Deadwood Mickelson Trail Marathon - First Master, Second Overall

I continued my quest to run a marathon in every state by checking off South Dakota. Who would have thought I would finish both Dakotas before even starting the Carolinas?

I shared the lead for most of the race with Aaron Epps.

My friend Ken Swab convinced me to run this race a few months ago. I think it was in late fall that he dangled the idea to me and some of his other running friends. While they all were unable to make the trek, Ken had told me he was planning to go with his wife. So I talked to my wife and she had always wanted to visit Mount Rushmore. I was able to book our flight using my AmEx points, saving us roughly $1100 on airfare. And since Miles is still under 2, he can travel free as a lap child. We booked our hotel at the Lodge at Deadwood, the host hotel and where the expo is held. And soon after we booked, Ken had to back out.

Racing the Mickelson Trail

But my wife and I were looking forward to our first real vacation since our son was born: five days and four nights in South Dakota. When we landed, we went into Rapid City for a quick lunch. Then, we drove through the Badlands. We hit up Wall Drug and stopped for ice cream and the kitschiness. Then, we drove to Deadwood and checked into our hotel. Friday morning we found a small diner in town for breakfast. We toured Mount Rushmore, viewed Crazy Horse from the road, and drove Custer State Park, seeing bison along the road. We drove back to Deadwood through the Needles Highway. I picked up my packet Friday at the expo. I brought Miles and he loved running around the expo hall. Laura met us there then we went into town for dinner. I returned to the expo to look around before it closed, and met Jerry Dunn, "America's Marathon Man." He founded the race and has run more marathons in one year than I probably will run in my lifetime (200 in 2000)! He sold the race and no longer is race director, but he greets each runner as they finish in Deadwood.

Saturday we drove to Devil’s Tower in Wyoming. When we returned, we took Miles to the indoor water park. For dinner, they didn’t really have great pasta options. The pasta dinner was expensive and the only sauce they had was meat sauce. The restaurant had a pasta special, but it had pork in it. They made me penne but their first try put cream sauce on it. They eventually got it right with the marinara sauce I wanted.

Waiting for the race to start

Moments before gun time

It was cold at the start, so some runners climbed the small hill next to the staging area to find the sun to stay warm. I dressed and lathered up for the race, did my warm-ups, and found the starting line. As a small race, I had time to research the competition. I was able to look up each male runner under the age of 45. Only one had a PR better than mine, Aaron Epps, and I quickly found him. I got it in my head that I should finish in the top five and even had a chance to win. Knowing the course was a gradual uphill for the first half and then a steep decline to the finish, I was prepared for a challenge. I thought a 7 minute pace would be fine, but I would realize that going up, 7:30s were more appropriate.

The first mile

Aaron and I chatted for much of the first half. A couple of other runners took off ahead of us. I fought the urge to catch them, knowing that they would likely come back to us. Since there was also a relay, I was careful not to be drawn into their pace. While the incline was never more than 3% (according to other runners and race officials), it was definitely something I noticed, so I ran on feel. If I could stay within myself and get close to the red line without going over, I would be in a good position. Aaron seemed to be quite relaxed. He said due to his job as a teacher on a reservation, he was only able to log 30 miles a week. I thought he might hit the wall, but when I learned his 2:58 was in 80 degree weather, I was decided his fade was highly unlikely. As we ran, one butterfly flew just ahead of us. We made a joke about being paced by a butterfly and not a rabbit.

Leading the race with Aaron

Around mile 10, Aaron announced he was going to stop at some point to relieve himself. I offered to wait, citing Des Linden, but he told me to go and that he hoped he would see me again. Around mile 12, he stopped and I kept going. For the next few miles, I felt great and concerned. I was feeling great because I had never led a marathon all by myself before, but I was concerned because I kept thinking I heard footsteps. I wasn’t sure if it was him or someone in the relay race. Just after the half, the uphills flattened and the downhill portion of the race began. Around mile 15, he caught me, taking advantage of gravity. We ran together for another couple of miles, but then my inner right groin started to ache. I got really worried and after a few minutes of discomfort, I announced I had to back off the pace and let him go. Worried that I might not be able to keep second place and first master’s, I slowed to a comfortable pace. I was starting to worry that I might not finish at all or would walk it in. Thankfully, as quickly as the pain hit, it was gone after a few minutes never to return. I think the switch from up to down hill aggravated it and am thankful that I was able to correct and it went away. However, I couldn’t find that early pace anymore - that gear was gone. With temperatures rising and less than eight miles to go, I was starting to stiffen.

