Avenue of the Giants - Humboldt Redwoods State Park, California - Marathon and Camping

Keith, Melissa, and I arrived in Eureka, California on Saturday evening after driving down the coast from Crater Lake National Park.  We planned to camp at Humboldt Redwoods State Park on Sunday night, so our first stop was a grocery store to pick up some food and supplies.  After dinner at the Lost Coast Brewery with many fellow runners, we headed back to our hotel for a few more beers and a good night's sleep.

The Avenue of the Giants Marathon was my first race in nearly two years, and due to the last minute decision to run, my training really wasn't up to marathon standards.  It sounded like a beautiful race, and trips with Keith and Melissa are always awesome, so I decided I'd run the race with no expectations aside from having fun.

I awoke on Sunday morning with the usual pre-race butterflies in my stomach as I tried to eat something substantial for breakfast.  It was cool and sunny as we jumped in the car around 6am and made the one hour drive to Humboldt Redwoods State Park.  Fog replaced sunshine as we approached the park, alleviating my fear that it was going to be a hot race.  Parking and packet pickup was quick and efficient, and we still had plenty of time before my race began at 7:45am.  Keith and Melissa were running the half marathon and that race started about an hour after me, so I was able to keep my jacket on until the last minute before giving it to them and walking down to the start line.  I ended up farther back in the pack than I was hoping and the starting area was too narrow and crowded to move up very much.  There was some music and a quick announcement, and then we were off!  I always wonder how I am going to run 26.2 miles as I am crossing the start line.  It always seems ridiculous to me, until I get moving.

The marathon course is an out and back on one of the smaller park roads, and then a second out and back on the main Avenue of the Giants road.  I really liked this setup; it broke the race up into four manageable parts.  It also meant I passed a lot of people along the way, from the first place runner to the walkers in the back of the pack.  Everyone was enthusiastic and encouraging, and it was a lot of fun to pass so many friendly faces along the way.

The first six miles were slightly uphill, but with fresh legs, the hills were barely noticeable.  Despite starting in the middle of the pack, I was able to move up to the front with little difficulty after the start .  By the second mile, the race was already spread out.  The road was a little rough with potholes, so I kept my eyes looking down as much as possible to avoid a twisted ankle.  That was difficult, however,  because every time I looked up my eyes were met with the most incredible views of towering redwoods shrouded in fog and mist.  It was absolutely breathtaking.  The road was so narrow that it felt like I was running through a tunnel of trees.

Avenue of the Giants

I expected to see the leaders of the race pass me on their way back from the first turnaround by mile 4 or 5, but I made it to the turnaround point not long after seeing the first several runners.  I was feeling good and running faster than expected, and I got to experience all the cheers and encouragement from the runners behind me as I made my way back down the road.  The return was also slightly downhill, so this was a really fun segment of the marathon.  I was back at the start, 13 miles into the marathon, before I knew it.

Around mile 14 at Avenue of the Giants Marathon

The second half of the race was on smooth pavement, so I was able to look around and enjoy the views a little more.  I felt like the first half was more spectacular and peaceful, but the trees were still inspiring and beautiful on the second half.  It wasn't long before the leaders of the other races started passing me in the opposite direction.  Shortly after, I began to encounter the walkers and slower runners from the other races going in the same direction as me.  I was worried that it was going to get congested and I would need to do a lot of weaving around people, but it never got too difficult to pass.  Everything seemed to flow fairly smoothly.  It was a big running party with people heading in opposite directions and running at different paces.  It became difficult to figure out who was running the full, half, 10K, or 5K.  Everyone was just out running and having an amazing time.

I reached the second turnaround point, around mile 20, feeling good and running strong.  The last six miles are always mentally exhausting, anxiously anticipating each new mile marker long before they make their appearance.  Despite being tired, I never felt drained and I was still enjoying the race.  Passing people is always a mental boost, even if they aren't running the same race as you.  At that point, I had no idea who was running the marathon vs. the 5K.

I don't wear a GPS watch during races and there were no pace groups or clocks along the course, so I had no idea how fast I was running, but I knew I was having a good race.  It's an awesome feeling to feel strong for the last mile of a marathon - you can celebrate and enjoy the moment instead of just running to get it over with.  There were lots of people lining the course for the last half mile and the cheering was welcomed after a quiet run through the redwoods.  With a final burst of energy, I run up the small hill to the finish, with a time of 3:15:53 for a new marathon PR.  That was a pretty awesome way to finish  an amazingly beautiful run through the redwoods.

