43 - Holualoa Tucson Marathon, Tucson, Arizona

Holualoa Tucson Marathon

Mark and I arrived in Phoenix late Friday afternoon and drove two hours to Tucson.  We expected the weather in Arizona to be warmer — the temperature was cold —similar to what it had been when we boarded the airplane in Newark. It ended up being a very long travel day, so we had dinner at the restaurant in the hotel (Hilton Tucson El Conquistador) and turned in for the night.

Saturday morning, the first order of the day was to pick up my race number, which was at our hotel, the marathon "host" hotel.  Then we headed out for sightseeing. On our way into downtown Tucson, we had breakfast at the Bisbee Breakfast Club; I had done an online search for "breakfast all day in Tuscon" and found this place.

The afternoon was spent exploring the Tucson Museum of Art. We took a docent-led tour of Art of the American West, one of the museum's permanent collections and viewed the Bob Kuhn: Drawing on Instinct exhibit.  After the museum tour, we walked around the downtown area, which was a ghost town!  The historic Hotel Congress' restaurant, Cup Cafe was highly recommended for dinner, we had an early bite to eat there.  The hotel's main claim to fame is the fact that the notorious criminal John Dillinger stayed at the hotel in 1934, and his gang was captured shortly thereafter in Tucson.  Our waiter was a wealth of information about suggestions for our stay in Tucson and what to do in the area.

They were calling for cold temperatures at the start on Sunday, but I hadn't brought enough warm clothes with me. So on our way back to the hotel, we stopped at Target to get a cheap "throw-away" sweatshirt (and yes, we used our credit card at Target, so now we are carefully monitoring our charges after the Target credit card breach).

Starting area

Early Sunday morning, we were bused 26 miles north of Tucson to Oracle State Park, where we started at an elevation of just below 5000 feet.  They were right; it was freezing.  Fortunately, we were able to stay on the bus until just before the start.  Since this is a desert area, I never considered that the altitude would be this high, but within less than a mile, I was fully aware of it.  For the entire marathon, I never felt like I could catch my breath. Yes, course information is posted on the marathon website, but I rarely check out a course before I run it. I like the "surprise" factor, and I was certainly surprised.


The race course snaked along the foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains, and a bulk of the run was along Arizona State Route 77.  At one point, we turned off 77 and ran up to the entrance gate at the Biosphere 2.  Fortunately, the cloud cover was ideal for running, but the strong head wind was not. Taken together, the altitude and head wind did not make for a "fun" run, at least not for me.

Fortunately, our hotel had a hot tub, as well as a cold spring pool right next to it. So once I got back to the hotel, I changed into my swim suit and submerged by lower body in the cold spring (it was freezing!). The cold water helps to reduce the inflammation caused by the long run, and I knew that it would help the muscle soreness that I'd feel the next day.  After a few minutes in the icy water, I couldn't stand it any longer, and I jumped into the hot tub where Mark was already waiting (he had refused to jump in the ice water).  After warming up, we had lunch at the hotel, and then a nap was in order.

The waiter from the night before had recommended the Guadalajara Grill for dinner.  We went there for my marathon celebration dinner.  The table side prepared homemade salsa, which was simply amazing.

When we arrived back at the hotel, there was a wild boar running around the parking lot. How often do you see that in NYC or PA?!?

Post Marathon Vacation Outline:

Monday:
Lunch at The Cafe in Sonoita on our way to Tombstone
Toured Tombstone & Boothill Graveyard
Bisbee for coffee
Dinner back in Tucson at  Tavolino




Tuesday:
Breakfast at The Good Egg in Tuscon
Visited the Biosphere 2  for the afternoon
Drove to Florence so we could be closer to the airport - Holiday Inn Express
Dinner at L & B Inn in Florence



Wednesday:

Morning flight from Phoenix to Newark

42 - Des Moines Marathon, Des Moines, Iowa

Why did I run the Des Moines Marathon?  It's all because of my friend Ann, who I taught with at The School at Columbia. Ann is originally from Des Moines, and she suggested that I run my Iowa marathon there.  It was a great suggestion, especially since Ann was able to come along.

