Almost a Year....

It's been almost a year since my last post. Well, soon after that post I ran Valentine's Marathon with Abi. We took it slow and easy - almost too slow and easy. Finally had to put a stop to the stopping in the last few miles. It was fun talking and enjoying the morning, but the best part of the race was after it was over. Abi and I walked a short distance to the lake at the park, stripped down at a picnic table, then walked into the nearly-frozen lake and stayed until we were almost too numb to get back out. Laughed about how they were going to find us - two half-naked women, smelly from the waist up, and frozen from the waist down - drowned because they were too numb (read: dumb) to get back out! Fun!

My primary goal in 2009 was to break the 4-hour marathon barrier and thereby BQ! Well, I decided that a wonderful attempt would be a marathon on my birthday - Napa Valley Marathon, March 1. I convinced Carlsson that he should run that one with me as his birthday present to me. He took me up on it. We flew Elliot up from UCLA and he and Larry crewed for the two of us. The course is billed as flat - but Lesa O. had warned me that she found it to be rather hilly - especially in the beginning. Always listen to Lesa! She was right - it was not only hilly, but the road was quite canted which made running difficult. Not only that, there was a steady downpour throughout the race. None-the-less we had a nice, happy run for about 20 miles. Then it got tough. I was getting increasingly tired and the 4-hour mark was becoming more and more elusive. However, I did know that this race was a qualifier for the 2010 Boston - at which time I would be 50 years old (this being my 49th birthday after all) - which meant my qualifying time was actually 4:05. With two miles to go, and my energy flagging, Carlsson took the lead and started singing to me. That was just what I needed to keep me going. We came in at 4:03:28!! :))

April brought the Yakima River Canyon Marathon. I was totally unprepared for the beauty of this course. Wow! Started out with Jill Hudson - both of us wondering how it would go for us - and we ended up sticking together for the entire race - urging each other on! We came in at 4:08 - with a PR for Jill!! Very fun!

May brought the Tacoma City Marathon. I planned on running between 4:15 and 4:30. Found out that Eric volunteered to be the 4:15 pacer so I thought I'd try to stick with him as long as I could and if/when I fell back I asked Marco and Tom (who planned on a 4:30) to scoop me up and 'carry' me along with them. Well, Marco, Tom, and I started together slightly in front of Eric and his following. We kept thinking we'd hear him on our heels at any time, but never did see him. Marco, Tom, and I joked around the entire race. It felt great! We were all very pleased with our 4:10 finish! I didn't stay long afterwards - but later found out I had placed in my division - 3rd woman in the 30-34 year old category. Not sure how they decided I was 34 but I let them know their mistake and declined the plaque.

In early June I was feeling good and Larry had to work the first weekend of the month, so I decided at the last minute to run North Olympic Discovery Marathon. I emailed some friends of ours (actually, the parents of friends of ours) on Thursday evening to see if I could spend Friday night at their place. They'd love to have me was the response. Sooooo, on Friday I drove to Sequim, signed up for the race, then drove to their house for dinner. On Saturday morning my friends drove me to the start and made plans to 'see' me at mile 16. It was a beautiful day for a race and I met Lesa and Dove at the start. I stuck with Lesa and a few other Maniacs for a few miles but then pulled back. Seemed that this was not going to be my race and I never did find my mojo. Thank goodness for a fellow Maniac (can't remember his name right now) who kept me going the last 6 miles. He was an angel! Disappointed with my 4:21 finish. Days later I found out I had placed 3rd in my age group - this time the correct age group. Made me laugh - all I had managed to do was outrun the women my age who had run a marathon the day before! I felt this was a make-up plaque for Tacoma!

Late June brought the 1st Seattle Rock 'n Roll Marathon. Huge event. Tons of Maniacs. Hung out with 'the group' pre-race but started alone. Nice race, nice day, but again, couldn't get it going. Finished with a 4:24.

