12 Months of Marathoning: 2003 Review of the Founding Marathon Maniacs
By Steven Yee
(additional narrative by Chris Warren and Tony
Phillippi)
Are
you addicted to running marathons? Do you think about what marathon you will be
running next, even before you start the one you’re currently training for? Do
you plan your vacations around marathons? Or better yet, have you run marathons
on consecutive weekends, or back to back days? If you answered yes to all of
the above questions, you just might qualify to be a member in an exclusive
club. Tony Phillippi, Chris Warren and I
have developed this “infectious enthusiasm” for marathon madness.
The
birth of the Marathon Maniacs
It all began
innocently. I had planned on flying to
Indonesia in April to participate in the Bali Marathon with marathon travelling
companions, Sue Fauerbach and Tonee Bertalan.
In 2002, we had a wonderful time in China, culminating in the running of
the tough Great Wall Marathon. The
thirst for more international marathons was in our blood. However, the lack of participants from the
United States forced the cancellation of the Bali tour in late February, no
doubt sparked by the terrorist bombing in late 2002 and the uncertainty
regarding safe international travel.
My attention then turned to Boston.
Chris and Tony were signed up and had a room reserved, so the only
caveat was Boston not reaching its capacity yet. I was grateful for the opportunity to change plans on such short
notice.
After completing 3
marathons in 3 weeks in April (Yakima, Whidbey Island and Boston) without too
much difficulty, I sought out a further challenge. Scanning the marathon schedule, the months of May and June
provided that challenge. Starting with
Coeur D’Alene, and followed by the San Diego Rock and Roll, San Juan Island and
the North Olympic Discovery would give me 4 marathons in 4 weeks. Tony and Chris also drove to Coeur D’Alene
to participate in the marathon. After
the race, we had lunch with Terry Watanabe (Spokane), a fellow member of the
Northwest Dead Runner’s Society (an e-mail running “chat room”). As we were discussing our future race plans
and mentioning all of the marathons we were going to participate in, she
blurted out, “you guys are a bunch of marathon maniacs”. Hence, the name stood. A club was formed, website created by Tony (marathonmaniacs.com) and members
recruited, including ultramaniacs. You
may recognize some of the other names in the club that have fulfilled the
criteria for membership in what we termed as “the insane asylum”. In fact, some of these members have graced
the covers of Northwest Runner during the past year (Mel Preedy and Doug
MacLean). Thank goodness there are others out there that think like us!
The story behind the Maniac
As
the whole Maniac idea was coming together we thought we needed an icon to make
us look as unique as our club was. We got together with running buddy Mark
Ariyoshi, a graphic designer who works
with Tony. Mark suggested that we incorporate characteristics of the three founding
Maniacs into an animated character that would represent a true Marathon Maniac.
Everyone agreed and Mark was soon incorporating ideas from each of us on our
noontime runs to come up with the right mix. His first goal was to make the guy
look like a Maniac; that's where the bulging eyes and tongue hanging out come
in. Chris has a tendency to swing his right arm out as he is running, that's
why the right arm is placed where it is. Tony's first web site and also his
personalized license plate is PF FLYER, so this was written on the side of the
shorts. Tony says before every race "LET’S BURN SOME RUBBER" so the
smoke was added behind the shoes. Also Tony has a huge battle raging at
breaking three hours in the marathon; that's why the watch reads
"2:59:59". Tony and I would
frequently tease Chris about a comment that was made from a
member of the Dead Runners Society, "the dazzling smile of Chris
Warren", which explains the gleam off of the tooth. I always wear a Timex
GPS watch while doing training runs: that's what's on the left arm going
"beep, beep, beep".
Now to answer the question that everyone really wants to know, What's up with the cat on the head? Originally when we were making out the criteria on Maniac membership, we couldn't all agree on what made a Maniac. At one point in the conversation, I said that if it was a close call, the person applying for maniacism had to have a cat! Yes a cat! Since all three of the founding Maniacs have at least one cat, it would be the “tiebreaker” for inclusion in the Maniac circle. Obviously, this isn't part of the "real" criteria, but it adds humor to the Maniac and its story!
