Short version: between 4 & 5 hours, as expected.  Warmer than usual temperatures, also as expected.  Marathon #31 (plus 2 ultras) in the books!  10th in my new AG, M60-64, and 244th overall.

Long version: Paul got me interested in this a long time ago and I'd hoped to run it with him in June but our daughter had other plans about when we came to Seattle.  Coming to see the kids (we're staying with our son) was the main purpose for the trip and the marathon was the icing on the cake, just like the long training season, feeling the joy of running, is the main thing & the marathon is the icing on the cake.  We hadn't seen the kids for a little over a year and a half due to the pandemic and it's been great!  The flight was uneventful and I did a shakeout run along the Sound near Seattle Center Friday morning while Sharon walked the path.  I joined her for a bit.  It was very warm even in the morning, for here.

You might think that living in southern New Mexico, that I would have an advantage training in the heat.  False.  Local runners are always better adapted for races.  The combination of heat and humidity here in WA this summer is quite different than the dry heat I normally run in.  One of my main goals for this marathon was to stay positive about the conditions in spite of my training.  Mental training is just as important, maybe more important.  I checked that goal off!

I loved running through the tunnel in the early few miles of the marathon.  Running in the dark doesn't bother me and it's very dark as Paul has mentioned in his writeup.  A guy latched on to me for much of it because he said he couldn't see well, although I noticed his headlamp was brighter than mine.  I think he said he was nearsighted.

I was passed by quite a few runners at the start but gradually I passed some.  To be fair, some had taken the early start because they were walkers.  Some were struggling a little more than me.  I followed the gel strategy I'd practiced and filled up my bottle with water and then Nuun at every stop, more often than I'd hoped.  Once you lose momentum in a water stop, it's hard to get back into a rhythm.

There were very few spectators but I enjoyed the ones who cheered me on.  When I could see the finish line, I passed a couple of runners and my pace picked up to the fastest of the marathon, 8:39.  Don't know the exact temperature when I finished but our son says it was about 85!  My wife and son took pictures of me and our son said he tried to get a video of me but said I was too fast for him to switch to video mode on his phone!

They'd already checked out of the AirBnB so they had to ride back with stinky, sweaty me to Seattle, just under an hour to his apartment.  After a shower, we met up with our daughter and son-in-law for burgers at a place about a block from here, which was perfect.  I celebrated with a pint of Mack and Jack's African Amber.  Then while they played a board game, I napped, of course.  Thanks for reading!

Nice report Opie & way to meet your goal & expectations. Maybe my near-sightedness is another reason I'm not enamored with the tunnel. Also, glad that the air quality did not limit you. It is a pretty course & I'm sure I'll run it again sometime. Are you running an OKCMM race this year?

Paul

Nice racing, Opie! I took a closer look at your route on Strava -- is it really downhill like that? And where and how long is the tunnel? Certainly seems to be a unique location.

Nice job on both the race and the report.

 

It's an average 1.5% downhill grade, basically flat thru tunnel & a ver small 8 feet tall hill at mile 8. But, like Opie says, it feels flat.

Would love to ride it!

Congratulations on 10th in your AG and marathon #31. Great job Opie!