2010.07.25 – 2010 San Francisco Marathon

OK, so I have been a bad blogger. It has been over a month since the 2010 San Francisco Marathon and too much work has gotten in the way. My apologies to those that I promised my recap and photos weeks ago.

The Golden Gate Bridge appears through the fog as we near mile 2

This was one of those marathons that I looked forward to for some time.  First, I was heading to one of the favorite cities of my wife, Ali. That meant she was in tow. Additionally, having run over the Golden Gate bridge a couple of other times, I looked forward to running in the actual roadway. I also knew it would be cool, so I thought that would be a good trade off for the hills that inevitably come with San Fran. Finally, after the race we were going to spend a couple of extra days touring some of the niche wineries of the Napa Valley. What more could one ask for?

We spent our time in the city in the Omni Hotel (500 California Street) which was an affordable and comfortable choice for the race.  It was about a half mile from the Start/Finish, which was on the Embarcadero near just north of the Bay Bridge. It was reasonably priced for San Francisco, and offered runners complimentary bananas and bagels on race day. It was also a short walk from Starbucks and the Hyatt, which is where we caught a shuttle to the expo.

Temps in San Fran were as expected – low 60s and breezy during the day and low 50s and also breezy in the evening – and was perfect for running.  According to Ali, much less perfect for spectating.

The expo was nice sized and had Bart Yasso, Chief Running Officer of Runner’s World, as one of the featured speakers.  Bart is such a cool guy, and no matter how many times you hear him speak he always makes it enjoyable and inspirational. Somehow I can go through an expo by myself and manage to never spend a buck, except maybe the necessary GU. Bring along Ali, and well…  This time it was a TRX workout gizmo.  She had started training on it in Sarasota and (off course) they were demoing it at the event. Cha-ching. $200 later…

The race shirt was pretty cool – a short sleeve technical shirt in royal blue with light blue lettering.  The back design had a depiction of the Golden Gate Bridge and is one that I will definitely wear.  In my opinion however, the trend continued with the nicer shirts going to the half marathoners.  They were basically the same design but the colors were reversed and looked much nicer.

Ali (barely visible), Mary Beth and Paul Fournier, Lisa Reid, Ann Sloan, me and Tom Scott at the Maniac pre-race pasta dinner. That is Tory Klemensten's hubby Roy visible at the other table.

In advance of the race a bunch of MMs had been coordinating online to rendezvous for a pre-race dinner.  Actually, it turns out there were a couple of MM dinners that night.  In any case, the friends I have made in the NW this summer were kind enough to include me.  Tory Klemensten remembered a cozy Italian restaurant in North Coast, Café Bejoule, and she and her husband Roy set up reservations for 12 of us. Lisa Reid (also running for wine), Ann Sloan, Tom Scott, all who we dined with in Portland, joined in the fun. Also along were Paul and Mary Beth Fournier from the Chicagoland area. It was good to see Paul again and he was celebrating the running of his 150th marathon.  Tory’s sister and brother-in-law rounded out our party. We had a great time, laughed until we cried, and probably wore out our stay with management as we probably occupied about 25% of the restaurant and there was a long line outside.

Giz, Erin Ali and I outside Cafe DeLucio

One side note. In that long line, as we were walking out, was my cousin Loraina Miller, and her family from Mesa, AZ.  Neither of us had any idea the other was in San Francisco, let alone dining in this small little restaurant – at that particular time. What a neat surprise! We should have played the lottery that day, for sure.

Race day came early. I was up at about 4:30 am as the first (elite) runners were off at 5:32.  I was in Corral #7 and got to my corral early (for me) at 6:25 am for our 6:32 start. (Note to self, next time fib on your anticipated finish time like everyone else did so that you can run with your friends… )  We finally got away about 10 minutes late, with yet another wave behind us. Oddly, I didn’t see anyone that I knew, including fellow Sarasotan Donna Loud who was supposed to be in the same corral as I was.

Ali was also up early. She was taking the spectator shuttle, which was really a great feature. She was able to buy a ticket for a shuttle bus that allowed her to navigate the course and would allow me to see her at a number of places. Also being a Marathon Maniac, she had her new Sarasota Chapter MM jacket on as well, so I knew that she would be spotted by a number of MMs as well, which would make it more fun for her.

The first few miles were really congested – reminiscent of Miami where I was continually dodging people. The first hill came at mile 2.5 and was a sign of what was to come.  Unlike Tacoma with its 83 hills, San Fran didn’t have as many hills, but the ones that were here definitely were more challenging.  Steep ups and steep downs.  I am a pretty decent downhill runner. Give me a quarter mile hill up and quarter mile hill down and while I will give way to a bunch of people on the upside, I will generally pass all of them back and then some going down. SF was different. With the grade steeper on the decline, there were a lot of times I either had to land on my heels or almost run sideways to stay in control.

We got to the bridge around mile 5.5 after a big climb.  We would make the run over, loop around the SF Lone Sailor Memorial, then return back.  Part of that I really enjoyed as for the entire time we were running against runners going the opposite direction, which meant I got to see a number of my friends that were either ahead or behind me.  The down side was that it was REALLY congested, the bane of an interval runner.  I was running 5/1s and for five minutes I would be running faster than everyone else in my group, then for one minute I am slower. I could pretty much find a way to duck out of the way along the curb when I walked but it really presented problems while I was running. C’est la vie.

I intentionally was trying to leave something in the tank for the back half of the course. Everyone told me the hills were early but the elevation chart told me differently. Coming off the bridge back towards Golden Gate Park we finally got some good downhills where I had a ball running. It was easy and I made up quite a bit of time keeping my pulse rate low (for me).

I saw Ali for the first time at mile 12.25 shortly before we entered Golden Gate Park, and it was a welcome site! She joined me for a walk break and she said she indeed had been seen a number of MMs. It was a great vantage point for her as the course actually converged on itself three times.  She would see me just before I turned into the park, again at mile 13, and then again right after I entered the park, and then as I came out at mile 16.75.

Oh, the park.  First, the entry was a bit confusing. It was where the first half marathon (there were two halves – one starting with us, and the second starting later at the mid-point of the course) and the full split.  We turned right and the half went straight (more on that later). Oh the hils! The highest point and biggest climb was in the park.  It seemed to me like we were either going up or down, primarily up, since we had a net gain of 200+ feet in the park. My goal of saving something for the park was a good idea, I just didn’t save enough. It was obvious by mile 16.75 this was definitely not going to be a PR day.

GG & Dave Mari - striking the pose!

