God Bless Glucosamine!

“Bethany is 23 minutes ahead of you.”

I looked out the window a little after 6AM on Sunday, which is really something to stay up for and not something to get up for all things considered, and thought it was foggy ... nope ... it was snowing. In and of itself that is somewhat noteworthy for November in the Puget Sound region, but this was Seattle Marathon Sunday and I need to get up, get ready, get downtown, and run 26.2 miles in what looked to be completely unreasonable conditions. Not being one to panic much I turned on the TV and looked for the morning news weather report, and thanks to Team Coverage or something I get that it was not yet snowing in Seattle proper, just in the North and up in the pass ... okay then. I got my parking spot and headed to the EMP to begin. Now, there are thousands of people at this thing and not all of them are runners, so it can make it tough to find someone, anyone, let alone doing it in a timely manner. I found Bethany and Marie right a way, actually, they found me as I blindly walked by. Shortly thereafter, we were off and running.

Only a handful of miles in and there was Tim, high five, in his customary spot on the bridge. As I crossed the bridge a couple things occurred to me. First, that it was not looking like it was going to warm up. Second, Hey there’s Bethany and a few steps later a high five to Marie, too. I was feeling relatively comfortable with my pace when as I get back across the bridge to head to Seward Park I see Tim again. “Bethany is 23 minutes ahead of you.” He says.

What?! That is not motivating. Maybe if my hamstrings were 25 ...

So, I brush him off with a witty retort, “What?!” I say, and keep going.

One of the nice things about the Seattle Marathon course for us in the back of the bus is that we get to see the leaders twice; once on the bridge at the first double back, and a second time as they are heading back after already going around Seward Park. So, knowing that she/they are at least 23 minutes ahead and probably gaining given how brisk and fresh they looked on the bridge and there one of them was right on time just before I got to the park entrance.

“Hey, we going dancing tonight?” I scream.

“Yeah, baby!” I hear.

“See ya at nine!”

Unfortunately, due to the snow I was unable to get to the Hen that night, which sucked because there was a birthday party and people in from out of town. I would have been wobbly, but I would have at least been able to dance a bit. My toe even felt okay.

I did see Tim a couple more times. At the top of East Madison we had a short discussion about how he needed to get back to his place to pack and move and how I would have liked to help, but was kind of busy at the moment. Of course, he was there at the end. Thanks, bud.

There are some odd sights along the way. For instance, how does a golf ball end up on the I-90 express lanes? Kind of makes you want to drive with your windows rolled up if people are taking out there pitching wedge nearby. Around mile 23 there are usually donuts, but they were out. So, instead I grabbed a couple pretzels. Not the same, but at that point I was too tired to complain much.

In the end, I ended up running a fairly typical race, with the brutal downhill at the end down Republican Street being far worse than the hill going up East Madison between mile 20 and 21. For those who do not distance run, it seems to come to them as a surprise that the downhill at that point is actually harder, the quads are so fried it is like a jolt every step. I only recall two real lulls this year, as opposed to the normal three. The wet and cold conditions added a good twenty minutes to the race for me, so when I entered Memorial Stadium and crossed the line at exactly 5:34:01 I know it would have been earlier. So be it. I don’t race against the clock. The marathon is a lifestyle choice I have made. For the ninth year I have entered and finished and been healthy, I cannot ask for more. Now, I get my one week of guilt free eating I give myself every year.

Of course, I treated myself to a beignet in the Center House and then trudged back in the icy cold to my van for some warm clothes.

God Bless Glucosamine!


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Seattle Marathon Official Times

1998 5:19:54
1999 4:59:53
2000 5:04:04
2001 5:38:04
2002 5:35:22
2003 5:22:00
2004 4:50:33
2005 6:04:42
2006 5:34:03