…named after Pierre François Xavier de Charlevoix, a French explorer who travelled the Great Lakes and was said to have stayed the night on Fisherman’s Island one night during a harsh storm.
Signed up for my Michigan marathon after scoring crazy cheap tickets on Southwest. Denver to Grand Rapids – direct flight, $110 roundtrip. A week out from race day, goggled directions from Grand Rapids to my shared hotel in Petoskey. 3 hours? Ugh…that’s an unexpected haul. 2 hours from the Canadian border, 45 minutes from Mackinac Island.
Ok, I can work with that. Marathon first, Mackinaw second 🙂
Quick sleeps, up early. Room shared with 2 other Maniacs: Andy from Houston & Todd from Missouri (thanks Stacy for connecting us). Todd drove 800 miles [from Missouri], picked up Andy in Indianapolis – made my 3 hour ride from Grand Rapids seem kinda small.
Secured parking downtown & watched the morning rise over Lake Michigan. Lotta colour – truly stunning.
Cool temps, gun start over the town’s historic drawbridge. Charlevoix is a small resort town – today’s course hugged the lakeshore. Fairly flat run – one steep incline coming outta town at mile 5.
Fav part of the run: treed section starting at mile 10, looped at 13, same return view thru mile 16 on this out-n-back course.
Ended in a sprint with another runner who failed to stop at the Finish, fell over a barrier & bloodied his face. Lotta excitement, over-achiever 🙁 Finisher’s medal – one of my favourite, adorned with a working drawbridge.
Congratulations!
K R HagaFinish Time: 04:16:57.0
No shower this day. Quick sink bath at a local pizza joint (post-race lasagna), then ferried over to Mackinac Island. Only bicycles & horse-drawn carriages on this island. FAAANNNTASTIC!
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- Good Morning Charlevoix!
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- lighthouse on Lake Michigan; picturesque one-bridge town (only 2 hours from Canada)
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- town’s scenic draw-bridge represented on today’s medal — pretty amazing location, pretty amazing day!
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- direct flight to Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids — week out ’til race day, hadn’t noticed Charlevoix was 3+ hours away…ROAD TRIP!
(let’s just say) I got in with a little help from my friends 🙂
NYC November 1st – watch out folks. He’s baaaaackkkkk!
Fri, Jun 26, 2015 at 6:08 AM
New York Road Runners <noreply@nyrr.org> wrote:
Dear K R HAGA,
Congratulations! You’ve been accepted to the 2015 TCS New York City Marathon. Start your celebrations today, and we’ll keep you posted on news and events leading up to race day.
Regards,
New York Road Runners
Unfortunately, had already added 2 races (in place of NYC) – DC & North Carolina – gonna be a mighty busy Fall.
11 weekends, 11 marathons, 10 states plus DC
we’re very sorry, but you were not selected…
Published March 3, 2015
Ho hum…2 times unlucky in my quest to run NYC. Haven’t been back since January 2011 – when I changed my life path & moved to Colorado. I’ll return someday but won’t run the Marathon. 50 State Quest ends June next year in Steamboat.
Time to juggle.
Memorial Day 2016 – Buffalo. Day trip to Niagara Falls on the short list.
NYC just wasn’t meant to be. With an extra free weekend this November, stay tuned. I’m not one to sit idle 🙂
From: TCS New York City Marathon <email@tcsnycmarathon.org>
Date: Tue, Mar 3, 2015 at 5:48 PM
Subject: Your 2015 TCS New York City Marathon Status
Dear K R,
Thank you for applying to run the 2015 TCS New York City Marathon. We’re very sorry, but you were not selected…
5 days ago, ran/walked/crawled my worst marathon in Casper Wyoming.
Mentally re-grouped, today Seattle bound. Surprising long 3-hour flight, greeted by Washington state’s towering Mount Rainier. double WOW! [Someday I’ll bag this peak – on my bucket list 🙂 ]
Struggled initially with public transport (no rental car this trip), but eventually made my way to the NFL Seahawks’ CenturyLink Field (for bib pick-up). After the Broncos’ humiliating 2014 Super Bowl loss, couldn’t imagine souvenir shopping. HOWEVER, pleasantly surprised to see Seattle’s Sounders share store space with the Seahawks. One of MLS’ premier soccer teams – dropped 20 & scored a new beanie.
Hooked up with Ash & Tom (arrived a day earlier), toured the city via harbor cruise – SUPER fun – then ended the day at Seattle’s infamous fish-tossing Public Market.
Crazy hippie vibe in Seattle, sport a unique accent (Alaskan/Canadian tinge) – and is a city of hills. Folks warned ’bout San Francisco being hilly…no such disclaimer for the Emerald City. Yikes!
Woke early Saturday, 6am monorail to Seattle Center – caught my first close-up of the Space Needle. Would have to wait post-marathon for a ride UP 🙂 Hung out nearby in the Armory with a thousand new friends, awaiting an 8am start.
Corral start: lotta people, lotta corrals – BIG crowd, majority half-marathoners (combined start). Only my 2nd Rock n Roll event, Las Vegas RnR was HUGE — 44,000 participants.
Almost 10 minutes before I actually crossed the Start Line – but from there, a different attitude. Sunshine, cool temps – maybe Seattle’s hippie vibe – whatever the reason, this was not Casper.
Separated from the halfers early & worked our way south to Seward Park. GREEN. Biggest difference from Colorado, everything’s leafy, lush & GREEN here.
Crossed the mile-long expansion bridge to Mercer Island at mile 18; struggled with strong crosswinds [on the bridge] but reenergized to music blasting in the tunnel before mile 19 (& mile 22).
Paced sub-4 until the mile 23 bridge return to Seattle. Hills – bring ‘em on. I eat hills for breakfast.
Casper Marathon, I derailed/everything fell apart – mental, physical, top 10 worst. Today approaching Seattle’s Space Needle, I felt STRONG. Love this city. SUCCESS: state #32 marathon FINISH.
Next stop (WaMu Theatre), Jurassic World premier – my post-marathon movie treat in 3D.
Rock ‘n’ Roll Seattle Marathon
June 13, 2015
Bib Name City, State Time
8057 K R Haga Louisville, CO 4:15:26
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- Mount Rainier greeting
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- marathon bib pick-up at Seahawk’s CenturyLink Field
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- downtown Seattle skyline
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- Seattle’s infamous fish-throwing marketplace
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- Haga family lookin’ fly as we tour the harbor — at Argosy Cruises
