Rewind Race Recap - Lake Chelan Shore to Shore Marathon

The Shore to Shore Marathon took place on Saturday, September 7, 2013 at Lake Chelan, WA. The S2S is a point-to-point race, with runners in each of the three distances (marathon, half marathon, and 10K) bused from the finish line in Manson to their respective start lines.

I originally signed up for the Shore to Shore Half Marathon to serve as a tune up for the 2013 Leavenworth Oktoberfest marathon, but opted to run the Tough Mudder in Seattle on the same day instead. The awesome race coordinators at RunWenatchee were kind enough to allow me to change my distance. One of my goals for 2013 was to run a Boston Qualifying (BQ) marathon (sub-3:10) and I decided to do it in Chelan.

The change in races accelerated my marathon training four weeks and dropped my program time frame from 16 weeks to 12 weeks. I think this actually benefited me since I have never made it through a marathon training program uninjured in my two tries. Unfortunately, I was slightly hobbled by the time I got to this race with a bum Achilles's tendon.

My wife had signed up for the half-marathon and we started the hour drive from our home to the finish line in Manson. It was a cool morning with rain threatening, but almost ideal conditions otherwise. We arrived at the finish line 15 minutes before the final marathon bus was scheduled to leave so that gave me enough time to pick up my race packet and stop for a biological break. The bus ride was fun; everyone was running the marathon and we had ample time to chat during the 26 mile drive. I met a group of four youngsters running their first marathon and a seasoned marathon veteran who was visiting from Napa, California, just to run the S2S!  We shared stories and I shared gummi bears.

After a bus ride that seemed a little too long, we arrived at the start line to find cooler temperatures and a light drizzle. There was still 20 minutes until start time so I chatted with folks and warmed up. After that I stripped down to my racing kit, left my stuff in a drop bag with Chad (a local racing stud and doctor who was volunteering at the race), and ambled up to toe the line. It was then that I learned that the actual BQ entry times would be more difficult, given the events of the 2013 Boston Marathon. But that didn't matter much to me since my goal at the time was to only qualify for Boston and not to actually run the Boston Marathon.

404 in the white singlet, a paced start for once

The race was off and I somehow managed to avoid the adrenaline rush and settle right in to my 7:14 pace (upon further review, my first mile was 11 seconds faster than goal, but that's better than my typical 30 seconds faster). The paced start was a change and several folks passed me in the first few miles, many of whom I would cross paths with in the next few miles. I met a few soldiers and heard some inspiring stories. The first six miles were actually quite enjoyable, mostly downhill with a little bit of rain to keep me cool. It was about that time that Chad drove by with a van full of drop bags, telling me to quit chatting and start racing. If I can thank one person for the result of this race, it would be Chad.

I was a little more focused after that and concentrated on my pace and breathing. There was a nice surprise at the half-marathon start/13-mile aid station where I saw several friends, including Coach Stephanie and her husband Alex. I passed a few more people and settled into a groove behind a runner from Texas who was shooting for a 3:05. We ran together until about mile 15 when his pace no longer matched my goal pace. It helped to run with someone though instead of going it alone.

Getting in the groove

I ran through the town of Chelan mostly on my own, doing a water, sports drink, GU & water, repeat cycle at the aid stations. Things were going great and I felt super confident the entire time that I would achieve my goal. The rain was picking up and my socks were soaked and my shoes were creaking.

Awesome aid station in the town of Chelan!

The climb out of Chelan was rough and lonely. The last person I saw was the lead woman runner (for the first time since the start), stopped on the side of the road with cramping issues. A few miles later, I caught the first set of half-marathoners, who started half an hour behind but 13 miles ahead of us. My pace was starting to fall but was still hovering around goal and I managed to catch another marathoner, also having cramping issues.