Keith and Melissa met me at the finish, and we headed back to the car for food and refreshments.  There wasn't much in the way of food or beer at the finish line, so we were glad we had brought our own.  We headed down to the banks of the Eel river on the sand bar that we had parked, and enjoyed beers, sunshine, and relaxation for the rest of the afternoon.  I was in heaven!

Cheers to a great race!

Eel River at the Dyerville Sand Bar

We camped in the Burlington Campground in Humboldt Redwoods State Park on Sunday night, celebrating our races and enjoying great food and drinks.  The campground was beautiful and surrounded by majestic redwood trees.  We all ended up in our tents fairly early, exhausted from a great day of running.

Camping at the Burlington Campground in Humboldt Redwoods State Park

Melissa celebrating a great day of running

We were all a little sore from running the next morning, but we decided to do some short walks around the redwoods in Humboldt Redwoods State Park before heading up the coast.  We spent a few hours at the Founders' Grove, walking the interpretative trails and enjoying the peaceful beauty of the redwood forest.  It was a great way to say goodbye to this spectacular redwood forest before continuing our trip up the Oregon Coast.

Clover

Founders' Grove in Humboldt Redwoods State Park

Melissa

Keith and Melissa walking through the Founders' Grove

Humboldt Redwoods State Park

Humboldt Redwoods State Park

Atlanta, Georgia - Marathon

I spent the last few days in Atlanta, Georgia visiting my father and running the Publix Georgia Marathon.  Between racing and spending time with my Dad, there was also some free time to see new sights in the Atlanta area.

View of Atlanta from my hotel room

We spent most of Friday visiting Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park, a Civil War battlefield during the Atlanta Campaign, where fighting occurred from June 19 until July 2, 1864.  Kennesaw Mountain rises sharply above the surrounding landscape and it provides great views of the Atlanta skyline and nearby Stone Mountain.  The area seemed to be a  popular spot for bikers and runners looking to add some elevation to their workouts.  We spent some time at the top of the mountain enjoying the views before heading back down to the visitor center and museum.  The visitor center had a fantastic film about the battle at Kennesaw along with general information about the Civil War.

Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park

On Friday night, Dad, Carol, and I joined a ghost tour of Roswell, GA.  No ghosts were spotted on our tour but it was a great way to see some of the historic buildings in Roswell, learn the history of the area, and hear stories about some of its early residents.

Bulloch Hall built in 1839

Ghost tour of Roswell, GA

We spent Saturday morning walking around the old Roswell cotton mills and Vickery Creek. During the Civil War, nearly 400 workers at the cotton mills were charged with treason for manufacturing Confederate materials and shipped North on trains.  Most of them never returned.

Vickery Creek Dam

After picking up my race packet at the marathon expo, we spent the rest of Saturday afternoon walking around downtown Atlanta and visiting Centennial Olympic Park.  The brick that I purchased to help pave the park for the 1996 Olympic Games was still there with my name on it.

The race started at Centennial Olympic park at 7 am on Sunday morning with cool temperatures and cloudy skies, ideal conditions for running a marathon.  The route took us on a 26.2 mile loop out of downtown Atlanta, past Little Five Points and Decatur, up around Druid Hills and Piedmont Park, and back to downtown through Georgia Tech, ending back at Centennial Olympic Park.  As expected, the course was challenging with nearly continuous hills throughout.  There were few places that the course was flat, and after more than 20 miles of hills, the energy lost to the constant elevation changes began to take a toll on my pace.  I finished with a time of 3:30, a time I am very happy with considering the difficulty of the course.

Georgia Marathon Expo

Approaching the finish line

With Dad at the finish line

A huge thanks to Dad and Carol for coming out to support me during the race.  I saw them at mile 8, 13, and the finish.  It was a great race and a fantastic visit to Atlanta.  Also - thanks for the pictures, Dad!

