Monday, October 25, 2010
Columbia Gorge Marathon Race Report
Stats:
26.2-miles in 3:10:59 @ 7:14/m pace
5th place Overall
1st place M45-49 Age Group
Last spring when I signed up for the Columbia River Gorge Marathon I saw on the website that one shouldn’t run this race to set a new PR and shouldn’t run this race against the clock but should instead enjoy the views and scenery of this “challenging” course. That verbiage along with the elevation profile of the course told me this one would be a tough one. And it was. By far the hardest marathon course I’ve ever raced. Going into it I wasn’t sure what to expect due to the course and I also did not make up a pace bracelet or punch a goal time into my Garmin for pacing. With the hills I knew both of those things would be worthless so I figured I’d just run as fast I felt I could maintain at any given moment and see what happened. I know, not very scientific nor a very good race strategy but I figured what the heck. The only thing I told people when asked what time I’d try to run it in is that I was hoping to come in someplace between 3:15 and 3:30 which I did think I could do but wasn’t super confident anything better than that.
Saturday my lovely wife and I picked-up our daughter, Jennifer, and her husband Chris and made the 90-minute trek to Hood River. After getting checked into our hotel we made our way to packet pick-up to get our numbers and race goodies. There wasn’t much in the way of an expo, actually the only expo was a single vendor, so in short time we out the door and off to dinner of pizza and beer. Yep – that is carbo-loading in case you’re wondering.
The race didn’t start until 9:00am Sunday morning so we got to sleep in a bit which is highly unusual for marathon day. And with the first glance out the window all we saw was rain. Lots of rain. But by the time we made our way to the Start/Finish area the rain had stopped and we got sit in a heated tent before it was time to get in the starting chute. After good-bye hugs and a kiss from my wife I made my way to the front of the pack and lined myself up in the second row center. Without a lot of fanfare the race director counted down 3-2-1 and yelled GO! And with that we were off. The first ½ mile is around the marina area right on the Columbia River and then a foot bridge across the Hood River took us into town. I made sure I didn’t get caught up in going out too fast so there were several runners that passed me and I let them hoping I would see them later. At the 1.5-mile mark the course took its first nasty turn on us with a mile long switchback climb up to the Mark Hatfield Trail. It was very early in the race but while climbing the steep grade I was wondering if this course was going to be worse than I thought. But soon enough we were on the Mark Hatfield Trail which is closed to motorized traffic and extremely beautiful. The views down to the Columbia were outstanding as were the views of the Gorge and colorful fall leaves. But this is also the time that we got nailed with a downpour. It was raining so hard it was almost comical. In fact I was running along, soaked to bone in a matter of seconds and I held out my arms, looked to the sky and asked “really?” But a few minutes later the rain slowed to steady drizzle and then stopped for a while and that would continue throughout the race. While on the trail the course took us through the Mosier Twin Tunnels which were very, very cool. I’d never been in them but have always heard about them and they are amazing. They are also very dark! After getting through that stretch it was a steep downhill into the little burg of Mosier and the whole time the road was dropping into town all I could think of was that I have to climb this hill on the way back.
A couple more climbs and drops got us the Rowena Crest area and the gravel road. There was an aid station at a corner there and just after passing the aid station we hit the gravel and a jokingly steep section that felt more like hiking then it did running. But in this climb I was able to catch and pass a runner so cool. The few miles of gravel were not the best. It was a bit loose and it was fairly hard-packed over bigger rocks you had to watch out for lest you trip up on one or twist an ankle. We were up on a bluff surrounded by open fields and I could see runners up ahead which I always thrive on as it gives me a target to focus on. Just prior to the last big climb that got us back onto pavement I was able to catch and pass two more runners. I was now a very long downhill which was tough on the quads but I could see two more guys off in the distance so I focused on them and kept motoring. About 3 miles later I was running with them when we came to another little rise and one of them dropped off the pace. I ran just off the shoulder of “orange shoe guy” as I was calling him in my head and before long were chatting a bit. We came around a corner and there were two women out for a Sunday morning walk and as we ran by I heard one of them say “there goes 8 and there goes 9” so it looked like we were in the Top Ten. As were dropping down a steep and painful stretch back into Mosier “orange shoe guy” were chatting about the race and he made the comment that “…going back up that hill to the tunnel is probably going to do me in..” and I made a note of that. Once through town and hitting the foot of the 2-mile long nasty climb back up to the Mark Hatfield Trail I picked up the pace a bit to see if he’d hang with me. And he did. Bummer. So I picked it up a bit more and at that point I was able to drop him and that was the last I saw of “orange shoe guy” until the awards ceremony.