Passing another marathoner in the final 10K

I was starting to get a little worried in the final few miles. I told myself that I only had a 5K left so that should be easy. My legs told me that they were too tired. I told my legs to shut up. Coming in to the final half mile, I thought I was still doing great on time but I didn't realize that the approach to the finish line was so long. I turned the corner to see it 400 meters away and the large clock time and BQ dream ticking away. I mustered up the strength to sprint the finish and crossed the line at 3:09:59.3.

Crossing the finish line with 7/10 of a second to spare

20/20 HINDSIGHT: Maybe I should have ran faster? I didn't realize that I wanted to run the Boston Marathon until after they told me that my time didn't make the cut, since the 2014 race was so popular.

HIGHLIGHTS/FUNNY NOTES:

• I set a goal of 3:10 earlier in the year and posted it on a sign above my workstation. A couple of weeks before the race, I changed this to 3:09:59 and replaced the sign, and accomplished exactly what I had hoped (be careful what you wish for).
• My race number of 404 is an Internet error, combining my programming employment with my running life.
• Great conversations on the bus ride.
• Chad telling me to quit chatting and start running.
• Qualifying with 7/10 of a second to spare but still falling 1 minute and 37 seconds short due to field size limitations 

S2S REVIEW: 4 stars out of 5.
Would I run it again? Yes.
Would I recommend it to a friend? Yes.

Good

• Great point-to-point with awesome views
• Excellent volunteers
• Finisher's medal, shirt, and age group prize
• Snacks at the end

Bad

• Some of the aid stations weren't too great.
• It's a lonely and tough final six miles

FINAL THOUGHTS: I had a great S2S and am happy that I finally ran a BQ marathon time. I was disappointed later but now adjusted my goal to run the 2015 Boston Marathon instead of just qualify.

Boston or bust!

Rewind Race Recap - 2013 Seattle Tough Mudder

The 2013 Seattle Tough Mudder (TM) took place over Saturday, October 5 and Sunday, October 6 in Black Diamond, WA. The Tough Mudder is less of a race (it's not timed) and more of an experience or a challenge. The Seattle TM was a 11-12 mile course with 16 obstacles.

John and I signed up for the Saturday TM and received an 8:20 AM start time.  TM is an expensive event relatively speaking, with my entry costing over $150.  Group On and Living Social both ran discounts for the Sunday morning event, but we had already signed up for Saturday.

We opted to drive over the day before and stay near the race site. I have mixed feelings between driving over the morning of an event and staying the night near the event. The pros of the former are all the comforts of home: bed, breakfast, coffee maker, etc. The pros of the latter are that you don't need to wake up super early and you don't have some of the stressors of home. Three hours is about the limit for me when it comes to the day before/day of driving decision.  The site being three hours away and since John and I wanted to do a little running/cycling gear shopping, we went over the day before.

John and I arrived at the race site, a coal company, about an hour before our scheduled wave time. Weather was in the 40s with sun and little wind. After parking (an additional $10) and 10 minutes of deciding what we should wear and bring, we walked 15 minutes to pick up our packets. It was a pretty big gathering but I was luck enough to get through since my last name happens to be less popular than the other alphabetical names. We wrote our numbers on our foreheads, pinned our race bibs, dropped off our bag (another $5), and paused for some photos (COPYRIGHT MARATHONFOTO).

We gathered with a large group of folks waiting to be released to wait again at the starting line. Our lolly-gagging made us miss our 8:20 AM wave time, but it didn't matter anyway. After 5 minutes of waiting, we jumped some walls and jogged to the starting chute. Another 15 minutes of waiting and motivation, and we were off.

John and I set a decent pace from the start and we were at the front of our wave after a short distance and an obstacle or two. There wasn't much to slow us down and we made contact with the stragglers from the first two waves after another obstacle and a little running. Then we came to the first real problem,  "Walk the Plank".

I'm not the best swimmer but I made it across. John was right after me and we reconnected on the other side and set out again. There wasn't much significant for the next few obstacles. We got to relive our Marine Corps glory days with the fireman carry. I think they must have taught the "Crucible Marines" a different technique, since John carried me lower than I carried him.

