Jack & Jill Boise Marathon 9 15 2019

Jack & Jill Marathon, Boise, ID

September 15, 20194:36:37 194/293 Overall   5/9 in 65-69

Cavet Emptor: Downhill marathons are not recommended! I’m finishing this on Tuesday morning and Jodi and I have been the sorest we’ve ever been after a marathon these last two days. We can barely shuffle and it hurts everytime we stand-up after sitting.

Jack & Jill Boise was our second J&J in the last seven weeks. But whereas the one outside Seattle was a gradual downhill not far above sea level, this one started at 6500’ and descended to 2500’. I was apprehensive of these extremes, and our drive up the mountain to the start at Bogus Basin on Friday did nothing to assuage my fears. We were staying with my friend, Steve Strickland with whom I had taught at Hoover and his wife, Tess, in Meridian, a suburb of Boise. Being avid skiers, they gave us a guided tour of the mountain and the ski resort. We had a lot of great views of Boise on the drive. But the road contains 90+ switchbacks and is constantly down except for half mile hill in mile 16. It reminded me of Sky Harbor without the uphill sections with the slope mostly in the 7-11 degree range. As many of you know, I’ve always discouraged runners from doing Heavenly Half because it is all downhill and hard on the leg muscles. Now here I was going to do 18 miles of down followed by 8 flatter. I was very concerned about what I’d gotten into. Also, the weather looked to be much warmer than optimum for a marathon.

Saturday we picked up our bibs at a local running store. We also toured the state capitol. Interestingly, the governor from 2007-Jan. 2019, Butch Otter, is a cousin of Tess’.

Sunday morning we got up at 3:20 so we could catch the bus at 4:30 that took us the 26 miles to the top of Bogus Basin for the 6:30 start. It was chilly and dark at the start. They did provide us with small flashlights which we used for the first 3 miles; I was happy not to trip in the dark. It warmed up quickly and I tossed my long sleeve by mile 3. Most of the race was in 60s to mid 70s at the end with no cloud cover.

Starting out, I found it hard to go far without feeling winded. I had to walk a number of times in the first few miles because of the altitude. After 4-5 miles, I found a pretty good rhythm on the downhills and could easily run 8:30-8:50. But I’d have to do walk intervals every mile to catch my breath and get my heart rate down.  I had some miles at or under 9, but most were 9:30 because of the walking. I kept thinking that I might be able to get under 4:05, but when I realized that wasn’t going to happen, I started thinking that I could do sub 4:20 and BQ for 2021 when I’d be in next age group. All I needed to do was stay under 10 minute miles for the last 8 on the flatter ground. However, that proved to be impossible as the quads and calves were too sore to perform. I ended up doing 1-2 minutes running with 30-60 second walking and doing about 12 minute miles for the last 6 miles.

I would not recommend doing this race or any other with such extremes of elevation dropping and altitude. Also, there were not enough aid stations (I was very dry mouth even though drinking 2 cups at each aid station), there were not enough course monitors or aid station helpers, and the course was poorly marked. I had to ask which way to go a few times. The course was also open to traffic and bikers going up the mountain. There were about 2 spectators along the way. It really felt like we were just dropped at the top of the mountain and left to find the way back. 

Interestingly, the race finished near Boise State, so we got to see the football stadium as we passed by. We also ran past the zoo and were happy we had at least 2 giraffes that were spectating. At the finish I was greeted by not just Jodi, but my Westmont College buddy, Cornell who lives in Boise. That was a sight for sore eyes (and legs). Cornell had found Jodi since she had finished before I did. Jodi: I was standing at the finish line waiting for John. A man approached me and said “Are you Jodi Volkman?” I was instantly worried that something had happened to John on the course. After I said yes, he said “I’m John’s friend, Cornell” and my response was “I’m sweaty and gross.”  WTH???  Haha. I guess I was still a little delirious. 

Here is Jodi’s write-up on Facebook:

Today we ran Jack and Jill Downhill Marathon in Boise. This was supposed to be my Plan B for qualifying for Boston 2020. But today was also “the last hot day” in Boise and anyone who runs with me knows that I’m not a hot weather runner. The race started at Bogus Basin ski resort, at about 6500 feet of elevation and dropped 4000 feet over the next 18 miles. By the time I hit 20 miles and flat terrain the wheels fell off. Calves are killing me! I made the mistake of trying to walk for a minute but then couldn’t find my pace again. But some great things happened today!! My chronic hip/SI joint issue wasn’t a problem at all. My shoe problem isl u solved. I love running under a full moon, which lasted the first hour of the race so the moon and starry sky was a treat.  Most importantly I didn’t give up on myself and really used my techniques for “staying in the mile” and not allowing so much negativity to dictate the outcome. Marathons are just hard!!  

