Wilmington Marathon Recap

A Runner's Ramblings: Volume 20; 2nd Edition
39.3 miles run in 2025 races
Race: Wilmington Marathon
Place: Wilmington, NC
Miles from home: 1318 miles
Weather: 50 degrees,100 % humidity, 

This recap was supposed to happen a decade ago.

I've been sitting at a marathon in 49 states since January of 2016 when I ran the Louisiana Marathon in 3:06 just a few weeks after breaking my hand  I don't have the energy right now to go into everything that has gone wrong in the world in the past decade but I think if you even follow me remotely you understand what I'm talking about. From a horrible election, to a global pandemic, to more personally, my own loss of my mother and then two knee surgeries, 10 years can go by rather quickly. And that's how it gets to just a few months before I turn 50 still needing to get North Carolina as a state in which I've run a marathon in to complete running a marathon in every state.

(I will be writing something about that specific journey later but this is going to be a recap about this particular race itself.)

In January, just a little over six months after my first one-mile run recovering from a partial knee replacement, I had been riding a streak of consistently faster races. Any runner knows however, you don't get faster always. While doing a heavy training cycle that included  a10, 11, and 12 mile run in a row I felt some major discomfort in my right calf muscle. As I had a 30K race coming up a week later I decided to take time off from running. This 18.6 mile race would not only be the longest I had run in three years but would also serve as my longest run for my marathon coming up on the last day of February. It was extremely important.

Unfortunately, that race went very poorly causing me to pull out with about four miles left in the run. There was nothing particularly bad about that day other than it was simply one of those days where you don't have the energy to go further. My calf had moderately cooperated but I figured doing the final loop would be nothing but bad. I figured I could get one more 15 miler in in about which might suffice in getting to my goal.

A week later I found myself in Milan on a wonderful vacation to watch the Winter Olympics. But on my very first run there I had pain shoot through my quad on my left leg from the very first step I took. There's no rhyme or reason of why this happened as I had no trauma or felt any pain on a small run two days prior. Even a few massages while I was in Italy couldn't abate the pain. I had two more massages in quick succession after I got back to the United States which made it feel slightly better but unresolved. I had a great deal of trepidation even up until the day before the race in North Carolina.

I was able to get one quick half hour massage that evening which seemed to actually do a great deal for the bunching of all the muscles in my quad. I nevertheless  had a very fitful night of sleep wondering if I should even be attempting this 26.2 mile endeavor.

My goal was not to only check off the state but to also finish under four hours, something which had never been a problem before. I began doing all the calculations necessary to see what it would take to get me to that finish line hopefully under that four hour mark. I finally came to the conclusion that even if it took me 5 or 6 hours I would walk it if I had to. That would mean that I would also miss my flight back home  but knocking out a marathon here in North Carolina was something I needed to do now.  Getting it under four hours was something I could always come back and do later.

Race Morning:

The Wilmington marathon is a point to point race.  With a fair amount of runners running one of the various events, it requires a shuttle service that leads to a bottleneck at the starting point on Wrightsville Beach. I had noticed that the race actually mentioned if possible you should get your own transportation so I booked myself an Uber for the next morning at 5:45 AM. Even though the race didn't start until 7 a.m. I knew I was probably going to run into traffic. (Mostly because there were a million signs saying that if you got on the last shuttle at 6 a.m. they couldn't guarantee you would get there prior to the gun firing.)

It ends up I planned perfectly because even though we did run into a lot of traffic and the 12 mile drive ended up taking nearly 45 minutes, I got to spend that in the comfort of the back seat of a nice car rather than jammed into one of the shuttle buses that the race provided. No shade at the race at all. Just this was a much nicer way to go. 

My Uber had to drop me off short of the starting area but it was just about a half mile walk to where all the runners were gathering. I hadn't been to a race this size in nearly a decade. The energy was palpable.  The runners were buzzing.  It felt like a race day.

I queued up to get into line to go to the bathroom and more or less had about three minutes to spare when I stepped out of the porta potty. I made my way towards the start line with butterflies in my stomach. When I had woken up that morning I was the least excited I think I have ever been to run a race but for some reason I was feeling much better as the countdown to the marathon began.

First 6 miles

The first 6 miles of this race were enjoyable from a runner standpoint who simply wants to go more or less one direction and not have to think. After 1/3 of a mile running through the streets of the beach town of Wrightsville Beach, we made a right turn and started heading along a “stroad”, that ohh so American combination of street and road. Many lanes of asphalt leading to strip malls, office parks, car dealerships and everything else. The bane of any urban planner who prioritizes pedestrianism. This is not exactly a scenic run per se but for the most part I was fine with that. As long as I didn't have to think about where to go I was happy. Other than the occasional rude runner who was more concerned about advancding five feet and not looking who they were cutting off, didn't even have to watch my surroundings.

My first mile surprised me being right around eight minutes because it felt a lot easier. I've run a few marathons where my overall pace ended up being eight minutes per mile but that was usually because something bad happened in the last 10K that had me walking. I had never attempted to run a marathon at this pace from the start and this felt pleasant.  Then again, it was the first mile!

Even as the 3:30 pace group (which is essentially an 8 minute mile drew) further and further away from me as each mile went by, I saw that my pace continued to be slightly under 8 minutes every mile. I tried not to get too excited here early in the race.

I could say that this first 10K was rather uneventful if not for the fact that at one point a runner in front of me began to veer off of the coned area in which we were supposed to be running and almost into oncoming traffic. He tilted and ran almost disagonally sometimes barely missing the side mirros of cars that were slowing to avoid him. I couldn't figure out what he was doing and yelled at him a few times to be careful.

I finally ran up to him and could see that he was in distress but didn't want to put hands on a stranger. I got on his right and gently nudged him back into the masses of people. It was clear that he was in not doing well. The air was saturated with 100% humidity, even if it was only 50 degrees.  I realized this could have easily been me with how bad I perform in the muck.

As I got him towards middle of the pack a few other runners took it upon themselves to kind of guide him completely to the side and sit him down. When they caught back up to me I asked if he was OK and they said it seemed like he might have been a diabetic who was low on blood sugar. I can only hope that he got the attention that he needed. Nevertheless, a wonderful display of humans caring for humans happened right there as runners stopped their own run to help a stranger.

To the Half-marathon:

The first hill of any note came when the road we were running on took us up and over it on an overpass. It slowed me down a touch but I made-up for it on the other side with the downhill. My watch showed another 8-minute mile. We ran straight a bit more as the clouds never stopped and the humidity reigned.  One guy in front of me has a luscious mane of hair and I could not figure out he possible was not drenched. I was running my hand over my head to alleviate it from about six ounces of sweat every time my fingers passed through my hair. We made a left turn and once again got on a bit of a highway which was blocked off for us runners on one side but still quite active with traffic on the other. Again not exactly that scenic but it served its purpose. I was impressed how many people were out on this lonely strecth cheering us on!

I was again pleasantly surprised as the miles went by and my pace seemed to stay steady even without a great deal of effort. I felt surely I was slowing down but instead it was those around me speeding up. The 3:30 pace group was now out of sight. No idea what they were doing

My pace dipped a smidgen as we left the highway and went up an exit which was decidedly uphill. I had forgotten about this part when looking at the map the night before. It was a little bit of a surprise. Another nice thing about running at this pace is that when I was running more to my speed I rarely had other runners around me. Here with both half-marathon and a marathon going on I had constant companions to either feed off of their energy or follow them. However, as we got past the 10 mile mark you could tell who the half- marathoners were because they suddenly began to pick up the pace. I had to tell myself that not only was I not racing anyone, I definitely wasn't raising those who were going to be done in less than a 5K.