Maniac “Marathonitis”
Here is a 2003 review of the Maniacs marathon/ultramarathon participation, including some of the memorable “maniac” highlights from some of the races. Excellent reviews of local marathons have already appeared in previous issues of NW Runner and won’t be elaborated on.
Bridle Trails 50K (1/11): A twilight ultra that makes 5 loops around Bridle Trails State Park in Kirkland. It didn’t take Tony much persuasion to talk Chris into participating in this race. The initial loop, run in fading daylight, provided runners to view obstacles (tree roots, mud puddles and horse poop) before the headlamps were utilized. I was “fortunate” to be under the weather so I couldn’t participate. Chris managed to turn his ankle a few times, while Tony ran like a seasoned veteran, having done prior ultras. Late in the evening, both were happy to be done. Chris is most thankful we will be in Arizona at the same time as the 2004 Bridle Trails event!
February
Las
Vegas (2/2): A tradition for the past four years (though only the
half-marathon) I decided to take the plunge and sign up for the full. Not a
wise decision on my part! For those who
participated in the 2003 race, who could ever forget the 30-50 mph headwinds
beating down on us for the first 23 miles! Starting in the town of Jean, the
course is not particularly scenic, though if conditions are favorable, is
considered a potential personal best course.
The first half of the course is rolling, but at the halfway junction,
gradually loses 1,000 feet in elevation.
I gave up the racing aspect at 15 miles and casually jogged in with
Issaquah resident Mark Looi to the finish.
Evidently not all runners were hampered by the difficult weather
conditions. I’m still wondering how Chris managed to break 3 hours. For those of you who enjoy the glamour and
glitter of Las Vegas, this trip is for you.
Besides, where else could you potentially win back what you spent on
your trip?
As we look back on our year…how could we have not run a marathon this month?
Yakima River Canyon (4/5) and Whidbey Island (4/12) Two of my
perennial favorites, it will be difficult to choose the one to run in 2004, as
they are scheduled on back-to-back days. Having a train whistle start the race
and running through the picturesque Yakima Canyon are some of the unique
reasons that lure me back year after year.
Bob and Lenore Dolphin put on a high quality event and have promised
“prizes” to runners whom will have completed the first 5 Yakima Canyon
marathons. Even the two “monster” hills
couldn’t stop me as Chris helped pace me to my fastest marathon in 10
years.
In
terms of scenery, the same could be said for the Whidbey Island Wings of Gold
marathon. Though the highlight of the
race, the crossing of the Deception Pass Bridge, has been deleted, scenic backroads and views of the pristine
coastline provides a pleasant distraction when running this very challenging
course.
Boston (4/21): The granddaddy of
them all, there is no race with the glorious history that is Boston. The maniacs decided to make a vacation of it
as arrangements were made to stay an entire week. Accommodations at the local YMCA made it affordable for us to
attend a Red Sox game, rent a car and drive to the end of Cape Cod for a
delicious lobster feast and of course, purchase Boston Marathon
paraphernalia. The day before the race
was all but relaxing for us. We participated
in the 3-mile Patriot Run in the morning, followed by a volunteering stint at
the Hynes Convention Center runner’s expo selling merchandise. Though it was hard work and being on our
feet for four hours certainly didn’t help, being a part of the marathon
festivities was a lot of fun, not to mention the 30% discount we received for
marathon related items.
On
race day, we purposely took one of the last busses to the athlete’s village in
Hopkinton to avoid the long wait until the noon start. With temperatures hovering around 70 F, we
knew this wasn’t going to be the day for personal bests, though we did add some
pressure to Chris’ race as he had to break 2:45 for guaranteed entry to New
York City. The first 6 miles of the
course are gradually downhill; many runners have gone out too fast and paid the
price later. A welcome relief is at the
halfway point, where the girls of the Wellesley School bring out the loudest
cheers of all marathon fans. Starting
in Newton, the first in the series of hills leading to the infamous Heartbreak
Hill, is the make or break point of the marathon. It broke me as I helplessly watch lots of runners pass me. Happy to finish with medal draped around my
neck, I anxiously seek out my comrades to compare race notes. We were somewhat disappointed in our
performances (Chris did not break 2:45), but as the maniac saying goes….there’s
always next week!
