3:30 pace group. It took us three miles to catch up to the 3:30 group. That took a lot of energy. At this point we ran into our friend, Scott. It was nice to see him.

Coming up to mile 5 or 6, I encountered something that was a bit shocking, a train! That's right, a train was slowly coming up to the street we were running down. He was sounding his horn and slowing approaching. The question we had to answer as runners, was should we make a run for it or should we stop and wait. At this point the 3:30 group was behind us, and I knew we had enough time to run across, but that is not a choice you want to make in a big race like this. We ran across with our hearts pounding a little harder. From what I understand the 3:30 group had to wait. It's a shame the race could not stop the train.

After that we ran through the industrial district in an out-and-back. From there we ran up through northwest Portland to the half marathon point. At the half way point, I was feeling really good, my first half time was 1:39:56. I knew the biggest challenge would be at the St. John's Bridge about mile 16-17. I kept pushing, but knew a slowdown was coming.

I pushed hard over the bridge and down to the 20 mile marker. At this point my average pace had slowed to a 7:45 pace, I knew a 3:30 was very likely. I kept running, and wondered how Jon was doing. He was behind me, but I was well ahead of the 3:30 group. I was hoping Jon was still on pace to qualify for Boston.

I finished strong and crossed the finish line in 3:24:35. I was so happy to have a 3:30 under my belt. It was my fastest marathon in over a year. I waited and Jon crossed the finish line. We weren't sure what his time was, but knew it was close to a 3:30. After meeting up with his family, we found out that he had run it in 3:30:54, which was about 6 seconds under the BQ. Even though it was a little longer than 3:30, it was still a BQ!