Thanks Carol! I am sitting here waiting until it is time to go get on the bus. The first is 5:30 and the slower runners are on that. That would be me. PoopedColt, my partner in crime on this, is on the second bus since her anticipated time is about 90 minutes faster than mine.

Cool and clear in the desert predawn this morning.

Hello to all. Heading up to crew for a friend who's running Rio del Lago 100. His first 100!  But he's trained and definitely respects the distance. DH and I will be out there from mile 31 to the finish. Wish all of us luck!

Karen the chair will kick your butt for sure. I'm not shocked on her run at all.

She ended up 5:56:18 chip (over 6 clock). She wanted to cry at 20. I know the DOMS is going to be bad. She is really hurting right now. Remember she wanted 4 hours but finally agreed that wouldn't happen.

Hope Tessa's race went well!

Tessa hope the wounds aren't too bad

undertraining:  Ran 20 to 23 miles a week at most. Most runs were 3 miles leaving the rest for the Sat run. But many weeks were less than 15 miles, total. Never ran more than 18 miles in one run. 18 was furthest she'd ever run. Did that only once. She will pay tomorrow and Monday.

Hi!

Looking forward to Rugged Man with Lisa and Kaitie tomorrow.  Carol, wish you were doing it with us also.  Got the route planned out... should take me about an hour to get there - so another early morning.  Work has been crazy - well hectic, but I'm trying not to get stressed.  Que sera sera... I can't make the faculty do what they are supposed to do for acceditation and the department chair doesn't use carrots or sticks.  So if no one does what they need to... oh well.  Got in a 4 mile run today on trails near home.  DH walked part of the trails with me.  I was supposed to turn around after 30 min but ended up turning around after 20.  Still got in 4 miles, last 0.4 of it walking with DH as a cool-down.

Tessa, what were you running?  OK, out in the desert, I know... Sorry about the fall - but great finish.  (Went back a day and saw - a race in Mesquite, AZ).  Awesome job!

Carol, congrats to DD#2.  Hope all goes well with the pregnancy.

Marjorie, Glad your friend finished.  Not sure how someone with that level of training decides to do a marathon. Hahaha...wait didn't I pretty much do that after Philmont.  But then again, I was putting in a lot of miles with a full pack and wouldn't have done it otherwise. Oh wait, then I did a 50k. You must all think I'm nuts.  (yeah longest run before the marathon and 50k were about 14 miles or so, although with the 50k, I was at least doing 35 mile weeks).  Now, I at least had the sense to go out much slower than my 5k, 10k, or even HM pace.  Hopefully, your friend isn't too sore.  I was surprised that I wasn't sore - only thing that hurt this last time was my stupid black toe.

Gatsby, So nice of you to crew for your friend. I can't imagine doing a 100 miler... no 50k was more than enough.

Karen, Pilates would kick my butt too.  Hope you got in a nice easy run after that.

Carol, Lisa, and Ginny - next year let's do Bad Apple together (and anyone else who wants to join us).

Back to washing dishes.

Anyone interested:  enter to win a spot in the NYC Marathon next year: http://2015-nyc-marathon.tcsnycmarathon.org/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=nycmarathonsweeps

Susan

Mesquite 2014 -- race report

I ran this race in 2011 and enjoyed it. It changed hands in 2012 and was put on, reportedly poorly, by one of the casinos in the small town of Mesquite, NV, located 80 miles east of Las Vegas immediately west of the Arizona state line. (In their defense, it wasn’t their fault the day brought a snowstorm.) In 2013 the race was cancelled. Came 2014 and the race directors who had put on the 2011 race bought it back from the casino and announced that the race would go on. They had some issues – only 100 people had signed up 30 days out from the race, the bus company advised the RD that they could provide only one bus and the race is a point-to-point wherein runners are bused to the start line and run back into town, a freak rainstorm washed out portions of I-15 and Arizona DOT had plenty to worry about other than issuing permits for runners to be on a highway in a remote corner of the state, very few volunteers to assist – but somehow everything worked out and the race went on, albeit without T shirts or age group awards and with reduced course support. Pooped Colt advised me that she had signed up for the race. I also registered and arranged to pick up PC at the Las Vegas airport on Thursday before the Saturday race. We walked across Hoover Dam and the Tillman bridge on Thursday afternoon, then drove out to Mesquite on Friday with a stop at the Valley of Fire state park. Beautiful rock formations. This is, per PC, very different from her state (Virginia) but lovely.

