Marathoning

Route 66 Challenge (Sept edition)

Published September 30, 2018

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Explore. Dream. Discover. ~ Mark Twain

September 2018 update: 3 marathons, year’s first DNS – missed my miles, by a bunch.

Physical not yet resolved (pancreas likely). Biggest struggle: Mental. Not knowing, dropping weight, no plan of action – just pills. Pain meds & enzymes. MRI in October.

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he careth for you.” 1 Peter 5:7

Worry isn’t gonna solve things. One step. Next day, another step. And another. And another. Building on the positives. Everyone has a story. Life deals unexpected outcomes from time to time. All part of the journey. I’m not a victim.

SUPER SEPTEMBER. Newfoundland, North Dakota & Maine. #lucky in life

EVERY day of October I’m gonna move. Good days, bad days, 2 miles minimum. Stretch goal: 50 training miles AND a weekend marathon. EVERY single week of October.

Don’t expect to wish the Physical away – but moving EVERY day of October, is a Plan. Something I can control, step in the right direction. Cooler October temps, all weather possibilities. Easiest time of year to log miles, Autumn. Can’t fail if you don’t try 🙂

Race ReCap: 3 marathons, 3 different time zones. Huffin’ Puffin Marathon/St John’s NEWFOUNDLAND (my 5th Canadian province), Bismarck Marathon (NORTH DAKOTA) & the Maine Marathon (Portland MAINE).

Marathoning Streak: 58 months

Mileage ReCap: ended September at 598 miles (142 miles behind GOAL)

: ended September at 598 miles

: Mile 598: Webb City, MO

: first day of FLANNEL

: bro’s Tough Mudder

: diet FAIL in Philly – YUM!

Marathon Calendar:

10/07/2018 Twin Cities Marathon (Minneapolis/St Paul, Minnesota)
10/14/2018 Prince Edward Island Marathon (Charlottetown PEI)
10/21/2018 Atlantic City Marathon (Atlantic City, New Jersey)
10/28/2018 Marine Corps Marathon (Arlington, Virginia)
11/04/2018 Broomfield Trails Marathon (Broomfield, Colorado)
11/10/2018 Nashville Marathon (Nashville, Tennessee)
11/17/2018 Magnolia Marathon (Meridian, Mississippi)
12/01/2018 Falls 100 Trail Marathon (Falls of Rough, Kentucky)
12/08/2018 Kiawah Island Marathon (Kiawah Island, S Carolina)
12/29/2018 Run for the Ranch Marathon (Springfield, Missouri)

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Maine Marathon

Published September 30, 2018

When ya dine in a 19^thcentury Methodist church Marathon Eve, how can you go wrong Marathon Day? Stained glass windows, massive organ pipes, cathedral arch – and fresh seafood. Ace up my sleeve? Convinced Stephen today a necessary training run. He’d Uber 6-8 miles from the Finish & run me in. Marathon path BACK on TRACK, guaranteed.

7:30am drop off at Sullivan Gym (U of Southern Maine), single loop out n back course, quarter-to-8 start. No frost on the pumpkin but cooler autumn temps 😊

Hit it hard early, deceptively hilly. Didn’t drop pace for 10 miles. Porta-potty regroup, 2:07 first Half split. Plan: keep pushing ‘til 15, pop a pain pill/ease late-race stomach woes. PLENTY of FALL COLOUR – New England foliage: reds, orange, yellows. USA’s brightest/most diverse hues. BESTEST place to leaf peep.

Electrolytes, water – complete refuel, doing it all this day. Unfortunately, found I’d dropped my magic med solution. Argh. “Pain just mental, keep pushing.” Legs like lead by mile 18. Electrolyte sugars initiated day’s dry heave show. Walk/jog. Walk/jog/run. Expected Stephen soon, would help motivate a Maine finish/lift my spirits.

No seacoast grin repeat (re: yesterday’s lighthouse 4-miler) but moving forward. Phoned-a-friend at 19. ‘Training’ partner would meet near marker 21 (last relay exchange). No drama, just no gas in the tank. Walk, jog. Walk, jog, run. VERY MUCH appreciated!

3 hour+ second half – but I finished. I showed up, I medaled. University shower & a flight home 2 hours later. Portland to Philly, Philly to Denver, work in the morning. Despite the slow familiar finish, Colorado-returned upbeat, improved attitude.

ALL IN. 1^st day of October. LOVE October, LOVE the temperature swing. Fave month of the year.

Diet, consistent training miles, improved hydration – 100% effort next 30 days. Diet is the answer/will provide long-term relief. Swollen pancreas, meds for the pain. Bread, sugar, dairy, most fats – not my friend, not on October’s deal-a-meal plan.

Now to New Year’s, I’m moving. Every day, every single day. Antarctica driven!

Maine Marathon, Half Marathon and Marathon Relay
Sun September 30, 2018
Portland, ME US 04101

Congratulations on Finishing the Maine Marathon, Half Marathon and Marathon Relay!

K R HAGA Marathon Louisville CO BIB #142 CHIP TIME 5:23:52

: autumn in New England

: BACK on TRACK

: Mainer SWAG ❤️

: 5 mile ‘training’ run – HUGE thanks, Stephen!

: Robo Ro 🙂

Maine Marathon

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Cheyenne DNS

Published September 23, 2018

DNS, did not START. Travel, lodging, meal planning – even bib pickup, but failed to START on race day. GUTTED.

nicknamed ‘the Equality State’

Autumn hike on the Divide, late breakfast in Georgetown. Barreled home, swapped out backpacks, dropped Ro at the kennel. Hour-15 drive to Cheyenne, bib pickup deadline 5pm. SUPER Saturday 😊Haven’t spent lotta time in Wyoming’s capitol city, never stayed overnight. Hotel-splurged this trek, opting for a good nite’s sleep before Sunday’s inaugural Cheyenne Marathon. Early 6am start.

‘though just a short drive from Colorado, Wyoming stands on its own. Cowboy culture. Cowboy boots, cowboy statues, cowboy museums, even a cowboy-ridden Bronc dons the state’s license plate. Snapped Downtown shots of Cheyenne’s Wild West past. State capitol though was a bust – under construction, who knew? All signs pointed to a successful Wyoming x2 finish.

Alarm rang early. Feverish all nite, not great sleeps – elevated temp would linger thru Tuesday. Just PUSH through? ARGH. Run/not run, what to do? Not STARTING, soooo much worse than DQ’ing/trying, coming up short. Today: big MISS, runner FAIL.

Hotel check-out, early Colorado return. Traffic-delayed downtown. Street blocked, two runners slowly made their way across – shorts, headphones, eyes forward/focused/in the zone – that should’ve been ME. STINGS, still stings — core of my soul 😡

Back-of-mind questions next race – after DQ’ing: will I finish or late-in-race drop again? after DNS’ing: will I even show up? Am I healthy enough to keep marathoning? Should I skip my next flight & just stay home? Have I aged out? Do I now drop to Halves? HEAD demons.

Week following, notta lotta running. I’m a sore loser – or in this case, a sore ‘non-Starter’.

Maine next weekend. Stephen just an hour-half away, will be good to see a friendly face 😊 Positive note? New Denver doc/gastro specialist provided a full bag of meds, guidance/diet instructions. Step closer. Discovery, diagnosis, resolution.