Excuse Me. Pardon Me. Right behind You. Sorry. Excuse Me. Coming Through.

Chris Cavanaugh Is All Smiles

26,000+ runners packed the start line at Dodger Stadium to run the new LA Marathon course – Stadium to Sea. I was reminded why I enjoy some of the local ultra trail races after trying to get to the start of the LA Marathon.

Nicole, Dylan and I were in the car and on the road by 5:30 AM Saturday morning heading down to LA and made the traditional photo stop at Pea Soup Andersen’s. We arrived in LA by 2 PM and then I walked over to Dodger stadium (much farther than the reported 1 mile from the hotel) for the marathon expo. It didn’t look like I was going to make my 3 PM shift so I started jogging only to start to melt in the 80 degree afternoon. I didn’t look so fresh arriving at the pace booth dripping in sweat.

Marathon morning is always a little hectic but this one was classic. We met in the hotel lobby at 5:45 AM to catch a shuttle to the start. But after waiting on Figueroa for almost 30 minutes, it was clear there would be no shuttle. So we said our goodbyes to the other waiting marathoners and decided to walk. Good call. As we walked across the 10 overpass, traffic on the freeway was at a standstill and many people were getting out of their cars on the freeway and walking.

After making it to Dodger Stadium, I had to work my way through most of the 26,000+ runners and push my way close to the front of the pack. Excuse me. Pardon me. Right behind you. Sorry. Excuse me. Coming through. As luck would have it, they announced many were still stuck in traffic and they were going to delay the start by about 30 minutes. I chatted with Bull’s Eye Bob and a couple women while we waited for the starting gun. A completely different experience than showing up 20 minutes before the start of a 50K trail race.

Along with the pace balloons, I carried my camera and took some pictures and videos along the way. First half of the marathon had some small ups and downs. During the first half we saw the Dorothy Chandler Music Center around mile 6, Echo Park Lake around mile 7 and the Hollywood Walk of Fame around mile 12. But a couple highlights were some old friends that ran with the pace group. One of the guys was Kurt Goetz, a strong sub 3 hour marathoner and middle grade history teacher from Southern California. Kurt ran with the group for the first 20 miles wearing his Kids Run LA shirt. Another guy was my Semper Fi buddy from Marine Corps marathon. I had been looking at him and wondering why he looked so familiar. Then around mile 10 or so, I asked him if we knew each other and he said, “Yes, you paced me last year at Marine Corps.” Of course, he was the guy calling Semper Fi to all the soldiers we passed during the Marine Corps. He was my inspiration that marathon and, again, he finished with me and demonstrated some heart and guts. We also had a barefoot runner who ran and finished with us.

We did hit the halfway point right on the 1:40 mark. Second half the marathon provided better scenery and finishing at Santa Monica pier was so much better than previous years finishing near downtown LA and skid row. Finishing time of 3:19:44 was almost perfect for the 3:20 Pace Group.

After the marathon, we hung out with Jody, Lily and Oleg by riding the ferris wheel on the pier and then having lunch at Yankee Doodle in Santa Monica. Leaving lunch, there was a guy playing a nice set of drums on the street. You could tell he was talented and probably in his 40’s. We started watching him as people passed by and his hands moved around the set with ease and he would spin and flip his sticks. We watched for a few minutes and then all of the sudden he stood up, sadly walked to his collection bucket and poured the money in the street and started packing. A homeless looking guy passed and started collecting the money and handed him some dollar bills but the drummer said no thanks without a smile. If he only knew how much I stood there wishing I had half his talent. He packed up his drums and left. Why didn’t I get closer so he could see us watching him and he would know people were amazed at his talent?

Then Nicole, Dylan and I made it to Solvang for the night and drove home  next day. The drive up the 101 had some great scenes with the wildflowers blooming and we loved Pismo Beach and the town of San Luis Obispo. Here are a few of my pictures from the marathon.

Dylan enjoying Pismo Beach

Then it was off to Houston for business and my first solid 6 hours sleep at night in months. Dylan continues to sleep solid until about 1 or 2 AM in the morning so any solid sleep is a big bonus. Business trips usually mean the meetings, plus hours in the hotel on the computer trying to do the normal daily work. So a running tour through a city is a plus but could mean a run in the dark. Whenever I have gone to Houston, I’ve always enjoyed roaming through Buffalo Bayou Park and some of the River Oaks neighborhoods near downtown. But this time we flew into Hobby and stayed right next to the airport. So around 10 PM at night and in the light rain, I took a run from the Drury Inn around Hobby Airport and I discovered the airport is almost 9 miles round – not the most enjoyable part of the city. The clerk at the front desk questioned my judgement and said “Watch out for the hookers and don’t carry any cash.” Dangers are everywhere.

For you data junkies, here’s the data from my Garmin watch.

Just One Thing

Auburn Courthouse

I’m emerging from my cave to post these thoughts. For the past couple weeks, I have been spending too much time in that introvert zone I can easily find myself in when I’m deep in designing, coding and debugging, and the pile of work keeps growing outside only steps away. Since gaining entrance to this cave is only known to me, I can go weeks inside here working through the problems while thinking only a couple days have passed. It’s not until someone like Nicole reminds me that I’ve been gone for weeks that I suddenly start to realize just how much time has passed.  

