Marathoning

Run the Year 2016 (Sept edition)

Published September 30, 2016

Run the Year Motto: Run, Crawl, Walk, Conquer, Dominate 2,016 miles in 2016

September 2016 update: HUGE travel month – 3 marathons, travelled from the deserts of Utah to Moscow’s Red Square. Cancer schmancer. Good days, bad days…but overall, mighty blessed with a crazy, FULL life.

Unfortunately, finished even further behind on total miles but don’t give up on me yet. Head’s back in the game. Super STRONG run months ahead. Whole lotta marathoning every Fall. Ran 14 consecutive weeks in 2015 – still totally doable.

2 month focus (September & October): STAMINA

Race ReCap: 3 marathon month – 2 at altitude (Colorado Springs & Big Cottonwood Canyon) and RUSSIA. 17 years after an early-career expat assignment (almost a lifetime ago), reconnected with my former workmate Dima & finished the Moscow Marathon. Course trekked thru Moscow center, along the Moskva River, past the Kremlin. HUGE life experience!

Mileage ReCap: Ended September at 1,451 miles (61 miles short of goal).

: ended September at 1,451 miles

: livin’ B-I-G: deserts of Utah to Moscow’s Red Square

: bestest dog ever – LOVE my Ro!

: Milestone 1400

Life’s an amazing journey. And although running is a HUGE part of my current, still plenty of time for a Fly Casting lesson with a neighbor’s friend’s brother — Graeme, visiting from New Zealand.

Happily, I was a natural…but you’re gonna have to trust me, no video proof (clip below is my neighbor Larry) 🙂

Moscow Marathon

Published September 25, 2016

Saturday — Expo at Luzhniki Stadium (marathon bib pick-up). Crazy long queue looped wildly throughout the parking lot – in the [sarcastic] words of Dima: We Russians love our long lines. We line up for everything. LOL> Turned in my medical certificate (another unique Russia-only thing), picked up tomorrow’s race bib. Check, done. Next up: Red Square.

Carbo-loaded Italian grub at a new Jamie Oliver restaurant, located aside Moscow’s iconic GUM department store. Great company, great day. Many many thanks Dima & Natasha. FULL heart.

connected by sport: language nor politics matter to Marathoners

Sunday — Marathon morning in RUSSIA!

Not a lotta sleep. Been struggling with the huge time difference – days & nights mixed, getting thru on multiple 2-hour naps a day. Body feels like night but my eyes see morning. No excuses today. Been waiting almost a year for this day.

Hooked up with [my former workmate] Dima in the hotel lobby at my digs on Prospekt Mira. Surprisingly late marathon start — 9am. Hopped on a nearby Metro, rode the Circle Line, dropped off & switched cars to Moscow University & Luzhniki Stadium. Exited one stop earlier than Dima – he registered for only the Half today.

Almost a mile walk to the Stadium. No getting lost, followed a mighty line of runners. Couple minutes later, spotted a Maniacs cap & heard English (first time in 2 days). 2 Aussies, 2 English & a New Yorker. Insta-friends. Half-way ‘round the globe, never expected to meet other Maniacs from my running group. FAAANNNTASTIC!

Took advantage of bag drop-off & shed my outer layers. Windy & cool but expecting warmer temps than yesterday’s trek thru historic Red Square. Rain forecasted later in the day (so skies could stay overcast) – hard to know how to dress.

Started 6 corrals back. LOVE LOVED hearing the Russian anthem! Second largest field of marathoners in my 3-year running history (2^nd only to New York City).

2 minutes between each corral start. Crazy excited. Ready to run Moscow’s Seven Hills!

Quick beginning, few first miles running long flat stretches from the outer ring to Moscow’s Financial District. With the exception of NYC, have never marathoned a City which closed so many major roads. Headache for residents – tourist Mecca for runners…Moscow eye-candy!

Popped a pill early (mile 9). Time difference & a nagging headache, added to race nausea. That said, the pill did the trick. All smiles as I ran aside the Moskva River & the tall red-brick walls surrounding the Kremlin. WOW, WOW, WOW!

1:56 first half. Soon after, first of 3 large hills. Hilly yes….but not West Virginia hilly. No worries, I got this.

Noticed a young runner struggling to hold pace – his t-shirt read ‘I am a Runner’, his first marathon. Encouraged him to keep moving to the 30-kilometer marker. Connected today solely by sport, utilizing limited Russian & broken English. He’d walk, I’d walk. Frustrating as it was, I can be persistent. He finally understood I would not run ‘til he was ready. We soon stopped walking altogether. Ran 2k, grabbed water/sports drink/a banana…and ran another 2k.

