Run the Year Motto: EVERY day’s a run day, 2017 miles in 2017
March 2017 update: third month of 2017, 3rd straight 200-mile month – killin’ it this year, HUGE!
31 more run days (haven’t missed since Christmas Eve), B-I-G work promotion PLUS celebrated being cancer-free – New Zealand, farthest I’ve EVER travelled (19 time zones away). Photo-blogged every day to hold myself run-accountable. SUCCESS!
April focus: short TAPER, quick RECOVERY
4 marathons, 5 weekend month. Taper, marathon, recovery x4 – Spring season, whole lotta running. No time goals (PR target: September/October) – but Bighorn training has commenced. Calendar marked/circled/bolded in Sharpie: June 17th. 52 miles along the Wyoming/Montana border. 100% trail, HUGE elevation climbs, nothing lower than 9000ft.
Race ReCap: marathon’d New Zealand’s tropical North – Kirikiriroa – 4th race outside the USA, my third continent.
Streaks: 98 consecutive run days, 40 months marathoning
Mileage ReCap: another 200+ mile month, ended March at 574 miles (70 miles ahead of goal)
The Redwoods (Rotorua NZ)
Sleep struggle, labored morning runs, work deadlines & pre-wedding [family] squabbles — been a tough first week home from New Zealand. Wednesday, Ash asked if I could scope out potential wedding pic locations for her Silverthorne wedding in May. Full day in the mountains…absolutely, sign me up! Crisp thin air, snow surrounded – PERFECT!
Early a.m. start – 4 mile run (‘cause every day’s a run day), followed by a 2-hour drive in the Rockies. Half day scouted photo locations, half day hiked HIGH altitude.
Bridge near Ash’s Silverthorne venue – easy, done. 8 miles toward Breck on Swan Mountain Road checked-out Sapphire Point in Dillon. Ample parking, short packed-path, mountain overlook – wedding money shot. Exactly what the bride-to-be ordered: snow-capped Colorado peaks [without the pre-wedding hike]. No wildlife stains on Ash’s pricey East Coast wedding gown GUARANTEED.
Completed the loop in nearby Frisco. While ALL are counting on sunshine for Ash’s big day – just in case, scoped out an alternate venue (May in Colorado/could be snow). Covered pavilion (backed against mountains), historic rustic cabins & the town’s first jail (log cabin, circa 1881). Nabbed a large handful of county maps at the Frisco Hotel. Route-marked today’s 10-mile loop in bold Sharpie. Task complete 🙂
Silverthorne Pavilion (wedding venue)
Sapphire Point (Dillon CO)
Frisco Museum, covered Pavilion & Historic Jail
Saturday Part II – retraced steps to Idaho Springs, I-70 exit 240. 30 minute drive, just past Echo Lake…my annual spring pilgrimage up Mount Evans. Off loaded Sno’ Ro – couldn’t have been more excited. Leashed for a mile while we passed lodgepole pine, packed with squirrel & chipmunk (makes my pup crazy uncontrollable). 2 miles UP, path now contained by 10-15ft snow drifts, I let Ro run & run & run. Up-n-back: exploring ahead, returning for hand treats.
3-mile marker, passed a stretch of wind-stunted pine. Visually stunning. Wind started to blow, cold stung my face 🙂
Matched my website photo inlay 4 ½ miles UP. 5 years ago, Ro tethered to my leg, snapped that shot & broke for lunch. Soaked in the moment today. Open armed, took in thin air. LOVE LOVE these mountains!
9 miles roundtrip. Sandwich shared with Ro on the hike return. Pup’s eyes rolled 10 minutes into our drive home. Good day. Mentally back, ready for Bighorn. Training hard April & May – 52 miles, bring it!
Mt Evans spring pilgrimage
My South Pacific marathon, Kirikiriroa. Bib pickup yesterday. Scoped out exactly where I needed to be, when I needed to be there…PLUS spent an afternoon in Hamilton Gardens — 2nd fave thing in Hamilton, after Hobbiton of course 🙂
Kirikiriroa (Hamilton, in Māori)
Poor night sleep, less than 3 hours. Too many days abroad – super fun vacation, but missing Colorado. Auckland, Rotorua, then a week drive ’round South Island before returning 2 days ago to the Kiwi North. Noticeable weather difference on NZ’s two island nation. Unfortunately, marathoning on the hotter, humid twin. But it’s only weather…remembering today how crazy lucky I am in life, marathoning in the South Pacific two short months after Doc declared me ‘cancer-free’.
Travel buddy dropped me at 6:15am – still dark, no sun for 30 minutes into today’s 42k run. Followed a throng of local runners to the Start near an illuminated tent across the park. Last minute race details – luckily I wouldn’t be leading, absolutely no clue what was said. 2 weeks in, still struggling at pulling together full sentences [no good at the Kiwi accent].
8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 & we’re off. No starting gun, air horn, national anthem. 5K loop around & through Hamilton Gardens – mostly uphill before entering the River Road, along Hamilton’s Waikato River. Ran a short portion of this trek yesterday – rolling hills, like most of New Zealand…an island nation built on tectonic plates. Running hills for 2 weeks now, NZ-acclimated – bring it on!
Went out fast, pushed past runners walking the early hills. Tried to stay near the 2nd pack, following their artificial light ‘til sunrise. Running downhill on the cobblestone path, caught an upraised brick in the dark. Took most impact to my left shoulder. Hit hard. Blood ran, pooled in my sock. Stung, but only road-rash abrasions. Walked a couple minutes, slow jog to the first aid station (first of only 3). Threw cups of water at my knee – ok, good to go.
First marathon body spill…the positive? Slowed pace, ran a steady 9:20/minute ‘til the 20K mark. Wairere Bridge, Horotiu Bridge, large horse farm off Pukete. Lost all tree cover, baked in morning sun, dehydrated fast. Took more water at 21K. Next international trek, wearing my hydration pack. Limited fluids/same situation last September in Russia – [guessing] we Americans are super spoiled with multiple water/sports drink stops in our marathons. No judgment, different culture – live & learn.
Bloodied knee stiffened. Last water station at 30K, 7 more miles to go. UP Cobham Bridge, entered Hamilton Gardens. Victorian Flower Garden backside, ran aside the park’s expansive Rhododendron Lawn…last half-mile. Came in HOT. Crossed the Finish, received my medal, then lawn-laid for 10 minutes. 84th marathon, my 3rd continent. YES!
Australia is also referred to as Oceania and in conjunction with Zealandia. Experts are heavily studying this area of the world and the definitions on the countries and areas that define it are changing rapidly. Currently, there are 3 confirmed countries that divide the continent of Australia. It consists of the country of Australia by the same name, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea.
Begged a late check-out & post-marathon shower from my fancy last-day NZ hotel. Late lunch, easy-going 2 hour drive to Auckland (haggled for ice cream with US dollars). Air New Zealand return flight not ‘til 11pm (yep, marathoning/flying home same day).
WOW whatta journey – furthest I’ve ever been from Colorado. Ran EVERY day – Auckland, Rotorua, Christchurch, Franz Josef Village, Queenstown, Dunedin, Oamaru, marathon finish’d in Hamilton. Palm trees, glaciers, geysers, glow worms, whole lotta sheep ❤, Fiordland Nat’l Park, Hobbiton & penguins too! Nothing left undone, no regret life.
Kirikiriroa Marathon 2017
Keenan Haga
Finish Time: 4:32:50
Race No: 98
Gender: Male
Status: Finished