2020 Med City Marathon (Virtual-Unsupported) 30-Aug-20

The 25^th Med City Marathon was to take place in Rochester, MN back on May 24^th. Due to Covid-19, it was postponed until Sept 5^th, but eventually replaced with a virtual option. I had planned on running in Rochester as I had never been there. Once it went remote, I made plans to run it in August, as soon as the temps got down below 60 for a weekend-overnight. Checking the forecasts, it looked like Sunday August 30^th, showing lows of around 55, would be the day.

The week before my race, I received my race packet. On Saturday, with the help of my daughter, I opened it and got my full-zip race jacket and bag. I wouldn’t get the medal until I finished! The jacket is nice – never had any kind of shirt/jacket with the thumb holes. This has the zipper on the left-hand side (which is backwards from all other zippered jackets I have), but the medium fits well.

Set my alarm for 4:09am race morning (It’s never set for a typical time! Don’t ask), and woke up after a normal 6hr sleep. I had prepped my UD vest with 4 (vanilla) Gu’s and a headlamp, filled my 2L bladder with water, and hit the bathroom. Nothing out of the ordinary – the same shorts/shirt I always wear for long runs. Broke in a new pair of Asics 2000-7’s two weeks back, and stepped out my front door at 4:35. Temp was 57°, humidity was not unusual at 89%, but the air quality was a surprise, with it being in the ‘Moderate’ category (at 72)

Early, Moderate air quality?

Ran down the block, turned and made my way around the rec center fields, then across Wheelock Parkway and down to the Lake Phalen running paths. Each loop is supposed to be 3.1 miles. 8 loops, plus the extra 1.4mi to get there/back and I’d have my full 26.2 marathon.

in the dark

My plan was to run ~9:00min/mi pace to start, just a nice comfortable pace. I did hold my headlamp for some of the first lap – I usually start out at 5am for my 2-loops before work during the week, and the darkness is manageable without it – but I wanted to be extra-safe and not trip over something or run into a tree branch as I did a few weeks back (caught it just above my right eye). Loop one was over in 27:41 (after a 7:34 run to the lake). Took a short ~15 sec walk break each loop there, and continued on.
Grass was wet with dew, but never ran in it enough to get my shoes wet/squishy like at Trail Mix in mid-July.

Didn’t see a soul on the 2^nd loop either, and had a split of 27:57. Keeping around a 28min/loop pace was my initial goal, with slowly increasing it to be near 30, before having to give up on time and just make it through. I had only done one longer run since my Trail Mix 50 six weeks before – that was the 25k loop at Afton 3 weeks ago, after which my left ankle stayed sore, and was just now feeling better (~90% anyway). So ~20 miles was my goal to stay somewhat on pace, then limp my way to a ~4:15 – 4:30 finish. Goals – you never know how the day is going to go!

Loops 3 and 4 were fine (28:09 & 28:29), so I was at 13.1 miles in 1:59:52. Still felt really good, felt I would have plenty of water (and not have to text my wife to meet me to refill). Sun came up just as I came upon the end of loop 4 (~6:32am).

Loop 5 was more interesting – aside from the typical walkers out, when my left knee, about halfway through the lap, became very sore and had me limping for a stretch down the little hill on the east-side of the lake. Still, I ran it in 28:08 (2:28:00 total).

Soon after starting Lap 6, I had company. Another school parent lives nearby and I see her running sometimes on Sunday mornings. I let her know I’d be out, and she came out and slowed her pace to run a lap with me. 😊 That helped a ton, as I was started to struggle…my left knee was so-so, but my legs were getting heavy and sluggish. We had to dodge a few people as more walkers were coming out, but we did see something quite amazing – a bald eagle flew by us, very low to the lake! Certainly don’t see that (there) often! I pushed to do it in 30:09 (2:58:07 for ~19.3 miles), and felt glad to have made miles 16-19 in that pace.

I immediately slowed to a walk and said goodbye, then it was, as I said – just plodding along, alternating some running with walking. I knew I could walk the whole lap in ~43 minutes, so I figured out my worst case times, and if I was doing 35 min laps. Both within my expected finish times.