We arrived in Mesquite, checked in, picked up packets, and went to dinner. Bed early since I was taking the first bus; the RD had decided that slower runners would take the first bus out to the start line, leaving the hotel at 5:30, and start almost as soon as we arrived. The faster runners would take the second bus. Winners had to come from the second bus/second wave. As it turned out, the first wave had a much better time of it since once the sun was up the day heated up fast.

I caught the 5:30 bus and we got to the start line, 26.2 miles east of Virgin Valley High School at the east end of Mesquite, about 6:15. This bus was full. We piled off the bus, some got in line for the two portapotties, others disappeared into the bushes to get rid of excess fluid. We lined up at the start, the official counted down the seconds, and we were off.

This year the race started about two miles further up old Highway 91 than it had in 2011, since the finish line had been shifted two miles further east. The race director kept the old practice of having the mile markers count down from 26 rather than up from 1. Down the highway, Utah has just resurfaced the road and it’s fairly smooth. We pass the 25 mile marker. I look at my watch, have a moment of panic when I think I’m doing a 13 minute pace, then realize that the .2 has been added on at the beginning so the 13 minutes are for 1.2 miles. The first 15 miles are downhill. After an initial shakeout period I am doing a nice smooth pace and enjoying myself. It’s cool but not cold (low 60s), the sun isn’t up, we have a light wind behind us. I pass a few people, others pass me. First aid station is at the 3 mile marker (milepost 6 so we’re 6 miles from the Arizona border), and I shed my sweatshirt and leave it there. Glad I opted for a short sleeve shirt. I run on, chatting with several fellow runners for short periods.

We pass a cliff with an old mineshaft in it and a couple of shallow caves, plus one tree that is managing to grow in the shade of the cliff. This is an extremely arid portion of the Mojave Desert. Sagebrush and salt flats, some dry grass, not much else except on the edge of the road. Still downhill. I am looking for the bus coming back with the second wave, it passes me just before 7:30 and I wave hoping that PC will do well. Looking at where we are and doing the math, I figure they will start around 7:45 to 7:50. I hope it is not too hot for them! I’m having a good race at this point, sub-10 minute miles and feeling strong. A quick stop at the portapotty at Mile 6 and I’m off again, trying to catch up with a man in a red shirt who was in front of me in line and the couple who were before him.

The bus comes back to go get the half marathoners. Three vehicles are coming in the other direction. Since the bus is occupying the entire lane the other cars can’t move over to give the runners more room. I step onto the shoulder to allow the cars more room, and this leads to a mishap after the cars have passed. I trip and go sliding down the asphalt on my front. Palms and elbows badly grazed and a big lump on my right elbow, bloody right knee, scratched right thigh, and sore ribs on my right side since I landed on my chest as well as arms and right leg. Owww. I lie there for a moment swearing in disgust. Three runners catch up with me and help me up. Can they do anything? Not much. Two of them run ahead to the aid station at mile 9 to advise them that an injured runner is coming in. I limp to the aid station and the two volunteers don’t have anything but tissues and water, but that will help. I sponge off some of the blood. One spectator who has been leapfrogging his runner down the road grabs a first aid kit out of his car and applies a number of adhesive bandages to my knee and elbow, obviously happy to be prepared. (And I am very grateful!)

Volunteers and spectator ask if I’m going to continue. You bet. Spectator tells me to have a good trip. I retort that I have already had a good trip, I would prefer not to trip again in this race. They guffaw. I decide that there’s not much more that can be done and start running again.

Almost immediately I cross into Arizona, bloody but unbowed. This is mile 9. The wind has shifted and is now a crosswind rather than a tail wind, and between that and the aftereffects of the fall I have slowed a bit but am still managing about 10:30 pace. I lost a lot of time due to the fall, though.

