Marathons/Ultras

Life accelerated.  7 days since departing Antarctica, back at D.I.A (Denver Int’l).  Fast become my home-from-home this year.  TWELVE, that’s the 2020 marathon count 😊

Louisiana’s Big Easy.  Mentally plugged in; awesome part of America to kick-off a post-Antarctica run.  Heavy accented & redneck.  Dig the South.  Childhood, my people.

Big PARTY town, New Orleans.  the Land of Mardi Gras.  Conversation starter with every Lyft driver (no rental this journey).  Big letdown, dude’s a marathoner.  LOL>

first stop: NOLA Convention Center.  Bib pickup, registration.  Rock n Roll EXPO.

Quick walk-thru the Brooks tent (I’m a shoe junkie).  Small bowl of red beans-n-rice (another addiction).  Lyft transport back over the Bridge.  Couple blocks off the French Quarter.  Sleeps shouting-distance from tomorrow’s Start.  Location, location, location.

Sidewalk tour of Hurricane Katrina history.  Café du Monde beignets.  Bag of soulful fried chicken take-out.  Headache, chilled.  Early night.  Physically off this trip.  Touch of fever, then couple hours I’m fine again.  Marathon/flight/hotel all prepaid, so… I’m here.

Sunday alarm.  FEVER.  Showered.  Race dressed.  I can do this.  Could hear muffled announcements thru a closed window.  Twenty minutes more.  It’ll pass.  Fever-finished Charleston last month.  Don’t PANIC.  No rule against race-starting a later Corral.

10 minutes.  Not happening.  Not my day.

Rock ‘n Roll DNS.  Crazy disappointing, big Easy FAIL.

 

 

Rock ‘n Roll EXPO

 

 

Always been obsessed with Antarctica – ever since that first National Geographic pull-out map.  It’s impossible, right?  Now here TWICE.  January 2019, January 2020.

Triple 8 Plan, happened soon after last year’s 50K finish.  Conference room in Diego De Almagro.  Watched the promo clip; idea marinated 2 weeks more in Colorado.

Antarctica was ‘impossible’.  Travelling continent-to-continent AND marathoning every day?  I know my abilities; I know my age.  I have a job, life responsibilities.  My body, older slower.  But the dreams… the DREAMS are still there.  Committed ‘YES’ late February 😊

Touchdown Antarctica.  Different people energy, same sense of wonder.  Camp set-up.  Black pot, white pot discussion.  Triple 8 Group pics.  Race start jitters.  Hurry & wait.

Late afternoon; gonna be day/night/day when some folks finish.  Decision made.  It’s a Go!

Chinese Base under shut-down orders.  Far away their home country has a virus so… the flat part of last year’s course, now off-limit.  2020, running only the HILLY Half.  10x.  TEN.

Got it.  Ten times.  Don’t care.  I’m HERE.  The journey ends tonite.  I’ve done this every day, in all weather, on every continent for the past week.  Ready ready to run.

High 5’s.  Shout-outs.  Bottom of the World.

Easy jog, slow incline outta Camp.  Pushed UP UP UP the BIG HILL.  Power HIKE.  Breathing managed/good transition at the top; steady pace maintained.  DOWN, DOWN, DOWN – full run.  Easy jog up/down 2 rolling hills.  Final UP to the turnaround.  Mostly downhill, lap in reverse – return to CAMP, that’s ONE (only 9 to go).

SIDEWAYS rain, pelting SLEET.  Most folks walking now, layered up, heads down.  5 laps done.  2 ½ hours on TRAIL.  Felt STRONG ALL day.  Adverse weather & TRAIL, today’s marathon equalizer – plus strategized well.  Chose to POWER HIKE the BIG HILL, Lap 1 to Lap 10.  Quads conserved, breathing managed.  No panting, no panic.  Steady.