The next challenging obstacle was the "Arctic Enema", which involved jumping in a huge vat of ice water and swimming to the other side. The vat was a shipping container and it was painful. John made it through with no problem but I slowly clawed my way through it.  Some more running and a few more obstacles with photo ops.

We connected with a Tough Mudder from Ohio named Bobby and ran with him.  Bobby was actually doing the course twice in preparation for doing the World's Toughest Mudder challenge. He gave us some tips, like the technique below for the monkey bars.

John and I finished in a little over two hours. It was a fun experience.

20/20 HINDSIGHT: Nothing really. Maybe run it on Sunday and save $80?

HIGHLIGHTS/FUNNY NOTES:

• While John and I were running the Tough Mudder in Seattle, our wives were running the Oktoberfest Half-Marathon in Leavenworth.
• I still can't believe that we actually used to get paid to do this stuff.
• Outback Steakhouse for dinner the night before!  

TM REVIEW: 2 stars out of 5.
Would I run it again? No.
Would I recommend it to a friend? Yes.

Good

• Plenty of aid stations
• Excellent volunteers
• Salute to the military and Star Spangled Banner at the beginning
• Beer at the end

Bad

• High cost
• Spectators in the way
• Not enough post race snacks
• Have to pay for every tiny thing: parking, bag drop, pictures, food after, shirt. Almost nothing included but a lame orange headband.

FINAL THOUGHTS: Tough Mudder is a challenge and not a race. I've done it once and probably won't do it again unless a group of folks wants to do it together.

"I'm a real tough mudder!"

Gear Review - NiteRider Lumina 500 Cordless LED Headlight

Gear: NiteRider Lumina 500 Cordless LED Headlight

Store Purchased: PerformanceBike.com

Price Paid: $90.95

Value Rating: 2.5 stars out of 5

Overall Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Strenghts: Bright, Good Mount, USB Rechargeable, 5 Different Modes

Weaknesses: Computer Interference, First One Broke, Expensive

Front/Top View

Review:

This is the best light I have owned. This is my first USB light since I didn't see the value of buying one, given I get AA and AAA batteries for near free when the office supply stores offer their promotions. I needed something that was bright and got a decent deal on the light.

The mount is also better than anything I have used. It is a clamp with a thumb screw so no tools are required. It stays on place unlike other lights that would shift down or up when I hit a bump.  The mount is fairly easy to install and remove but I have been leaving it on since it is fairly unobtrusive. 

Side/Bottom View

There are 5 light modes - High, Medium, Low, Strobe, and Dim (I'm sure these aren't the technical terms). When first turning on, it's in Low mode, short presses change it to Medium, then High, then back to Low and through the cycle again. Long press turns it off. Really long press changes it to Strobe. A short press in strobe changes it to Dim, then back through the Low-Medium-High cycle.

Now the bad. I noticed that my Cateye CD300DW wireless cycling computer wasn't working during my first low light ride. Since the only thing that had changed was the new light, I turned it off and on while riding and noticed that it was the culprit. This is common with wireless computers and high powered lights but still an annoyance. Also, my first Lumina 500 broke after a couple of weeks of use. I called NiteRider and they sent a replacement with a free return shipping label. Good process and nice that I didn't have to pay to return a faulty product. Lastly, it's expensive in general and also relative to other bright USB rechargeable lights.

Like I said, it's the best light I have owned. The strobe setting has been receiving one finger salutes from drivers, so I don't turn it on unless I deem it necessary for safety.  I've had a couple of drivers pull over when I rode behind them with the strobe. I also cover my light when approaching a walker or cyclist so I don't blind them.  Battery life is good so I don't have to recharge it often and it is bright enough for me to see where I'm going and for others to see me coming.

Would I buy it again: Yes

Would I recommend it to a friend: Yes

"Hey buddy, did you just see a real bright light?”

