Meeting the Man with the Hammer at the Spijkenisse Marathon

I just found some time to post this story about the Spijkenisse Marathon. I ran this race while I was in Holland for work a few weeks ago. (I'll post a reply to Alan's blog-tag next week).

I happened to be in Holland and Belgium for work, so a quick look at Marathon Guide's international race calendar showed that the Spijkenisse Marathon would be held that weekend--of course my wife and kids did not believe me and maintains that I probably organized my entire trip around this marathon (Yes, I am sure the Devoxx conference organizers had this in mind as well)!

A Rare Double Rainbow Above My Parents' House in Amsterdam

Although it had been (mararaining the days before (very common in Holland), Sunday was going to be a nice dry day. This was the third annual marathon in the city of Spijkenisse organized by track club Spark. Spijkenisse is located close to Rotterdam in the Netherlands and my friend Bjorn and his wife from Crazy Pianos, who live pretty close to the course, graciously offered me a ride to the marathon start. There were over 700 people running different races (marathon, half marathon, and I think they also had a 10K). There were about 200 marathon participants.

As I found out during the 4x50K I participated in earlier this year, races in Holland tend to be a lot cheaper (This one was only about $22), but they don't give you any goodie bags, race T-shirts, etc. The entry fee still included a very nice medal, so I'd encourage the US marathons to follow the European lead--who needs those t-shirts anyway?

Photo Courtesy of Theo Peters

For work, we had a big release that coincided with our Europe trip, so I had been working almost around the clock for the ten days or so leading up to the marathon. Then, after getting off the airplane in Holland, I spend another day and another all-nighter to wrap things up. Needless to say, this was not going to be the sub-3 performance I had been training for.
With that in mind, I decided to just try to hold a 6:52 pace for as long as possible to get a feel for what it would be like to hold a sub-3 pace and not worry about the overall time. This would probably mean blowing up somewhere along the way, but there was nothing at stake, so it would be a good experiment.

And so, when the gun went off at 11:00 a.m (a great time to start a marathon on a cold day, by the way). I immediately tried to settle in to the right pace, but that was pretty hard. Instead, I was running between 6:30 and 6:40. The course was flat and it was hard to slow down any further. I passed the 10K mark in 40 minutes--definitely too fast.

The weather was great--it was pretty cold and not too windy. Many of the Dutch runners wore tights and I was one of the few wearing shorts. The course was very flat with the occasional up and down over a "dijk" (levee) or a bridge. What actually made the course challenging was the long stretches of "polder" (reclaimed land--yes, the saying God created the world, but the Dutch created Holland has some truth to it) that just went on and on and even though there was not a lot of wind, you could definitely notice it if you were running against it, because there were no trees or hills to protect you.

After the 10K mark, I started (unintentionally) slowing down a bit and I was finally hitting those 6:52 splits, but not for long. I passed the 20K mark in 1:23 and the half marathon in 1:28 and change, but I was slowing down even more. For a minute I thought I might be able to make it, but deep down I knew that the damage was already done--there was no way I could keep up the pace for another half, so maybe it was going to be 3:03 or 3:05. Things kept going well for a little while longer, but I was now running between 7:10 and 7:30 depending on the wind.

It was nice that the course was marked every kilometer. It made it feel like it went by very fast--there were just a lot more of them and doing the math started getting harder and harder as the marathon dragged on. Overall this was a perfectly-organized marathon. At 30K, I passed someone and got a little bit of a second wind, but a few kilometers later I finally ran out of fuel and I hit the wall. The aid stations (every 5K) only provided water and the Dutch version of Gatorade, but what I really needed to stay in the race was a gel or two. Unfortunately, I had left those at home.

The last part of the race started winding its way through the town of Spijkenisse, back to the track where we had started. A few very windy sections in the last three miles combined with a climb over a major bridge offered a meeting (and plenty of face time) with "de man met de hamer" (the man with the hammer), as the Dutch like to call "the wall." The runner that I had passed earlier sped by me like I was standing still and I did not have anything left. Going for a hold-the-pace-until-you-break strategy inevitably makes you run into a brick wall and does not make for many fun-filled final miles--I could not wait for this run to be over.

