All American Marathon

I drove down to Fayetteville, North Carolina on Saturday morning to meet up Cara, Miles, Daisy and Declan.  On Friday night we had decided it was easier to just meet outside of the expo instead of driving to Daisy and then back to the expo since Cara and Miles were flying into Raleigh-Durham which was an hour away.

The expo was being held at the DoubleTree in downtown Fayetteville, and the expo was in one small conference room and they had two long lines, one line for pre-registered and the other one for day before registration.  There was no vendor to sell you anything if you need (i.e gels, body glide socks) they also ran out of safety pins for your bibs, and men large shirts.  There was four packet pickup in around Fort Bragg prior to Saturday.   

Since everyone was a bit hungry we headed over to Buffalo Wild Wings.  We were seated immediately placed our order and then we had one of the longest wait for our order.  Shortly after talking with the Assistant Manager we finally received our order. 

I decided that to call it night around 9:15 since Cara said she wanted to leave the house by 5:15 to have enough time to relax at the start.  Daisy drove us over to Festival Park where the race was going to start.  As we were walking down to the entrance to the park we ran into a couple of Maniacs who informed us that there was going to be a picture at 6:15 in front of the Starting Line.  After the picture we headed over to the porta-potty line which at this point was moving pretty quickly to be so close to the 6:30 start time. 

All American Start Line

Cara and I before the Maniac Picture

Maniacs Picture before the start

Slowly making our way into our corral

Moving towards the start

It took us a while to make it into the corral since they were right next to Festival Park Entrance.  After we crossed the starting line we said we would run to the eight mile marker and see how were feeling before we started doing a run/walk interval of 4:1.  What we didn’t count on was the temperature being so warm and after  3 miles and before the steady climb we decided we would start the 4:1 interval.

After leaving downtown and the nice neighborhoods we turned onto the All American Freeway for four miles before entering Fort Bragg.  Cara and I ran with Marathon Man (Trent) and Jessica for a couple of miles before we stopped at our special marker (8 miles).  This is special to us because we met last year during the Tacoma City Marathon at mile 8 and ended up running the rest of the marathon together and from that race we promised each other that if we are ever at the same race we would start and finish together no matter the situation.

Cara and Marathon Man (Trent from Australia)

The lonely All American Way that leads you into Fort Bragg

 Mile 8 was where we meet last year during the Tacoma City Marathon

Beginning of the Blue Mile

More of the Blue Mile. 

                                     

Welcome Fort Bragg

Cara talking to a very nice Sergeant

Cara announcing 3 marathons/3 states/9 days

Dedication Mile to Sara (MRTT Vienna)

 Cara having fun jumping over cone.

 So happy to see Daisy and Declan.  She made us Peanut Butter sandwiches.  Thank You Daisy!

his our new thing to do at marathon lay down and proclaim you are so over the marathon.

 Iron Mike

The All American Marathon was a 100 percent turn around for me.  Last week break down during the second half of the Oklahoma City Marathon.  Overall I enjoyed the marathon, the long stretches on Fort Bragg became a little less motivating as the course made its way back to the Main Post Parade Field.  

They announced that the race will be held on March 22, 2015 for next and the coming years.

Oklahoma City Marathon

At the completion of the Garmin ("Land of Oz") Marathon we headed over the massage tent to have a massage before starting the 5 hour drive to Oklahoma City.  The drive was pretty boring from Kansas to Oklahoma City.  We arrive in Oklahoma City around 6:15 and headed directly over to the Sheraton for late packet pick-up which only our race number.  I had contacted the race committee a couple of weeks out and was informed that they would have our race number and shirt; at the late pick-up they only had race bibs; and didn’t seem to be happy to about working the late pick-up.  We asked what the procedure was for obtaining the cotton race shirt and the race committee was rude and basically told us to send an email and hope for the best.  

We had dinner at Applebee's and this place did not sold Diet Sierra Mist.

Flat Runners Cara and Floyd

We departed the Residence Inn around 5:00 and on the way over there was some lighting in the area.  While trying to park this one jerk decided that he would not let us merge over because he had to let his passenger out before proceeding to the parking garage.  Upon walking up to the starting area it looked like the race would start on time so we made our way over to the porta-a-john and went into the corral where we wanted to start the race.  Well after standing there for about 15 minutes they announced over the loud speakers to take cover because a line of very strong thunderstorms were headed our way.  This delay became a two hour delay.

Finally in the corrals waiting 

And we're moving 

Gorilla hill 

Cara is so over the marathon

So where between miles 19 and 20 I had my first mental breakdown in a marathon.  I really don't know what went wrong during these miles.  I eventually convince Cara and Tracy to go ahead and finish their race and I would see them at the finish line.  I ended up finishing about 20 minutes later. 