Coming out of the park I got to spend another couple of minutes with Ali and then I was off towards the finish.  About mile 17 I caught up with MM Dave Mari from Chicago. He truly knows how to enjoy a marathon! Perhaps only Bart Yasso and Dick Beardsley have had their photo taken with more marathoners.  Dave’s pose with outstretched arms, double peace signs and puckered-face has become legendary.  I absolutely had to stop and join the club.  Shortly thereafter I caught the “Walking Diva” Yolanda Holder.  Yolanda and I tried to “self shoot” with her iPhone. Fortunately Dave caught us and saved the day.  Yeah, time consuming, but fun.

GG & Yolanda Holder imitating Dave Mari

About mile 19 I caught Paul Fournier.  We ran together for a few minutes, but Paul was still having some nagging foot problems and I was out to at least do a sub-5, so I was off again.

Finally the big downhill that I had been waiting for arrived around mile 20.  I was ready to set sail but once again it was a tough downhill.  I did pick off about 100 runners, my guess many were runners in the second half marathon, but nonetheless it felt good to be able to pick up the pace.

By mile 23 mile quads had clearly had enough of the hills.  What I wasn’t expecting was the big hill that appeared there. It was SUPPOSED to be basically flat to the finish past mile 20. Uh, not so much.

A scan of my Garmin told me that it was going to be close.  I had clearly dilly-dallied too long taking pictures, walking with Ali, and walked up a couple too many hills.  I had 36 minutes to get in the last 3.2 miles, and I knew that was going to be tough.  I basically went into survival mode, the fun was gone, and even if I had to resort to 15 seconds/15 seconds I was going to keep moving as fast as I could.

By mile 24 it was basically flat. A few nameless runners leapfrogged back and forth with me the last 3 miles, providing the additional competitive incentive to keep the pace up. Running in along the waterfront and Embarcadero was a nice distraction as well.  I needed it.

At mile 25 I was pretty well shot and had 11 minutes to go 1.2 miles.  At the beginning of the race a no-brainer.  At the END of SF, hardly.  I kept churning using every mind game there was to keep pushing.

As I hit mile 26 my watch turned 4:58.  I had been running as hard as I could go for the previous 0.3 and was just mad at myself for letting a sub-5 slip away.  I could see another 5:00.21 like Chicago looming. I decided if I collapsed and puked at the finish I was still going to make it.

My finish video shows me zipping past 12 – 15 runners in the last 200 yards (well, maybe not zipping, but definitely at a much faster clip than everyone else) while my finish line photo shows I had absolutely nothing left in the tank.  I crossed the line, looked down and stopped my watch. It simply read 5:00 (as the seconds weren’t display). Crap.

Following the finish we filed through the chute, got my food, and met Ali who had my congratulatory hug and kissed for another one finished.  A few minutes later she got a text from the marathon – my official finish time.  4:59.58.  I had made it and it took me three seconds to stop my watch! I always say if my time starts with a “4” and I am not injured that I will be happy. Both of those had occurred so a big smile crossed my face. I guarantee you I don’t ever want to cut it any closer!

GG with his bling

The medal was a nice sized one, and also had a depiction of the bridge.  Compared to a few others I saw displayed at the expo of upcoming events it was a disappointment, but it was definitely a decent medal compared to many that I have received.

So the question is, would I do it again? The simply answer is, probably not.  I am definitely happy that I can say I ran San Francisco, but there certainly wasn’t enough luster to bring me back. Perhaps if I had been able to run with someone else that I knew, it may have helped.  The run over and back across the bridge definitely wasn’t nearly as exciting as I had hoped.  Actually, with the congestion, it was a pain. Then there are the hills. Those in Golden Gate park definitely weren’t any fun, and there were plenty of others. Then, with the exception of Haight Ashbury the city really didn’t even know there was a marathon going on, making for some scenic but mind numbing running. Sometimes the allure is much better than the experience.

One final note – I want to again congratulate Paul Fournier on completing marathon #150.  That is simply fantastic!

My scorecard:
Organization:    4
Expo:        4
Course:        3 (hills/congestion)
Fan Support:    2
Aid Stations:    3
Entertainment:    1
Race Shirt:    4
Medal:        3
Omni Hotel    4
Post Race:    2
Overall Cost to Run:  1
Total:    31/55

2010.11.01 – My Top 25 Favorite Marathons

Everyone has their favorite marathons, and certainly so do I.  Here are my top 25 favorites, and interestingly enough, it has nothing to do with my fastest events, but more importantly, the ones I had the most fun in and/or that I felt had the best courses.  Mind you, I have only run 36 marathons (and unless something drastically changes) the 2008 Albuquerque Marathon will always be the worst.

My Top 20 (after 43 marathons):

1. 2010 Boston Marathon – Boston, MA
2. 2010 Zoom Yah! Yah! – Northfield, MN
3. 2008 Marine Corps Marathon – Arlington, VA
4. 2008 26.2 with Donna – Jacksonville, FL
5. 2009 Marine Corps Marathon – Arlington, VA
6. 2009 Chicago Marathon – Chicago, IL
7. 2010 Des Moines Marathon – Des Moines, IA
8. 2010 Quebec City Marathon – Quebec, Quebec
9. 2008 Milwaukee’s Lakefront Marathon – Milwaukee, WI
10. 2010 InStep Icebreaker Indoor Marathon – Milwaukee, WI
11. 2010 Tacoma Marathon – Tacoma, WA
12. 2010 Southern Indiana Classic – Evansville, IN
13. 2009 Indianapolis Monumental Marathon – Indianapolis, IN
14. 2010 Athens Classic Marathon – Athens, Greece
15. 2010 Steamtown Marathon – Scranton, PA
16. 2010 Rock ‘N’ Roll Mardi Gras Marathon – New Orleans, LA
17. 2010 Casper Marathon – Casper, WY
18. 2009 Myrtle Beach Marathon – Myrtle Beach, SC
19. 2009 Snickers Marathon – Albany, GA
20. 2009 Rock ‘N’ Roll Arizona Marathon – Phoenix, AZ
21. 2010 Omaha Marathon – Omaha, NE
22. 2008 Missoula Marathon – Missoula, MT
23. 2010 Foot Traffic Flat Marathon – Sauvie Island, OR
24. 2009 MS Gulfcoast Marathon – Bay St. Louis, MS
25. 2009 Indianapolis Monumental Marathon – Indianapolis, IN
    (and forever last) 2008 Albuquerque Marathon – Albuquerque, NM (fittingly no longer in existence)

2010.07.09 – Greg’s Updated Marathon Schedule

OK, this is a quick post.  I have had a multitude of questions as to what the rest of 2010 looks like, and if I really am going to get to 50 states (plus DC) before the end of 2011.

I have attached the latest edition of my schedule as a .PDF file. I hope it is readable.  Please pardon the various colors – they really do mean something to me.