July's race was the San Francisco Marathon. Loved being in San Francisco for this race but it was a cold summer day. The start was staggered and I couldn't find any of the runners I was looking for. The bridge was socked in so there was no view. The hills were all in the first half, and the second half had a lot of downhill. Beautiful course - the half marathon runners merged in and out - there being two half marathon races - and that seemed to keep me preoccupied at times. I was glad to see the finish line and felt frustrated again. Wondered if maybe I needed to try something other than marathon-running. Hmmm. Finished in 4:20.

A week after the San Francisco Marathon I decided to run the Tacoma Half Marathon. I wanted to run a race across a suspension bridge where I could see the view. For whatever reason, I ran as Elaine - she had already paid and was not going to be able to use her number. Rick was running as Mike and Patch was running as Monica so it seemed like a fun thing to do. Rick and I drove together and had fun talking and joking along the way. At the start I found Dove and she and I ran together chatting for the first 9 miles or so, then she took off. I was feeling a bit tired so I held back. Ended up with a 2:05 I believe. Felt strange when they announced Elaine's name as I crossed the line. Oh, nearly forgot - this bridge was also socked in with fog. Two races over two major suspension bridges in two weeks - both too fogged in to see anything. Drats. I did enjoy this race. I'd like to do it again - under my name - and improve my time.

No marathon in August (just the above-mentioned half) and in September I took a two+ week break from running while we visited Greece. Didn't even pack running gear! Returned from our trip the day before the Grande Ass Marathon and I ran it with Abi. Torrential rain erased the markings the last half of the course and we got lost twice. We ended up with a slightly altered course than the one designated, but RD Eric still OK'd it for us. Got home just in time to prepare for the post-marathon party at my house.

By October I was beginning to truly doubt my ability to run a marathon in the 4:15 range so I was nervous going in to the Victoria Marathon where I'd be running 'with' some nurses who Larry knew from the hospital. We met on the ferry ride over and they seemed very nice. Both had run two previous marathons in the 4:15/4:30 range. Good - we should be able to at least start together and see what happens. This ended up being just the medicine I needed. We started together, joked and listened to music and encouraged one-another for 18 miles. Then one felt strong and took off - I followed for a mile or two, losing the other in the process- and we ended up finishing with several minutes between the three of us. I came in at 4:10 (a few seconds faster than the time I had made in 2008). I was thrilled!!

November brought New York City Marathon. I decided there was no use trying to set a time-goal in a race this big (37,000 marathoners - no halfsies here!) and anything under 4:30 would be acceptable. If I could pull off a 4:15 I would be very happy, but my main objective was to run and enjoy the scenery and spectators. Well, this race ended up being amazing in every respect and I'll write a separate piece on it later, but suffice it to say I came in at 4:06:34!! That was 35 seconds away from another BQ!! Thrilled!

A few weeks later, and again at the last minute, I decided to run the Ghost of Seattle Marathon- but it was filled. I decided to email the RD, Scott Krell to see if there was a wait list and he said to just come and pay day of. Wow! Well, two days before the race, I injured my groin. That week I had run the pipeline with Lesa, then did speedwork with Lesa, then did a trail run near Emerald Ridge High School with Lesa and Abi, and by the time we finished that last trail run, I was limping. The next few days, despite icing and no running, I was still unable to put weight on my left leg. I had to email Scott and tell him I wouldn't be running, but I would be able to volunteer. I ended up cooking hotdogs for five hours for the runners. It was a lot of fun, but I certainly would have preferred running - especially since Scott had secured medals for the first time ever, to give away to the finishers. Drats!! It's OK, I still planned on running Pigtails 50K in a few weeks and by not-running this one, I would be more than ready for her race.

Well, in the end, I did not run Pigtails. Nor did I run First Call 50k on January 1st. I would not run for six weeks after having both an x-ray and an MRI which indicated damage that needed time to heal. My last run in 2009 was December 3 and my first run of 2010 was January 11. And thus begins this new chapter.....