After a couple of twists and turns we ended up on a dirt path that led us close to downtown Wilmington. I was a little surprised by this path and it slowed me a touch but soon we were back on the streets. As we approached the area where the half marathoners went straight to finish, us marathoners turned right up a hill and began to run away from our target destination.

To Mile 20:

I have been doing math all along and realized that if I hit the half marathon about where it looked like I would, I could average a 10-minute mile for the last thirteen miles and still get under four hours. I didn't want that to happen but nice to know I had that cushion. I crossed under the half marathon sensors in 1:47:37 or an 8:12 pace. I also passed about 100 feet away from my Airbnb which I had said pre-race would be calling to me like the sirens of old to crash on the rocks of comfort and give up here if I was having a bad day. Fortunately while I was absolutely lacquered in sweat from the humidity I was somehow still feeling like this would not require me to crawl to the finish.

We completed another straight line through downtown Wilmington and another area of not-so-scenic traffic on one side. Then at mile 15 we began a very twisty-turny running segment. Sometimes we ran on the city streets and sometimes on the path that surrounded Greenfield Lake. I'm glad that the running crowds thinned a little bit here because there was ample room for one or two runners on these paths but not much more side by side. The crowds and fans, however, grew even more!

I ran a series of miles either one second over or one second under 8 minutes per per mile mile here. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop and all of a sudden the nine-minute-mile to come out of the woods and drag me to the bottom of the lake. But somehow I kept putting up consistently good miles. We crossed underneath sensors around mile 20 and then did a little turn around and for the rest of the race we would be heading back towards the finish. Heading back to the finish always does something to me psychologically, even if it it thirteen miles away. I have done run after run in my life where as soon as I turn around, it is like a different runner takes over my body. I was fairly certain there would be no explosion of speed here today but I could feel success in my shoes. (I had actually sprinkled my mother and father's ashes on them as I have done in every race since I began running again.  I take those ashes with me every where I go so my parents can "See" the places I visit. Some might find that odd. That's ok.)

To The Finish:

After going over eight minutes for my 20th mile, my 21st mile put me just under at a 7:59. I struggled to keep my pace as we weaved around the lake and the hill between miles 23 and 24 was exceptionally cruel. I actually stopped and walked for about a five count before starting again. I could see now that barring a huge cramp or collapse that I was going to succeed in all that I had set out to do today. I now simply put on blinders and didn't care who I was passing or who was passing me.

The miles became a blur and I focused on a point ahead of me on this straight line finish. I had completely forgotten to pack running sunglasses for this run which might be something I have only done a handful of times in all 167 marathons. Fortunately there was no sun to be seen (it popped out about an hour later) and no squinting was needed on my part.

We had a little bit of an uphill to contend with on the 25th mile and after not walking that at all I got to the top and simply had to take a 10 or 15 second break. I don't know how much that did for my energy or if I hadn't stopped anything would have happened detrimental but I did it regardless. Cheering crowds told me "You've got this!" and I wanted to mindmeld with them and tell them "I know I do."

I gingerly went down the last hill with about half of a mile to go before really locking in as the ample crowds, which had been along the entire course, began to fervently cheer on all the runners. I actually even laughed at the first original marathon sign I had seen in years. (It referenced Prison Mike from The Office.)

In the last quarter mile with the end around the corner I began to pick up the pace. A woman who had just passed me didn't affect me at all and I had no desire to beat her per se but I found that my pace soon put me in front of her again. I was running the fastest I had run all day as I streaked towards the finish line.

Cowbells ringing, people shaking signs, other runners in front of me, and feet from the finish I heard the announcer: "Dane Rauschenberg all the way from Minneapolis!"

I crossed in 3:36:07, hit my watch, and let out a huge breath. I was done.

I finished 364th overall which was my worst place finish since the Twin Cities Marathon 11 years ago where I placed 396th. In fact I've only placed worse in seven marathons in my life. You won't be surprised to learn that two of those were the Boston Marathon and one was the New York City marathon. But it didn't matter. I had finished one of the most challenging marathons in my life which had nothing to do with the course or the weather. It was the longest I had run in just shy of three years. It was also the 11th anniversary of the last sub-three hour marathon that I ran. I never thought at the time that it might be my actual last sub three hour marathon but it could easily be that way.

I made it back to my Airbnb and to the plane on time as well. An endeavor that I had first thought up over 20 years ago and then shuttled because I realized how many other people had done it, was now complete. It didn't end with the bang I was hoping it would but I would definitely say that this wasn't a whimper either.

My surgically repaired knee held up perfectly and the aches and pains in my legs, while still present, were not debilitating. I will definitely be taking a few days off of with no exercise before I get ready to, coincidentally, come back to North Carolina for 1/2 marathon here in less than three weeks.

The race itself was very well-run. Amazing course support from fans, ample aid stations, good organization.  It is obviously fast as well as nearly 100 runners broke the 3 hour mark. Poor Jarred Beverly was the first runner to NOT make it under 3 hours, missing by just three seconds in 3:00:02.  I sure hope

he has some sub-3s elsewhere in his running career as that is just brutal. 

In the next few days I'll probably write a post containing all kinds of fun statistics as I am wont to do. Right now however, I finished a marathon in all 50 states before I turned 50 and have three months to knock out six more half marathons to do the same. 

My membership in the 50 states completed and 50 states completed under 4 hours clubs has been stamped. 

I am definitely pleased. And so damn sore.

 

Mobile Half-Marathon Recap

A Runner's Ramblings: Volume 20; 1st Edition
13.1 miles run in 2025 races
Race: Mobile Half-Marathon
Place: Mobile, AL
Miles from home: 1176 miles
Weather: 43 degrees, 76% humidity, windy

Took 3 tries. But I got Alabama done.

In December, I was scheduled to run a half-marathon in Alabama as I attempt to run a half-marathon and a marathon in every state before I turn 50 (in May of this year.  Egads.)  As I am on the tarmac to fly to New Orleans to then make a drive to Alabama I get an email telling me the race is canceled because of flooding. I land in NO, get right back on the flight I flew in on, and went back home. They rescheduled the race for two weeks later. I booked my flight. Then on the Tuesday before the race they rescheduled it again for January because they did not have the police to handle the traffic for the race.

First one is on Mother Nature. Second one is on the race. They had to know this wasn't going to work. So I bailed on that race altogether. That meant I was going to have a busier than expected 2026. Fortunately, I found a rare weekend open and booked myself the Mobile Half-Marathon.

This race used to be called the First Light Marathon and benefited an organization where people with disabilities live and work in a home with those who don't. It just so happened to be the organization that I raised $43,000 for in 2006 running 52 consecutive weekly marathons. I ran it again in 2010 as I ran back to back marathons on the same weekend. And then I haven't been back to Mobile since. Life is funny like that.