Post
race activities included a trip to Fanueil Hall Marketplace, where the Bill
Rodgers Running Store is located.
Boston Billy cordially autographed our posters and provided helpful
strategy regarding the marathon course.
He reminisced about his many trips to the great Northwest, including his
participation in the early 80’s Heart Run in Tacoma and the Salmon Run starting
at Blaine’s Semiahmoo Resort. Activity
at the Marketplace, which is the Boston equivalent to the Pike Place Market,
was buzzing. Northwesterners were spotted, proudly sporting their Boston
Marathon jackets. A great time was had
by all in Boston, as we chatted with David Jones, Dale Shoup, Terry Watanabe,
Kevin McCrabb, Andrea Ray and Amy Myers.
Capital City (5/18): A local favorite
that draws many of the region’s faster runners, Chris and Tony both ran
excellent times on this rolling but fast course.
Coeur D’Alene (5/25): Forever etched in
our minds as the race that cemented the creation of the maniacs. Starting at
the North Idaho College campus, the course runs through city streets before
paralleling the shores of Lake Coeur D’Alene, one of the Northwest’s most
pristine lakes. A couple of hills are
encountered on the out and back section before heading back to the city and
campus finish. Our strategy was to
employ the “Galloway” method of running, walking at all of the water stops for
at least one minute. It must have worked; the three of us were feeling quite
fresh past the halfway point. We lost
some momentum when climbing the hills (miles 15-19), but recovered to finish
with respectable times.
Newport (5/31): The momentum of
“maniacism” was growing; Chris and I were headed to San Diego that weekend for
the Rock and Roll marathon, leaving Tony without a planned race. Simple solution….he calls up the race
director of the Newport Marathon and wonders if there is space available,
knowing from past history that this race fills up by early April (limit 500
runners). Miraculously there is a cancellation and he gets the go ahead from
the race director and drives the 400+ miles from Tacoma to the Oregon coast.
This
race is a real gem. The expo, held at the Embarcadero Resort is small but
offers an array of Newport Marathon souvenirs.
The race starts at scenic Yaquina State Park, winds through a small
neighborhood up the only hill in the course, then follows the Yaquina River
where you do an out and back to mile 26 and a very fast downhill finish. Unique medals made of etched glass and a
potpourri of food at the finish line gives this marathon a high rating.
Rock and Roll-San Diego (6/1): Though being one of
the more expensive marathons if you don’t register early, the Rock and Roll
promises and delivers…one of marathons best “bang for your buck”! The expo at
the Convention Center is top notch, the course offers music at every mile and
the finishers medal is exquisite and weighs a ton. One of the highlights of any Rock and Roll marathon is the
post-race concert, Chris Isaak being the featured performer. Chris, Sue, Tonee and I thoroughly enjoyed
this race and will be back in 2004, this time with Tony.
San Juan Island (6/8) and the North Olympic Discovery (6/13): The
debut of two local June marathons, each exciting in their own special way. If you enjoy viewing bald eagle and deer
while on the run, the possibility of seeing killer whales frolic in the ocean,
and conquering challenging hills, then the San Juan Island marathon is your
kind of event. In fact, make a
mini-vacation out of it like many of us did.
There aren’t too many more relaxing places just to kick back than Friday
Harbor.
Starting
in Sequim and ending in Port Angeles, the North Olympic Discovery course offers
some trail running with bridge crossings and spectacular views of the water.
Chris and Tony had raced the Sound to Narrows the day before, so there was a
chance for me to keep up with them. Not
an easy course, there are some serious hills during the latter stages of the
race. Tony and I could not keep pace
with Chris and hastily retreat. We end
up finishing 15 minutes behind him, but manage to be first and second in our
age division.
