After a whirlwind day of exploring KC & local Olathe, ended Friday with bib pick-up – including a selfie with Oz’ infamous archvillain, Wicked Witch of the West. Seemed appropriate running in Kansas 🙂
Woke Saturday early, hotel check-out, short drive from Lenexa to Garmin Headquarters in Olathe – where I promptly took a 30 minute nap before lining up under dark clouds in high humidity.
Singing of the National Anthem, then off we ran thru downtown Olathe. Heard thunder at mile 4, sky briefly lit up at mile 8. Kept thinking: run quick – don’t want race organizers pulling me off course early for inclement weather. Safety first…I suppose. 50 State Quest isn’t cheap – previously have had 2 marathons cancel. Loss of race fees, flights. Determined to finish all 50 in 2016 🙂
Down came the rain. Not the sprinkles we call precip in Colorado but Kansas/Midwest rain. Big drops accompanied with blowing wind. Scored a free race cap from a volunteer (thanks) but that only held off the inevitable. Eyes burned thru mile 12, hair sweat-drenched from the early humid miles – now salt-free, rinsed by sheets of rain.
Entered Indian Creek Trail at mile 16, where rain concerns were replaced with mud. Wasn’t worried about keeping clean – shoes soaked, muck splattered legs – concern was staying upright. Slick mud oozed on paved walkways under crossways & up bridges.
Felt Spartan racing in mud, pushing water from my shoes with each new strike on the pavement.
Rain subsided by mile 23. Not my typical run – generally I go out quick & sloth the last 4 miles. Today however, I was steady Eddie – nice even pace from mile 16 on. Who wants to walk in the rain, right? Positive note taken from less than ideal weather.
Keenan Haga was at Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz.
April 18 at 1:27pm · iOS ·
thunder, lightning & buckets of rain – everything you’d expect in the Land of Oz. tough run conditions but scored a ‘yellow-brick’ medal & first race shirt with a flying monkey 🙂 check Kansas off the list folks, next week Kentucky.
2015 Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz Result – Olathe, KS
K R Haga
Congratulations On Your Finish
Here Are Your Ultramax Sports Personalized Results:
Overall Place 329
Finish Time 4:42:48.23
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- pre-race selfie with Oz’ Wicked Witch
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- scored a ‘yellow-brick’ medal & race shirt with a flying monkey
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- over half way now – only 24 states to go!
Took an early a.m. flight to KC, in prep for Saturday’s Garmin Marathon in Olathe (oh-LAY-tha, ‘Beautiful’ in Shawnee). I know what you’re thinking – what to do in Kansas? Aside from KC BBQ, all I imagined was open prairie & tornados.
First destination: the Nat’l World War I Museum at Liberty Memorial.
Can tell ya, I previously knew very little about WWI – was only going ’cause it was lauded America’s premier WWI museum. Exhibits retold WWI via film, photos, news clips, memorabilia & cars/planes/tanks of the era. By the end of the Great War: Germany was left bankrupt; Russia erupted into civil revolution/end of czarism. Last of the great wars to actively involve horses & the first to introduce aerial warfare.
Insightful, interesting, super impressed; museum well done.
Next stop, lunch at Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que. Place came highly recommended by my boss, Jim. Settled on KC’s famous Z-Man sandwich & fries – did not leave disappointed 🙂
With clouds rolling in (yesterday’s Colorado snow arriving as thunder & lightning here on the Plains), wanted to squeeze in a quick visit to Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop & Farm. Located on the Santa Fe Trail, folks regularly stopped in Olathe during the 1860’s-1880’s while re-settling West. Migration halted during the [pre-Civil War] Bloody Kansas conflict with neighboring slave state Missouri. [Mahaffie was cousin to John Brown, the Harpers Ferry WV abolitionist.] Sooooo much history here – LOVED it!
Stretched my stay at Mahaffie to closing time. Draft horses, oxen, sheep, goats, pigs, chickens – everything you’d expect to find on a Kansas farm. Auntie Em & Dorothy’s life was no joke.
Gotta say, Kansas – not so bad. Some of the nicest folks I’ve ever met.
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- 4th straight weekend marathoning – state #26 tomorrow a.m.
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- monumental artwork painted in Paris during the First World War — described as the largest painting in the world
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- worth the 45 minute wait
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- KC’s famous Z-Man sandwich & fries – today I killed a cow 🙂
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- draft horses
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- Springtime in Kansas
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- “Little House on the Prairie”
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- big eyes, crazy long tongue & a wet nose
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- Santa Fe Trail Stagecoach Stop
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- watch out Prairie people, K* at the reins
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- well done, Kansas – some of the nicest folks I’ve ever met
after 2 weeks of 70s, back to snow. Colorado spring snow – LOVE it!
Last 2 years we’ve been surprised in May with a few inches. It ain’t over, ’til it’s over 🙂
Meanwhile in Kansas…
100% chance of rain for Saturday’s marathon. All part of the journey.
Garmin Marathon
The Wicked Witch is up to her tricks! The forecast for Saturday currently calls for rain and scattered storms! Never fear, we do not anticipate severe weather at this time and plan to have a wonderful race! What would an Oz run be without a storm to get you feeling like Dorothy?