First NFL Game

I had the opportunity to take my nephew to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Seattle Seahawks football game on Sunday, November 3, thanks to Scott Volyn,  Scott is a local celebrity, raising money for widows and orphans in the African country of Burundi through the charity Running to Burundi by ultrarunning. 

Neither my nephew nor I had ever been to an NFL game so it was exciting for both of us. We parked 15 miles away from the stadium and took the bus in with hundreds of other Seahawk fans. This made for a smooth trip to and from the game. Our seats were westside lower bowl and near midfield so we had a good view of the game.

Seahawks fans formerly had the Guinness World Record for loudest crowd noise before being eclipse by Kansas City Chiefs fans last month. We expected to have sore ears and packed ear plugs. I forgot mine in the car, while my young companion brought his. He commented to me shortly after the start of the game that the noise level wasn't that bad. I replied that the defense hadn't taken the field yet. Thankfully, it didn't turn out to be ear-splitting level and I wasn't forced to use gummy bears as ear plugs.

It was a thrilling game, with the Seahawks coming back from a three touchdown deficit to win in overtime. Both my nephew and I noticed how wrapped up some fans were in the success and failure of their team. He also noticed the colorful language used by exuberant fans, possibly fueled by the abundant availability of $8 beers. It was neat to share in this experience with him and to realize how aware he was of certain things. I don't remember being so mature at such a young age, but then again, I don't remember much anymore...

Go Seahawks!

My Nephew and me at the Seahawks game

First Day back running

I woke up a little bit after 4 AM because I thought I heard a banging sound. After investigating and finding nothing, I figured it was something telling me to get up and run. Plus I didn't want to hang around if it turned out to be something!

Actually, I didn't leave for another half an hour so I could have some coffee and a banana before I left.  This being my first run since the marathon, I decided to take it easy. I started out with a 9 minute pace to see how that felt. It was good, so I stayed between 8:30 and 9. I was a little stiff but had no pain otherwise so I decided to make it a 15 miler. Halfway through, I could feel pain in the same first three places as last week's marathon: side of abs, hip, and calf. Nothing serious though and I dropped to 8s for the final 7 miles.

Good 2 hour run, a little cold, dark and rainy but I made it home by 6:45 and before anyone in the house woke up.  I guess this makes up for the extra calories consumed from eating Bailey's Halloween candy and from taking Bailey to last night's hockey match.

...gonna run all day til the running's done!

Left: Bailey is a bride for Halloween, Right: A night at the hockey rink

My Girls

I have blogged about running and about my bicycle, now I get to blog about my girls. Cameron is a freshman in high school, Bailey is a first grader, and Roselle is a graphic designer.

Cameron is running her final race of the year for cross-country today. In middle school, she played soccer, swam, and ran cross country since they were all different season. In high school, she had to choose between the three and she chose to run!  She's been getting consistently faster and appears to be really enjoying it. She runs with her mom often and kept up with me on a local club run a couple of week ago. Cameron also runs track and she is in to social networking and clothes shopping. She plans on attending UCLA and studying ?

Left: School Picture, Right: Cross Country

Bailey goes to gymnastics class weekly and has a blast! She hasn't played in any other sports yet but she's a fast runner and is pretty strong. She's an early riser and often jumps in on my P90X sessions with her 5 lb weights or out yoga-ing me. Bailey can climb the rope in the gym and do the splits.

Left: School Picture, Right: Bridge on a bridge

Roselle is my beautiful wife of 17 years and a great mother to our daughters. She's a graphic designer and a runner, completing her first marathon this year. 

Left: 2013 Bavarian Battle, Right: 2013 Shore to Shore Half-Marathon

We are family!

Rewind Race Recap - 2013 Fall Fest 10K

When I don't have anything else, I'm going to blog about an old race (until I run out or my memory fails me). We'll start with the most recent and work back. Today's RRR is the 2013 Fall Fest 10K, ran on 10/12/13 in Richland, WA.

