While we wait for Dove's 100th marathon race report, please allow me to take you to the back country of where I live.
The Sunflower trail marathon was my first trail marathon. I went to it with no trail running practice at all since last fall, and boy did I pay for it. Also this was my first long run since Boston, ohh how fast one loose condition!
The day before the race work took me to Winthrop, the race headquarter. I got stuck in traffic while I waited for the cowboy round up parade went through main street.
The Course description from the race website.This unique course begins at 1900 feet elevation in Mazama and includes deer trails, cow paths, bike routes and paved roads. Stunning views of the Methow River, North Cascades and Chelan Sawtooths abound from flower carpeted meadows and fields. At two points racers climb to 2600 feet and drop quickly to the finish at about 1600 feet in Twisp.
We started in Mazama, the end of the road before you enter the North Cascades mountain range. The first 7 miles were relatively easy, gently rolling slopes. I ran the entire two legs of the relay with a dear friend who just returned from France, so we had a lot of stories to share.
We ran by river
in deep forested land
in open meadows, which was plastered with wild flowers.
You know you are very high up when you can see several mountain ranges all at once.
A picture of runners going up one of the many hills at about mile 21
After going up and down several mountain ridges, after suffering a severe asthma attach( due to the elevation and the dust on the first part of the race), and after crushing and burning in the middle of the race due to yet another nutrition issue (my tummie does not like the new gu shot blocks, I found out )
I finally arrived to this point, the highest point on the race course, no wild flowers here yet.
The first sight of the finish line! After this point was all downhill! (which is where I found out that I have developed bad blisters under three toenails
I must admit that I had mixed feelings at this point. I was tired and sore and I was ready to get to the finish line, but at the same time my spirit was not ready to leave this sublime sanctuary of beauty and peace! But going down the hill I went to arrive to the finish line in 5:35.
And some people still wonder why I ran a trail marathon?
For the challenge and for it's beauty, of course.
I can't wait for next year!
"Champions are everywhere; all you need is to train them properly..." ~Arthur Lydiard
Wow! That's a beautiful course. Quite a contrast to Boston!
Congratulations on finishing this and thanks for sharing these wonderful pictures.
Be safe. Be kind.
MM#209 / JapanJoyful#803
While we wait for Dove's 100th marathon race report, please allow me to take you to the back country of where I live. xxxxxx I can't wait for next year!
xxxxxx
Me too.
.
We used to love the same kind of alpine areas so much in those days, we made a Ridge Runners Club complete with patches, etc. The Mazama ridges you love so much too are still the closest I’ve found to them down here yet. Are any parts of the of the Sunflower on the Cutthroat Trail I was lucky enough to get to run once too? Maybe Sunflower can be your century too.
"Enjoy yourself. Your younger days never come again." 100yo T. Igarashi to me in geta at top of Mt. Fuji (8/2/87)
Consistently Slow
Wow! That's a beautiful course. Quite a contrast to Boston! Congratulations on finishing this and thanks for sharing these wonderful pictures.
+1
I must put marathon west of the Mississippi on my schedule!
Run until the trail runs out.
SCHEDULE 2016--
The pain that hurts the worse is the imagined pain. One of the most difficult arts of racing is learning to ignore the imagined pain and just live with the present pain (which is always bearable.) - Jeff
http://bkclay.blogspot.com/
Maiposai thanks for sharing your 1st trail marathon experience. Nice report, fantastic photos, congratulations on your finish.
Good luck next year.
Courage ! Do one brave thing today...then run like hell.
Nancy, this is over the top wonderful. Oh My Gosh it would be wonderful to run that course.
Thanks
SteveP
mari, what a beautiful course to run. Thanks for all the pictures.
TomS
I love your race reports with all the pictures! Do you take your phone or camera along? Or get pictures from the race website? Just wonderful! I'd love to do this race.
My wings and my iphone goe with me where ever I go. I took pictures with my iphone.
YES!!!!!!!!! come do this race with me next year
Maybe we can have DOVE, ENkie and Francesca interested too.
Beautiful, just like the runner!
I especially liked the last photo. Wow.
Those poor people hiking/running up that hill all hunched over, they don't look so happy.
"During a marathon, I run about two-thirds of the time. That's plenty." - Margaret Davis, 85 Ed Whitlock regarding his 2:54:48 marathon at age 73, "That was a good day. It was never a struggle."
Carolyn
YES!!!!!!!!! come do this race with me next year Maybe we can have DOVE, ENkie and Francesca interested too.
Can I come too?
I hammered down the trail, passing rocks and trees like they were standing still.
Of course!!! you and anyone else who may want to have fun in the wild.
Marathon Maniac #957
Oh Nancy - lovely! I agree, the trail races have the beauty that draws you in, and while the terrain is tougher, the joy abounds! Beautiful report of a beautiful, but tough, race. Great job, tough lady!
Life is a headlong rush into the unknown. We can hunker down and hope nothing hits us or we can stand tall, lean into the wind and say, "Bring it on, darlin', and don't be stingy with the jalapenos."