The surprise when I updated things today is that if things go as planned (always a big ‘if’) that I will actually run 29 states in 2010.  My goal was 23 (I have said 24 to give myself room for error).  That is Level 8 in the Marathon Maniac association.  There is no Level 9. (I didn’t make the rules…) Level 10, the highest level is, you guessed it, 30 states in a 12 month period.  So, who knows. IF I stay on track, being the Type A that I am (OCD, too?), I will probably find a way to wedge #30 in.

Believe me, just to get 50 + DC choreographed in a two year period was tough enough.  One marathon missed makes this whole thing a house of cards.  We’ll see.  It will be all fun trying.  At this writing I am 14 marathons into the program, seven months after returning from all my health issues in 2009.  I know there is no guarantee they won’t pop up again so in the meantime I will just keep pounding the pavement with my running buddies, and with the terrific support from my wonderful family!

2010.07.04 – 2010 Foot Traffic Flat Marathon (Sauvie Island, OR)

The enticement to the 2010 Foot Traffic Flat Marathon was that it was a) in Oregon, a state that I still needed; b) billed as a “flat” marathon in the otherwise hilly Northwest; and c) a place in the U.S. that on the 4^th of July should be temperate. I knew it also to be a small marathon, having just over 100 or so finishers in 2009.

After registering a few months back, I looked forward to it as I would have my chief supporters – wife Ali and youngest daughter, Alex in tow, and, after running a number of northern and western events where I had made so many new friends from the NW, I  knew many would be there. With that, we decided to take advantage of the 4th of July and make the trip a long weekend – arriving on Friday and returning on Tuesday.  Besides, it was the best way to amortize the ridiculous airfare (and 8 hours on a plane) required to get to Portland from Tampa.

Our home for the stay was the Silver Cloud Inn – the race hotel.  While certainly not a Ritz, the hotel was more than serviceable, was inexpensive ($109 a night) and one of the closest to the race.  Sauvie Island is located just to the north and west of Portland where the Willamette River, the Columbia River and the Multnomah Channel off the Columbia River all converge. With a decent free breakfast each day (even at 4:30 am on race day) for three people it certainly was a good value.

Packet pickup for the race was held at two of the three Foot Traffic stores in Portland. Saturday it was at the northeast store which was about 15 minutes from the hotel.  While it didn’t have an expo, the store is a nice running store with all the supplies runners need and reasonably priced.  Truth be told, with Ali and Alex in tow, I bought more than I would at most expos. The store had pink missiles (hot dogs) and beer available (at 10 am) and it was at packet pickup where I met fellow Sarasotan, Donna Loud, who had just flown in, along with fellow Maniac and Yuma, AZ runner, Tami Harmon.  Tom Scott who we had gotten to know in Tacoma also appeared, so it was obvious that we were going to have plenty of Maniacs on the course.  Donna and Tami were staying at fellow Maniac Morgan Cummings’ parents’ home, which they so kindly opened up to runners looking for inexpensive accommodations for the weekend. Maniacs (and their parents) rule!

Seven Maniacs at a Pre-Race Dinner - Rick Kahn, Lisa Reid, Ann Sloan, Marc Frommer, Ali Goebel, Greg Goebel and Tom Scott at Justa Pasta in Portland.

Portland native MM #9, Marc Frommer, aka the Maniacs Gatekeeper, had sent out a message on Facebook offering to organize a pre-race dinner at a quaint nearby pasta house – appropriately named Justa Pasta.  We took him up on his offer, as did Tom, and other MMs Lisa Reid, Ann Sloan, and Rick Kahn.  It was a great and inexpensive dinner, and great to get to know Lisa, Ann and Rick.  While posing for this photo we met Tom and Carol Fabian, a couple from Port Charlotte, FL – 45 minutes from our home, who were not only also running the event, but would become the newest Maniacs following the race. It is a small world. (All counted we had 11 Floridians run the event.)

Race day came and while I moaned about getting up at 3:45 am to be ready to catch the 5:00 am shuttle (which left from the hotel) it was a good choice. This was the first year for the shuttles, and 250 of the some 2500 people running the event used it. The shuttles were instituted this year due to the horrible congestion entering the island over the single bridge that accesses it.  A two-lane road circumnavigates much of the island (what became our course) and cars were backed up for 10 minutes when the busses arrived at 5:25 am.  There were many runners for both the full and the half (which started 15 minutes after the full) that missed the start by 15 minutes or more due to arriving late. Some got the pleasure of running ¾ of a mile to the start, to turn around and run back out.  If you are reading this and decide to run in 2011, definitely take the shuttle!

The Engine Bay and Bed of an Old Farm Truck Become the Planter for Flowers on Sauvie Island.

A bit about Sauvie Island.  It is the antithesis of Portland. It is rural farmland in the middle of a river – very much like we would see in the Midwest where we lived for 50 years. The race started and ended at the “Pumpkin Patch”, a privately owned farmers market on the south end of the island.  It did provide a quaint setting.  We had driven the island Saturday to scope out some viewing spots for Ali and Alex, so I knew it wasn’t exactly flat – although for the NW, I suspect it is as flat as it gets.  I certainly pointed this out at the pasta dinner to the groans of my NW friends.  It did provide a scenic route, especially where it split from the half marathon and ran 6 miles up and down the Multnomah Channel where we got to see a number of large river “house-boats” that looked like suburbia floating on the water.

Can You Find the Floridians? GG & Donna in garbage bags, with Tami Harmon, Ann Sloan, and Lisa Reid

The extra time we had at the start gave MMs plenty of time to congregate, as the accompanying photos show.  Larry Macon and Yolanda Holder were both in, doing day two of a triple marathon weekend. I got to meet so many new MMs that space won’t let me list them all, but it was once again a sea of yellow and black on the course.

Slightly over 400 marathoners took the start, up four times over the previous year. Another 2000+ ran the half, and a number were also in a 5K event.  The course took one lane of the two-lane roads around the island, meaning we had to share the road with the natives.

Foot Traffic Flat - the course along the river during the out-and-back portion.

This was not a problem at all as the organizers did a good job with traffic control throughout. The first 5 miles were basically flat, followed by the out and back that had some “rolling hills” that weren’t flat, but again very tolerable. We rejoined the course at mile 16.5 where I got to see Ali and Alex for the first time. We headed inland to cross the island but to my surprise, a quarter mile down the road was a “detour”.  This year the organizers added a 1.5 mile in-and-out. As soon as I made the turn, I saw them. Hills! WTH?? I had no doubt that when I saw them that my NW buddies were thinking of me when THEY saw them, too. (They all told me they were laughing after the race.)

The hills were official gut-checkers for me.  I had decided when I came out this was going to be a go-for-it PR attempt. I was well on pace at mile 16.5 and I knew these could take the starch out. I trudged through knowing that the next 1.5 miles after the hills included a steady mild climb as well.  Out of the hills I had given back some of the time I had banked.  I pushed myself through the next three miles knowing that if I hit mile 21.2 at something under 3:45 I had a good chance.  I cleared 21.2 at 3:44 and the final push was on.