Lost 20 minutes Lap 7, searching for my DROP BAG.  Moved; tarp-hidden during the sleet storm.  No one knew where?  Composure FAIL.  Blood sugar/ENERGY off.  Needed salt, swig of Coke.  Body cold, mucky conditions, feet wet/right one numb.  Planned a change of socks – didn’t happen.  Losing light fast.  Pushing forward, focused on finishing.

Less on-course penguins 2020 vs 2019 – however, SEALS this year.  Up close, lumbering slow across the path near CAMP.  Napping on moss; later, blubbering/rolling to the ocean.  BIG.  LOUD.  HUGE!

Lap 10, this is IT!  Same energy, same strategy – DARK now.  Legs tired.  No fast DOWN DOWN DOWN; slow & easy jog.  Concerned I’d kick a rock, take a tumble.  All self-support here.  Injuries not welcome.  Warm soup ahead.  LAST lap.  Push, push push.

7th Place overall.  Ramen noodles never tasted so good.  Strongest FINISH of all 8.  Group pics tomorrow – in daylight.

Warm clothes & a sleeping bag await.  50K 2019, Marathon 2020.  ANYTHING is POSSIBLE! ❤️

 

8th Annual White Continent Marathon

King George Island, Antarctica

January 29, 2020

 

M1 Brendan Watkins  Marathon 3:56:43

M2 Patrick Holcomb  San Diego, CA U.S.A.  Marathon 4:27:42

M3 Mika Lankila  Marathon 4:56:44

M4 Kenneth Adgate  Acton, MA U.S.A.  Marathon 5:06:47

M5 Tom Fleming  Berlin, MA U.S.A.  Marathon 5:21:54

F1 Aleksandra Rzeszutko  Warsaw Poland  Marathon 5:43:31

M6 Keenan Haga  Marathon 5:49:16

 

 

White Continent Marathon

 

 

Goodbye New York, hello South America.  Journey to the Bottom of the World.  With only 2 marathons to go, spirits CRAZY HIGH again.  It’s not only possible, it’s gonna happen.

BUSINESS CLASS to Santiago.  Stretched out & logged most my sleep hours.  Customs, bag retrieval – the BIG bag, my new NYC-export full of Antarctica supplies… but first, Chile.

Scored McDonald’s Americana while transferring to the Domestic Terminal – ‘Cuarto de Libra con Queso’.  QUARTER POUNDER!  Calories, calories, calories.  Burning 4000+ a day 🍔

Touchdown: Punta Arenas.  Crowded 4-hour flight to Patagonia, the land of Magellan.

13-mile ride into town.  Hurry, hurry, quick.  Change of clothes – it’s race day in 15 minutes!  Today’s 26.2 would be a 3:30 AFTERNOON START (after spending 16 hours in the air).

Airplane stiff but SUPER EXCITED.  Know what to expect; I’ve been here.  Bike path ‘longside the Ocean.  6 laps.  Sun won’t set ‘til almost MIDNITE.  Bottom of the World.  YES!

Hotel lobby PACKED.  GREAT energy!  Tomorrow’s White Continent runners there to greet us.  THEY have their own Quest – most African Americans to race Antarctica, EVER.  Majority from the Deep South.  My PEOPLE.  20 would join the afternoon marathon.  AWESOME!

Sis yesterday; Southerner run-company Day 7!  God gives us exactly what we need.

High 5’s & shout-outs every lap… whatta SPIRIT BOOST.  Out, back.  Out, back.  HUGE SMILE.  SOAKED in every second.  WIND.  Cloud cover.  Sideways RAIN.  Sunshine.  WIND again.  Patagonia summer 🌞

Two days ago, armor dented/spirit broken/no more.  Today – a 5th place FINISH!

Auckland, Perth, Singapore, Cairo, Amsterdam, New York, Punta Arenas.  Just ONE remaining!

Shower, quick nap.  1 a.m. team meeting.  Antarctica Day! 🐧

 

4th Annual Southern Cross Marathon

Punta Arenas, Chile

January 27, 2020

 

Keenan Haga   Louisville, CO U.S.A.   Marathon   5:49:47

 

 

Southern Cross Marathon