Maui Marathon 2015 Recap

    After running last year's 2014 Maui marathon they offered us a deal.... I Love A Good Deal, if we signed up right away for the next year's race it would only cost us $35 a person compared to the normal marathon price of $100. So Diane and I forked over the money Plus we signed up our husbands too. No laying on the beach and drinking beer for them while us girls are out running. Surprise! and the best part was we were still saving money :) Kent and Diane decided to make it a vacation while we just wanted to fly in the day before to run our race and return home immediately after. The benefits of working for an airline is flying for free and choosing your own dates of travel if there's space available. 

   Kent and Diane picked us up when we arrived on Saturday night and played tour guide during the drive from the airport to the hotel which happened to be the marathon course. Lots to see along the very scenic coastal road. Maui was as beautiful as I had remembered from the previous year and glad to be back because my husband had never been to that part of Hawaii.      

       We were all very excited to run the next day. Although the weather forecast wasn't looking so promising. The Majestic Hawaiian island was expecting its usual high temperatures in the mid to upper 80's but also 100% chance of light rain in the morning. Oh Boy... Another experience of Hot and Steamy!! I'm glad I'd run it before knowing there was plenty of ice and cold water at the many many aid stations along the route. 

     Our alarm went off way too early race morning because we had to catch the 3:15am bus to the start line. Just like last year it was a fantastic unforgettable pre race event Hawaiian style. A lot of high energy with hula dancers, native fire twirlers and drums beating loudly, oh and we can't forget the Zumba class just before the start. Our National anthem sang in English then the Japanese anthem in their langue followed by a quiet 5am start in the warm rain. 

    If you remember from a previous blog I ran the Destin Beach Ultra in February for Paige she had just been given good news by her doctors after fighting leukemia for a year she was Cancer free and able to go back to school. The remission didn't last long Paige's mom Amy contacted me just before going to Maui in September with bad news... her Cancer was back :(  Now this 15 year old girl is in her second battle with cancer. More aggressive treatment was planned and a bone marrow transplant was needed. Cancer Sucks!! I have said many prayers for that girl and she's helped inspire me during the hard times in my races so I dedicated the Maui marathon to Paige. 

     I had a good feeling about this race and my plan was to run easy because of the extreme humidity. The roads were actually a little slick from the rain and the sunrise came after about an hour into the run. Hot and steamy with the rain being intermittent and the sun trying to poke through. When I finally started paying attention to my watch at mile 13, to my surprise, I was on an average pace of 10 minute miles. Wow! feeling good, should be about a  4:20 marathon. The miles kept coming 15, 18, and 20 still a solid 10 minute pace. Then I realized I'd been conscious of drinking lots of liquid but not eating any calories. I started getting really nauseous a combination of the heat with lots of water in my stomach. Oops....  I was heaving my guts out for the next 2 miles (a very slow 2 miles) I finally recovered to where I could run again and finished the last 4 miles. Completing the race in a good time of 4 hours 42 minutes. Lesson learned EAT!!! 

   We all had a great run that day. After the post race beer and celebration it was off to find some amazing Hawaiian cuisine since my husband and I were leaving bright and early in the morning for home. 

  

Hotter than Hell

   I signed up for a race last year in New Orleans LA over the 4th of July weekend. Hotter than Hell 10 Hour Endurance Run.

I figured I'd try out my massive amounts of heat training and see what I could run in 10 hours, my goal was 50 miles. The race started at 8pm and finished at 6am all night running with hot humid weather conditions even after the sun goes down, that's 'My Kind Of Fun'. Complete as many 2 mile loops on a dimly lit wide paved path changing direction every now and then in Audubon Park located at the heart of the very old and beautiful Garden District of New Orleans. If you weren't that crazy to endure 10 hours of fun you could sign up for the Marathon distance that started at Midnight.

Mileage was your responsibility to track on a large chalk board an Honor System amongst runners.

People take this event to the extreme 'Mardi Gras style' and really design funky costumes with all kinds of reflective clothing and blinking lights. It was a really nice change to some of the other races I'd been involved in no stress or worries no awards, no cash prizes, or bling and not really even a winner just knowing that you completed a certain distance was good enough. Just good old fashioned ultra running bring your own supplies of food and water along with coolers of beer and just run. You could get a long sleeve finishers shirt (which I thought was odd for New Orleans in July) for completing the marathon distance if you gave a donation to the event organizers charity of choice, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. 

   I talked my Maui Marathon running partner, Diane, along with her husband Kent to join us for the fun festivities. They said "Why not we're up for a new adventure". Little did they know I wanted them to run farther than a marathon. Diane exceeded my expectations and ran her very first 50k distance (31miles) officially becoming an ultra marathoner. What an accomplishment after having only started running 4 years ago. I'm so proud that she kept her mind focused and her legs going forward. Kent enjoyed the tranquility of night running while being completely drenched in sweat from head to toe and able to change his shirt at least 6 times Kent finished his marathon with a big smile on his face saying next year he'd like to tackle the longer distance. 

