1310miles

[1310miles]

Forty Eight

As I was training for marathon number 48 in Arizona, I had to look up the word “contiguous” for its definition. This would be my final contiguous state, and now I know it’s because they are all adjacent to one another. Accomplishing this last race in the “lower 48” was anti-climactic in that I have been to Arizona many times and that it’s not Alaska or Hawaii, which seem to be the destinations everyone is interested in talking to me about. This race felt like I just needed to get it done, especially since I planned to fly in and only spend one night there, returning right after the race was over. 

You’ve read before in this blog that training through winter is difficult. I had asked other friends to join me in the Arizona race, and a couple said it was just too hard to run during the holidays and traveling, let alone the winter weather. I’ve done it several times though, so it wasn’t that challenging for me. Indeed, there were some weeks of frigid temps, and a few very snowy days. Also, I had to very intentionally plan my runs around our trip to Belize, where I didn’t feel like I could run farther than 6 miles daily. It all worked out though, and I was ready for race day as usual. 

I was daunted by the race elevation profile. It is a net downhill, and in fact only has one section of uphill, no technically flat sections. I don’t have much experience with this type of terrain, and there definitely isn’t anywhere to train for it around here. The big question was how steep and significant would the downhill be. Would it be like I was making no effort at all and I would just fly the whole way? Would it be like my race in Colorado where once I hit flatter parts, my legs would be trashed? Or would it be like Boston where the downhills barely make up for the arduous uphills? The questions concerned me and made it difficult to feel confident about my performance.

I arrived in Arizona to find that the weather was going to be a factor too. It was only in the 60’s, but that was a huge difference from the weather in Chicago and I decided that I needed to dress a lot cooler than I had planned to. I visited the expo, meeting up with a friend from the Friday morning running group, David Cahnman, who winters in Scottsdale. He planned to run the 10k and was also going to generously wait for me to finish the marathon and cheer me on. 

 I had considered driving the marathon route since it was so helpful in Rhode Island, but after traveling and since I had such limited time, I opted to get dinner and relax in the hotel room. I was stressing because the hotel was reluctant to allow me a late check out, and I feared having to fly back to Chicago covered in marathon sweat. I finally convinced them to allow me until 11:30am in the room. I would need to be efficient, but I felt like that was reasonable. 

This race was a point to point, and just like Boston, we needed to be bussed to the starting line. The race started at 6:30, and the last bus would leave at 5:30, so I wanted to be aboard something by 5:15 at the latest. I got up around 4am, and put my race outfit on, then layered cold weather gear. Since we were going up a mountain, before sunrise, I was warned that it could be really cold. This is the weather I had trained for!

A key part of my morning would be my coffee and breakfast, but of course the hotel had nothing at such an early hour. I had scouted out several gas stations along the route to the bus area that I planned to visit to get my breakfast. However, as I started at the first one, I found them closed! After the third one I stopped at, I started to panic slightly. Without coffee and food, I did not think I could do a whole marathon! I was beginning to get very upset when I found the final station along my route open. I was so grateful to the person working there! He surely thought I had lost my mind for how thankful I was for his crummy coffee. 

I was early enough to get a good parking spot at the bus loading area. This was the finish line as well, and it was right next to the baseball field that the Chicago Cubs spring train at (Sloane Park). I sent Colin a few pictures from the field. I began walking to the back of the bus line to discover that it was never ending! I had no idea this race had so many participants. It kept going on forever, until I finally found the end. Then it was back around to head onto boarding the bus. The drive felt long too, and that’s always daunting since you realize you’ll be running the entire way back. 

Upon arrival at the top of the mountain, it was very dark, but not as cold as I had planned for. I quickly got rid of my extra pants layer and began my rotation in the porta-potty line. The time went quickly, and the race started quietly. It felt like we were all still asleep, no loud announcements, hollering or even a starting gun. 

I positioned myself near the front, around the 3:25 pace group. As we began, the hill was so steep that I felt like I could barely touch the ground. It was silent except for our pounding feet, and we were all flying down the hill very fast. My watch was showing 7:15 per mile pace and it was effortless. It didn’t feel good though. It was stressful to be packed in and going so fast and not really knowing when it was going to stop. If the race had been that steep the whole way, it would break world records. 

Finally at mile 4.5, we headed back uphill, and I started to feel normal. I am strong on hills, and it actually felt good to put some effort forth. The first miles were just so frantic, that I finally started to get my head in the race and feel my body relax into the run. It was about this time that the sun came up, too. It was nice to get a little warmth, though I was not cold to begin with. It was a benefit that we would be running west the whole way, so the sunshine wasn’t really an issue for my eyes or for added heat.

It's rare for me to see new spectator signs that make me smile, but this race had two. The first was around mile 6, and it said, “The End is…Very Far Away.” Loved the honestly on that one. The second was similar to a common one that says, “On a scale of 1-10, you’re a 26.2” (seen that a million times). This one said, “On a scale of 0-26.2, you’re at mile 9.” In general, there were more spectators than I had expected. A point-to-point course is a challenge for viewers, but there were sections with tons of cheering fans, and rarely, except when we were up on the mountain, where there miles with no one. 

Due to the speed of the beginning and the cool temps before the sun came up, I didn’t drink at the aid stations until mile 7. I know this was a mistake, and I frankly knew it as I was running. But I felt so good and so fast and not thirsty at all. My stomach was actually a little upset from the start, and when I considered water at the first stations, it just wasn’t appealing. I took water at mile 7 because it was my first gu as well. That didn’t help my stomach at all, and I started feeling fairly nauseated, which made me want to drink even less. 

It was windy though, and the dry air was fooling me into thinking I wasn’t sweating or putting much effort forth. I wasn’t being smart. Everyone knows you must drink no matter what and if you start to feel dehydrated, it’s already too late. There was just not one moment that my stomach felt good, and I didn’t want to keep piling on. 

My pace was so fast, around 7:40 per mile, and I was feeling the miles fly by. I could tell when we were running downhill rather than slightly flattening out. The flatter parts were getting more and more difficult to endure and to keep up my pace. Despite what I wanted to do, my body convinced my brain to panic around mile 19. 

The steep downhills were done, and we had basically leveled off. My stomach was killing me and my reluctance to drink started to whisper that I was dehydrated. I gave into the negativity and let my pace slow down. I’m not sure if I could have run faster, but it was definitely my head that made the conscious decision. I looked at my watch and decided that I was just going to enjoy myself (my last contiguous state!) and not worry about the time. My friend Jared had texted me to “have the time of my life” so I tried to get in that state of mind. It did take my stress away, but my stomach still felt bad and I still have several miles to run, so I had to keep pushing. 

After taking that mental break, I was able to pick the pace back up a little, but then I was struck, around mile 23, with the real possibility of pooping my pants. Never in a race, have I had my stomach literally seize like it did just then. I have documented in this blog seeing other people with biohazard running down their legs, but never was it going to be me. Now, it seemed like it might happen. With three miles to go, I really had to concentrate on not letting it be my legacy. I had the real thought of quitting because I was so miserable. I also had the thought that if there was a porta-potty at mile 26, I would stop and use it, time be damned. 

Miraculously, as I rounded to the finish line, I was going to make it without an issue. And of course, as soon as I finished, I no longer felt like I needed to go! I was happy with my time, but actually unclear whether it was a personal record or not. I really hadn’t memorized my pr from Connecticut. I knew it was in the general zone of my best time, but I didn’t know exactly. Based on my struggles though, I wasn’t thinking my race time had been too notable. 

David was there at the finish with his congratulations. He was dumbfounded that I didn’t know my pr time, and I regretted not knowing too. If I had known my time, maybe I would have run a little harder to beat it. As it was, I ran 6 seconds slower than my pr. My running friends say that’s essentially a tie, but I’m not sure I really believe it. 

[1310miles]

Mesa Marathon, Arizona

February 8 , 2025

3:25:46

[1310miles]

Forty Seven

After my race in Hartford, I was a celebrity. I spent the week basking in all of the praise of my PR and fielding questions about how I did it. It was so much fun, and I wasn’t humble about it either. I knew I had worked hard and earned it. 

And on the heels of that feeling, I had to run another marathon. 

Six days after returning from Connecticut I flew to Rhode Island. Ever since I started pursuing this goal, people have been “jokingly” asking “are there even enough miles in Rhode Island to run a marathon?” Well, there better be because I’m there to finish number 47. 