Last Sunday, I ventured out for a 1/2 Marathon snowshoe race from Tahoe City to Northstar. I had never run in snowshoes before so with about 6′ of fresh snow I thought the experience would be interesting to say the least. The morning of the race brought everybody up to the mountains since the ski resorts had lots of new snow. What should have taken about 30 minutes in the car, instead took us 90 minutes to drive from Truckee to Tahoe City. I showed up at the start about 15 minutes after the starting gun had sounded (I only assume a starting gun was used). A couple of XC skiers pointed me in the right direction and in a few minutes, Nicole and Dylan dropped me off and I was actually running through the woods in snowshoes. I had one water bottle, the snow was gently falling and the temperature read 20 degrees. I’ll save the suspense since there was no come from behind and sprint to the finish for me. I did pass many of the starters while they must have been slowed by frozen water bottles and icy energy bars, but after 2 hours and 40 minutes of tripping over my own snowshoes and trying various hand stretches to keep my frozen fingers from falling off, I shuffled myself across the finish line and, through my thawing lips, tried to mutter my name and explain why I didn’t have a bib and how I had a late start. So, if I could subtract the 20-25 minutes I missed at the start (and I cannot), I should have finished around 5th (in the ballpark of 2:40), still far behind Peter Fain who set a blistering pace and finished in 2:09. Oh, here I go with the could’ve, should’ve, would’ve!  At mile 10, my legs were burning. His must have been on fire.  

And while I have been hunkering deep in my cave, the realization that has hit me many times before has hit me again. It’s a lesson I learned when I first saw City Slickers and Curly gave his secret to life speech: “Do you know what the secret to life is?” As he points his finger at Mitch. And then he reveals the secret: “One thing. Just one thing. You stick to that and the rest don’t mean s***.” The problem with the one thing is that there are too many inputs these days. Sure when you are out on the range and under the stars that one thing might just be sharing the dream with the love of your life while a good pot of coffee brews over the fire. Tmes like that make it easy to focus, but now more than ever, we live in a time where we’re always on, always connected, constantly consuming and there are too many things fighting for our time and attention. We know that technology has provided us with incredible advancement but I wonder if we will we look back at this period and question how much of our life was spent inputting our time into a machine that will never return that time to us? We convince ourselves of how much time we are saving with technology, but at what cost? There’s a line we can walk but too often I find myself having crossed the line and wandering in the virtual world not realizing it is inferior to the real world that I once lived. And I don’t even play computer games or watch TV.  

This past Wednesday, I came home from work and around 9 PM watched the Apple presentation of the iPad (didn’t I just tell you that I don’t watch TV) and started smiling at the unrelenting cycle we have created and continue to foster. We must keep reinventing and improving and building. It’s like at the same moment, we must be happy but not satisfied and keep working to improve ourselves, our relationships, our life, our product. We must keep improving and refining. We must keep getting faster. For me, it can be a never ending cycle of chasing my shadow through the seasons, year after year, and every now and then asking myself, “What have you done for me lately?”  

So on que, Friday two nice young men in black suits knocked on our front door and were about to tell me the secret to the one thing. I politely said I wasn’t going to waste their time or mine.   

We must not be afraid to simply enjoy the day for what it is. Enjoy the time for this is the time we have. And have the courage to live and stay hungry for life. Like Curly, I can’t tell you what that one thing is but make sure you are doing what you love. If you haven’t seen Steve Jobs’ speech at Stanford, spend about 15 minutes and watch it now.  

The picture for this post is of the Auburn Courthouse and it is something I often pass during my runs, sometimes at night and sometimes during the day. Like the Amazon Archers, I just wanted to share a picture of what I often see and where my feet take me. The sky shone its dimming light on our courthouse when Dylan and I passed by tonight and I was happy to capture the scene. I’m all over the place in this one.

Ever Ate A 20 LB Turkey And Drank A 2 Liter Bottle of Warm Coke Before A Marathon?

The Hungry 3:10 Pack at Mile 20

Somewhere along the way to today, my train went off the track. But when life is a little chaotic, sometimes it’s hard to tell when the road is just bumpy or if I’ve actually veered off the road, especially when I’m running around in the dark at night. I’ve also realized there are two ways to learn the lessons life wants to teach me: the hard way and the easy way. I’ve come to the realization that I prefer learning my lessons the hard way. Let me fill you in on a little secret: sleep isn’t overrated. I’ve told myself for a long time that sleep is highly overrated and when I need to squeeze more things in, I can just sleep less. I’m discovering that the lack of good sleep is probably important. The past few weeks (well let me be honest and say the past couple years) good sleep has been difficult. Even a couple weeks ago on vacation, I felt like a walking zombie. The yawn is the first thing out of my mouth in the morning. What in the world is wrong with me? When my head hits the pillow, usually around 11:30, I’m out before I whisper “Goodnight”. Am I just getting older? I need to go to bed earlier. Dylan was going through a bit of a rough patch with our constant travel schedule and seemed to be waking up the past week around 2 AM then again a little after 5 AM for good. He gets his naps. However, no such luck for me on the naps. So sleep lately seems to come in 2 1/2 to 3 hour spurts through the night and never a solid, deep sleep.  

