Heartland

Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz

Published April 18, 2015

After a whirlwind day of exploring KC & local Olathe, ended Friday with bib pick-up – including a selfie with Oz’ infamous archvillain, Wicked Witch of the West. Seemed appropriate running in Kansas 🙂

Woke Saturday early, hotel check-out, short drive from Lenexa to Garmin Headquarters in Olathe – where I promptly took a 30 minute nap before lining up under dark clouds in high humidity.

Singing of the National Anthem, then off we ran thru downtown Olathe. Heard thunder at mile 4, sky briefly lit up at mile 8. Kept thinking: run quick – don’t want race organizers pulling me off course early for inclement weather. Safety first…I suppose. 50 State Quest isn’t cheap – previously have had 2 marathons cancel. Loss of race fees, flights. Determined to finish all 50 in 2016 🙂

Down came the rain. Not the sprinkles we call precip in Colorado but Kansas/Midwest rain. Big drops accompanied with blowing wind. Scored a free race cap from a volunteer (thanks) but that only held off the inevitable. Eyes burned thru mile 12, hair sweat-drenched from the early humid miles – now salt-free, rinsed by sheets of rain.

Entered Indian Creek Trail at mile 16, where rain concerns were replaced with mud. Wasn’t worried about keeping clean – shoes soaked, muck splattered legs – concern was staying upright. Slick mud oozed on paved walkways under crossways & up bridges.

Felt Spartan racing in mud, pushing water from my shoes with each new strike on the pavement.

Rain subsided by mile 23. Not my typical run – generally I go out quick & sloth the last 4 miles. Today however, I was steady Eddie – nice even pace from mile 16 on. Who wants to walk in the rain, right? Positive note taken from less than ideal weather.

Keenan Haga was at Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz.

April 18 at 1:27pm · iOS ·

thunder, lightning & buckets of rain – everything you’d expect in the Land of Oz. tough run conditions but scored a ‘yellow-brick’ medal & first race shirt with a flying monkey 🙂 check Kansas off the list folks, next week Kentucky.

2015 Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz Result – Olathe, KS

K R Haga

Congratulations On Your Finish

Here Are Your Ultramax Sports Personalized Results:

Overall Place 329

Finish Time 4:42:48.23

: pre-race selfie with Oz’ Wicked Witch

: scored a ‘yellow-brick’ medal & race shirt with a flying monkey

: over half way now – only 24 states to go!

Posted in Heartland, Marathons/Ultras | Leave a comment

KC BBQ, WWI & the Santa Fe Trail

Published April 17, 2015

Took an early a.m. flight to KC, in prep for Saturday’s Garmin Marathon in Olathe (oh-LAY-tha, ‘Beautiful’ in Shawnee). I know what you’re thinking – what to do in Kansas? Aside from KC BBQ, all I imagined was open prairie & tornados.

First destination: the Nat’l World War I Museum at Liberty Memorial.

Can tell ya, I previously knew very little about WWI – was only going ’cause it was lauded America’s premier WWI museum. Exhibits retold WWI via film, photos, news clips, memorabilia & cars/planes/tanks of the era. By the end of the Great War: Germany was left bankrupt; Russia erupted into civil revolution/end of czarism. Last of the great wars to actively involve horses & the first to introduce aerial warfare.

Insightful, interesting, super impressed; museum well done.

Next stop, lunch at Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que. Place came highly recommended by my boss, Jim. Settled on KC’s famous Z-Man sandwich & fries – did not leave disappointed 🙂

With clouds rolling in (yesterday’s Colorado snow arriving as thunder & lightning here on the Plains), wanted to squeeze in a quick visit to Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop & Farm. Located on the Santa Fe Trail, folks regularly stopped in Olathe during the 1860’s-1880’s while re-settling West. Migration halted during the [pre-Civil War] Bloody Kansas conflict with neighboring slave state Missouri. [Mahaffie was cousin to John Brown, the Harpers Ferry WV abolitionist.] Sooooo much history here – LOVED it!

