Marathoning

Steamboat Marathon

Published June 5, 2016

Have become super sensitive with my run schedule since April. Learning balance. Consistent training & rest, now a key part of active marathoning. PR goal this Fall – leg fatigue or re-injury would limit that.

Ever since my first Fall snow hike 4 years ago, Steamboat has always tugged at my heart. Returned the following year for my first (& only) Half Ironman. It was there I was humbled by my first open water swim – BIG difference from lap swimming at the gym. HA! Steamboat Springs was also my initial 50 State finish destination. 3 hours from home however; added Fort Collins last minute to better share the experience with family & friends. No regrets…but still love me some Steamboat, not missing Sunday’s 26.2.

Been heating up all week, start of our 4 month summer season. Not a hot weather runner – but who doesn’t love summer? 14er hike season 🙂 Left Ro with Ash on Saturday, drove US36 to Denver, I-70 West past the Divide. Snow garnished the landscape just past Idaho Springs. Last hour-half north from Silverthorne, summer heat gave way to snowy meadows as I upped elevation & crossed Rabbit Ears Pass. Haven’t seen winter precip since my Evans hike last month. Kid giddy.

Bib pick-up, light dinner, 8pm hunkered down. Early start tomorrow.

Pre-dawn parked downtown, caught the marathon Start bus. Point-to-point course, 8100ft elevation.

Chilly arrival, almost an hour early – watched the sun rise over Hahn’s Peak. double WOW! Fought the urge to double-shirt & slabbed on extra sun block. Temps would soar +30 degrees by Finish.

Small marathon field – less than 300 – & similar to Coeur d’Alene, jacked with elites and tri-athletes. Another high altitude training hub. Hilly start, first 4 miles. Long slope decline thru 8 – fairly flat going forward. A few rolling hills but nothing to wake the quads.

sub-2 first half, another fade to the Finish. Heat cooked. Flagged down an aid truck at 18 but changed my mind & waved him on. Followed a group of young runners next 2 miles, then iPhoned Ash at marker 20 for inspiration. Last miles to town, a mix of jog, walk & slog.

I live in altitude (5600ft) but add a 1000ft & my lungs beg for air like a flatlander. Not enough high altitude marathoning in my war chest.

Stopped digesting water at 24. Rinsed my mouth last 2 aid stops for hydration – anything swallowed, I spewed on the highway. Physically I’ve got this – mentally, I still struggle in heat. Determined to succeed.

Last half-mile finished strong. Medics applied ice [to the] back of my neck, poured water over my head. Hot, dehydrated – up and on my way in 20 minutes. Not pretty – I get that – but it’s all a process. Thin air & summer heat, not a strength…yet.

McDonalds splash bath, 3 hours open highway. Colorado marathoning: home before dinner, still gotta walk the dog 🙂

Steamboat Marathon – June 5, 2016

K R Haga Louisville CO 5:07:30

: June I-70 snowscape

: Rabbit Ears Pass

: Steamboat’s always tugged at my heart – LOVE this place!

: Hahn’s Peak

: temps would soar +30 degrees by Finish

: Steamboat Lake State Park

: Mile 20 inspiration — Marty: Thinking about giving up? NEVER!! You can do it!! — Ro: 2 Waneka walks? Jealous! YOU CAN DO IT!! — JoJo: Finish human

: home before dinner

Posted in Marathons/Ultras, NoCo/Indian Peaks | Leave a comment

Happy National Running Day!

Published June 1, 2016

Celebrated National Running Day with a 7 mile run – only 2 days after marathoning in Idaho. He’s baaaaack.

Each year on the first Wednesday in June, people across the United States participate in National Running Day. This day was designated as a day for runners to reaffirm their passion for running. It is also a good day for beginners to begin a life-changing commitment to running.

: unexpectedly, showed up in an ad for Nebraska’s Monument Marathon

: finally, CONSISTENCY!

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

May 2016 update: COMEBACK month! Consistent training, multiple day run streaks, 2 marathons – and HUGE personal achievement, completed my 50 State Marathon Quest on May 1^st in Fort Collins (Colorado).

