This will be a short report since this is just a warm up race report before our stellar racers are able to report from Boston. I am so proud of each one of them. I sure am.

The nuts and bolts:

Marathon to date:13

Miles ran to prepare for this marathon: 677 miles under the watchful eyes of dtoce.

Finish time: 4:20, not a PR.

Placement: 3 AG and 15/38 females

Total ascent: 2592 and total descent: 2518

The night before the race I was very ancy and nervous, but a dear friend helped put the whole race in perspective..".nobody is going to go crazy if you do not win the race, said the friend...nor Pakistan is going to start a war about it...so go enjoy the victory lap and make sure your wings look gorgeous said the friend, after all that is all what matters said the beloved friend"... I shall said I and went to bed to rest up for the hard work ahead.

The race course allows you to run along a bike path following the lovely Columbia River. The orchards, the mountain peaks and the many people playing at the park makes this course a fun race to run. The rolling hills make it for a not so boring route. This is a local race for me and I dream of running it when I am 100 years old.

Fashion Report: marathon maniac singlet, race ready shorts, my faithful and bossy garmina, Red Door perfume and pearl with diamond earrings.

The plan: run the race in three segments. First ten miles at a relaxed MP pace, second ten focusing to stay relaxed and find the bubble pace and the last 10k to focus on two runners ahead and aim at making both runners a road kill.

Being a carefree runner this plan really suited me just fine. I ran the first 2 miles with dive chief and then I moved on to finding my bubble and dwell inside it the rest of the marathon. My aim was to find that bubble at around 8:55 pace just as I had practiced during MP training runs, but not today. That pace was always elusive from me the whole race. At this point I could whine and blame the hot weather (60f at starting time) or the humidity (67% on the second half), or the bad head cold and allergy issues I have encountered in the last two weeks, or the new job I have, or the culmination of DS's Boys Scout's Eagle project that is taking place at my house this weekend, but I will not do that. The truth of the matter is that I gave my all on the race course and I feel that my time is the true indication of where I am at this point in my fitness level.  I implemented the plan to the best of my ability or fitness condition at this point. After mile 16 I had many road kills and I made it a point to ensure that I did not become a victim of my own road kills. I ran as strong as my little wings would allow me, stopping only briefly to snatch a kiss from my forever faithful support crew, aka Mr. Posie and to get water at every water hole. For the first time I feel like Ihad the hydration/nutrition issue figured out.

I must admit that the highlight of this weekend was running for a bit with my dear friend Dave and seeing him finish strong only a few minutes behind me.

 King of the divers and me...do you see the cool coffeeware I won for placing in my age group. Hey, even the first place took home the same coffeeware

At the finish line I was delighted to hear that I took 3^rd place in my AG and 15^th Women Overall. It helps to cherry pick your race, right Econo?

 Of course there will never be a Masters get-together without food and drink. After the race we went to a Salvadorian restaurant to celebrate our victory lap and to plan future runs. Thanks Dave for being so adventurous with us. When it comes to food DH and I go wild.

It was a great way to spend a lovely spring morning, won't you agree?

Now it is time to rest up, re-plan my course of action, and be ready for a lot of trail running in the summer months. After all, I have been told that the Athens marathon is very hilly and I am registered to run it in the fall. This is the 2500th year of the original marathon and DH and I decided that is worth taking my mariposai wings there.Now...my problem will be to decide which of my wings will go with me to Greece?

OK,  here is my take on the same race

I will make this fairly brief, Boston results will be rolling in soon and that is what everyone is waiting for.  This was not an “A” race for me, my main goals were to see some friends and do a supported long run.  Goals were met in spades.

Shortly before the start Mariposi found me, we discussed goals (I really didn’t have any) it was nearly 60º at the start and we were both wearing yellow maniac singlets.  No throw away jacket needed for this one.  We lined up near the back and at 8:15 the gun went off. 

The course is almost all on shared use paved path 2 ½ laps up the west side of the Wenatchee river and back down the east side.  The river is in view for most of the race,  parks woods scrub and apple orchards in bloom.  Really a beautiful gently rolling path.  This could be a good PR course. 

This is a small marathon, 76 full marathon finishers last year.  lots of people ran the ½ on a slightly different course that started 15 minutes before us.  The full started along with the 10K  the first 6 miles were a bit crowded but never obnoxious.  By the last lap I was often running with no one else in sight.  The day ended up being moderately hot (mid 70’s? and humid.  Aid stations were adequate.