I had an extra day to enjoy myself, so I started by driving the racecourse. I hadn’t done that in I don’t know how long and I’m really glad I did. On paper this race had a lot of turns and a few major hills. Driving the course gave me the chance to scope out the starting area and where I would park, the roads I would be running on (mostly straight highway with four side loops) and how bad the hills would be (really steep and long). I didn’t exactly feel dejected after seeing what was in store, but I definitely felt like a second PR performance was completely out of reach. 

I woke up on race day thinking “ugh, this again?” The enthusiasm of Hartford had left me and fatigue was replacing it. My thought was “just a few hours and then you’re done for a while” and that’s what got me out the door. 

As I’m traveling, I’m always in a different time zone than home, and I usually don’t have anyone else awake “with” me. However, back in Illinois, Colin had to be awake at 5am for a volleyball tournament, so as I was driving to the start and waiting in my car for the sun to rise, he and I could chat. This was so nice. He gave me lots of encouragement and I did the same. I assured him that I’d be at all the rest of him volleyball tournaments that season. 

The racing field was extremely small, under 300 people. There was no need to spend too much extra time at the starting line, so I went back and forth from the portapotties to my car a few times. A nice woman took my picture next to this race sign, and she said she was from New Hampshire. I told her that I had run in New Hampshire, but blame it on the early hour, the fatigue, or simply that I’ve run 46 marathons, but I couldn’t tell her the first thing about where I ran that race. I said it was near a mountain. She probably thought I was insane. 

I lined up and was hoping to jump in with the 3:30 pace group, but the leader was missing. He would be leading the “fastest” pace group and a bunch of other runners were really disappointed he wasn’t present. At the very last minute (literally) he ran up into the corral, out of breath. 

I started out with him, but by mile two I needed to pull back. I wasn’t going to be able to push the pace as fast as the week prior. I had decided to wear my super shoes, to give me a little boost, but it wasn’t enough. I had really debated which shoes to wear because the pain in my right leg got better but didn’t go away. I considered wearing more supportive shoes to give me comfort, but I knew they would slow me down. In the end though, I figured “only 26.2 miles” and I might need the speed assistance more than the comfort. 

By mile 4 I was still not feeling great or in the zone. My heart wasn’t exactly in it. I was feeling very nervous about my ankle and about my endurance. To occupy my mind, I tested myself with the location of all of my marathons, not just the states, which I knew by heart. This was much more difficult, but I did finally conjure the location of the New Hampshire race: Keene. To keep my ankle happy, I stayed in the middle of the road, so there was no slope either way on my path. My ankle did not like running on an uneven road. However, since this was a highway race, I did get shooed by volunteers many times to get over to the right. I would acquiesce, and then find my spot in the middle after I passed them. 

I had carb loaded the same and did the same gu fueling plan as Hartford. I also decided not to look at my watch at all. This did provide true freedom because there were also no clocks on the course. I was just out there running, behind the 3:30 pace group, and doing my own thing. There were few spectators, but there was an impressive woman in a striped sweater that kept showing up mile after mile. She was time traveling or something, because I don’t know how she would get to each place so quickly. She wasn’t there to cheer me on, but she did adopt me, and it was nice to see her throughout the race. 

Around mile 11, we descended the major hill we would have to climb back up again at mile 18. I was really focused on that mile 18 moment for the entire race, just knowing it was going to be so difficult. Having the course in my mind really helped though, because I would see landmarks that I had driven past, and I could count them down and check them off the list.

At mile 14 we turned around and strangely I had never seen the 3:30 pace group pass me going back. They must have been on one of the side loops. Likewise, I never saw the 4:00 pace group either. At this point I did begin passing “early starters.” These were runners and walkers who had started an hour ahead of regular time so that they could finish before the roads were opened. That’s a long day! Ahead of me was one woman who frankly looked unprepared for a marathon. She was overdressed and didn’t look to be running strong, yet she was solidly ahead of me. I made it a quiet mission to pass her on the second half. 

One thing I had been looking forward to were the aid stations. It was advertised that since it was almost Halloween, the volunteers would be wearing themed costumes, and we would get to vote on the best at the end of the race. The only stations that I saw participate was one with Christmas sweaters and one with Bruins jerseys. And I never saw where to vote! 

As you can see from my photos, I was also wearing the Kalama Harris socks I had bought as a celebration in Hartford. I thought I’d get some comments on those, but no one said anything. One woman I ran past did say “she’s got muscles” in reference to me though. I guess that makes up for it. 

I hit mile 17 with trepidation knowing that it was going to be a long climb to 19. I kept pushing and trying to keep an even pace. By some miracle, I ran the whole thing, which is not usually my strategy. I never felt like my pace slowed enough to need to walk up that steep hill, so I just kept going. When it was over, I reflected that the hill actually seemed worse in the car!

It was the home stretch with one final turn off the highway. A guy in front of me ran straight, and I was really confused. I thought I knew the course, but I started to reconsider. I said to a volunteer “are we supposed to turn here?” and he confirmed. So, then I said “well you have to go tell that guy!” Boy did I save him! He could have gone really far out of his way. The volunteer messed that up badly. 

I needed to get to the end, and I focused on beating that woman in pink by gaining on her with every step. It made the miles go by faster and I did eventually pass her around mile 23. Then I tried to beat the next woman in my sights, but she looked really strong, and I knew it would be tough. There was a cruel hill at mile 25 that I hadn’t driven, and I started to fade away. I came back up on the home stretch though, but my leg was aching. I took to the sidewalk for even pavement and that helped. 

I passed that woman and was hoping that it would destroy her spirit, but instead, it made her run faster and she overtook me again. I let her go. I had about a half mile left and I didn’t have any fight in me. 

I hadn’t looked my watch once, and without any clocks, I only had the pace groups to get a sense of what my finish time would be. As I approached the finish line, a clock on the left said 3:09!! I was agog. This was amazing! I definitely didn’t feel like I ran that fast but maybe I had…

Then I looked to the right. That clock said 3:39. The clock on the left was for the half marathon that started a half hour later than my race. Sigh. 

Nonetheless, I finished and scored my second Boston Qualifier in 8 day’s time. Pretty amazing. I went back to the hotel where I got a message from Elissa: I had also gotten third in my age group and won an award! I got cleaned up quickly and went back to the race. I walked away with an official race cutting board for all my hard efforts. 

[1310miles]

Ocean State Marathon, Narragansett, Rhode Island

October 27, 2024

3:39:30

[1310miles]

Forty Six

It’s not my style to feel confident going into a race. I never like to think about doing extraordinarily well because there are so many factors that can interfere. I have secret thoughts about going fast, but I rarely say them out loud. For this race though, I was feeling like everything was in place to do really well. I was running fast in training, I had built so much muscle strength, and the racecourse looked challenging but not torturous. 

I told a few of my friends that I was thinking I might get a personal record (PR) and they agreed it looked possible. That was until I dropped my outdoor garbage cart (full) on my foot and thought I broke it only four days because the race. It hurt so bad in the night that I was awake in agony. I tried to run the next morning and couldn’t even take three steps. I was in panic mode, but thankfully after a day of rest and ice, it recovered. Would it be ok for 26.2 miles though?

With good training in my corner, I decided to dial in my nutrition for the race to give me another advantage toward a PR. In my history, I haven’t ever specifically carb loaded. I have always just eaten my normal diet before a race, believing that my normal diet had enough carbs. Recently though, I had been eating high protein and fewer carbs, so I thought this would be a good moment to give it a try. Beginning three nights before the race, I switched to heavy carbs, trying to get almost 140 grams of carbs per day. It was insane the number of bagels I ate. I was a little sick of myself.  

Carbs in tow, I headed to Connecticut. A quick trip of only one night, seeing that I had spent time in the area when I ran the New Hampshire race. Travel was very easy, and I in fact took a bus from the airport for the least expensive commute ever! My hotel was beautiful, a boutique converted building. I had a fireplace and seating area, and it was just gorgeous. I made the kids jealous when I sent a photo of my set up. I did my shake out run by visiting the Mark Twain house and getting a preview of the start and finish area, and then did some window shopping before eating my pre-race pizza and going to bed. 

In the morning, I grabbed Starbucks and walked just a few blocks to the starting area. I tried the portapotties several times, but I just wasn’t having the “success” I wanted to have. That makes me nervous, but you can’t force some things, ya know. As I was redressing from one visit, I ripped the pins out of my race bib that was attached to my shorts. I couldn’t reattach the pins, so I had to be ok with my bib flapping in the wind with only two pins attached. 

