An intense north Atlantic storm pushed an unusual surge of sea ice at St. John’s, Newfoundland, on Friday, a sight not seen by some locals in decades.
The powerful Atlantic low, centered about 400 miles southeast of Newfoundland’s Avalon Peninsula, produced strong northeast winds gusting up to 70 mph in parts of Newfoundland.
This was the second major north Atlantic storm in a week.
End-of-month at work, no chance of taking [off] the day…especially after a half-month away in New Zealand. Friday night East Coast flight, connection in Chicago – Saturday a.m. marathoning in West Haven, CT. Tomorrow’s forecast – rain.
Descending from the clouds, water poured off my window. Not just rain, sloppy sleet & ice. Airport hotel by 1am, up again at 5. Crazy quick turnaround. Hour-15 minute drive to today’s marathon start. April 1st – ironically, my first official ‘Spring’ 26.2 of 2017.
Race day bib pickup, bitter cold porta-potty, then retreated to the car for a 20 minute nap. Aside from visiting friends & family this East Coast trip, would be marathoning today with my Indiana pal, Carolyn. Finishing 26.2 in CT, would up her 50-State tally to 41. Go Carolyn!
8am Start, 2 loop course, cold & windy, 100% chance of rain. Beanie-opted after a ball cap gusted off my head. Luckily, weather man got it all wrong this day. NO rain. Strong headwind first 2 miles before skirting into town. Closely knit Brownstones provided multiple wind breaks in this old New England town. Mile 5 or 6, local WWI Memorial (photo opp).
Hilly run, deceptive beach o’ hills. Reality: hills helped equalize pace. UP UP UP, I’d lead. Downhill or flats, Carolyn flew.
Lap 2: took almost a 10-minute break. Indoor restroom, change of socks, waited while Carolyn de-layered (we had prepared for heavy rain). Head down, pushed thru the wind. Lost our way 2-3 miles in. Flagged down a police car who called in our location & got us back on track – 15 minutes, eight-tenths long, my first ultra of 2017 🙁 Stayed uber-focused race remainder…running long is never fun.
Nothing left/outta fuel at mile 24. ‘Go on, see you at the Finish’ – instead, Carolyn urged me forward. Good egg, thanks friend.
Back along the Sound, pushed thru swirling wind, circled ’round Savin Rock, then brought it home. 15 minutes slower than expected but another marathon FINISH. #85, my 2nd in Connecticut.
Savin Rock Marathon & Half Marathon – April 1, 2017
Marathon » Overall Results
192 K R Haga 4:39:26.97
Goodbyes to my running pal, [she] needed to log 5 hours under her belt before hotel-crashing for the night [long drive home to Indiana]. I, on the other hand, enjoyed an impromptu dinner party with friends. Lived 9 years in New Haven, LOVE LOVE these guys!
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- not just rain, sloppy sleet & ice
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- layered UP, ready to RUN!
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- first official ‘Spring’ marathon of 2017
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- halftime show: change o’ socks
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- Long Island Sound *BLING*
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- post-marathon ‘circle of friends’
Savin Rock Marathon
My South Pacific marathon, Kirikiriroa. Bib pickup yesterday. Scoped out exactly where I needed to be, when I needed to be there…PLUS spent an afternoon in Hamilton Gardens — 2nd fave thing in Hamilton, after Hobbiton of course 🙂
Kirikiriroa (Hamilton, in Māori)
Poor night sleep, less than 3 hours. Too many days abroad – super fun vacation, but missing Colorado. Auckland, Rotorua, then a week drive ’round South Island before returning 2 days ago to the Kiwi North. Noticeable weather difference on NZ’s two island nation. Unfortunately, marathoning on the hotter, humid twin. But it’s only weather…remembering today how crazy lucky I am in life, marathoning in the South Pacific two short months after Doc declared me ‘cancer-free’.