Adirondack Mountains, New York - Marathon

Keith and Melissa invited me to join them for the Adirondack Marathon at Schroon Lake, New York on September 22.  After the race, we planned to spend some time relaxing and hiking at Dippikill Wilderness Retreat near Warrensburg, New York.  I flew to Syracuse on Friday morning and met up with Keith and Melissa on the way to Albany.  We spent Friday night at Melissa's parent's house and Saturday night at their beautiful cabin near Indian Lake.  It was cold and rainy on Saturday night, but the weather cleared as we made our way to Schroon Lake on Sunday morning for the start of the race.

Schroon Lake

The marathon started and ended at the town of Schroon and made a complete loop around the entire lake.  The leaves were just beginning to change color and the majority of the route passed through beautiful forests with occasional views of the lake.  I knew the course would be hilly, but I was a little surprised at how steep and continuous some of the hills were.  My training runs up I Street in the Avenues of Salt Lake paid off.  Despite being a small race, the crowd support was great as people with cabins around the lake came out to cheer.  My Dad and Gram along with family friends Charlie and Sue drove up from Massachusetts to cheer me on and meet me at the finish line.  It was great to have them there, along with many of Keith and Melissa's family and friends.  I ran a 3:28, so no PR, but very happy considering the hills.

At the finish line with Keith, Deanna, and Melissa.  Tim was off getting a massage.

With Gram and Dad at the finish line

Finished!

After the race, we headed to the cabin that Melissa had reserved at Dippikill Wilderness Retreat.  The cabin was great; it slept 8 people and had an enormous fireplace that was almost too efficient at heating the place.  There was plenty of good food and beer to help us recover from the race.

Our cabin for the last three nights of the trip

 Dippikill Wilderness Retreat

 Fireplace in the cabin

Looking down from the loft of the cabin

On Monday, despite being stiff and sore from the race, Keith, Melissa, Tim, Lisa, and I spent the day hiking on nearby Crane Mountain.  Most of the trail was heavily forested and the fall foliage was starting to show in a few spots.  The views of the surrounding Adirondacks were beautiful as we reached the summit and we passed a scenic pond on our way down as we made a loop using a different trail.

Some brilliant foliage on Crane Mountain

Beer break on the way to the summit of Crane Mountain

Keith at the top of Crane Mountain

Keith and Tim at the pond on Crane Mountain

For our last day at Dippikill, Keith, Melissa and I hiked to a nearby pond to take a couple of canoes of for some relaxing paddling.  Later, we lounged around outside at the cabin to enjoy the warm sunshine and solitude.  Thanks so much to Keith and Melissa for planning such a great trip, and to all the family and friends who joined us for the race and our time at Dippikill!

Keith and Melissa on Dippikill Pond

 Canoeing on Dippikill Pond

Beer break with Keith

Keith braving the cold water of Dippikill Pond

Thank you, Keith and Melissa!

Oakland, California - Marathon

The first few months of 2013 were difficult for running.  After taking a break from training in December, I resumed my regular running routine in early January with medium distance runs during the week and long runs on the weekends.  Last winter I was able to wear shorts and a heavy shirt for the majority of my runs, but this January was particularly cold and I found myself wearing multiple layers and a face mask to stay comfortable.  Darkness, ice, and snow on the Jordan River trail made for slow, difficult running.  When the warmer weather arrived and the ice disappeared, my running pace jumped more than I expected.

I decided to run the Oakland Running Festival Marathon on March 24 for two reasons.  First, the marathon received excellent reviews last year and has gained a reputation in the Bay Area for being a top notch event.  Second, Oakland is an inexpensive and fast trip from Salt Lake and I've never spent any time in the city despite many trips to the San Francisco.

I arrived in Oakland on Saturday afternoon with just enough time to pick up my race packet, grab some food, and walk along the Jack London Square waterfront area before heading to bed.

Jack London Square Waterfront

Sunset over San Francisco from my hotel

As I walked to the start line from my hotel in the dark on Sunday morning, I realized that it had been seven months since my last marathon at Pikes Peak in Colorado.  After four great races in 2012, that seemed like a long gap to me.  Winters are too long!  With sunny skies and a perfect temperature, the race started at 7.30 am and we headed north and east into the hills of Oakland.