I was assigned to Corral C and there were people being very careful to check anyone who entered. I really wanted to be in Corral B with the 3:30 pace group, but I couldn’t sneak in. Thankfully, right before the race started, they dropped the dividers and I was able to snake my way up and start with them. 

I fell into pace with that group, and listened to them introduce themselves and hear the group leaders’ theories on race pace. They planned on banking a few seconds in the beginning to make up for a slower pace at the end, which seemed fine with me. I planned to stay with them, but by mile 2 I could tell that they just weren’t going to run at the speed I was feeling comfortable with. I pulled ahead slightly, and as we went past the Mark Twain house and hit the first hills at miles 2.5 and 5 I was feeling very smooth. 

I don’t know when I realized it, but I was not looking at my watch for my pace. I was feeling so good, and I knew I was ahead of the 3:30 group, so I decided that I should keep not looking at my watch until it was absolutely necessary. Looking was either going to make me nervous about a slow pace or nervous about a fast pace. I knew when I was hitting the miles from the course marking and my watch alerts, so I figured there was nothing to gain from the extra information. 

Since I had carb loaded intentionally, I also decided to fuel during the race with more intention. I usually do 3 gus, one every 7 miles or so. For this race, I decided to do a gu every 4 miles. It felt like a lot, but I didn’t take any Gatorade, only water, so it was less sugar on my stomach. I couldn’t feel it at the time, but I do think this kept my energy at a very even level.

The weather was cooperating nicely too! I had a long-sleeved shirt on, but I started feeling like it was constraining me and that the sun was going to get hotter as the race progressed. I decided to take it off, but I didn’t really want to lose it. Around mile 8 we came back through the downtown Hartford area, which is where we would finish, so I decided to hide my shirt behind a sign and hope it was there when I came back. 

As we went through downtown, a woman running near me introduced herself and said we looked like we were running about the same pace. I agreed and we chatted a little, but that was going to be enough for me. I never want a race “buddy” because I need to run my pace. I think she was different though, because after some silence she said to me “does it help you to talk?” I had to reply that sadly it doesn’t, and that was the end of our relationship. 

We had gone west first, then back east, and out of the city we headed north. I crossed the half marathon mark and glanced at my time. I have a good benchmark from a half marathon I did in March that I ran at 8 minute per mile pace, which is my best race ever. I was really pleased to be running faster than that, but I figured I would slow down since that was just for half a race. 

Continuing north, we began to run parallel to the course returning to the south. I was seeing the leaders and the runners who were ahead of me. I started thinking that they didn’t look that much faster than me! Soon we would be hitting the 18-mile turnaround to head south ourselves. I was looking forward to that so I could get an idea of where the 3:30 pace group was. I sensed they were gaining on me because I heard a loud boisterous group. 

Well, I turned and found that it wasn’t them, it was just two loud guys. So I kept running south with my eyes on the other side of the street waiting to see the pace group. I couldn’t believe I was so far ahead of them. It was a solid five minutes before I saw them, and that’s the point that I knew I was going to PR. 

I still hadn’t looked at my watch, and I promised myself I wouldn’t until mile 23. Mentally, I started to struggle to hang on to my pace, but physically I was still feeling great. I was pushing myself to look ahead, never at the ground, so I could keep propelling forward. Finally, I hit mile 23 and I looked, and my pace was around 7:45 per mile. I was in shock. I had never run close to that speed! This gave me a huge boost but also daunted me to finish the last three miles strong. 

All was well until mile 25, where we took a sharp turn to the right and then left and headed up a hill. Two things went wrong. One, my right leg seemed to pull or cramp along the inside of my calf by my ankle. It felt weak all of a suddenly, like I couldn’t pick it up. Not so great for bounding up the hill. The second issue was that a group of women jumped into the race right behind me to “help” their friend finish. They had WAY too much energy and “positive vibes.” I wanted to home in and focus on my race, and they were so distracting. Their friend was struggling too, and it just made me feel worse that they were being so falsely optimistic. 

My leg was killing me, and I frankly wasn’t sure I could hobble to the finish. My pace went above 8 minutes per mile for the first time all race. But I pushed on, wincing with each step. Somehow, I pull through the finish line with a time of 3:25, which was 8 minutes better than my previous best (on a downhill marathon). I was in shock and on an extraordinary runner’s high. It was the most unbelievable accomplishment I’ve made as a runner. I asked a few people to snap my photo and send it to me, then I went to retrieve my shirt, which was still there! I spent the rest of the day texting friends to brag about my time! Everyone was so happy for me. 

[1310miles]

Eversource Hartford Marathon, Connecticut

October 19, 2024

3:25:40

[1310miles]

Forty Five

Eva is hooked on seeing the country like I’ve been doing, so she’s been eager to come to more races. She joined me for this quick trip to New Mexico. We rented a house on a ranch with horses, and she was content riding along with me through the deserts, farms and rock formations as we drove from Albuquerque to northern New Mexico to our house. 

We stayed in an area that had an urban center, but our ranch was out into the country. The race, however, was about 20 miles west, on a Native American reservation. Upon entering that community, we saw road signs and advertisements in the native language. We went to the expo on Friday, and at the time, they were just finishing up the fun run. 

On Saturday morning, Eva came with me and we left at sunrise. She planned to camp out at the start/finish, sit in the car, and do homework. I was grateful to have her agree to spend her morning there so that she could see me finish! 

The marathon started at 7am. Before the gun, the President of the Navajo Nation spoke. I was so impressed that he was there! He was dressed in a suit and had a large hat on. He did a long speech in the native language and then repeated it in English. Then the national anthem was sung in the native language too. It was so unique! I’ve never had a starting line experience like that. 

I headed out. The race path was essentially 6 miles down one highway, take a right, 7 miles down another highway, turn around, then back. I had two things on my mind: the gradual climb that was the first 13 miles and the overall elevation, which was 5500’ above sea level. I knew there was nothing I could do to acclimate to the elevation, so I just tried to temper my expectations on my performance. As for the gradual hill, my goal was to negative split. I wanted to take the first half slow and then crank on the downhill going back. 

With the conditions in mind, and off the experience in Boston, I planned on fueling and hydrating as much as possible. The forecast wasn’t to get too hot, but I would be exposed on the roads in sixty-degree sunshine and I didn’t want to add that to the elevation and hill stress. At the second water stop I decided to start drinking, and grabbed a cup of the first beverage offered, a light yellow liquid that looked like Gatorade. 

One sip and I realized my mistake: it was pickle juice! What a shock! When you are expecting to taste one thing and you taste pickle juice, you can feel a little stunned. Not only did I now have that taste in my mouth, I missed the opportunity to grab the Gatorade and hydrate! Noting not to make that mistake at the next aid station, I pressed on.

Upon the turn from the first highway, we got closer to Shiprock monadnock (an isolated rock or mountain that rises from level plain). It is a breathtaking sight. The scale of the rock is not noticeable until you approach it, and it definitely looks like a ship in a sea of desert. It’s 7,000’ tall and is a sacred monument to the Navajo people. 

There were aid stations every single mile, which was a huge relief because this was one of the loneliest marathons I’ve ever participated in. There were fewer than 200 runners, and virtually no spectators along the highway, so the only interactions I had were with the lovely people at the stations each mile. They set up camps, with tents and music and decorations, along with tons of different food and drink offerings. I stuck to water and Gatorade, but always enjoyed their smiles and encouragement. I noted though, that many of the stations were Star Wars themed. Lots of people dressed up and lots of slogans from the movie series. I thought to myself “boy, these people really are into Star Wars.” As I told this to Eva after I had finished, she rolled her eyes. She informed me that it was May the 4th, Star Wars Day. “May the 4th Be with You.” I felt pretty dense. 

Since the race was so desolate, once I passed an aid station, I could actually see the next one down the road. The miles seemed easier that way, because that distance didn’t really look too far. I prepared myself that the toughest part of the race would be from miles 9 to 13. Over these four miles, the course climbed the steepest hill. When I got to mile 9, I really focused in on my endurance and tried to go into a fight mode. I thought of very little else than clicking off those miles. As each mile passed, I felt a sense of relief knowing that at the turn around I would be flying back down this long hill. 