Here I have to thank two women – Emile and Vicki – and fellow Floridian MM Peter Corduan who I had first leapfrogged the course with until the hills.  They were my carrot – I kept chasing them thinking I had to keep them in sight.  I finally caught and passed Peter in the last mile and nearly caught the gals, and that was the ONLY thing, until I FINALLY saw Ali and Alex screaming for me near the finish that kept my mind somewhat diverted from my exploding legs. Without those three folks, who never had any idea, I would have never set my new PR of 4:44.05!

Maniacs Tom Fabian, Melissa Williams, Peter Corduan, GG, Cat Schwartz, Tom Scott and Marc Frommer celebrate a bunch of PRs post race.

The post race spread was pretty decent as well.  More pink missiles were served, along with some very good strawberry shortcake. MMs gathered afterward celebrating a bunch of PRs.  Marc Frommer, who has over 85 marathons over many years running actually lowered his PR to 3:20.31. To do that after running that long is amazing! Lisa Reid also PRed with a 4:14, and Tom Fabian, turned a 4:46.  The only downside was that Donna had a miserable race limping in with a 5:26.  It just goes to show it happens to us all some days.

It was also great to finally get to meet Dana Casanaves after the race. She is a 28 year old from Virginia that is taking on the daunting task of running 52 marathons in 52 weeks to raise funds for the charity 25:40 – helping save South African AIDS Orphans.  I saw her after the turnaround at mile 10.5 and recognized that familiar ITB syndrome limp. She suffered in WAY off her healthy pace but smiling as I have always seen in her race photos.

GG and Donna Loud moments after Donna finishes Foot Traffic Flat

Now to the bling. It sucked. OK, I am from the Midwest originally and now Florida. I favor things that support the environment but my race bling is where I stop.  The shirt, bamboo I am told – though it feels like cotton, was a putrid pastel blue with purple print. It was so bad that I didn’t see anyone wearing one on the course. Only Maryville, MO keeps this from being the worst I have ever received.

The medal wasn’t much better. It was made out of recycled bicycle chains with a recycled cardboard insert and a key-ring clasp attaching it to the ribbon.  Seriously?

The third complaint was the aid stations.  The people were friendly and enthusiastic, but there were only 14, not an issue, but they didn’t offer a sports drink at them all.  On a day that bordered warm for many (from the north) it wouldn’t have cost must more, and would have been appreciated.

The final comment is that while the director was far from a jerk, you could certainly tell the race was being put on by a business rather than a running group. To be sure, he was cordial, as were most of the people that I talked with, but there is a difference to an event put on by people that want to do it rather than by employees. I don’t know how else to put it, but the warmth that has been extended by other events – Zoom! Yah! Yah (of course), Tacoma, Casper, Southern Indiana and the Instep Icebreaker – was missing.  The best real comparison was the Icebreaker as it was a running store event as well.  All I can say is there was a noticeable difference.

All in all, with those few negative comments aside, I would certainly encourage people to run this event. Yeah, it was a PR for me, but beyond that, I had a lot of fun and may never have made it to Portland otherwise.  Portland is certainly an eclectic city, and as a sidebar, gave me an opportunity to meet another Greg Goebel – a jazz songwriter, musician, bicyclist (and nice guy) – who just happened to be playing in Portland while we were there.  What a treat!

My Sauvie Island scorecard:

Organization:     4
Expo:                   3
Course:                4 (a PR has to at least get a 4)
Fan Support:      1
Aid Stations:       3
Entertainment:  1
Race Shirt:           1
Medal:                  2
Hotel:                    4
Post Race:            4
Cost to Run:         2
Total:                 29/55

2010.06.26 – Stressing About Stress Fractures

I just finished a speed run doing mile repeats with quarter mile bursts with my running group to get ready for the Sauvie Island marathon next weekend and got news that just made me sick.

Many of the Marathon Maniacs have gotten to know Morgan Cummings from Houston, TX.  She has been on a mission to become the youngest female ever to finish all 50 states.  She will turn 23 in December, the day after the Las Vegas Marathon which was scheduled to be her 50^th state. She would be breaking the record set by a friend of hers (and fellow Maniac), Laura Skladzinski who completed her 50^th state about a month ago before she turned 25.

I had the chance to run a few miles with Morgan in Olathe, KS, as she talked about her goal, and she is a great gal.  Alas, I learned today that she was running Grandma’s Marathon last weekend and felt a pain in her hip at about Mile 2.  She went ahead and finished, albeit at a pace very unlike what she normally runs (to put it in perspective she was about an hour and a half behind what she ran in Casper).

It turns out that the pain is a stress fracture of her hip. Boom.  The one major catastrophe she could ill afford for her goal, and worse yet – a a broken hip at age 22 doesn’t exactly portend good things for when you hit my age in life. I just feel sick for her as she has completed 32 states already.

Rest is the only treatment I understand, and knowing that a running friend here in Sarasota who IS a doctor had the same thing occur, it takes a while to get back on your game.  The even more worrisome thing is that it seems like every week I talk with someone that I know that is recovering from a stress fracture of something, or has had one.

It certainly reminds me that no matter how well conditioned you are, you can’t take a marathon for granted.  I am nearly 2/3 of the way to my goal of 30 states/countries in 12 months, but I realize (especially after my running came to such an abrupt halt last year over non-running health issues) that every time I lace offers the potential to be my last race for a long while.  One misstep, one calamity and one is revisiting their goals. At least with me, I am now happy with whatever I wind up with.

My heart goes out to Morgan, and all the other friends I have nursing injuries – especially stress fractures. Get well, give yourself time to heal, and keep your heads up. I can say that I have been there, it is no fun, but everyone truly is pulling for you!

2010.06.13 – 2010 Swan Lake Marathon (Viborg, SD)

Swan Lake Christian Camp - in the middle of nowhere!

More coming soon, in the meantime, here are some photos from my 32nd marathon, and 26th state, and my 3rd double-marathon weekend.

Simple stats: 4:58.45, 51st out of 87, and for the first time EVER I received an age group award – 3rd in class (out of 5)! I will take it!  Better yet, I took an hour and 31 minutes off my fastest double, set two months ago!

You can’t miss the fact that we ran in the rain nearly the entire race. Good news is that it was cool. Bad news is that 16.6 miles were on gravel, which was really dirt, which became good old-fashioned mud with all the torrential rains.

Six Marathon Maniacs at the Swan Lake Pasta Party and no one in a MM shirt!

Viborg, SD. Population 832, 141 cows, 63 hogs, and a bunch of Green Bay Packer Fans!