What does any of this have to do with the California International Marathon today…  

This week, the body just never felt right. When I went for a run I felt OK but it felt like I had just ate a huge Thanksgiving meal and and drank a 2 liter bottle of warm Coke just before I started my run. And that’s how I felt all day today, like I was running on a full stomach. You ever had the sloshy stomach sound when you run? That was mine from the start to the finish. Not a great feeling. Swish. Swish. Swish. Sounded like I was running with a CamelBak bladder under my shirt. All I had for breakfast was a cup of tea. I ate rice and oatmeal yesterday. Very simple. So I point to the lack of sleep as the culprit. It can only be his fault. And on top of that, I lost my mind somewhere in the afternoon yesterday. I forgot my bib and timing chip at home. I’ve run dozens of marathons and never once forgot either. This marathon I forgot both! Never underestimate the importance of that checklist.  

But all in all, things could have been much worse. The legs? The legs felt fresh all day. I had a great group of runners with me for most of the marathon. Conditions were good, cold and dry although we did battle a headwind during some sections. Temps dipped into the low 30’s at the start and never made it much higher. Usually, during many of the marathons I develop a quick side stitch or maybe a tight muscle but run through it and it goes away. Not so today. Right away I could hear my stomach sloshing around. I waited and waited for it to improve until finally at mile 15, my stomach felt like it was a bottle of Coke on the verge of exploding. So I asked one of the guys in the group to carry the sign for a stretch and I ran up ahead to find a port-a-potty. As I found my seat, my watch stopped. I had it set for Auto-Stop by accident and so now I didn’t even know the clock time. (Kevin reminded me later that I should have sat on the toilet waving my arms back and forth to keep the watch going!) A minute or two later I emerged and chased after the group. It was actually nice to see this huge pack of 40+ runners staying together so late in the marathon. Around mile 21, many of the runners started to drift ahead but about 10 or so hung with me for the last few miles. Between mile 25 and 26, I sent the remaining ones ahead and held back for a couple runners working hard. I finished around 3:09:40 and suddenly all the blood must have flooded back to my stomach because I started feeling worse. I congratulated some of my new friends and heard about a few PR’s but I kept the conversations short fearing I might throw up on them at any moment and ruin their prized bib with whatever was sloshing around in my stomach. Then I found Nicole and Dylan and after some hot chocolate, things began to settle down.   

Really enjoyed running with the group today. A lot of strong runners in that 3:10 pack and even with the headwinds, a few ran PR’s. Well done. Now, it’s almost midnight and it’s snowing outside and I really need to try for a few hours of good sleep.  

For you data junkies, here’s the data from my Garmin watch. 

Hi Michael,

Just a quick note to thank you once again for the awesome pacing.  You were by far the best pacer I ever ran with and I couldn’t believe how steady you were.  I most definitely would not have run a PR without your help!!!  I didn’t make 3:10 but I did not do bad for a 40 year old Canadian girl.  Ended up with a 3:12:39 and stayed with you up until about the 22 mile mark.  Legs just weren’t co-operating anymore and I sure did miss the pack once I fell off the back.  In fact, I thought the entire race was just a big crowded mess until I realized it was just your big pack.  Once I fell off the back, I was all alone.

The only thing that kept me sorta together were your words at the start which I kept repeating the last 4 miles.  “It’s all mental”!!!

Good times, hope to be back again one year.  Thanks again I had a great time – went for short run in Napa before the wine tours started on Tuesday and am no worse for wear.

Thank you,  Carmen Pavelich #5082

PS  Just so you know . . . .  I was not in 3:10 shape but I picked you because I decided if I had to run behind someone, he may as well be good looking.

Hey Michael,   

Just wanted to say thanks for the help in the race this past Sunday.  The pace team was awesome and turned out to be a huge help.  I feel behind you guys around 19 but did manage to PR by 3.5 min (3:13:46).  It was not my day for Boston, but it was an amazing race and I will be back next year! 

Thanks for the help, 
Rusty

Hello Michael,
 
I’d like to thank you for being my pacer in the marathon on Sunday. In large part thanks to you I got a new PR of 3:09:35 (my previous PR was 3:23:45 in Berlin this year).

Although I ran slightly in front of you for most of the race, during the last 3 miles you caught me up. If it wasn’t for your encouragement over those last couple of miles, and especially over the last mile I certainly wouldn’t have broken 3:10.
 
I still can’t believe how consistently you ran the course! When you were running you hardly seemed to be using any effort. If you don’t mind my asking, what’s your PR?!
 
Thanks again for helping me qualify for Boston in 2011!
 