I ran 4:19. My C goal was 4:15 and improving my last race time. I may have hit the C goal if I didn’t run the wrong way on the course, having to backtrack. My marathon ended up being 26.6 miles. This was my first time EVER following suggestions from elite athletes of having A, B, and C goals. In the past I only had 1 goal and I think it was very helpful to have something to strive for when the legs shut down.!!

Sunday afternoon we ate and napped and did not do any of the usual touring that we like to do after a marathon. We did hobble around The Village Shopping Center in Meridian so that Steve and Tess could show us the cool water light show and family-friendly setting.

This was Marathon #169; 29 states on 2nd go-round; All 10 Canadian provinces.

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Jack and Jill Marathon Seattle, WA July 27, 2019

Jack & Jill Marathon, Seattle, WA

July 27, 2019

4:03:55  368/695 Overall   2/7 in 65-69

Jodi and I ran the Jack and Jill Marathon near Seattle with a light rain the whole race and temps in the mid-60s. I was able to qualify for Boston 2020 with a time of 4:03:55 (BQ for 65-69 is 4:05) and get 2d in my age group. The first 3 miles were in a tunnel where you needed to wear a headlamp to see the ground and avoid the numerous potholes....interesting and cooler, but glad to be done with it without falling. The whole race was on a hard-packed dirt trail with uneven surface and some gravel. With the rain falling, avoiding puddles became an issue in the second half. With a gradual downhill from 2500’ to 500’, I found myself able to keep a strong pace and feel like I was holding back most of the miles. I did a lot of my miles in the 8:55-9:10 range and I needed 9:20 pace to BQ so was happy that the paces came so well. I was 2:02:13 at the half so ran a consistent pace with an overall negative split.

Jodi: I came to WA well-trained and wanting to Boston-qualify, which I did not do. I finished Marathon #15 (4:24) on a beautiful downhill course through a 2-mile tunnel, through the forest, over bridges and past waterfalls with a continuous light rain. Unfortunately, the wet gravel surface was not my thing and I stopped twice to dump pebbles out of my shoes. At that point it became a training run. No BQ for me today but it was a blast seeing John and Begered fly by me. I’m not disappointed, I just have work to do for Plan B.

This was Marathon #165; 28 states on 2nd go-round; All 10 Canadian provinces.

Marathon photos: View 18 Photos

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Trip and picture info below:

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On our first day in Seattle we went to the Space Needle and saw amazing views from on high including looking down through the revolving glass floor at the top. I remember when the Needle was made in time for the 1962 World’s Fair and now has become the symbol of Seattle. Katie and I even did a virtual bungee jump from the top. We ate lunch at Collections Cafe which has collections at each table. We drove through the University of Washington campus. Very cool to see football, basketball, baseball, track, soccer, tennis and crew facilities all within a mile of each other. Also, I just finished reading “The Boys in the Boat” which recounts the crew teams at UW as they prepared for 1936 Berlin Olympics. Great to see where they train and some of their memorabilia.

We enjoyed a Duckboat tour of Seattle on our first day seeing some of the highlights of the city including Pike Place Market and many house boats that people live in along Elliot Bay. We checked out the Klondike Gold Rush Museum. It displayed how in 1898, Seattle made its mark by being the jump-off spot for the Klondike Gold Rush. Miners had to carry 2000 lbs. of supplies up Chilkoot Pass; it took many trips up this 45-degree mountain.

It was nice that the race was on a Saturday so that we could go to church on Sunday. My cousin, Mark Duncan, his wife, Ginny, and their 3 youngsters live in Issaquah which was actually the town that our hotel was in. We joined them at their church, and then enjoyed lunch at their home. Sunday afternoon we saw the Mariners’ Stadium on the way to a harbor cruise around Elliot Bay. After a fish dinner on the wharf, we made our way to north Seattle to watch the Locks open and close for boats as they went between saltwater ocean and freshwater Lake Washington. We topped the day off with...ice cream! This time at Salt and Straw which has amazingly original flavors.

Monday, Katie, Jodi and I started our day at Pike’s Market. We enjoyed seeing all the fresh fish and fruit and the wide variety of wares for sale. We saw the wall where people stick their used gum...yuck. While the girls shopped, I went and took a nap; marathons do make you extra tired. The Seattle Aquarium was a bit fishy, but fun. The MoPop was a lot of fun with tributes to Seattle musicians such as Jimi Hendrix and exhibits of sci-fi and horror.

Our exploration of Seattle continued Tuesday with a trip to Volunteer Park Conservatory where we saw a wide variety of cacti, succulents, and other plants. We then went to the Chihuly Garden and Glass exhibit next to the Space Needle. The artist, Dale Chihuly, did some of his work in Venice where last summer we had seen a glass blowing demonstration, so it was extra meaningful to us. We then took the tour of Underground Seattle. After a fire in 1898 leveled the wooden buildings, Seattle was built in 2 levels using stone and metal with the lower level eventually being abandoned after the upper level was finished 10 years later.