Pacific Crest (6/28): A smorgasbord of
events conducted during the 3-day endurance sporting festival, the marathon
course provides a physical as well as mental challenge. Beginning in the resort
town of Sunriver (elevation 4,000 feet), the course though basically flat, is
run on bike paths totaling 13 miles, meaning you have to do the course twice
for the marathon. Complicating the
effort this year was the temperature, starting in the high 60’s and peaking at
90. No shade was to be had from miles 9
– 12 an 22 – 25. A difficult race under
trying conditions, though we were lucky.
The duathletes had to run their entire half marathon in extreme
heat. My only consolation was that I
was the first masters finisher, thus providing free entry to next year’s race.
San Francisco Chronicle (7/27): Gretchen Howell
wrote a wonderful story on this marathon a few issues ago. San Francisco…..a great city to visit and
with the elimination of many of the hills that plagued previous editions, a
great marathon to run. Chris made the
top 20 overall and can’t wait to get back next year!
August
White River 50-Mile (8/2): One week after San
Francisco and we do an ultra? Chris and I are still wondering how Tony talked
us into signing up for White River. Two
elevation gains of over 4,000 feet, the second of which is run up an exposed
ridge with the sun beaming down on you just isn’t our idea of fun. Not to mention some knee knackering
downhills! Nevertheless, Tony turned in
a stellar performance as he broke 10 hours.
Me….I was just hoping that there was enough food remaining at the
catered BBQ meal following the race. No
comment from Chris. As much as we
enjoyed the camaraderie of other ultrarunners, only Tony might be up to a
repeat performance in 2004.
Grizzly (8/23): The start of a
2,870-mile odyssey began with the long drive to the StageStop Inn (Choteau,
Montana), the headquarters of the inaugural Grizzly Marathon. Sue and I were wondering if the event was
even going to be held, as one of the many Montana wildfires brought heavy doses
of smoke into the local area. Since doing this race and vacation was a last
minute decision, our lodging for the night was the local KOA campground (most
of the tenants there were running one of the races). After attending the
unimpressive pasta feed, we sauntered back to camp and into the tent.
The race, which started 20 miles away at the Ear
Mountain Wilderness area, took place in the middle of “nowhere”. Since the course was run through prime
“grizzly” country, course monitors were stationed along many of the roads, in
the event of an “encounter”. The first
8 miles are run on a paved road leading up to a ski area. The next 19 miles were all on gravel roads,
with miles 9-12 being of the large “rock” version where footing is
difficult. At mile 19, was “hillus
horribilus”, a 500 foot climb in 0.5 mile.
Each participant who ran up the hill and under 3 hours at that point
received a special pin for their efforts. Still on graveled roads, I tired
quickly and was glad just to finish.
We left Choteau that afternoon for Glacier National Park. The next two days were spent hiking some of the most spectacular scenery imaginable. We encountered Bighorn sheep on the hike
to Grinnell Glacier, a Black bear with her two cubs just feet away on the RedRock Falls trail and two sets of mountain goat families on the Hidden Lake overlook. After Glacier, we headed south to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks (moose sightings) for the eventual destination of our next marathon in Pocatello, Idaho. On one of the seemingly endless roads, Sue casually mentioned “what do you think Tony and Chris” are doing now? I said, doing long runs and preparing for the Super Jock half marathon. Sue’s response….I bet they show up in Pocatello. No way, they’re not that crazy, I said. How little I know these guys!
Pocatello
Marathon (8/30):
In contrast to the Grizzly Marathon’s pasta feed, this one was one of the best
I’ve ever attended. Many 50-stater T-shirts were in attendance, as well as Jose
Nebrida. He’s the one who’s trying to run all 50 states (after 9/11) while
carrying the American flag. The next
morning, ~150 marathoners made their way to the busses to be transported to the
start at Buckskin Road, which was ~1,600 feet greater in elevation than the
finish line. Just before the start of
the race, who should show up but my two maniac brothers, Tony and Chris. What a surprise! I was totally in shock, as
I thought for sure that this race was 1) too far away and 2) they were running in
the SJJ half on Labor Day. There is just
no escape from them…they are the true maniacs! They say they were there to help
me celebrate my 50th marathon, but I’m thinking the real reason is
that they just couldn’t bear to have me run 2 more marathons while they were
sitting at home!