Cheers,
Richard

Meet Your 3:10 Pace Leader for the California International Marathon

We recorded some video a few weeks ago for each of the California International Marathon Pace Groups at Lee’s place. Although CIM is a downhill course, the first half has some rollers. A few times this marathon has felt almost effortless (ALMOST…). Hopefully this can be one of those years. Running with this group is a fantastic way to finish off the year.

Semper Fi

Seems like every city has a marathon these days, but few can beat “The People’s Race” also known as The Marine Corps Marathon in Washington DC. I paced the 3:10 group last year and this year had the 3:20 group. I flew on a Friday red eye after taking the day off and spending the afternoon in San Francisco with Nicole and Dylan. While in the city, we had to make a trip to Chinatown and visit a true hole-in-the-wall little restaurant named Sam Wo. We hadn’t been there in probably 15 years so it was a relief to see the place exactly like we left it, even with the same 1994 prices.

Normally, we travel everywhere as a family but this trip was so short that we decided not to have Nicole and Dylan fly out with me. Although last year we had the best time exploring the sites in DC, staying less than 36 hours this trip was just too much effort for too little time. But we will definitely be back. Nicole loves the big city life and I’m more of a Green Acres (mountain style) kinda guy but I think we will spend six months or a year of our life in the DC area when Dylan’s rapidly multiplying brain cells can really absorb the history.

After landing on Saturday morning, I met the team at the hotel for breakfast then tried to get a couple hours of sleep before walking over to The Mall and strolling the paths of The National Botanic Gardens under gray and wet skies.

There’s just too much to see in DC that you need a week not an afternoon, but that’s all I had. I had to work the CLIF booth at the Expo from 3 – 6 PM then we enjoyed a hearty pasta dinner and had the team meeting in the evening. After the meeting, I had a few hours so I grabbed my camera and went out for a night run through the city. These 90 minutes were amazing. The monuments impress during the day, but it’s a completely different experience in white lights and under dark skies. I tried to hit all the big sights. The empty streets are a welcome relief from the buses and cars during the day. I had forgotten to pack a tripod for the trip and this is a necessity for capturing those night images. Next time! Click here to view my pictures.

Sunday’s 5:15 AM wake-up call rang 15 minutes late which seemed to be the average among the other pacers. Mitchell Layton took pictures of us so we can have updated profile pictures on the CLIF Bar website. He’s a photographer for the Washington DC pro sports teams and with his two Nikon cameras and enormous lenses, he looked the part. During the subway ride over to the Pentagon, I talked to him and couldn’t believe when he said for just one game he’ll normally shoot around 1,500 pictures.

Compared with the cloudy, windy and wet weather on Saturday, the Marines ordered perfect conditions on Sunday. Clear skies and no wind. Unlike last year when we were sprinting to the starting line to make the cannon, this year we lined up with a good 20 minutes before the start. Two Osprey flew overhead and buzzed the crowd. There’s nothing like seeing a few hundred Marines in their fatigues to motivate.

Boom, that cannon sounds and the handcranks go. We have another 10 minutes and then the cannon fires for the rest of us and we are off. The first few miles of this marathon go through the city streets of Virginia before you run through the bright golden trees and fall colors and quiet woods and then cross the Potomac for another few miles along the river before reaching the Georgetown crowds. It’s a beautiful and peaceful part of the course. The miles were marked but often each mile also had two soldiers shouting the time as we passed. Everywhere along the course, every water station, the soldiers volunteered and worked, shouting encouragement to all the runners. For the next few miles, I shared stories with a runner who was doing his 65th marathon this year! This guy had already done 254 marathons in his life.

I had forgotten to ask the group to ignore their watches during the marathon and just follow the balloons. I had told them we would likely come in around 3:19:00 – 3:19:20 and to relax and trust the pace. Undoubtedly, there’s always some wise guy yelling in the pack, complaining each mile that the last one was too fast or too slow. And the last few marathons, you cannot trust the GPS. Having GPS is a wonderful aid, but more often than not it will report miles sooner than they are marked on the course. It is not 100% accurate (and neither are some courses). If you only relied on the watch, you may think you are running a 7:38 pace but you might really be running a 7:45 pace.

I had a huge group of 50 or more runners through the first half and out to the point along the Potomac River across from Reagan International Airport. The group ran strong back to The Mall where the crowds were deafening as we zig-zagged around the Washington Monument. At the Washington Monument, if you look left you can see the White House across the lawns. These are fun miles as we passed one site after another before leaving The Mall and saying goodbye to the Jefferson Monument and then crossed the Potomac River for the last time at mile 20.

And this is where this marathon can get tough. You have a couple miles on the freeway before entering Crystal City for the last few miles. Since about mile 15, I had a runner on my left shoulder in a red shirt shouting “Semper Fi!” each time we went past a Marine. He kept shouting “Semper Fi!” through Mile 18 and Mile 19. When I looked back I could tell he was at his threshold. Sweat poured off his head. Occasionally, he would gasp at the start of a stride. There was no doubt he had reached the wall and was trying to bust through. “Semper Fi!” he kept shouting. “Semper Fi!” He looked exhausted but he had that look in his eye and that strength in his voice. Man, I wanted him to hang on. I would turn around and say “Stay strong” and point my finger to my head and say again, “Stay Strong.” Midway on the bridge, we passed a spectator covered in a black robe, dressed as the grim reaper with a sign “The End Is Near”. A few of us had to smile. Then we made it across the bridge, a few had dropped back but many held together. The young man behind me on the left stayed strong as we entered Crystal City and the last few miles.