At the turn around I was able to count my competitors. 9 women were ahead of me. I started to focus on trying to win my age group, but of course, I had no idea of the ages of the other women. I tried to estimate, but runners just look so good: we all look young! Also, I was only catching a glance at each, so I could barely make a guess. The best I could do was just dial in and try to catch as many of them as possible. 

I set my sights on the first woman in front of me, in pink pants. She was running strong, and I passed her, but each time I stopped at an aid station, she passed me! At one station, they were giving out freezing cold, wet towels (I took one and basically wiped down my whole body). The towel was a pretty purple that perfectly matched my clothes. As the woman passed me while I was bathing, she yelled “wow that matches your outfit!” We did this back and forth for almost five miles. Finally, I decided to skip an aid station to put an end to that silly game, and left her behind. 

Around mile 19, we intersected with the half marathon runners and that gave me something new to think about. As I said, it was a really lonely race so anything novel was welcome. It was also a good sign that the end was approaching. I saw another marathon runner in the distance, wearing distinctive pink tights (which were too hot for the conditions), so I tried to focus on catching her next. 

I was getting worn out though. Surprisingly, the weather was actually cooler than race day in Boston, but still it was hot and dry. I didn’t have a lot of energy left and nearing the end I started counting my miles down by tenths. That’s when I know I’m fatigued, because the idea of running a full mile at a time is too daunting. I was gaining of the next woman, but she seemed out of reach. 

With about three miles left, there was a sudden stream of emergency vehicles barreling down the highway toward the finish line. They were so loud and fast and startling that it was actually upsetting. At that point in a race, your brain is doing some weird things, and all I could imagine was some type of terrible event at the finish line, where Eva was! My heart really started to break, and I got very worried. It is sad that my mind went there. I had to put it aside though, and just get to the end to find out if she was ok. I did feel better as I was started to be able to see the finish area, and there were no flashing lights. 

The last mile was a fast downhill and I took it strong. I was pretty close to catching up with the next woman in front of me, but I was probably just a tenth of a mile back. As I rounded into the parking lot for the finish line, I saw Eva! I was so happy and she was cheering me on! I crossed the line and got my result as second in my age group, so I got a second medal. Overall I was the 9th woman, just as I thought! Additionally, this was the first race I’ve ever done with a negative split, my second half was faster than my first. 

[1310miles]

Shiprock Marathon, New Mexico

May 4, 2024

3:54:39

[1310miles]

Bonus: Boston Revisited

I’m back at Boston. Yes, it’s my first repeat marathon. That means it’s my 45th race, but not my 45th state. I never expected to repeat a race, but after I ran Boston in 2022, I told myself if I ever qualified again, I would run it. The ’22 race wasn’t a great experience (basically the only race I’ve really felt injured) and I wanted to have a good memory of this epic race. I guess we can consider this a bonus blog!

I also wanted my kids to experience “the super bowl of running” with me. Both Eva and Colin traveled with me and I was so proud to show them the way the city celebrates runners. They were amazed with the size of the expo, the grandeur of the finish line area, and the number of runners milling all around. They also loved the special treatment we got at the hotel when I said I was a marathon participant. 

Wake up call on the morning of the race is early because all runners have to be bussed out to Hopkington (26.2 miles away) for the starting line, then the roads close, and the race can begin. This also accounts for why the starting time is so late (10:50am for me!). My bus was earlier than most participants because I took the private coach arranged with the Chicago Area Runners Association. The benefits are that it isn’t a school bus, you will be riding with your friends, you can stay on the bus once you arrive at runner’s village (otherwise you have to sit on the ground), and you have dedicated portapotties. It's worth it to get up an hour early. 

However, I almost didn’t get up. I leisurely awoke and rolled over to look at the time only to see that I overslept! But only by two minutes. My alarm was going off, but the hotel room AC was so loud that I couldn’t hear it! Not really a problem, but it could have been a lot worse. 

The kids wrote me the best letter ever and left it with my race gear. They will never understand how special it made me feel. I was all smiles as I got my hotel coffee, bagel at Dunkin, rode the train and got to the CARA bus. I sat with my friend Aaron, and he told me all about his adventures getting to Boston (forgot his driver’s license and had to testify at the airport to fly!). Once to Hopkington, we met up with other friends and waited the two hours until we were called to the start. 

Race start time was an issue because although the morning was moderately warm, temperatures were headed to the low 70’s by noon. Having trained all winter, this abrupt temperature increase had me worried. It was not in my plan to run in summer temps. Within four miles of starting, I had to throw away my top shirt. It was so unfortunate because Lululemon had gifted me the shirt and I really liked it. However, the extra layer, and frankly thinking about the extra layer, was just making me overheat. I hope someone found that lovely shirt that was basically brand new, washed it, and wears it. 

I was running great through the beginning. My lesson from the first Boston was that I had run too hard in the first 8 miles, which are a gradual downhill. This race day, I was working very hard to moderate my speed, but I was going faster than I expected. It took a lot of willpower to keep it “slow” while I felt so great. 

It was very obvious that I had to watch the heat too. At mile 2, I changed my hydration strategy. I had planned to get water and Gatorade every three miles (alternating the fluids). Based on the heat, I decided to drink at every single stop. I walked through the stops and that was also a welcome relief. By mile 6, I added to the aid station routine. I took 5 cups of water each time! One I drank, one I poured over my left arm, one on my right, one over the front of my head and one over the back. I basically showered every mile. It was totally necessary and totally refreshing. However, about halfway through, I realized my phone was in my back pocket and was probably continually getting drenched. I was dreading pulling it out to find it completely damaged, but thankfully, it was semi-dry and functional. 

The heat was as much mental as physical. If I had been used to the temperatures, it wouldn’t have been half as bad, but I just didn’t have any preparation time. I kept thinking about my legs cramping and having difficulties breathing, which I think led to almost a panic attack type response. I would get really anxious as I ran along, like I was going to hyperventilate. This is when those water stop breaks really became necessary every mile. All of this makes it sound like I was having a terrible race, I wasn’t! I just needed to be very mindful of my environment and keep my body in line. 

I definitely spent more time this race looking around and soaking up the route than I did the first time. The small towns that we ran through were adorable and packed with fans. There were points near the end that the cheering was so loud and constant that I wished we could get some quiet for a few miles. 

Just like the first time, when I ran through the Scream Tunnel at Wellsley, I got tears in my eyes. Those women were so excited for each and every runner, and they made me feel so incredible. They really do carry you for the whole mile. I had requested a sign be made, but I didn’t ever see it. I know they made it though because I was on the list. Instead, I did see the best sign ever: “I love lying to men.” 

My race pace strategy was going perfectly as planned and by mile 18 I was running as fast I would have without the heat. I was so pleased that my training had allowed for this. After mile 18, as with almost everyone in the race, I began to slow down. Of course, this is when the infamous “Newton Hills” arrive. I walked the hills to conserve everything I needed to get to the finish, and I did it with pride. At the top of Heartbreak Hill, I knew that those were over and it was time to put it into the final gear. 

Getting through those last six miles was difficult, but I had the excitement of seeing the kids at mile 25 to keep me motivated. The logistics of having them travel the course was just too much, so I asked them to be outside the hotel around 2pm to watch for me. I texted them when I was about a mile away, and could see the Citgo sign. Then I watched the sidelines looking for them. 

I guess I didn’t expect it to be so chaotic at that part of the course, but it was right where we enter the downtown commercial area, and right by Fenway Park. There were so many people I started getting very worried that I had missed them. I approached and then passed the hotel without seeing them and honestly was about to turn around and walk a block back to try to find them. Just then I spotted their two cute faces cheering for me! It was the best sight I’ve ever had. I was so proud to find them there being such mature young adults. And I couldn’t wait to finish and get back to them. 

One mile to go, and I was in a bad mood. I wanted to be done. I was really pushing because my goal was to get a Boston qualifying time in this race and with my slow down, I was going to be close. I had a difficult time smiling as I turned onto Boylston and hit the finish line tunnel. Lots of other runners were soaking it up but I was just putting one foot in front of the other. Unfortunately, one woman was much worse off than me. As I approached her, she had diarrhea running down both of her legs and she was just shuffling. I passed her and glanced back to see that she was collapsing. One very kind runner was helping her up and getting her to the finish. 

