State #25 - Montana: The Madison Marathon - An Adventure to Remember

7/28/2013

The panorama photo above was not lifted from a postcard.  It was captured during my 25th State marathon at the Madison Marathon in the Gravelly Mountains in Montana.  I had to get out my thesaurus for words other than "amazing," "incredible," "magnificent," "stunning," and "beautiful" to describe the course.  It IS the most beautiful course I've run in my in 33 marathon so far across the country and world.  It was also one of the toughest courses I've ever completed...  but, worth every step in these mountain ranges in Big Sky Country.

running in the clouds in MT

Being a city slicker from Orange County, CA, completing Montana started out as just a check mark on my way to completing the 50 States.  But when I stumbled across the Madison Marathon website I was struck by the photos of the incredible course.  Now, have you ever been fooled by hotel websites with unbelievable photography only to show and and find out that the place was a dump?  Well, make no mistake, the beauty of this race is as advertised.  If anything, the pictures cannot do the experience proper justice.  The endless blue skies and miles of velvet green fields, the smell of the wildflowers, and the touch of the gentle breeze are simple indescribable by words or photos.

My buddy Mike L. from Denver (AKA Yoda, finished in 4:11) and I decided that we'd meet to run this extraordinary race.  Mike brought his wonderful wife Michele and three boys and spent a week in Yellowstone prior to the race.  He was also kind enough to pick me up and transport me throughout the weekend.  My only regret was doing this trip in my usual fashion, which is to fly in Saturday and fly back home immediately after the race on Sunday.  This is a part of the country that deserves and requires days to explore.  The turn-around trip posed some logistic challenges.  The nearest airport to the town of Ennis (race central; hotels, bib pickup, shuttle to start) is in Bozeman approximately an hour drive away.  

first view of Montana at the Bozeman airport

The drive from Bozeman to Ennis is straight forward and scenic.  It immediately screams, "you aint' in the city no more!"  Miles of fields decorated by the occasional barn looked like oil paintings.  We saw families playing in the waters and floating in rivers besides the freeway on our drive in.  Something you just don't see in the city (unless you are into Raging Water parks packed with pool peeing kids).

                           

                                     

                             

                                        view from drive from Bozeman to Ennis

Ennis is a small town of approximately 1,000 residents.  From all the signage it looks like a terrific town to visit and do A LOT of fishing.  We stayed at a modest motel called Rainbow Valley Lodge. Main Street Ennis is the gather place of the marathon on Saturday and has several restaurants, stores and the town pump for our needs.

The fly making station at the Rainbow Valley Lodge

From Ennis, runners would be shuttled to the staging area and start of the race in the Gravelly Mountains approximately 2 hours away.  Sounds complicated?  It is and it isn't.  The race organizers did a tremendous job providing direction and support of this small and intimate race.  In order to meet my flight time on Sunday evening, I requested for and took advantage of the early start option at 7:00 a.m. (regular 8:30) offered by race organizers.  I met the RD Sam Korsmoe Sat afternoon after our arrival at the bib pick-up.  Sam was friendly and we joked about the sophisticated timing device used at the race...  his hand held stop watch.  After a quick bite to eat at the local pizza joint (Pit Stop Pizza; very good by the way), it was off to bed early in order to make the early shuttle pick up at 4:50 a.m.

Race morning started with a gathering of the early starters at the town pump promptly at 4:50.  About 10 of us gathered and exchanged pleasantries in the early dawn.  Then we were divided into three cars for the two hour drive up to the start line at the base of Black Butte Mountain.  Now, I had the misfortune of getting the cherry seat in front of an extra cab pick-up truck with five other dudes.  And I don't mean little dudes.  I think most of us stood at about 6 feet tall.  Imagine a two hour ride with six dudes in the dark with a little space and lots of morning breath of coffee...  But the ride actually turned out to be an entertaining treat.

the early starters on the way to the starting line

Our driver was a local triathlete named Cory.  Cory is like a character straight out of "Born to Run."  Between the sideburns and big laughter was one funny dude.  Between Cory and the elder European gent on my other side we got stories about marathons in Poland and living in Tokyo.  We also found out about the magic qualities of the coffee from the town pump and vodka in the morning.  With a few more stories about bear and sheep dog attacks on the marathon course we were almost at the start.

last pit stop before the start

We arrived at the start promptly at 7:00 a.m. and began one of the most memorable runs of my life.  The course "road" is a dirt trail of mostly loose gravel and small pebbles.  There were a few sections with fist sized rocks.  The climbs are challenging and some descend are steep.  I was glad to have worn my Hoka Ones!  They saved my feet.  Ok, I'll let the photos below do some of the talking...  