Mari and I ran together for the first mile or so, but it was clear she wanted to go faster then I was comfortable with.  I eased off, and spent the rest of the day hoping I didn’t catch her.  (I didn’t want her to fade, and she didn’t)

So,  bottom line.  Another fun race,  got another one done,  had fun running with and dinning with an old friend,  and I have two weeks to recover, train, and taper for the Tacoma Marathon.

Thanks to both of you for the enjoyable race reports!

It is always good to keep a race in proper perspective: Certainly take it seriously, but don't blow it up and get intimidated by making it out to be more than it is. Sounds like you, with the help of your dear friend, got it right.

A good friend of mine always points out the obvious, and often says that you can only do what you can do. Despite some obstacles, you did what you could do that day, got some good road kills , and some cool coffeeware for placing in your AG. AND, you stayed well-hydrated, finished strong, had fun, and followed up with some good food with friends. Sounds like a pretty good day to me! Congratulations!

Jay

 

 

 After mile 16 I had many road kills and I made it a point to ensure that I did not become a victim of my

 own road kills.

 

 

That's how you do it, right there, I tell you what!

Nice racing, Posai. 

MTA.....I posted this before I saw fatozzig's comment.  Me and fatozzig think alike......looks like I'm moving up in the world.

So how does a sweet girl who describes herself as a "carefree runner" talk about turning some poor other runner into "road kill?" Hey, that slow guy ahead of you could be someone like me. I think that there is a lethal stinger underneath those butterfly wings of yours!

But seriously, you had a fun marathon yesterday, got to socialize with friends, and came out with some placement goodies. What more could you ask for? Keep up the good work.

I'm with the others......I love the roadkill ! I'm gong to start using that. (hope you don't mind)

Nice race, great fun and one more marathon in the bag. 1st one or 13th, they're all an accomplishment. I think you ran a pretty smart race.

Great picture too !

Mariposai Road kill?  You come back here and give up the credit for that phrase!  It comes from at least as far back as those long distance relay races where teams are in vans.  Now fess up!  But other than the little issue of phrase plagiarism (even if inadvertent);

  so sorry, my bad...I thought everyone in the runner world knows what a road kills means...and you thought that my pea size brain would come up with a stellar phrase like that? nooooooooo way Jose...I am just simple miss Jane...who thinks the whole world speaks my simple language....

btw...anyone can use the word roadkill, to my knowledge is not a trademark., but if it is...I am not telling on you...

MIke...of course I will be there next year. This is a local race for me and I envision doing it until I turn 101...but of course, you and runnerwife must plan to come a bit earlier to visit us....you too dave. I am sorry about the eagle project misshap and we could not enjoy your visit with us this weekend. 

 

This will be a short report since this is just a warm up race report before our stellar racers are able to report from Boston

.

Fashion Report: marathon maniac singlet, race ready shorts, my faithful and bossy garmina, Red Door perfume and pearl with diamond earrings.

 

 

After all, I have been told that the Athens marathon is very hilly and I am registered to run it in the fall. Now...my problem will be to decide which of my wings will go with me to Greece?

Boston results will be rolling in soon and that is what everyone is waiting for. So,  bottom line.  Another fun race,  got another one done,  had fun running with and dinning with an old friend,  and I have two weeks to recover, train, and taper for the Tacoma Marathon.

.

Mari and I ran together for the first mile or so

 

Dear posie - it would have been a 3:54 under the Galloway HH forumula.
http://www.jeffgalloway.com/resources/gallracepredict.html
and, with six whines slowing you down too, it would have been a 1:57

Dear posie - it would have been a 3:54 under the Galloway HH forumula.and,

with six whines slowing you down too, it would have been a 3:05

under the spareribs anti-whining forumula
.
ps - I never have shoes in my FR’s either. 

Hope you can shed ‘em for a mile or so in Athens, if not during then beforefoot.
pps - take both your of your wings to Athens and have a good time in both respects.
.--------------------------.
dear dave - you may have skimped on your RR in deference to the Boston gang but,

knowing how it was when she did it with me for a mile or to in Bellingham (2007)

and Seattle (2008), a mile with mari makes up for everything else. 

..
ps - if this was a training run like the Valentine Marathon a couple of years ago

was a training run for your Boston, I think Tacoma and Newport better watch out!
.----------------------------.
dear posie and dave - I love the Boston RR’s too but you are to me what they are to you.