We drove to Vancouver on Wednesday and took a hike in the afternoon over the Lynn Suspension Bridge where we saw guys jumping from the rocks into the river. We didn’t do that 😊, but we enjoyed the beautiful forest and river. Thursday we caught the 8AM ferry to Vancouver Island where we went to Butchardt Gardens and Victoria, the capital of British Columbia. We were in awe of the wide variety and beauty of the flowers. 30 years ago I had come here with my mom, dad, and Uncle Howie and Aunt Lena. So fun to share now with Jodi and Katie. We enjoyed walking around downtown Victoria and seeing shops and other sights such as the Empress Hotel.

Friday morning, we got to run in famed Stanley Park; this run turned out to be a highlight of the trip. There are 15 miles of trails; we did a section along the seawall with great views of Vancouver. Afterwards, we got crepes and a cream puff downtown. We also toured Gastown seeing the Steam clock, the 2010 Olympic Village area, and the A-Maze-ing Laughter monuments.

Saturday, we headed back to Seattle, but experienced a two-hour delay at the border because of all of the British Columbians heading to Washington for a long weekend since Monday was a holiday for them. But with some aggressive driving from Jodi, we made it with time to spare. Happy to get home Saturday night.

Eugene Marathon

April 28, 2019

4:27:39  1072/1484 Overall   8/18 in 65-69

       

    On a cool, crisp morning (37 degrees) that was perfect for running a marathon, I felt ready to shoot for a BQ or even a sub-4. Jodi and I ran together for the first half as she helped me go through at 2:01:40, right where I wanted to be to break 4:05. But after feeling great and dropping the pace to 9:05 for the next 3 miles, my body rebelled and told me that I needed walk. (Jodi had peeled off at 12 to finish her half-marathon in2:01:17. She then planned to meet at about mile 20 to help me finish.) So, the last 10 were run/walk and when Jodi met me again at 20, we tried to enjoy the beautiful scenery along the Willamette River and not worry about the pace. I was disappointed to not reach my goals, but I went for it and learned some things to use for next time.

            Just before the race we noticed a fast-looking Kenyan in the car next to us and figured he was going for the win. We asked for a picture, but he was in a zone and said, “maybe later”. If you look at the pictures, you can see the great note he wrote and left on our car, using the cardboard that his 2nd place crystal was in. Also, when we got home, I emailed him at the address he had included, and he called back and left a message. Very cool!

            Here’s what Jodi put on her FB page after the race: “I’m going to let John tell his own story but I had a BLAST out there!! Eugene Half Marathon for me at long run pace plus a few extra for total of 20 miles today. Nice way to kick off my marathon training. LOL #finishonthefifty)

This was Marathon #164; 27 states on 2nd go-round; All 10 Canadian provinces.

-------- Trip and picture info below:

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(The description is roughly in order of the pictures.)

            Jodi and I arrived in Oregon Duck country Friday night and enjoyed the blue skies, fresh and cool air, and Willamette River views. We had amazing pancakes at The Original Pancake House which has a lot of Duck memorabilia. There are a lot Steve Prefontaine posters as well as ones of other Duck stars in various sports. So cool to see two local track stars Hannah Waller (a teammate of Katie’s at Buchanan) and Jenna Prandini on the wall as well as Jordan Hasay. Jordan is from SLO area and I saw run and win CA state cross-country 4 times at Woodward Park.

            After breakfast we got our bibs and looked around campus seeing Autzen Stadium where the race will start and end this year while historic Hayward Field is being remodeled for the Olympic Trials in 2020. I also got very excited to also see MacArthur Court where the Ducks have a decided homecourt advantage in basketball. We really had a fun time in Eugene and hope to be back to visit it again. Jodi wants to retire there…

Louisiana Marathon in Baton Rouge

Jan. 20, 2019

4:05:20  358/890 Overall  1/13  in 65-69

            During the week leading up to the marathon, I kept checking the weather forecast hoping that it might warm-up a bit; it never did☹Race morning was 35 with wind-chill of 27 and winds of 10-12mph all morning. I didn’t toss my throwaway long sleeve shirt until mile 17 and it was still very chilly, but I didn’t care by then. Interestingly it had been 68 when I got up Sat. morning for my shake-out 15 minute run; I was drenched in sweat by the time I finished, but at 8:00AM the skies cut loose with rain and thunder and lightning causing the 10K to be cancelled and the kids’ races moved back to 10:00 when it was all blue skies. But the temperature kept dropping all day and through the night so that I wore tights for the race; one of the 4 or 5 times I’ve done that for a marathon.         I wore a stocking cap and gloves the whole race, but the chill did preserve energy and liquid as I wasn’t sweaty and my clothing wasn’t even wet when I finished.