We flew out of Newark on Friday night, and Ann's mother (Caroline) picked us up at the airport in Des Moines.  We spent the weekend staying with her mom, who is a total sweetheart.  It is ALWAYS a treat to stay and travel with a local person.

Farmers' Market

Saturday morning, we woke to crisp, clear autumn weather. The local Farmers' Market was our first stop. This farmers' market is no small-town farmers' forum—it is "world class!"  While browsing, we had a tasty egg sandwich and a Dutch Letter cookie for desert. There were tons of local goodies.

Mid-morning, we walked over to the expo center to pick-up my race number.  At the expo, the race director was giving a talk about the race the next day and what to expect.  He also recommended some sight-seeing opportunities for Des Moines.  Ann and I decided to take the tour of the State Capitol Building.  The tour was free and our guide was a wealth of knowledge about the Iowa government.

After the Capitol Building tour, our next stop was the Court Avenue Brewing Company, both for lunch and some local brew (Belgian White).  On our way home, we stopped at Dahl's supermarket to pick-up some marathon morning breakfast fuel.  Back at her mom's house, we relaxed for a bit, then had dinner at Skip's, a local favorite of Ann and her family.

Sunday morning, I was up bright and early, but once again the time-change g-ds were shining down on me. Ann dropped me near the Locust Street Bridge (the starting/finishing area) about 20 minutes before the start.  (Thank you Ann!) Brisk autumn air surrounded the starting area with the State Capitol Building as the backdrop.  Moments before the start, the sun make a brief appearance.

About 3 miles into the course, I heard someone yell my name— it was Ann.  She was with Tracy, her sister,  and Tracy's dog, Sophie; they were cheering me on.  It was a GREAT spot for them to be, since it was the beginning of the 'hills' portion of the course, which continued up hill until about mile 8 where the course flattened out.

Howling Basset Hounds

During this 'hills' portion, there was a women with her three basset hounds along the course; her hounds were howling barks of encouragement for the marathoners, making the hills more bearable.

For most of the marathon, I floated with the 4:25 pace group; the weather was ideal for marathoning— cloudy and cool, but not too cold.  We got to see lots of local sights: the home of the Governor of the State of Iowa; Waterbury, North Ingersol, and Drake Neighborhoods; the historic Jim Duncan Track at Drake University;  and 3 great parks — Greenwood Park, Water Works Park, and Gray's Lake Park.

The finish line at the Locust Street Bridge was a welcomed sight.  After the finish, there we physical therapist on hand to stretch out the runners.  Ann met me near the physical therapist tents with a coffee and a much needed BLT sandwich, which I had while I waited my turn to be "stretched."

On Sunday night, my marathon celebration dinner was held at Tracy's (Ann's sister) house.  A friend of hers, Jane Wolff, joined us.  Jane is originally from Minnesota and much to my surprise, has cousins in Hector, Minnesota where Mark is from!  According to Mark's mom (Lois), there may be a distant connection between the  Peterson's and the Wolff's.  (Mark always claims to be related to everyone in town in some way!) Also, one of Mark's high-school classmates (Pam Keinholtz) had Wolff as her maiden name.  I contacted Pam, and she said Jane could be a distant relation.

Gray's Lake

On Monday morning, we woke up to another gorgeous autumn day,  Ann, Caroline and I went to Gray's Lake Park and walked around the lake, a two-mile loop.  It was much more enjoyable this morning, than it had been the day before. During the marathon, we had run around Gray's Lake, but that was about mile 23, when I was ready to be done!

Late morning, Caroline dropped Ann and me at the airport for our journey home.



Thank you Ann for showing me the true Iowa!

41 - Fox Valley Marathon, St. Charles, Illinois

Expo location in St. Charles.

Mark and I landed at Chicago O'Hare airport on Friday afternoon.  We rented a car and drove to St. Charles to pick-up my race number; the expo was small, but everyone was friendly. We had a late lunch at Isacco, then drove into downtown Chicago to our hotel — Westin Chicago River North. We hit tons of traffic getting into Chicago late Friday afternoon and were pretty exhausted from traveling all day so we had dinner at the hotel.