Fortunately, this time the weather and all associated traveled to get to Mobile went smoothly and I arrived in Mobile with time to spare. That allowed me to indulge in a little bit of driving. You see, along with my goal of trying to run a marathon and a half mile in every state I have other little side goals that I’ve been working on that I incorporate to my travels. Namely, I’m trying to visit every county in the United States. So when I get somewhere with a little bit of time to kill, I usually take the less convenient but more expedient way to drive through as many different counties as possible. I didn’t want to spend an entire day in the car the day before this race, but I knew I could knock out a few counties with a little hour and a half drive. So I called my aunt to wish her a happy birthday and had two more counties under my belt by the time I got back home.

 

Then I had an extraordinarily stressful evening watching my favorite Chicago Bears somehow pull off a miraculous comeback victory, which kept me up later than I would’ve liked and well into the night as I continued to think about it. But I got some good sleep, and found myself ready to go.

Race Morning:

 

I had the foresight to find an Airbnb that was just mere blocks away from the start and finish. It was so close in fact that I left there with 15 minutes before the race got outside decided to use my own bathroom in the Airbnb again. I did my business before once again heading to the starting line. I still got there with plenty of time to spare, but interestingly ran into a guy on the way who said “Do you know where the marathon start is?” I pointed in the direction we were heading and he said "Are we supposed to register for this beforehand?”

 

I told him that he might still have time, but he would have to hurry. I looked at my watch and it was 7:18 AM. He had 12 minutes to register and get ready. That’s cutting it close! It boggles my mind people who will hopefully put in the correct effort to train for a race, but not know when they have to sign up for it!

I sauntered down to the starting line and was happy for the chilly weather, even if it was a bit windy. I had designs on running a 1:36:14 half-marathon because that would be my 99 fastest half marathon ever. After starting running again in June, I have been patient with my recovery and building strength and slowly getting faster. But at the same time I have been impatiently wanting to at least get my finish times to be in the double digits when it came to overall personal times. Wasn’t quite sure I had that in me just yet as that would be a nearly four minute drop off my previous personal best for my new knee, but I was going to give it a go.

First 5K:

 

One of the many inconveniences of my knee surgery and recovery is, I have lost a lot of my ability to

know exactly the pace I am running and whether it is the pace that I want to be running for that race. I used to have a metronome inside me that would tell me what was going on. Now I don’t know if I’m running too fast or too slow. My first couple of half marathons back my first mile was way too fast and I could kind of tell, but I didn’t know how fast. This one felt fast but felt controlled. It ended up kind of being in between what I was usually used to running and what I wanted to run today, which was 7:20 minute mile. It did take a little bit of energy and I was hoping it was a little faster, but I rolled with it when I saw a 7:12 on my watch. The next mile was even a little bit faster at 7:11. That mile felt good as I felt like I wasn't working too hard.  But I immediately slowed down, trying to get back closer to my goal pace, not wanting to blow up later in the race. 

The wind was swirling, and it was hard to tell which direction it would be blowing at any given time. You’d turn a corner with the wind directly in your face, and it somehow would still be hitting you head-on. Nothing too bad, but not helping. We rounded the corner near a cemetery and ran under some moss- covered tree-line streets, which were absolutely lovely. There were a few spectators out in this neighborhood and their involvement was appreciated. I hit the 3rd mile in the 7:28 which was disappointing because I felt like I had slowed down, but not that much. 

 

To the 10k:

 

As we continue to do a couple of little out and backs in the neighborhood, I was appreciating that we had a lot of long straightaways in this race. I really like being able to just sit into my run and not have to think about turns or anything. I knew the longest straightaways lay ahead so I was bidding my time waiting to get to them, I felt like I was working but not too hard. My fourth mile gave me a 7:24 which felt reasonable.  In the next mile, I began to hear the loud WHOMP WHOMP of a runner behind me.  As I haven't raced much in the past few years, I was unable to prove what I had heard about may of the new super shoes that are out there.  Not that they help performance, which they do (and who cares) but rather that they were so damn loud. I couldn't shake the guy behind me and right after the fifth mile, which I ran in 7:25, I let him go bye. Sure enough, super shoes.


But now I was on the long straightaway of Government Street and I was ready to turn on the jets.  If that meant I ha to run with SuperWhomper, than so be it.  But in spite of my desires, nothing happened with my leg.  My 6th mile was a 7:37, my slowest of the day.  Determined not to let time slip away, I gritted my teeth and quickened my pace.

Onto 10 miles:

This drive to run faster netted me a 7:26 for my 7th mile and I felt like the ship had been righted. We left Government Street onto OLD Government Street (this just made me laugh) and I could see the Super Whomper had put no more distance between us. I also hadn't closed the gap. We turned a little bit later onto a slow small uprising of a hill and I could feel myself slowing.  Sure enough by the time I hit me 8 I had run a 7:40.  Right here is where we can see the fast fast runners heading back towards us. Knowing I will soon be heading in the direction of the finish almost ALWAYS lights a fire under me.  A 7:35 for the ninth mile wasn't a fire per se but I knew if I pack at my pace for the 10th mile, I would have a shot to really turn it on in the last 5k and still eke out a 1:36:xx.

We did a little one block circleback and then began heading home. Not long after this I noticed an older woman who was not too far behind me. Sure enough, 62 year old Mary Trufant set a new state record for 60 and older with a time of 1:42:28! Holy crap!

 

I figured this would spur me on and as it hit the tenth mile, I looked t my watch: 7:46.  My slowest mile of the day. Drats. 

 

Bring it Home to Finish:

That's ok. I have had lulls before and made up for it. Today would be one of those days. Since Super Whomper, who I can barely see in the distance, had passed me at mile 5, I had neither caught anyone or had anyone else pass me. As we ran down Dauphin Street, which was ridiculously desolate of both traffic, spectators, and any other noise, I was all by myself. No one to contend with. No one to draft off of. No one to drag me along. No one to chase. No problem. So many of my races have been like this. I try my best to rely off internal motivation. And that netted me a 7:41.

 

Finally, I heard some footsteps and a runner passed me.  Someone had a sign that said "Run Like You Stole Something" and I pretend to steal their sign.  Sill things like this usually spur me on. But as a few other footsteps came into my ears, my effort results in another 7:41.

Most of my time goals were now out the window so I just wanted to make sure I didn't twist an ankle, get a cramp, or trip and fall. A few runners did indeed go by me but more than half of them were running the marathon.  (The course for them was two loops of this course I was on. Right now I can't imagine doing another 13 miles.) 

 

I passed the 13th mile at 7:40 and laughed. I basically had run the exact same time for six miles. I saw the finish clock ahead and although it was disappointing, I realized if I hoofed it, I could beat my previous new knee PR by a minute.  

 

So, I did.

I finished 21st overall in a time of 1:38:53. This is only my 112th fastest half-marathon, nestled right in amongst a bunch of times where I was doing something silly which would make times slow (like six in six days in six states). But it was a new PR, nonetheless.

Now I don't have another half-marathon until March.That will be after my final state marathon on February 28th in North Carolina. Right now, I feel massively under-prepared for 26.2 miles but I still have 7 weeks to go and a 30k race in between now and then.

Southwest Series Half-Marathon: Arizona Recap

A Runner's Ramblings: Volume 19; 7th Edition
91.7 miles run in 2025 races
Race: Southwest Series Half-Marathon: Arizona
Place: Flagstaff, AZ
Miles from home: 1547 miles
Weather: 39 degrees, 69% humidity, slight wind

My race on Sunday, a half-marathon just a week after a big race breakthrough post-knee surgery, was a mixture of feelings. For one I was extraordinarily pleased with how I had placed given I had just raced one week prior, was running at elevation, and all of the other things that made it more difficult than it normally would have been prior to my knee injury. On the other hand I didn't really have much of a desire to race again just three days later at even higher elevation in Flagstaff at nearly 7000 feet.

