Triple-Digit Texas Triple. Folks, it was sizzlin’. H-O-T hot 🔥
Memorial Day’s generally a lock/schedule set-in-stone on my race calendar. Trail run Saturday, Wyoming Marathon Sunday, our local Bolder Boulder 10K Monday morning. Last December however, signed up for this challenge to support my run-friend Angela, who RDs event in her hometown. Funds raised donated to Multiple Sclerosis. Y’all know I’m not a hot weather runner — but sometimes, it’s bigger than 26.2 miles. Sooo… ya pack a good attitude & take it one day at a time.
8 laps ’round Bachman Lake, aside Dallas’ Love Field. Saturday-Sunday-Monday. 3 days, 3 marathons but only one state — Texas. Place where I’ve marathon’d the most, outside of Colorado. Relatively close, inexpensive & so many race options. More races here than any other in the U.S. But folks, it’s warm. One of my 100-mile blocks: heat training — and boy, I’m gonna find that here. H-O-T hot !!
Southwest flight to Dallas-Love, ride-share to Embassy Suites, packet pickup race morning. Couldn’t be easier. Well organized, lotta race support from our Mainly family. Texas/Florida/Mexico runners heavily represented. For us cold-weather albinos… there’s always sunblock. LOL>
Mile+ walk from my hotel (no car rental required). PLUS* Angela created a last-minute 5am early start… to help folks get in miles before the sun was high. 90, 96, 98 — our weekend temps. One day at a time. Pushed harder/ran faster as the weekend progressed. Each day’s time bettered day prior.
High humidity all weekend. Rain/hail on Day 2. Tornado held off ’til Tuesday — no joke! Flew home couple hours after Day 3 finish. Showered, heat exhausted, crashed early. Didn’t know ’til I read the news. Yikes! Don’t know how they do it. Texans are TOUGH! Inspired to train harder.
But first… packin’ up the Ford. Ro & I are driving cross-country for Summer. Family, friends & East Coast ultras 🙂
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- sunblock CLOWN
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- Multiple Sclerosis
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- Wayne’s World 26.2
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- Bachman Lake
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- Memorial Day TRIPLE
Texas Triple — Dallas TX
Colorado HOME. Sunshine, thin air, comfortable temps, Memorial Day approaching. But first… Colfax. Colorado’s largest road marathon. Denver-positioned & one I LOVE. Not once, twice thru Mile High Stadium — sign me up! And this year, no Canadian forest-smoke hazing our Rockies view 🙂
Saturday, Expo day. HUGE event, 30k registered (4 races). Snake the full oval of Broncos’ Stadium. Then… make your way outta Denver before weekend ski traffic returns (last Divide slopes still open for business). Expo Highlight: nabbed a bonus medal for completing a ‘double’ [any pre-Colfax] marathon in 2024. Smiles & thank you. Super appreciative! #100 marathons 100-miler
Sunday, RUN day. Sleeps or not, 2:30am comes early. Clothes/food/hydration all prepped in advance. Woke/walked/fed pup. Secured on-street parking, mile + walk to City Park. I’m here… again!
State Capitol dome, Denver Zoo, first pass thru Empower Field.
Pulled forward, stayed within earshot of 4:45 Pace Group (target crew). Sloan’s Lake, congested/crowds pushing in. Just 2 miles of this. Breathe. Chest tight. Overwhelmed. Panic increasing, sound sound sound. Plan B. Tagged a faster runner, drafted/stayed body-close. Focused on this guy’s pace, his yellow shirt. Outta the park, done. Quarter-mile walk, pace group back, right on target.
And just like Fort Collins (2 weeks ago), surprisingly… 26.2 miles felt comfortable/short after ’50K every day’. Shared horrible ‘Dad jokes’ with my crew, miles 23/24. Kicked it up & ran a strong last mile.
Happiest Colfax to date. Collected a post-race beverage & laid long in the grass. [Low-calorie beer not necessarily non-alcoholic… & now we know.] Memorial Day 2024? Marathoning in the Big D. Dallas.
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- 30,000 STRONG 💪
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- Mile High Stadium
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- Colfax SMILE
Denver Colfax Marathon
8 days 8 states 8 50Ks
Long 3+ hour drive day before, much of it thru sheets of rain. Nothing dangerous, just messy & notta lotta outside-change between the two Dakotas… so ya struggle to stay mentally plugged-in.
Same course last two days of the Prairie Series. Two-nite hotel stay. Wahpeton ND & Breckenridge MN. 500ft walk to the common Start. Tale of 2 different run days with a group dinner in-between. Warm exposed Day 7 which I’d walk the second Half with ‘George from Georgia’. Another mega-marathoner. Treasure trove of life stories; blessed afternoon. 32 miles: check, done ✅
Not so many eat choices in Wahpeton. 30-minute drive, no regrets. Group nite-out where we’d watch Guinness-baby spread mashed potato across a restaurant window. LOL> [Mom cleaned mess]
Sleeps & high energy for Series final. Cut 2 hours off prior day’s 50K. Whoop whoop! 🙌
Build such a strong bond with folks over 8 days. Travel, fatigue, weather — all the ingredients for lasting life memories. Sad last day goodbyes… but the highway calls.
Pilot truck-stop shower & a tuna sub. Highlights of my 4-hour bolt to Minneapolis. It’s Expo day tomorrow at Mile High. Colfax Marathon, Sunday in Denver.
Home sweet Colorado home ❤️
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- Welcome to Wahpeton
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- prehistoric SNAPPER
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- Prairie FINISHERS 🏅
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- ND & MN
Prairie Series – Wahpeton ND
Prairie Series – Breckenridge MN
