Friday, September 30, 2016

Countdown to Sunday's Marathon & My Bucket List

TGIF bitches!

Sunday is my 10th marathon in the past 7 years  (if you include the two marathons that were part of my two Ironmans, which I do. 26.2 miles is 26.2 miles no matter how you slice it). It's the Blue Sky Trail Marathon near Ft. Collins, CO. Single track, about 3,500 feet of vertical.

Here's my thrilling marathon history.

Rock 'n Roll Phoenix - 2009
Colorado Marathon - 2010
Boston Marathon - 2011
Colfax Marathon (Denver) - 2013
Ironman Florida - 2013
Los Angeles Marathon - 2014
Ironman Boulder - 2014
Jerusalem Marathon - 2015
Leadville Marathon - 2016

Jerusalem Marathon Finish - I don't know the neon green shirt guy, but
he looks happy for me.
I have never done the same race twice. I don't see the point when there are so many races and so little time. And, as you can tell, I love to travel for races. Some of my bucket list ones?

Great Wall of China - what's not to love about running up 5,164 steps in the heat and humidity!

Athens Marathon - birthplace of the marathon and where I went to high school

Paris Marathon - j'aime Paris. I spent a semester there in college. Would love to run through this iconic city and see all the places I drank too much

NYC because, duh

Jungrau Marathon (Switzerland) - the views will make you cry

Antarctic Ice Marathon - because I love suffering and freezing my ass off! Forever bragging rights.

Midnight Sun Marathon (Norway). Yep, the sun doesn't set, so you start running at 8:30 p.m. Wait. That's a half hour past my bedtime.

I guess I'm ready for Sunday.  I never feel 100% ready for any race. It's good to be a bit scared and humbled by the distance. My goal? Being single track and with a fair amount of climbing, I'm hoping to be done in just over 5 hours. We'll see.

This is the absolute best time if year to train in Colorado. It's the kind of temperature when you are never too hot or too cold. Where the sun is always shining, but the intensity of the summer sunshine has given way to a softer, gentler glow.



That said, race conditions will be warm on Sunday - getting up to the low 80s. Not a runner's favorite temperature. But, when we start at 7am it will be in the 40s, so that's something. And, like I've told you there is not a speck of shade for the last 16 miles of the course.

I'll let you know how it goes.

After this race, I have no other races on the agenda. But, guess which lottery Ken and I signed up for??




Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon, baby! 1.5 mile swim/18 mile bike/8 mile run. Ken, did you know the swim was that long?

Have a great weekend.

What race is on the tip top of your bucket list?

Are you racing this weekend? Where/what distance

Ever done Escape from Alcatraz?

SUAR


45 comments:

  1. I have several friends who have done the Escape from Alcatraz triathlon, some more than once! Good luck to you and Ken on the lottery.

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    Replies
    1. Well if they did it more than once, it can't be that bad...right??

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  2. Would love to do the Athens marathon, too. We were in Athens in May and our guide told us there were street closures due to a marathon. I asked to be sure, "A marathon today?" "Yes." Signs I saw said, "Fun Run." Turns out it was a 10k "marathon."

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  3. Good luck Sunday! I'm not racing this weekend, but the following weekend I'm running the Steamtown Marathon in Scranton, PA. It'll be a new state for me.
    My top bucket list race is the Big Sur Marathon. I'll hopefully get to run it in a few years.
    I haven't done a tri yet, but I have a friend who has done Escape from Alcatraz at least twice. Hope you and Ken make it in!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Shoot I forgot Big Sur. That is definitely on my list too.

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  4. I'm doing a 4k with my family tonight, then the Twin Cities 10 Mile next weekend. My bucket list race right now is Grandma's Marathon - registration opens tomorrow and I'm considering registering; it would be my first full marathon. I freak out a little very time I tell someone I'm considering it.

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    Replies
    1. I will be running the Twin Cities full this year. Grandma's is awesome, do it!

      Beth S.

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    2. Grandma's IS awesome! I'm running the Whistlestop in Ashland, WI next weekend. It was my 1st marathon back in 2002, and now will be my 6th overall marathon. It's a beauty, and small and cheap!

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  5. If you don't make it into Escape from Alcatraz via the lottery can I suggest the Triathlon at Alcatraz? http://www.alcatraztri.tricalifornia.com/

    Slightly different race distances, but much better pricing.

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  6. Yes, come to Norway for the Midnight Sun Marathon in Tromsø; It is the best!

    Have an awesome run on Sunday!

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  7. I'm running the Run Crazy Horse half next weekend. It is a beautiful course and the buses pick up right in front of my home, no traveling!

    Good luck and have fun on Sunday!

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  8. I have run two marathons: The Marine Corps Marathon and NYC (and you should definitely run NYC someday). A good friend did Escape from Alcatraz several years ago and said the swim was super hard - freezing water and very strong currents.
    My marathon bucket list: Boston, London, Big Sur, Chicago and Paris.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Marine Corps in on my list too. As someone who has lived in DC, I think it would be amazing.

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    2. Running MCM in 4 weeks. Marathon #2. Super nervous as #1 did not go well (Disney). Hoping for redemption.
      Happy running on Sunday!!!

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  9. I Don't know if you were aware, but you have people following you from Italy, Europe. I swear I am not the only one.
    Have fun on Sunday,
    Daniele (It's Daniele with one L, I am a boy, not a lady).
    Don't know why I am writing this, I bet the wine I drunk while eating dinner is responsible.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ciao friends in Italy! Maybe I should run the Rome Marathon??

      Delete
  10. Boston is on the top of mine. Now if I could only get faster...

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  11. I would love to do wildflower, it looks amazing. I ran the Blue Sky Marathon in 2014, it was warm too but it was a great race, I am sure you will love it!

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  12. I ran the Paris Marathon in celebration of hitting the big 5 0 back in 2013.

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  13. LOVE ALCATRAZ>>>>>>I have done it twice. I would do it again but the race reg. has double since I did it in 2005 and 2007!!! It's AWESOME though...... doing the HOT Chocolate Run Sunday with a friend from work. It will be her first since having kids. Moab half trail race in a month!!!! Love Moab too.....

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  14. The Jerusalem Marathon! Wow, that must have been incredible. You have quite a great list of have-dones and to-dos. The Great Wall Marathon is on my list as well, but that might be many years down the line. I love races that give me an excuse to travel.
    Diana
    betterthanalive.com

    ReplyDelete
  15. Yes...Escape is fun (glad I did it before the price increase though...SF is expensive enough!) What about Pikes Peak and Catalina Island Marathons? Those are some of my favorites...and a grand canyon single/double crossing HAS to be in there somewhere....

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    Replies
    1. Hmmm...everyone keeps saying how expensive it is and I never checked the entry fee. Doh. Should go do that.

      Delete
  16. I would love to do the midnight run in Iceland <3

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  17. I want to do SOMO (Sothernmost Marathon) in Key West! Not racing this weekend - the next race is Charlotte (NC) half in November.

    I've never done Alcatraz but would be up for it - it's been awhile since I've done a Tri!

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