Days later I still think about it. Was running his passion? Meaning…if one had to die, was it just as well he died marathoning? Did he believe in a hereafter? Was his family waiting near the Finish? Was he running with friends? It was over so quick…did he see God?
Hiro
McKinney, TX 44
Facebook page looks like wife and 2 kids, posts in Japanese?
Think he worked for Toyota.
It may bring you some peace. He had completed the Dallas Marathon in December of 2015 & 2016. And earlier marathons in California, he wasn’t a new runner.
Plane ride home to Colorado provided much-needed relief/mental rest. Think I had been in shock, all thoughts shrouded in Hiro’s death. Failed to take a Finish pic, didn’t even enter my mind. Super shaky & confused. Crossed the Finish, was directed to Medical. Laid down, took fluids, asked about Hiro. They had no info. Up in 20 minutes, located my rental, airport-returned to Dallas Love Field. Restroom splash bath, change-of-clothes in the handicapped stall – best I could manage.
39th The Cowtown
Sunday 02/26/2017
Ft Worth, TX
4:29:02 581 K R Haga Louisville CO MARATHON
Texted Sis. In her occupation, she sees life & death every day. Lotta comfort from her words. Much appreciated Sis!
If it makes you feel any better it happens a lot. As many races as you’ve done I’m surprised you haven’t seen it yet. We were at Disney and saw one being revived after a half. She was about 50 and 45 lbs overweight. Luckily she collapsed at a hotel full of cardiologists and surgeons. He [Hiro] obviously had cardiomyopathy or some kind of lethal arrhythmia. There’s nothing you can do to save them. It’s sobering and horrible but not your fault. As a runner I would rather go like that than slowly with cancer and suffer. I think….I’ve seen a lot of people die and you still lose sleep over it. Live life to the fullest. Celebrate every breath and remember to tell the important people in your life you ❤ them. It does make you feel better. ❤ u.
Sent from my iPhone
Jogged in the last tenth-mile. No fist pump, no celebration, death sobered today’s Finish. Home. Fort Worth to Dallas – 45 minutes, just me & my thoughts. Radio off, focused on driving. Horrible dream you just can’t shake. Scene kept playing over-n-over in my head.
I can text later tonite or tomorrow – finished marathon – emotionally super upset – watched a runner die at 26.1 miles – just texting this makes me tear up again – Asian guy named Hiro – they worked on him for 10 minutes before paramedics took him away – kinda takes away from my marathon experience, fastest all year – even waiting with Hiro as he passed
It was so horrible
Convulsing first then he just passed
He spun & tried to catch a pole, then went down on pavement
Too upset to eat, boarding in 30 minutes – I’m so extremely upset – I’ve never seen someone die – it was horrible – another maniac waited with me & then the race medics until the ambulance came
His spirit just left his body
Course ended flat but nothing left in the tank/pushed too hard too soon. No breaking 4 hours…again [getting closer]. Just couldn’t break 9 minutes after mile 18. Briefly bench-sat by Mark Twain in Trinity Park (it’s a thing in Fort Worth, Google it 🙂 ).
Lost the crowd at mile 10 – Halfers veered right, marathoners straight ahead. Hill at mile 11, mile 14, steady climb 16-18. Shoulders back, head up. Tough course! STRONG for 23 miles then dropped off pace.
Heard a lot about hills…in particular, the Main Street Bridge at mile 8. Still sharing the field with Halfers, took to the left & started picking ‘em off – runner after runner. Not expecting next year’s free entry but no hangin’ my head in shame either. STRONG!
The infamous Main Street Bridge (.344 mile hill) will be part of a new competitive opportunity for all Sunday runners this year. We will have a timing mat at the bottom of the hill, as well as the top. The fastest non-elite female and male runners to ascend the hill in each of the three distances (Ultra, Full, Half) will win a free entry into next year’s race!
Fave part of race: running thru the Fort Worth Stockyards. Cobblestone path thru Fort Worth’s historic district. FAAANNNTASTIC!
Late registration so I started WAY back. Corralled with the 5:30 pace group – would spend 2 miles dodging walkers while the field thinned. At 3.6 miles, caught the 4:30 pack. 2 minutes between every corral start, meant I was pacing a 3:45 finish. Too fast, too soon. SLOW down! Back to running with a watch next month. Live & learn.
Slept less than 2 miles away but still woke early – needed to locate parking. Marathon morning for 8,000 runners…my biggest race since 2015. Generally a bigger fan of smaller town locales, trail treks. Whole lotta folks but still bumped into Austin-based Maniac, Mike Perez. Last ran with Mike at the Rockin’ K in Kanopolis Kansas (all-time trail fave, 5 water crossings). Small world.
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- Cowtown cowbell
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- 8000 of my Texas besties
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- Finisher tee & medal
…ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country — John F. Kennedy
$98 roundtrip — airfare WOW price — so late-registered for a third February marathon…the Cowtown Marathon in Fort Worth. 930am Saturday morning, touchdown: Dallas. My first landing at Love Field, same airport President Kennedy used in November 1963.
Ya’ll know I’m a HUGE history fan – first stop: the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza. Housed in the former Texas School Book Depository, museum retells the events surrounding JFK’s assassination. Waited 40 minutes for ticket admittance – who knew so many people [on a Saturday morning] would be museum trekking?
Self-guided tour lasts ’bout an hour half – I finished in under 30. Placard-to-placard trail, ’til each tourist receives their moment at ‘the Corner Window’ – spot where Lee Harvey Oswald fatally head-shot the President as his motorcade turned onto Elm Street. Honestly, found the entire experience creepy, sad, voyeuristic. Upon leaving the building, walked thru Dealey Plaza & past ‘the Grassy Knoll’ where it’s believed another conspirator fired but missed the President. Again, not my thing. Live & learn.
