REVEL Mt Lemmon

Published November 2, 2019

Happy RUNniversary! 6 years, 72 consecutive months. Just WOW!

Streak near-miss after March’s DNF, my 2^nd 50 FAIL. Next attempt, next week. Tunnel Hill. Flat. Winter weather. BESTEST crew. And Sis. 50 miles of Possum Holler outhouse tales. LOL>

Wisdom from Pistol – find a Plan B. No guarantee next Saturday’s 50 won’t deliver a third excuse. So… REVEL Mt Lemmon. Hour-15 flight from Denver. Touchdown Friday, HOME 20 hours later. In-n-out. Streak secure. Tunnel Hill 50, no pressure. Just a long long fun-run in rural Illinois.

Hilton check-in. Phone alarm set. 4am school bus departure. Notta lotta sleeps but a whole lotta positives. Early run start = guaranteed hotel shower post-race. Bigger perk than ya think.

O’ dark hundred drop-off. Top of an Arizona mountain, surrounded by other Mylar-layered bodies. Porta-potty. Check, done. Big race, whole lotta marathoners. Hour sit & wait.

Lotta BQs at REVEL events. Not 100% on board with 4000ft elevation drops, weighted the same as KC’s hill fest…but for me, really doesn’t matter. As a male, BQ time is pretty ridiculous. Plenty of other Massachusetts gems. Falmouth, Holyoke, next year Hyannis. Ok, maybe not the same. HA!

Steady even strategy. Easy to tick 7-minute miles first 5 markers but hamstrings & quads pay later. Very different impact downhill. Goal race is next week. Easy comfortable, Arizona fun run.

Sunrise START. Piñon pine, sharp rock caverns. High above the desert, landscape explosion 🌵

Lined with the 4:05 folks. Young pace gal from Dallas. Runner from Prescott. 2 from Austin. Others weaved in, out again. Pack grew after the elevation steadied. Conversation-pace first 8 miles. No strain, easy downhill stride. Couple inclines, long stretch of flat.

Thermometer didn’t spike ‘til mile 19. 30 point increase. Heat-struggled next 2 miles. 82 degrees. Group goodbyes. Me & Prescott walked it out. She needed the company, I digged the camaraderie. Same medal, 4:05 or 4:30. 4-mile walk. Easy jog at marker 25.

Cactus FINALE finish. Well done, REVEL. Beautiful scenic course. Marathon 168, Arizona #5 😊

MT LEMMON

K r Haga – Nov. 2, 2019

Bib #   1007

Chip Time       4:36:48.25

TIMING POINTS

Start    6:31:01

First Quarter 7:29:40 6.55     58:38.29         8:57

Half Way 8:30:00 13.1      1:58:58.74      9:04

Three Quarter 9:30:24 19.65   2:59:22.79      9:07

5K To Go 10:13:36 23.1      3:42:35.00      9:38

1 Mile To Go    10:52:58 25.2     4:21:57.00      10:23

Finish 11:07:50 26.2     4:36:48.25      10:33