Cowboy Jeff Prepares to Run #150!

Contradictory Signs in a Flooded Field. Rain Washed Out Half the Course.

Many of the Marathon Maniacs Lined Up Ready to Start. (Most were doing doubles.)

Swan Lake Mud...you get the picture?

We Saw Signs of Intelligence All Around. They Love the Packers!

Diane Bolton, Jeff Bishton, Donna Jacobs

Our "Gravel" Road Start (and mile 14)

What it Looked Like All Race!

The 2010 Swan Lake Scorecard:

Organization:     5
Expo:                   1
Course:                2 (16.6 miles of gravel/mud)
Fan Support:      1
Aid Stations:       4
Entertainment:  1
Race Shirt:           4
Medal:                  3
Hotel:                    2
Post Race:            3
Cost to Run:         3
Total:                 29/55

2010.06.12 – 2010 Maryville Marathon (Maryville, MO)

This one is going to be short. I promise. My parents taught me that if I couldn’t say anything good about something, I shouldn’t say anything at all.  That doesn’t leave much for me to say.

I arrived in Maryville, MO after being away from my home for essentially 2 weeks.  With two weekends of previous marathons under my belt, I really wasn’t looking forward to a double-marathon weekend.  I wanted to be home.  With that, as I pulled into town after an hour drive from the Kansas City Airport I couldn’t help but notice all the hills that I had been driving over.  Great. Can you say Tacoma? To top it off, the thermometer was hovering at 99 degrees on my rental car.  Did I mention the heat index was somewhere around 110?  Yippee. Can’t wait.

The Fugliest Marathon Shirt on the Planet!

After virtually no help on the race web site, I finally found the Chamber of Commerce where packet pickup was being held.  You can imagine in a town of 10,000 how big that office was.  The “expo” was two card tables and little info past that.  It was, however, where I received the FUGLIEST marathon shirt that I have ever seen.  The photo won’t begin to show the putrid color of this off-white shirt that looks more like it had yellowed from years of aging.  The pink and black writing was the icing on the cake.  It will never see the light of day.

I stayed at one of the three hotels in Maryville (population 10,000 and home of the Northwest Missouri State University Bearcats), the Super 8.  Actually, it wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought it would be. At $59 I have stayed in worse for four times as much.

I walked down the block to Applebee’s.  THE restaurant.  At least it was a decent pre-race meal.

While bored to tears in my motel room, I did get on Facebook and learned that Justin Gillette, his wife Melissa and his brother Jake were in town to run.  I wished them well figuring that I probably could say I knew the men’s and women’s overall race winner. It was Justin’s 60th marathon to boot, certainly a heckuva milestone for someone so young.

Race day came and so did the rain. Actually, thunderstorm.  The good news is that the rain killed the heat…thank goodness.  We got to run in mid-70s weather, which was good.  What was not good was that we started in a thunderstorm.  I was just a little concerned about the lightning. Usually races (like the race in Marathon, IA the same day) are held up when lightning is in the vicinity, and a downpour is taking place.  Not in Maryville.  Giddy-up!

The course was actually twin 13.1 mile hilly loops around the town.  The half and the full ran together on the course the first pass.  With all of 66 people registered for the full, we needed the company.

Outside of the storm, it was absolutely the most dangerous course I have ever run on.  We ran about 10 miles (5 miles twice) along the edge of a four-lane highway – WITH traffic.  A good portion of that time we were running on the shoulder.  The shoulder would make cobblestone roads in the Old Country look good.  Fortunately, most of the way we had cones.  At least 2 miles we did NOT, and we were directed to cross the unrestricted highway traffic as well. To top it off there were many, make that the majority of intersections that had no traffic control.  Then we ran through neighborhoods where the “crossover” signs were frequently used…again without traffic.  It was there at mile 11 that I nearly was hit by a car from behind, when I errantly crossed over in front of it.

The best thing that I can say about this race is that the aid stations were great, well stocked, and enthusiastic.

I did decide to let ‘er rip for the race, figuring I could always take it easy on day 2 of my double.  My goal was to beat Olathe (even with the heat and hills) and then try to come in on day 2 with a time within 25 minutes of that.  If I could, I would take an hour off my best previous double time.

I completed the first 13.1 in 2:15, so I knew I had a shot.  The question would be how much was left in the tank after marathons the two previous weekends.  Apparently enough as even though the hills of the last four miles were killers (and there was precious little company out on the course) I did manage to turn in my second fastest marathon time at a 4:49.55!

As far as Marathon Maniac friends – I didn’t see a single shirt. I did talk with a young couple from Arkansas that scooted by me in the last couple of miles to finish in the two positions immediately ahead of me.  I did get to see Justin at the starting line, and managed to keep from getting lapped by him!  I was thrilled to see Justin and Melissa take the overall men’s and women’s titles.  It is nice to say you know the winners, especially when they hail from Indiana.

That is it.  The medal was a joke – not quite as bad as the T-shirt, but nearly.  I spent less than 24 hours in Maryville and the best thing that I can say was that server at Applebee’s was nice.  Don’t put this race on your calendar – even on a dare.  It doesn’t supplant Albuquerque at the bottom of my list, but it is darn close!

My scorecard:

Organization:     3
Expo:                   1
Course:                1 (just flat dangerous)
Fan Support:      1
Aid Stations:       3
Entertainment:  1
Race Shirt:           1
Medal:                  1
Hotel:                    2
Post Race:            1
Cost to Run:         4
Total:                 19/55

2010.06.06 – 2010 Casper Marathon (Casper, WY)

We ran along the North Platte River for nearly 18 miles. What a gorgeous setting!

When I stepped on the plane to meet my fellow Sarasotan marathon road-warriors in Casper, WY I really didn’t have many expectations. All I knew is that it was marathon #30, state #24, and most importantly would be my 16th state in 8 months meaning that I would get my 6th Marathon Maniacs star.  Outside of that, I had not done much research on the marathon since registering. I knew it was small in size, that it was at altitude and ought to be flatter than the last two events I had run. Based on the miserable time I had the previous weekend in Coeur d’Alene, I feared it might be similar. How wrong I was.

I will tell you, as long as you don’t have an issue with running at altitude, I can’t recommend this marathon strongly enough. I will summarize here first and then give you the details: Runners World’s online poll ranked the Missoula Marathon as the number one marathon in the country in 2009.  I ran Missoula in 2008 (and had a great time), but this marathon is far superior to Missoula. We had fun from the second we boarded the plane to Casper in Denver. If you have run Missoula and enjoyed it, you have to run Casper – it will knock your socks off.