   Now for my husband..... On his second loop around he decided to run with me for awhile. Talking laughing and having fun as we always do he wasn't paying attention to where he was going and tripped on the Only Speed Bump out on the course. Yes a speed bump, what maybe 4 inches high and painted bright yellow? That's my husband :) as he was trying not to smash his head into a steel guardrail and a stop sign post he twisted his body as he fell saving his face (thank you Love). Getting up and doing a full body check finding a strange sensation in his calf he decided to walk the lap and stretch it out. I kept running knowing I'd catch him later. Back at the start/finish area where we set up camp with all our supplies I found him sitting and icing his calf. Sorry to hear that he was done for the night with only 4 miles completed. Sometimes that happens we always say "Live To Fight Another Day". Well it was still early and with a quick kiss knowing he was ok I was off on the rest of my run. Loop after loop went by seeing Kent and Diane actually enjoying themselves running and joking about who was gonna start drinking beer first. Diane was the first to tattle later she said my husband was out running again. WHAT!!!  I caught up to him and he said he was doing well and really wanted to complete the marathon. I wasn't happy but it was his choice. Still on a great pace to reach my goal of 50 miles easily but few more hours later I saw my husband struggling and his calf was swelling up like a watermelon so I decided to run/walk with him and keep him company for the remainder of his race. I really wanted him to finish. He only had 4 1/2 laps to go. When he finished I sat him down and got him more ice for his calf it really didn't look very good. Once again his choice. Stubborn Men!! Popped him a couple of beers while Diane and Kent joined him. Another quick kiss I still had some time to go out for a couple more laps. Finishing my run with 40 miles not bad considering I rendered aid and assistance to my foolish husband. Live to fight another day and saved the husband too, I earned a Beer!! 

    The celebrations began for Diane who completed her first ultra distance. Being in New Orleans pulling an all nighter was awesome. We didn't even start drinking until the wee hours of the morning after completing our races. Followed by breakfast at the famous Mother's Restaurant with their amazing eye opening mouth watering Bloody Mary's finished the day off perfect. 

      

    

Badwater 135 recap...

   Living and experiencing my dream race through Dale as his Crew Chief for Badwater 135, was the most Amazing Really Cool thing I've ever done, well right up there with marrying my husband and finding out they sell Nutella in the family size jar. What an extreme honor and pleasure to be chosen to head up the most awesome team of people Sami, Carl and Nick to help Dale reach his goal of running the Worlds Toughest Race, 135 miles of scorching dry desert heat carrying all our supplies of ice food and gear for 5 people in one mini van over a 40 hour time frame. WooHoo!! We did it and we all still like each other. 

     The fun stuff began on Sunday as we went shopping and loaded up a pallet of bulk food and water from Sam's Club then on to Walmart for the additional smaller sized food. Ok now... how to pack all this and our running gear for 5 people into the mini van for a 3 hour drive. Well that's where my longevity as a expert flight attendant packer came into play!!  Anything that wouldn't melt in the extreme heat we strapped to the roof of the van. And away we went... off to the desert. Road Trip!! 

     The not so fun stuff... When arriving in Furnace Creek, Death Valley National Park, California  midday, a scorching 116 degrees outside, we had to unpack the van sorting through what goes where and in who's room. Piles and piles of stuff, some things had to be iced down in the coolers other things stored for later use that week. A quick change into running clothes for a 3-4 mile group heat acclimation run. I was out the door with a bottle of viseine for the dry eyes, SPF lip baum and a full water bottle ... off we went down the road. 

   The exciting stuff... Monday morning after another run to stretch out the legs and a quick trip down to the famous Badwater Basin start line for photos. Runner check in was at 1pm. Dale got his swag bag, bib number and lots of pre race photos. We got to meet/talk with all the running 'Legends' such an Amazing experience. 

       Tuesday night 8pm was race start. A perfect evening for a run. Overhead was a big beautiful full moon, desert style hot dry air and the mountains off in the distance. My months of planning, scheduling, preparation, training  and nonstop worrying paid off. I couldn't believe everything came together without too many hitches. But of course I'd been working with an amazing crew and a very prepared runner. 

    Early Thursday morning Dale started his last big climb. We were all just so bone weary tired a few short hours before. Getting Dale to the finish line was our only goal so digging deep, reenergizing, and staying focused is what we did!! The finish line is at The Portal of Mt Whitney 8,360ft above sea level covering 135 miles in 39hr 23min. Not a dry eye to be had (or maybe it was just allergies) by this crew. 