Cameron had a cross-country meet in Richland and we planned on making it a family outing. I was fortunate enough to find a 10K going on the same day, that only required a slight tweak in our plans (and a lot of convincing the wife) so that I could run it. We dropped Cameron off at the school at 6:45 to ride the bus to Richland and we set off to make the 2+ hour drive to make the 9 AM start.

We made it 15 minutes prior to race start and my wife pinned my number on my singlet while I headed off to do a short pre-race ritual (bathroom, warmup, stretch). I got to the start line, figured out who would probably be the fastest runners, and took off at the gun. I didn't have a goal pace and opted instead to try to win the race.The Fall Fest 10K starts in Howard Amon Park and is an out and back course, heading north for 5K before turning around. It's mostly a flat and fast course.

I ran with the two front runners, a teenager and a tall 53-year old gentleman.  We ran 6:10s for the first two miles, taking turns leading, before slowing down at running 6:25s for the next two. After that, I slowed down and the two front runners pulled away.  I ran my next mile at 6:40 and was passed by another runner (recent Ironman finisher Eric Fahsl), who ended up sprinting at the finish for second. That motivated me to speed up for another 6:25 mile and a faster quarter-mile to the finish, for 4th overall and 1st in my age group with a 39:20.

20/20 HINDSIGHT: Come out too strong and pay the price later (the story of my life!). It wasn't a big deal this race as I wasn't trying to accomplish anything, aside from winning. I did best my previous PR by 38 seconds. It was a little disappointing because I felt fine after finishing; I could have pushed harder during the run. But that's the beauty of hindsight, isn't it!

HIGHLIGHTS/FUNNY NOTES:

• The day I ran my best 10K, Cameron ran her best XC race!
• Bailey got her exercise in the bounce house and the one mile walk to Cameron's meet
• Five Guys was an excellent lunch choice!   

10K REVIEW: 4 stars out of 5.
Would I run it again? Yes.
Would I recommend it to a friend? Yes

Good

• Fast course
• Plenty of aid stations
• Great volunteers
• Low cost
• Fun Fall Fest activities
• Post race snacks

Bad

• Disorganized start

FINAL THOUGHTS: Once again, I can't be too disappointed, given the new PR. I probably could have done better with proper pacing.

I love me some 10K!

Left: 10K Finish
Center: Bailey bounce house fun
Right: Cameron XC

Post-Marathon Recovery

Well, I've reached the 72 hour point after my most recent marathon. 26.2 miles causes a good amount of strain on your system and your muscles are not only weak but so is your immune system. I have read several articles and recuperated from five marathons, so here's my summary of both, starting with the first hour after crossing the finish line:

First Hour

• Thank your lucky stars and any family/friends that came along to support you (you'll probably need their help over the next few days)
• Drink some "sports drink" or better yet, chocolate milk. Why can't they have chocolate milk at the finish line?
• Eat something if you can
• Cool down walk or jog, stretch, or massage
• Laugh, cry, or craugh
• Get in some dry clothes
• Elevate your feet
• First aid (if necessary)

Me in dry clothes after the race

The Rest of the Day

• Eat healthy. And maybe a little unhealthy, but eat.
• Take a shower, cuz brother, you stink
• Get some good sleep

72 Hours

• No running. Some walking or maybe cycling or swimming, but don't over do it
• Pull off the damaged toenails and terrorize your kids with them
• Hot Epsom Salt baths or hit the hot tub
• Eat well
• Get good sleep
• Use your foam roller, self massage, or get a pro to do it

After 72 hours, a light jog, perhaps? I tend to listen to my body regarding what to do. I took the last two days off from exercising, aside from the daily 25 minutes of bicycle commuting and short walks. I did yoga this morning and will ride my bicycle for 45 minutes during lunch and do the same on Thursday, with an easy run in the evening. I didn't sustain any pulled muscles, sprains, or blisters this marathon or I might not resume running. I didn't even lose a toenail, but when you only have six left, it lowers the odds.  The man at the far left in the picture above pointed out my lovely toenail situation to his wife.

