I started 2014 with a huge goal – Ironman Boulder. 30-40 hours/week training – lotta time away from friends AND a lotta time away from the mountains (but still managed to bag five 14ers this year 🙂 ). Quite the life journey. Looking back – don’t think I’ll attempt another Ironman for a loooooong while. HUGE time commitment.
Up 4am every weekday swimming laps. Work, then back to the gym spinning or running the treadmill. In May, attempted my first Century ride in Santa Fe (finished 80 miles). In June, my first half-Ironman in Steamboat (time cut after the bike). Ran a FULL marathon – 26.2 miles – every month of 2014. SUCCESS!
August 3rd, finished my Ironman swim in under 2 hours. Crashed during the Ironman cycle. Haven’t been in water or back on a bike since. Done, no mas. (completely burnt out)
Marathoning, however – for whatever reason, stuck.
Not only did I run a marathon a month, but once Autumn hit, I doubled then tripled my goal. Qualified for/joined 2 running groups – 50 States Marathon Club & Marathon Maniacs – and ended 2014 at 17 states, in a quest to run all 50 by 2016 year-end.
Just kickin’ back in 2015? Heck no – 26 more marathons & a HUGE life adventure. Just wait 🙂
In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years – Abraham Lincoln
-
- awesome Christmas gift – thanks Ash!
-
- Alaska
-
- Arizona
-
- Delaware
-
- Georgia
-
- Idaho
-
- Indiana
-
- Iowa
-
- Louisiana
-
- Maine
-
- Minnesota
-
- Montana
-
- Nebraska
-
- Nevada
-
- Oklahoma
-
- Rhode Island
-
- Texas
-
- Utah
Last marathon of 2014 – in America’s 1st state, Delaware.
Denver to Baltimore, rental [car] pick-up, White Marsh MD where I picked up Stephen travelling for work (awesome timing, huh). Lunch, an hour to Delaware, another hour half to Rehoboth, bib pickup, (must have) crab cakes, then early to bed.
Race in the a.m. – BAM that’s how I roll 🙂
Chilly Saturday start, arrived early on the boardwalk. Watched the pink surf sunrise – STUNNING.
Woke sluggish – time change related, me thinks. Have reined in most race variables – diet, when/what/how much…shows you can’t control everything. Sometimes it is, what it is…just gotta roll with the punches.
Another jumbled race beginning – halfers split off near mile 3 so synched into a rhythm early on. Beautiful scenic course, fairly flat too. Wish I had woke more rested, this course had all elements for a PR. Twice we broke thru state forests for long stretches on trail & wood planked pathways, built above the marshy wetlands below. Saw ocean waves break hard – the Atlantic seems more violent in December, possibly protesting the end of summer season.
Overcast day but forecasted rain held off for 5 hours.
Notta a huge fan of courses which loop (show us 26 unique miles please) – that said, Delaware’s marshy coastal habitat was eye catching & without a lotta wind. Can’t control the weather…but appreciative when it rolls my way.
Tomorrow’s adventure, Assateague Island & Marguerite Henry‘s must-see ponies of Chincoteague.
K R HAGA crossed the Finish
Course time: 04:30:42
-
- crab cakes – a Delaware must
-
- pre-race smiles
-
- Atlantic surf sunrise
-
- finish in sight
-
- 2014 year-end — 17 states COMPLETED!
Early rise, caught a ride to my 16th Marathon start & located Maniac village.
Route 66 would be my 2nd in our trademark yellow-n-black racing shirts. Enjoyed a pre-race toast with a runner celebrating his 50th state marathon – fast forward 2 years, this will be me 🙂
Full & half marathon combined start meant a jammed race for 12 miles – but not as bad as Vegas. I now have a barometer to gauge against. Lotta runners in Tulsa…but not 44,000.
Went out a bit fast on a hilly course. Mentally, got to remember to run my own race. Matching fleet footed half-marathoners is not helping the back half of my race. 1:48 half is quick. Until I finish sub-4 consistently gotta keep folks outta my head.
Memorable – campus run thru University of Tulsa. Love marathons routed thru universities – crowd supported & visually easy on the eyes…beautifully landscaped, virtual botanical gardens. Seen a lotta road this year so I appreciate flora & fauna.
Hills.
Not the Colorado variety where you dig in, blast BIG, let it burn & soon you’re flying downside. Deceptive hills in Oklahoma – gradual inclines which can last for 3 miles. ‘Mess with your head’ hills – “I’m on flat ground, what’s wrong with my legs” hills.
Heading into mile 26, looked forward to seeing family. Not sure if they’d be waiting near the Finish but just the possibility was motivating. Nearing the end I heard them – WOW.
Received my medal, Finisher’s photo, grabbed a chocolate milk. I could hear Mom, my family behind the gates.
I reached up, she touched my finger tips, I heard her voice, I heard all of their voices now – one gets crazy emotional after pushing the body to extreme. Amazing, unerasable experience.
Shower, food, airport – time goes by so fast. Ash texted a pic of geese wintering on Waneka Lake. Home.
Bib Chip Time
1958 K R Haga Louisville CO 4:32:41
-
- SUCCESS!
-
- 50-state Finisher celebration
-
- marathon medallions
-
- wintering geese, my Colorado home
