Marathoning

Keenan • February 5 at 8:49am •
It’s official — signed up for the Moscow Marathon on September 25th.  SUPER excited!  Dmitriy Cherkovskiy – Sign up!

K R Haga
Поздравляем, вы зарегистрированы на Moscow Marathon 2016 на дистанцию 42,2 km.
Ваш беговой номер 1809.
Старт состоится 25.September.2016.
Мы вышлем вам напоминание за несколько дней до забега.

Удачных тренировок и до встречи на старте!

NewRunners

 

Haga K R
Thank you for registering for the Moscow Marathon 2016, distance 42,2 km.
Your race number: 1809
Start on 25.September.2016

We’re looking forward to your participation.  We’ll send you a reminder before the day of the race.  If you have any questions, please contact us at info@newrunners.ru

Good Luck with your training.  See you on race day!
NewRunners

 

—– Moscow, 1998 —–

 

Dmitriy Cherkovskiy, 2015

Dmitriy Cherkovskiy, 2015

I worked in Russia 1996-1999, a lifetime ago.  4 years out of university, I lucked into a ‘6-month’ position which provided opportunity to live overseas & manage employees for the first time – three young guys in particular, Dima [dee-mah], Vlad & Dima (Dyomin, the other Dima).

On the K* timeline, this experience intrinsically shaped who I am today.  The people I met, being immersed in a foreign land – Russian language & customs – invaluable, absolutely life-changing.

St Petersburg, 1998

St Petersburg, 1998

Initially a fish-out-of-water, sooooo far out of my conservative comfort zone.  Russia taught me to live, to take risks (not everything in life can be carefully planned) & be thankful.  I’ve never gone hungry.  I’ve always had a roof over my head.

I know one can never recapture a time & place – if I could, it would be 1998.  Comfortable in my Moscow life, I invited a group of friends & family to Russia, the Baltics & Scandinavia.  Memory I’ll never ever forget.

3 years ago on FaceBook, reconnected with Dmitriy Cherkovskiy (Dima).  This fall we run the Moscow Marathon.  Слава Богу [Slava Bogu] – thanks to God!

 

Truth: Past tense is by far the easiest Russian verb conjugation.  2 years of lessons from Tatiana (weekdays 7:30-9am) – I took the Metro, bought groceries, interacted at work (as Director of Finance)…but sadly, often only spoke in the past.  “I just went to lunch” (as I’m leaving the office), “hope you had a good weekend” (as folks departed Friday).  Fun memory — LOL>

 

During my 11 consecutive weeks of marathoning last Fall, fell off track with regard to active training.  Between work, personal life & traveling East Coast 10 of those 11 weeks, struggled for consistency — pace dropped off, ran injured for 6 weeks.

2016 goal: ENJOY the run, ENJOY the journey, ENJOY whom I’m running with, look around/ENJOY my surroundings, REMEMBER how blessed I am – and CONSISTENCY.

Just before New Year’s, signed up online for my 2016 running challenge – in addition to entering 40 marathons/ultras this year (only 3 east of the Mississippi 🙂 ), joined a new running community: Run the Year 2016.

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

Site is actually geared to new runners – folks wanting to lose weight, change/rebuild lifestyles…but 2,000 miles?  Jeez, seems like an impossible challenge.  But when you break it down over the entire year, it’s only 5 ½ miles a day.  CONSISTENCY.  Awesome drawing inspiration from like-minded individuals all over the USA.  LOVE it!

 

January 31 at 7:05pm
double digit miles in light snow – great way to end January!  181.5 miles, 11 months to go — on track, still lotta room for improvement.

JOIN THE CHALLENGE

Run The Year

Imagine yourself doing something BIG in 2016.  Imagine yourself doing something that will get you into the best shape of your life.  Imagine making a New Years Resolution that lasts all year long.  Imagine taking a friend with you on a journey to health, happiness, and achievement.  This might sound impossible, but believe us when we say: “ANYBODY CAN DO IT!”

