When ya dine in a 19th century Methodist church Marathon Eve, how can you go wrong Marathon Day? Stained glass windows, massive organ pipes, cathedral arch – and fresh seafood. Ace up my sleeve? Convinced Stephen today a necessary training run. He’d Uber 6-8 miles from the Finish & run me in. Marathon path BACK on TRACK, guaranteed.
7:30am drop off at Sullivan Gym (U of Southern Maine), single loop out n back course, quarter-to-8 start. No frost on the pumpkin but cooler autumn temps 😊
Hit it hard early, deceptively hilly. Didn’t drop pace for 10 miles. Porta-potty regroup, 2:07 first Half split. Plan: keep pushing ‘til 15, pop a pain pill/ease late-race stomach woes. PLENTY of FALL COLOUR – New England foliage: reds, orange, yellows. USA’s brightest/most diverse hues. BESTEST place to leaf peep.
Electrolytes, water – complete refuel, doing it all this day. Unfortunately, found I’d dropped my magic med solution. Argh. “Pain just mental, keep pushing.” Legs like lead by mile 18. Electrolyte sugars initiated day’s dry heave show. Walk/jog. Walk/jog/run. Expected Stephen soon, would help motivate a Maine finish/lift my spirits.
No seacoast grin repeat (re: yesterday’s lighthouse 4-miler) but moving forward. Phoned-a-friend at 19. ‘Training’ partner would meet near marker 21 (last relay exchange). No drama, just no gas in the tank. Walk, jog. Walk, jog, run. VERY MUCH appreciated!
3 hour+ second half – but I finished. I showed up, I medaled. University shower & a flight home 2 hours later. Portland to Philly, Philly to Denver, work in the morning. Despite the slow familiar finish, Colorado-returned upbeat, improved attitude.
ALL IN. 1st day of October. LOVE October, LOVE the temperature swing. Fave month of the year.
Diet, consistent training miles, improved hydration – 100% effort next 30 days. Diet is the answer/will provide long-term relief. Swollen pancreas, meds for the pain. Bread, sugar, dairy, most fats – not my friend, not on October’s deal-a-meal plan.
Now to New Year’s, I’m moving. Every day, every single day. Antarctica driven!
Maine Marathon, Half Marathon and Marathon Relay
Sun September 30, 2018
Portland, ME US 04101
Congratulations on Finishing the Maine Marathon, Half Marathon and Marathon Relay!
K R HAGA Marathon Louisville CO BIB #142 CHIP TIME 5:23:52
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- autumn in New England
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- BACK on TRACK
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- Mainer SWAG ❤️
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- 5 mile ‘training’ run – HUGE thanks, Stephen!
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- Robo Ro 🙂
Maine Marathon
DNS, did not START. Travel, lodging, meal planning – even bib pickup, but failed to START on race day. GUTTED.
nicknamed ‘the Equality State’
Autumn hike on the Divide, late breakfast in Georgetown. Barreled home, swapped out backpacks, dropped Ro at the kennel. Hour-15 drive to Cheyenne, bib pickup deadline 5pm. SUPER Saturday 😊Haven’t spent lotta time in Wyoming’s capitol city, never stayed overnight. Hotel-splurged this trek, opting for a good nite’s sleep before Sunday’s inaugural Cheyenne Marathon. Early 6am start.
‘though just a short drive from Colorado, Wyoming stands on its own. Cowboy culture. Cowboy boots, cowboy statues, cowboy museums, even a cowboy-ridden Bronc dons the state’s license plate. Snapped Downtown shots of Cheyenne’s Wild West past. State capitol though was a bust – under construction, who knew? All signs pointed to a successful Wyoming x2 finish.
Alarm rang early. Feverish all nite, not great sleeps – elevated temp would linger thru Tuesday. Just PUSH through? ARGH. Run/not run, what to do? Not STARTING, soooo much worse than DQ’ing/trying, coming up short. Today: big MISS, runner FAIL.
Hotel check-out, early Colorado return. Traffic-delayed downtown. Street blocked, two runners slowly made their way across – shorts, headphones, eyes forward/focused/in the zone – that should’ve been ME. STINGS, still stings — core of my soul 😡
Back-of-mind questions next race – after DQ’ing: will I finish or late-in-race drop again? after DNS’ing: will I even show up? Am I healthy enough to keep marathoning? Should I skip my next flight & just stay home? Have I aged out? Do I now drop to Halves? HEAD demons.
Week following, notta lotta running. I’m a sore loser – or in this case, a sore ‘non-Starter’.
Maine next weekend. Stephen just an hour-half away, will be good to see a friendly face 😊 Positive note? New Denver doc/gastro specialist provided a full bag of meds, guidance/diet instructions. Step closer. Discovery, diagnosis, resolution.
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- Cowboy culture
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- big BOOT to fill
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- State Capitol (under construction) & historic Governor’s Mansion
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- new doc, new meds
3-hour flight delay Friday after-work. Only one chance to arrive before Saturday’s marathon Start. Yikes! Post-midnite touchdown in North Dakota’s capitol city. Rental car, hotel check-in, 4 hour sleeps.
Early 5:30am meet-up in Bismarck’s Cottonwood Park (thanks Marathon folks for allowing my last-minute, same-day bib pick-up). DIG places with human faces. I’ll remember ya.
USA Heartland, America’s friendliest people – both Dakotas, Iowa, Minnesota & Nebraska. I’ve marathon’d all 50 States; I know. All-out outdoor beauty: Oregon, Washington, Colorado & Alaska. But if you wanna meet Americans with the kindest/truest hearts, stop & stay in our ‘fly-over’ states. Work ethic & Prairie.
Napped an hour in the rental, shed a layer, lined up for North Dakota x2. Ran Fargo my first 50 tour.
Cool overcast skies, perfect for Fall running. Combined FULL & Half Start – lotta company first 5 miles. Flat easy course, mix of suburbia & bike path. 2:04 first Half split. Pace faded after (my habit since Spring).
Riverwood Drive, Riverside Park, Riverfront Trail. Crossed the mighty Missouri at markers 5 & 16.
In-between miles spent travelling to/from neighboring Mandan. Surprise ‘Catch of the Day’? Run-miles 16 thru 24: riverside bike trail & a tree-lined golf course. Nice on the eyes.
Walk/jogged last 2 miles, sub-5 FINISH. No drama, just nothing in the tank. Medal Monday #128.
The Bismarck Marathon
K R Haga Residence: Louisville, CO
Thanks for competing in The Bismarck Marathon. You finished in a time of 4:54:56.
This message is provided as a service by Pickle Events, the timing company for the The Bismarck Marathon.
Lemons into lemonade. Unexpectedly snagged a lazy day – in Bismarck North Dakota (United cancelled my return flight home).
Long hotel shower. Local barbeque. Slow stroll around ND’s Capitol, a history-nerd’s playground. Historic buildings, flags, statues, monuments. (hotel TV) Community-access channel flooded with POLKA. 4-stars North Dakota, you had me at Sacajawea ❤️
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- late midnite arrival
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- North Dakota x2
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- the Pioneer Family
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- guided expedition, baby on her back
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- TATANKA!
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- North Dakota’s capitol city
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- post-marathon GORGE ❤️
North Dakota LOVES Polka