With aunt Maria and uncle Frank

As I turned onto the track, I looked behind me one more time and saw another competitor gaining on me. I sped up a little bit hold my position and after about 300 yards on the track I crossed the finish in 19th place overall in 3:12:08. Not bad, considering the circumstances. Also, this is a new PR and a Boston Qualifier, but still a long way from the elusive sub-3.

The Winners

My aunt and uncle (they took all the pictures for this post--thanks!) had come to the track to see me finish and I caught up with them after the marathon, which was great. It was a great time to be in Holland, because it was "Sint Nikolaas" (the Dutch version of Santa Claus) when I arrived (Dec. 5th). We had many chocolates and traditional holiday pastries, including my mom's famous apple pie.

Oma's Famous Apple Pie--Yum!

The winner of the marathon was the German runner Ralf Preibisch (2:32-CR) and Belgian runner Bart de Grove, who was very helpful in explaining the course to me prior to the race, came in second (2:42).

Next Up: Taking a little break now and will pick it up after the holidays again to try it once more (hopefully with more rest) in Redding (Jan 18).

Mission Accomplished!

Yesterday, on Thanksgiving Day, I joined hundreds of people for the 3rd annual Michael Bratton II Turkey Trot in Nevada City. My goal was to run my first-ever sub-40 10K (see previous post). With 1300' elevation gain as well as loss (per the Garmin, which may be a little on the high side) the course was far from a PR course. In previous years it had been a bit short, but this year they added extra out-and-back sections to make it a full 10K. (Fortunately, because I did not want to go all out only to realize I had run a sub-40 six-miler!)

This was the last race in the Gold Country Grand Prix series. I was in fourth place in the 30-39 AG, four points behind Mark Epperly. Since this was the biggest race in the entire Grand Prix (last year, there were over 1000 participants), I could still get enough points to sneak into third place, because only the first 5 finishers get extra points.

On top of the elevation gain, there were two more things to deal with, which would make this a tough course to PR on. A good portion of the race was run on single-track and double-track trails and it had rained the day before. It wasn't too slippery, but there were lots of wet leaves on the course.

Also, the 10K follows the 5K course and then makes an extra loop and finishes by joining the 5K course again. By the time the 10K joins the 5K course again there are tons of walkers that you have to zig-zag your way through. Some of them oblivious to the fact there is a race going on. On the single-track this can really slow you down.

Troy Finishes 3rd Overall, 4 Seconds Ahead of Zach Stoll

I went for a good, two-mile warmup. Not sure why, but my legs did not feel too springy and I started to get worried about breaking the magic 40-minute mark. I told myself that that's exactly why I was warming up and decided not to waste time worrying about it. Trust the training!

Zach Stoll Finishes Fourth Overall

The start was fast and furious. Everyone tried to get in a good position to avoid the single-track traffic jam and I settled in in about 10th place, right behind Larry Defeyer. Brandon Nied, Andrew Primrose, and Chris (last year's top-3 overall in the 5K) charged up the hills ahead. Chris was running the 5K today, because he was slowed down by a hip problem recently.

10K Winner Andrew Primrose (Left)

At the 5 and 10K split, most people ahead of me turned left onto the track to finish the 5K. As it turned out, Andrew Primrose was running the 10K, but by the time I hit the split, he was already out of sight, so I was not sure if I was in first or second place overall. I decided not to waste any time asking the course volunteers--just keep running!

Neel and Daffodil Run RD Joan Bumpus at the Finish

On several of the out-and-back sections, I could see I had a fairly comfortable lead on Zach and Troy, so I just kept pushing forward, trying to speed up on the flats and the downhills. On the final downhill, while zig-zagging through the walking crowd at high speed, In my quest to "shave" a few more seconds off the downhill time, I almost ran over my hairdresser, Julie from the Mane Event hair salon and rolfing magician Kona from Rolfing in the Sierras--not a great idea to take out those key members of the race support team!