 

Welcome to Run The Year 2016 – 2,016 in 2016 Challenge presented by Run The Edge.  We’re challenging you to run, walk, or crawl 2,016 miles in 2016.  We want you to use your feet to get you to the finish line.  Run The Year with us and an amazing community of like-minded people who will encourage you, celebrate your accomplishments, and (most importantly) keep you running and walking as you cover 2,016 miles in a single year.

 

Our goal is to make the Run The Year Challenge as motivating and fun as possible.  Run The Edge promises to pour our hearts and souls into making this challenge an exciting year long journey.  We’re in it to help you make a goal and stick with it.  Are you ready to join us?

 

MILEAGE TRACKER
Run The Year registration gives you free access to a custom mileage tracker so you can log miles throughout the year. Track miles for yourself and for your team as you complete 2,016 miles!

INSPIRATION, MOTIVATION & EDUCATION ALL YEAR LONG
2,016 in 2016 registration gives you complete, year long access to the Aid Station, Training Room, Nutrition Bar, and Listening Lounge.  These curated areas will give you the tools necessary to achieve your 2016 goals.

TRAINING PLANS
Are you a walker that wants to complete your first 5k?  Are you a marathoner looking to improve your PR? Registration includes over $180 worth of free Run The Edge running training plans.

 

Hawaiian Kahuna (Priest)

Hawaiian Kahuna (Priest)

Up early – really early for state #48.  5am marathon start meant I’d be running with a headlamp for almost 2 hours ‘til sunrise.  Whereas most runners caught a 3:45am bus from Lahaina, I walked a short ¼ mile to the Start Line [awesome condo location in Wailea 🙂 ]

Congregating in a large parking lot, more than a thousand chatty runners lined up on Wailea Alanui.  12 people used this race to complete their 50 states – Hawaii is where most folks end the Quest.  Listening to native music, we chanted lyrics back to a Hawaiian Kahuna (Priest) while awaiting last minute race instructions.

Had never raced wearing a headlamp previously; luckily, no issue – easy to adjust.  Why such an early start?  Most of us Mainlanders were expected to melt once the sun rose.  80 degrees isn’t crazy hot in July/August, but acclimating to the 60-degree temp differential (vs Colorado) is a struggle in only 2 days.

Ran at a fast clip first 8 miles, pacing a sub 1:50 half.  Goal: get in as many miles as possible before morning heat kicks in & I sizzle.  Darkness gave away to pre-dawn dusk at mile 10; turned off my headlamp a mile later.  Race highlight – saw a whale breach between mile 12 & 13.  Not from a ship, not on a whaling cruise – turned my head left & watched this whale break the surface while running, not once but twice.  WOW, WOW, WOW!

Maui - Day 2

 

Sun consistently streamed from mile 16 – temp now increased 4 degrees every 30 minutes…felt like a slow-cooking lobster.  As I baked, folks starting passing in waves.  My friend Stephen met up at miles 17, 21 & 23 – provided water & orange slices.  Thanks!

Entered Lahaina city limits; dropped off Honoapi’ilani Highway, veered left on Prison & felt a late burst of energy.  Increasing pace on Front Street (town’s main drag), saw the Finish.  Heard another runner coming up fast behind.  Instinctively [after 26 miles] switched gears – enough gas in the tank to outsprint the half marathoner by a length.  Pumping hard at the end made for an awesome finish pic – American flag & palm tree backdrop, everything you’d hope & expect from Hawaii.

Stumbled forward & soaked under a nearby mister. Whatta life experience!

 

Maui Oceanfront Marathon (MOM 2016 Results) »
Lahaina, HI, Jan 17, 2016     K R HAGA LOUISVILLE, CO 4:47:27

 

 

Recouped on Maui’s Big Beach – ocean breeze & zzz’s, just what the doctor ordered.

Call it a day? Heck no.  Caught the end of the Broncos-Steelers game, changed clothes & returned to Lahaina for a sunset dinner cruise (special event for MOM marathon/half marathoners & guests).  Watched the sun sink slowly into the vast Pacific, most memorable sunset of my vacation.  Mahalo, Hawaii for a 2nd amazing day.

Mahalo” is a Hawaiian word meaning thanks, gratitude, admiration, praise, esteem, regards, or respects.