Credit to my sister – she corralled all to commit to Fort Smith Arkansas’ inaugural marathon event. Many thanks!
Pop-ups – new term sis taught me; kinder friendlier word for HILL; might be unique to only her & her local running group; big picture…a hill is a hill is a hill – and this particular course had miles of ’em 🙂
Family Marathon – ran marathon relay with both siblings & a nephew; ok to be jealous – my family ROCKS!
After driving the course on Saturday, lotta discussion over marathon legs:
- 2 huge hills in Leg 1 (along with pop-ups). Hill training since December, I was tagged with Leg 1.
- Leg 2 – longest relay at 7.45 miles. Half the distance my sister runs every weekend, Leg 2 all hers.
- Third leg was a mystery – mostly on paved trail, not accessible by car. Huge hill, then levels off (we think). Would have been my sister-in-law’s leg but missed for a work commitment. That left my brother with 7 miles.
- Last (& shortest) leg to Jack, my 14 year old nephew. Young & eager, posted a 6:42/mile in track camp.
We ran as Team 4-Layer Delight (named after Mom’s signature dessert).
Woke to near perfect race conditions – 50° & sunshine. Hadn’t run relay since high school, near 100 years ago. “Never drop the baton” – I remember that was a relay runner’s biggest fear. Fast forward to 2015 – same medal baton, tech-tweaked with a timing chip.
Lined way way back. Pop, gun start & I ran – side-stepping runners, targeting the 3:45 pace group.
Since I started out fast, focused early on air intake (controlled breathing) just before the turn on Free Ferry (2 mile mark). Multiple pop-ups, then a right on Albert Pike – first of my 2 huge hills. Had been lagging behind 2 young runners, up & down Free Ferry. This hill however was all mine – I owned it. Strong arms, kept pushing, crested, then flew the other side. Turned up the tunes & settled into my next mile. Up the 2nd huge hill – a serpentine climb per my sis; call these switchbacks in Colorado. Couldn’t see the top – just kept pushing. Popped over, relay exchange ahead. Already? Handed off the baton to my sister, pacing a sub-3:40 marathon. WOW!
Because of traffic delays, only my sister (& nephew) drove the start of Leg 2. I asked Jack if he knew how to get to Leg 3 – a quick yes, so I handed him the keys. At almost 6’ feet, I never knew he was only 14 & could not drive. HA!
Parked at First Nat’l Bank (site of Leg 3) where I met up with Ash & Tom, Mom, bro, niece, etc etc etc…talk about crowd support. Pumped, still felt super strong. Knowing my brother doesn’t run regularly, asked if he‘d mind I join him. And that’s the way it went. Sis finished under 4 hour marathon pace, handed off the baton & off we journeyed.
Half mile trek then – HUGE hill. UP, UP, UP…we passed several walkers, neither of us stopped. Slow steady pace. Gotta say my brother’s leg was the least scenic – exception: mounted police. Pretty cool – no horse patrol in my prior races. Nice job, Fort Smith!
Bro felt all 7 miles as we neared Old Greenwood – but never stopped, he kept moving. Don’t know too many people who wake up & think – today I’ll run 7 miles (with no training). Leg 3 ended flat– deceptively, that final quarter-mile lasted forever.
Ready, ready, ready to run. Young Jack was all smiles. Hand-off complete, we boarded cars & rushed to the Finish Line – Team shirts in hand. A half mile out, pulled a Team shirt over Jack’s head & all crossed together (including his dad who ran the half marathon).
My first marathon relay – 13th Place (just over 4 hours). Go Team 4-Layer Delight!
Lunch at Longhorn’s, quick shower, airport. Under an hour ’til take-off, TSA drama – Ash lost her license (also inadvertently packed a half-bottle of water). Luckily, she also carries a Costco card. Who knew that would come in so handy?
Family marathons, highly recommended. A moment in time I’ll never forget.
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- 44,352 inches to go! (where we’d meet Jack on Leg 4)
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- Leg 1 – focused & ready to run
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- Leg 3 hand-off: Sis ran the toughest leg (hills AND distance)
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- Leg 4 hand-off: runs 7 miles, no training – who does that? My baby bro!
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- oh to be 14 — whatta smile!
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- Team 4-Layer Delight finishing STRONG!
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- C-E-L-E-B-R-A-T-I-O-N (sporting major bling)
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- Finish Line support
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- 13th of 55 – check out our splits…FAAANNNNTASTIC!
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- Mayor of Fort Smith, Sandy Sanders
Early to bed, early to rise – 330am to be precise, now that’s early. Official race start 615am, a-ok by me. Concerned with Florida heat & humidity, happy to get in as many miles as possible before sunrise.
