Marathons Part III

Of the 52 completed marathons under my belt, seven were on the road.  It began in 1992 in Lowell, Massachusetts.  I remember that being two loops, on a decently nice fall day in late October.  I finished, my folks drove out to support my efforts, and with a 3:35 or so, I felt like a marathoner.  The ability to complete the 26.2-miles that day gave me confidence to attempt anything else I could think of.

The history of my seven completed road marathons is as follows:

1992       Bay State Marathon, Lowell, MA

1993       1st Bridgeport Marathon, Bridgeport, CT

1994       1st Hartford Marathon, Hartford, CT

1995       Vermont City, Burlington, VT

1995       2nd Hartford Marathon, Hartford, CT

1996       Fat Ass Fifty, North Adams, MA

1996       100th Boston Marathon, Boston, MA

As previously written, April of 1996 was the end of running road marathons.

Marathons Part II

Continuing to think more about the marathon, namely how long I've been at attempting the distance, and also why this is important to me

At first I'm sure it was just the distance, being able to be fit enough to finish 26-miles.  Then the 100th Boston was happening, and I was one of the many who got caught up in the excitement, lore, and challenge of qualifying for that race in 1996.

Qualifying for Boston was an interesting lesson for me;  the year of making every run important with an end goal in mind (being able to qualify with a sub 3:10 marathon somewhere else) started out exciting enough.  But, as the year went on, and time was constantly spent figuring out my fitness level versus time left to qualify, the entire process became a bit stressful.  Especially when I would skip "fun" runs because they didn't support my end goal, and might be counter-productive to my overall training.  Luckily, I was far enough into my program to push through once the building negativity started.  I realized at some point that Boston wasn't that important, evidently.

I was fortunate, blessed, and trained enough to run the qualifying standard of sub 3:10 with a 3:08 at Vermont City.  That qualifying run was stressful, difficult, and exhausting.  Everything a marathon should be, according to most, I guess.  It was also something I felt very satisfied, or rewarded, by.  I realized that I put in the work and achieved the desired results due to the year-long effort and planning.  This became an important lesson I carry with me to this day regarding any type of "project"...  do your "homework", make that "homework" harder than the "test", and things often go well.

The Boston Marathon itself, for me, was a mixed bag.  The course was historic, and the people lining the streets were simply awesome.  It was memorable to be part of the 100th running, and realizing that it took a great effort to even get to the starting line was encouraging.  I didn't like the travel logistics or the crowd.  I also, at some point, realized I didn't really like running 26-miles on a paved road.  Or running on paved road at all.

That became it; I have never attempted another marathon on the road.  Since 1996 I believe I've not even run "on the road"  more than 100 times, with this past year being a high count.  My feet have been on the trail for the past 20+ years.

To look at my marathon history, I can't deny that it started with the roads.  It moved to the trail, with organized events, and then moved once again to "do-it-yourself" events done by myself or with a small group.

Pointing toward the future, I've learned never to say never, so a road marathon may enter my life at some point.  I am just not ready to embrace it just yet.

In Memory...  Rest in Peace Dusty (August 28, 1986 - September 25, 2000).

Marathons Part I

It's been a while since I've been able to marathon, and I have been thinking about the challenge of the marathon a lot, as well as trying to prepare for another one.  I know that as I've tried to record the completed marathons I've done within this blog, I began to wonder which months have been "best" or most numerous verses month's that have lacked attempts.  Here are my findings:

January  2
February  3
March  0

April  2

May  4

June  13

July  3

August  5

September  9

October  7

November  4

December  0

June looks really prolific, with a really big help from the officially organized Nipmuck Marathon once being held in that month.  I completed eight Nipmuck's in June.

September isn't too shabby either, with nine finishes.  March and December have never had me attempt a marathon.

• Road Marathons come at seven finishes, with none since Boston 1996.
• Official Trail Race Marathons total twenty-one finishes.
• Do It Yourself Marathon's come in with twenty-four finishes.

From this day in 2002...  Tunxis Trail on top of Pine Mountain:

And, looking back to something really special run-wise, on this day in 2006 I completed my 34th marathon, at Mount Greylock.  Greylock Marathon's always mean more to me, and this one was especially memorable due to the company I had for the entire route.

Tippi enjoyed completing her 10th marathon, her second time at Greylock.  I had my dad and our friend Paul H along as well.  We finished at 7:29:23, and just beat some rain.  Unbelievable day!

Greylock Finish, 2006 

Another visit to McLean on another beautiful day.  3.6-miles of oddities, including a path I thought was "new" but actually is on the official map.  A really nice day to be anywhere in the forest.

Cabin at Picnic Grove

A beautiful sunny, cool day.  I visited McLean for the 3.6-mile route I've done in the past.

Kettle Pond

 

Nepaug State Forest and a section of the Tunxis I've not explored in many years.  The actual Tunxis Trail spends a lot of time on a worn, gravel, forest road.  Luckily, the Tipping Rock Loop is pretty awesome, and worth the ups and downs.  Totaled up 6.7-miles for the day, which included some very light running, hiking, and walking.

The interesting thing about "Tipping Rock", is there are two rocks at the location and I'm not really sure which one is the namesake.  Either one is pretty cool though.

Along the way, I was surprised to spot three memorials, one on Route 202 and two along Route 219, all in New Hartford.  While stopped and paying respect at one location, a driver stopped and discussed "David" with me.  I explained my feelings of sorrow for the loss, and my feelings of tremendous respect for those keeping the memory of their loved one alive.

Smaller Balanced Rock, at the "Tipping Rock" location

Larger Balanced Rock, at the "Tipping Rock" location

Location of both Balanced Rocks, at the "Tipping Rock" location

Signage

Memorial on Route 202

Memorial on Route 219, "David"

Memorial on Route 219

 

Back in Time...