I finished less dramatically. I got my second Boston medal (finishing in a Boston qualifying time) and walked down the several blocks that they put you through before I could take a quick turn down into the subway. I got on a train to take me back to the hotel that was filled with worn out runners and their families. I was feeling good until I wasn’t and had to sit down. I started to worry I would pass out on the train, but the food from the finish line revived me. I got off the train and emerged to the mile 25 area I had run through just a half hour before. The crowds were still going nuts and it was fun to be on the other side. When I walked into the hotel lobby, someone shouted “congratulations runner” and everyone in there clapped for me. It was incredible! I felt like a star! It was even better when I found the kids in the hotel room waiting for me. They had been doing homework and had all their stuff packed. They even were watching the race on tv and spotted me!

[1310miles]

Boston Marathon

April 15, 2024

3:46:13

[1310miles]

Forty Four

For the first time, Eva came with me on a marathon trip, for my race in Oregon. We arranged a long weekend so she wouldn’t miss too much school. We visited the Pacific coast and then drove east to the Columbia River Gorge. The variety of landscapes in Oregon was incredible. I was so happy we drove all of those miles, singing to music and musing about living in such a beautiful place. 

It would have been great to have Eva’s support during the race, but upon arriving and thinking about the logistics, it became clear that she couldn’t be a spectator. Despite the fact that I booked the race recommended hotel, it was in a different city than the race start and finish, about 15 miles away! I was really irritated by this, but I suppose it’s on me to do better research when I make my arrangements. Since Eva is 16, she can’t legally drive a rental car, so unless she wanted to get up with me at 5:30am, see me start, sit at the same place for four hours, and then see me finish, she was going to be stuck at the hotel. She took the disappointing news in stride, happy that she would get to sleep in, finish homework and perhaps visit the hot tub. 

I arrived and parked at the starting area just as the sun was rising. Technically, this was the starting area for the half marathon, but not for my race. My race would start about 1.5 miles up a hill, so we needed to arrive extra early to board a bus for the quick trip. I got on the bus and sat with a woman, getting the last seat, and we took off. Her and I started chatting about the race and she said she was from the area and had a lot of knowledge of the race. I love when I can get insider information. 

She was so kind. Her name is Cindy and once we got to our starting line, she introduced me to her other friends and to her partner CK. We all talked about race experiences, and I got lots of advice about what to expect for the next few hours. CK was spectating this race (though she herself runs ultra-marathons) and planned to drive around taking photos. This gave me the idea to ask if she could get some shots of me if she spotted me. She said “of course!” so we exchanged Facebook information. I was happy to potentially have someone cheering for me along the way. 

This was yet another very small race, and at the starting line I was about three feet behind the actual line. The announcement was made, and we took off. I was surprised to see that we immediately began climbing a hill (in fact, we were mid hill). It made me realize that I don’t think I’ve ever started a race uphill before. That was a struggle. I couldn’t get my breath or my cadence leveled out. It felt disjointed and awkward. 

After about 3 miles of gradual climbing, along a paved trail that was a tunnel through tree and then a real tunnel out of the mountain, the course took a sharp angle downward. At this point I began to relax and let my legs fly. I also needed to seriously adjust my shorts that had inched their way up my legs during the relentless climb. I haven’t chaffed in a while, and I could tell the aftermath wouldn’t be pretty. 

The course would be demanding, and I wanted to take the most advantage of downhills whenever I could. I started telling myself “Don’t make the easy stuff hard.” This meant keep relaxed in my body, let gravity pull me, don’t hold back, and don’t squander the downhill speed. I was doing the downhills at 7-minute pace, and the uphills at 9:30, which was giving me an average of 8:30, which was exactly where I wanted to be. 

We descended for another three miles and hit a fairly flat portion that only lasted a half a mile. At this point, I saw CK! She was parked alongside of the road and shouted out to me. She said, “you undersold yourself…you’re fast!” I loved that…best spectator ever! Then, I passed a man who told me that I was the 5th place woman. Wow! I wasn’t expecting that news, and my mind started getting into the race. 

I was feeling good and started to mentally prepare for the six mile climb ahead of me. I would run uphill to mile 12, and then turn around, run exactly back from whence I came, and then run the final portion through the starting line that the bus drove us. In theory, the rest of the race would be six miles up, six miles down, 3 up, and 4-5 miles down to the finish. 

I pushed up the hill. It was difficult but I kept running. The views were spectacular. It was like I was looking at a forested Grand Canyon. To the north was Washington, and down below was the Columbia River. We were on the Oregon side, going through farms and forests. The fall had been warm, so the leaves were not changing en masse, but the verdant trees were beautiful. I also kept my mind busy by reciting a game Eva and I had played on our hike the day before. We were “going on a picnic” and bringing items A-Z that required us to memorize them all. I tried to remember all the items as I ran along. 

Coming up to the turnaround I began seeing the leaders come back my way. The first woman was far ahead of me and far ahead of the second. Then there was a huge gap. I approached the turnaround, which was literally a roundabout, and saw that I was on the heels of the 3rd and 4th woman. I had them both in my sights as I began the wonderful relief of coming back downhill. 

At this point, it was entertaining to see all the runners behind me coming at me. I was so grateful that long climb was over and again, I was speeding down the hill. Lots of runners shouted “5th woman!” at me, and I kept thinking “I know!!” However, I could swear that I heard one runner shout to me “good job, fat ass.” Maybe I’m wrong. 

I kept up the pursuit and easily caught the 4th place woman, and I think I left her far behind. Now I was focused on catching the 3rd. I was beginning to be greedy with the idea that I could get such a high place in a marathon OVERALL. It was a concept that two years ago I wouldn’t have dreamed of. 

I kept gaining on 3rd place and I finally took her over. I was hoping that this would destroy her spirit, but actually I think it inspired her. As I began to drag, she caught back up and held her spot ahead of me, just about 200 yards away. I wanted to catch her, I wanted her to have a bad cramp, I wanted to find the energy, but I was just about to hit the last section of the race that I had been dreading. 

At mile 18.5, the uphill began again. And it was so steep. I had worked so hard for so long that I couldn’t get up the hill. I walked for a mile straight. I needed that mental reset and I needed the physical relief on my legs. Almost everyone around me was walking too. I ran the slight dips downhill, but had to keep stopping on the way up. 

Around mile 20 we ran into the end of the half marathoners. And these folks had unique companions…dogs! The half marathon was for people, but there was also a “Dog Leg” competition for runners with their four-legged running partners. That was a fun distraction to see. Lots of happy dogs, and some not prepared for 13.1 miles. I had been a little worried about the dogs taking up too much of the course, or being threatening, but it wasn’t a problem. 

We passed through the start line, and I was grateful for a decent, but not surprisingly, my legs didn’t really feel like running at a 7 minute pace anymore. I pushed as much as I could, still hoping to catch 3rd place. The very end of the race, through the town of Hood River was flat and I felt like I had barely enough in my legs to go on. I slogged to the finish line. 4th place woman! I was just glad my legs could rest. 

With my medal I walked along to the refreshment tent where I saw Ms. 3rd place. I told her congrats and she gave me a concerned look. She was told that her bib had not registered at the turnaround and that her results might be invalid! For a very brief moment, I had a thrill of getting the spot I wanted, but thought better when realizing how upsetting it would be to run such a great race and not get the credit. I wished her good luck and told her I hoped it would be straightened out, and I sincerely meant it. 

I went over to the results tent just to check on things, and there I was listed as 4th woman, but surprise…1stin my age group! The first and second place women overall had been my age, so I came out on top when they were factored out. I quickly realized I needed to get back to the hotel, clean up and change, grab Eva, check out and make it back for awards!

So yet another race began. No time for luxurious recovery! I got it all done quickly and we made it back in time and in time for Eva to pet some dogs and see them finish their race. The awards ceremony began with overall men and women, and guess who didn’t show up for her award…3rd place!! I was a little annoyed, but I didn’t deserve it like she did. I got my first in age group award (a pint glass) and Eva and I headed into town to spend the rest of our Oregon vacation together. What a wonderful trip and what a wonderful daughter. 

[1310miles]

Columbia Gorge Marathon, Hood River, Oregon

October 22, 2023

3:47:21

[1310miles]

Forty Three

As I’ve written about before, the scheduling of these remaining marathons is getting trickier. I think back to the early days where I had so many to choose from and now, I’ve got to really think about timing to make sure I hit every state. If it were so to happen that my last six states only had marathons in the same month or week, I’d really have an issue! Thankfully, I think I’ve got my plans sorted out well. However, I have less of a preference of where I travel to. The locations within the states are really based on timing rather than where I’d like to go. For instance, in South Dakota, I would have preferred to do a race in the western part of the state and made a trip with the kids to the Badlands and Mount Rushmore. Instead, I needed to check it off the list, so I made my reservations for Sioux Falls. 