Miami would be my first major race – plan on adding San Francisco (in July) & hopefully NYC to that list in 2015. 80 countries were represented here. Heavy Spanish contingent made for a fun, unique race – lotta vocal enthusiasm, hip hop & salsa.
With South Beach closed to traffic, took Miami’s MetroMover to the Start at American Airlines Arena, the Heat’s NBA home.
Beautiful course – palm tree lined, 4 long Oceanside treks including MacArthur Causeway to Miami Beach & Venetian Causeway connecting San Marco & Biscayne Islands. Flat course, only man-made bridge inclines – had hoped to sub-4, maybe PR here.
Lined up in Corral D, ran tight with the 3:55 pacers. Grabbed water at mile 10, a banana at 14, gel at 15, salt packet at 18 & my second gel at 20. Generally am not an eater, nor supplement during races. Kept looking for answers to hold pace.
High humidity restricted breathing – never felt relaxed, fought water pushing into my lungs.
Pace group slowed & grabbed water, then quickly recaptured cadence after each aid station. At mile 18 I stopped, they moved ahead & sadly that was goodbye. I struggled on this beautiful course – the 4 hour pace lady passed at mile 23. Pulled off my headphones & used crowd energy to fuel the last mile.
Finish Line in sight, heard my name announced – K R ‘AGA, Estados Unidos
Laid on pavement, sucked in oxygen & zoned out listening to the Spanish announcer call in runners. Coooo-lumbia, Cooba, Guatemala. Never been a huge fan of Florida. Miami, however – highly recommended. So much energy.
Soaked up rays in Bayfront Park, waiting for my marathon partner Stacy to finish. Quick shower & lunch before flying home to Denver. Gator bites – perfect end to a tropical marathon get-away.
Bib 1339 K R HAGA Miami Marathon » Louisville, CO Finished 04:12:55
Ashton Congrats on another finish!!
Stephen Makes me believe there is a warmer, sunnier day in store someday even for those of us in the snowy Northeast!!!
Val God bless anyone who runs that far in FL humidity. Good job!
Kelly Nice work!
Tracy Love this pic
Stacy I might have to get a copy of your playlist & try it out. You look so focused in that weather! Great job!
Tina Go K*! Now you can eat all the Brussels sprouts you want.
Michael um…consider shaving that face for these southern courses.
Leslie Way to go!
Dmitriy Nice pic! Good result!
Carmel Well done! You are still amazing!
Tammy I miss shorts. It would take me hours to find a pair.
Thomas Great run Keenan!
Collette Way to go! Great picture too.
Many thanks for all the encouraging words – much appreciated!
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- SUCCESS!
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- pre- & post-race pics with marathon pal, Stacy
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- local alligator, fried & seasoned, served with homemade spicy mayo – YUM!
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- Game On — it’s official!
Hadn’t 26 2’d in 5 weeks (even in training), so doubt creeps into the mind before that first long run. Focused on hill training in December until I caught a bug on the 23rd, laid me up through New Year’s. Not fun.
New year, new goals, lotta adrenaline.
Spell it: M-I-S-S, I-S-S, I-P-P-I Weather: Sunshine & 26 degrees. FAAANNNNTASTIC!
Arrived in a disposable thermal wrap (recycled from last month’s race) & enjoyed a bluesy guitar National Anthem before race start. Mississippi Blues Marathon in Jackson MS – marathon #18, first of 2015.
Overheard this run was a bit hilly, so pleasantly surprised to be pacing strong on the initial 3 mile loop. Kept tight with the 3:50 pace group, hill after hill after hill after hill. Yeah, the hills just kept coming. Mile 4, 6, 10, 12, 15, 17, 18, 20, 21, 23 & 25.
Lost pace on the steep climb up mighty mile 17…but I never walked.
Grabbed water at mile 26 & saw a pace sign. 4:30, maybe 4:15 – heck no…it was the 4 hour pace guy. My hilliest race to date & I might sub-4? Seriously? Pulled it together, ran & ran hard. Only .2 miles to go.
Pacers always finish at or before their target time. Sadly today, this pacer had a ‘fail’ I guess.
Crossed the Finish, missed sub-4 by 2 minutes. Hadn’t entered Mississippi Blues with sub-4 in mind – even before I ran its many many hills – missing by 2 minutes only stung a little. Not a fan of weekly hill training but I’m a HUGE fan of results.
Excellent way to kick off 2015 AND scored my favourite medal to date – depicting a Mississippi blues guitar.
Bib 656 K R HAGA Marathon » Louisville, CO Finished 04:02:22
Blues harmonica jam