Continue on. I definitely need the next portapotty. There is one just before mile 13, which is expectable since this is the half marathon start. I am about 100 yards away from the aid station at the halfway point when I see a too-familiar sight in the distance. The bus is coming towards me and I realize it is carrying the half marathoners. Oh no! They will beat me to the portapotty and I will have to stand in line while all the halfers use it! I put on a burst of speed, passing one startled runner, and make it to the potty just as the bus pulls into the turnout. By the time I emerge there are about 10 people in line. I am so glad I made it. (Sorry halfers, but the race won’t start for you until the line has dissolved whereas my race started over two hours ago.) Keep going.

At mile 15 the course reaches the banks of the Virgin River, which does have some water in it even after a dry winter, spring, and summer. We descend into the small town of Large Aquatic Rodent Dam (since the word that means the Oregon State mascot is banned from some websites) and cross the wash on a bridge. I am greeted by a couple of spectators and one man with a large black Lab that has obviously been enjoying a paddle in the river. Soggy dog! Around a corner and under the Interstate, now we start the rolling portion of the course.

Up a steep hill and onto a plateau where we will run for a while, paralleling the Interstate. There’s an aid station right outside a church. One volunteer. Thank you, ma’am. I’m passing fellow slow runners and am wondering when the first of the second wave will catch up with me. Mile 17 and it’s getting hot. 18, 19, and we descend a steep hill into a wash which is much smaller than the Grand Canyon but reminds me of the GC – same terrain and same type of geological layers. We cross this wash and I’m being passed by a few half marathoners but am passing runners also. Up another steep hill. Miles 20, 21, 22. Rolling hills. I pass an aid station just before 23 miles and down across a bridge, then up again and eventually reach the last long downhill. 24 mile marker. God Save the Queen – not that anyone was within earshot. I am finally passed by the first woman in the full and I think I have been passed by one man. Another man passed me a few miles back but I caught up with him again, he’s doing a lot of walking. Down the hill, past “Scenic Drive” – really? – and past the last aid station which is about 1.5 miles out from the finish. I think this one is there just so the 5K runners have an aid station. There are only about 12 people in the 5K, though.

Up ahead is a smallish but still significant hill. Surely we can’t be going up that, can we? Oh carp. Yes we are. I put one foot in front of the other and keep going. Up to the top. Finally get to the crest and pass the “Welcome to Arizona” sign, Nevada you are cheap since there’s no “Entering Nevada” sign. But there’s a sign I want to see a lot more. “Finish Line”. Turn into a side street and there it is! YAY!

Put on speed and cross the finish. 4:50 and change. I actually take a bottle of water and drain it – this is a big thing for me since I do not drink water by preference – and stand in the shade for a few minutes. The two runners who helped me up are there and I thank them again.

Here comes the second woman, pushing hard. Wow. The full runner I passed comes in to be met by his wife and sons. He is hurting. Chocolate milk is administered. He tells them he walked a lot of the second half since it was hot. I look around again and here comes PC. She had a major positive split but so did all the runners in the second wave, they started far too late. Blame it on the bus company. She did not get passed by one runner in the second half. They should be doing awards for the first three runners but we don’t hang around. I’m guessing she is third overall and probably first woman master.

We get on the bus and ride back to the hotel. I wash off all the blood – uh oh, we need more towels – and feel much better once cleaned up. PC showers and cleans up and watches football. We eventually head out to drive through the Virgin River Gorge to St. George. The scenery is spectacular and the margaritas are welcome. I would love a second one but I have to drive back to Mesquite and don’t want to drive that gorge less than fully alert. So back we go after having dinner and we both kick back and read and post our accomplishments.

Not my best marathon by a wide margin, but given the circumstances I feel good about it. I hope they can get more runners next year and that they can work out the bus situation, since the second wave was handicapped by having to start so late and deal with the heat. This has the potential for being a good race. Oh, and you can count it for either Utah or Nevada, which is a plus!

13.3. Nice run today

Carol oh she thinks she did great. But, that is fine. Next time I see her I can talk how better training won't be so sore etc

Tessa no no new shoes and didn't wear the finishers shirt to the race. Nice report.  Fall still sounds nasty

Susan we don't think you are crazy. Plus you've been running long enough to know what to expect

Lisa nice to see you with bunches of races again