It was a snap decision, and I wasn’t through a full training cycle, but if I didn’t run it, I didn’t see any way to get a race in to couple with my planned marathon in Oregon in October. I considered the Sioux Falls race to be a training run for Oregon and went in with the mentality that I shouldn’t (and didn’t need to) push too hard. I pursued this marathon so late that registration was full, and I had to register for their “ultra,” which was the marathon plus a 5k afterward. I contacted race management to confirm that I didn’t have to do both races to be considered a finisher. They said I would be fine just doing the marathon, but it did sit in the back of my head as a concern. 

I was in Sioux Falls a day early to explore, run and relax. I had trouble doing the latter though because my hotel wasn’t making things easy. First, their cable system was out, so my plans to rot in bed all day and watch crime tv were foiled. Second, I couldn’t seem to beg my way into getting a late check out; no matter who I asked, they held the line that there was zero chance.

I needed to be out of the room at 10am on Sunday, and since the race started at 7am, there was simply no way I could get showered. I thought about how I would be on the plane as a disgusting post 26.2-mile mess. I thought about trying to find another hotel and sneak in their fitness facility (this hotel didn’t have one). I thought about all the angles. And then I put two and two together. 

I put on my most pathetic voice and approached the front desk again. I was here to relax in a new city, and not only had housekeeping not cleaned my room on Saturday, the tv was not working. I was feeling so very unwelcome in town, and especially by the Hilton organization. I wanted the clerk to pass on how dissatisfied I was to management. Oh, what’s that? Can you do anything to make my stay any better considering these issues? Sigh. I guess not. Oh wait…maybe there is something. Thus, I got a late check out at noon. 

The morning came and I could see the starting line from my hotel window. I was right across the street so I didn’t have to contend with parking and the finish was at the same spot so getting back would be easy too. I befriended a woman in the lobby, and we walked there together. She’s also doing 50 states but was only around 20 races in. She was also planning on doing the 5k after the marathon, so I started thinking maybe I could as well. It was just an idea. 

At the start were all the standard songs runners are familiar with at races. “Born to Run,” “Back in Black,” “Run this Town,” “Eye of the Tiger,” and the Macklemore classic “Ceiling Can’t Hold Us.” That last one is a real ear worm, and I got it stuck in my head. The field was small, 250 runners. We headed out to tackle the Sioux Falls region. 

The scenery was pleasant. We basically followed the river which loops south and then north around the city. The tourism bureau photo op location is the “Falls” which we arrived at around mile 5. This is a rocky park that the river cascades down. Lots of spectators there, and what’s that? A familiar song…”Ceiling Can’t Hold Us.” Just as I had gotten it out of my head. 

For ten days before the race, Chicago (and Sioux Falls) experienced a heat wave. We were hitting almost 100 for a few days and I was nervous about the conditions for the race. I hydrated better than I ever had prior to a race, and I was practically floating by the time the day arrived. Miraculously, the heat stopped just for us and the temps were in the high 50s. Really tolerable, but I still stopped and walked through the aid stations. Like I mentioned, I planned to run the race easy, and I didn’t want to over stress. 

Since I wasn’t speeding or stressing, the idea of doing that 5k at the end started taking shape. I thought a lot about how amazed everyone would be when I told them that I had done an Ultra! It felt like an interesting way to experience the race and hit another accomplishment. I knew it started at 10:45 and I though perhaps I’d make it to the starting line just in time. 

There were not a lot of spectators in this race, and frankly not a lot of runners. At one point I was so alone for so long that I stopped a family in a park to confirm that I was still on the race route. The spectators I did see were leap frogging the course and they became familiar sights. One man told me as I crested a hill “it’s all downhill from here.” He and I both knew it was a lie, and I told him I was holding him to it. The next time I saw him, he acted afraid of my wrath, and I told him he was a big fat liar, all in good fun. 

Along the way, I heard that damn Macklemore song 2.5 more times!!! I say .5 because I couldn’t tell if I had just absorbed the rhythm of the music into my psyche that all songs sounded like it or that I really had heard it that one additional time. I feel like someone needs to write a new “running inspiration” song ASAP. 

As is my new strategy, I was working on getting in the top three in my age group. It’s a good way to keep occupied and keep going when I feel like dogging it in a race. Pursuing women along the course kept me really engaged. I would pass a woman and then just take notice of the next one up ahead and make a plan to overtake her (if this was being written by a man, it would sound nefarious). Along the way I passed 9 women, and I observed something interesting. I could spot a female runner from far away because only women were wearing colors in the race. Almost all the men were wearing black shorts and black shirts. Most women were wearing bright fun colors. I felt like the black clothes were the wrong choice in the heat. 

Coming up on the end of the race I began reconsidering the next 5k. I felt alright, but I was going to miss the start of the race and I felt sure I would need to walk a good part of it. I was also feeling less confident in my late check out and hoping that the hotel manager wasn’t planning on kicking me out early or taking back the clerk’s promise to me. I decided to just plan on finishing, but if I felt awesome, jump into the 5k late.

The finish line was one of the most frustrating I’ve experience. Although we came upon what looked like the end, we were sent around a stadium, and ran the finish on the track inside the stadium. My watch was already reading 26.2 so each step felt like too much extra effort. Additionally, I had started to sprint to stay ahead of one final woman who looked like she could be in my age group, and the extended finish was really stressing my speed. When I finally crossed the line, my watch read 26.57, and I did beat her soundly. 

I was dead though. Just couldn’t even fathom running 3.1 more miles. I gave up on the ultra and tried to make my way to the hotel. In a sign that I had enough, I tried to step over a barrier and my entire hamstring cramped up. I screamed and then laughed. No way. I was done. 

Back at the hotel, I showered and didn’t overstay my welcome. I did in fact get 3rd in my age group and the “medal” would be mailed to me. On the way out of the lobby, my friend from the morning was walking in. She had just finished the 5k after running the marathon and getting 4th place overall! 

[1310miles]

Sioux Falls Marathon, South Dakota

August 27, 2023

3:56:39

[1310miles]

Forty Two

What do you think of when you see the word Idaho? I bet it’s not “girls’ trip!” but that didn’t stop my three best friends from college joining me on marathon number 42 to Coeur D’Alene, Idaho. Elissa, Christie and Veronica have been my friends for almost 30 years, and it’s been over 14 years since we traveled together. We planned an adventurous time in Idaho, with my marathon being just a segment of a packed itinerary and four days of laughs and fun.

All three of them got up early on Sunday morning to walk to the starting line with me. We stayed at the host hotel and it was just a short distance to the start. It was a marathon participant only starting line, and there were very few runners. All total, under 300 people ran the race.

The fastest pace group sign was 3:45, and I wanted to stick with him or faster because I had four goals for this race, increasing in difficulty. 1. Finish under 4 hours. 2. Qualify for Boston. 3. Win my age group. 4. Get a personal record. My race goals have definitely changed in the past two years. It was just recently that it was a goal to get ten minute miles, and winning an age group seemed impossible. I think it’s mostly due to getting older, but qualifying for Boston is simple now.

Sizing up the crowd I thought I had a good chance to run faster than a lot of women, so I started with that idea in mind. I decided to count how many women passed me and how many I passed along the way. For me, it’s really difficult to estimate how old someone is if they are between 30-50, so I thought I’d just do my best to keep the total of women in my head.

We headed out of the city quickly and began to follow Lake Coeur D’Alene. The race was a route path unlike one I’ve done before. I thought of it as a figure-eight of sorts. We started in the center and ran north, then turned on point and ran directly back to the center. Once there, we ran south and again turned on point and traced our way back to the center. I found this unfortunate because I really limited the amount of scenery we were able to admire. Additionally, despite the beauty of the lake and the surrounding mountains, the race route was along a highway with limited views. It seemed like a missed opportunity. We did get glimpses of the lake, and the trees smelled amazing, but it was also just a lot of exposed asphalt.