The first 8 miles were gradual to steep downhill. The three of us ran together, averaging 7:00 pace, though it really was tough (could be the altitude). After mile 8, they went on ahead as I could not maintain their impressive pace. At the halfway point I was beginning to tire. Too much vacation, sleep deprivation and the lack of any more downhills were factors. The headwinds from mile 16 – 20 didn’t help. After the last hill at mile 21, I suddenly felt a resurgence and started to pull off 7:35 miles. After passing two more runners, I hit mile 26…the last 0.2 took forever! There was a battle for 5th and 6th place…Tony outsprinted Chris. At the awards ceremony, all of the maniacs received plaques for their efforts.
Skagit Flats (9/13): This was going to
be a long training run for the maniacs as our goal was to pace the “first lady
of the marathon maniacs”, Laura Devine, to a win, which was something she had
previously done at this race. Another
highlight was Tony’s attempt to run the entire race in running sandals
manufactured by Bite. If he beat the
owner’s time of 3:35, he would be the first runner to do it and thus receive a
free pair of sandals. Mission
accomplished on both fronts. Run along
country roads and amongst the many farms and fields in the Skagit Valley, the
name of the race holds true to form.
The only incline is a ramp to a bridge crossing at the beginning of the
race.
Top of Utah (9/20): Colloquially termed
as the “mother of all maniac road trips!” The beautiful Cache Valley serves as
the setting for one of road racing’s hidden gems, the Top of Utah
Marathon. Starting at an elevation of
5,700 feet, at the Hardware Ranch Elk Refuge, the course meanders down
Blacksmith Fork Canyon, where fall is evident on the sides of the mountain with
the changing colors of the leaves. Since the canyon road is closed to vehicular
traffic for the first 14 miles with virtually no spectators, the only sounds
you hear are of other runners and the quiet rush of the Blacksmith Fork River…a
surreal experience. From the canyon,
the course passes through the quaint little towns of Nibley, Millville,
Providence and River Heights. You will
have descended over 1,000 feet by the time you reach the outskirts of Logan,
though the drop is gradual at no more than a 1-2% grade. Once in Logan, the runners pass by the
Tabernacle and through the historic Downtown area, finishing in Merlin Olsen
Park.
We
arrived in Logan the afternoon before and wandered around the city before
attending the small runner’s expo and packet pick-up. The pasta dinner at the Copper Mill restaurant was one of the
best attended. Many first-time
marathoners were seated at our table, both scared and excited upon their
upcoming adventure. Random door prizes at the pasta feed netted Chris and Tony
a garage storage rack and a pint of Hammer Gel, respectively.
The
4:30 AM wake-up call was not welcome; we all struggled to get out of bed. We drove to Merlin Olsen Park as busses
located at the finish line transported the runners to the Hardware Ranch. We didn’t have a minute to spare; if you
didn’t catch the bus by 5:30, you weren’t running! Temperatures in the high 30’s greeted us at the start. We waited as long as we could before
disembarking the bus. Two fire pits
close to the start line were the only source of perpetual heat available,
though it was difficult to get there as throngs of frigid runners converged
upon them. As the 1800 + runners
gathered at the start line, old time settlers donned in raccoon hats, cowhide
clothing and armed with musket rifles were about to fire off their rifles,
signifying the start of the race. Our
game faces were on; this was our goal race. After one false start, we were
off.
Immediately
Chris got into his rhythm and maintained a steady 6:30 pace down the canyon
road. Tony was not far behind. The air was a bit thin in the early miles
but having experienced this in Pocatello, we were getting used to it. I managed to tag along with other runners,
trying to maintain a 7:00 pace while at the same time gazing at the magnificent
scenery that lie ahead of us. Shades of
the Yakima River Canyon Marathon!
The
slight gradual downhill during the first half of the course made for fast
splits. One by one the mile markers
came and went. At mile 14, the first
band of spectators greeted us as the course leveled off. A slight tailwind propelled us through the
next two miles. We were all feeling
strong at this point. A few rolling hills were encountered at mile 20. Chris was on pace for a 2:50 marathon. Tony was still on the verge of a sub 3-hour
marathon. I could no longer see Tony
from a distance anymore.
