Marathons/Ultras

Nebraska Marathon

Published October 15, 2017

The first-ever Nebraska Marathon was held on Sunday, October 18, 2015 where almost 900 runners took their mark at Turner Park at Midtown Crossing and crossed the finish line at the Lewis and Clark Landing.

That first year offered a Half, last year the event’s first FULL – this year a mix of running distances. Omaha, new to marathoning? Heck no, this town supports THREE separate marathons.

Ironically, today’s ‘Nebraska’ Marathon comprised more Iowa asphalt than Nebraskan. Crossed the Missouri River before the Half, would cross back into Nebraska post-mile 25.

Chilly morning start – my first of the Fall season. October can be a mixed bag for weather. Thankful for cooler temps. Not a lotta tree cover on America’s Great Plains – Nebraska or Iowa.

Late start with a BIG BANG – it’s the Midwest, no shortage of guns. LOL> Combined Full/Half Start across from the host hotel. GREAT location, GREAT digs – super hospitable! Kudos Team Nebraska 🙂

First Half, scenic Half. Marathon’d 7 days ago, no time goal today. Ran with a Halfer from Columbus. Good conversation, good pace. Said our goodbyes at mile 12, finished my Half right at 2 hours.

Not a lotta natural trees in neighboring Council Bluffs, but miles & miles of maintained bike path. Nice clean community. Tidy parks, manicured ball fields. Norman Rockwell America.

I’ve run all 50 States – 20 of them twice – would definitively say: Middle America, folks living on our Great Plains/America’s Heartland are the kindest/most visitor-friendly states.

Steady headwind 2^nd Half however didn’t lose our sun. Small marathon field sparsely spaced along the course. Miles 15 & the turnaround return to 22 were some of the loneliest. Caught a lot of crosswind.

Sub-10 minute miles thru mile 19. 30K in 3 hours. Dropped off soon after. Strava stats recorded 12 & 13-minute pace, miles 22 to 25. Crossed Bob Kerrey Bridge over the Missouri & back into Nebraska, finished a half-mile later at Lewis and Clark Landing.

Another medal, another marathon experience. FAAANNNNTASTIC!

Last chemo- December 22^nd. 10 months & 22 marathons later, celebrating Historic #100 in Dublin IRELAND. One month shy of 4 years, soooo many race memories. Thankful for my family, great friends & our SUPPORTIVE INSPIRING run community.

My life 2^nd Half, absolutely no regrets. Nothing left undone.

NEBRASKA MARATHON

224 K R Haga 4:43:14.12

: Lewis and Clark Landing

: 10 months & 22 marathons later

: more Iowa asphalt than Nebraskan

Posted in Heartland, Marathons/Ultras | Leave a comment

Portland Marathon

Published October 8, 2017

“Keep Portland Weird” is a popular slogan that appears on bumper stickers, signs, and public buildings throughout Portland, Oregon and its surrounding metro area. The slogan has been called the unofficial motto of Portland.

My kind of town – the ‘city’ version of Boulder.

Flannel fashion, inventive chefs, hippie homeless. ‘Live & Let Live’ friendly (the American West standard, ZERO tolerance for discrimination). Environmentally minded: NO plastic bags (outlawed/entire county); NO new highways – voted to manage growth thru expanded/improved public transportation. $5 rail ticket, my ride to the Airport.

One of City’s downtown landmarks – Powell’s City of Books. Page turning? 9am-11pm, 7 days a week.

Covering an entire city block, Powell’s City of Books is more than a great bookstore: It’s a microcosm of Portland, packed with smart and eclectic offerings, passionate people and, naturally, its own coffee shop. And, just like Portland, it’s open 365 days a year!

It’s the largest independent chain of bookstores in the world, and when you visit the aptly named flagship shop, Powell’s City of Books, you’ll need a map to find your way around (the store provides one). Powell’s enormity is a measure of how much Portlanders love books. Cruise the aisles, grab some coffee and enjoy the lost art of thumbing through bound paper stamped with words.

Portland FOOD. Post-hike gorged at Ned Ludd’s Friday nite. Met & talked with its Food Network chef (Jason French, a former Boulderite). Three courses, dinner entrée: whole roasted trout. WOW! Head & a backbone, only remnants on my plate. Brunched Saturday, another Portland staple. Hipster beignets – not necessarily Creole, but served on a bed of chocolate.

Sunday, RUN day. [Remember when EVERY day was a run day – HA! #2017runfail]

LOVE LOVED staying at the Hilton, the Portland Marathon’s host hotel. Bib pickup literally downstairs, booked early & secured the runner’s room rate, walked 2 blocks to this morning’s Start. Couldn’t be more convenient.

Big City race, my first in eons. Full/Half combined start – sooooo many runners, not in Okoboji today 🙂 Heard today’s 7am Start waiting patiently in Corral C, 12 minutes back. Two 11-minute miles, before the field thinned/run became manageable.

Cool morning temp, overcast sky – GREAT running weather. If only I had remembered ‘portion control’ during my big FAT foodie holiday (I gots no ‘off’ switch); two days of ‘Rose City’ gluttony. Appreciated the porta-potties at mile 8. ‘Nuf said.