Heading to the start line

The first few miles of the race were flat and took us through the quiet, deserted streets of uptown Oakland.  As we reached Temescal, the crowd support grew as we passed cafes and restaurants with their early morning patrons.  The hills began as we left Temescal and headed into the gorgeous Rockridge and Montclair neighborhoods east of downtown.  The area around Monclair was particularly enjoyable despite the difficult and seemingly endless hills.  At mile 11 we reached the Mormon Temple and the beginning of the gradual descent, the uphill portion of the race officially over.  The view looking down into Oakland and across the Bay was stunning.  My time goal for this race was a 3:30 and I comfortably kept up with the 3:20 pace group through the hills and the descent.

Oakland Marathon

Oakland Marathon

Around mile 14 the course became flat and passed through Fruitvale before turning west and heading back toward downtown Oakland.  At mile 18 we passed the Jack London Square Waterfront area and rejoined the half-marathon route before looping through West Oakland and returning to the downtown area.  The crowds and support were great as we entered downtown Oakland and the last few miles took us on a scenic loop around Lake Merritt.  My pace slowed and I fell behind the 3:20 pace group at mile 22, but I was excited knowing that I would break 3:30 by maintaining a slow and steady pace for the last 4 miles.

Lake Merritt Loop

Finish line in sight

I crossed the finish line at 3:23, well ahead of my goal and almost 13 minutes faster than my previous best marathon time.  The Oakland Running Festival delivered and excellent marathon with great organization and support.  The running tour through the scenic neighborhoods of Oakland was fantastic.

Finished!

Finish line celebration

I spent the afternoon and evening with an old friend who I haven't seen much since high school.  Nico lives in Oakland and was kind enough to celebrate my marathon finish with some food and beer along the waterfront.  It was the perfect way to end a great race weekend in Oakland.

Pikes Peak, Colorado - Pikes Peak Marathon

August seemed like a long way away when I registered for the Pikes Peak Marathon back in early March.  I had a good winter of running and a successful marathon in Phoenix a couple of months earlier, so I figured five months would be plenty of time to take my training to the next level to run Pikes Peak in Colorado.

Pikes Peak in the distance viewed from Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs, CO

Pikes Peak Marathon bills itself as "America's Ultimate Challenge" due to the distance, grade, extreme elevation, constant threat of severe weather, and the likelihood of falling on the rocky trail during the descent.  The race begins at 6,300 feet in the town of Manitou Springs, climbs 7,815 feet for 13 miles to the summit of Pike's Peak at 14,115 feet, then returns back down the mountain to complete the 26.2 mile marathon.  About 6 miles of the course are above the 12,000 foot treeline where the thin air adds to the challenge of running on the steep terrain.

I met up with my Dad in Denver on Friday and we drove to Manitou Springs to check in for the weekend and pick up my race packet.  I've seen Pikes Peak before, but knowing I had to run up and down the mountain made it seem particularly intimidating as it loomed above the town.  We had some great food and beer at Trinity Brewing Company in Colorado Springs and called it a day.

On Saturday, rather than sitting around and stressing all day, we made a couple of trips to check out some of the nearby sights.  Our first stop was Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs.  The park offers a range of outdoor recreational activities from hiking to rock climbing and contains numerous unusual red rock formations.

Garden of the Gods

Garden of the Gods

After Garden of the Gods, we headed south to Canon City to check out the Royal Gorge Bridge.  The bridges crosses the Arkansas River at a height of nearly 1,000 feet and until 2001 it was the highest bridge in the world.  Unfortunately, crossing the bridge requires an admission to the nearby tourist trap amusement park.  We settled for free views of the bridge and the gorge from a nearby overlook.

Royal Gorge Bridge above the Arkansas River

The marathon started at 7:00 AM with perfect weather conditions - clear and cool.  The mountain loomed ahead as the first couple of miles of the course took us through downtown Manitou Springs and past the Cog Railway depot to the Barr Trail.  It was uphill, but so far so good and still on pavement.

Pikes Peak Marathon start line

Start line of the Pikes Peak Marathon with Pikes Peak in the back left

We joined the Barr Trail and the next couple of miles took us up a steep set of switchbacks known as the W's.  A lot of people seemed out of breath at this point and the pace slowed down as the narrow trail made passing very difficult.  I was feeling great, and even though I didn't want to blow my race by running too hard so early, I felt like I needed to get farther up in the pack.  Fortunately, an aggressive runner passed me and I followed her, along with a few other runners, toward the front of the congestion.  As our group reached the top of the switchbacks the trail opened up a bit and became less steep, and our group took off with a pace that I was very comfortable with.