On Saturday morning, our first stop was the Apple store.  Mark's cell phone had crashed that morning when he tried to download the iOS7 upgrade.  He made an appointment with the Apple Genius Bar to come back later in the day.  An Apple employee recommended a place close by for breakfast called the West Egg Cafe. It was a delicious recommendation. During breakfast, we talked with a local couple about what we should do for the day. They suggested the Architecture River Tour, which sounded interesting, so we decided to do that.  We walked over to Gateway Park at the Navy Pier to embark upon the hour tour.  The tour was chock-full of great information, and the guide was highly entertaining.

After the cruise, we walked over to Millennium Park and explored there for a while, then headed back to the hotel.  Mark was staying in downtown Chicago for a meeting the next day.  I drove back to St. Charles to spent the night there in preparation for the marathon the following morning.

Instead of a massive generic pasta dinner on Saturday night, the marathon race committee had arranged something called "Dine and Dash: pre-race dinner parties" at some local restaurants.  Two local people hosted runners for dinner at a restaurant.  I choose the 7 PM seating at Villa Verone.  Katie and Mike were the hosts and their daughter Gina was in town to help out.  Two other people joined us —Christine and Tricia —both from the Chicago area.  Our "party" was small compared to the other "parties."  Most runners had opted for earlier seatings. On my way back to my hotel (Holiday Inn Express), I stopped at Forever Yogurt for some additional pre-marathon nourishment.

Arcedium Coffeehouse

On Sunday morning, the time change g-ds were in my favor.  The drive to the starting / finishing area was quick and easy:  I really enjoy these smaller marathons where hassles are kept to a minimum.  I had about 45 minutes to kill before the start at 7 AM so I walked around.  Much to my delight, there was an open coffee shop (Arcedium Coffeehouse) at the starting line!

It was a little chilly that morning, so I relaxed with a cup of "Jump Start" in the coffee house until 5 minutes before the start. Honestly, I don't think there could have been any better planning for the starting line!

Sunrise.

Moon set. 

It was a beautiful morning to be running the Fox Valley Marathon in St. Charles, both the sun rise and moon were in view and cool temperatures prevailed.  I decided to start out with the five-hour pace group, and it took about 25 minutes for us to get to the start.

Katie (maroonish tank top) and her friends behind (pink tank top and white T-shirt).

I ran the first few miles alone, then I came upon Katie (host from the night before) and two of her friends who were running the 20-miler.  In addition to the marathon (26.2 miles), there was a half-marathon (13.1 miles) and a 20-mile run.  Many people were doing the 20 mile run as a long training run for the Chicago Marathon scheduled for October 13.  The 20-mile run split from the marathon, and then it was Katie and me, alone chatting about life.  A porta-potty beckoned Katie, so we parted ways.

Then I came upon Christine, one of the women from Chicago that I had dinner with the night before. We ran together and chatted for a while until she was beckoned by a porta-potty.  Finally I met up with Tricia, the other "Chicago" woman from the night before.  She and I ran to the finish together. Her parents were there to cheer her in, which always makes the finish a bit more fun!

A pleasant surprise was one of the post race snacks...local steak!  They were handing out small pieces on toothpicks.  I lingered by that area for a long time.  After you left the finishing area, there was another tent with physical therapists giving free massages...yet another bonus! I didn't get a massage but had the physical therapist stretch me out.

A shower was desperately needed; I drove back to the hotel, showered and then drove back to the finishing area to meet Tricia, her parents, and Christine at a local place called The Office for a celebration lunch.  Runners were given drink tickets for a free beer at The Office, and we indulged.

Back at the hotel, I stretched and relaxed.  Next door to the hotel was Gino's East, where I had an amazing Chicago deep dish pizza for my 41st state marathon celebration dinner.  The next morning, I flew back to NYC.

There were a lot of nice little perks to this marathon (including spending a full day exploring downtown Chicago with Mark).  The Dine and Dash pre-race dinner party was an excellent idea — a great way to meet new friends!

40 - Maryville Marathon, Maryville, Missouri

Maryville is located in the northwest part of Missouri, close to the center of "the Quad-State area" — Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, and Kansas (see map: http://www.maryvillechamber.com/documents/viewbook.pdf).

It was about an hour and half drive from Kansas City, Missouri, where I flew into.  Why did I choose the Maryville Marathon?

It fit my schedule, and I had yet to run a marathon in Missouri.

George playing laouto.