Travel buddy dropped me at 6:15am – still dark, no sun for 30 minutes into today’s 42k run. Followed a throng of local runners to the Start near an illuminated tent across the park. Last minute race details – luckily I wouldn’t be leading, absolutely no clue what was said. 2 weeks in, still struggling at pulling together full sentences [no good at the Kiwi accent].
8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 & we’re off. No starting gun, air horn, national anthem. 5K loop around & through Hamilton Gardens – mostly uphill before entering the River Road, along Hamilton’s Waikato River. Ran a short portion of this trek yesterday – rolling hills, like most of New Zealand…an island nation built on tectonic plates. Running hills for 2 weeks now, NZ-acclimated – bring it on!
Went out fast, pushed past runners walking the early hills. Tried to stay near the 2nd pack, following their artificial light ‘til sunrise. Running downhill on the cobblestone path, caught an upraised brick in the dark. Took most impact to my left shoulder. Hit hard. Blood ran, pooled in my sock. Stung, but only road-rash abrasions. Walked a couple minutes, slow jog to the first aid station (first of only 3). Threw cups of water at my knee – ok, good to go.
First marathon body spill…the positive? Slowed pace, ran a steady 9:20/minute ‘til the 20K mark. Wairere Bridge, Horotiu Bridge, large horse farm off Pukete. Lost all tree cover, baked in morning sun, dehydrated fast. Took more water at 21K. Next international trek, wearing my hydration pack. Limited fluids/same situation last September in Russia – [guessing] we Americans are super spoiled with multiple water/sports drink stops in our marathons. No judgment, different culture – live & learn.
Bloodied knee stiffened. Last water station at 30K, 7 more miles to go. UP Cobham Bridge, entered Hamilton Gardens. Victorian Flower Garden backside, ran aside the park’s expansive Rhododendron Lawn…last half-mile. Came in HOT. Crossed the Finish, received my medal, then lawn-laid for 10 minutes. 84th marathon, my 3rd continent. YES!
Australia is also referred to as Oceania and in conjunction with Zealandia. Experts are heavily studying this area of the world and the definitions on the countries and areas that define it are changing rapidly. Currently, there are 3 confirmed countries that divide the continent of Australia. It consists of the country of Australia by the same name, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea.
Begged a late check-out & post-marathon shower from my fancy last-day NZ hotel. Late lunch, easy-going 2 hour drive to Auckland (haggled for ice cream with US dollars). Air New Zealand return flight not ‘til 11pm (yep, marathoning/flying home same day).
WOW whatta journey – furthest I’ve ever been from Colorado. Ran EVERY day – Auckland, Rotorua, Christchurch, Franz Josef Village, Queenstown, Dunedin, Oamaru, marathon finish’d in Hamilton. Palm trees, glaciers, geysers, glow worms, whole lotta sheep ❤, Fiordland Nat’l Park, Hobbiton & penguins too! Nothing left undone, no regret life.
Kirikiriroa Marathon 2017
Keenan Haga
Finish Time: 4:32:50
Race No: 98
Gender: Male
Status: Finished
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- hot & tropical, gonna cook tomorrow
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- dark START to today’s 42k
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- fist pump & a smile
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- my 3rd continent
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- Haere rā [goodbye] — heading home!
Days later I still think about it. Was running his passion? Meaning…if one had to die, was it just as well he died marathoning? Did he believe in a hereafter? Was his family waiting near the Finish? Was he running with friends? It was over so quick…did he see God?
Hiro
McKinney, TX 44
Facebook page looks like wife and 2 kids, posts in Japanese?
Think he worked for Toyota.
It may bring you some peace. He had completed the Dallas Marathon in December of 2015 & 2016. And earlier marathons in California, he wasn’t a new runner.
Plane ride home to Colorado provided much-needed relief/mental rest. Think I had been in shock, all thoughts shrouded in Hiro’s death. Failed to take a Finish pic, didn’t even enter my mind. Super shaky & confused. Crossed the Finish, was directed to Medical. Laid down, took fluids, asked about Hiro. They had no info. Up in 20 minutes, located my rental, airport-returned to Dallas Love Field. Restroom splash bath, change-of-clothes in the handicapped stall – best I could manage.
