I planned to run these as part of my training for the upcoming Eugene Marathon on 5/3/09. Each one was going to have specific training goals (i.e. pace and distance), but not a finishing time goal. But the most important goal was to be able to resume my normal training within a couple of days. Valentines Marathon 2/8/09 The race starts and finishes in Millerslyvania State Park just south of Olympia, Wa. It’s run mostly along roads outside the park through a rural country type area. Overall the course is flat with only a few rolling speed bumps. They offer varying run lengths (1 , 3.1, 6.2, 10, 13.1 and 26.2 miles). There was maybe 150 runners total. Cost was 60 dollars for the marathon. Runrwife did the ½ marathon, very well I might add, as part of her marathon training. I decided to take the early start (1 hour) that way Sue wouldn’t have to wait around for me to finish. It was a cool day with temps in the mid 30’s, but sunny and very little wind. With the early start, there was no course support until we hit the half way point, so I wore my camel waist pack (what a great invention). The run itself was very good. First three miles were in the low 8’s as I warmed up, then the next 15 miles were at a 7:40-45 pace and I run the rest fairly easy, finishing in 3:33:28. That also included me missing a well marked turn and running an extra ¼ mile. The race organization was really really bad. Lots of young kids helping out, but with very little adult supervision and not shown what to do during number pickup. They couldn’t find a lot of numbers for preregistered people (mine too). But the biggest fiasco was the finishing clock, it was off by 11 minutes. I came across the line it read 3:22. I and many others told the RD and basically he said it is what it is. Trying to make everyone happy. 4 weeks later there still isn’t any results posted. No answer to my email. Glad it wasn’t really for my BQ. Birch Bay Marathon 2/22/09 (41st annual) This race starts and finishes in Birch Bay State Park with the first and last few miles along the waters of Birch Bay. The middle part is two 10 mile loops around a peninsula. It has only one hill that will get your attention but, quite a few easy ups and downs. A very nice course. They also offer a 25k option that is only one loop. Runrwife did the 25K, her longest run to that point. So she PR’d and had a good race. The weather was in the low 40’s, just a little wind and PNW showers. Again I wore my camel waist pack for extra fluid. I hit my goals of running the first 16 miles at 7:45 pace and only slowed slightly over the next four (20 miles at 7:46), then slowed to 8 m/m pace to finish in 3:25:36. After I finished I was told I beat the course record for 51 yr olds (unofficially). Well, I did but another runner also beat it (3:07). Again I was able to get right back into my training with no soreness. This race was very well organized and it was fun to run. Even with the showers the first 5 or 6 miles. Overall: 11/70 Napa Valley Marathon 3/1/09 I flew down to San Francisco Saturday morning, picked up the rental car and drove the hour up to Napa. It was a beautiful sunny day. To bad it wasn’t going to last. The expo was fairly small for the sold out 2300 runner limit race. Number, chip, sweat bag and shirt pickup went quickly. Looked over the vendors and found the wine tasting table outside on the veranda. They had 8 or 9 different wines from 3 local wineries. After the first few samples, I lost count. Anyway, back to the expo. Kaiser P. Hospital was a sponsor and was doing lung testing where you blew into a tube as hard as you could for as long as you could. The computer would then analyze your lung capacity, providing all the percentages based on your age and your “lung age”. They told me my lungs are the age of a 22 year old. Pretty cool I thought. Dinner was at a nice Mexican Restaurant near my hotel and a few Dos XX beers. Carbo loading at its finest. The course is an point to point, so it was up early to catch the school bus to the start. Did I mention it was raining. The course starts in Calistoga and run along the Silverado Trail Rd for almost 23 miles before you make the first of only four turns. It’s hard to get lost. The run is a net downhill of 300 feet, but there are plenty of ups to run too. But, only a couple that could get your attention. The temps were in the low 50’s, a very light headwind, and light showers. I decided to wear my wind breaker as the winds were forecasted to increase to 15mph. My goals were to run the first 15 at 7:30 pace then slow down to an easy 8 pace. The race started promptly at 7am. The course actually twists and turns a lot, and I managed to run the tangents fairly well (only .11 extra). Most runners weren’t doing this and we had the whole road. Things that make you go HUH. I enjoyed the course, running past all the grape fields and small wineries. The miles went past quickly as the first half was done in 1:38, right on pace, and mile 15 (7:31 pace overall). I finished up the last 11 miles running about an 8:10 pace (slowest mile being 8:30). The race finishes at the High School where the gym was open for massages, locker rooms open for showers/changing, cafeteria was serving soup/bread, yogurt, fruit etc. This race was well organized and I felt everything went smoothly for me. And a big plus, the mile markers were accurately placed. Race goals were hit. My legs felt great afterwards. After I changed and had my massage (it was still raining), I headed for the finish line in hopes of seeing Econo. And like clockwork a few minutes later there she was. Then I also got to meet MaEcono, what a pleasure she is to chat with too. We chatted a while, got a little to eat, made dinner plans and headed back to our hotels. A wonderful day in the rain. Chip time: 3:26:12 Overall: 164/1822 Age GP 50-54: 9/120