On Friday after I arrived, I headed up to Maryville in my rental car to check-in for the race.  Along the way, I stopped for some Bar-B-Q at Bandana's in St. Joseph, the capitol of Missouri.  Race check-in was at the local Chamber of Commerce office in Maryville.  For dinner, I ate at A & G Restaurant, a local hot spot which was highly recommended.  That night was Greek night and, in addition to a Greek special menu, the owner (George) played Greek music with his laouto.

Saturday morning at 6:30 AM, the fun began; the "time change gods" were in my favor by one hour.  There were about 300 people in all four races (5K, 10K, half-marathon and a full-marathon) and all the races started at the same time.  The full-marathon had 60 finishers; the course was two loops of the half-marathon course.

Sunrise at the start.

For the first 13.1 miles, I took it slow and easy; we were running with the half marathoners so there were an "adequate" number of other runners.  From mile 4 to 9, there was a slight incline, and it was along a straight stretch of US Highway 71.  During this first loop, the sun was beating down, with no shade anywhere to be found.  I certainly was not looking forward to the second loop, when the sun would be higher in the sky and it would be much hotter.

My "plan" was to pick-up the pace for the second 13.1 miles. So, after the half-way point, I still felt OK and did pick-up my pace.  But running the loop the second time, it got noticeably lonely (none of the half-marathon runners were running this second loop).  By the time I got to mile 17, I threw "my plan" into the vast empty fields, of which there were tons.   On this second loop, that incline from mile 4 to 9 now stretched from mile 17 to 22— it felt like I was climbing Mount Everest!  In addition, on this second loop, a strong head wind  had developed. Things were not looking as they were supposed to ....

Fortunately, it clouded up so the intense heat I had anticipated never came.  However, the course on US Highway 71 was perfectly straight, and it seemed to just go on forever. I started to believe that this marathon was NEVER going to end.

The volunteers along the course were great; there were 13 water stations along the 13.1 mile loop, thank goodness! I cherished each of those stations, especially the second time around.  At the station at mile 6 and again at mile 19, the volunteers handed out wet wash clothes, always a refreshing "gift" during a hot marathon.

The finish was pretty anti-climatic with not many spectators to cheer us in. But that finish line was an incredibly welcoming sight for me!  After I took a shower in the local community center, I drove back to Kansas City, had dinner, and crashed for the night. The next morning, I had an early flight home.

39 - The Flying Pig Marathon, Cincinnati, Ohio

Why is it called the "Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon?"

"In the 1800s, when riverboats plied the Ohio River, Cincinnati was a center of Western commerce. Since agriculture was a prime source of revenue in this area, boats filled with livestock and produce would dock in Cincinnati to sell their wares. Hogs were a major source of income for farmers here, as well, so pigs that were brought in by boat, or herded into town from area farms, were marched through the streets of Cincinnati to the processing plants. So many, in fact, that Cincinnati came to be known as "Porkopolis." 

Fast forward to 1988, when Cincinnati celebrated its Bicentennial. To mark the occasion, the city decided to renovate its riverfront area to include a "Bicentennial Commons" park. Noted designer Andrew Leicester, was commissioned to design the commons, which was to reflect the city's past. When he submitted his plans, one signature feature caught everyone's attention: The entrance to Bicentennial Commons would be four smokestacks, for the city's riverboat heritage, with four flying pigs on top, reflecting, according to Leicester, the spirits of the pigs who gave their lives so that the city could grow. 

After much outcry in City Council, who donned pig noses to debate whether the swine symbols would make the city the laughing stock of the country, the project was approved and the pigs became the signature sculpture of the new Cincinnati Riverfront.

In the mid-1990s, when a group of avid Cincinnati runners discussed starting a local marathon, the names "Queen City Marathon" and "River City Marathon" were discussed. But in the end, the only fitting name seemed to be one that continued to honor those popular pigs that once were ridiculed and now are celebrated. The "Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon" logo, bags and distinctive medals are prized possessions for runners around the country and, indeed around the world, leading Runner's World Magazine to call it the 'best named' marathon in the country!"

From: http://www.flyingpigmarathon.com/about_us/

"The Pig" as the locals call it, was the obvious choice for my Ohio marathon.