Passing No Name Creek on my way to Barr Camp at mile 5

The next several miles were on packed dirt and the grade was not as steep as the switchbacks.  The scenery was beautiful as we passed through pine forests with occasional glimpses of Pikes Peak.  It was feeling like a typical hilly run for me and everything felt very good, but I was well aware of what was coming every time I looked up at the looming peak.

By the time I reached A-Frame at 10 miles and 12,000 feet elevation, the running had become significantly more difficult.  My pace had slowed and I was constantly out of breath.  My legs felt strong but the rest of my body was struggling to keep up.

When I emerged above treeline, it felt like I was on the moon (with about as much air!) . There were still 2,000 feet to climb and the peak seemed like a giant vertical wall right in my face.  It made me dizzy to look up.  I felt much better than I had expected as this point, but out-of-breath gradually became gasping for air.  I ran until I felt sick or dizzy, power walked to slow my breathing and heart rate down, and ran again as I made my way to the summit.  People would try to run ahead, only to slow to a walk less than a minute later.  It was humbling. The mountain had a grip on all of us.

Running above treeline - headed for the summit of Pikes Peak

Approaching the summit of Pikes Peak - mile 13

The 16 "Golden Stairs" to the summit are neither.  They are 32 short, very steep switchbacks for the last few tenths of a mile to the summit.  They are the final ass kicking you get to endure before reaching the summit and turning around for the descent.  I felt like I was hiking instead of running a marathon.  My arms hurt the next day.

People waiting for runners at the summit

Summit of Pikes Peak Marathon

Everything felt like a blur at the summit.  I saw my Dad at one of the last switchbacks - he had driven up to cheer me on.  There was music, yelling, screaming, cowbells.  It was surreal.  The view would have been breathtaking if I wasn't already gasping for air.  I reached the summit in 3:29.  I was hoping for a summit time between 4:00 and 4:15 so I was very excited.  13 miles up, now 13 miles back down to the finish...

Summit turn around for Pikes Peak Marathon

Headed down from the summit

It was a whole different race on the way down.  The constant pounding was painful and tiring, but at least I could breathe!  People still making the ascent were cheering me on by name (on my bib) as I made my way down.  The runners and volunteers for this race are amazing people!

I had a huge smile on my face all the way past A-frame until I found myself face down in the dirt. I have no idea how it happened, but I had taken my first fall.  I got up, dusted myself off, and started limping down the trail.  I was sure my race was over because the pain was where I had torn my hamstring last year.  After walking for a few minutes, my leg felt better and soon I was running again, more carefully and in constant fear of falling again.

The miles passed more slowly as they always seem to do at the end of a marathon.  It had become very warm and I was glad I had my water bottle to keep me going between aid stations.  I fell a couple more times, but no serious damage.  I felt so clumsy, but my legs were tired and the trail had quite a few rock and root surprises.  There were no other runners around me for a few miles and I really enjoyed the quiet solitude and the gorgeous scenery.  It was exciting to see Manitou Springs below and knowing that I was going to finish, barring any more nasty falls.

Mile 25 - back on pavement!

It was a relief to hit pavement again with about one mile left.  I sprinted towards the end, saw my Dad along the way, and entered the finisher chute with tons of cheering people giving me high fives.  Did I mention how awesome the people that support this race are?  I crossed the finish line in 5:43 for a top 100 finish, well ahead of my predicted finish time.  The finishing tent looked like a triage center. Apparently some people took some nasty falls.  I felt great and lucky to have left only a little blood on the mountain.

Finish line of the Pikes Peak Marathon

As amazing as the actual race was, even more amazing are the volunteers and El Paso County Search and Rescue that support this race and make it happen - safely.  Many of them packed supplies up to the aid stations and camped on the mountain all weekend.  Their hard work and enthusiasm are probably more impressive than any of the runners in this race.  They also managed to put on smile on my face no matter how much I was suffering.  Thank you!!  Also, thanks to my Dad for coming out to support me.  It was a fun weekend.

Thanks Dad!