When you review your race schedule & see ‘car camping’ as an option for lodging, ya know the weekend’s gonna be an adventure. From now ‘til May 6th, travelling every weekend. 4 time zones, 2 continents, trail, road & a 50K too! Yep, gonna be an adventure 🙂
Landed before midnite in the City of Brotherly Love. Picked up my rental, then drove north 2 hours on some of America’s worst pocked roads. Rain & fog. Not ideal but considering this area received more than a foot of snow just 2 weeks ago, gonna look at the positive. Tunes up, speed down, followed a big truck all the way to Reading. 7 miles further, parked outside Blue Marsh Lake.
7am start, bib pick-up the hour before. Doing the math: notta lotta sleep between touchdown & takeoff.
Why an early season trail race? Why the Naked Prussian? Grassroots event. Was sold on the site’s simple write-up. Rolling elevation in Pennsylvania’s forested Alleghanies. Cheapest race I’ve probably entered, just a dollar a mile. No medal, no shirt – but aid stations fueled for trail. Trail = food. If road marathons would catch the fever, I’d finish with a few more smiles.
Trail running and ultra running is growing fast. As races start to sell out across the country, entry fees for these races seem to go up almost as fast as we have seen the last couple of years in the road running scene. Some bigger ultra trail runs are now owned and operated by bigger for profit corporations and fees for these races are now hundreds of dollars. Running some of these big name destination races might be cool, but it is something most of us can only afford once or twice a year. Many trail-runner do enjoy racing often throughout the year. So where can you race the rest of the year, preferable locally and for little money? The Naked Prussian is a great option to run/race locally for a very low entry fee. If you sign up early enough your fee will be less the $1 per mile for the ultra and less the $1 per k for the marathon. This is only possible because we chose a location that does not slap us with big permit fees, we don’t give you expensive swag (hence the Naked Prussian) because most of you don’t need another race shirt or a flashy 3 pound medal (we will give a little finisher memento) and we are not hiring some aging rockband to entertain you along the course.
The Naked Prussian takes place on the trails around Blue Marsh Lake. These trails are not very rocky or difficult but are true single track trails that require some attention. These trails are great for beginners and the speedy runners alike. The rolling elevation of the trails will keep everybody occupied. The course is not flat or super easy but is doable for most with proper training. Join us next spring to start the new trail running season.
Distances:
26.2 Miles, 50 Miler Trail Ultra
Nite rain ended during my 3 hour snooze. Woke to sunshine & cool temps – & now surrounded by cars. Across the parking lot, 2 porta potties & a large man playing an accordion. Start of the 50 miler, 30 minutes to shake out the cobwebs.
New today? No earbuds, no tunes. Cutting the tie. All part of the plan. Will run stronger, smarter – mentally tougher by Bighorn. Dialing in my surroundings, appreciating the journey. Lotta hours to fight head demons but absolutely doable. This will happen.
Single track trail thru whole lotta forest. LOVE LOVED today’s run. Ran steady, stayed in my head & ran strong.
Start-to-finish joy of running. Ok, maybe not during the HUGE climb at mile 15 – LOL> Won’t see it in my time results but mission accomplished. No music, no puking, finished with a smile ❤
Last 5 miles – FLAT dirt trail ‘longside a high-running tributary of Blue Marsh Lake. FAAAANNNNTASTIC!
“Naked Prussian”
A back to the basics low fee trail run
Blue Marsh Lake, Leesport, PA
Sat, March 31st 2018
Keenan Haga Louisville CO 5:58:03
YMCA shower in Reading, 2 hour drive to Philly, ‘nother late night arrival home. Why the rush? Easter Sunday morn.
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- City of Brotherly Love
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- Claim to fame? Accordion player (& former NFL Seahawks kicker) Don Bitterlich scored the franchise’s first points EVER
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- 2nd fave TRAIL MARATHON (behind Kansas’ Rockin’ K)
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- beer stein FINISH
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- post-marathon LOVE
Naked Prussian Trail Marathon
Saturday a.m. flight to Baltimore, tomorrow’s marathon a half-hour outside our Nation’s Capitol. Celebrating George W’s birthday – not that George W [Bush 43], but the original George…George Washington, USA’s first President.