Stretched my stay at Mahaffie to closing time. Draft horses, oxen, sheep, goats, pigs, chickens – everything you’d expect to find on a Kansas farm. Auntie Em & Dorothy’s life was no joke.

Gotta say, Kansas – not so bad. Some of the nicest folks I’ve ever met.

: 4th straight weekend marathoning – state #26 tomorrow a.m.

: monumental artwork painted in Paris during the First World War — described as the largest painting in the world

: worth the 45 minute wait

: KC’s famous Z-Man sandwich & fries – today I killed a cow 🙂

: draft horses

: Springtime in Kansas

: “Little House on the Prairie”

: big eyes, crazy long tongue & a wet nose

: Santa Fe Trail Stagecoach Stop

: watch out Prairie people, K* at the reins

: well done, Kansas – some of the nicest folks I’ve ever met

Posted in Heartland | Tagged farmsteads, horses, museo | Leave a comment

Go! St. Louis Marathon

Published April 12, 2015

Up early Sunday morn, caravanned to SLU with my sis, brother-in-law, and fellow Maniac, Stacy – all running today’s Go! St. Louis Marathon, my 25^th state marathon. After today I’d be half-way thru my Quest.

Corral D start – bit frustrating when you can see your pace group & the next 2 pace groups starting a Corral ahead. Yeah, we’re chip timed but because I wanted to run with a pace group, had to throw two quick 7 minute/miles from the Start. Second or third time this has happened. Frustrating when asked to provide an estimated finish time, then placed with runners pacing 45 minutes behind that stride. It is what it is…guess if I were an elite runner it wouldn’t really matter – that should be my ultimate goal, huh? 🙂

Picturesque start in downtown St. Louis – view of the Arch – soon after, crossing the Mississippi into East St. Louis IL. Quick turnaround & across MLK Bridge back to St. Louis. Pretty amazing views. Well done, St. Louis.

Relatively flat course through mile 10 into Anheuser-Busch Brewery. Caught the 3:45 group & held on thru mile 12 – yep, went out way way too fast for a hilly course. Half-marathoners peeled off at mile 13, leaving marathoners to travel alone – east on Market toward Forest Park. Up, down, up, down – I was pre-warned, whole lotta hills.

Emergency Porta-Potty stop at mile 16 — yesterday’s river fish re-visited. Regrets? Maybe 🙁

Entered Forest Park at mile 17, dehydrated, started to drag. Looped around & around within the Park – released 5 miles later.

True to her word, met my sister at mile 22. Soaked in humidity, felt I had nothing left – but Tammy kept it all positive. Broke down to a walk & re-grouped mentally, listening to her cheery banter. We ran to mile 23. She paced me thru the triple hill threat into mile 25 – walk, jog, shuffle, run. Mentally I was shot this day. I owe her BIG time — best sis ever!

GO! St. Louis Marathon Saint Louis, MO

703 K R HAGA Louisville, CO 04:18:22

Tammy · April 12 at 5:06pm ·

How to sum up a spectacular weekend? A pic is worth a 1000 words so I’ll post some awesome ones but first, I didn’t race. I paced, I encouraged, I watched people gut it out and I saw a lot of first timers run and finish. I love a local race. I saw so many friends. I love people yelling “Go Tammy”. I loved seeing my city so pretty. But most of all, I FINALLY got to run with my brother when I could keep up and it was fun fun fun. Enjoy my great day. Thank you to FF. I learned more today than I did racing all year.

Long shower, followed by lasagna (my post-marathon go-to food) with the whole family – including my niece, who travelled home from college to join us. FAAANNNTASTIC!

Next marathon in 6 days – but I’ll think about that tomorrow. Today, I’m all about St. Louis AND finishing my 25^th marathon, running side-by-side with my sis. Pretty spectacular.