At the start with fellow 50 Staters, Marathon Maniacs Cowboy Jeff, Melinda, and Sandy

view of Black Butte

At Monument Ridge rocking my RIF shirt for the first time

somewhere near the valleys of 13

one of the challenging hills at 19

The Madison Marathon is billed as "highest road marathon in America."  The course peaks at near 9,600 feet near mile four of the course at Monument Ridge.  My Garmin recorded a total elevation gain of 2,894 (drop of 3,547) throughout the course.  The first four miles presented the most major climbs but climbs continued throughout the course with some real tough SOBs after mile 19.  The last six miles were "hard" as the knees began feeling the effects of the descends.  I finished the run with a time of 5:23 which is one of my slowest recorded marathon time.  Am I unhappy about the finish time?  Not at all.  Do I feel like I let down the "Run It Fast" shirt I was wearing?  No.  Just the opposite.  This was a run for the adventure and a run for the unique experience of being in one of the highest and most beautiful races.  Was it "fast?"  Yes.  It was my fastest marathon at  9,600 feet.  It was my fastest marathon with the amount climbs and descends.  I ran it as fast as I could...  but more importantly than speed, I ran it with my eyes wide open like it was my first marathon.  There were places on the course so beautiful I wanted to cry.  At times during the run I forgot that I was running altogether.

Madison Marathon is a must do and I hope everyone gets to experience it in person.

Yoda and me at the finish

One race, one mile, and one step at a time,

Jeff
http://connect.garmin.com/player/350762269

Why we run and State #20

6/3/2012 Casper Marathon was marathon State #20 in my journey of running the 50 States.  

It was a great running weekend.  I flew into Denver and met up with Mike L, aka Yoda.  Mike and I then made the trek in his Jeep up to Casper.  For those unfamiliar, Mike is a former co-worker who moved to Denver two years ago.  While we worked together, Mike become somewhat of a running coach/partner for me as well as a good friend.  As a 3:30 Ironman marathon runner, Yoda as I call him, is in a different league from my pedestrian pace.  He taught me a lot about running, and we became good friends who talked everything from work to family life during our daily lunch runs.  The trip gave us a chance to catch up.  Other than the air conditioning cutting in/out of the Jeep, the road trip was awesome.

Going into this race, I knew I was well under prepared.  Since the ultra in April, I have not been mentally focused on running.  And given that I had set out to run only one PR race a year (earlier 2012 in El Paso), I did not train hard and did not expect a fast finish.  And the result showed.  4:31 is one of the slowest races I've run in recent years.

The marathon itself was a well organized and small (250 runner) race.

The "expo," well there really was not one, it was just for the packet pick up at the host hotel (Ramada Inn) in a function room.  There were a few t-shirts and other items for sale but it served primarily for bib pick-up and to answer any questions about the race, shuttle, etc.  The organizers were very friendly and answered our questions.

Casper Marathon was the first time I joined a race organized pre-race pasta dinner.  It was actually pretty good!  I avoided the cream sauce just to be safe :).  The dinner was probably 70% 50 State Marathon Club members!  I had a great time at dinner chatting with fellow MM and 50 Staters.  As we walked back after dinner, Mike said to me "I never knew there were that many crazy people out there."  That actually meant a lot coming from a guy who trains insane hours for the Ironman.  So thanks Yoda!  I take that as a compliment!

At race morning, there is A shuttle that runs from the Ramada up to the start of the race at the Casper Event Center.  The distance between the hotel and the center is a bit over 1 mile up a good hill.  It is walkable but we decided to wait for the shuttle.  One issue is that there is only one small bus running about every 15 minutes (which started at 4:30 AM).  The race actually started a few minutes late b/c they were not able to shuttle everyone up in time.  One big plus is that the event center allowed runners to stay warm inside and offered coffee and water.  it also provided real restroom which were clean and much preferred to porta-potties.