Back onto the trail the route climbed back up to the Twin Tunnels and an aid station. I thought that was the beginning of the downhill back into town but I was mistaken. Back through the dark tunnels and there was a mile to mile-and-a-half climb to the top before the drop back into Hood River. This is where the marathon and half-marathon course meet up so the rest of way in I would be dodging the half-marathon walkers. Once more I spotted a runner up ahead that I remember from when he blew by me on the foot bridge at that start. He looked like we was running pretty well so I didn’t know if five miles left me enough time to catch “gray shirt guy” but I focused on doing just that through some of the tougher miles. Then at mile 23 I came around a bend to face yet another uphill killer and I could see “gray shirt guy” walking! BooYah! He’s mine. He glanced back and began running again but soon enough I caught up to him and he says with a smile, “Hey, how ‘bout we tie?” I laughed and said, “sure thing but I wanna get done so you better keep up.” And with that I pulled away and started the long downhill back into town.
Of course the last 2-miles were on the nasty steep grade of switchbacks back into town and those actually hurt worse than climbing them at that point. But soon enough I was back down the hill with just over a mile of short steep climbs and drops that brought me to the foot bridge and the last ½ mile. I’d been glancing at my Garmin off and on throughout the race and knew that a 3:15 was within reach but with only a few miles to go I knew I could better that so I was thrilled to see I would do just that with a half-mile of muddy gravel access road to run to the finish area. And just like that…I came around the last corner onto the grass and into the finish chute where I gave a smile and wave to my wife and then crossed the finish line of marathon #18. I stopped my watch, looked down, saw a 3:10:58 and was extremely surprised and equally thrilled.
After Jennifer crossed the finish line (2nd marathon in two weeks!) in an impressive 4:05 we hung out until I could do the podium thing (again in the rain!) and then we hit the Full Sail Brewery and Pub where I had the very tastiest Full Sail cheeseburger w/fries and Amber Ale ever. It was a great day.
Thanks for stopping by…
26.2-miles in 3:10:59 @ 7:14/m pace
5th place Overall
1st place M45-49 Age Group
Last spring when I signed up for the Columbia River Gorge Marathon I saw on the website that one shouldn’t run this race to set a new PR and shouldn’t run this race against the clock but should instead enjoy the views and scenery of this “challenging” course. That verbiage along with the elevation profile of the course told me this one would be a tough one. And it was. By far the hardest marathon course I’ve ever raced. Going into it I wasn’t sure what to expect due to the course and I also did not make up a pace bracelet or punch a goal time into my Garmin for pacing. With the hills I knew both of those things would be worthless so I figured I’d just run as fast I felt I could maintain at any given moment and see what happened. I know, not very scientific nor a very good race strategy but I figured what the heck. The only thing I told people when asked what time I’d try to run it in is that I was hoping to come in someplace between 3:15 and 3:30 which I did think I could do but wasn’t super confident anything better than that.
Saturday my lovely wife and I picked-up our daughter, Jennifer, and her husband Chris and made the 90-minute trek to Hood River. After getting checked into our hotel we made our way to packet pick-up to get our numbers and race goodies. There wasn’t much in the way of an expo, actually the only expo was a single vendor, so in short time we out the door and off to dinner of pizza and beer. Yep – that is carbo-loading in case you’re wondering.