Somehow, the next day when I was making the drive from Farmington NM to Flagstaff AZ something clicked at me and my emotions changed. My ankle has been a little sore the past couple of weeks on the same leg as my reconstructed knee. It's obvious the two are at least tangentially connected. Also my knee is just a little sore and inflamed which gives me trepidation even though I know or at least I'm pretty sure that nothing is wrong. 

Nevertheless, when I got to Flagstaff I suddenly regained an urge to race. It appeared that the two gentlemen who bested me in the race on Sunday would be racing again. As such I was hoping to exact a little revenge on having been beaten by both of them in New Mexico. I know they would both be tired as it appears they were running the two half marathons in between and I was taking time off so to speak. But in every race you take the runners as they are. I've said this for a long time that you should never once apologize for who shows up at the race. Getting to the starting line is probably equally as difficult as getting to the finish line. I know neither of these runners were too bothered by the fact that I had a brand new knee and two surgeries in the past year so I figured it was simply time to lace them up and go

Race Morning:

I wasn't as close to the race start as I was the previous two races I have done but I wasn't much further away just barely over a mile. That meant once again I could get up relatively late with regards to the start of the race and still make it there on time ready to go. We were promised another cool crisp day and the weather delivered. I had noticed that the guy who won the half marathon on Sunday did not finish or did not have a result on Monday even though I saw that they had posted a picture of him running. I didn't know what had happened and if he would even be here. The second place finisher however did post a result in the previous two races so I assumed he would be there attempting to run as fast as he could as well. Then I realized that none of this matters as any could show up for any race at anytime.  I just had to race who was there.

As I pulled into the parking lot and parked, I realized I had to use the bathroom again. Blessed with the luxury of my lodging being so close and me being a fast driver, I eschewed the portapotty and potential line and simply went back home. Seven minutes later and I was back in the parking lot hearing the ending instructions being given out by the race director.

The course was like so many other races that the Mainly Marathons people put on and that was more or less a one mile out and back that we ran 6 times for the half marathon. This one would be run completely on a crushed gravel surface with long gradual uphill to finish the back portion of each out and back. That means, I would be getting the same downhill portion to start each loop. But that was only after another longer gradual uphill to begin each loop.  And small undulations in between.  I am not joking when I say you were rarely running flat for long on this course even if it didn't look too hilly to begin with.

My prediction was that unlike in Farmington where I really enjoyed the return portion, that the out portion would be my better miles today.

Instructions were given, the countdown was done, and away we went. 

First Three Miles:

I took off with the race director in the lead but within 100 yards I could feel my lungs were just really going to be working hard today. Before long the runner who I was most concerned abut winning followed another runner who I had seen previously but didn’t know he could run this fast as they passed me. 

I was shocked my first mile was exactly 8:00 when it felt half a minute slower. As we finished the first out and back, I had an another 8:00 mile even with the hill on the course which would seemingly get higher each loop. At the 5k turn around, the new-to-me runner turned around. That explained his sudden speed burst. He was now done for the day! 

The sun was now fully over the horizon and on the return trip of the first two loops we were running directly into it. I was beyond happy I was wearing sunglasses. 

With the other runner gone, now it was just me and the guy from the first day. I had learned right before the race started that  he had done the 5k on the second day of this series but it was clear he wasn’t doing that today. What was also clear was that no matter what race he was running today, I wasn’t going to be able to keep up with him at the pace he was going. (His first two miles were 7:51 and 7:45). 

Then as shocking as my first two miles being right at 8:00 was, it was even more shocking that my third mile was an 8:23. That mile felt faster than the previous two. Today was obviously going to be interesting.

To the 10k:

As I came down to the turn at the 4th mile I was surprised to see another runner closing in behind me. I thought the only person I had to contend with for an overall victory was the guy in front of me but now I had another pushing me from behind. I would like to say this spurred me to new faster times but all that followed was a 8:16, 8:18, 8:18. Consistent but slow. Those first two miles now seemed like an apparition. Meanwhile, as I saw the lead runner coming back at me it was clear he was not running the 10k and would indeed be racing me for the half overall finish. Bummer. I really didn't want to work this hard today.  My lungs were burning. I had no zip.  And I still had seven miles to go.

But just as quickly as the guy behind me appeared, he disappeared. I have no idea where he went as I ran back to the start. Did I somehow miss him in the wide open plateau? One of the problems with these races, for those of who are actually racing, is the sheer unknowns. Racers can start early and then you are ranked against them in results even though you never really raced them. (This is what happened with the guy who placed second on the first day.  I saw him during the race already started and then right at my third loop saw him finished wit ha medal.) People can jump in and out of races as they please. There is just no real continuity to each day. I get that is not what the stated goals for this race series is but to me, if there is a start line and a finish line and a moving clock, it is a race. I want to know who I am racing.

Onto Mile 10:

The lead runner had just about a two minute lead over me and this is where we would stay for mile after mile. My 7th mile was the worst of the day so far at 8:27 but then I followed it up with an 8:10. There was no rhyme or reason to my running. My lungs were burning from the height, the stress and the acrid smoke in the air. I have always had wussy lungs. When I was a young fella I had to had lung treatments as they would filled with so much phlegm that you could hear it rattle when I took a breath. The fact I can do any of the endurance stuff I do now is the product of miracles. Most of the time now I am free of breathing problems but when they rear their ugly head it is extremely noticeable.

I ran an 8:22 tenth mile but somehow had cut the lead to the runner in front of me by 30 seconds.  I made the turn at the table that contained rubber bands you could grab to help you keep track of your laps (but which were not mandatory to take) and headed back out. Could I pull out a win?

Heading home to Finish: 

By the time I saw the leader next, the answer was clear: no I could not. I ran an 8:25 mile and even though it was clear he was slowing down as well, my body did not yet have in it what I wanted. Even with just one loop left I couldn’t summon the power to make it close. I ran an 8:39 mile and was beginning to wonder if I would even break 1:50 for the race.

I wove through the crowds of people, doing my absolute best to greet them all and cheer them on. But I was using every bit of energy I had just to keep moving forward. On the return trip of each loop we were running full on into the rising sun. The first two loops had been awful as we could barely see. It was better now but still tough. There was also a surprising amount of wind. I was glad I had kept my gloves on when I almost ditched them at the start.

I dug in and climbed the long hill to the final straightaway. All day it has been up and down small hills and this big hill leading to the downhill straightaway to the finish. I could not find a rhythm. I could not find my lungs. I could not find the energy to take first place.

Here, nestled at 7,100-something feet I was going to taste defeat again. As I got about a third of the way along the final stretch, I could see the runner in front of me finish. He started each day with a button-up shirt on but always took it off to run bare-chested. He was always easy to see from afar as he was also the only other runner moving about my speed. The other runner who had been behind me again appeared out of nowhere.  This time he settled in behind me at about the same distance as he had been previously.  He wasn't getting any closer.  He was not a threat even if he was running my race and even if he was even on my same lap.