While the course was not breathe taking, it was very pleasant and on a beautiful town/course.  Front half of the course were on open roads surrounded by open fields where antelopes can be spotted.  Mid part of the course were largely on the paved trails along the river.  Final part of the race involved some more trail and a circle around the golf course.  caution of multiple (a lot) rolling hills throughout the course.  Much of the mid-late part of the course involved loops and turns which won't do well as a PR course.  Traffic was very well controlled with minimal road crossing (since most of the course was on the riverside trail).  Half marathon and marathon races were well spaced apart that I never even noticed the 1/2 marathoners.

I give major points to the finish line for pronouncing my name correctly;)  The finish area is well organized with lot and lots of food and drinks.  Watermelon was the best part for me!  Overall, Casper was one of the finer small races I've run and is recommended.  While I did not run a great time I had a good time.

The experience of this run gave me the inspiration and opportunity to ponder why people like us love to run and run as much as we do.  I think this question has been asked many times to almost every Marathon Maniac and 50 Stater  that we tend to give some generic answer or answer with something witty instead of really examining the answer at the core of what we do.  Perhaps it is just difficult to verbalize the answer in a clear and concise way.  Or perhaps the answer is more emotional than logical and is not meant to be shared.  Obviously everyone has a different story and draws on their own life experience for inspiration and motivation.  But, in my opinion, I think there is a clear common thread amongst all endurance runners.  

Running for people like us is our way to take control of our otherwise chaotic lives.  We define running as we see appropriate and running in turn defines us.  Running for us is both a physical and spiritual experience.  With each breathe, each stride, and each ache and pain, we feel our vulnerability as well vitality.  And with each triumph and defeat, we sail in waves of our emotional sea. I feel more alive during a marathon than I do 50% of everyday life.  What I see is that sometimes the love we have for running is cult like.  And although when we lace up our Nike (Asics in my case) NOT to meet the aliens in the space ship, we do so to get closer to our own divine entity.  We do so to feel alive.

One race, one mile, and one step at a time,

Jeff

A Belated Thank You

It’s been over two months since the Seattle Marathon. Things have been crazy as usual with my two very active kids and “training” for the Oct double. I did not realize until this past weekend when I finally had the chance to chat with two of my friends who ran with me in Seattle that, I had never properly congratulated them on completing their first marathon. I had to bail immediately after the race in order to catch my flight back to So Cal. And even though I managed to blog an entry whining about not being able to PR in Seattle, I FAILED to thank all those who ran alongside me in Seattle. Better late than never right? So here goes…
My buddy Mike C, thanks for living up to your (drunken) promise made many years ago to run a marathon with me. Even though you are on one good knee you were able to accomplish your goal of finishing sub-five. That is amazing. Your story about running again after standing in the tunnel wondering how you’d finish the race with two cramped up legs at mile 16 tell a whole lot about who you are.
To Chris, my little sister. Congrats on another half. I hope you had fun... Im sure the food alone was worth the trip down the West Coast. Now we'll have to get Brad into the sport...
My buddy Larry C, AKA L Dawg, aka Smalls maybe small in stature but is huge in heart. First marathon and an amazing result (far better than my first). You surprised me with preparation and respect for the distance. Honestly I kept looking over my shoulder to see when you’d pass me. I am very happy that you enjoyed the race and may consider another in the future. There are lots of good ones out there… and besides, you need to out-run Lori.
David L, thanks for hosting and showing me around town. Dude, awesome job on the half! When I grow up I hope to stay active and pretty like you. As usual, thanks for listening to my grips about everyday life stuff… Oh, and apology for Larry’s insult on your mother and Korean women in general, he meant no harm.
Tito N, you are a stud. Who shows up for their first full and runs a respectable mid 4 after emailing me two weeks before the race wondering if you’d even run with the plantar fasciitis? It was good seeing you old friend. You tri guys are intense. Maybe one day I’d try one out, assuming I learn how not to drown.
MariAnne is like the female Yoda. You show up with the Zen like wisdom on running, no training, and then out run the entire party. Thanks for pulling me ahead for most of the race. Good luck with the knee. I know you will come back stronger than ever.
Thanks to Aud for being the super supportive wife on this trip. It made me miss home even on a 1.5 day trip.