After 4 hrs, on last lap

Had some abdominal soreness that came and went, but heavy legs and sore ankles really did me in. Lap 7 in 36:26, and still walking faster than most people when I couldn’t/wouldn’t run. Lap 8 – finally my last lap – was more of the same. Almost. I was in the last 1/4mi of the end of the loop, when a sudden buzzing sound right in my face and stinging on my right eyebrow, just under my hat brim and inside the edge of my glasses. Ouch!!! Bee sting. After maybe one sting while running ~5 years ago for the first time ever, I had one earlier this summer walking barefoot in my backyard. So this made #2 or 3 ever. Sure took the focus off my feet for the last mile.

Final Stretch!

I finally left the lake and went through the neighborhood around to where I’d finish. I had given my wife a heads-up, and she and our daughter set up a finish line tape for me to break through. Not being fast – I had never had that experience before - it was nice!. Then my daughter presented me with my medal and we walked the last block home. Finish time: 4:20:27.

Getting my medal from my daughter!

4:20:27

Other random notes: Had a plain bagel with butter/jelly before I started, ate 4 GU’s (every 45 mins or so) and had two S!Caps after the halfway point. Checked my water bladder when I got home and it was practically empty. It had only gotten up to 63°, so it didn’t become an issue with needing to drink more. This was my 141^st race/event. 14^th marathon and 43^rd marathon or ultra distance, and 13 straight years completing at least a marathon.

Still pleasant and 63° at the finish

Will have to see how my left knee/ankle heals up, but the plan is to run the Fire Tower 50k sometime in (late) September. Virtual, but on the true course at St. Croix State Park.

Phone 'health' data

2015 Wild Duluth 50k Race Report

Wild Duluth 50k Race Report
So this is about 19 months late (May 2017)...can't say why I am doing it now or why I didn't write something sooner - just life and priorities.
I do have notes from the race - so that's something at least.
Race was on 17 Oct (2015) and finished in Duluth, MN at Bayfront Park. This was my first trip north of the Twin Cities and we made it a little bit of a family getaway (wandering downtown, finding a beach, etc). Arrived in time for packet pickup Friday evening and saw some friends leaving the restaurant as we got there. Another class parent (Tanya) was running the 50k - her first! Made our way to the hotel, got my things prepared, and went to sleep.
It was a cool 34° (woudl eventually get up to the upper 40's) as I walked to the finish area, where the 100k runners were starting at 6am and where we would take the bus from. Bus ride was unremarkable, and we had plenty of time in a field to wait for the official 50k start. Saw Tonya, took some photos, and lined up for the 8am start.

Tanya and me

I started out with Tanya at a very comfortable pace, and stayed right behind her until the first aid station. It's always takes me a while to feel decent, and this was no exception - I felt it was a bit too difficult, but it was a very runnable section and it was good to spend it chatting with her.

View right before powerline 'gorge'

Powerline conga line

At the first Aid Station (5.4mi, in 1:09), I grabbed a quick bite and left Tanya, heading out on the next 5.6mi section. (course descriptions are always hazy immediately after the race, and is practically non-existent that many months later!). I do know my pace was about the same and I still had some people around me. Aid station 2 (11 miles in 2:22; 1:12 for the 5.6mi section).

Good climbing, some very technical sections - at times, was very difficult to run, but some wonderful views. Did get to see my cheering section at the (almost) halfway point, AS3 at 15.3miles (3:27).

Always puts a smile on my face to see my family

Stuff face  - then keep moving!

So off again on a short 2 mile section to Spirit Mountain and I knew I wouldn't see them again until the finish. Still wouldn't say I was running well, but wasn't feeling bad either. Just kept a 15:15 min/mi pace or so.
Next section (17.3-22.5) was the slowest section for me (4.9 mi in 1:17) and put me at AS5 in 5:15.
Picked up my pace a bit after that...saw Tanya's husband Marcus as the next AS (Mile 27.9; section was 4.9 in 1:25 for a 15:00/mi pace; overall in 6:41).
I found some good running partners thru here for the last 5k and we stayed together for the most part as we came back down to town.
Made very good time and felt very good. Once we hit the concrete and pedestrian bridge, I slowed a bit, but could see the finish area.
My family was waiting, more smiles all around, and a very happy finisher!

I finished in 7:20:46 (very similar time-wise to my first 50k, Chattooga, in 2010). 49/151 overall, so around my typical 32% ranking.
Saw Tanya finish too:

Post race family photo:

Walked a good bit afterwards and the next day before taking a scenic drive home to St. Paul. 2 days later, my legs were still a little sore to the touch, but were much better the day after that and started running again after 3 days off.