The clock was ticking up so fast. This straightaway was longer than it seemed at well over 1/3 of a mile. I kept glancing at my watch and too much time was slipping by. I knew this was going to be slower than Sunday's race but  was hoping it wouldn't be THAT much slower.  Crunching gravel gave way to the few feet of pavement at the finish. I was pushing with all I had to make sure I made it respectably close behind the shirtless.  

As it stands, I made right at two minutes as I finished in 1:48:57 to his 1:46:54.

This is my third slowest half marathon ever with the only two slower are my first race back after knee surgery in Alaska in July and the death march I did in a half-Ironman two years ago barely a month before I tore my knee. (Technically my half-marathon carrying a canoe is my slowest but that doesn’t count.  Heck, the 70.3 shouldn’t either, if I think about it.) But given all the variables for this race it pleased me I was able to run as fast as I did. 

To begin with, these past two half-marathons are two of the highest half-marathons I have ever un. Throw in everything else I have already droned on about ad nauseum and this is a really good barometer of where my fitness is at.  

I have come a long way since my first one-mile run the last week of June. I will get faster. I will lose weight. I will run more. I will hit the gym to re-establish leg muscles which have been left to die the past two years. I refuse to simply go out there and jog (or even worse, walk) races where I am giving less than my best. I truly do not understand how able-bodied people think that is an achievement. I will be looking to improve not just on my post-surgery times but to also take some shots at setting a new half-marathon personal best.

It might not happen, but if that’s true, it won’t be from a lack of pointed, intelligent, hard-working effort on my part. This is just the beginning and I am pleased with my start.

Three weeks and change until I take on the next half-marathon in Alabama. Much lower elevation; much higher humidity. Pray for the Sweatatron 3000 that the weather isn't exactly what it always is down there! 

Southwest Series Half-Marathon: New Mexico Recap

A Runner's Ramblings: Volume 19; 6th Edition
78.6 miles run in 2025 races
Race: Southwest Series Half-Marathon: New Mexico
Place: Farmington, NM
Miles from home: 1261 miles
Weather: 29 degrees, 69% humidity, slight wind

When I ran my 100th lifetime marathon in 2009, I had only completed 14 half-marathons. Then, in 2010 alone, I ran 16 half-marathons with an average of 1:28:42. In 2011, I ran 20 halfs. I ran 6 halfs in 6 days in 2022, wining two and finishing 2nd in 4 of them, which was my comeback to racing after COVID. The next year, I ran 2 halfs in a 25 hour period in 2023, winning both. 

But life is different now post knee-surgery and as I would be running my 2nd half in a week, I was indeed experiencing trepidation. Especially knowing I am doing it again on Wednesday. Especially especially because this race takes place at 5400 feet above sea level.

 

One of the goals I have going right now is to run a half-marathon and a marathon in every state. What's funny about that is that's actually the goal that put my 52 marathons and 52 weekends in progress back in 2006. You see, once I found out that there were literally hundreds of people who completed a marathon in every state I wanted to try something a little bit different. So for the longest time actually completing a race in a different state was never a priority. If it happened, that was great but for the most part it was always a side quest. Then, by just through running so many marathons I ended up with all but North Carolina as a state I had completed a marathon in. But for political reasons I decided to boycott North Carolina and keep myself from finishing this goal. (I write more about that here.) However that was 10 years ago and things have changed and I've allowed myself to move on from that. But COVID, and then my mother passing away, and then finally two years because of this knee surgery has left me a little bit behind the eight ball in attempting to get all the marathons in all the states. Throw in the half marathons and you have even more of a challenge.

In order to get in so many half-marathons in such a short period of time I am fortunate that there exists a couple of different companies which specializes in catering to people who wish to run/walk as many marathons in as many states as possible. There isn’t as much emphasis on the courses as they are usually one mile out and backs and with no time limits, they really cater to those who wish to simply complete as many marathons as possible. But, the good part for me, is you can knock out a lot of states without much travel in between.  I did this as I mentioned in 2022 when I did all of New England in six days.  So it has its pros to equal its cons.

Race Morning:

Last weekend I got lodging about .6 of a mile away from the start. I did myself one better today as I was just .3 of a mile away. That meant I didn’t even have to get up until 6:15 a.m. for the 7 a.m. start. Not needing to be up early for an early race start when I hate mornings is just a glorious thing.  I got ready, walked to the aptly named Berg Park, took off my jacket (it was a chilly 28 degrees) listened to a few pre-race instructions by the extremely affable race director of the Mainly Marathons, and away we went.

First Three Miles:

I have run two other Mainly Marathons and the race director does a unique thing: he runs the first loop with the runners, usually at the lead.  However, today, two runners took off like a bat out of hell. I had no idea what they were doing until I realized there was also a 5k being run.  I am fairly certain the winner went under 17 minutes in the 5k. I wistfully looked at him knowing that is my 5k PR and how I will likely never see speed like that again. But I then had bigger things to worry about, like, dear god who took all the oxygen? One runner took off who I was unsure what race he was running and another followed right behind him. Barely a quarter of a mile later a third runner passed me and I was sucking hard for air. My first mile was in 8:12. This might be a very bad day.  

This course was six out and backs with each length being 1.1 miles. Depending on which way you were running you had as many as four small hills to contend with each length. I would say 75% was on dirt or crushed gravel. I do not like either of the latter of those two things at all.

But I settled in, slowed down, ignored the other runners around me or in front of me and my second mile showed an 8:08. OK, that’s improvement and one lap down. My breathing seemed to stabilize a bit and by the turnaround of the second loop I had run a 8:06 for my third mile. Interesting.

To the 10K: 

Even though the race started at 7 a.m., we had a full sun on us overhead. Also even though it was below freezing, I was already wiping sweat droplets off my sunglasses as they dripped from my hair. 
For the most part, in races that I have done of this nature, the runners keep to the side they are supposed to be on. Occasionally you get a gaggle of good friends walking three abreast and that can get a little annoying.  Throw in the fact that this course was not closed and there were a surprisingly number of people out on the trail for this weather and this hour and you always had someone to run by, say hello to, or avoid.

My return trip for the fourth length had me almost going sub-8 with an eight flat.  For whatever reason, my returns were always faster than the previous out. Almost on cue I ran a 8:02 for the fifth mile. I was nevertheless pleased. I started doing mind games I often do and knew that once I finished the next mile I was half way done. Then the next time I came back I could say that the NEXT time I came back I would only have two more loops to do! It made sense to me. 

And 8:00 flat again for the sixth mile had me thinking I might actually survive this thing.

 
Allow me to mention how lovely this trail was.  The Fall colors were popping, the river seemed to be very

high and was doing more than babbling as we crossed over it and ran next to it many times. While I was still in race mode and most of that stuff never matters to me, I was able to really appreciate how lovely this all was.

Onto mile 10:

My first sub eight mile of the day happened on the return trip of the 3rd loop with a 7:57seven. I might have actually let out an excitable yelp right here because I definitely wasn't expecting that. I was now over the hump well over halfway done and feeling pretty good. 

 

The guy in first place for whatever race he was running had now shed his shirt and was running in just shorts in sub freezing weather. But I was a little less self-conscious about my physique, which I never have been and that was even before I gained the weight during the knee surgery, I would probably do the exact same thing. There were a few people that I could mark myself off of to see how I was doing before each mile popped up on my watch and other than the leader I was making ground on all of them. 