39th The Cowtown
Sunday 02/26/2017
Ft Worth, TX
4:29:02 581 K R Haga Louisville CO MARATHON
Texted Sis. In her occupation, she sees life & death every day. Lotta comfort from her words. Much appreciated Sis!
If it makes you feel any better it happens a lot. As many races as you’ve done I’m surprised you haven’t seen it yet. We were at Disney and saw one being revived after a half. She was about 50 and 45 lbs overweight. Luckily she collapsed at a hotel full of cardiologists and surgeons. He [Hiro] obviously had cardiomyopathy or some kind of lethal arrhythmia. There’s nothing you can do to save them. It’s sobering and horrible but not your fault. As a runner I would rather go like that than slowly with cancer and suffer. I think….I’ve seen a lot of people die and you still lose sleep over it. Live life to the fullest. Celebrate every breath and remember to tell the important people in your life you ❤ them. It does make you feel better. ❤ u.
Sent from my iPhone
Jogged in the last tenth-mile. No fist pump, no celebration, death sobered today’s Finish. Home. Fort Worth to Dallas – 45 minutes, just me & my thoughts. Radio off, focused on driving. Horrible dream you just can’t shake. Scene kept playing over-n-over in my head.
I can text later tonite or tomorrow – finished marathon – emotionally super upset – watched a runner die at 26.1 miles – just texting this makes me tear up again – Asian guy named Hiro – they worked on him for 10 minutes before paramedics took him away – kinda takes away from my marathon experience, fastest all year – even waiting with Hiro as he passed
It was so horrible
Convulsing first then he just passed
He spun & tried to catch a pole, then went down on pavement
Too upset to eat, boarding in 30 minutes – I’m so extremely upset – I’ve never seen someone die – it was horrible – another maniac waited with me & then the race medics until the ambulance came
His spirit just left his body
Course ended flat but nothing left in the tank/pushed too hard too soon. No breaking 4 hours…again [getting closer]. Just couldn’t break 9 minutes after mile 18. Briefly bench-sat by Mark Twain in Trinity Park (it’s a thing in Fort Worth, Google it 🙂 ).
Lost the crowd at mile 10 – Halfers veered right, marathoners straight ahead. Hill at mile 11, mile 14, steady climb 16-18. Shoulders back, head up. Tough course! STRONG for 23 miles then dropped off pace.
Heard a lot about hills…in particular, the Main Street Bridge at mile 8. Still sharing the field with Halfers, took to the left & started picking ‘em off – runner after runner. Not expecting next year’s free entry but no hangin’ my head in shame either. STRONG!
The infamous Main Street Bridge (.344 mile hill) will be part of a new competitive opportunity for all Sunday runners this year. We will have a timing mat at the bottom of the hill, as well as the top. The fastest non-elite female and male runners to ascend the hill in each of the three distances (Ultra, Full, Half) will win a free entry into next year’s race!
Fave part of race: running thru the Fort Worth Stockyards. Cobblestone path thru Fort Worth’s historic district. FAAANNNTASTIC!
Late registration so I started WAY back. Corralled with the 5:30 pace group – would spend 2 miles dodging walkers while the field thinned. At 3.6 miles, caught the 4:30 pack. 2 minutes between every corral start, meant I was pacing a 3:45 finish. Too fast, too soon. SLOW down! Back to running with a watch next month. Live & learn.
Slept less than 2 miles away but still woke early – needed to locate parking. Marathon morning for 8,000 runners…my biggest race since 2015. Generally a bigger fan of smaller town locales, trail treks. Whole lotta folks but still bumped into Austin-based Maniac, Mike Perez. Last ran with Mike at the Rockin’ K in Kanopolis Kansas (all-time trail fave, 5 water crossings). Small world.
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- Cowtown cowbell
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- 8000 of my Texas besties
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- Finisher tee & medal