BWI touchdown. Rental car pick-up. Skies grey, hour ‘til the clouds rain SNOW. After two weekends of high humidity & rain, welcoming cooler temps & powder. Winter marathoning, never know what to expect so you pack for everything.
Marriott check-in just as the snow blew in. King bed, cable TV, hotel heat cranked to 74° – Olympics on TV, I’m going nowhere. Women’s Team biathlon, Mixed Doubles curling, Snowboarding & Ice Skating. My Saturday night dance card completely FULL ⛄ 🏂
Late race start Sunday – 10am, with same day bib pickup. Weird time to schedule a marathon. Do I eat? Do I wait? Gonna be out there mid-afternoon. Do I pack a lite lunch & try to eat during the race? Positives? Plenty of sleep. Post-race shower available at the Community Center. Return flight doesn’t leave Baltimore ‘til 9pm. Kinda got all day 🙂
Marathon #109, Maryland x2
10’til 10: everyone left the Community Center, pilgrimmed to the Start. Layered up, no snow on the roads but plenty on the surrounding landscape. Probably ‘bout a hundred running, small race organized by the DC Road Runners Club. Marathon & relay, no Half. No air horn/last-minute announcements. Just followed the herd, we were running. Past two marathons have been double-loop courses – not a fan of loop repeats. TODAY: turn that attitude around, we’re doing THREE treks down the same path. LOL>
First 2 miles UP. Multiple switchbacks thru suburban neighborhoods, one constant: UP – followed by a series of rolling hills. Winded, stopped at mile marker 4. Lost the layers, dropped my gloves, striped down to short-sleeves. Hill repeats have a way of warming the internal clock. Sluggish, quads tight, warm – & barely begun my journey. NEW PLAN. Found my iPhone, turned on some tunes. Not a day for internal reflections or runner podcasts. Shuffled what was in my library, settled in & enjoyed the ride.
Hills – mostly rolling, one long grinder UP. Been spoiled with flat trail or treadmill miles past 5 weeks, outta practice. Muscle memory, I’ve got this. Settle into the music, attack the top of each hill, don’t overthink/panic. One moment at a time.
2:20 first Half. Considering I stopped at mile 4 & changed clothes, not bad. Looped past the Dept of Agriculture (all fenced off), again past the gun range (bit discerning to hear bullets each lap), then stopped/refueled…end of my second lap.
Miles 17 thru 20, dropped pace. Lactic buildup, too many hill repeats…but on track to break 5 hours (haven’t broke 5 hours this year). Walked half of mile 21, did the same at 23. Lumbered DOWN, legs like lead – rolling horse farms of Maryland beat me up this day.
Mile 24.5/biggest HILL of the day. Reminiscent of Morgantown 2015 (West Virginia). Pushed hard the last .2 (two-tenths mile). Flat FINISH on a bike path surrounded by wintering deciduous trees. Cut 8 minutes off last week’s time on a hilly course but…those are just excuses. Missed 5 hours again, 13 seconds off. Better luck next week (Saturday in Phoenix with Sis ).
Congratulated 4 runners I’d jockeyed back-n-forth the past lap. No food, no post-race picture, no FREE massage. Those perks ended 30 minutes ago – life of a 5 hour marathoner. Overall: small race, good weather, GREAT volunteers.
Marathon in the Land of Mary, I give you a B-. Be kind & remember the folks out there 5 & 6 hours (course cut-off time).
2018 George Washington Birthday Marathon
Greenbelt, MD Feb 18, 2018 10:00AM
Results
Bib 164 K HAGA
Marathon, Solo » Louisville, CO
Finished 05:00:13
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- BWI touchdown, state #25
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- Welcome to Maryland
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- pre-race SNOW ❄️
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- the original George W
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- Marathon #109, Maryland x2
Clarence Harrison DeMar (June 7, 1888 – June 11, 1958) was a U.S. marathoner, winner of seven Boston Marathons, and Bronze medalist at the 1924 Paris Olympics. He was known by the nickname “Mr. DeMarathon.”
