Other Race Results

Horsetooth Half Marathon 2014

Published April 13, 2014

Jeez what a difference a year makes – or in the case of Spring weather, how ‘bout a day?

Woke to snow & sleet so hit the road early – it’s race day in Fort Collins, my 2^nd Horsetooth Half Marathon. Decided soon after Atlanta to try a Half the weekend before my next 2 marathons – as a competitive long run. My FULL race times have been worsening over the past 4 months – trying to mix it up by throwing in a 13 mile hill run 6 days before Salt Lake.

Snowy, cold & hilly – my new fave race conditions. Whereas I’ve been struggling in the humid South (Austin & Atlanta), I scored my best time in months running at almost 6,000ft in snow & pelting ice.

Almost bit it on the wooden bridge at mile 9 – super slick. Thanks to the anonymous runner who grabbed my right shoulder, stopped my fall. Took almost 6 full minutes off last year’s time. Heck, yeah!

SLC marathon next weekend. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow 🙂

Place Bib Name Nettime

284 4685 K R Haga 1:53:57

: snowy, cold & hilly – my favourite conditions

: race day snow after 70-degree Saturday

: lotta elevation — felt the 6% grade at mile 7

Thanksgiving Turkey Trots

Published November 28, 2013

Happy Thanksgiving 2013!

Thankful for so many things – family, friends, great health, sunshine, mountains, snow & my Colorado home (of course).

Found myself completely caught up in the holiday spirit this year. Signed up for not one but TWO 5K charity runs.

The trick was finishing Louisville’s 9am Turkey Trot (supporting Flood Relief) & driving to Boulder in time for the 10am Community Food Share 5K. Backseat full of non-perishables for 9am’s charity & canned goods for the 10am run.

Crazy huge turnout for my hometown Turkey Trot. Excited to see 2 trucks filled with donations. Feel super lucky & blessed that my home & most of Louisville was spared from September’s epic (500 year) flood.

Ran this first 5K mighty fast, almost breaking 21 minutes. Quick photo with Santa — in the car & off to Boulder.

Community Food Share’s mission is to ensure that no one in Boulder and Broomfield Counties goes hungry.

What better mission than to feed our neighbors. Dropped off 3 bags of canned goods. Big smile.

Sunshine, warm weather – and another big crowd, all ready to run. Beautiful view of the Flatirons, just east of CU campus.

Ended the day at M’s brother’s home for turkey & fixin’s. No holding back this holiday – already ran off my calories 🙂

: Louisville 5K Turkey Trot – supporting Flood Relief

: 9 a.m. start time – gotta run fast….next charity race starts in an hour

: finished 10 seconds ahead of the little dog (who photo-bombed my pic – LOL!)

: quick shot with Santa, then off to Boulder

: Community Food Share 5k – supporting homeless in Boulder County

: check out that view – LOVE LOVE Colorado!

: winter residents

: 2 5Ks in under 46 minutes – ROCKSTAR day!

: Happy Thanksgiving 2013!

River Valley Run Half Marathon

Published November 9, 2013

Better than running my first half marathon since June? Family support at the finish line. The best!

Announced my 60 day Marathon challenge & soon after was down with a cold. ARGH – crummy luck! 3 weeks of steady training later, have hit the halfway point. Time for a half marathon – 13.1 miles.

Longest training run to date: 12 miles – but who can’t gut out an extra mile on race day? 🙂

Took an xtra day & journeyed to Arkansas for a long weekend with family – before winter weather & holidays fill folks’ schedules. Flew into Fort Smith Regional airport via Dallas. Small plane, small airport. 1 seat by 2 seat row capacity – landed in a 2 gate facility (yep, it’s either Gate 1 or Gate 2 🙂 ). BAM – 10 minutes later enjoyed lunch at Williamsburg Kitchen. LOVE LOVE how close & convenient everything is in a small town! And the weather? Sunny & 60’s. FAAAANNNNTASTIC!

Saturday, race day. FCA River Valley Run.

Wait, wait – missing part of the story. Received a TomTom GPS Watch as a belated birthday gift (which should cover birthdays for a decade – thanks James, Collette & Maddie). First run with the watch, a half marathon. Talk about setting the bar high. LOL>

Easy race start – fairly flat ‘til mile 6. Big hill but nothing crazy. Happy to see James & Collette at mile 9 – super nice!

Trick finish. At 10 ½ miles you drop off-road & run thru a wooded area. BIG smile. A mile-half later you’re still gradually climbing. NOT nice. One mile to go – super winded, thinkin’ maybe 2:16 for a finish time. Goal is always 2 hours but hadn’t raced this distance since June, I’m drowning in humidity – yep, full of excuses.

Yards away from the finish I squint hard to see the ticker.

1:54 baby. Assume once I learn how to download my race splits from the new watch, I’ll see a HUGE pace drop-off after mile 10 – but dang, I did it. Finished & finished strong. Confidence high – full marathon in 30 days.

Water, bananas & a purple Bible. First race in the Bible-belt. Check, done 🙂

Finished the weekend with a lotta food, lotta card games & a lotta laughs.

Running in Arkansas – I’ll be back.