The girls were eager to support me in the race, but upon looking at the route, I was concerned that the highway would be closed and accessing the race route would be impossible. We agreed to only two vantage spots, and I could tell they were really disappointed in not seeing me more. I was very frustrated when I got to mile three and realized that the highway was fully open and we were running on the shoulder. The girls could have easily followed me almost the entire way!

In studying the race elevation map, I was concerned about two major hills at miles 5 and 6. I really let this concern get in my head and I felt a lot of doubt in my ability to handle them. I hit the beginning of the first hill and figured I would just run it until I was too slow and then walk. I charged up the base and it wasn’t horrible, so I persevered. I thought it would continue to rise, but at the top I realized that was it! Somehow the elevation chart made the hill out to be much longer and steeper. With a doubtful mind that maybe I was missing something or the worst was to come, I headed to the next hill. Again, it was really manageable and I charged up without too much difficulty. I was so pleased to have conquered the two biggest worries I had in the race.

After the hills, I began to see runners returning on the route from the turnaround. I found this shocking since the turnaround was at mile 9ish and these runners didn’t look especially speedy. Some were really struggling and they didn’t seem enthused to be “winning” the race. I also couldn’t understand how they could have been so fast to have run 5 miles more than me that quickly! Then it occurred to me, there was an earlier start to provide time for those who were concerned on finishing within the 6 hour cut off. These folks had started the race an hour earlier than me! Sure enough, another mile or so later I saw the real winner of the race flying past.

The plan was for the girls to find their way through back roads to mile 9, just before the turnaround, and post up there so they could see me twice. As I got there, I realized that they hadn’t been successful, but then I saw Christie and Veronica shout from their car! They saw me! But where was Elissa?

Upon reaching the turnaround, I had not been passed by any women, and I passed on. I had kept count of the ones I saw returning, and figured there were about 9 of them. Shortly after the turnaround I did get passed by a woman my age, who I could hear approaching for several minutes. Something about her gait or her shoes really irritated my ears. Her running was driving me a little crazy (I don’t think it was because I was angry that she passed me). Unfortunately, we were running at practically the same speed. I would try to pass her, but then she would pass me right back. It was a frustrating irritation and for the first time in all of my running, I had a competitor that I was trying to beat! I thought of my friend Nancy Werner, who is such an incredible athlete and a fierce competitor. I decided to channel my inner Nancy and make it a goal to beat this woman in the race!

I got to see Christie and Veronica again as I came from the turnaround. They had a couple signs and they were shouting me name. But again, no Elissa. I couldn’t figure it out. I thought through the scenarios: did she go back to the hotel and need to sleep? Did she get sick or hurt? Was there an emergency at home that she needed to talk to her family about?

I continued on for a mile or two, going up the back sides of the earlier hills. They were longer and more difficult this direction, and I began to suspect that I had run the first third of the race too fast. I think that the ease of the hills gave me too much confidence and I pushed too hard. I was afraid the next 15 miles were going to be very difficult.

I got a boost by finally seeing all three of the girls along the side of the road. Turns out, they had missed me (because I was running too fast) and Elissa was looking for me at a point I had already passed. They made up for it by being the loudest fans on the race route! They went wild when they saw me, with signs and a cow bell. They shouted my name, and then Christie shouted “she has a blog” which put a huge smile on my face. A runner near me said “you have awesome friends” to which I replied “I sure do!”

We continued on as the day heated up. The race field was very small, so there were very few people around me (probably why I could hear my competitor’s shoes so distinctly). Also, that means very few spectators. Overall, I think this was the quietest race I’ve ever run. The aid stations were very sparse too. One every four to five miles was too little as it got hot. To make the stations worse, they featured individual small bottles of water, not cups, and the bottles weren’t open! It was not good. Upon approaching a station, you had to stop, get the bottle, and wrestle with the cap. Then drinking out that little spout was challenging. I choked the first time and then elected to walk and drink the rest of the stops.  

We came back through downtown Coeur D’Alene, where the race started and where the half marathon was finishing. It was a party for them, but it felt lonely running past and not stopping. At this point we began sharing the route with the half marathon too, and it got crowded. I was feeling really sluggish, knowing that I ran too hard in the first half, and I still had at least 11 miles to go. Additionally, I was so thirsty. I couldn’t remember having water since mile 12.

I began to freak out. This happens sometimes when I don’t know when the water opportunity is going to arrive. I look ahead and if I don’t see it, I start panicking. I was still sweating, which was good, but since I was slowing down, I felt like time was running out for me. And the miles just kept passing without a stop. Finally, I came up on one. It was on the opposite side of the road, where the half marathon was coming from their turn around. I needed that water, but I was told by a volunteer that OUR water stop was coming at the turnaround. I was a bit confused, and I couldn’t figure it out exactly, but I wasn’t worried because the girls were right there to cheer me on!

Yay! I get to see them and I get to drink the water bottle that I had given them at the starting line. It was at least half full and I had passed it off to them, telling them to toss it, but I was sure they kept it.

I was a mess, but I was able to eek out “could you give me my water bottle?” They just smiled and were cheering. I said it a bit louder, and Christie seemed to process it, but no one else. I said it again, and Christie got Elissa’s attention and said “do you have her water?” Elissa, looking very forlorn, said “she told me to throw it away so I did!”

Man. That was a blow. But I told them it was ok and I pushed on. I felt terrible for stressing them out, because I could hear the ensuing conversation as I left. I was scanning everywhere for our turnaround or for another aid station when reality dawned on me. First, that volunteer thought I was with the half marathon and that turnaround was eminent. Second, that aid station was running out of water and they didn’t want the oncoming runners drinking it. And third, I was going to have to wait at least four miles for the next water.

This is the point that I begin my hallucinations. I start thinking about what discarded thing on the side of the road I can drink from. I think about what residences or stores may offer me water. I think about turning around to get the water again. Believe me, I’ve been thirsty like this before and I always have these crazy ideas.

As I was losing hope, I found a savior. A family along the course was hosting a party to watch the marathon from their backyard. They had real cups set up with ice cold water. I was almost brough to tears. I drank two cups and thanked them so much. I’m not sure what I could have done without them. Soon after I saw two kids with offering lemonade to the runners. They were on the opposite side, but I made a mental note to take the lemonade on the way back because they looked sad that they weren’t giving any out.

The girls hurried ahead and saw me at mile 21, apologizing profusely for their lack of water. I think they even had a bottle to offer me! But that was old news, and I needed to keep racing, so I just said I was ok and continued on. I was searching for the final turnaround, which felt like it would never come. I kept doing the math for how far we had to run back and I felt like it should be around every turn. On my right were baseball fields full of teams warming up. I thought about my son at his tournament that weekend. I was sad to be missing it and really wanted to make my absence worthwhile by running a good race. Finally without much fanfare, the turnaround appeared and I had a huge wave of relief. The home stretch was in my sights. And my feet began to fly! Turns out, since mile 15, I had been running a gradual uphill. That’s why I was so sluggish and so exhausted!

My legs were back and my spirits were high. I arrived at the lemonade stand ready for an injection of sugar and asked for a glass. The kid said “that will be a dollar…” HAHAHA! I said “oh honey…I don’t have any money!!!” and laughed as I ran away. That’s why they were having such a tough day: no sales.

On the way back through I saw the girls and said “see you at the finish.” I was working to stay ahead of my competitor, and I knew she was slightly behind me from the turn we made. I never ever race anyone, so this was new to me, but from everything I’ve heard anecdotally, you are not supposed to look behind at your competition. It puts you off kilter, and it shows them that you are threatened. I kept my view straight ahead, though I was dying to look. There was one turn that I knew I’d be able to glance to the side and see her, around mile 23. I decided to turn my head, and she was back at least 100 yards…walking! I knew I had the victory!!!

By this point we were incorporated with the half marathon again, and with those who had started the marathon early. We were approaching the finishers’ village, which was just past the resort hotel I was staying in. It was very clogged up and I was keeping my eye out for the first finishers wearing medals which is my sure sign that the finish is close by. I was also having a hard time understanding which direction to run toward the finish because it was poorly marked. I started to panic when I thought about running too far or finishing in the wrong place and having to turn around.

Just then I heard some women cheering my name, but it wasn’t the girls! It was a mother-daughter duo from California with whom we had white water rafted the day before. What perfect timing! The daughter had planned to run the half marathon, so I guess they were just leaving the finishers’ village. It put a huge smile on my face.