Mentally and physically this part can be so hard. The body has probably reached its limit. This section of the course is an-out-and-back so you can see the runners coming back. This can be both motivating and depressing. I would turn around and try to encourage the group with shouts of “Keep smiling. You guys are making it look too easy.” I’m not sure how they took it at that stage. The look on many of their faces was just a shut-up and how much further sort of glare. Then I heard it again, “Semper Fi!” Man this guy is good, I kept thinking. We passed the Pentagon, only 2 more miles to go. A few more dropped. I kept turning around and noticed him starting to slip ever so slightly from the group. So I stopped, turnaround one last time and shouted, “C’MON! You can do it!” Then headed towards Arlington Cemetery and the finish line at the base of the Iwo Jima monument. The final 100 yards was a climb into the cemetery, where friends and family scream for their runner and the soldiers line the course and cheer as you cross the finish. I crossed just after 3:19 and turned around and who is climbing the hill but none other than “Semper Fi!” in his red shirt. I gave him a huge high five and let him know how impressive his determination was the last few miles. Not bad for a guy that then tells me a year ago he was dealing with severe brain trauma. Unbelievable!

Had a great run this morning and I can’t say “Thank You” enough to all the Marines, for their service to this country, for their commitment to freedom and for all their encouragement out there this morning. Semper Fi.

For any data junkies out there, here’s the data from my Garmin watch.

The Red Footprints

The Red Footprints of The Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run

A couple times a week my run will take me along the last mile of the Western States 100 mile run. If I have time for a 1 hour and 10 minute run, I can hit the Western States trail at the Overlook for a couple miles and then catch the last mile from Robie before passing through downtown and heading home. I love this run. And when I take Dylan, we stick to the pavement and connect to Robie after stopping to visit the horses and can be home in 1 hour. Either way, my feet follow the red footprints painted on the street that lead runners home after they’ve run 99 miles, and most of the miles were not easy ones but the kind that leave an impression on your body that it will never forget. About 6 or 7 years ago, local running legend Rae Clark started painting the footprints to help the Western States runners find their way to the finish line at the high school stadium. Most of the runners will take this last mile in the dark and will be so tired at this point, they will not even notice the steps leading them home. Out of 100 miles, only a few are on pavement and this is one of the them. This last mile goes through the neighborhoods and into the stadium and then does one lap around the track before crossing the finish line. It’s an amazing place to be in late June.

Now we are back from Denver where I paced the 3:40 group at the Denver Marathon. Yes, that’s right: 3:40. I was scheduled to pace the 3:30 group but Dave Bea kept pestering me to change times with him and how he couldn’t even run that slow and how he could miss his flight and so I switched with him. Normally, I pace 3:10 and he paces 3:20 (although, yes Dave, you can run much faster), the fastest pace group Denver offers is 3:30. I had a great time pacing the 3:40 group. Denver has a nice course through downtown and then through many of the Denver parks. Weather was perfect (unlike the snowy weekend before) and Nicole, Dylan and I had a good time Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday, Dylan ran the kids race and had his picture taken with Frank Shorter.

1972 Olympic Gold Medalist Frank Shorter, Dylan and me.

I guess I should feel lucky even making the trip after Frontier Airlines overbooked our plane and I had no seat on the flight out to Denver. When we arrived at the airport less than 1 hour before take-off, all the seats were taken. But when one passenger didn’t show up to board, I was able to use the vacant seat. From now on, we will always try to check in before even leaving for the airport. Lesson learned.

The jet set life isn’t all that it is cracked up to be. Sure the private jets are nice, the 5 stars hotels are a luxury, the all night parties the night before can be dangerous, and you can’t beat all the CLIF bars you can eat in a weekend and a bright pair of Nike shoes. But it always comes down to helping someone finish their first marathon or getting someone to a new PR. When we cross that finish line and see the joy in those red flushed faces, it means we’ve probably been able to tag along on a journey that someone will never forget. Back at the hotel after the marathon on Sunday, we tried to sneak a 30 minute nap in at the hotel before grabbing lunch and then walked around the 16th Street Pedestrain Mall before catching our flight back home.  

Here’s my Garmin data from the marathon.