Cara bless her was waiting for me at the finish line after collecting our finisher shirt we proceeded to locate the car.  It took us about 40 minutes to finally find where we parked the car, after realizing that we were on the correct street earlier we just didn't go down far enough.  

Marathon number 29 and State number 23 completed.  

Garmin Marathon

Arrive in Kansas City on Thursday, April 24 to rain.  I was looking forward to this marathon for two reasons: (1) I was going to run with Cara on two consecutive days, I have seen her since we last ran the Baton Rouge Marathon in January and (2) I was going to checking off the states of Kansas and Oklahoma this weekend.  On the way from the airport to the hotel encountered hailed and lighting for 15 minutes.  I took a nap prior to going over to the expo to pick-up our race number and goody bag. 

Sometime later in the day I walked over to 7-Eleven to grab some water and Gatorade for the weekend.  I took a cab over to the Expo to grab Cara and my Bib numbers, the Expo was located on the second floor of the Hampton Inn and number pickup was in the hall and t-shirt was in one of the smaller ballrooms. 

Outside of the Hampton Inn

  It took all of 5 minutes to grab both packets and head back to the hotel, after returning from expo stopped at front desk to ask for a late checkout on Saturday afternoon for 1:30 and was told they could only confirmed a late check out until 12:00 so they could clean the rooms, so asked if could I extend the room for one additional night and would they charge the full amount or half price, I would be charged full rice, even though I would be leaving right at 1:30.   I would not be recommending the Microtel Inn by Wynham Olathe to any of my friends that are considering running the Land of Oz (Garmin) Marathon in the future.  

Cara text me around 4:45 saying it was time for some dinner.  We had dinner at the Texas Roadhouse since that sounded well than the other choices.  After dinner we stopped at 7-Eleven to pick up some water for us for the next two days.  After getting everything Cara put our Flat Runner outfit together.  

Cara and Floyd Garmin Marathon Flat Runner

After a somewhat restless night I got up at 4:30 to have my oatmeal downstairs in order not to not disturb Cara who wanted to be up at 5:00.  We departed the hotel around 5:30 to head over to Garmin International where we sat in the car to finish our bananas and water.  As we were walking over we decided that it was a bit chilly and went back to the car to retrieve a short sleeve shirt for Cara and our arm warmers.  We walked to the meeting area for the Maniac picture and bathroom stop before heading into the corrals for the start of the marathon.

Prior to leaving the parking lot 

MM/HF before the start of the race

After the picture we headed over to us the port-a-potty and ran into a mutual friend Jennifer from Chicago.  We decided to walk around for a bit before heading over to the corrals.  On our walk back over the starting area Cara and I stop to say hello to a couple of Maniacs and Cara stop to meet some new four legged friends.

Cara always in a happy mood

After the signing of the National Anthem it was time for our first of 3 States, 3 Marathons in 9 days.  The first two states; Kansas and Oklahoma were repeat states for Cara and two new states for me. We discussed our strategy for the race and Cara said we would be doing a 4:1 interval for as long as possible since we would be running the next day and didn't know how we would feel after a 5 hour drive to Oklahoma City.  We stuck with this plan until the latter part of the marathon and had fun.

Still smiling.  Guy behind you is trying not to look up.

Dark sky behind us

Somewhere around mile 4 or 5 we meet Colleen.  She asked us what intervals we were running and asked if she could join us.  She was also a fellow maniac and she was so much fun.  A couple of miles after this picture the sky decided it was time to ruin our peaceful moment and starting hailing, lightening, heavy down pour and wind for 3.5 miles.  I was not a happy camper, I do not like running in rain. 

Before the heavy downpours

After the storm

Cara and Colleen dancing and having fun

Colleen and her new friend.  Sorry I took the picture of you with a  mouth full of pretzels. 

We finally left the neighborhoods headed towards the bike trail.  This was a nice change, because it was an out and back and we got to see many friends that were also running the Garmin Marathon.   We ran on the trail from the half-way point of the marathon until the turn around at mile 18.5 and slowly made our way back towards the finish line.

Cara and Colleen

Me  and Cara

 Cara posing

BFF photo op

Can we say we are in single digits left for the marathon.  

The above section of the trail had some parts that were muddy and slippery especially the bridge at the turn around.  During this part of the course we saw our friends Carol, Steve and Eddie.  Starting at mile 21 there was the gentle incline that we were not expecting at this point of the race that continued until the end of the race.  At mile 25 we pass the below sign that told us we had 1 mile left before we reach the Emerald City.

We continue to follow this path until we reach the Olathe High School where we could see the finish line that was decorated with follow the Yellow Brick Road.

Finally done!

Me and Scott and the Finish Line.  Scott has run over 100 marathons

After a free massage and quick change in the parking garage we were on our way to Oklahoma City.

Since about 2010 I have been told that Garmin "In the Land Oz" Marathon was a great event and I agree.  This marathon should be on everyone calendar in the future.