I have a theory that to breathe is to live—and the more you breathe, like on a long mountain run, the more

you live.  That sounds cosmic, but it’s really a simple statement: when you run up in beautiful country, breathing

all that clean air, there’s no better way to live ~ Micah True

Alarm buzz, still predawn dark.

Run shorts & layers.  That time of year.  Ya gotta pack lil’ of everything.  Heat, rain, sleet/drizzle, snow.  Weather: one thing you can’t change.  All part of the journey.  Autumn 🍂

FOOD Network binge, Saturday room service, early to bed.  Woke RESTED, ready to run!

Backside of my first-class hotel, could see the START banner.  Small group of folks bundled.  Marathon-only; Halfers sleep ‘til 9.  Music primed, ear buds readied, full stretch, pre-race prayer.

10 minutes to Start.  Elevator, whew! COLD outside but…

NO RAIN.  One of those grateful times weather folks get it wrong.  Wind?  Nope, not today.  Pretty much perfect.  Muted fall colour & last-minute race chatter.  Queued, ready.  GO GO GO!

5 miles of early-Sunday street.  Air raw, never got warm.  No pace bunny to keep me time-conscious.  Next couple hours: Centennial Trail.  Eye-candy tree cover; playlist of old-school country.

Mile 22: Doomsday Hill.  Knew it was coming; well-timed WALK break – LOL>  Two courses merged.  Road-shared with the HALF, allowing both groups access UP Doomsday.  double the LOVE ❤️

push, PUSH, push.  Walk/jogged 25 ‘til I could eye the UPHILL FINISH.  Argh – but I ran it.

#166.  FREE race pic, classy Spokane.  Green-screened in front of Clock Tower.  Well done.

Hotel shower, post-race rewards.  PIZZA & a Bloody Mary (gotta get in your veggies 😊)

Next Saturday: KANSAS CITY

The Spokane Marathon

Sunday, October 13, 2019

 

Bib       Name              City                  Chip Elapsed     Age Place

260      K R Haga      LOUISVILLE       04:31:49             6

Spokane Marathon

Early wakes.  Packed, hotel checkout.  Scoped out a post-marathon shower.  Last day, last dance – notta lotta time to overthink things.  Today – this day – is marathon day.  Sunday, Beaverton Oregon.

Day 4 body.  Feet throbbed/toes pulsed, compressed spine, tight quads.  But – spirit really GOOD.  And SUNSHINE.  First day of Pacific Northwest sun – internal panels recharging, ready ready to run.  Oregon’s cool overcast weather the past.   Today, QUADZILLA goal becomes reality.  I start, I run, I finish.

Elected the early Start.  Meant solely for runners finishing 5 hours+.  Choice made last May.  Reality, only yesterday’s run exceeded 5 hours.  Zero regret; I have a plane to catch.  Colorado Home tonite 😊

Timing mat readied.  No group photo, no Triple G/Heather reunion, on my own today.  8 laps.  Lotta turns, clover-leaf loops; crooked course avoiding Greenway Park’s flooded bike path.  Rainy Portland summer.

Lined & ready, at least 20 of us.  Half/full, mostly walkers.  First laps with another traveler.  Machu Pichu, Bhutan, Israel.  Oh the people you meet & the dreams they inspire.  10-min/mile pace.  Too quick for this banged body.  Aid Station now readied.  Coke swig, handful of Bugles, ear plugs in, music blaring.

Eleven-minute jog pace next 3 laps.  Paths now participant filled.  High 5’d Heather.  Runner all-in.  Hitting it hard, last day.  She’d finish 2^nd in the series, silver medal female.  Strong runner, very well deserved.

Walked Lap 6.  Temps warmed, lost the pep in my step.  Notta lazy stroll, still a walk.  Talked up a Florida gal ‘bout landscaping; body/mind refresh, said my goodbyes.  Watermelon slice, Momma Mia tune return & I ran.  Legs, feet, lower back, everything worked.  Kipchoge smiles.  Every mile, at least once, BIG GRIN.

Sunshine propelled.  NO demons.  High 5’d runners on the cross path.  Body forward, spine up, chest out.  And I ran.  9 ½ minute pace.  Mile, mile, mile.  Lap 7 complete.  No stop, no snacks.  Timing mat crossed, aid station cheers – LAST lap, LAST day.  And I ran.

Mile, mile, ‘nother Eliud Kipchoge smile.  Energy of others, their faces, fueled me.  No fade, no fail, machine clicked.  9:35, 9:25 – each mile faster.  Finish under 5?  DQ’d for the early Start?  Waterloo, Dancing Queen.  Push, push.  Smile.  Timing mat ahead.

5:03 FINISH!  106 miles in 4 days.

Never ever 100 in a single week.  Never ever 2+ marathons back-to-back.  Never ever – BRONZE 🥉

Past 4 days, every day was marathon day.  My first QUADZILLA.  Absolutely anything is possible!

K R HAGA has completed the 2019 Stars and Stripes Marathon in 05:03:56!

 

Lap        Lap Time             Lap Pace              Chip Elapsed Time

1             00:34:56              00:10:40              00:34:56

2             00:34:14              00:10:27              01:09:10

3             00:36:07              00:11:01              01:45:18

4             00:37:07              00:11:20              02:22:26

5             00:39:50              00:12:09              03:02:16

6             00:53:41              00:16:23              03:55:58

7             00:34:38              00:10:34              04:30:37

8             00:33:19              00:10:10              05:03:56