Larry Defeyter , Me, and Some Crazy-Looking Guy Who Won This Year's Grand Prix's 30-39 AG

I hit the final uphill that leads to the track at 38:51. The race finishes with a about 200 meters on the track and I felt I had the sub-40 locked up, but just kept running as fast as I could. I finished in 39:51, second overall and first in my AG--mission accomplished!

Robert and Callan Warner after Callan's first 10K--great job!

We hung out at the finish for a while. Unlike the previous Grand Prix run, awards were handed to all top-three age group winners and I even received a delicious pumpkin pie for finishing in the top-three overall!

Chris, trying to keep Hannah off the Football Field

The results are not in yet, but with an extra 10 points and Chris and Larry finishing first and second in the 30-39 AG respectively, I think I have 3rd place in the GP locked up as well (Thanks guys!). Chris won the Gold Country Grand Prix 30-39 AG and Larry finished second. I believe Chris came in second overall in the Grand Prix (congrats, Chris!)

Troy Takes Home Some Hardware

Thanks to all the volunteers for making this such a succesful run in only the third annual running. It was a nice season finale. It would be interesting to see what the 39:51 would translate to on a fast and flat course, but I don't want to go too far out of my way to try it, so I think I'll wait for the (local) Daffodil Run next year to try it again.

Troy and I Enjoy a Well-Deserved Snack and "Hemp-Milk Latte" at the Broad Street Cafe

Next up: Well, that's basically it for this year in terms of racing. I am going to Europe for work next week and if there is a fun run somewhere I'll run it, but the next race goal is a sub-3 hour marathon in Redding on January 18th. I'll write another post about my other 2009 plans soon, but a fast Jed Smith 50M (you better get out of bed to start training, Michael Kanning!), a sub-19 hour Super Triple (Yes, Jon, you read that correctly!) and a very interesting mega-ultra are on the list, so stay tuned!

Sub-40 or Bust!

This Thursday, I'll be making another attempt at a sub-40 10K at the Michael Bratton II Turkey Trot 5 and 10K in Nevada City. Last year, I ran a 41:51 (9th overall) on this course , which has quite a few ups and downs in it.

Turkey Trot Elevation Profile

I have tried to break the sub-40 mark a few times over the past years, and I think I would have made it on various occasions if I had picked a flatter course. The problem around here is that there are hills everywhere. This time, however, I feel like I am ready for it despite the terrain.

I surprised myself at the Run through the Colors recently by running a 40:01 and I have been running Yasso-800 workouts weekly to improve my leg turnover for my upcoming sub-3 marathon attempt (planning on going for it at the Redding Marathon in January).

The speedwork is going really well. I started with four 800 meter repeats and have now built up to 10 of these speed workouts at about 2:46 average pace on the track and 2:58 on a flat trail close to my place. I have been adding one to two repeats every week and it has amazed me to see that an effort that feels almost seems impossible one week feels quite easy the next week. I tried to talk Michael into joining me at the Homewood track last week while I was in the Bay Area, but he opted to stay in bed instead--well, you snooze, you lose!

As far as the Grand Prix points go, we'll just have to see how it pans out, but I am still hopeful that a good place in the 10K will allow me to edge my way into the top-3 behind Chris and Larry in the 30-39 age group. I don't think I'll have a much better shot at GP points if I run the 5K, so trying to break the elusive 40-minute mark this year will be much more fun.

Interestingly, Turi will be shooting for his sub-45 10K on Thursday, so wish us luck!

Rain, Mud, and Elevation at the Monster Trail Run 10K

2960' of elevation gain and 2960' elevation loss in just 10 kilometers! That's what my Garmin Forerunner registered for the Monster Trail 10K Run last Saturday (Note: The Garmin readings tend to be on the high side). To top it off, torrential rain had turned the course into a giant mud-slide, making for some very treacherous descents and slow uphill running. Fun, but not fast!

