Other Race Results

May race: Colfax Half Marathon

Published May 19, 2013

Just back from sea level, less than a week to altitude adjust my running for May’s race – the Colfax Half Marathon in Denver.

Was sucking wind at 3 miles on Monday’s training run but by Thursday not only hit my stride, but ran 20 miles – my longest distance run in 2013. So…on Sunday I felt super confident – this being my 3^rd half marathon of 2013.

Overslept my 4 a.m. alarm on Sunday (race day) by 45 minutes so rushed around, quickly walked Ro & barreled down the highway headed for the Denver Zoo (official race parking). Parking was already full at 5:45 a.m. (argh) but luckily found on-street parking only another 5 minutes away. Whew – now I could kick back and relax ‘til the 7 a.m. start time.

For today’s race I was able to use my time in Moab (my first Half in March) to qualify for a lower race wave. AWESOME! So instead of running in the thick of 3,000 people, I qualified for E corral (5^th wave) & wasn’t blocked in by so many bodies.

My time goal was to beat last month’s Fort Collins time at just under 2 hours. Focused on going out fast (kinda risky) in an effort to catch “C” wave which started almost 4 minutes ahead of me…and then maintain pace ’til race finish.

Raced thru the Zoo between miles 2 & 3, then caught & followed ‘C’ wave just past mile 5. Despite running 20 miles only 3 days prior, I felt zapped at 12 miles. My pace started dropping off fast. Finish line ahead. Relieved then stunned.

Ran a 2013 personal best today 1:49.42 – a full 10 minutes faster than last month’s Half Marathon. That’s why my energy was zapped. Additionally, raised money for my charity of choice – Autism Speaks. Enjoyed BBQ & Blues AND still managed to shower & attend church. Busy day. Did I mention ‘Personal Best’? Woo-hoo! Only 34 days left ’til my Alaska marathon.

Congratulations #6126 K R HAGA!
Here are your results for the Kaiser Permanente Colfax Marathon:

Your final time is 01:49:42.
You finished 672 out of 5165 in the HALF MARATHON.

: Sports Authority (Broncos) Stadium (Saturday bib & shirt pickup)

: Broncos (took pic for BFF Dawn)

: 7 a.m. START

: personal best finish time & race bling

: after race BBQ & Blues

: the Hazel Miller band

April race: Horsetooth Half Marathon

Published April 21, 2013

FULL Colorado weekend – group hike on Saturday, half marathon on Sunday.

Not a lotta consistent training this month but a goal is a goal – one race a month (minimum) until completing a marathon in 2013. Set my alarm for 5a.m. – up and out for my 2^nd half marathon of the year.

Downed my morning oatmeal & honey, walked Ro & set the GPS for Hughes Stadium in Fort Collins – an hour fifteen north of my Louisville home. (Last minute) bib pickup from 7-8am, directly before our half marathon start at 830am.

After another snowy week, completely lucked out with sunshine & 50 degree race day temps. Warm enough to run in shorts & a long-sleeved dry wick. Wore my Red Sox’s cap – supporting victims & families of Monday’s Boston Marathon bombing.

For religious reasons, I rarely enter races on Sunday – so today’s run, the 1^st in Colorado after Monday’s bombings, was certainly unique. Started off with 26.2 seconds of silence, then moments later saw our runner pack wave forward (didn’t hear a gun start – guess I was that far back :().

HILLS – have never run so many hills in all my life. However after adjusting mentally, I found today’s course to be an advantage. Fort Collins is home to Colorado State University so our field was crowded with college runners. One key advantage for us older folks – we’re stronger mentally & the young guns can’t run hills. Running UPHILL, they’d drop down to a walk. Running DOWNHILL however, they’d not only catch me but fly right past me. Actually started to look forward to the next monster mountain ahead – just so I could pick off another young gun again 🙂 Additionally, volunteers flooded the hill tops and cheered each successful runner’s climb. Mighty nice.

Didn’t stop for water until mile 10 & then again at 12 miles.

Finish line ahead but couldn’t believe the ticker – under 2 hours, my goal time. WOW! Seriously? and with sooo many hills? Cut more than 5 minutes from last month’s Moab finish. Top 25%. Crazy nice surprise.

2 (maybe 3) races to go before Alaska. 1000% gonna do this thing!

OVERALL RESULTS HORSETOOTH HALF MARATHON

Results courtesy of Runlimited Timing Results on runlimitedfc.com & active.com

Place Div/Tot No. Name Nettime

===== ======== ===== ======= =======

451 28/48 1006 K R Haga 1:59:41

: Start: Hughes Stadium, CSU (Fort Collins)

: we ran today for Boston; started with 26.2 seconds of silence

: Gatorade, bananas, oranges, hot dog & live entertainment (yep, I’d do this again)

: inspiring Longs Peak (on my 2013 ‘bucket list’)

March race: Canyonlands Half Marathon

Published March 16, 2013

3 months down, 3 months to go. Time for a half-marathon.

Left work early on Friday to get a start on the 6 hour haul to Moab. Surprisingly I didn’t mind the drive as much as I had been dreading. With Ro at Camp Bow Wow in Boulder, I took time to take in the view. Nothing like the drive on I-70, crossing the Continental Divide, followed by the winding curves through Glenwood Canyon to Utah. Beautiful.

Arrived in Moab, found my hotel sold out and was given a voucher to the Ramada – where they had reserved a room for me literally feet from Highway 191. ARGH! Luckily I was super tired; put the TV on low to drown out passing 18-wheelers causing my door to rattle & door to shake 🙁 Wake-up call never happened (double ARGH!) but luckily brought a back-up alarm. Ready to flee my Ramada rental space — looking forward to Saturday race day!

Race packet pick-up at 630am then parked at Swanny City Park where school buses shuttled runners to Canyonlands for the start of my first half marathon. A bit cooler than expected but soon forgot the chill. Gorgeous rock caverns made this race by far my most scenic run to date. Hard to peel the smile from my face.

Half marathon didn’t start ’til 10am – so had a few hours to kill. Could have carried a negative attitude about the wait, but looked around – WOW! – & decided to immerse myself in my geo- surroundings. There was time, I am strong, I could do this. Hiked up the canyon wall – the natural rock providing several easy hand-holds. No worries.

Who hikes before a half marathon? I do! What’s the point of a life journey if you don’t stop and enjoy the ride. AMAZING!

Grabbed a hot chocolate & lined up in time for our race gun start. Was placed in the last wave (no pre-qual time) – but on a positive note, passed more than 2,000 people before crossing the finish line 🙂

Overall pace was slower than expected but finished strong, literally sprinting the last hundred yards.

Devoured post-race oranges & bananas, then caught some zzzz’s in the park…soaking up the day’s sunshine.

Hooray my half is in the past – 13.1 miles to go and I’ll be marathon ready!

Got something even bigger planned for April – before my 25K trail race in Colorado Springs. Sky diving for the first time on April 13^th! How cool (& scary) is that? LOVE LOVE LOVE my Colorado life!

Here are your results for the Canyonlands Half Marathon:

Your final time is 02:05:15 at a 00:09:13 pace.
You finished 1379 out of 3189 in the HALF MARATHON.
You finished 75 out of 129 in your class.

Moab Half Marathon (pre-race clip)