DeMar won his last Boston in 1930 at the age of 41. His record of seven wins has never been broken, and he remains the oldest winner of the event ever.
In my quest for 100 marathons, have double/tripled & even 12x run my home state & neighboring others. Costs, time off from work – additionally not as tough to bounce back physically when travel is minimized.
This weekend my third marathon in New Hampshire – different story.
Hadn’t been to a 50 State Marathon Club reunion since receiving my award last August in Santa Rosa. Reunions rotate among the 50 States – hence, this weekend’s race in Keene, now my third 26.2 in NH. Enjoy the camaraderie, LOVE LOVE our tight-knit community.
Reunion attendance Con? Most active runner in your hometown (BIG FISH) sitting in a room with folks who have finished 200 & even 300+ marathons in their lifetime (now a LITTLE FISH). 300+ marathons, insane? Nope, addictive.
Left Saturday’s reunion MOTIVATED to complete a 2nd rotation of the US by 2019 year-end. Heaven help me – LOL> That said, SUPER THANKFUL to be cancer-free. Can’t wait to see where/what towns my 50 State Déjà Vu tour will take me 🙂
Bib pickup, tried the Captain Crunch dog (skip it). Leaf peeping (2 weeks too early), early to bed.
You are all aware of the forecast for tomorrow and the impact on your run. Tomorrow is not your PR day or your BQ day. Those plans evaporated with the high temperatures you’ll run in tomorrow. We are taking all reasonable precautions to create the safest event we can for you, but it is now all up to you. Any decision to black flag the race before everyone finishes will be less about the temperatures or our wet bulb reading than it will be on how our runners react to those conditions. If too many of you require emergency medical attention, our medical resources will be at risk of being overwhelmed and will force us to make that decision. If that happens, we urge everyone left on the course to respect that decision, and cooperate with our protocols to bring you safely to the finish line.
Marathon morning. Received another email warning ‘bout the unseasonable heat. Low 90’s, late September. Ugh.
90+ marathons completed, first time I forgot my race Bib. Noticed it missing 10 minutes before the Start. Remember looking inside my swag bag (nite before), saw the long-sleeve race shirt (too hot to wear long sleeves) – totally forgot about the Bib. Double ugh.
Small town race, Race Director +++ Wrote down my name, provided a spare Bib, later (while I was actually running) fixed/updated my registration online to reflect the new Bib #. Very very much appreciated.
Started far from the back, jogged/chatted first 7 miles with my Maniac buddy Stacey. Comfortable early temps, leafy-canopied course. It’d get super warm on the back-half…but no regrets. Not a PR day. Goal was to enjoy the run – and FINISH.
First 15-16 miles, picturesque New England. Gilsum to Surrey Dam to Greenlawn Cemetery. Heat (& East Coast humidity) dialed waaaay up before the first Half. Salty & light-headed, puked throughout the Cemetery (mile 22). Hate heat. Residents water-sprayed runners & provided ice – most EVERY street ‘til the Finish. AWESOME acts of kindness. New Englanders, the BEST!
Ugly finish, just under 6 hours. 3 of my 50 State friends – Dan, Seth & Cade – greeted me at the Finish (& asked what happened). Some days you’re the windshield, some days you’re the bug. Can’t change the weather, all part of the journey.
Drama on every United flight home – been added to my (3rd strike) Frontier/Spirit DO NOT FLY list. Kept a smile on my face, thankful not to walk in their shoes. Must be a crummy job to maintain that level of unhappiness on a daily basis.
Home sweet Colorado Home. 40-degree temperature drop, snow in the mountains ❤
iResultsLIVE! Alert!
Event: Clarence DeMar Marathon
Name: K R Haga
Bib #: 430
Time: 5:55:39 (Net Time)
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- 40th anniversary
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- New England colour
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- 50 State reunion
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- 3 more finishers, lotta great stories
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- Keene, New Hampshire
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- when in Keene, hafta try this
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- salty FINISH in unseasonably warm New Hampshire
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- 40-degree temperature drop, snow in the mountains ❤