Despite the rain, there were lots of die-hard Gold Country Grand Prix runners at the start. I decided to run the 10K, knowing that this would probably hurt my chances of getting a higher Age Group place (currently in fourth place, 3 points behind third) in the Grand Prix with just two races to go. Bottom line: I did not really intend to go for points in the GP this year, so why start now? It was better to run the maximum distance and enjoy the trails.

I knew Chris was running the 10K and Larry Defeyter was running the 5K, so an overall win was unlikely. Fortunately, the race flyer promised awards for the top three overall so I was pretty sure I would be able to go home with some hardware. Or would I...

Chris and I went for a two-mile warmup, which gave us a frightening sneak peek of the course's first major downhill. Some parts were like a sheer cliff, made of mud. You had to grab trees to slow down or risk an epic wipe-out.

So, when the race started, I took the lead so I would be one of the first to go down the steep section of the slick trail (at least on the first of the two 5K loops). Once we arrived on a flatter part of the trail, Chris, Larry, and Zach passed me and I maintained 4th place for the rest of the otherwise uneventful run. I felt good most of the way and pushed it to the finish line to break 48 minutes, arriving in 47:54.

As usual, Chris won the 10K, despite having a back-ache (Check out his blog post with the race pictures here). the up-and-coming national class runner, Zach Stoll, who ran an incredibly good race took second (did I mention he is only 13?), and I came in third overall. Larry won the 5K easily. A quick dip in the nearby lake helped get all the mud of our clothes.

Chris and I Wash Off in the Lake After the Race (Photo courtesy of Abby Badolato)

Many thanks to the awesome volunteers that braved the storm to show us where to go. As for the awards, I received my age group ribbon, but I was surprised to find out that they were only giving awards to first overall male and female for each distance (not the top-3, as promised)!

When I raised the fact that the flyer, which I had unfortunately handed in when I registered, had said top-3, I was told that I was wrong and had misread it. Well, I went home and looked it up again and here is the exact text:

Shirts/awards:
Awards for top 3 overall, age groups, and additional prizes. Event shirts included if pre-registration received by 10/7/08; other registrants will receive shirts while supplies last.

Note the serial comma after "overall." So, you tell me. who is right...
Now, I don't do this for the hardware, but it's a matter of principal; you have to live up to your promises. I e-mailed the RD, so I hope this will be resolved somehow (Now a week later, I still have not heard back yet, but I'll post a comment if I do).

Motionbased Details:
http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/7089510

Next up: I am skipping UltraCentric 24Hr in Texas this year. If you add up all the travel costs, it's just too much money for yet another weekend away.

Blue Planet Run on the Tahoe Rim Trail

Note: I forgot to bring the battery for my camera, so all of these pictures are shamelessly pilfered from Chris and Turi's blogs. Check out their blogs for additional footage:

• Chris's Blog
• Turi's Blog (includes movies!)

In the spirit of the Blue Planet 30-Mile Challenge, Chris and I had already run the first 6 miles at the Run through the Colors 10K last week (Chris won and almost set a new course record) and to finish it up we had planned to run a 24-mile run on the Tahoe Rim Trail, from Tahoe Meadows to Spooner Summit.

It was a beautiful weekend around the lake. On Saturday, the kids and I went for a 12-mile bike ride starting in Tahoe City and at night we had dinner with Chris, Abby, and their two-year old daughter.

On Sunday, I parked at the Spooner Summit trailhead and Abby graciously offered to drive us to Tahoe Meadows, where we met Turi and John Ostezan. We took off from the Tahoe Meadows trailhead at exactly 8 o'clock.

I had expected it to be very cold, but the temperature was actually really nice. This section certainly brought back a lot of memories from this Summer's 168-mile trek. This section was part of the last 40 miles of that run and as soon as it started getting dark, I started hallucinating like crazy.