Reduce Speed Ahead

Virgin River in Zion National Park

If somewhere out there a course exists to qualify for the Boston Marathon that is faster than St. George Marathon, I would love to run it. This was my second time running the St. George Marathon and I must say it is one where the miles can quickly pass and then before you know it the finish line is just ahead. I’d say you could probably knock a good 10, maybe even 15, minutes off your PR on this course. The starting line is 26.2 miles out-of-town in the high desert. We are bused out at 5 AM in the morning to something resembling more Burning Man than marathon: bonfires, loud music, people running off to the bushes, etc. Unlike those who suffered through the downpour last year, this year we had ideal conditions. Although it is always cold at the start (wear something that will keep you from freezing that you can leave at the start), the skies were clear and the temps climbed nicely as the sun came out to greet us. But even with the sun in our faces, I don’t think my lips thawed until mile 9. A good pack of probably 30 or 40 runners followed my 3:10 pace balloons through the early miles, up the Veyo climb and along the gradual climbs to mile 13. The pace was solid the first half and we nailed the half marathon point at 1:35 exactly. Nice pace! There were some slower miles and a couple faster ones but that first half felt just right. And if you’ve run this marathon before, you know what a screamer the second half can be. As we passed the clock at mile 13.1, I gave the thumbs up to the group and said “Now hang on to your hats because this second half can be fast!”

Even with my foot on the brakes and heeding the “Reduce Speed Ahead” signs along the road, the second half can be too fast. It felt like the miles were too close. I’d pass one mile marker only to spot the next mylar balloon mile marker bouncing in the wind up ahead. I had a great group of runners – even a Clydesdale – running strong along Snow Canyon and into mile 20. As we started to descend into the outskirts of the town of St. George, I sent the group on ahead as they were all running strong and I needed to watch the pace the last few miles. At mile 25 I picked up another runner who was struggling the last mile and he hung with me for a bit then had a second wind to the finish. If someone is trying to qualify for Boston and they see me and those 3:10 balloons roll past them, it can be like a kick in their butt. I know the feeling so I always try to shout something encouraging as we come upon one of those runners.

Nicole and Dylan were waiting after mile 25 and Dylan came running out on the course to give me a hug. I gave him “It’s a great to see you hug” then headed toward the finish and tried to video the last few hundred yards of the race. I apologize for the shaky video. I came in just under 3:09 and shared high fives with much of the group. Everybody had big smiles and some sore quads.

Around noon, we connected with my dad and Jody and then we all crammed into our P.T. Cruiser rental car and drove out to Zion National Park for the rest of the afternoon. Had a good time seeing the sights and taking the river walk up the canyon. We didn’t have too much time so maybe we can go back and climb Angels Landing and hike further up the canyon. Here are some pictures of the trip: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mncook/sets/72157622439959389/show/. Also would love to visit Bryce when we have more time. As it was, we had to have the rental car back in Vegas that night and then we flew home the next day. The great thing about the Utah marathons is that they run on Saturday so once you have finished, you still have the rest of the weekend. Although we could have skipped the whole Las Vegas part. The appeal of smoke-filled drunken casinos has seemed to fade. As we wandered the streets and hotels of Las Vegas, Nicole and I wondered why so many people, and families with kids, choose it as their destination. Exactly. What were we thinking?

A Big October Is Just Around The Corner

It’s been a few weeks since I posted. Haven’t had a lot of time (really no energy) and these days the daily toll of life seems to catch up with me faster and faster. Lately, work has left me mentally exhausted by the end of the day. Lots of good things going on but everything takes time and energy. So many intentions. So few results. October weekends are usually extra busy with marathons and this year will be no different. Three marathons in four weekends will mean less sleep over the next few weekends but looking forward to some fun runs.

In early September, we drove down for the Disneyland Half Marathon. I was pacing the 1:40 group and Dylan was running his first race at the 100 meter distance. We stayed at the Disneyland Hotel which proved an attraction all by itself. For most of the weekend, Dylan’s favorite ride was going up and down the escalator in the hotel lobby. The lines were short and with a coffee shop nearby, all were happy with the arrangement. Saturday morning we walked over to the park where the kids’ races ran right down Main Street USA. Other than Dylan having a complete meltdown as the race started, it was a special experience. He’d been practicing for weeks but he’d been training by himself and with thousands of people around and lots of attractions, he wasn’t sure what to make of the scene. So I was one of those parents, dragging their screaming and kicking kid through some athletic event. As I heard them say, “Oh, look at that poor kid and his overachieving, Starbucks drinking parent! What a shame!”

Who's Not Having Fun?

After working in the Clif Bar booth at the expo on Saturday after Dylan’s race, we headed back over to Disneyland to spend the afternoon on the rides and watch the fireworks that evening. The fireworks show was a winner on all our scorecards. Sunday morning I had the half marathon and had a blast running the course. This year the first few miles took us through Disneyland (did you know they have live horses in stables at Disneyland?) then we hit the city streets. Around mile 9, they let us run into the Angels’ baseball stadium and make a lap around the field. A great memory. Then we finished next to the Disneyland Hotel. Other than the LA traffic, it’s a two thumbs up race.

The next weekend Jody (RAAM crew member) and Lily came over and Jody and I rode the Auburn Century, about 110 miles. The route resembled one of my RAAM training rides and took us up the famous Iowa Hill climb. However, since completing RAAM, I think my longest ride has been about 20 miles so my legs and neglected bike were not truly ready for a 100+ mile effort. We put our names on the list of those who would race the Iowa Hill Time Trial (a steep 2 mile climb that hits grades of 20%). I attempted to video my Time Trial effort but the camera kept falling over and the sound of my labored breathing ruins any scenic shot. My time of 16 minutes left me in 2nd place. Maybe the videoing cost me those 5 seconds away from 1st? Here’s my shot of Jody working hard toward the end of his TT.