 My eighth mile is my third 8:00 of the day and when I back that up with a 7:56 For the ninth mile I was feeling pretty elated. I couldn't really do the math but I realized that I was close to the time that I had run in Ljubljana, Slovenia just a few weeks ago which was a new knee personal best for me. To be at that level again  here just one week after running a 1:39 in West Virginia had me feeling very good.

For the most part there was not a great deal of hindrance from other runners or spectators but in the tenth mile I almost got tripped up by a dog and then almost completely obliterated a runner who had decided to take a selfie on the bridge and then without warning step into the lane of traffic again. Fortunately I did not trip over the dog and I was able to pirouette around the selfie taker but that definitely took some energy and I notched an 8:11 for my 10th mile.

The final 5k: 

With just three miles to go that was two runs in the direction that I liked and only one and the one that I didn't. I got back in the sub-8 side of things with a 7:56. Now I was really beginning to wonder where I would be placing in this race.  The only way to tell would be when I was finishing the last lap and if no one came back at me then I was going to be third. 

My energy really ebbed on the 12th mile with my slowest mark of the day in 8:13. I decided I would pick it up and see what I had left in the tank. I was catching the guy who could possibly be in 2nd place and as we made the final turn. He seemed surprised to see me and picked up the pace a bit. I wanted to tell hm that if he was running the marathon he didn’t need to worry about me.

Over the bridges and up the hills we ran and we hit the section where I should have seen the shirtless guy. No guy. He was either running the half or he was sitting at the aid station.

Aid! Holy crap. I had run the entire race and not once taken a sip of water. It didn’t occur to me until a minute before the finish that I had cameled this entire race. I made the turn to finish on the gravel and right then three people walking together decided that THAT was where they wanted to run.  I deftly avoided them and rang the bell to signify my finish.

The guy in front of me WAS running the half.  Damn it. I finished in 1:45:37 and in 3rd place. All things considered, I was more than pleased. Not even sure I had it in me to chase down 2nd place even if I had known it was him, to be honest.

Many of the people out on the course were extremely friendly. I didn’t have the breath in me to respond to everyone with a kind word but I tried my best. Seems like more than a few hit some major running milestones so I am happy for them.

Now I do this all over again in 2.5 days in Flagstaff Arizona where the elevation is even higher! 

 

 

Marshall University Half-Marathon Recap

 A Runner's Ramblings: Volume 19; 5th Edition
65.5 miles run in 2025 races
Race: Marshall University Half-Marathon
Place: Huntington, WV 
Miles from home: 860 miles
Weather: 44 degrees, 91% humidity, slight drizzle

The night before this race, I put a number in my running spreadsheet. This spreadsheet is legendary for containing every run I have done since January 1st, 2006. When I know what I am running in advance, I sometimes put in the distance just to save myself the three milliseconds of having to do it later. For poops and giggles, I decided that I would also throw in my time for this half-marathon. I put 1:39:50.

The time was what I was actually thinking was possible so this was not a pie in the sky goal. But I have also hoped to run it in two previous half-marathons where I did not do it, so it was far from a lock as well. Since my root meniscus tear, one surgery and recovery for ten months which did not work, and then the partial knee replacement I had in February, I have been through a bit of a ringer trying to get back to my pre-injury form. My new knee PR sat at 1:44:28 which I ran in Slovenia two weeks ago. But the combination of near perfect weather, a very flat course, and me not being sick, not dealing with a nasal button surgery which also failed, and a plethora of other things made me feel that sub 1:40 was possible.

Race Morning:

I had booked an AirBnb barely a half of a mile away from the start and because I need very little preparation in the morning, the 7 a.m. start time, which I abhorred, meant I only had to get up at 6 a.m.  Heck, I could have even got up at 6:15 a.m. and it would have been fine. I once had a friend who freaked out for me at my lack of a need to be at a race start two hours before the gun. 

In fact, I got to the race around 6:50 and still had time to make a last minute bathroom break. It was close though as guys were taking their time in the few stalls open to us.  But I made it in time for the end of the national anthem (honestly, when we stop doing this at sorting events it will be a good day), a prayer (could have also done without that) and a few words about a runner the community had lost recently. Then it was all of the usual " ARRREEE YOOOOOOU REEAAAAADY!" stuff to get people fired up or whatever that I typically ignore. I need my energy for the race.

 I am old. Let's just go.

First Three Miles:

My goal when the cannon boomed was to not go out too fast in this first mile as I had in the previous two halfs. In order to break 1:40 I had to average 7:37 per mile. I hit the sweet spot with a 7:24 even if the effort to get it fell more in line with the 7:07 and 7:09 I had run in Slovenia and Bozeman. But the course here in Huntington really suited me. Lots of long straightaways where I can just forget about the race, forgot about the runners, forgot about running the tangents, and just run.

My second mile hit right at 7:35 which was exactly what I predicted it would be at the time. It felt like I had slowed about ten seconds and lo and behold that was the case. The third mile, which had what would be the longest downhill (and subsequently uphill, when we returned on it later) portion of the race didn’t really give me the boost I thought it would but it was still under my goal pace in 7:32. 

We then went through the Huntington Flood Wall and did a quick scamper along the Ohio river.  Usually little diversions like this get a tad too cutesy for me but this was pretty neat. About three miles into a race is usually where I find that a core group of people have sussed out what their pace is and you will be running near them for the majority of the race. You name them in your head. Orange shorts guy. Ponytail girl. For the most part they aren't your competition. They are our comrades. Your pace setters. The ones who keep you honest when you want to slow down.  Today was no different and I began to move in lockstep with more than a few runners. Sure some would fall behind or speed ahead but you could almost always see them or feel them behind you.

To the 10K: 

I knew, having driven the course the day before, that the next two miles were in one direction but curved just enough here and there that some tangent running would be necessary to not run more than what is measured. It still surprises me to this day how few runners seem to know about that and will pick a side and run it no matter how much extra distance they end up running. Probably the same ones who complain that the course is long afterward. (Not me. I just complain when it IS long! See the difference?)

We were getting intermittent sprinkles from the sky so even though I still often wear sunglasses when it is gloomy (sunglasses protect your eyes from random debris as well, many don’t seem to gather) the darkness of the skies and the drops on my glasses made me slide the sunnies to the top of my head on more than a few occasions. Given how much I sweat, rain rarely bothers me. I am going to be that wet in a bone dry race at three miles anyway, so there is no difference where the water is coming from. But I wanted to see in front of me and these were some of my darker glasses. I didn't realize the morning was going to give us rain all day long when we started. But it wasn't bad at all and didn't seem to damper the spirits of the few spectators that dotted the course.

As my fourth and fifth miles were perfectly spot-on for my pace (in fact they were a few seconds faster) in 7:33 and 7:35, I was curious what the sixth mile would hold. This mile contained the steepest hill of the course. Only about a block long, but enough to slow me down a touch, I figured to go over my desired pace and maybe closer to 6:50. When my watch beeped a perfect 7:37, I was elated. I never felt great in this race but I also never once felt bad. Those are usually the races which provide he best overall finishing time. I hoped that was the case today.