Looking at the trail during the day with fresh eyes made it clear just how much I had been hallucinating. I had actually imagined a few houses along the course that were obviously not there. There were no backpacks, dome tents, and guard rails anymore along the trail, either.

We had a great run. Chris and John sped up (or maybe I just slowed down) after we reached Hobart Road and finished the run in about 4 hours, while Turi and I finished in just under 4:30. After the run we iced the legs in the lake and had lunch at King's Beach. Chris even brought some oatmeal stout-flavored Gatorade. All in all, a great day out while at the same time providing some much needed relief for 1200 students in Tanzania!

Next Up: The Monster Trail Run in Grass Valley on Saturday, November 1st.

Taking the Blue Planet 30-Mile Challenge to the Tahoe Rim Trail

I just signed up for the Blue Planet Run 30-Mile Challenge! As a "Team Blue" member, I will run 30 miles (approximately 50K) to raise awareness and help support a special project that needs immediate attention in Tanzania, East Africa.

Although this is not much of a "challenge" for any self-respecting ultrarunner, it is a great initiative and certainly one that makes you appreciate all the luxuries we have in our lives.

To reach the 30 miles, I will first run a 10K race (Run through the Colors 10K in Nevada City) on the 19th of October. After that I will run a 24-mile trail run on the Tahoe Rim Trail on the 26th of October (from Tahoe Meadows to Spooner Summit) with my friends Chris and Turi and anyone else that would like to join. Note: this is a self-supported run, so bring food and... water.

Check out the event details here.

Unsafe water is responsible for more sickness and death than AIDS, cancer and wars combined. Yet it is a simple problem for us to solve. My efforts will help bring safe drinking water to three schools in Tanzania which will provide 1,200 students with healthy water and allow them to attend school instead of walking long distances to collect water each day.

Part of the 24-Mile Course

Join me or create your own 30-mile challenge! It's easy. For more information on the program and the water project, visit http://blueplanetrun.org/30-mile. Remember, no effort is insignificant. This is an easy way to improve another person's life in big ways! Water is life. Pass it on.

Tahoe Super Triple Hat-Trick

If a picture is worth a thousand words, how about a short movie:


As you can see, this year's Tahoe Super Triple was a real blast!

I ran the first two days a little faster than expected. Really, I did not know what to expect, because I had not run any actual marathons since last year's Super Triple. I had noticed that my endurance had improved quite a bit since the big TRT-165 run; I was simply able to keep a good running form for a lot longer. I was also logging some fast training runs on paved roads with about 8% incline and I won the Draft Horse Classic 10K the weekend before the Super Triple. So, coming in I knew I would be faster, I just did not know how much faster.

With Chris at the Midnight Start

I felt recovered from the 165-mile run six weeks earlier (in fact, I had planned it with the Triple in mind) and this year, I did not run a 53-miler the week before the triple, but a major deadline at work had kept me working till deep in the night in the two weeks leading up to the race, preventing me from getting all the sleep I really needed. I guess there's always something, but at a minimum, I'd be used to doing something in the middle of the night!

The Start of the 72-Mile Race and the Last Leg of the Super Triple

I was surprised that, compared to last year's times, I was able to knock 22 minutes off of my first marathon time and 16 minutes off of my second marathon. As it turned out, I really needed to have those minutes in the bank for the final 72-miler, which came down to a duel with San Francisco's Jon Burg, who had run a fast time in the Vermont 100-miler (20 hours and change) only two months earlier.

Sean "4-Minute Mile" Meissner Can't Believe I am Wearing Tights

Jon had trouble with heel spurs during the first two marathons, but showed up fresh-as-a-daisy at the midnight start of the last leg--the 72-mile loop around Lake Tahoe. This year, I really wanted to make it to the 8:30 a.m. start of the regular Tahoe marathon. I had been unable to get there in the previous years and it is a bit demoralizing to just follow the trail of empty Gu-wrappers and water cups for the last 26 miles while the aid stations are being broken down just ahead of you.

