After some crazy cold temps at home, more than one reason this runner was looking forward to Phoenix.  Reunited with Sis!  On a medical conference in nearby Scottsdale, got an invite last month to join her – marathoning, of course 🙂

Direct flight from Denver, landed mid-afternoon.  Struggled thru traffic to bib pickup in Mesa (whole lotta people in Arizona), then hotel check-in & early dinner with Sis.  Nice digs – FREE too – Sis’ husband, a VP-Architect with this chain.

Early Saturday race start, 3:15-4:30am bus times.  Cut the difference & boarded at 4 (same time zone, wake-up as a weekday run/no biggie).  Downside?  Sis running the Half – different Start, different bus.  (She’d finish, then attend her conference.  Yikes!  Shower & afternoon nap, my plan.)

Cold Arizona start.  Runners gathered ‘round campfires.  Me?  Not a hot weather runner – thinkin’ whew, dodged a bullet.  Double-layered & shorts.  Ready, ready to run.

Desert dark on Usery Mountain, dark enough for head lamps.  Started just below the ‘Phoenix’ sign (visible by plane as you’re approaching Sky Harbor).  Downhill grade for miles then highway flat.  Fully trained or not…no excuse not to break 5 hours.  Crowded with the 4:45 pace group.  Fell back fast, stopped & soaked in the dessert.  Giant cacti littered the landscape.  WOW!

Cool morning temp, felt GREAT, might as well run.  5:30 pace group, 5:15, 5 hour trekkers.  Miles 4-6: met & passed two more pace groups.  Hung with the 4:15 bunch thru mile 10.  Lost ‘em at the porta-potty.  Stopped again at the Half – photo opportunity, time to shed layers.  SUN high now.

First race where the Marathon course FAR surpassed [beauty of] the Half.  Designed on purpose me thinks.  Second 13.1 miles (the Half course) highway flat – literally flat, running on the side of a highway.  Not the most scenic run, reminiscent of December’s race in Buckeye.  Several US Olympians in today’s Half field.  GREAT half-marathon times can qualify runners for the Olympic Trials FULL.  Doesn’t seem fair to those that kick a course 26.2 miles with hills.  Wonder how many folks qualify with Half times then later fade in Trials.  Let it go – will NEVER be my problem.  LOL>

Not a great 2^nd Half runner, never have been.  Dropped pace, mind wandered, [flat] nothing to engage the legs.  Temps warmed up but all-in-all, mighty lucky with the weather.  Ran aside the 4:30 pace group.  Puked at mile marker 22 – would be GREAT to finish a race without puking.  ARGH.  It’s never a lot, but shakes me mentally.  Texted Sis at mile 25 questioning the meaning of life.  Sometimes I get the ‘suck it up’ speech, this time she texted ‘bout post-race food.  Super motivating – I’m an eater ❤

Coasted jog-pace under the FINISH banner.  Eyes skirted around: WARM French toast, cooked on-site by a local bread company.

Shower, nap.  Dinner & a show with Sis in downtown Phoenix.  Tickets to LIBERAL political commentator Bill Maher.  Let’s just say, he’s not a FAN of our current President.  Wore my best Colorado plaid.  LOL>  Interesting though, makes ya think.

LOVE LOVED seeing Sis again, getting spoiled.  We need to plan another BIG vacation.  Tag.

2018 SPROUTS MESA-PHX MARATHON

 

9045   K R Haga  Louisville, CO   4:41:34