The
last 3 miles of the race ventured though the streets of downtown Logan. The
temperature was now in the low 60’s, with the sun beating down on us. I felt proud to be a part of this….we were
backing up traffic in the tiny city of Logan!
Chris finished first amongst the three of us. Tony was in 0.2 mile sprint with a competitor and beat him by a
second. Luckily he crossed the line first,
as it was found out later that he was in the same age group. We were all very
satisfied with the races we ran.
Overall placings for the race were: Chris (18th), Tony
(37th) and me (53rd).
Scanning the results, Chris and Tony both placed in their respective age
divisions, thus each garnering the coveted “moose” trophies.
This
race is one of the up and coming marathons in the United States. Not only do run a USATF certified course
with beautiful scenery, you may even spot an occasional deer, elk or moose
along the mountainside or wandering through the Blacksmith Fork River. The aid stations are well stocked with
water, electrolytes and GU packs manned by enthusiastic volunteers. And the huge finisher medals are some of the
largest, heaviest and most colorful received from any marathon. Ample post race refreshments and a live band
provide great entertainment until the start of the awards ceremony. With the net elevation loss and almost
perfect weather conditions, the Top of Utah marathon would be an excellent
choice for a Boston qualifier.
Montana (9/21): The Montana
Marathon is a small race that draws about 100 marathoners, and also hosts a
half marathon and 4-person relay.
Starting in the town of Molt, the point-to-point course offers varied
Montana scenery (mountains, plains and farmland). The first 3.4 miles of the course are on gravel roads before
making the turn on paved Rimrock Road.
A slight uphill gain of 100 feet is felt for the first 13 miles,
followed by a substantial drop of 600 feet for the next 4 miles. From mile 20 on, the course enters the city
limits of Billings and there is a slight downhill to the finish at Daylis
Stadium.
Repeating
the process of a day ago, we hear the 4:30 alarm, signifying the beginning of a
“long” day. From our room at the
Sheraton, we make the half-mile walk to the YMCA to pick up our race packets
and the busses that would transport us to the start. While chatting with other runners there, we found that we were
just “ordinary”. One woman was working
on her 52nd marathon of the year and another runner, whom also ran
in Logan yesterday, had done a high of 87 marathons in one year. This was not the time for us to brag about
our achievements!
The temperature was very cold at the start. We donned singlets, long sleeved shirts and sweatshirts, and didn’t even bother to check them in. Our game plan was simple: run a mile, and then walk a minute. Situating ourselves at the rear of the pack, the gun sounded and we were off. For the first 3 miles, we struggled with the pace, even at 10 minutes per mile. We were low on energy and high on whining. With the race in its infancy, we were wondering if back to back marathons was such a good idea. We welcomed every potty stop that had to be made, thus allowing the others a good excuse to walk. Our pace held steadily between 9 - 10 minute miles for the next 10 miles, with an occasional sub 9 thrown into the mix. We tried every trick in the books to get our minds off the pain. Walking was still in our repertoire as we played leap-frog with other runners.
At
the18 mile mark, Tony and I had a sudden infusion of energy and started to push
the pace. We realized that there was a
chance to break 4 hours. Chris had
enough and told us to go on ahead. Undaunted,
we started to average 8 minute miles, picking off runners. Cheers from the few spectators provided
sporadic “rushes”; we were now at sub 8 minutes per mile, and feeling great. This isn’t so bad! As we entered Billings, Tony and I knew that we were going to
achieve our 4- hour marathon. There was
joy in our faces as with a mile to run, we were at 3:48. We could see the stadium; one half loop
around the track and it would be all over.
The way that we were now feeling, I was actually sad to see it end. We crossed the finish line together and gave
each other a congratulatory hug.
Lounging on the infield grass, we waited for Chris to enter the stadium. He had walked a few miles after we left him
and started to pace with other runners.
As he entered the track, he felt a great sigh of relief as his day was
about to end. Being a true maniac, he
did not discount the notion of doing back to back marathons again!
Portland (10/5) and Royal Victoria (10/12): The maniacs are
on a roll….5 marathons in 5 weeks!
