Masters Running

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Portland jogathon (Read 364 times)


Maniac 505

    I tried to post this from Portland yesterday,  I had the wrong password on my Cell phone.  Oh Well,

     

    Beautiful day,  overcast close to 60 at the start.  a rain squall went through shortly before the race leaving the roads wet but the runners stayed dry.  The race runs mostly through the city.  after the race I was surprised to see the race clock still running at 10 hours.  definatly a walker friendly course (the walkers started the same time, but behind the runners.)

     

    I had no real goals for this one.  just another long run.  I accomplished that.  My GPS didn't get a lock for the first 3 miles. the tall buildings were blocking it.  If I remembered to add 3 miles I could tell where I was on the course but I never had any clue of my time or pacing. 

     

    They advertise the Portland Marathon as being MP3 friendly.  I always train with one but never race with one.  A big city race just doesn't seem the time to me to zone out. It seemed that 80% of the runners were wearing MP3's,  I was able to chat with a few that were not.  one 40 something woman said she was running her 19th consecutive Portland marathon. 

     

    about the middle of the race I came across a couple running about a 4:40 pace,  They said they ran quite a few marathons.  She said in the 1997 I think she won the Womans age group in the Seattle Marathon.  She said speed work hurts and she they are just jogging now.  I can understand.   I asked what their favorite marathon was.  They said Newport OR.  That race offers Oyster shooters on the course.  I asked if they were able to stomach any of the oysters.  He said she was the oyster queen.  She held the record until this year with 48 raw oysters in the middle of a marathon   I had heard of her!  This  year someone ate 80!

     

    The only significant hill on the course was about at the middle, climbing a bridge.  There were a few miles through industrial areas,  but other than those couple of miles the race had HUGE crowd support. 

     

    After I got cleaned up and checked out of my room  I went back to mile 26 or so to see if I could find a certain barefoot runner.  I saw Uber Maniac Bob Dolphin come through in about 6 hours.  He didn't start running until he retired.  Yesterday was marathon #452 for him and his 80th birthday   I next saw a couple of marines in full battle dress uniforms march by mile 26,  I asked them how much weight was in their packs.  they said about 40#.  I asked them if they were training for the Bataan Death March Marathon.  they said they were.  I told them I would see them there.

     

    Fun day,  I killed a couple more hours in Portland, then caught the train back to Seattle.

     

    What's next?  I think I will Jog through Seattle next month,  jog through the winter then pick up my training when the weather gets nice again

     

    Dave

      Thanks for the race report.  Being an Oregonian, I was especially interested in the Portland race.  Thanks for the little extras about some of the other runners/walkers..  Fun to read.
      evanflein


        80 oysters? Gross... indeed!

         

        I didn't realize this was such a flat course. Sounds like you had a good time meeting other runners and enjoying the course. (I think Tetsujin had to miss it.) I think jogging these marathons is a good plan if your goal is to finish and enjoy the event. That one runner was right, speed work hurts!

        TammyinGP


          Nice going Dave! Glad you got to enjoy the Portland marathon.

          I don't know why it should bug me that so many runners wear their MP3 players during a marathon, but it does for some reason. I mean, to each their own, and if they want to pay money 100 bucks a pop to run in their own music-filled zone, then so be it, but I guess part of the fun of a marathon is soaking in the surrounding atmosphere and maybe a little chit chat as you tend to fall in stride with someone else. That's the main reason I participate in races like this. But I guess not all have the same reasons.

          Tammy


          #artbydmcbride

            You know if they were tiny smoked oysters I could probably put away quite a few of them ...but, raw? 

             

            Nice report!  Sounds like a nice time.

             

            Runners run

              Nice jog, dive.  I've got a feeling that you smoked my time on my only marathon.  Congratulations.

               

              TomS

                Oysters? Yowsa.....amazing iron stomachs for some folks. Nice report and it sounds like you enjoyed the day and felt good about "jogging" through the race---thanks for sharing the details on some of the amazing people you saw as well. It seems like you are back from injury with strength and have a good plan for the months ahead.


                I think I'll add this to my marathon bucket list----sounds great (except for the oysters)

                Nice report!

                Tramps


                  What a nice report.  This sounds like a great experience.  One of these days I'll have to "jog" a marathon, too.

                  Be safe. Be kind.


                  MM#209 / JapanJoyful#803

                    Dear Jogger Dave (I probably won't get to say that much longer) -


                    thanks for the Portland update. Sorry I missed the fun.

                     

                    However, for oyster-lover me (PR = 100 in New Orleans), your RR makes me more interested in Newport than Portland again.


                    After missing the duck boat with you and the goddess queen and the rest of the goddess-laden June R’n’R boomer reunion, I was especially looking forward to making up for it a little by catching up with you (conversationally, not runningly) and by joining mega-Bob's 26.2 mile long moving birthday party.  In particular, while others were hoping to be able to run like that when they get to be his age, I was just hoping to run like that at my age. His 6:10 finish should have been in reach too.


                    Though, like the RnR, I won’t even get a $100 t-shirt out of it, I’ve got a rain check on my reserved Birthday Bob t-shirt so it’ll be possible for a belated birthday run at another upcoming local marathon sometime.  Maybe Seattle.  Check with me then if you want to see the difference between your running jogging and real jogging. 


                    Did you pass any runners walking the St. John’s Bridge hill? 

                    How were the quads on the several miles of downhilling to the finish?


                    Thanks.

                    "Enjoy yourself. Your younger days never come again." 100yo T. Igarashi to me in geta at top of Mt. Fuji (8/2/87)


                    Maniac 505

                      Jon:

                      Newport is on my list to do someday,  I just checked my calendar and I am working that weekend,  maybe I will schedule a vacation?

                       

                      quads were fine,  nothing really hurts but I have to confess,  I walked a bit of the ST. Johns hill.

                       

                      If I do run Newport I will probably save my oyster eating till after the finish.

                       

                      Dave

                      TammyinGP


                        I'm running Newport 2010

                        Tammy


                        Maniac 505

                          Hmmm,  I just checked the Maniac calendar.  The Dolphins are running it I think I will schedule a vacation that week

                           

                          Newport Oregon Marathon

                           

                            Jogging through marathons and having fun beats training hard, getting hurt, and not running at all.  Good for you!

                            Great perspective, Dave. 

                            There was someone from Edmonds, Washington, in our Medtronic group in the Cities this weekend.  Ever hear of it?  She has a pacemaker.  She is lots of fun, and not too shabby a runner--she's 45 and finished in 3:49.

                             

                            grins,

                            A

                            Masters 2000 miles
                            Mariposai


                              Smart way to race Dave. I sure enjoyed the description of the folks you ran with. Portland is a cool course.

                               

                              I am running Newport also (I am already registered ) They accept only 800 runners and it sure fill up fast.

                              "Champions are everywhereall you need is to train them properly..." ~Arthur Lydiard

                                Whoopee!   Some of you greta runners will be in the Newport, OR. Marathon in June.    I wonder if Econo will do it too.   Maybe I will get to see some of you running.  I wish they had a little wossie 5K along with it that I could do.
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