3:25:50
2nd place overall (out of 76)
What started out as just another marathon in yet another state that I rarely visit turned out to be a fun little trip. As with many recent marathons, this was another smash and grab trip. I left the Detroit metro airport at 9:30 on Friday morning, and was back in the ground at Detroit metro airport at 10:00 pm on Saturday night, a mere 36.5 hours later.
My two step flight (through Chicago) got me to Kansas City International airport a little after noon, central time. Quick car pickup allowed me to be in Lawrence, KS by 2pm. The packet pickup was at this nice outdoors shop in downtown Lawrence (home of Kansas University, so it was a hip town, actually) This shop was actually really awesome. One of those places that I could easily spend thousands of dollars in short order. I ended up getting my race packet, (nice) shirt and a new frisbee for my daughter. I had already spent too much money just getting out here…
It was still too early to check into my hotel, so I did something I had not done in a while, catch a movie the day before a marathon. Given the choices, the adrenaline filled ‘Fast and Furious’ seemed like a good choice. Testosterone coursed through my body appropriately.
Earlier research showed that I had TWO Applebee’s to choose from. What was cool is that on the way from packet pickup to the movie I drove right by one of them. Sweet! I was low on sleep, so I did an early dinner (I’ll bet you $0.02 you can’t guess what I had to eat…) so I could be in bed trying to sleep by 8:00.
I slept like a rock, and with an 8 am start, I got to ’sleep in’ on this race morning. I had my PB sandwich (Thanx Val!), but forgot my tea, so I had to resort to hotel room coffee for my race morning caffeine. Oh well, it did not seem to effect me negatively. Packed up, took off, arrived at the park just as the 40 mile and 100K races were taking off, 1 hour before my start. Pre-race rituals, now almost boring in there systematic registry, went on fine and 2 minutes before race start we got our last instructions. The course was ‘muddy’ in spots. Greeeeaaaat… 8 am and we were off.
This was a small race (~80 runners) but I knew the course would be tough. I was in the lead for the first half mile, then got passed by a long hair hippy freak (I use that as a term of endearment) who eventually won the race. He asked me if I had run this race before. When I said no, he said it was a fun, but tough course. Truer words were never spoken. About a mile in I lost him in front of me, and I lost the guy behind me. Yes, a mere 4% into the race and I knew exactly what place I would end up at. Another second place, yummy!
A harsher course I have never run. Mud in places so bad I had to walk and grab trees to prevent me from falling. Over large rocks that not even the most die-hard mountain biker dare tread. While the course was the roughest I have ever covered, it was the most well marked. Turns abounded, intersections too many to be counted crossed, but never was there any doubt as to which way I should go. I was pleasantly surprised. This truly was one of the most well supported races I have run.
My poor Garmin GPS had me going rather slow, but considering the terrain, I was OK with it. At what my GPS said was mile 20.3, I got to a major aid station (with lots of food) I was told I only had 3.5 miles left to the end. When I protested and said my watch said 6 more miles, I was told that GPS watches are clueless in this forest. Happier words were never told me in my life. At that time I was just over 3 hours. I feared not breaking 4 hours, but now, with only 3.5 miles to go, breaking 3:30 was probable. Joy!
One note about the aid stations. There were spaced out no more than 3.5 miles and I had to provide my own water container. I had a 16 oz Gatorade bottle which about twice as big as I needed. You see, I don’t drink that much when racing anymore. In fact, after I drank 16 oz of Gatorade 15 min before race start I had little need of anything except water for the entire 26.2 mile race. I had some energy drink at about mile 8 and sure enough, that gut rot started to come. My pre-race rituals seem to prepare me well such that (unless it is really hot) I can survive just fine with water and only a little gatorade/energy drink while actually running.
After a gentle finish and a second handstand (for the official picture) I got to enjoy a freshly made brat. Yummy yummy. My prize for second place was two pieces of clothing from a local running store that had a make shift shop set up at the finish line. A nice long sleeve shirt and pull over sweatshirt made for a nice parting gift.
Smash. Grab. Second place. Niiice.
Two things learned this race:
1. Make a permanent packing list for marathons. This race I forgot my ‘food’ (bread, peanut butter, tea)and that was a bummer.
2. On those occasions you are to provide your own water bottle, take only an 8 oz juice bottle. Unless the water stations are >6 miles apart, anything bigger is just a waste. You don’t drink that much whilst racing.