Thanks again to all of you. I really hope that you enjoyed the experience. Finishing a marathon is no small task no matter the time of finish. You should be very proud of what you’ve done.

One race, one mile, and one step at a time,

Jeff

Sleepless before Seattle

Only 19 days to go! Is it time to panic yet? The pre-race jitter has set in… its not unusual but I have put a lot of pressure on myself for this race. I think I’ve said this to myself at least a thousand times (no exaggeration) “ I MUST PR.” Hopefully the amount of training has readied the body as well as given me the mental toughness needed for those last few miles. I think having a few friends running with me is going to be a big (positive) factor as well. ~good luck to Mike & MariAnne C., Tito N., Larry C., David L., and my sister Chris~ Looking forward to hanging out with all of you for a day.

Ran my last V02 today and discussed the results with Ironmen co-worker and Yoda. Things are looking pretty good. Just need to taper off properly and watch my nutrition and amount of sleep over the next 2.5 weeks. Speaking of sleep, or the lack of… I think I am permanently sleep deprived. I sure miss sleeping in on the weekends. Weekend long runs don’t really help but the biggest obstacle for my sleep has obviously been the kids. They seem to always wake up extra early on the weekends (but wants to sleep in on school days).

Big thanks to my lovely wife who has been positively extra supportive through the past 15 weeks. I hope you survive the kids on the 25th. I’ll be home right after the race… (after a shower of course).

One race, one mile, and one step at a time,
Jeff

Playing for JV

Well, I was pretty happy with my new PR (22:13) at the company 5K today...

Until I looked up Yoda's course PR of 18:58. I don't think he was even trying hard.

Welcome to the JV team Jeff, welcome...

Somewhere in Dagobah if you are reading this Yoda, I am doing my best to reach my potential. but I am afraid my potential just isn't very high...


One race, one mile, and one step at a time,

Jeff

VO2 What?

V02 Max is the measurement of the maximum capacity one’s body to transport and use oxygen during exercise, which reflects the physical fitness of the individual.

Now entering the last phase of my 18 week Seattle Marathon training cycle and this week begins the more grueling Vo2 Max training sessions. For example tomorrow’s run will a 8 miler with five ½ mile intervals run at my 5K pace (7:15-7:30). The last time I ran such a run was with Yoda and I nearly threw up. You know that feeling when someone punches you in the stomach and you just can catch your wind. Well, it’s like that times 5. Its not going to be pretty…

Overall, the training has been going well. Only 8 more weeks until race week and I have just two more 20 mile long runs and a 18 mile race-pace run left. I have run 365 miles since Feb 22 of 2011. I ran a fantastic 16 miler yesterday at just about race pace. I have a great feeling about a new PR in June. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

One race, one mile, and one step at a time

Jeff

Herd Mentality

I had a great run today at lunch with two co-workers. For some reason, it seemed so much easier than when I’d run by myself. What part of our programming says run with peers = run faster, easier? I am a running loner. For the most part, I like the time alone to just reflect, think, and find that happy place inside my mind. But today I took off the headphones and chatted a bit with Travis and Greg on a pretty brisk 6 miler. It felt relatively easy and I was a little surprised to see the time of 7:46 at mile one. I think I pushed them a little and to their credit, they hung on for the first three. I took it down a notch between 4-5 before pushing again at mile 6. I can clearly see that group running has its benefits especially if you have a competitive bunch.

I miss running with Yoda. I had my best runs with him running at my heel. Is there anyone out there up to the challenge of pushing this pedestrian runner?

One race, one mile, and one step at a time,
Jeff
1/31/11
6M - Group run (notch down back ½)
746/745/741/857/829/803
http://connect.garmin.com/player/66096297

Return of the Jedi

"Do, or do not. There is no 'try'." – Yoda



This email exchange between me and Mike L. (aka Yoda)

me: I lost my HRM. Don’t know why I keep losing my stuff. Ergh!
I want to be able to have a solid base of 30 miles and go into a 18 week training cycle this time. 3:45 means 8:30/mile. Going to be a test.

Yoda:30 miles base - Is this miles per week? If so, we need to get you up to at least 50!

me: Yes sir. 30 mile solid pre-training. 50+ during.

Yoda: 50 miles year round, unless you are building up to a race, then 60-80.

Damn Yoda! I thought you were banished to a far away planet!