Jody Finishing The Iowa Hill Time Trial

Had a good time riding with Jody and he even helped identify some sources of a couple squeaks my bike has been making. One multi-talented guy. And Sunday morning we even hit one of my favorite 10 mile running trails in Tahoe Donner. I love running in the mountains during September and October.

The past couple weekends have been crunch time for the upcoming marathons and getting my body used to the longer runs. I’ve been happily running 10-11 miles but needed to put in the time to acclimate to 3 hours of running. It’s pretty funny but mentally as long as I can hit my usual time on a Saturday long run, I think I’m prepared. In Santa Rosa, that was running Annadel from the house and back, along the Lawndale trail. About 21 miles and it should take about 3 hours. These days it’s out to Cool and back. About 20 miles and it should take 2 hours and 45 minutes. So I ran that last Saturday and then went to run it again yesterday. Yesterday, I left the house a little after 8 AM since temps were suppose to reach the 100’s. Along the canal at Maidu, this guy comes racing down the street and hits the trail. We exchange hello’s and introduce ourselves. His name is Brian Hacker from Cool and he is out doing a tempo run. So we run together for about a mile and he finishes his run and I’m just starting. When I hit the Overlook, there is an aid station for the Sierra Nevada Endurance Run and I ask when they are expecting the runners. In about 20 minutes they say. No way. I thought maybe I’d run into Bob Shebest during his race but it would be fun to run together for a bit. But I decide I need to get one last good long run in so I descend the Overlook into the canyon. About a half mile later, I think what am I doing? Just go back, hang out and wait. There will be other days to run this alone. So I go back, call Nicole and let her know I will be home a little later. She’s around the corner at the Farmer’s Market with Dylan so they drive over to say hi and we hang out together until the races arrive.

In a little while, the racers start coming in. One of the early leaders drops at this aid station. You can see that already the conditions are taking their toll. Bob comes running in and takes off without any chit chat at the aid station. So I grab my water bottles and continue my normal Saturday run. Running over to Cool from Auburn is a fantastic run. It’s some ups and downs, mainly singletrack and rewards the runner with some inspiring views of the American River. Bob’s hard working IT Band was acting up and the pain was impacting his performance. I’m sure the downhills didn’t do him any favors. But he kept gutting it out and was determined to finish his year with a strong race.

Bob Shebest Running Towards No Hands Bridge

During my training runs, a favorite place to stop and take a water break is No Hands Bridge before I have another 3 miles of climbing up to Cool. On this day, No Hands Bridge was the finish line for the marathon portion of the course and the turnaround for the double marathon runners. I think a lot of runners, due to the heat, called it a day upon reaching the bridge. After reaching Cool on a hot day, I’ll stop at the local market and buy a Dr Pepper and Gatorade for the return trip. This day was no different. I ran near or with Bob back to Auburn and the Maidu Aid Station then wished him luck and called it the end of my run around 1 PM. Bob had another 20+ miles to go. Nicole, Dylan and I went home, did a few chores around the house, ran some errands and then around 6 PM, Amanda called asking if I’ve heard from Bob. Uh oh…

I figure it could take about 4 1/2 to 5 hours to cover Maidu to the Finish Line. But with the extreme heat, all predictions are off. I say give him 30 minutes, then call me back. Still no word from him at 6:30 PM. The finish line is only about 30 minutes from the house, so I decide to drive over. Just as we are getting into the car, Bob calls and says he lying down in the back of his car, dehydrated and he’s not sounding too good. We drive over to check on him. In 30 minutes, he’s drinking a bit and standing upright. All good signs. With some food in him, later that evening he is returning back to his normal self. By the next day, he looks 100% better. This guy loves to push his body to the limit.

Eugene Marathon And A Wrong Turn

Mt Shasta - Elevation 14,162

“Running in the footsteps of Legends” is the theme that rings throughout the Eugene Marathon. And that’s exactly what it feels like during some sections of the course. And “Mooooo” is the sound the rang throughout the trip as Dylan started to associate “Mooooo” with every time he spotted a cow. So as we drove up and down, we kept hearing “Mooooo” coming from the backseat and there would be Dylan looking out at a herd of cattle on the green hills of Oregon. Nicole and I had once driven up to Washington about 10 years ago and we remember the drive to be beautiful near Mt. Shasta and into Oregon. And again we were reminded how picturesque some parts of this country can be. I took Friday off work and we packed the car and drove to Eugene, leaving in the morning. On the way, we stumbled upon Castle Crags near Mt. Shasta and want to go back to the area in the summer and spend some time exploring. Friday night we made it into Eugene. We grabbed dinner at the Steelhead Brewing Company a couple blocks away then put Dylan to bed.

