Just a quick trip update:

Drove up the coast highway over the weekend making our way up to Eureka and Humboldt Redwoods Park.

Nan and I cheat and stayed in a hotel the night before the marathon. As neither of us felt particularly trained and didn’t expect much from the race we had a great nights sleep and headed to the park for the race.

As previously mentioned I have not completed a long run (more than 2 hours) in 5 weeks, and I could count the long runs I have completed on one hand - one half marathon in July, one 20 k run, and two 30 k runs. Probably not ideal.

Nan had not completed any runs longer than 21 k or so.

The run went like this for me:

• First 5 k, legs sore, stiff, and the balls of my feet feel like they are poking through my skin.
• 5 k to 21 k - feel pretty good. Course is pretty flat - came across NAN! and was able to confirm that she was 3rd female overall at that point. Knowing NAN! generally saves energy for the end I was hoping she could pull a win out
• 22 k to 31 k, it is all up hill - I am starting to feel tired - I start to sing and grunt out loud and act like a crazy person but am still enjoying myself
• 31 k to 39 k life is not good at all but I’m bearing with it
• 39 k to 42 k - I see hell. I have completely lost it, I must have looked scary and mad as the 6 people cheering looked frighted of me and didn’t say much. IT WAS AWFUL! I wanted to just stop and cry, I didn’t but I wanted to

I finished in 3:45 and change. Which is way better than I expected given the intense training schedule, and below the 4 hours someone asked me to finish in.

NAN! did great, she beat her time in Athens and was the fast woman at this years Humboldt Redwoods marathon. She’s awesome.

Now 3 weeks of rest and I run the NYC marathon - I’m guessing it is going to be a different kind of experience. This run was 200 people, surrounded by massive Sequoia Redwood trees, and for the last half of the race I was basically completely alone and just enjoying the world. I think I finished 50th overall, maybe in NYC I’ll finish in the top 20,000 - there are 50,000 people running.

Check NAN!’s blog out for a brief update of her experience.