    The crazy stuff...let me quote you some prices of essentials we paid for while we were there for the week. Gas $5.09 gallon. Bag of ice 10lbs $4. Gallon of water $4. Chef salad $15.  Pizza 10" $28. Canister of Pringles $4. My treat each day a 20oz bottle of Soda $3. I know why they call it the worlds toughest foot race but I think they should rename it 'the worlds most expensive race'. 

   The reality of stuff... I lived and experienced my Dream Race vicariously through Dale. I can now say 'I Went To Badwater' and be happy and content... For Now :) 

  Thank You Dale

  

The Series...

   Part of my busy schedule this summer was dedicated to helping a good friend, Dale reach his goal. My husband and I met him years ago while running the Destin Beach Ultra Run and found out that Dale and I ran some of the same races and had similar race goals. The biggest one being Badwater 135. Dale had already started an eight year running plan that would allow him to apply and get accepted this year. He didn't just want to run only Badwater he wanted to complete the Ultra Cup Series. The first event in the Ultra Cup Series..... Badwater Cape Fear, a solo 51 mile race with most of it run on the coastal beach of North Carolina. The second event in the Ultra Cup Series....Badwater Salton Sea, an 81 mile race which requires 3 runners, Dale, Carl and Nick to stay together the entire time and finish a grueling course of extreme heat in the California desert to a very cold high altitude climb up the Palomar Mountain range. Myself and two other crew members (Yvonne and Sami) helped out with that and drove a support crew vehicle along the race course suppling all their water, food and tons of encouragement throughout their under 24 hour finish. 

    We had so much fun that Dale gathered us back together again for his last race of the Ultra Cup Series...Badwater 135. He runs 135 miles in Death Valley National Park CA while Sami, Carl, Nick and myself were his badass support crew (along with Yvonne cheering loudly from Texas) giving him everything he needed to complete 135 miles.

     I'm was so honored to be apart of it. Heat Training, Crewing and Pacing. I really enjoyed spending time with my amazing Badwater Team... Sami, Carl, Nick and most of all Dale. What an amazing job he did of completing his race. 

   It was awesome to meet and hang with the other ultra runners and crews during Salton Sea and Badwater. The friendships and lifelong connections you make are forever. 

Busy Summer...

  The last few years we have worked on some short and long term goals for our future and retirement life. Since March things have been busy finalizing the sale of our house and getting things in order to downsize into apartment living. 

    Selling the house and was the first step. While downsizing we weeded out, threw away, sold at our garage sale and Craig's listed. You'd think we were hoarders or something. I always thought and took pride in myself thinking that I lived a pretty minimalist lifestyle and didn't collect things. Boy, was I ever wrong, after almost sixteen years of living in the same house it Always Adds Up. My closet alone made me want to laugh and cry at times when I couldn't fit all my clothes into the trunk of the car. I had to fold down the back seat and use that space to get it all in. Omg!!  Now that we're in the new apartment and still getting settled, I'm continuing the process of cleaning out closets... again. Promising myself to be extremely vigilant about staying very minimalist in our new apartment lifestyle. So far I'm right on track. 

   The second step was to spend April through July doing heat training and acclimation for a couple of events I had scheduled to run and crew in extreme conditions. I like being hot but this heat training was a whole new ball game for me. I signed up for Hot Yoga classes. Picture this... A small room heated to 105 degrees and 45% humidity for an hour at a time. Wow, some real sweating going on. I started out slowly and built my way up to at least 4 hours a day on my days off. During the entire class I would be covered head to toe in layers of clothing. Yep, while all my fellow yogi's were dressed minimalist I was fully clothed. My yoga instructors knew what I was doing and understood, and even embraced it. Everyone kept to themselves and didn't give me too many funny looks during class but lots of questions when they found out what I was doing.  I found hotels on my trips that offered dry saunas so I could actually simulate the dry desert heat. Moist heat, dry heat it's all the same its HOT. This was preparing me for Death Valley CA in July. Helping a friend reach his goal. I'd be in 116/120 degree heat for about a week total. Now I'd say that's my kinda fun. 

   Love this... I always try and challenge, push and better myself each and every day. I have struggled this year trying to keep up with everything. Thanks to all who have stayed with me through out my blogging dry spell. 

   

   

Thank You

   I'd like to take a moment to thank you all so much for taking an interest and following this part of my life. It's my extreme passion for running and fitness that led me to writing this blog and my hope is that I can share some motivation, inspiration, and/or just a few entertaining stories. This blog was definitely  outside the box and my comfort zone, but the writing has helped me keep my passions fueled. Knowing that someone actually reads this stuff truly warms my heart. My friend Rachel helped me set up this blog site, I'm not a very savvy computer tech person. She had to walk me through starting a google account so I could get my own gmail address. I have recently found out that if you'd like to 'comment' on my blog you have to also have a Google gmail address. I hope  this helps out and answers the many questions I've had about posting comments, questions etc. and makes it a little easier. 

 

   Have a great Running Day!