Mike, you make it sound so easy! That's some great running and I'm glad to hear all is going so well for you. I look forward to hearing about Eugene. One question: why do you choose to do these generally by running the quicker miles first and then easing up, instead of the other way around? I know a lot of LR training (which, I suppose, is what these were for you) stress the importance of running at MP or faster when you're tired--e.g. at the end of a LR.

What a great string of marathons for you, Mike! And I don't know that I'll ever run another Bob Greene marathon... I ran the Christmas marathon with divechief in 2007 and while the course was pretty nice (watch out for those pick-up trucks though!) the organization was terrible, like you said. The clock issue doesn't surprise me in the least. Birch Bay was the race Soundrunner had such a good experience at last year... I'd like to do that one sometime. Were there really only 70 runners in the marathon? Napa is a beautiful course, and when I did it in 2006 the day before was gorgeous just like you had. Then race day was like yours but colder and windier. Sounds like you had a good time at the expo too...! Now, if you finish in the back-of-the-pack, they start offering wine on the course, too! So, when are you doing Boston?? Good luck at Eugene, I think you'll smoke the course. What's the time goal? (Congrats to Sue, too! She's really running great this year. Is she running the Eugene full, too?)

Awesome running, rasmussenmp!

Excellent running, and the best part (aside from 3 BQs when you weren't even trying hard) was the quick recovery and no injuries. What's your goal for Eugene?

But the biggest fiasco was the finishing clock, it was off by 11 minutes. I came across the line it read 3:22. I and many others told the RD and basically he said it is what it is. Trying to make everyone happy. 4 weeks later there still isn’t any results posted. No answer to my email.

unfortunately, it looks like they got the one-hour early start calculations straightened out or you'd have a 2:22 like the early starts used to get us five hour runners down into the four hour range every once in a while. Looks/sounds like your primed for a PR in Eugene. Whachya gunna be doing between now and then to keep in such top shape?

Great job on knocking out three BQs like that without problems or injuries! I'm sure this puts you in a strong mindset for Eugene. Are you looking to a time goal or to safely keep banging out marathons? (I see three on your list)

Mike - seein' you're signed up for the St. Pat's Dash too, you might want to keep Gianna's 5K strategy advice in mind from over on the Marathon Maniacs Board - "They say a 5K is two separate races. The first 3 miles are one race and then you'll hit the wall with 0.1 left." Be careful though, with 15,000 runners, joggers, walkers, strollers, etc., a fast Ironman friend got tripped up for a broken hip last year. As a big fun bash though, let me know if you and runRwife can join some of us at the Seattle Center Fountain for our annual painting-on-of-the-green "singlets," . . . and "shoes." Otherwise, look for some happy green feet on the out-and-back to Aurora Bridge, . . . right where we'll be doing an out-and-back for the Seattle Rock'n'Roll Marathon in June too. http://stpatsdash.com/images/route.jpg http://www.rnrseattle.com/elite/Assets/rnrsea/images/sea_09_coursemap.gif