Nancy, a friend from NYC who now lives in Cincinnati, also highly recommended it.  A week before the marathon, I was in touch with Nancy to see if she would be around.  It turned out that she was running the marathon too!  BUT she was running it as a "training" run.  The following week (May 11) she was doing a 50K (31.0686 miles) trail run.  In addition to her being able to run really long distances comfortably, she is a Speedy Gonzales; because of these two factors, we didn't run the marathon together.  But she was nice enough to pick me up at the airport on Friday night and let me crash at her place that night with her three adorable kitties.

From back to front:  Nicholas, Grete, Kisa

On Saturday, we went to the marathon expo to pick-up our race numbers. On the way, we stopped at The BonBonerie, Nancy's favorite neighborhood bakery for coffee and a scone. After the expo, we drove and walked part of the course and stopped for lunch at Kitchen 452.

Our pre-race pasta dinner was at a running friend of Nancy's home.  Jason and his wife, Lilah, made a delicious turkey lasagne —Jason even made the lasagne noodles from scratch!  There is NOTHING like a homemade dinner.  After dinner, Nancy dropped me off at the hotel where I was staying at for the next two nights, which was conveniently located near the start and finish line of the marathon.

Marathon morning was an early calling. Unfortunately, there was no time change so a 6:30 AM start was a 6:30 AM start.  However, there was the most amazing sunrise, making it all worthwhile!

After a few miles, it clouded up and was raining by the time I crossed the finish swine, perfect conditions to run 26.2 miles.

That night, Nancy and I went to The Quarter Bistro in Mariemont for our celebration dinner and had ice cream after at Graeter's next door.

Monday, before I flew home, I walked around Cincinnati and "pigged out" on some of the local foods that were recommended:

Breakfast -  goetta, breakfast sausage at First Watch ...

                       

Lunch -  Skyline Chili ...

Snack - ice cream at Graeter's ... again.

Thank you Nancy, for making "The Pig" filled with squeals of delight!
AND
Congratulation on placing first in your age division in the Gnaw Bone Dances with Dirt 50K
on May 11, 2013!

PS - Did you know that March 1 is National Pig Day?

This is a video that I took at the start.


Here are some links to YouTube videos about the 2013 Flying Pig Marathon:

2013 Flying Pig Marathon with Original Sound

Notice anything 15 seconds into the video?

Flying Pig Marathon in under 2 minutes

Notice anything at 2:04 into the video?

The beginning of June, I received this award in the mail.  It was for the fastest last mile in my age group/sex. I had no idea!

38 - Garmin Marathon, In the Land of Oz - Olathe, Kansas

My 38th state marathon was the Garmin Marathon: In the Land of Oz, which was held in Olathe, Kansas. For those of you like me who didn't grow up in the Land of Oz, Olathe is pronounced "oh-lay-thuh," with the emphasis on "lay" —it is a Shawnee Indian word for "beautiful."   

Carol, a good friend from NYC, had been thinking about running her first marathon and choose this one.  It was a blast to share this experience with Carol, who did great!

We arrived in the "magical land of Oz" on Friday afternoon, rented a car, checked into our hotel, had lunch, picked-up our race numbers, and took a nap before dinner.  We partook in the customary pre-race pasta dinner offered by the marathon, which turned out to be one of the best pasta dinners that I've ever had! The dinner was held at a hotel next door to where we were staying, and I believe that the restaurant in the hotel, Johnny's Italian Steakhouse, was the culprit behind this delicious dinner. Scott Jurek, an American ultra runner gave a brief pep talk during the pasta dinner. Then it was early to bed to rest up for our 26.2 mile adventure along the yellow brick road.

Saturday morning was a sunny, chilly morning — perfect conditions to run a marathon. Getting to the start was hassle-free. Course support was impressive, despite the small running field; there were only 686 finishers.  There were "lions, and tigers, and bears! Oh my!" It was the fastest four and a half hours of my life - I remember the starting gun, and then the next thing I knew we were crossing the finish line.  We had a "wicked good time" each step of the way.

Carol was a trooper, as she expressed only positive emotions during the 26.2 miles.  Carol's heart, brain, and courage were with her long before we arrived in Oz.  After we finished, people asked her about her first marathon experience and all she said was: "It was so much fun!  Notice the smile on her face in each of these photos!