Tri-Cities (10/26): If you’re looking
for a Boston Qualifier or the possibility of a personal best, this may be the
marathon for you. Starting in Richland,
this scenic course which is almost exclusively run on bike paths, parallels the
Columbia River and has a minimum amount of hills (the ramps leading to 4 bridge
crossings). With New York on the
horizon next weekend, this was going to be a long training run for the maniacs. The three of us had the honor of running
with the three eventual female winners
(Laura Devine, Jennifer Yogi and Pamela Brulotte). Possibly the best moment was when Pam
crossed the finish line with a huge grin, qualifying for Boston for the first
time. For a small race (~120 runners), the Tri-Cities Running Club do an
excellent job of putting together a first-rate event. No frills, no expo, no
pasta feed…just a fun race!
New York City (11/2): Lady luck was on
our side as Chris and I both made the prestigious lottery, thus being able to
accompany Tony to New York (he met the guaranteed entrant standard at the 2002
Seattle Marathon). There is no place like New York City. One week was just not enough time to gather
in all that the Big Apple has to offer.
The aura of Times Square and Broadway, the majestic Empire State
Building, Statue of Liberty and her glorious lamp, the American Museum of
Natural History, running through Central Park…the list is practically endless!
The
best runners expo, in our opinions, was in New York. So good that we attend the event for two days. Since we weren’t
sure if we were ever returning to New York, we buy hordes of marathon clothing
and souvenirs. Every corner we turn,
there seemed to be a celebrity runner stationed at shoe company booths waiting
to pen their name to posters. What a joy to be able to garner autographs and
snapshots of Khalid Khannouchi, Haile Gebrselassie, Jen Rhines and Svetana
Petrova. Every major race was present,
passing out their brochures. We stood
in line two hours for the coveted souvenir plaster cast of your feet, sponsored
by the Poland Spring, the “official water of the NYC Marathon”. The cast is framed in a wooden box with the
all- important NYC marathon logo attached to it. Quite a collectible! We
met up with other maniacs from Oregon, California and Idaho, and perform our
duties by recruiting and passing out a plethora of “marathon maniacs.com”
business cards. While making our way to
the other side of the expo, Chris and I were “rudely pushed out of the way” by
the bodyguards and entourage of P. Diddy, the rapper who was running the
marathon to raise a million dollars to help inner city kids of New York. Later that day, we visited Paragon Sports
where the New York City Marathon heroine was Grete Waitz was signing
autographs. We just missed her, but did
come away with, you guessed it, more marathon merchandise. At this point, we were getting fearful of
credit card purchase overload.
Maniac
luck did not run out. Standing in the
line (two long city blocks) to enter the pasta feed at the Tavern on the Green,
a couple of ladies were offering VIP passes to the feed. Without hestitation, we snatched them up and
made our way to the front of the line, where we were escorted to a special room
with attendants adorned in tuxedos and catered to our every need. Even the menu was different than what the
“general admission” crowd was getting.
Is this what its like to be an elite athlete?
The
weather in New York was unseasonably warm for November and the three of us more
often than not, donned shorts during our sightseeing ventures. Marathon race day was no different. As temperatures quickly approached 60 F, we
discarded our warm-up gear and revealed our battle uniforms, the soon to be
famous marathon maniac yellow singlets complete with logo in front and maniac
in the back. The Italians and
Scandinavians were quite amused by our gear and requested business cards of
ours. We’re well on our way to becoming
going global! One last task before
heading to the starting lines….Chris and Tony, with markers in hand, goes up to
an attractive female and asks them to write their name and city, state on arms
and legs. A tradition in Boston, rabid
fans would shout the names of the runners with these markings, providing inspiration.
Unfortunately
at this time, I separate from Tony and Chris as they are slated for the green
wave start and mine blue.
The
start over the Verrazano Narrows Bridge has got to be one of the most stunning
of all races. One could not even
envision the mass of humanity unless present.