GG, Mary Lenari and Cathy Minshall with the Casper Airport Bull

Now the details. I will admit that Casper is a bit off the beaten path – especially from Florida, but so is Missoula. It also mandated a second night’s stay due to lack of flights out – but in the end that just extended the fun. We arrived shortly after noon on Saturday having flown the 39 minute flight from Denver in a Canadair Jet full of other marathoners. As luck would have it, besides Sarasotan Mary Lenari who was traveling with me, Rich Holmes (Durham, NC – 251 marathons and a 10-star Marathon Maniac), Fran Gilday (Rockville, VA and doing her 49^th state), Cathy Minshall (Half Moon Bay, CA, doing her 39^th state) and Mark Kramer (Chicago, IL and BQ) and I were all seated together. As you can imagine we talked running and marathons the duration of the flight, and by the time we hit the ground we felt like we had known each other for years.

The race hotel was the Ramada Inn Riverstone, which was also where the race ended. We landed and were at the hotel in 10 minutes (courtesy of Cathy). Immediately we found a line of a dozen other marathoners all waiting to check in – many of which we already were acquainted with. We turned around and the great people from the Salt Lake City Marathon Maniac chapter appeared (Teresa Baker, daughter Lindsay, her boyfriend Skyler, Angie Whitworth-Pace, and Sue Mantyla), and by then any semblance of decorum in the Ramada lobby went out the window. Everyone was laughing, carrying on and we had not yet checked into the hotel.

Packet pickup was between the lobby and our rooms. We instantly were greeted by the very cheery race committee. It was immediately obvious that our pre-race experience from the prior week was not going to be duplicated.  Packet pickup went quickly, and we were given our race shirts.  They were nice technical Brooks short sleeve shirts with a nice logo on the front. Light gray seems to be the color of the year as I now have my fourth gray shirt, but in consolation it was the best of the four, meaning I WILL wear it.

There really wasn’t an expo, and we didn’t expect one.  I had brought plenty of GU and having run 16 events in the prior six months I have seen all the expos I need.  They did have tables set up with the local newspaper available which included a big write up on the marathon along with course maps. They also had available for purchase two or three other Casper Marathon event shirts. Even though I didn’t need yet another shirt I was admiring the nice navy blue Brook long-sleeve technical shirts with the marathon logo.  Then I saw the price. $5. Yes, five US dollars! Too cool. Yeah, I bought one.

Now packet pickup was quick, easy and a breeze. With that, and the fact that we stopped at it as we were lugging our suitcases to our room, one would expect that we would be in and out. Not so. Following us there was a steady stream of people that either we were acquainted with from past marathons or someone else in our group knew, meaning that they immediately became our new friends. As a result it took us nearly 90 minutes to navigate the 60 feet or so through the pavilion to our rooms.

The 2010 Casper Marathon Race Committee - great people!

With the pasta dinner (in that same area) not scheduled for another 3 hours (and the fact that it was already 5 pm “Florida-time”) we felt that the best thing to do was to adjourn to the bar/grill. That turned into an impromptu party of about 15 people that carried us to nearly time for the dinner. Finally Teresa’s husband Bob appeared, along with the SLC MM’s official ambassador, Franz Kolb. They had taken a “short cut” from Utah that had Bob turning his Lexus into an offroad vehicle for a couple of hours. “Special Hydration” rules were followed while watching their video and everyone had a great time.

Bob and Teresa Baker, Franz Kolb, Sue Mantyla and Angie Whitworth-Pace, 5/7 of the SLC Marathon Maniacs in Casper.

The party continued to the pasta dinner where we met the race directors and their committee, along with a number of other great people from around the country.  Final overall entry for the marathon, half and marathon relay was about 470 (much more than they expected) with 170 or so starting the full.  The dinner was great – strongly recommend it for those coming in future years – and we walked away full.  I stuck my head outside to see what the weather was like, and look at the finish line (on the hotel property) and met another MM – Patrick Finney – from Grapevine, TX who was running a marathon for the eighth straight week.  While talking with him along comes another friendly face – MM & four time 50-stater Dave Bell, from CO.  With all these fun people we just knew it was going to be a great weekend.

"Dead Greg" all laid out and ready to go. I can't believe we carry this much stuff to run!

Race day came early. With a 6:30 am start, we needed to board the shuttle bus (which took us about a mile away to the start) by 6:15 am. (Remember, I am all about using the bathroom in the room and stepping off the bus as the gun sounds.)  My timing was perfect.  I hopped off the bus with the crews from Sarasota and SLC looking a bit worried with 2 minutes to go.  I said my hellos, took a bunch of group photos and videos, and by the time the last person said “cheese” the gun had fired.

Had we not had to actually RUN this marathon, it would have been a perfect weekend. Regrettably, we did, and to be sure, the experience is NOT a reflection on the Casper Marathon committee.

The Maniacs Gather Pre-Race in Casper

My SLC buddies were determined that I was going to PR. After strong runs in the hills of Tacoma and Coeur d’Alene I thought it might be a possibility. Of course there was the altitude of Casper – 5400+ feet. My only other altitude experience was in Albuquerque, and it was really, really ugly.

Nevertheless I took off running with Franz, Teresa, Sue and Skyler. We ran a four mile loop near the start before heading in to town to run a big down and back loop along the scenic North Platte River. The first four miles were the highest (not the hilliest) but we clipped along at a typical high-9 pace. The odd thing was, about mile five, while running downhill, I noticed that things weren’t as easy as I had expected them to be. At the six mile marker I bid the SLC crew adieu feeling I needed to dial it back.  Of course about that time we hit my favorite – an even lonnnnnnger downhill – where I felt obligated to crank it back up. Even then it just didn’t seem right.

Lindsay Baker and her dad Bob, pre-race. This was Lindsay's first ever!

We hit the trail along the river around mile 7. It was really scenic albeit with some rolling hills.  The hills would not be particularly high for most of the rest of the way, but they were constant 15 to 20 footers.  I lost sight of the SLC team about mile 9, then, I lost the rest of my race about mile 10. Things hadn’t just felt right. Then it felt really wrong, a result of my second full fledged asthma attack while marathoning (Albuquerque was #1).  I cranked things way down, not like I had any choice.  My mile 13^th mile was run (?) in nearly 13 minutes.  I crossed the half at a 2:20, but I knew that I would be lucky to finish the next 13 miles, and it would likely take a hour longer. It took more.

Running along the North Platte River.