Castle Crags

Saturday morning the CLIF team met at 6:45 for a quick run over to the University of Oregon and we ran around the track at Hayward Field. A few of us climbed the fence to test our 400 meter speed (no track scholarships here). But the experience was very cool. I manned the CLIF Pace Team booth from 9 AM to noon then Nicole, Dylan and I spent the afternoon exploring Eugene. Before needing to be back for the Pasta dinner, Nicole dropped me off in the rain near the Prefontaine Trail and I ran along the trail then ran back to the hotel for dinner. The Prefontaine Trail is almost 5 miles of a bark running trail in the Alton Baker Park. A local landscaping company donates the materials to maintain the trail. Some of the locals said it is not uncommon to be running on the trail and cross paths with one of the track stars from the University out on a run. There is so much running history in the town with Pre, Bowerman and Nike that while running on the trail it was easy to imagine some of the legends running the same routes.

The Prefontaine Trail

Sunday morning we emerged from the hotel at 5:45 AM into the rain and headed over to the start line right in front of Hayward field at the University of Oregon. The number of people running in the 3:10 group surprised me and after the starting gun sounded and we were off, it appeared there would be a good pack of around 20-30 runners. I didn’t have the luxury of looking at my Garmin GPS watch for instant pace and had to go old school with just a normal stopwatch. First mile came in around 7:40 which was about right. Always prefer a slightly slower start to give people a chance to ease into the marathon and keep the heart rate low. The first 8 or so miles we meandered through the streets and neighborhoods of Eugene and it was a good time to talk with some of the other runners. Quite a few came down from Seattle and Vancouver. Everybody associated with the marathon, all the runners and volunteers, couldn’t have been nicer.

The middles miles we  ran along the Willamette River and through Alton Baker Park but didn’t run on the Prefontaine Trail but instead stayed on the bike trail. Between miles 15 and 16, the course split with the half marathoners going left and the marathoners going right. But everybody was going left and there was no sign or marker to indicate the marathon course was suppose to go straight. All of the sudden, there’s a very unofficial looking guy on a bike who yelled out, “If you’re running the marathon, you should go that way!” We stopped. Some of the runners started swearing. Heartrates spiked. Some looked at me and asked, “Is that right? Which way!” I DIDN’T KNOW. We followed his advice, darted across the field and took the other path but in a few hundred yards we thought we made a mistake. There was not a single cone or marker and no other runners on this path. I asked if anyone knew the area and if we could reconnect by continuing and someone said to make a left turn up ahead. A minute or so later, we could see some volunteers along the path and the cones were back. Whew! Ended up we made the right decision. The course was just poorly, or rather not, marked along that section. I think we only lost about 30 seconds. Unfortunately, a lot of other runners followed the half marathon course.

We followed the river to the Owosso Bridge and crossed the river around mile 21. The rain had stopped and, like a novice, my nipples were bleeding. So I’m holding the 3:10 pacing ballons with one hand and pulling on my shirt with the other to minimize any contact with my body. At the same time I’m trying to keep the group motivated during the final 10K of the marathon, the point where the race really starts. And around this time the group started to thin. Dave Johnson, one of the ones I had been talking to throughout the race, started to drop back. Dan Reed grabbed onto my heels. John Ticer, a solid local of 50+ years, kept the rest of us moving along at a solid pace. I kept telling people just get to mile 25 and then the surge will carry them home. But there was no surge at mile 25 as the course twisted through an empty field, heading towards the University. Most of the group floated on ahead. And soon enough the home stretch appeared. Just after mile 26, we rounded the corner and could see the finish line. I turned around and there is Dave Johnson kicking hard to the finish. What a comeback! My official time: 3:09:02. We all shared some high fives at the finish line. The sun was breaking through. And chocolate milk and cookies at the finish! I watched Darris come in at 3:20 then headed back to the hotel to meet up with Nicole and Dylan. An hour later, we were in the car and driving back to home to California.

California International Marathon

Kevin Buchholz, Bob Shebest and me at California International Marathon 2008

Dylan is officially more comfortable walking than crawling. We have put the baby gates around the house to contain him but it is good to see him walking around and exploring. I am still taking him twice a week in the Chariot. Usually he has a good time but about a week ago we went late in the evening and it was pretty dark and I don’t think he enjoyed running in the pitch black.

No more marathons this year. Whew. Last weekend I paced the 3:10 group at the California International Marathon. Friends Bob Shebest paced the 3:15 group and Kevin Buchholz paced the 3:40. They came over Saturday night, we were up around 5 AM Sunday morning and Nicole dropped us at the starting line around 6:30 AM. We cut the start pretty close by spending too much time in the porta potty line. I think I showed up for the group with about 3 minutes to go. Nerves were high. And was it cold and foggy. The fog never lifted the entire run.

Had a good run. Started a little slow with the 1st mile coming in around 7:40 but that was the plan. I usually try to hit a 7:30 first mile then hit the 7:15 splits the next few. Had a very large group and lots of runners qualified for Boston. Ran into Jim and Barb Carlson handing out water around mile 22. Always a smile on their face. Bob and Kevin crossed the line like clock work. Great run. Here’s my splits from my Garmin: http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/7259810