Sweet Home Alabama – marathon #22. Super psyched to be part of Montgomery’s 1st FULL marathon.
Didn’t sleep well nite before – sometimes for whatever reason, you just wake up not feeling it. Unfortunately, one of those days – gotta suck it up, pull up my big boy pants & post a result. Can’t finish what you don’t start.
Arrived early, welcomed with drizzle & warm temps. Pop, ran heavy for 4 miles, then tagged a local running group racing the Half, throwing 8 minute miles. Chatted 30-45 minutes, nice folks. Big hill at mile 10 & they were gone.
First 12 miles were gorgeous – old historical buildings, Alabama’s Capitol Dome, ran thru 2 campuses (Alabama State & Huntingdon).
Entered Maxwell AFB at mile 14. Shirt drenched from miles of drizzle & high humidity – struggled to wipe my face, salt burned my eyes. LOVED the first mile, support from servicemen & their families – and the planes. Double liked the planes. Miles 15-23 however, not so much. Sun, dusty airfields, nothing scenic. Concentration loss. Ran loops within the AFB – felt trapped for hours. Both 4 & 4:15 hour pace groups caught & passed me. Rough day, ran dehydrated.
Off Base, re-entered downtown, regained some form. Last hill – top of mile 25. Volunteers assured all downhill now (thanks). Half-mile to go, circled Riverwalk Stadium & ran thru the infield to the Finish.
UGGGGH-LY but I snagged another medal. Shook the Mayor’s hand (that was kinda cool), walked 20-30 feet more, then dropped to the ground. Sucked down two bottles of water & laid in the sun. Tough day.
Montgomery Marathon
Place Bib Finish Time
132 2075 K R Haga 4:38:33
It’s only March – gotta make peace with da heat.
Heading home, licking my wounds, then it’s Jersey shore baby – next race in 2 weeks.
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- State #22 done – check Alabama off the list
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- Alabama’s Capitol Dome
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- PSers tracking my journey at work (thanks Ash – awesome gift)
Friday 4:30am, crazy long lines thru airport security. Spring Break in Colorado, who knew? Uneventful flight to Atlanta, rental car pick-up, lotta traffic – 2 hours later, Alabama, my next marathon destination.
Bib pick-up downtown at Riverwalk Stadium – home of the Montgomery Biscuits, the capital city’s Minor League baseball team.
Overcast rainy day – next stop, Selma. During the hour ride from Montgomery, listened to local radio discussing the recent riots in Ferguson, Missouri. Sadly 50 years later, nothing’s really changed in rural South Alabama.
Literally driving to Selma to visit Civil Rights memorials, listening to callers discussing why black people in Ferguson were at fault for being outside after being told by white police officers to stay indoors. Seriously? Felt like I was being punked.
Crossed historic Edmund Pettus Bridge & parked at the Selma Interpretive Center. Watched old black-n-white clips of white police first using tear gas, then whipping black people for congregating outdoors. Only allowed to meet inside churches & homes in 1965 – never outside in groups, that was their crime.
Watched film footage of “Bloody Sunday”, of human abuses endured. Absolutely unbelievable these crimes occurred in the United States. Experience akin to visiting the Holocaust Museum in DC or Anne Frank House in Amsterdam. Powerful & shocking; emotionally moving.
Yes, we commemorate MLK once a year – but a majority of us treat the day as a fake holiday. Because we don’t understand.
MEDIA: Postpone the ‘Dream’ speech & air ‘DISGUST’ next January. Educate our future so we don’t forget the past.
If ever in Alabama, visit Selma. Walk the route from Brown Chapel, thru downtown Selma over Edmund Pettus Bridge. Visit Lowndes Interpretive Center. You’ll leave forever changed.
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- Home to the Montgomery Biscuits (& tomorrow’s Marathon Finish)
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- downtown Selma, as it stands today – like going back in time
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- Brown Chapel AME Church – staging point for marches to the county courthouse & for the final 54-mile march to Montgomery
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- “Bloody Sunday” marchers crossed this bridge as they left Selma; on the other side they were beaten back by state troopers blocking US Highway 80 (March 7 1965)
Snow on Friday, cool overcast but dry on Saturday (great day with family) – so what would race day weather hold?
Freezing drizzle.
Cold, yes – cold & freezing rain, kinda tough. That said, Little Rock cancelled last year’s marathon – can’t afford any more cancellations…too many $$ tied up in airfare. Rain, heat, sleet, snow – bring it on. I’m running.
Suited up, running beanie & a rain jacket – parked a half mile away & walked in with my Mom & bro. I’ll say this over & over – nothing like running with family. Lined up late so queued way back – more than 2 minutes behind clock time.
Slower than normal start, legs felt like bricks in the rain. At mile 4, heard the 3:55 pace group behind me – already? Seriously? Turns out this was the motivation needed. Picked up my stride, settled into the tunes & actively flexed my gloved hands to keep fingers from going numb. I run in snow – winter rain is a whole different animal.
Passed the Capitol dome at mile 11. Thought I’d see family at mile 18 or 19 – kept me motivated (unfortunately, traffic trapped them Downtown). Stopped under the race clock at mile 20, downed some Frog Fuel, a swig of water, re-focused & pushed hard. First time since November pacing ahead of 4 hours, 20 miles in.
Right leg started cramping at mile 25. Ran too many hills, drank too little water – had to power through.
Approaching the Finish, saw my first 3 hour clock. Never have I crossed sub-4 under the clock (previous sub-4s have only been official time). Mentally – a HUGE moment!
Sub-4! – first of 2015 & by far my hilliest. Minute+ slower than Indy (PR marathon run with my sis). Nothing but smiles, I’ll take it – FAANNNNTASTIC!
LITTLE ROCK MARATHON 2015 RESULTS
1151 K HAGA Marathon 3:56:39.8 9:01/mile LOUISVILLE CO
Have seen Mom 3 times since November. Will see bro & his family again in 3 weeks (Colorado ski weekend). And sis? Next month at Go! St. Louis, my Missouri marathon & USA half-way mark (25th state). Life is good, really really good 🙂
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- cold, rainy, lotta hills – AND my first sub-4 of 2015. Booyah! So much family support – BEST weekend!
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- mile 11 – LOVE capitol domes
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- snuggling on the couch – time to turn UP the heat