The experts differ on how long you should take it easy until resuming training. Some espouse a reverse taper, or doing what you did before the weeks before the race in reverse. Others suggest going easy for one to two months. It is obviously dependent on the person, but I will go easy for two weeks and reassess at that time to see if I'm ready to start training again. It really depends on how well you recover and that can be helped with a good post-race routine. 

Post-Race Routine
 
You planned your pre-race and race and you should also plan your post race routine. I bring the following along with me to a race:

• Wash rag and towel
• Clean clothes
• Post race nutrition
• Calf sleeves
• First aid supplies and meds
• Flip flops
• Plastic bags for dirty clothes
• Props for post race pictures (see below)

Matching Team Shirts after taking second team in the 2013 Bavarian Battle

It's good to know when the race officials plan on doing the awards ceremony, if you placed or if they're handing out raffle swag. Some races set a time for this and others do it on the fly. Some require you to be present to get your award or swag.

Other things to plan/schedule before the race:

• A babysitter for the rest of the day 
• A day off of work the day after
• Massage appointment one or two days after the race
• A strong person to carry you up and down steps

Happy Racing!

My Road Bike - 2003 Merlin Agilis

My road bicycle is a 2003 Merlin Agilis. I bought it from a bike store in Florida in 2005 for $1500 when we lived in Nebraska. My good friend Kyle convinced me that titanium was king and the lifetime frame warranty felt reassuring. This is my second road bike, and I sold my 2004 Bianchi Brava shortly after purchasing it.

Summer 2013

My Merlin is my only road bike and I use it for fitness, racing, recreation, and commuting. I haven't bike raced but I do duathlons (and eventually triathlons?) with aero bars. We have one car and I usually don't drive it so I ride my Merlin until it starts snowing. I rarely covet another bike, except for perhaps a triathlon/time trial bike. I've put roughly 21,000 miles on it and have swapped out a few parts in the past eight years.

Bike set up

• Frame Construction: TIG-welded
• Frame Tubing Material: 3Al/2.5V titanium
• Fork Brand & Model: Reynolds Ouzo Pro
• Component Group: Shimano Dura-Ace
• Brakeset: Shimano Dura-Ace Dual Pivot brakes, Shimano Dura-Ace STI Dual Control levers
• Shift Levers: Shimano Dura-Ace STI Dual Control
• Front Derailleur: Shimano Dura-Ace
• Rear Derailleur: Shimano Dura-Ace SS
• Crankset: Shimano Dura-Ace 7950 Compact, 34/50 teeth*
• Pedals: Shimano Dura-Ace PD-9000 SPD-SL*
• Bottom Bracket: Shimano BB-7700, 109.5mm spindle, 68mm English width*
• Rear Cogs: 9-speed, 12 - 27 teeth*
• Chain: Shimano CN-7701, 1/2 x 3/32"*
• Seatpost: FSA FR-270*
• Saddle: Selle Italia Flite Gel Flow*
• Handlebar: Easton EC90*
• Handlebar Stem: Vision Sizemore*
• Headset: Cane Creek IS-2 integrated
• Wheels: Mavic Cosmic Carbone SL*
• Tires: 700 x 23c Michelin Krylion Carbon*

(*upgraded/changed from original setup)

Keep the rubber side down!

2013 Tri-Cities Marathon recap

I ran the 2013 Tri-Cities Marathon (TCM) on 10/27/2013. The 26.2 mile race starts at the Shilo Inn in Richland, WA and runs through Pasco and Kennewick, crossing over three bridges. It's mostly a flat course on riverside trails aside from the bridges.