The long and short of it was that the next eight to nine miles were hell.  I walked much, much more than I ran. I would try to jog a bit as my friends one by one passed me by, but running requires oxygen, and anyone running near me knew I wasn’t getting any. Shortly after I passed the mile 16, Donna Loud came up on me going the other way as I was about to collapse. She got me to a bench where I regrouped.  From there on in, 90% of what I did was walk.  At mile 18 I got to debate my sanity with the EMTs. They took my blood pressure, checked my breathing and I told them I could still run 50 yards and they would have to catch me to get me off the course. I finally convinced them that if I walked I could control things until I got back to my hotel room to get to my badly needed inhaler. (Note to self: If I EVER run a marathon at altitude again I will NOT carry a video camera but WILL carry an inhaler…)

I did run a little at mile 19 when I saw fellow MM Larry Macon ahead of me.  My last big push (a 12:39 mile) allowed me to catch him at mile 20, at which time we both shut it down and walked in.  Larry is absolutely a gem, extremely humble for what he has accomplished, and it was a delight to have the time to get to know him better.  The last 6.2 miles took over 1:45, but it allowed me to start breathing much easier and appreciate to the true beauty of the land that we were traversing and the wildlife that we came across.

GG and Larry Macon crossing the finish...finally!

OK, we did run the last 0.1 miles. Fran came bearing down on us with about 300 yards to go. Larry and I of course blocked the sidewalk. We told her she was going to have to sprint to beat us, because we were going to do just that across the finish.  It was a treat to cross with Larry (at a PW 5:53), and even neater that Donna along with the entire SLC crew, and a few others were standing there at the finishing cheering me in.  Franz even gave me my medal.  I haven’t been greeted by a crowd of friends at the finish in a long time, and their concern for me was really touching.  As it turned out, Bob and Lindsay Baker had even gone into their room, got Lindsay’s inhaler, and ran back a mile or more back up the course looking for me in hopes to help me.  Wow!

Sarasota, SLC and other Maniacs gather post race at the finish line.

I made a quick dash into my room, found my inhaler, and in two minutes was a new person. I came back out to find one of the best finish line feasts that I have experienced in running.  Not only did they have Dominoes pizza, but they had sub-sandwiches, tons of fruit, veggies, cheese, and of course cold beer. With so many of us not able to get back home on Sunday, we all sat around, ate, drank and really got to enjoy everyone’s company. What a neat post race.

I nearly forgot the medal.  It was terrific.  It was nice sized and was a gold spinner medal, with their Run With the Herd logo in the center.  What a difference from Coeur d’Alene!

Speaking of the race – Lindsay Baker (running without her track coach’s knowledge) wound up placing second in her first ever marathon. That was so neat. Bob kept her on a leash until mile 18 or so and finally turned her loose. Great job, dad! Too boot, Bob ran a 4:08.

Maniacs Post-Race

The rest of the Sarasota crew all felt the effects of the altitude. Donna came in with a 5:29, well off her norm.  Mary finished about a minute behind Larry and I, with a 5:54, and Paul crossed equally out of breath with a 6:08.  Of course we all returned the favor and greeted them as they crossed.

When it was all done, and after a shower, we all reconvened where we started the previous day – the bar and grill.  This time it was the Sarasota crew, half of the SLC crew, and the Casper Marathon committee – which was really nice.

All I can say is that yes, I wish I could redo the run and have been smart enough to bring my inhaler. (What an idiot.)  More importantly, on the heels of Coeur d’Alene, it showed the difference of a marathon put on by runners as opposed to one put on by and organization.  The course was more scenic, the people were great, the food was fabulous and it was just plain fun. I strongly recommend it.  If you are from sea level, the altitude will take its toll, but you will have tons of fun nonetheless.  Thanks to Dawn and Eric Easton, the race directors, and all of their great committee.  You should be proud!

Oh yeah, and now I am an official 6-Star Marathon Maniac, with #7 scheduled for San Francisco on July 25th.

My marathon scorecard is below – and it is a good one!

Organization:     5
Expo:                   2
Course:                3 (scenic but altitude!)
Fan Support:      2
Aid Stations:       4
Entertainment:  1
Race Shirt:           4
Medal:                  5
Hotel:                    4
Post Race:            5
Cost to Run:         3
Total:                 38/55

Recaps Coming!

I promise, the recaps are on the way.  Running four marathons in 15 days, along with being on the road and living out of a suitcase the entire time (with another four days still to go) has made it tough to keep my recaps up to date. Throw in a day or two delay for results to be posted and, well, you get the point.

In a nutshell, Casper, WY was fun, but the altitude nearly killed me.  The following weekend was a double.  Maryville, MO was worse than root canal and Swan Lake was a “mudder” of a marathon, but fun.

Thanks for the patience, and I have a lot of photos to post from Casper and Swan Lake!

2010.05.31 – 2010 Coeur d’Alene Marathon

The dinky 2010 Coeur d'Alene Marathon Medal

If this were my first marathon I am sure I would have different thoughts about the 2010 Coeur d’Alene Marathon.  After all, my wife Ali was with me, we stayed at The Coeur d’Alene Resort, a true five star resort (for $75 a night – seriously), the course ran along scenic Lake Coeur d’Alene and the Spokane River, and I had the opportunity to run with some great people.  In its own right, with nothing to compare to, I am sure I would have been thrilled. Alas, I have 28 other marathons, including the marathon I ran just before this one – the 2010 Tacoma Marathon.

I had travelled five previous times to the Coeur d’Alene Resort so upon seeing there was a marathon held in the city, there was no doubt that it would be my Idaho marathon.  For those unfamiliar with CDA, it is in northern Idaho, just 30 miles east of Spokane, WA.  For those wondering, it is the one area of Idaho that is in the Pacific time zone.

CDA is absolutely majestic.  Tall pines and oaks surround a beautiful large and deep lake that is connected to the Spokane River. CDA has about 35,000 people living in it, and all must be Californian transplants.  The surrounding area has another 35,000 people so it feels much bigger than it is. The Coeur d’Alene resort is as fine of a resort that I have ever stayed in. It has a large meeting and conference center (which I have used in the past) and I was able to use a potential auto dealer meeting as a site visit which allowed me the super cheap rates over Memorial Day weekend and a 15^th floor room that overlooked the lake and marina.  With a fireplace in the room, it was just spectacular.  If you decide to run CDA after reading this, you HAVE to stay at the resort even though it is about 1.75 miles from the start/finish area.

Shortly after we arrived we took our site visit of the resort.  Our guide was one of the sales and marketing team members.  While we were touring the resort we learned that her father was the race director for the marathon, Matt Cavasar, and he also lays out all the marathon courses for the Ironman series. I figured that had to be a good sign.

Now to the marathon.  This was the 33^rd running of the CDA marathon. Because of that I was expecting more.  A running friend of mine from Sarasota had run the event in 2009 and enjoyed it, so I had high expectations. To top it off I had my friend and running coach from Sarasota, Mary Lenari along with Donna Loud, another Sarasotan running group member running the race as well.  Being in the NW where the Marathon Maniacs are based, I really felt a repeat of the Tacoma experience may be in order.

Not so lucky.