Alicia, Carol's friend from high school who lives in Kansas City, was at the Emerald City

finish line to cheer us in.

The rest of our stay was chock-full of naps and eating...

Jimmy John's... pre -pre-race pasta dinner, lunch -  Friday.
Steak 'n Shake...immediate post-marathon burger and shake - Saturday.
Johnny's Italian Steakhouse... post-marathon celebration dinner - Saturday.
Mom's Kitchen...post-marathon celebration breakfast - Sunday.
Rozzelle Court Restaurant at The Nelison-Atkins Museum of Art... post-marathon celebration lunch -  Sunday.
McCoy's Public House...post-marathon celebration, re-carbo loading - Sunday afternoon.
Port Fonda...post-marathon celebration dinner - Sunday.  This place had recently been written up in the NY Times.
The Q Hotel & Spa ... post-marathon celebration napping and sleeping  - Sunday night.
Blue Bird Bistro... post-marathon celebration breakfast - Monday.

Thank you Alicia for all the great restaurant recommendations!  Thank you Carol for a fun, memorable Kansas marathon!

37 - Little Rock Marathon, Little Rock, Arkansas

There was nothing little about the 11th Little Rock Marathon finisher's medal.  The Little Rock Marathon boasts "the world's largest marathon finisher's medal." It's true, it's mammoth!

The medal is a half-inch thick plate that is 8 inches long and weighs 2 pounds, 12 ounces— it's quite the sight to behold and an even bigger endeavor to wear when it was placed around my neck at the finish line!

I flew into Little Rock on Friday, March 1st and took a shuttle to The Peabody Hotel, home of the "world-famous Peabody Ducks."  Every day at 11 AM, the ducks depart the "Duck Palace," march down the red carpet laid out just for them and jump into the lobby fountain.  Then at 5 PM, they again march back across the red carpet to their Palace for the evening. The commentary on the following video was a random person standing next to me while I was taking the video.

 

On Friday night, I went to a local hot-spot, Cajun's Wharf for dinner.  On the shuttle to the restaurant I met Blayne, a women from Colorado who was also in town for the marathon.  Blayne and I ended up having dinner together. 

Saturday, I slept in and then walked the town.  Junction Bridge was my first stop on the way to the William J. Clinton Presidential Center, which was a short walk from my hotel.  I decided to give that a quick "walk by" because I really wanted to visit Little Rock Central High School, the location of the 1957 "forced school desegregation."  There was an informative, interactive center next to the high school, where I lingered for a long while.  

The high school is still in operation.  

That night, I had a delicious pasta dinner at the hotel and turned in early.  

Sunday morning, I had an "extra" hour of sleep due to the time change.  It was a frigid but sunny morning, with the temperature in the low 30's (I thought it was supposed to be warm in the South)!  The start line was a 5-minute walk from the hotel allowing me to leave the hotel 10 minutes before the start of the marathon. 

Mike Beebe

I love these "smaller" marathons (there were only 2,446 marathon runners).  The course took us by the Clinton Center, the Governor's Mansion (with the Governor himself, Mike Beebe  cheering us on), Little Rock Central High School, the State Capitol Building, and Rebsamen Park along the Arkansas River.  

                              I crossed the finish line in Riverfront Park with a time of 4:26:31.                                                                                       

I hit "The Wall" just after mile 20. 

It was still chilly when I finished, so I hightailed it back to the hotel for a hot shower.  There was no ice bath in my plans.  When I can, I like to soak in an ice bath after a marathon to ease the soreness but not this day. 

Across the street from my hotel was the historic Capitol Hotel.  Rumor had it that the Capitol Bar and Grill inside the hotel had a great burger, so I decided to check it out.  For marathon day, they were serving a special "marathon" burger— I'm still not really sure why adding mushrooms, onions and cheese would make a burger a "marathon" burger, but that's what it was. And yes, it was just what I needed to eat after the marathon!

A "Big & Bodacious Post Race Party" was being thrown by the Little Rock Marathon at the local convention center so I stopped by there.  There was a live band, BBQ and lots to drink, it was all included in the race entry fee.  I didn't stay long because I was quickly fading and I called it an early night.  Monday morning, I embarked on my journey home.