Sometimes you’re the windshield, sometimes you’re the bug…  MARY CHAPIN CARPENTER

Tough day.  Heat fail.

Training hard all month – Bighorn just over 60 days away.  Completed another 10K Friday: 6 mile run, quarter-mile swim.  Slept hard, probably some of my best [the] day before a marathon.  Haven’t yet acclimated, deep sleep after every swim.

Today’s run only 20 minutes away in Westminster.  Can’t beat that commute, huh?

Sunshiny skies, 8am Start, expecting a warm Finish.  Commuted with my North End neighbor, Larry – he’d run the 10K today.  Beautiful morning, well organized event.  All-Out Beat the Heat Marathon.  ‘Beat the Heat’ was exactly the plan.

Cool comfortable temp, Star-Spangled Banner blared proudly.  Dropped my hat, hand over heart & sang along.  Countdown from 10, our marathon journey began.  Briefly started on asphalt (ran past an alpaca farm), then adjusted to packed trail (dirt).  Climb, Climb, Climb – course incline the first 8 miles…that’s a lotta climb, luckily I’m a fan of hills 🙂

Marathon athletes will start out heading west on Big Dry Creek Trail toward Standley Lake Regional Park. At about 2.5 miles athletes will begin 4 miles of the gravel trail & road system within the park, including the spectacular views along a north / south dogleg near the dam, then exit the park to continue west toward the south trailhead and the west turnaround. As they return they way they came, athletes will skip the dogleg to return to Big Dry Creek Trail and follow it east for about 16 miles to the east turnaround.

Sun kicked in at 10 – rays were always there, but didn’t feel the heat ‘til 2^nd Half.  70, 75, 81° F.  Perfect for a casual walk with the pup – but on a marathon run without any tree cover, our high-altitude sun baked.  Number of participants dropped off significantly — folks opting to finish the Half, avoid the exposed bike path east to Denver.  Today’s first Half highlighted shots of Standley Lake, backdropped by the Flatirons.  2^nd Half however was dry, flat, cracked earth, patches of dried salt littered the landscape.

Mentally broke at 21.  My friend Larry doubled his 10K effort, met me just past mile 23.  Walking now.  Notta lotta chatter.  Notta lotta options – small race, no golf-cart to the Finish should you call it quits.  UGLY…nearly 2 hours to finish those last 5 miles.  Dehydrated, sweat-caked salt ‘round my eyes, dried to the sides of my face.

A finish is a finish, collected my medal…but today’s fail stung.

2017 All-Out Beat the Heat – Full

April 15, 2017 in Westminster, CO

 

2587   K R Haga   5:11:18

Shoes off, home.  2 hours sleep, briefly woke to shower.  3pm: bowl of soup.

6:15pm: my quarterly Boulder Dinner Theatre date with Ash, Tom & Stephen.  “Disenchanted!” – comedy depicting the now adult, middle-aged Disney princesses.  Time to turn that frown upside down.  Good laugh.

10 hours sleep, 2 easy miles on the treadmill, quarter-mile swim at CAC.  Weekend over?  Heck no, it’s Easter Sunday!  Afternoon-celebrated at Casa Alegre — our Mexican Easter tradition — 4^th year  with Ash & Tom.  Mexican fiesta, olé!