Mostly flat course, gradual incline miles 5-9. Crossed St. Johns Bridge at mile 10. Portland’s tallest bridge (built in 1931) spans the Willamette River (crossed back at mile 18). Beautiful panorama, slightly foggy. Reminiscent of San Francisco 2 years ago.

Drizzle just past the Bridge, but never a steady rain. Again, couldn’t have asked for better conditions.

Incline blip at mile 22. da Truth: walked it, nothing left in the tank. excuse Time [’cause ya’ll know I got ’em]: Body’s tired. Running so often (21^stmarathon of 2017), find myself lacking late in the year. Frustrating, but it is what it is.

Mile marker 25. PUSH, PUSH, PUSH. Late burst of reserve, FINAL STRETCH of downtown city street. Marathon SUCCESS! Surprise, surprise – this day, medal AND a rose. Super classy. BIG thanks, City of Roses🌹 Great memory.

Paid the extra $25 for a 1pm check-out. It’s the Hilton, choose your battles (but as host hotel, could’ve been a bit more generous).

Sit-down lunch, sit-down movie (The Mountain Between Us), window-napped on my Southwest flight home.

On the runway in Denver – SNOW – first of the season, LOVE LOVE my Colorado life! ❤

: head & a backbone

: discrimination is NEVER welcome, not anywhere for any reason

: largest independent chain of bookstores in the world; an entire city block

: my big FAT foodie holiday 🙂

: St. Johns Bridge, tallest in Portland

: City of Roses FINISHER medal

: Goodbye Portland

: first SNOW of the season ❤

Posted in Marathons/Ultras, Pacific/Desert | 2 Comments

The Bear Chase Trail Race

Published September 30, 2017

Who signs up for a 50K trail run only 4 days before the event? Yep, that happened this week.

Received a promo email for The Bear Chase Trail Race last weekend, Friday before New Hampshire. Generally I delete these (my run schedule’s set 6 months out) but was out-of-town/travelling soooo the ad stayed in my Inbox.

Home sweet Colorado Home. Cool & overcast all week, highs never topped 60 (GREAT weather). Didn’t have a great run in Keene (REDEMPTION). Short miles this month in my Run the Year challenge (Sept 30^thrace) AND only 45 minutes from Home.

I know, I know – crazy ‘healthy‘ addiction. Paid FULL price & promised Ro we’d hike tomorrow 🙂

Saturday morning. Hydration vest outta the closet, packed a drop bag – pickles/watermelon/chicken noodle soup, change of clothes (shirt/socks). I’m my own crew today. Socks? Yep, NINE water crossings – 6 of those, knee deep water. LOVE LOVED it!

Missed bib pick-up night before (work obligation). Arrived half-hour early in Lakewood’s Bear Creek Lake Park. FREE parking ($10 fee waived for runners). Volunteer handed me a Bib, 4 safety pins & my Bear Chase tech shirt. BAM, done.

2^nd time in a month, I’d be running the event’s low-mile race. 100K, 50 mile or 50K – that’s it. First time since April 2016, I actually registered for a 50K (ran 3 last year). Marathon + 6 miles. Baby steps. I see a 50-mile race in my 2018 future.

Sun rose pink over Bear Creek Lake, hats off for the National Anthem & we were off. Bunched up at the first water crossing, then hiked UP the first of three big climbs. Backside of hill? I flew. Since REVEL Rockies training this Spring, I’m a much better downhill runner.

Easiest trail terrain to date – rolling hills, root-free course (my trail nemesis). Ran strong first 14 miles. Lost my mojo during the sun-exposed 6.9 miles ‘round Fox Hollow Golf Course. No tree, no shade, no wind. Popped in the ear-buds, tried to flood my head with sound.

Last loop (18.8 miles in), half marathon distance to go. Dilly-dallied 10 minutes at Bag Drop. Re-clothed (dry shirt/dry socks), bathroom break, swallowed a half-thermos of chicken noodle. Departed with a fresh bottle of electrolytes.

Last climb UP, right quad cramped. Unfamiliar territory. Nearby runner asked if I needed salt tabs. I thanked him, swallowed both & hoped for a miracle. I’m a puker, not a cramper. Limped/walked the climb, limped/jogged the backside.

Clouds rolled in, temp dropped 10-15 degrees, winds kicked up. No sun, no headphones…no need. Quad cramp ceased. My miracle.

Slow pace – 12/min mile – but I kept moving. Shoulders back, no walk, no slog. Head voices stopped. Focused on a guy in white, later a couple both dressed in red. Approached, paced closed behind, then passed/moved ahead. Ninth & final water crossing.

Less than a mile to go AND… I lost the trail. Are you kidding me?? Bush-whacked thru high grass & willow thicket. Crossed a paved road, met a 100K runner. Had run past the Finish by more than half a mile. Disappointed…but back on trail – I kept moving.

Actually came up BEHIND the Finish. 7 hours – that’s a looooong time but I FINISHED. 32 miles total. WOW! ALSO surprisingly, compared with 2016 results – cut more than an hour off my best time. Today’s run a 50K PR.

Out like a LION (September), in with a ROAR (October) – starting tomorrow with a high-altitude hike. Gotta, hafta – promised the pup, right? LOVE LOVE my Colorado life ❤