Jon Burg, Going Strong

Still, covering 46 miles in 8.5 hours at night after two marathons is easier said than done. My aim was to go out very easy and run and power-walk the first 20 miles to Spooner Summit without ever pushing it. I watched Jon disappear into the dark. From one angle this felt a little bit risky, but on the other hand it was too early in the race to make any sudden moves, departing from the tried-and-true race strategy--so I decided to just stick to the game plan and get to the top of Spooner as planned.

Tony Torres (Three-Time Winner of the Tahoe Marathon)

I reached the Cave Rock tunnel at 2:00 a.m. and Spooner Summit at 3:15. Next was the long downhill to Incline Village. That went pretty well considering I was running in the middle of the night. I reached the highway (at the end of Lakeshore Blvd) at 5:40 and took a quick 5-minute break to change shoes and drink some coffee. With 2 hours and 45 minutes left and 13 miles to go to Tahoe City, it dawned on me that I was really going to make it by 8:30, even though Chris and Rebecca had been assuring me all along that I was on track.

I reached the 46-mile mark (the marathon start) at 8:13 and immediately took off for Pope Beach (Ultra runners don't have to wait here). Chris and Rebecca told me I was trailing Jon by 12 minutes.

Lynryd Skynrod Flies by at His Early 5:55/mile Pace

Soon the marathoners started passing me. First the front runners: Lynryd Skynrod and eventual winner Tony Torres, and then the two top-Triple runners: Marathon Junkie (Chuck Engle) and Blue Benadum. Chuck and Blue had two (or more?) glasses of wine the night before the race and they were flying. They would end up in 3rd and 8th place in the regular marathon and first and second in the 78-mile Tahoe Triple respectively. Way to go guys! Very impressive. I might just have to try that wine-and-race strategy soon!

Blue and Chuck With 20 Miles to Go

After the rabbits disappeared, a steady stream of runners passed by. The remainder of the race was accompanied by a constant stream of cheers and support from the crowd and the hundreds of fellow runners who passed by. Running those last 26 miles in a bright orange Super Triple singlet, I felt like a (minor) celebrity! Most runners that passed by actually seemed to know what the Triple and the Super Triple were and some people even wanted their picture taken!

We'll Get There Eventually!

reached the 50-mile point in 8:52 and noticed I was gaining on Jon--the gap was down to only 6 minutes. About four miles later, I finally caught up to Jon and we power-walked for several miles together. Jon had been running a very smart race and though I pride myself on being able to out-walk most of my opponents, it was immediately obvious to me that power-walking was also one of Jon's strengths. We were consistently walking faster than 5 miles an hour (between 11:30 and 12:00 miles) and even passing some of the slower runners. On a long, paved course like the Tahoe 72-Miler, that is a key ingredient to success.

Triple Finisher and Her Cute Dog "Cherrio"--Possibly the Only Dog that has Completed the Triple (There Should Be an Award for That)

Eventually I started running some of the steeper downhills again. Jon said he was going to walk the downhills due to some residual heel pain, so I slowly pulled away only to hit the "Hill from Hell." which forced the entire field to a crawl. Then, after the downhill from hell with one final uphill section to go to reach Inspiration Point, Jon caught up to me again, courtesy of Tylenol.

Paul Piplani, Drove to the Super Triple Race Start From Arizona And Heads Back Right After the Race (Wow!)

I assessed the situation. Having made it to the start before 8:30 and now having a 59-minute lead with 6 miles to go, I had the win locked up as long as I would just power-walk to the finish. At this point it was hard to find the motivation to race Jon to the finish. My body was telling me "Well, we gave you what you wanted (the 8:30 start and the overall win), so stop asking for more!"