On this day in 1997 I completed my 15th marathon in 5:03:39.  This was my first attempt at Pisgah, and I have it listed as 29.3-miles.

Rest day with reflection....

On this day in 2009, I completed my 43rd marathon, the 2nd Curly's Marathon.  After feeling as though I was demolished at this event in 2008, I had a goal of finishing under 5-hours this time around.  In 2008, the event took me 5:54:36.  This would be a challenge, and something I do not usually stress myself with (having a "goal" time).

The day was tremendous, and I felt great.  Somehow though, in the first 5 or 6 miles, I missed a turn.  I ran a ways before I turned around.  By the time I re-entered the correct course, I was at the very back of the race.  After several minutes, I caught my (at the time) 70-year old father.  This was not great, but I felt so fantastically good that I wasn't really bothered by it.

A few miles later I caught Wuzzam, and we ran along the top and Berry Pond together.  I pushed decently down the Turner Trail, lost Wuzzam but got to half-way just after 2:30:00.  All I needed to do was run the same time for the second loop - yes, I would be tired, but I wouldn't have to run the extra mile or more.

I can still recall getting back to the top and knowing I would really have to push down the entire Turner Trail.  I did, and finished under my 5-hour goal with a 4:59:27.  I felt really, really good on this day.  I have no idea how far I went out of my way on that first loop - but judging where I came back out on the course and who I was behind at that point, it was meaningful minutes.  Keeping a positive attitude through it really helped, and I felt blessed.

3-miler on Main Street, Suffield, heading to the underpass and back.

I made it back to the outside world today, with a 3-miler along Main Street in Suffield.

As I've been hit by a bad sore throat and not been energetic enough to do any running, I thought this old written piece will be appropriate once again.  Not for racing, but just for getting back on my feet.  Originally written on May 23, 2000, with a nod toward Pere Ubu lyrics throughout

TIME AWAY

The month of May rolled in like soft burning waves of lit gasoline, bringing with it a chance to re-enter the world of trail-racing.  Time away from running had me straddling the fence between a newfound excitement for the activity, and being in the poorest condition of the past ten years.  The decision of entering 7 Sisters or sitting it out was easy.  I had finished the prior eight years, I would attempt a ninth.  Not being in the best form would allow me to go back in time when I constantly faced the reality of just finishing.  

I often think back to those early days, when each course was new and unexplored, and the outcome was unknown.  Crossing the finish line was a moment of joy, unmatched by any other athletic achievement.  Time wore on and my placement rose, but nothing ever matched the fascination of running those courses the first time.  There is something unique and exciting about not knowing.  I started to consider myself lucky to have fallen out of shape, to again have the chance to feel unsure of finishing.

This isn't a choice I would have voluntarily made.  Not with the hardest race first up on my platter, and brutal heat closing in.  Seven Sisters would become my mirror.  I would see my true self reflected or be forced to look away.  Regardless of that outcome, I hoped that I would be taking more out of this event than it would me.

I made a simple decision to move slowly and take a sitting rest whenever needed.  Not a strategy that would normally be used for a race of any type, but it would allow me the best chance of completing the miles.  It would also allow me time to search out the details that so often get overlooked during a trail race.  I would be able to huddle with, and against, the emptiness of that time.  I hoped I would find courage where once none was needed.

Conversation rolls from the tongue of those behind the leaders.  Everyone back in the pack has his or her own idea of victory.  As the sun beat down like a hammer upon us, one by one we mention freely to each other what it is exactly we are hoping to discover about ourselves.  Honesty while this exhausted isn't questioned; anything but the truth would be too much work.  Our dreams not once fall upon deaf ears.  Our secrets don’t slip into the cracks of stones, and our hope isn't lost to the seams of the world.  For each other, we are a good audience.

I hear the desperate collective moan when passing the empty water jugs thrown about the forest floor.  It's possible to actually feel the heartache of the last bunch of people traveling past.  We have all been exposed on this day, we indeed are seeing what we have been meant to.  Last drops of water are shared, freely.  Help is everywhere among the competitors.  It ended being not a race among individuals, but one entire group joined together to merely finish.

In the end, I saw what I needed.  I managed to keep my faith in the forest and with those who enjoy it.  I understood that sometime the apparent small victories are really the big ones.  For this lesson, all the suffering was worth it.

Today is my Mom's Birthday;  this is a great opportunity to share a picture of her with her best buddy "Otis", from 2012.  

Music 2017...

Effort #29, Blessed Sleep...

Pieced this little melody together this week, with two things in mind.  The transcription on the gravestone in the Estes Lot (see my Sept 11th post), and my inability to sleep well this week due to an incredible sore throat.

 

Old News while recovering from a sore throat...

On this day in 1999, I completed my 20th marathon at Pisgah.  Time was 5:47:30, and I am fairly certain this was a 50km event.  I missed a turn somewhere around 10-miles, and had to backtrack a bunch.

I am still under the weather with a bad sore throat, so no running again today...

On this day in 2005, I completed my 29th marathon at Mt Washington State Forest, with the Riga Plateau, Appalachian Trail, and South Taconic Trail thrown in for good measure.  I had Tippi and Wuzzam along for the day, which set a record for high temperature unfortunately for us.  This was Tippi's 5th completed marathon.

Our time was 5:10:41, which shows we were really running pretty hard.  The lack of water on the trail was a real concern for me, with Tippi.  Luckily, the stream at the bottom of Bear had plenty, and from there on we were set.

Wuzzam looked absolutely beat climbing and coming down off Bear.  He needed the stream to cool off in as much as Tips did.