7 June 2008

GOVERNOR’S CUP MARATHON

Helena MT

The cell phone alarm goes off at 4:30am. I get dressed, eat, and drive to the start line about 30 minutes early.

Half-marathoners, relayers, and marathoners start together.

It’s near ideal weather for the 6:30am start. Cold, 43 degrees, partly sunny, slight breeze.

I go out a little fast at 8:45 for the first mile then consciously slow some. The first 5 miles feel surprisingly good. My left knee has been clicking and a bit stiff for a few weeks but today it seems fully functional and pain free.

The course heads away from downtown and after passing through some residential neighborhoods then gradually enters some small ranch lands.

At 6 miles it has warmed enough that I discard the old socks being used as gloves.

At 10 miles I begin passing the walkers who were permitted to start an hour early. Around here somewhere the course splits and half marathoners are sent in another direction so the already luxuriously open course gets even less crowded.

Around mile 12 a cold wind out of the northwest is picking up while increased cloud cover is making it colder. I should have kept those sock-gloves. Just then I spot a fast-running deer crossing a nearby field. It’s running much faster than I am and it makes me envious.

A large middle section of the course is out-and-back providing opportunity to see all or most of the competitors. By mile 13 I’m passed in the opposite direction by the first wheelchair competitors heading back in. They started 30 minutes earlier than the runners. I love and admire these guys. If something ever denies me full use of my legs I hope I’ll have such a positive an attitude. They are genuine athletes who know how to go for it.

The turn around is at 14.9 miles where there is a photographer stationed. It is not easy to determine where I am in the competition since there are relayers mixed in with us and there is no obvious color or number code on the bibs that will allow one to know whether each runner is a team member or an individual marathon competitor.

After the turn around the wind is genuinely unpleasant. The course changes direction several times between 15 miles and the end but the wind is always present as either an annoying crosswind or, for some miles, a headwind. I note with dismay that the wooden sandwich sign mile markers have been mostly knocked over in the wind so one must watch closely for the numbers painted on the road. I spot most but not all of them.

A hydraulic imperative forces me to a port-o-potty at around 16 miles. I’ve been hydrating more last night and today, which may have helped my running but also caused me to lose a minute or two here. I hear the wind rattling the trees outside and feel it rocking the little portable water closet itself but the slight warmth of this protected environment is strangely pleasant. I briefly consider just staying here but continue on.

The next few miles are flat and although I’m not really running all that fast, I do feel surprisingly strong for this late in the event. I catch and pass a couple of faltering competitors. There’s a pleasant spirit of camaraderie. Many runners are congratulating one another as positions shift. I pass and then am re-overtaken several times separately by two men and one woman. I believe finally only the woman stayed in front and ultimately came in ahead.

As we re-enter the town there are a couple of modest uphill portions that, if we hadn’t already run 23 miles, would not have been much to fret over but now seem more formidable. I lose another minute or so here while sitting on the curb to remove and realign my left shoe which somehow has had the tongue slide to one side creating an annoying rub.

The last mile passes behind the YMCA that I described a couple days ago. This part of the course is on a pedestrian/bike trail inaccessible to automobiles. It passes some things I was not aware of here in the town including a large old-fashioned carrousel and a little pedestrian-only shopping mall. We pass through a tunnel and emerge in sight of some familiar buildings in the downtown area.

I can see the finish line banner and hear the announcer. I have enough left that I rally for a moderate kick during which I pass one attractive couple that appear to be in their 40s and then a tough-looking Asian fellow about my age.

Entering the shoot I hear the electronic beep of my chip registering the finish as I cross over the mat sensors. The announcer says my name and hometown over the public address system as I turn around to congratulate those folks I passed in the final yards.

I feel remarkably good considering how the last few hours were spent.

A volunteer cuts the plastic fastener to reclaim the loaner ChampionChip then I’m greeted by the reigning Miss Montana who is completely lovely in her cocktail dress accessorized by tiara, title sash, and boots. She smiles convincingly and places a finisher’s medal around my neck. I regret this scene was not captured in a photo.

Perhaps living at altitude these past few weeks has gotten me acclimated. It’s about 3400 feet above sea level here. I still miss the higher O₂ concentration of home but this is better than the last two events.

Just outside the shoot a volunteer directs me to a tent for food, drink, and an unexpected “fisher’s shirt” which is an unadvertised benefit. It’s white and made from what folks are now calling “technical material” but I still know by its older name - polyester. The arty bright lime green and burgundy event logo is printed on the front. The garment tag claims there are odor-resistors ad UV protectors in the fabric. (I’m amused that the tag also indicates the garment is designed for “Hot weather of 65° F …” Where does this copywriter live? Fairbanks? Siberia? If you call 65° F “hot” then come train with us in Central Florida where we might reach that temperature in June at 4am and the accompanying humid air requires gills to breath. )

Highlights:

Official time is 4:16:24. Placed 71 out of 143 finishers

Checked off another state; 25 more to go (half done!)

Fastest marathon of this trip so far

32 minutes faster than Steamboat Marathon 6 days ago

Over an hour faster than Wyoming Marathon 13 days ago

No race officials send me to the medical tent afterwards.

Passed 7 runners in the last two miles; 3 of those were in the last 0.2 miles.

Met a lot of nice people and made some new friends