Inspiration Point (Mile 0 and Mile 118)

Of course Jon and I were not aware that we were trailing the leader of the 72-mile ultra (the runners who were "just" running the 72-miler) by mere minutes. Apparently, the early leaders that were gunning for finishing in the neighborhood of 10 hours had dropped out of the race. (Sorry it did not go well for you this time, Sean). If we had known that, we might have shifted to a higher gear. As it turned out, Jon finished only one minute behind the 72-mile ultra winner, Randy van Dusen! (Next year, we need some walkie-talkies with up-to-date race intelligence!)

With 72-Mile Director Lucia Lake

I power-walked/ran to the finish and arrived in 13:39. Wow, another Super Triple done! I iced the legs in the lake and picked up the awards, which were on the beach this time (it was nice not to have to go to the casinos again for a change). We said goodbye to the new friends we had made over the last few days, stopped in Truckee for Pizza and beer and drove home for a good night's sleep.

Awards Ceremony--Reserving That Spot for Next Year!

A huge thank-you to Chris and Rebecca for crewing for me (and lots of other runners on the course) for the fourth straight year. You're awesome! Also a thanks R.D. Les Wright, Triple Director Austin "Heavenly" Angel, 72-Mile Run Director-Extraordinaire Lucia Lake, Barefoot Todd, and all the volunteers that made this race possible! Congratulations to the other Super Triple and Triple finishers--See you next year!

With Les Wright (RD)

Next up: The Run Through the Colors 10K in Nevada City on October 19th (to get one of those Sierra Club calendars!) and then, I am not quite sure yet, but I am thinking of running the San Francisco One Day 12 Hour run after that.

2008 Tahoe Super Triple Recaplet

Yes! I won the Super Triple for the third time in a row with a new course record (from 23:06 to 20:31). It was a battle with San Francisco's Jon Burg until the very end. I ran the first two marathons 59 minutes faster than Jon, so I had a good cushion, but he took off fast in the 72-miler.

I stuck to my strategy to run and walk the first 20 miles slowly and it paid off. I caught up to Jon at mile 54 and we went back and forth for the remainder of the race. Jon won today's stage (the 72-mile run around the lake), but I came in 20 minutes later, securing the overall win.

I'll post a more detailed report soon.

The Tahoe Super Triple 2008--Day 3

Day 3...Is On Now!

• Rested most of the afternoon
• Prerace dinner: whipped potatoes and buffalo hamburgers--yum!
• Marathon 1--3:23
• Marathon 2--3:29
• Day 3--Guess?
• Course Record (Super Triple)--23:06:52
  
• I start in about 1 1/2 hours (at midnight) on the bike path across from Pope Beach
  
• My plan is to make it to the regular marathon start at mile 46 before 8:30 a.m so I can run with Turi , the other Triple runners, and the other marathoners for the last 26.2 miles.
  

Check out Gretchen's blog for a very entertaining interview with marathon runner Lynryd Skynrod, who is going to attempt to set a new course record for the marathon.

I'll post the final results after the race.
Keep sending those positive vibes!

The Tahoe Super Triple 2008--Day 2

Ran a nice second marathon, cruising in at 3:29:19. Third overall, increasing my lead in the Super Triple to at least 40 minutes, if not more. Feeling good and ready for tonight. Going to bed now to get some sleep.

Chuck and Blue on the Descent to Incline Village

Chuck Engle won this stage and he is back in the race after a rough first day (Maybe it was all the good food we made him eat at Sprouts yesterday). Day 1 winner, Blue, follows close behind him. Chuck goes into tomorrow's run with a 6-minute lead. That should be interesting!

After the race we all went back to Sprouts to have lunch. It was fun to hang out a bit. Sean Meissner also showed up, ready to go fast in tonight's 72-miler.

3:29:19.57

I want to dedicate today's run to friend Edward Lohman, who recently passed away. Edward was a wonderful, spiritual person, who truly kept everything in perspective with his down-to-earth view of the world. Edward: Now that you're amongst the stars, we'll make sure your words live on.