Completed my ‘Run’ miles 6 days ago, doesn’t mean I stop marathoning, right?

Cheap Southwest flight purchased many many months ago.  Chose Buckeye as my December race – well before I was aware of last Sunday’s big C event in Washington state.  2 hour direct flight, landed Friday 10:30pm.  Rental pickup, hour drive to my bargain hotel in Surprise (Arizona).  Quick sleeps, 40 minute drive to Sun City Festival (exclusive retirement community, technically part of Buckeye 20+ miles away).  Bib pickup 7am, toured the pickleball courts (Googled ‘what is pickleball?’), last minute porta-potty, 8am marathon Start.  Small race, stats mostly Half participants.

Hadn’t packed so little time into an out-of-state marathon since 2015’s Wisconsin Marathon.  (That event, arrived after midnight in Chicago O’Hare, crossed the Wisconsin border then car-camped ‘til race morning in Kenosha.  Glam life.  LOL>)

Cool desert start.  Wore layers, knew it’d heat up by Finish.  Unfortunately been sick all week – hadn’t run since last Sunday’s marathon.  Everything already paid sooo….I’d take it slow, pace myself, not gonna PR, goal to Finish.

Three miles of suburbia, back-n-forth neighborhood roads lined with palms.  Left on Sun Valley Parkway, nothing but highway – straight, next 21 miles.  No getting lost today.

Mile 4: coughed up chucks of past week’s strep infection.  Disgusting but better having it on the outside 🙂

Steady consistent first Half, just over 2 hours.  Heat kicked UP, dropped to a walk by marker 17.  Congested, more panting than breathing.  Didn’t eat much all week either.  Let the heat get to me, mental lapse – rapid temp change from Colorado December.

Enjoyed support from a local run group.  Every 2-3 miles they’d be roadside cheering.  Two of their members, Barb & Cathie caught me at mile 19.  It was Cathie’s first marathon.  Hung with these ladies race remainder.  Super upbeat/chatty individuals.  Made running alongside an empty highway much more interesting.  Indebted, ladies.  Many thanks.

‘Run to the Runway’ on today’s race shirts.  Marathon ended at a municipal airport [runway] in Buckeye.  Private airfield.  Would finish surrounded by a field of parachutists.  Dumb luck, but pretty cool.

Hour-half return to Phoenix’s Sky Harbor International.  Just your average 20-hour December day in the Arizona desert ☼

Buckeye Marathon – Race to the Runway

Buckeye, AZ

 

K R Haga

Bib # 124

 

Chip Time

05:00:42

 

Half

02:07:38