I came into Sunday morning without having done conventional marathon training for almost two months. The last marathon I ran was the 2013 Lake Chelan Shore to Shore on 9/7/2013, where I set my Personal Record (PR) of 3:09:59 and Boston Qualified (BQ) by 1 second. Since then, I had occupied each of the subsequent weekends with a different escapade:

• 19-mile Enchantment hike
• A run to the top of Mission Ridge
• 19-mile Enchantment run
• Tough Mudder Seattle
• Fall Fest 10K
• The final lap of the Fort Steilacoom 50K

I approached the TCM with the "less is more" training philosophy and figured these jaunts had kept me prepared to run for 3+ hours.

The day started out great. I enlisted the help of Obstacle Course Racing (OCR) aficionado, John, who graciously offered to drive the 4 hour round trip and to take pictures and pace throughout the race. If you are running a marathon or more and can find someone to drive, snap photos, and/or pace, it's a great help and makes a big difference. I was lucky enough to have a friend there to do all three.

We arrived at the Shiloh Inn 40 minutes before race start. That left plenty of time for packet pickup, warmup, and biological breaks. The first two went smooth, the last left something to be desired as everyone who hadn't stayed at a local hotel was lined up to use the one lobby restroom. Temperature and conditions were near ideal, upper 40's and overcast, even better than the forecast. It was shaping up to be a great run and the perfect setup for my run at a new PR of 3:04:59.

My plan was to run 7-minute miles. This plan seemed flawless until the weather changed and stomach cramps started on my right side around mile 10. Luckily, my pacer joined in and help me through the head winds and drizzles for the next 4 miles. At that point, I was still averaging 7's and feeling pretty confident.

This changed around mile 16 when I had to cross over the Columbia River the third time. At that point, I started falling off my pace and cramping in my legs as well as my entire stomach. I've heard of other runners complaining about cramps but I had never experienced them, aside from the occasional side stitch when racing a 5K or 10K. From then on, it was a fight to finish as I battled the cramps, sore legs, and head winds for the final 10 miles. 16-20 is a lonely stretch for the TCM with very few fans aside from the volunteers manning the aid stations.

Around mile 22, my trusted running companion joined up again and I had calculated that I needed to run 7:30's for the final four miles to salvage a BQ. I couldn't make it happen and instead finished with a 03:12:53, which happened to be good enough for first in my age group.

20/20 HINDSIGHT: What was I thinking? Running a marathon without doing a sustained pace long run for 7 weeks and thinking some trail runs and OCR would suffice? It seems so clear now. I came out too strong and paid for it. Really, I should have paced at 7:14 for a 3:10:00 finish and I probably could have accomplished it. But that's the beauty of hindsight, isn't it?

HIGHLIGHTS/FUNNY NOTES:

• At the mile 9 aid station, I missed two volunteers handing out GUs and kept running. One of the volunteers chased me down and gave me a GU. AWESOME!
• John, who I had previously almost convinced to run a marathon, stating that the marathon is less of a race and more of a suffer fest. He said this without even seeing the gentleman run past with bleeding nipples.
• The three mile trek to get John's car with my legs barely working and John's trick knee bothering him. It was a long painful walk, but we cheered everyone along the way and picked up empty cups by the aid stations. Plus stuff like this makes good memories!
• The weird topics of conversation that come up when driving to and fro.

MARATHON REVIEW: 2.5 stars out of 5.
Will I run it again? No. (Probably not?)
Would I recommend it to a friend? Maybe

Good

• Excellent volunteers
• Water and sports drink at every aid station
• Aid stations every 2 miles
• Sport Gel at 4 aid stations

Bad

• Four bridge crossings
• Lack of restrooms
• Disorganized start line
• Certain race officials
• Unpredictable fall weather

FINAL THOUGHTS: I can't be too disappointed with the result. I'm looking forward to a break and then slow sustained winter training and searching for a marathon to run in April or May.

On to the next one!

Upper left: Waiting at the start line > I'm the fourth from the left, John is all the way to the right
Upper right: After the gun, I'm in the middle
Bottom left: Limping across the finish line
Bottom right: Awards Ceremony, receiving my beer mug from Miss Tri-Cities