            I followed my running plan very well with a comfortable start at right at 10 for first mile, 9:33 second mile and 9:18 3^rd mile. My goal was to be in 9:10-9:20 range as many miles as possible after that, and I did 16 miles at that pace. I ran a negative split with my first half being 2:03:01. Interestingly there were two guys in my age group who were at 1:59 in their first halves and they finished at 4:29 and 4:32. “The tortoise always beats the hare!” I was actually 5^th at the 10k mark and the guy who finished 5^th at 4:32 was still ahead of me at 18.

            This ended up being my best marathon time since CIM in Dec. of 2016, so I was very happy with the effort. The bad news is that I ended up 20 seconds short of qualifying for Boston 2020. Looking back, I can see that I needed to push harder in miles 24 and 25, but we had turned into the wind and there was an overpass that took some time off, too. That kick I used for the last 1.2 should have started earlier! You can see the tents where I got my 1^st place award and then BQ tent where I could have claimed a BQ shirt, if only…

This was Marathon #163; 27 states on 2nd go-round; All 10 Canadian provinces.

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(The description is roughly in order of the pictures.)Trip and picture info below:

            My entry into Baton Rouge started at the airport where there are photos of many famous folks from Baton Rouge including Hank Williams, Tim McGraw, Bill Conti (Rocky Theme song which played at our wedding😊), and Johnny Rivers. At the expo there was a marching band that played many songs and of course did “When the Saints Come Marching In”. Also, there was a presentation of “Foodies” discussing their favorite foods and their restaurants. The MC has written a book including many of these folks. While walking downtown I discovered a library that I “checked-out”.

            You can see the rain coming down in buckets; cute to see a rubber duckie on dash in car in my motel parking lot. (BTW, I didn’t need ice bath after this marathon; it was 26.2 miles of ice-cold weather.) My waffle at breakfast Sat morning had the Saints logo in the middle of it. And note the gas at Exxon was $1.91; great to be away from the exorbitant California taxes. After the rain let up, I went to visit the race start/finish areas which were near to the old and new state capitols. I learned a lot touring both buildings. One of the key characters in 20^th century LA history was Huey Long. He was a true “populist” and mover and shaker with very mixed opinions about him. He died from bullets that ricocheted from his bodyguards’ shots when a disgruntled man took a swing at him. The docent there explained the full story to me. Interesting to look at the newspaper clippings and, like today, the NY Times had the story completely wrong and said that it was an assassination.

            I got to visit both of their legislative houses and then go to the top of the capitol building. Thanks to Huey Long’s influence, it is the tallest of all the state capitols. I ran into a couple from San Jose and talked to them because he was wearing a Santa Rosa Half-Marathon jacket. Going to the observation deck provided views in all directions which were great to see. Loved seeing the oil refineries which help pump the energy of progress.

            There was a food festival both Sat and Sun following the races so I checked them out Sat afternoon. Nothing there that I wanted to eat before the race, so I headed over to the LSU campus where I wanted to see the famous and impressive football stadium. Next to it are also the Pete Maravich basketball arena and the track. Fun to see some of their famous football players from the past. I had a delicious spaghetti dish for pre-race pasta. Post-race I tried some jambalaya and gumbo from the food festival. Dinner was the real treat with ribs and steak from TJ’s Ribs which was conveniently across the street from my motel. And I treated myself to their Pecan Meltaway which was delicious and, I felt, well-earned! 😊 For breakfast Monday morning, I had to go to the Waffle House which is a fixture in many southern states. I was able to get grits there to go with my eggs and waffle.

            I found out from Becky Cox (her and Dave’s daughter, Abigail, graduated from LSU) that there is a live Bengal tiger housed on campus and that I had missed it on Sat. So, I set out on a quest Monday morning (thankfully it was MLK holiday so no traffic on campus) to find Mike, the Tiger. And there he was in his zoo outdoor setting between the football stadium and basketball arena. I was so close to him on Sat taking a picture of his statue, but didn’t know to look for him until Becky told me. It was great fun to see Mike XI; the first Mike lived from 1936-1956.  I also got to see many more plaques of famous players on the side of the stadium I had not seen on Sat. You’ll see such stars as Odell Beckham, Charles Alexander and the old Green Bay Packer Jim Taylor. The biggest star is Billy Cannon, the 1959 Heisman winner.

            Across the street is the also very impressive baseball facility. The neighborhood around campus is an older neighborhood as you can see. And nearby is also an old plantation that I quickly toured before I needed to catch my afternoon plane. The privy with dual holes and the cramped sleeping quarters reminded me how much better we have things today.

            I got home late Monday night so everyone was in bed except Charlotte who was glad to see me and had been wondering where I’d been the last few days.