Onto mile 10:

This was far and way the nicest portion for your eyes on the course as we ran alongside a creek (named Fourpole for whatever reason) with a plethora of nice houses to our left. The unexpected boost of the sixth mile's time lifted my spirits and put more of a bounce in my step. Could I possibly even break 1:39? A group of people slid up behind me and even though they were running in lockstep, about six of them, they did not appear to know each other or be anything other than that wonderful group that forms on race days of like-minded/skilled people. These people often become your best friends for 90 minutes and then you never see them again. 

This group of men and women passed me, slowed down a touch (or I sped up) and I passed them back. I was really feeling the day and decided to pick up the pace a little more. My 7:32 mile showed that. I followed that up with a 7:35 even though I had to run around a few runners who were beginning to lag a little bit. 

However, right after the 8th mile we left the road we were running on and joined a dirt/rock path that winded next to the road, going under bridges for that quick down/up I despise of paths of this nature and the group passed me right back. I hadn’t been aware this was part of the course and it began to sap my energy. How long will we be on this?, I thought.

Over a mile ended up being the answer as we rounded through lovely Ritter Park, over a wooden footbridge and then headed back the way we had come, just one block north. I had lost touch with the group and they were beginning to fracture as well. My ninth mile was my first mile of the day that was over pace and it was by 12 seconds. Damn it. I really don't like loose gravel paths in a road race.

But after an annoying little out and back (the second of the day to get the required distance for the race), we were on the roads again. Even as we passed under a train track that ran through the northern part of the downtown (there were several streets that went under rather than over this track in the city) and I had an abrupt hill to slow me down, my 10th mile had me almost exactly on pace again with a 7:40. I did the math and realized I could run 7:50 the rest of the way and still get my goal.  If the course wasn’t long.

The final 5k: 

Seeing a 7:3x again for the 11th mile made me so happy even if it was just a 7:39. I was worried this was going to come down to a sprint finish which I did not feel I had in me right then. Buying myself 11 more seconds was huge. A couple of runners passed me who were running the marathon and it hurt the ego a bit. I know I will be back there again but right now when I am afraid I am about to board the struggle bus and them having 13 more miles to run than me, going faster, while talking, stung a little bit.

We were now once again on the curvy street section in the less than savory portion of town. I don’t particularly care what the scenery is as long as the course is fast so this didn’t bother me. I kept playing cat and mouse with a runner clad in a banana yellow outfit who would sprint ahead of me, allow me to pass him while he walked, and then sprint ahead of me again. I was unconcerned with racing him and only wanted to keep my pace. I hoped he would either walk or get out of the way. (He finally passed me for good with about half a mile to go and finished right in front of me.)

As we left the road and made a quick detour through the river retaining wall that keeps the city of Huntington safe from floods, I was admonished by a police officer leading a runner going the opposite direction to move to the right. The fact I was getting there anyway and simply hadn’t been told to get over by any volunteer irked me a bit. I wasn’t going to tackle the freaking guy, officer. I promise I would move. 

A few seconds later I ran through a wall of cheering Marshall University athletes of some nature and gave them the double bicep flex to elicit a a crowd response. It gave me a small boost when they hooted and hollared. Then up the long hill I ventured, again trading place with Chiquita fella and saw my first 7:50 of the day. Drats.

I now had 1.1 miles to go. I knew we ran straight down the street and into the stadium for a finish on the football field. But I wasn’t sure if we ran around the stadium first and backtracked or what. But I could see and measure with my eyes that the stadium wasn’t NEARLY as close as I hoped it would be to get me the cushion I needed. I picked up the pace the best I could, and hit the 13th mile in 7:39. It had felt MUCH faster.

Down a very steep embankment with some mats put out to help runners with their footing (which did the exact opposite in the slick drizzle) we went before bursting out onto the football field. One of the perks of running this race is that as you enter the stadium you are given a football to hold for your final sprint. I have known about this tradition for a long time but was always curious about the delivery system. Meaning, how do they get the football to you?

As my feet hit the field, a woman holding a football locked eyes with me with a “Do you want one?” look in her eye. I nodded yes and then she launched an underhand throw that was, what we call in football parlance, a “hospital throw”. I had to reach up and back to my right, when I was going to my left, to catch the ball. I snagged it with memories of how I used to be able to do the same back in the day as a wide receiver and corralled the errant pass. I barely had time to think about whether I would have stopped to grab the ball if I had dropped it when I realized that we had to run about 70 yards, make a right hand turn, make another right hand turn, and then run 70 yards back to the finish. I looked at my watch as I made the first turn and saw the distance of 13.1 and a time of 1:39:20. Damn it. This was going to be close.

I tucked the football into my right arm and envisioned breaking tackles as I realized that even though the clock was quickly approaching 1:40, I probably still had five seconds to spare from my chip time.
I crossed the line in 1:39:50 according to my watch, fulfilling the prophecy I had written in my spreadsheet the night before. I finally got that sub-1:40 which had eluded me recently.

I stopped for a few seconds to catch my breath, grabbed two small bottles of very cold water and immediately exited the stadium. I had to walk back to my AirBnb, shower, and drive two plus hours to Cincinnati to watch my beloved Bears play the Bengals before going home. A delayed flight meant I could stay longer than originally planned.

If you follow football at all you know I witnessed one of the most bonkers games in recent NFL history. And my Bears won.

Today was a good day.

Stats: 4th in my AG, 73rd OA (out of 1102) and my 116th slowest half-marathon ever.  Next up I have two half marathons three days apart in New Mexico and Arizona in less than a week.  That will leave me with just 8 states to go in running a half-marathon in all 50 state before I turn 50 in May.

I also have to get my final marathon state in there as well.

Ljubljana Half-Marathon Recap

A Runner's Ramblings: Volume 19; 4th Edition
52.4 miles run in 2025 races
Race: Ljubljana Half Marathon
Place: Ljubljana, Slovenia 
Miles from home: 4822 miles
Weather: 40 degrees, 90% humidity

My last half-marathon was in Ely where I carried a canoe for 13.1 miles. I assumed this race would be much faster. But it didn't come easy.

Two days after I ran the 13.1 in Ely I caught some sort of cold. And then it stayed with me for a month. In addition, back in June I had nose surgery to fix a perforation in my septum. I went for a less evasive procedure by getting a septal button put in. I was told some people can stand it forever and others want it out immediately. I was determined to not be the latter but as time went on it became clear that not only was it not really fixing the problem I had, it was to painful and too uncomfortable to stay in there. However, I asked too soon before I was gone for basically two weeks to both put on the brand new Break The Bank 50 Mile and run this race in Slovenia to get it removed. 

My doctor however, did get me in to snip some pieces before the Break the Bank raceto make it feel better. Unfortunately, that made everything worse and the exterior of my nose was affected by some sort of infection. It was excruciatingly painful to the touch. I put on a smiling face the entire race day when I was in a great deal of pain.  This must have came through my messages to my doctor as he slid me in super early in the morning before my flight out of the country to get it removed entirely. While I feel that actually made the infection worse and the exterior painful again at least I had the button out of my nose. I was dosed up on amoxicillin and hope as I essentially left the doctor's for the airport.

Fast forward to Ljubljana and let me tell you this is a fantastic city and country. So gorgeous. Seriously, stop what you are doing and book a trip here if for no reason than to see the Postojna Cave. I was gobsmacked by this cave and can count on one hand the number of times I have been so moved by something in nature.  I made another trek to Lake Bled to see what virtually everyone with a screen saver has seen. It even made my sickness and nose pain subside a little bit.