The race didn’t start until 9:00am Sunday morning so we got to sleep in a bit which is highly unusual for marathon day. And with the first glance out the window all we saw was rain. Lots of rain. But by the time we made our way to the Start/Finish area the rain had stopped and we got sit in a heated tent before it was time to get in the starting chute. After good-bye hugs and a kiss from my wife I made my way to the front of the pack and lined myself up in the second row center. Without a lot of fanfare the race director counted down 3-2-1 and yelled GO! And with that we were off. The first ½ mile is around the marina area right on the Columbia River and then a foot bridge across the Hood River took us into town. I made sure I didn’t get caught up in going out too fast so there were several runners that passed me and I let them hoping I would see them later. At the 1.5-mile mark the course took its first nasty turn on us with a mile long switchback climb up to the Mark Hatfield Trail. It was very early in the race but while climbing the steep grade I was wondering if this course was going to be worse than I thought. But soon enough we were on the Mark Hatfield Trail which is closed to motorized traffic and extremely beautiful. The views down to the Columbia were outstanding as were the views of the Gorge and colorful fall leaves. But this is also the time that we got nailed with a downpour. It was raining so hard it was almost comical. In fact I was running along, soaked to bone in a matter of seconds and I held out my arms, looked to the sky and asked “really?” But a few minutes later the rain slowed to steady drizzle and then stopped for a while and that would continue throughout the race. While on the trail the course took us through the Mosier Twin Tunnels which were very, very cool. I’d never been in them but have always heard about them and they are amazing. They are also very dark! After getting through that stretch it was a steep downhill into the little burg of Mosier and the whole time the road was dropping into town all I could think of was that I have to climb this hill on the way back.
A couple more climbs and drops got us the Rowena Crest area and the gravel road. There was an aid station at a corner there and just after passing the aid station we hit the gravel and a jokingly steep section that felt more like hiking then it did running. But in this climb I was able to catch and pass a runner so cool. The few miles of gravel were not the best. It was a bit loose and it was fairly hard-packed over bigger rocks you had to watch out for lest you trip up on one or twist an ankle. We were up on a bluff surrounded by open fields and I could see runners up ahead which I always thrive on as it gives me a target to focus on. Just prior to the last big climb that got us back onto pavement I was able to catch and pass two more runners. I was now a very long downhill which was tough on the quads but I could see two more guys off in the distance so I focused on them and kept motoring. About 3 miles later I was running with them when we came to another little rise and one of them dropped off the pace. I ran just off the shoulder of “orange shoe guy” as I was calling him in my head and before long were chatting a bit. We came around a corner and there were two women out for a Sunday morning walk and as we ran by I heard one of them say “there goes 8 and there goes 9” so it looked like we were in the Top Ten. As were dropping down a steep and painful stretch back into Mosier “orange shoe guy” were chatting about the race and he made the comment that “…going back up that hill to the tunnel is probably going to do me in..” and I made a note of that. Once through town and hitting the foot of the 2-mile long nasty climb back up to the Mark Hatfield Trail I picked up the pace a bit to see if he’d hang with me. And he did. Bummer. So I picked it up a bit more and at that point I was able to drop him and that was the last I saw of “orange shoe guy” until the awards ceremony.
Back onto the trail the route climbed back up to the Twin Tunnels and an aid station. I thought that was the beginning of the downhill back into town but I was mistaken. Back through the dark tunnels and there was a mile to mile-and-a-half climb to the top before the drop back into Hood River. This is where the marathon and half-marathon course meet up so the rest of way in I would be dodging the half-marathon walkers. Once more I spotted a runner up ahead that I remember from when he blew by me on the foot bridge at that start. He looked like we was running pretty well so I didn’t know if five miles left me enough time to catch “gray shirt guy” but I focused on doing just that through some of the tougher miles. Then at mile 23 I came around a bend to face yet another uphill killer and I could see “gray shirt guy” walking! BooYah! He’s mine. He glanced back and began running again but soon enough I caught up to him and he says with a smile, “Hey, how ‘bout we tie?” I laughed and said, “sure thing but I wanna get done so you better keep up.” And with that I pulled away and started the long downhill back into town.
Of course the last 2-miles were on the nasty steep grade of switchbacks back into town and those actually hurt worse than climbing them at that point. But soon enough I was back down the hill with just over a mile of short steep climbs and drops that brought me to the foot bridge and the last ½ mile. I’d been glancing at my Garmin off and on throughout the race and knew that a 3:15 was within reach but with only a few miles to go I knew I could better that so I was thrilled to see I would do just that with a half-mile of muddy gravel access road to run to the finish area. And just like that…I came around the last corner onto the grass and into the finish chute where I gave a smile and wave to my wife and then crossed the finish line of marathon #18. I stopped my watch, looked down, saw a 3:10:58 and was extremely surprised and equally thrilled.
After Jennifer crossed the finish line (2nd marathon in two weeks!) in an impressive 4:05 we hung out until I could do the podium thing (again in the rain!) and then we hit the Full Sail Brewery and Pub where I had the very tastiest Full Sail cheeseburger w/fries and Amber Ale ever. It was a great day.
Thanks for stopping by…