Positives? Became accustomed to hear the morning ‘ding ding’ text from Carolyn, my accountability partner. 2 time zones ahead in Indiana, she’s already well on her morning run when my 4:30am alarm sounds. Just the kick in the butt, this lazy runner needed 🙂

2 month focus (May & June): CONSISTENCY

Race ReCap: 50^th state marathon on the 1^st in Fort Collins, skipped a slew of pre-registered runs (completed physical therapy late May), finished the month STRONG with a Memorial Day marathon in scenic Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.

Mileage ReCap: HUGE – first time running 200+ miles since 2014; ended May at 806 miles (34 miles short of goal).

30^th consecutive month marathoning. Streak started with my second 26.2, December 2013 in Tucson.

: ended May at 806 miles

: Milestone 700

: Milestone 800

Run the Year – June Newsletter

The theme of this newsletter is love. Love the process. Love the journey. Love the day to day routine that leads to improved physical fitness. Try to focus this month on being grateful, inspired, and truly loving the gift you give yourself each day you choose to exercise. Just like a relationship with a person, you can choose to focus on the positive aspects or the negative aspects of your relationship with personal fitness. Here is the new challenge for the month of June: Love the process. Love yourself. Most importantly spread the love to others.

Coeur d’Alene Marathon

Published May 30, 2016

Slept in ‘til 6am, didn’t leave resort lodging ‘til 6:30. Marathon morning? Perks of staying at The Coeur d’Alene, host hotel for today’s marathon. Small field of runners grouped near the Start, at McEuen Park. Perfect weather. Cool, sunny, upper 40’s. Beautiful country. Deep greens, huge pines, reminiscent of Oregon’s Crater Lake.

Gun pop; started out quick. No more than 2 miles of town, then spent the next 9 hugging the expansive lake perimeter – same Lake I cruised open water yesterday afternoon. Inclines at miles 4 & 7 but nothing noteworthy. Unfortunately, felt sluggish this day – no special reason, just no mojo.

Found out Saturday, today’s course was a double-loop trek. Mentally checked out at mile 12; toyed with the idea of only finishing a Half. Ultimately, indecision worked to my marathon advantage. The Half turn-off came & went – I circled out of town for a 2^nd tour of the lake. Sun kicked up as did the temps. A long sleeve hoodie maybe wasn’t the best race attire decision I’ve made. LOL> Sure I was styling, but also heat-zapped by mile 18. Ho hum…live & learn. Scenery – still mighty amazing 🙂

Sub-2 first half, 3 hour 2^nd lap – not ideal, but collected another medal, gained more experience & finished marathon #63. Generally don’t read runner reviews. Haters are gonna hate…first three comments however, fairly summarized my CdA marathon experience.

marathonguide.com

Small race (243 finishers) so not much company – During the last 15 miles, I passed 5 or 6 people and was passed by one person, and had no one with 300 meters at the end. Same story for my daughter. It’s a lot like a solitary training run.

The course – four trips over the same piece of pavement is about 2 too many. I realize it’s all about the half-marathon, but making the marathoners run 4 repeats over a significant hill was a bad idea.

Starting at 5:30 or 6:00 instead of 7:00 would’ve meant cooler temps and lots more shade. With temps over 70 and bright sun like this year, the last half of the race was a lot harder than it needed to be.

Aid stations should use bigger cups – Dixie cups that hold maybe 4 ounces before spillage during hand-off and drinking aren’t very useful. It would also be helpful to have water and sports drink in the same order from station to station, or not intermingled at the same station.

Post-race foodstuffs were nothing to get excited about – oranges, bananas, and 1 free beer if you were so inclined and had time to wait in line. We had to head to the airport so didn’t mind that the post-race stuff wasn’t anything special.

Coeur d’Alene Marathon • 2016-05-29

230 Participants • 105 Women • 125 Men

K R HAGA • Marathon • 4:58:36.4

Shower, fancy resort massage, lunch.

Spent the next 18 hours vacationing at a local B&B. Talk about exceeding one’s expectations. 20-minute drive in the woods. Relaxed in lush green forest amongst towering pine, sipping herbal tea, eating homemade pie. Why don’t I B&B more often? WOW, WOW, WOW!

Memorial Day Monday, back in Colorado. Who doesn’t love 3-day weekends?