My smile quickly faded as I continued to search for signs of the route to the finish line. I felt like I was all alone as there were no runners or spectators along this final segment. I should have been able to see the finish line, but I couldn’t and it felt like I was just running to nowhere. Then I realized that I needed to make a final turn and then another to see the end and I sped up a little through that inspiration.

I came through and looked around, expecting the girls to be along the sidelines. I searched the crowd, and then finally saw them standing near the entrance to the refreshments. They were so excited for me! I was thrilled to be done, and so happy they were there. Within a few moments, my competitor came through the finish. She told me “good job” and I confessed I had been working to beat her! She kind of laughed, and then slinked away.

My time was good enough to beat two of my four goals: under 4 and Boston Qualified. I could not have run a personal best on that course, due to the hill profile. I was happy with my time but a little frustrated that I had trained so hard and the course was just too tough to fly through. The final goal was age group winner, and although I thought I definitely got in the top three, I didn’t figure I did it. Elissa (former journalist) when to investigate and she hurried back with news. I had won my age group! I was stunned. I got tears in my eyes (and so did Veronica). It was so very exciting to be on that podium as the winner, even though I only got a crummy pint glass (not a medal) as my reward.

[1310miles]

Coeur d'Alene Marathon, Idaho

May 28, 2023

3:45:45

[1310miles]

Forty one

My dear mother passed away on December 22nd. It’s no exaggeration to say that my heart was broken that day and that I’m still probably in a state of shock. Proceeding with normal life while you are grieving is an unsettling experience. I have felt off balance, as though I am functioning on two different plains. All this being said, I wasn’t in the mind set to run my next marathon on January 15th.

I arranged this trip back in September with my friend Lisa. Lisa is pursuing the goal of running a half marathon in all 50 states, and since we are both single travelers, she reached out to coordinate at least one trip together in 2023. It was far outside my experience to travel with another runner, but in the spirit of pushing my comfort zone, I jumped in. We were headed for a three day trip to Baton Rouge, Louisiana!

Right off the marathon I ran in Maine, I continued my training. My mom’s medical issues became apparent in early December, and despite traveling back and forth to Indiana often that month, I was able to keep up with my long runs and check my workouts off. Everything took a terrible turn the week of Christmas, however, and even though it would have helped my mental state, I wasn’t able to run for several days over a two week stretch.

Coming into January, not only did I not feel enthusiastic about traveling and running a marathon, I was nervous that my training hadn’t been complete. If it wasn’t for Lisa, I would have likely bailed on the marathon and the trip. But I had committed to her, and in my heart I knew it would be good for me to go, so I packed my shoes and lowered my expectations.

Lisa was so easy to travel with, and we had a great time getting to Louisiana. I even got some speed work in while sprinting to our connecting flight in Houston. We arrived late Friday, and on Saturday morning we got out for a nice run along the Mississippi River. It was incredible to see the sun shine after many dark days in the Midwest.

At the expo, we discovered that Lisa Way was not registered for the half marathon! She created quite a queue behind her while she sorted through what must have gone wrong. Through sleuthing, the expo volunteers finally discovered that when she registered, she auto filled her last name as her email address. We had a great laugh as we imagined her results being posted as “Lisa lisaway77@gmail.com.”

Downtown Baton Rouge was sleepy and there were no interesting tourist attractions within walking distance, so the rest of our Saturday found us laying in our hotel room, reading and napping. Exactly what we both needed! We talked about our plans for the race, and based on the route map, we saw that we could run together for 11 miles. That’s where the half marathon would break off from the marathon.

Lisa was planning to take the race very easy. She is strong and fast, but she hadn’t trained hard for this race and wasn’t doing much speed work. She thought she’d run about 9:15 miles. I thought about starting and staying with her. But as I laid there, I couldn’t think of a compelling reason as to why I couldn’t run faster. True, my focus was shaken, and my training wasn’t 100% complete, but I had been running strong. Additionally, I find that if I don’t run “my” speed, my body feels uncomfortable and eventually hurts. If I started with Lisa at the speed she planned to go, I might find the race more challenging than if I pushed my pace and ran quicker. I decided my plan would be to start at 8:25 miles and try to keep up that pace.

Sunday morning we walked to the starting line at the state capital building. The sun was just coming up and Lisa and I were in our matching visors. We took off and quickly headed out of downtown Baton Rouge toward the garden district and LSU. For as non-descript as the downtown area was, the residential areas were amazing. I have never run through such unique, diverse residential architecture in any other race. I was so entertained by looking at all the different houses and admiring them. Also, it was refreshing to see leaves on trees and green plants growing.

We headed into the LSU campus, which was enormous. It looked like we were going to go inside Tiger Stadium, but we only ran around the perimeter. I was thinking about how wild and busy games days must be there. The campus was so spread out you would definitely need a car if you went to school there. It was miles from one end to the other.

As we came out of campus and back into a neighborhood, we circled a few lakes that just added to the beautiful ambiance. We rounded one corner and I was preoccupied with reading a spectators sign when I tripped on the ground at the same moment as the man next to me did the same thing! I recovered easily, but he almost fell completely onto his face. It was strange, there must have been a rise in the pavement right there, and it caught us both dragging our feet. Honestly, the roads that we ran in Baton Rouge were in terrible condition. Potholes everywhere. Worse than Chicago! The “falling guy” and I stayed about the same pace the entire race. I would catch up with him or he would catch up with me, but in general we were pretty much matched and laughed about him almost wiping out more than once.

I was cruising along, running around 8:25 miles consistently. My body felt good and the weather and course were basically perfect. The temperature lingered in the low 50s and the sun was out but not too bright. There were no notable hills, but the course wasn’t flat. There were slight ups and downs that kept my muscles engaged. Flat courses just feel tiring because you are using the same muscles the entire time. It was nice to not have to plan for some extreme hill late in the race, but it can be nice to have a great downhill to fly down. None in this race.

Running at such a consistent pace had me lingering around the 3:40 pace group. I never stuck with the group tightly, but they kept passing me and I kept passing them. The group was led by one male runner for the first half, and then he was joined by his friend for the second half. The new assistant leader seemed to simply provide relief from holding the “3:40” sign and to add some energy. They were both nice guys and seemed to know everyone along the course.

Around mile 20, the leader shouted “is anyone here doing their first marathon?” and some runners from the group said they were. Then he shouted “is anyone here doing the 50 states challenge?” to which I said I was. They were all boisterous when I said it would be my 41st state. A woman next to me said “have you heard of the sub 4 club? Because you are running a great pace!” and of course I told her about the people I met in New Hampshire, and that I’d have to run about 30 of my marathons over again to qualify!

I had engaged with this same woman a little earlier in the race. She was running in front of me, and I was looking at the back of her t-shirt. It had a picture of a chicken head and underneath, it said “teaching chickens how to read.” I became lost in thought…teaching chickens how to read!?!? How is this possible. What a very, very strange thing to put on a t-shirt. Looking up again, I realized that my exhausted running brain had completely interpreted it wrong. The shirt said “teaching chickens how to run.” Ok, yes, that’s still very strange. So I told her I thought she was teaching chickens how to read and how silly that was. She laughed, and then told me that she has a chicken sanctuary and saves chickens from slaughter and lets them live out their lives on her farm. I told her that perhaps she could try to teach them how to read in her free time.

The miles continued to add up, and my pace was holding strong. Spectators were really great during this race. Most of the course was through residential areas, so lots of neighbors had their lawns set up to cheer for us. Pretty much everyone was drinking heavily. One of the best lawns advertised a “Corona shot and a Kleenex” and they featured small cups of Corona beer. They were all having a good time, as I think people in Baton Rouge do almost every chance they get.

The finish line was back in downtown Baton Rouge, so as I came out of the final neighborhood, I could see the capital building and knew I just needed to make it there. My energy stayed high and when we were at 1.25 miles left to go, a runner said “only five laps around the track.” I liked that because that’s how I think a lot. I was glad to hear that other people do the same thing. About a quarter mile from the finish I saw Lisa, who had run the half marathon, gone back to shower, and had a coffee in hand. She cheered me on as I came through the finish line. I commiserated with the 3:40 group, the falling guy and the chicken lady, all of us congratulating each other. 

Another 2nd place win in my age group resulted in another awesome medal! It could have been a big celebration, because all of the finishers were given SIX drink tickets to enjoy at the after race party. But Lisa and I needed to head for the airport and return home. We did celebrate with chicken and waffles though. I hope that chicken that I ate didn’t know how to read.