50 minutes away, arrived in Fort Worth for marathon bib pick-up/hotel check-in.
Sunshine, breezy & 60 — BEAUTIFUL — lucky me, half day remaining. Short 2 mile run along the Clear Fork Trinity River (‘cause every day’s a run day), pre-race dinner at Hoffbrau Steaks (ate RED MEAT like a native) PLUS time for haircut (clipper close-shave).
Early to bed, early to rise – ’cause tomorrow I’m running Cowtown 🙂
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- America’s Camelot
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- the Corner Window
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- fatal motorcade turn on Elm
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- sixth floor ‘Corner Window’
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- JFK Memorial
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- Welcome to Cowtown
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- Midnight (1910-1936), “World’s Greatest Bucking Horse”
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- Saturday FUN run/Crystelle Waggoner Trailhead
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- pre-marathon TEXAS dinner
November 22, 1963
Direct flight on Southwest, winter marathoning in Michigan – extending my monthly steak to 39.
Crazy quick turnaround on Super Bowl weekend. 16 hours – touchdown to take-off. Landed late Friday nite, rental car pick-up, 20 minute drive to Wyoming — Wyoming, Michigan 🙂 frugal Super 8 fast sleep, 5 hours total. Checked my weather app – still below zero. Yikes! After balmy treks in Florida & Georgia, today would be my first ‘true’ winter marathon of 2017.
We’ve all heard of Punxsutawney Phil, the little furry guy in Pennsylvania who comes out, sees his shadow, and declares six more weeks of winter. Then there’s Augustus T. Groundhog, better known as Grand Rapids Gus. He’s Phil’s much more interesting cousin. Unlike Phil, who it seems can only see shadows, Gus has much better eyesight and can look at a calendar on February 2 and know that spring doesn’t start for six weeks. Gus suggested that instead of lamenting over six more weeks of winter, we should EMBRACE the cold and snow and do something fun.
And so, the Groundhog Day Marathon was born.
Full Marathon:
Like the movie, you’ll feel like you’re repeating the same day over and over. A total of 6 loops of approximately 4.4 miles…will have you feeling just a little case of deja vu. 500 Runner limit combined for full and half marathons. Don’t plan on the course being free of snow. It’s paved, which means no underlying rocks and roots, but that’s about all we’re promising.
Parked my rental at John Ball Zoo & boarded an early 6am shuttle to the Start. Michiganers know, sub-zero Start = HUGE WARMING tent (that’s where all pre- & post- race festivities centered). Unfortunately, the porta-potty still stood outside – brrrr on the bum). Multiple layers, neck scarf, sweats, beanie & a Captain America hoodie (summoned all my super powers this run).
Crowded full & half-marathon field, combo start. Whitney Houston anthem, air horn start, careful walk over heavy ice to snow-covered trail. Tough first mile. Mind wandered, now 9 above zero, self-questioned whether to run or call it a day. Runner field thinned; I adapted to course conditions. More like running [on] trail today: focused on foot placement & staying upright.
First lap in 41 minutes, one minute behind goal…my pre-race ‘non-snow’ goal. Sunshine on the next 2 laps created landscape magic. Ran thru a frozen forest, popsicle-like trees & field grass weighed heavy under quarter-inch ice. Winter beauty, truly stunning.
Wind ceased, third run aside Grand River. Large upstream chunks of ice pushed down its center, breaking thru the city stream. Crazy beautiful. Sun disappeared, temp held steady at 12 degrees. Lost much of the field as half-marathoners completed their journey.
NEVER a fan of laps – but DID look forward to 2 stretches each rotation. Popsicle forest & the iceberg-laden Grand River. Ya’ll know I’m a fan of winter…& this was some of its best.
Last lap, last aid station. Water or Gatorade? Naaahh mahh, wahhh-ter. Just point, she says: ‘sometimes my tongue freezes too’. WHAT? true Michiganer experience.
Lost 6 minutes over the last 10K – but overall, my strongest run all year. Fastest finish time, fastest recovery, fastest car ride back to the airport. Didn’t refill my tank, completely outta time (sorry Enterprise, but only drove 22 miles total). Small airport, no problem with security – yikes! my return flight was already boarding. Would have to shower at home 🙁 #dirtyflyer
Groundhog Marathon
SAT FEBRUARY 4
K R Haga M Louisville CO US 4:39:12.86
tomorrow: Super Bowl 51 at Ash & Tom’s home — Go Pats!
next weekend: skiing Vail (first time) — LOVE LOVE my Colorado life!
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- first WINTER marathon of 2017
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- sub-zero pre-dawn Start
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- landscape magic
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- summoned all my super powers
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- frozen hair
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- super cold, lotta snow & my STRONGEST run all year
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- another Age Group first!
To all of you who ran Groundhog, I hope you are as proud of yourselves as I am. Remember, this is a race with a mileage that killed the first man that did it (and it sure as hell wasn’t tundra-level weather when he did). You are so frickin’ awesome! To those who volunteered–manning/womanning the aid stations, warming tent, and parking direction–I feel like you had it even harder because you endured the arctic to provide us runners with the crucial necessities we needed to achieve this goal (and you certainly don’t mess around when it comes to cookie variety ). Thank you for being there and being an immensely valuable presence of this race when you easily could have just slept in and let us die. To all who were involved in creating this year’s Groundhog with set-up, management, and that kick-ass warming tent at the finish, thank you for giving the running community this opportunity to be completely insane and run this race. I’ll see you at the next one!
Punxsutawney Phil Sees His Shadow