The resort was off the charts. Everything. Period. Couldn’t ask for more, except for better weather. I have always come out to CDA in June and occasionally it has been chilly.  This time it was just cold and wet. With Ali coming out with me we extended our stay, coming out Friday and going back Tuesday.  We were rewarded with 50 – 55 degree weather and rain the entire time – except for when we ran the marathon.

Saturday we took the resort’s shuttle over to packet pickup in Riverstone – a new development west near the Spokane River. We arrived (in the rain) and found a neat little planned residential/commercial development, and on its main street was where the pre-race gathering took place.

Packet pickup was in an unoccupied commercial area that had not yet been built out.  We arrived mid-afternoon and found it a zoo.  It was dark, poorly organized, and all we could see were people.  We made our way to the Solutions table to ask where I needed to go. I was greeted with a “There should have been someone at the door to tell you what to do.”  I agreed, but that didn’t help me or the throng of people behind me at all. Finally someone else came over and grunted and pointed us to the wrong side of the table where we needed to be. Had this been the first running of the marathon I might not have been surprised, but for the 33^rd, it was inexcusable.  Any sort of hospitableness would have been fine.

The bad news is that after we had gone through the gymnastics to get our number, chip and t-shirt we had to go back to the same table to ask about the bus trip of the course.  With it raining and the pre-race festivities set outdoors, there was nothing else to do.  We were greeted by the same person who was just as put off by our question of where to get on the bus, but fortunately some other volunteer came up and pointed us in the right direction.

That was the expo. There wasn’t anything else.  There were a few tents outside in the rain, none of which offered anything for marathoners. I was fortunate to have brought my GU and everything else I needed. Others were not so lucky.

With nothing else to do, Ali and I walked about a quarter mile in the rain to meet the bus.  Naturally we ducked inside.  Our mistake. The bus pulled up and everyone made a mad dash for it. We were ready to step on when we were told it was full. Come back in an hour.  Nope, I don’t think so. We went back across the street to a Mexican restaurant and I decided that a quesadilla and a couple of beers were the best plan for the day.

Race day arrived with 45 degree temps, clouds and no rain. I arrived at the start (shuttled by the resort) and met up with Mary, Donna and fellow Maniac Ray Shaw (McGyver).  I had run with Ray for seven or eight miles in Tacoma (until I hit the REALLY big hills) and was happy to see him. With only 400 or so taking the normal start (another 50 started early) we hit the starting line in about 15 seconds. Not bad. Ray and I ran basically the first 16 miles together. He had to peel off a time or two to rid himself of extral clothes or hit the porta-johns, but it was really nice to run with him and get to know him.  Also, he had run a 4:38 (12 minutes faster than me) in Tacoma so I figured if I could hang with him I might actually PR.

We had perfect running weather. The course was truly very scenic. I give Matt kudos on the layout, the fact for once my Garmin was dead on the money, and the fact that it was well marked. I zipped along at a comfortable 10:10 pace the first 11 miles. I had been expecting hills and of course I wasn’t disappointed. (Kidding) Ray told me they were coming but it wasn’t until I came around a right turn that I saw the LONG uphill climb. That chopped two minutes off the time I had banked.

Ray and I ran the first 13.1 miles in 2:14 which was about dead on my Tacoma pace. Knowing that CDA’s finish wasn’t nearly as tough as Tacoma, I thought I might have a chance. I am not sure whether it was the first hill, the second big hill, or the third and fourth (we got to turn around at mile 14.5 and re-run them), or the half-mile altitude, but by mile 21 I saw the chance for PRing go down the drain.  I then got to battle the lack of motivation of running by myself and not having a goal to shoot for (knowing I could crawl in and beat 5 hours). I did get to run briefly with Marie Zorries, another MM from the Sea-Tac area who I had met in Tacoma.  She was used to the hills and had wisely been doing intervals from the start.  With about 2 miles to go I wished he well and told her to save me a beer! (More on the beer later.)

Aside from the scenic beauty, the course had two other features that I liked.  First, the half started a half hour after the marathon but ran our course for probably 4.5 miles going out.  Some might consider it depressing, but it was neat to see the leaders FLY by us.  Additionally, the course had four spots where it doubled back over itself.  I always like this as you get to see friends that are both faster and slower than what you run.  Kudos to Matt on that!

It was a good thing that the course had beauty and the double-backs as there was ZERO fan support on the course. Of course I had my own support, and for me the highlight was getting to see Ali three times on the course.  I got to see her both going and coming by the resort (mile 6.25 and 21.25) – and at the finish. It was the first time in 17 marathons that I had seen her at a finish and that such a great site for me.

I punched the clock with a spirited sprint over the last quarter at a 4:56.  Not what I was hoping for, but a good run nonetheless.

Donna and Ray chased each other down the stretch.  They both ran 5:11s, Ray about 9 seconds ahead of the charging Donna.  Mary ran a 5:47 and found out the day after that she placed first in her age group! I can only dream about that!

The after race was about as unexciting as the pre-race.  The Michelob Ultra tent was present just like in Tacoma.  Unlike Tacoma (and Evansville) they wouldn’t let me in. It seems that you had to have a photo ID. Get real. I had my RoadID that I always wear with my medical info, and had money, but NOOOOOOOOO.  The last two miles I had my taste buds set on my free Michelob Ultra but the only way I got it was that Donna had her ID, went in, got one and smuggled it to me.  Get real.  I WISH I still looked under 21!

The food was yet another story. Ray had warned me that the food on the course would be better than the post-race and he was dead on.  There were ample bagels, bananas, oranges and gel on the course. Of course, that was all that was available at the finish, and by then the bagels were hard as rocks. Again, if this had been my first race, I MIGHT have thought that this was the norm, but after Tacoma where they had pizza and all sorts of things (plus beer), this was clearly second rate.

The race shirt was a decent long-sleeved Dri-Fit shirt – no complaints there at all.  Additionally, they gave all finishers a nice Dri-Fit finisher’s hat – another nice touch.  As nice as the hat was, I would have much rather they had saved the money on the hat and spent it on the medal.  As the photo shows, it was tiny with a cheap “2010” ribbon, common of what you might expect in a 5K or 10K.  REALLY disappointing.

All in all, it was a great course (well, OK, I can’t give better than good due to the hills, but that is my personal dislike), but everything else left me disappointed.  Packaged with the resort and its world class treatment it was still a great Memorial Day weekend, but a marathon that I doubt that I will ever rerun.

Here is my race scorecard, one that definitely keeps it out of my Top 20.

Organization:     2
Expo:                   1
Course:                4 (scenic but HILLS!)
Fan Support:      1
Aid Stations:       3
Entertainment:  1
Race Shirt:           4
Medal:                  1
Hotel:                    5
Post Race:            1
Cost to Run:         3
Total:                 26/55