Woke early, packed, spent the work day in Boulder, Friday night flight to St. Louis – another race weekend, my third straight.
Been excited about marathoning in St. Louis since I race-registered last Fall – hometown to my sis & her family. Travelled tonite with Stacy, a fellow Marathon Maniac – plan was to meet up at DIA, same itinerary. Fifteen minutes out, she called: our flight was cancelled. Luckily, Stacy’s a take-charge gal with kick travel skillz. Tonite’s new destination: Chicago O’Hare. 5 hours of sleep at La Quinta (on United’s dime), morning connector to St. Louis.
Unfortunately, missed my nephew’s blistering 24 minute 5K finish – but arrived in time to meet my family at SLU for bib pick-up. Tammy’s long said NO to GO (Go! St. Louis Marathon) so appreciative she & hubby both entered the Half. Yeah, my family ROCKS!
Today’s pre-race activity – The Great River Road. Nothing says St. Louis like a day on the mighty Mississipp’. Quick obligatory stop at the Arch (even under construction, cannot miss St. Louis’ towering landmark), then east to Alton, Illinois. Detoured 30 minutes & toured Lewis & Clark State Historical Site. Always been enamored with Lewis & Clark and the American West (I was born in the wrong era).
Rode up Confluence Tower & viewed the meeting/confluence of 2 great rivers – the Mississippi & Missouri. Water on both sides of the highway, springtime on the Mississippi – happens every year. Though Confluence Tower was a bit of a bust ($4 to ride an elevator is kinda lame), picked up a map highlighting local passenger ferries. Now that would be cool – to ride across the Mississippi, right?
First lunch, then ferry.
My friend Cliff recommended I try Fin Inn Restaurant in nearby Grafton. Snapping turtle & river carp are muddy water favourites in this rural area. Decked with aquariums, ate tableside to my lunch plate’s kin. Started with turtle soup, finished with buffalo fish – deep fried, served with ketchup & an onion. Listened to locals discuss an episode of Swamp People. Redneck river day 🙂
Boarded Brussels Free Ferry – first of 2 ferries used to cross the Mississippi today. Sunshine overhead as we travelled scenic country roads & followed placard postings to Golden Eagle Ferry – dropping us back in Missouri, about an hour northwest of my sister’s home.
Marathon ready, feelin’ all Huck Finn – LOVED my day on the mighty Mississipp’!
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- the Gateway Arch – a St. Louis must
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- Lewis & Clark State Historical Site
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- Confluence Tower, Hartford IL
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- meeting of the Mississippi & Missouri rivers
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- small town USA
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- buffalo fish — a muddy water favourite in Grafton IL
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- Alton IL’s Clark Bridge, Brussels Free Ferry & the mighty Mississipp’
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- 6 miles of scenic country road — HUGE fan, beautiful day!
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- ferrying across the Mississippi — FAAANNNNTASTIC!
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- sunshine, mighty water, scenic bridges, river carp & 2 ferries – LOVED the Great River Road
Mississippi River ferry crossing
Early rise, caught a ride to my 16th Marathon start & located Maniac village.
Route 66 would be my 2nd in our trademark yellow-n-black racing shirts. Enjoyed a pre-race toast with a runner celebrating his 50th state marathon – fast forward 2 years, this will be me 🙂
Full & half marathon combined start meant a jammed race for 12 miles – but not as bad as Vegas. I now have a barometer to gauge against. Lotta runners in Tulsa…but not 44,000.
Went out a bit fast on a hilly course. Mentally, got to remember to run my own race. Matching fleet footed half-marathoners is not helping the back half of my race. 1:48 half is quick. Until I finish sub-4 consistently gotta keep folks outta my head.
Memorable – campus run thru University of Tulsa. Love marathons routed thru universities – crowd supported & visually easy on the eyes…beautifully landscaped, virtual botanical gardens. Seen a lotta road this year so I appreciate flora & fauna.
Hills.
Not the Colorado variety where you dig in, blast BIG, let it burn & soon you’re flying downside. Deceptive hills in Oklahoma – gradual inclines which can last for 3 miles. ‘Mess with your head’ hills – “I’m on flat ground, what’s wrong with my legs” hills.
Heading into mile 26, looked forward to seeing family. Not sure if they’d be waiting near the Finish but just the possibility was motivating. Nearing the end I heard them – WOW.
Received my medal, Finisher’s photo, grabbed a chocolate milk. I could hear Mom, my family behind the gates.
I reached up, she touched my finger tips, I heard her voice, I heard all of their voices now – one gets crazy emotional after pushing the body to extreme. Amazing, unerasable experience.
Shower, food, airport – time goes by so fast. Ash texted a pic of geese wintering on Waneka Lake. Home.
Bib Chip Time
1958 K R Haga Louisville CO 4:32:41
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- SUCCESS!
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- 50-state Finisher celebration
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- marathon medallions
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- wintering geese, my Colorado home
Sure I just ran Vegas last Sunday but that was 6 days ago – time for my 2nd BONUS marathon of the year, Oklahoma’s Route 66 Marathon. Nope, not crazy – just focused on the prize…all 50 states by 2016 year-end 🙂
[small world moment] Met fellow Maniac, Stacy at DIA Saturday morning & boarded a plane to Tulsa – short 2 hour ride.
Another flight, another marathon – nope. Meeting family on the other end of today’s Southwest flight. FAAAANNNNTASTIC!
20 minute drive to the Runner’s Expo at Cox Business Center (downtown Tulsa) for bib pickup AND a quick walk-by of some sexy post-War America rides…vintage Route 66. Nice job Tulsa – super classy.
From there [we] hit the highway. My brother scored box seats to a college football game, Arkansas vs. Mississippi. Ole Miss might be Top 10 but today’s game was dominated by the home team 31-0! Woo pig sooie, go Razorbacks!
Ended pre-race activities back in Tulsa – dinner with Mom, bro, sis-in-law & niece.
3 marathons in a single month (Indy, Vegas & Tulsa) – a new K* record. Friends & family at all 3 – SPECTACULAR!
7:30 picture time tomorrow morning. My first run dressed in Maniac yellow, marathon #16.
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- more friends, more family, more running – off to Tulsa for marathon 16!
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- bib pickup & vintage rides
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- box seats on a rainy day – yeah, that’s how we roll 🙂
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- LOVIN’ me some family time — Woo Pig Sooie!