Either his English or my Russian got better. Coincidentally, his name: Dmitri (Dima). Seriously? Like going back in time. University student studying Finance. Moscow resident but no longer lives at home. Getting married next May.

40k (only 2.2 to go) & young Dima took off…but a bit too early. My old legs caught him & finished STRONG. Overcast, cold temps, folks bundled. High-fived spectators lined near the end. Runner’s high.

Marathon SUCCESS! My 71^st finish, first outside North America.

K R, поздравляем с участием в Промсвязьбанк Московском Марафоне 2016!

Ваше личное время на дистанции 42,2км — 4:40:44.

Предварительные результаты доступны на сайте.

Результаты представлены официальным хронометристом — швейцарской компанией TAG Heuer.

Оргкомитет Промсвязьбанк Московского Марафона благодарит Правительство г. Москвы и Департамент физической культуры и спорта г. Москвы за содействие в организации марафона.

Промсвязьбанк Московский Марафон

Bid farewell to new Dima, then met-up with old Dima – for dinner & final goodbyes. One more day of sight-seeing for me, but Monday’s a workday for most. пака моего друга [goodbye friend]. Memorable, absolutely unforgettable visit! Brain etched forever.

: Expo & packet pick-up

: carbo loading with Dima & Natasha (such beautiful people)

: best pre-marathon GIFT ever

: Luzhniki Stadium

: happy, high-FIVE FINISH!

: marathon 71, first outside North America

: post-marathon cheers & goodbyes

: not my fastest, but my first results in Cyrillic

Moscow Marathon (Russian Nat’l Anthem)

Posted in Europe, Marathons/Ultras | Leave a comment

REVEL Big Cottonwood

Published September 10, 2016

Last marathon bus leaves at 5am — mighty early for a Saturday. Layered in Mylar & running gloves, coldest start of the Fall…temps just above freezing. Bused high in the mountains, past 2 ski resorts – Brighton & Solitude – wouldn’t leave the warmth of our transport ‘til the driver shouted ‘last call’. Elevation: 9,696ft. 33 degrees, bit chilly in running shorts. Expecting a HUGE temperature swing after daybreak.

My first downhill marathon. Obviously easier than running UP Big Cottonwood Canyon…but running downhill – for 4 hours – comes with its own set of body challenges. In hind sight, should’ve wore my trail running shoes – wider toe box. I’d go home less 2 nails on my right foot.

Lotta runners, whole lotta energy. Camped in Mylar [blanket] village, exhaling air into a make-shift tent to keep warm. Big smiles – cold weather LOVE.

Marathon Maniac group pic, 6:45 start – pop & we’re off.

Beautiful course, canyon walls lined with evergreen. Pit-stopped early at mile 2, then pushed hard 9 miles to catch the 4-hour pace group. Mostly downhill course – haven’t PR’d or broke 4 hours since March 2015. Continued to push hard, trying to build a lead distance while my body felt strong.

Another pit-stop at mile 13; half marathon done, half to go. Right foot stung. Big toe throbbing, bleeding thru my shoe. Rookie mistake. Should’ve wore trail shoes. Live & learn.

Wooded canyon course continued thru mile 18 – heat kicked in, but the scenery…mighty inspiring.

5 mile loop at 18, course’s only uphill grade – not nearly as bad as pre-posted by ‘haters’ but not super scenic either. Trees disappeared, started cooking in the day’s rays. As I looped marker 21, saw the 4-hour pacers half-mile ahead. Argh.

Downhill stretch, then finished the last 3 [miles] strangely running down the highway center lane – between 2 lanes of traffic.

Missed sub-4 by 4 minutes. Ho hum. 70^th marathon finish, 3^rd consecutive weekend run. Despite this summer’s surprise health report, still on target…shooting for #100 by 2017 year-end. I feel a HUGE party in my future – in the meanwhile, grabbed a shower, wrapped my wounds & hit the highway. Sleeping in Moab tonite. Desert hiking Arches [National Park] tomorrow a.m. FAAANNNTASTIC!

K R Haga – Sept. 10, 2016

Bib # 1503

Event: Marathon

Chip Time: 4:04:00.71

Start Time of Day: 6:45:47AM

Finish Time of Day: 10:49:48AM

Pace (min/mile): 9:18