I decided to go for at least a small run before the race and eked out a 4 miler in an attempt to explore the city a little bit. Granted I had been all over the area I stayed by walking but it is crazy how much more of a city you can see by running. I felt so good on this run that I decided to do a short three-miler the day before the race. That went amazing. In fact, I got back and for the first time in a month, I felt my sickness had abated. Furthermore, all week the noise pain had been diminishing and today it was down to about 1/3 of what it had been. Tickled pink is the phrase they use.

Race morning:

My AirBnB (which was in a literal bridge across a road) was just 3/4 a mile from the start and merely a half mile away from the finish. Every morning in my stay in Ljubljana was the same: cloudy and humid and foggy until about 11 a.m. and then the sun burst through for a gorgeous day. Race morning eschewed all of that fog and just started us off with a cool morning. Still humid but at 40 degrees, not too bad. I was hoping to go sub 1:40 and set a new PR for my new knee but I knew that a month of sickness doesn't help one get into shape.

I got to the start just barely five minutes before guntime to stand in the corral before the begin of the race. I was one of the last people they let into my corral before the closed it wit ha ziptie. I am glad I didn't have to hurdle a fence this morning. Not quite there just yet.

This was far and away the largest race I have run in a decade. Over 7,439 finishers in the half marathon with an additional 2,871 running the marathon. It was January 2016 in Miami the last time I had this many in a half-marathon. It was the Twin Cities marathon in 2015 when I was surrounded by this many

marathoners. I mentioned this because the energy of a big marathon is so unbelievably different than a low key race. Definitely pros and cons to both but having more people than leaves cheering you on is something that can't be missed. 

A large arch with a digital display counted down from 10 and away we went.

First Three Miles: 7:07, 7:34, 7:36

I had to avoid more than a few people who decided to line up out of place (I will NEVER for the life of me understand why people do this) and just tried to find a spot where I could run unimpeded.  I was pulled along by the crowd as I couldn't begin to judge my pace as well as I used to be because of the sickness, time off, etc. I was shocked to see I almost broke seven minutes and immediately dialed it back. 

One of the things I liked most about this course was how many straightaway runs we had. I really enjoy not thinking about turns and just going. I was pleased I brought my pace back to what my goal was for the race (7:37) even if I felt it was a little harder of a run to garner that time. 

When we finally made a turn at 2.5 miles, a high school-esque band (I didn't see them so I just assumed) was deep into the throes of AC/DC's "Highway to Hell". As I made the turn, they hit the chorus and I felt alive. It didn't really propel me to a faster mile time but I was happy and smiling.

I was also sweating. Nothing new for me. But I noticed that when I pinned my bib to my shirt it was made of an odd material. Felt rather flimsy and thin. Sure enough, in the second mile, I had already sweat through the right corner and the safety pin had ripped the bib. I jammed it through the bib again and hoped this wouldn't be a repeat problem. Somehow it held on for the rest of the race, although barely.

To Mile Six: 7:45, 7:38, 7:54

Another mile and a half straight run awaited me as we ran through some lovely parts of Ljubljana. I was a

little disappointed to have my first mile over my goal pace but bounced back with a mile right on. This surprised me as there was an underpass we ran under and I hate uphills. Just hate them. Wish I was better at them but I am not. In addition, the next portion after that was a slow sloping uphill. Running well uphill was new for me and this is were is where I was beginning to think that a 1:39 was possible. I felt good. Weather was great. Let's go baby! 

This was the only part of the course that was less than lovely. Most races have them. You have to get the mileage somewhere and sometimes that is going to be in more industrial park areas. I didn't mind too much here. There was a girl in a blue shirt that I had locked onto who was running my pace. I would surge ahead and then she would. So in the crowd of thousands, she was the one I looked at. I was hoping we would finish together.

I ran through one aid station and grabbed a nearly full cup of water.  I took a big draught and felt satiated. I saw the runner to my left hadn't tried to dodge the minefield of discarded cups and runners darting in and out of the water table to grab their own drink.  I handed my cup to them and said, "Water?"

"O, thanks," she said in perfect English.

"Are you American?" I asked.

"Sure am!"

"Small world. Have a great race!"  Never saw her again. Hope she did well.

Onward to Mile 10: 7:59, 8:04, 8:06, 8:08

The small upward climb continued but even as I slowed a bit I was able to keep my mile under eight minutes. But just barely. As I approached the 8th mile the 1:40 pace group leader passed me. I was a little disappointed here as I didn't feel like I was slowing. Perhaps they were a little off pace. I just wanted to keep him in sight and push hard at the end when I almost always can.

I knew the biggest hill of the course ended at mile nine. I pushed hard and when the 8th and 9th miles were just barely over eight minutes, I felt vindication. With a nice downhill to the tenth mile I should be able to make up the time lost. I am bad at uphills but good at downhills. 

However, I had nothing. I tried hard to turn the legs over when the downhill presented itself but not only did I not speed up, I slowed down. Poop. That's new but I can handle it. The rest of the race is flat. Maybe I can still get me a 1:41 if I can just nab a few 7:45 minute miles. 

To the Finish: 8:19, 8:39, 8:20, 7:18 (for .1)

So much for that. Even with another slight downhill I was simply flagging. I was now reaching for waters when I wasn't even thirsty and chomping on orange slices when I knew they weren't going to miraculously give me the energy I needed. Feeling the best I had in a month propelled me through four miles. Not dealing with my nose helped for another three. Desire got me another two. But the lack of training was now rearing its ugly head.

I began to rely on number of tricks to get me through a race but none of them were working. I was dangerously close to walking just to find a second of recovery to get me to move fast again. The crowds which had been omnipresent were lifting all the runners with their chants and cowbells and whistles and the like. The city really does come out for this, the biggest race in Slovenia. Unfortunately they were doing little for me. Seeing an 8:39 for the 11th mile hurt my pride more than anything else. I wasn't going to finish like this.

I couldn't do the math to tell me if I was going to beat my previous new knee PR from Bozeman last month. But I knew it was going to be close. I dug deep and even though an 8:20 isn't great, at this point, with a small rise near the end, it was herculean. I turned the wheels up a little bit more in the final push for a 7:18 pace for the final .1. 

I did succeed in setting a new PR in 1:44:28.  I also finished 1,032nd. In the men alone. Holy crap. (Looks like about 148 women beat me as well.) That is the furthest I have finished back in any half marathon race. Ever. Only Boston, NYC and Disney in my first marathon of the 52 I ran in a row in 2006 had me in a lower place overall. The runners came out to run today in Slovenia! 

It is times like this when I know that speed is relative. But to know I once ran nearly two minutes faster per mile for a half marathon makes me appreciate the speed I once had. It wasn't too long ago, before the knee injury and surgery(-ies) I was knocking on that door again. I might not get back there but I fully expect that I will be under 1:40 soon. Then under 1:35. Then 90 minutes will be next.

The main thing is I never once thought about my knee during the race. Just eight months since the surgery, with four half marathons under my belt in the last 90 days, I know I have helped breathe some hope into a few fellow runners. Some specifically for knee injuries and others for their various other maladies. If nothing else, that's a pretty good thing.

But I want more. So in two weeks I will be back at it again at the Marshal University Half Marathon where right now the weather looks good, I am told the course is fast, and I will hopefully be two more weeks illness and nose pain free!