What a great thrill to be running in such diverse neighborhoods such as
Brooklyn, Queens ad Harlem. The course
is not exactly a piece of cake as there are a few hills in the course that seem
to come at inopportune times and the finish into Central Park is slightly
uphill. With the temperatures near 70
F, no personal bests were going to be set by the maniacs. Chris and Tony both had fairly great runs,
while me…I think I was still recovering from Tri-Cities the week before. Maybe the worst part of the race…the long
walk to pick up your check-in baggage and for us, the equally long walk back to
our hotel room via subway.
If
you like big and excessive, the New York City Marathon should be included on
your list for marathons to do. The
three of us are feverishly training hard to make the qualifying standard for
the 2004 race, as we don’t think we’ll so lucky in being accepted through the
lottery two years in a row.
Seattle (11/30): The largest
contingent of “maniacs” at any 2003 marathon.
Oh those tough headwinds on Lake Washington Boulevard certainly didn’t
make for fast times!
California International (12/7): What an adventure
for Chris and Tony. First, they fly into San Francisco to transfer to another
plane and find out its being delayed for hours. They eventually get into
Sacramento in the wee hours. Needless
to say, they miss the expo and pasta feed.
Luckily they made prior arrangements with a friend to have their race
packets picked up. Their only comments…a fast course with a fantastic finishers
medal!
Honolulu (12/14): There’s a famous
song played on the islands that goes like this…Hawaii calls, with the message
of Aloha….Hawaii calls, and my heart calls to you. Of all the marathons, this is the one that seems to call my
name. Who can resist Waikiki Beach, its
glamorous hotels with a Pina Colada in
hand while watching the waves rush onto shore? Travel companions Sue and Tonee
made reservations for this marathon in early July and we all began the countdown
soon after. My fourth year in a row doing this race also produced my fastest
time, though race conditions were hardly ideal. After conquering the headwinds on the way to Hawaii Kai (14
miles), the heat and humidity negate the tailwinds on the way back to the
finish line at Kapiolani Park.
Walking
back to the hotel room after the race, I come across Bob and Lenore
Dolphin. Bob mentioned that Honolulu
was his 21st marathon of the year, thus we were tied at the
moment. Next week was the Christmas
Marathon at Millersylvania State Park, which Bob was going to do. Thoughts rang through my head...I have to do
this one if we’re going to be tied!
The final tally for 2003:
Chris
Tony
Steven
|
Marathons
– 2003 |
19 |
18 |
21 |
|
Ultramarathons |
1 |
2 |
1 |
|
Fastest
marathon time |
Capital City 2:51:46 |
Top of Utah 3:01:05 |
Yakima 3:04:41 |
|
Toughest
course |
North Olympic |
Seattle |
Grizzly |
|
Most
scenic course |
San Francisco |
Top of Utah |
Whidbey Island |
|
Best
unknown race |
Top of Utah |
Pocatello |
Yakima River |
|
Favorite
marathon |
New York City |
Seattle |
Honolulu |
|
Best
race expo |
New York City |
New York City |
New York City |
|
Best
bargain |
Top of Utah ($40) |
Newport ($50) |
Top of Utah ($40) |
|
Best
pasta party |
New York City |
New York City |
New York City |
|
Best
fans |
New York City |
Boston |
Boston |
|
Best
finishers medal |
Top of Utah |
California Int. |
Rock and Roll |
|
Best
age-group awards |
Top of Utah |
Pocatello |
Yakima River |
|
Favorite
T-shirt |
Royal Victoria |
Portland |
North Olympic (vest) |
|
Worst
/ no fans |
Las Vegas |
Birch Bay |
Grizzly |
|
Worst
expo for big race |
San Francisco |
San Francisco |
Honolulu |
Epilogue
Marathon
mania is certainly not for everyone. We
have managed to stay injury-free, mainly because many of the marathons we run
are just used as long training runs and not goal races. In my twenty years of running, I can
honestly say that this is the most fun I’ve ever had. The other two are inclined to agree. For the three of us, we can’t think of a better way of
incorporating travel, enjoying our “hobby” and supporting marathon race
director’s causes by entering their races.
We’ve met quite a few runners from different regions and hope that
eventually all 50 states will be represented on the web site member
registry.