Racing through the beautiful Black Hills

While I came through the first half in 1:38:15, I still hoped I could negative split. However, even with the downhill, it was going to be close. I would need a 1:36:44 in order to BQ again and keep my streak alive. Through the final miles, I passed several runners and walkers competing in the half. They were all very nice and encouraging. I tried not to show my discomfort as I shuffled on by and tried to finish strong. I’ve finished so many marathons. I really hoped I had a chance to catch Aaron. But, the only way that would happen was if he really hit a wall and would have to walk. I felt bad hoping for that since he is a nice guy and a good runner. But, I kept on at the pace I could handle just in case there was a chance.

Relying on an aid station

As I went through the aid station near mile 14, the volunteers handing out the water were adolescents. I appreciate all volunteers, but they were confused as I approached because they didn't hold the cups out so I could grab and go. I started to panic and just grabbed a cup on the table - but it wasn't water or Gatorade, it was full of M&Ms! Normally, that would be an awesome surprise, but since I wasn't going to stop and go back, it meant I went without liquid for four miles since the aid stations were about two miles apart.

Finished!

Even if I didn’t have to slow down and let him go with about nine miles remaining, I am not sure how much longer I could have stayed with him. Maybe I would have come in under 3:15, but I am pretty certain he would have out kicked me. He’s 28, a solid 12 years younger. It would have been fun to get to the final few miles with him and challenge each other. It also would have been fun to lead the race the last few miles and hear the roar of the crowd had I been in position to win the race outright.

As I cross the finish 

As I approached the finish line, the crowd was great in cheering me on as I was announced as second place overall. I shook Jerry’s hand and bent on my knees to catch my breath. I hadn’t been this tired after a marathon in quite a while.

Thanks, Jerry, let me catch my breath!

I’m thrilled to have placed second overall. For my efforts, I received my finisher’s medal, a fleece blanket, and a subscription to Trail Runner. As I was looking to leave, I was called back to the awards tent. I had also won the Road Runners Club of America State Championship Master Division for South Dakota! That was a pleasant surprise and I received another medal - two for one race. That has me looking at the calendar for future opportunities to collect state championships. I think I will aim for some smaller races in states I haven’t run. While I do like a good big race, I also love the feeling of finishing at the top and in a position to claim a prize, or perhaps finally win a marathon!

A proper finishing photo with Jerry Dunn, "America's Marathon Man" and Deadwood Mickelson Trail Marathon founder

Receiving my award for winning the master's division - with race director, Emily Schulz-Wheeler

Spilts: 6:43/7:15/7:19/7:23/7:36/7:29/7:31/7:32/7:41/7:35/7:51/7:49/7:46/ 7:09/6:51/7:09/7:20/7:17/7:54/8:06/7:37/7:45/7:44/7:51/8:16/7:46/ 6:36 (1:35 final .24)
Positive split of about 90 seconds - I hoped with such a downhill second half that I could have run a negative split.

Race results

It was also fun to make it into the local newspapers. From the Rapid City Journal:

On the men's side, Aaron Epps from St. Francis won the marathon in 3:11:28. Kenny Ames finished second in 3:17:47, Chris Riley was third (3:20:27), Michael Immer was fourth (3:20:33) and James Mullen (3:20:54 took fifth in what was a competitive race for third.

Race results

Deadwood/Mickelson - Marathon Female RRCA Awards List ============================================================================= FEMALE RRCA OPEN ============================================================================= Place No. Name Town Sta Age Sex Cou Time ===== ====== ======================== ============== === === === === ======= 1 43 Elise Durgin Saint Paul MN 26 F US 3:33:10 ============================================================================= FEMALE RRCA MASTER (AGE 40 - 99) ============================================================================= Place No. Name Town Sta Age Sex Cou Net Tim ===== ====== ======================== ============== === === === === ======= 1 146 Tracy Meyerson Wilmington NC 54 F US 4:10:29 ============================================================================= FEMALE RRCA GRAND MASTER (AGE 50 - 99) ============================================================================= Place No. Name Town Sta Age Sex Cou Net Tim ===== ====== ======================== ============== === === === === ======= 1 203 Robin Schrempp Box Elder SD 53 F US 4:22:14 ============================================================================= FEMALE RRCA SENIOR GRAND MASTER (AGE 60 - 99) ============================================================================= Place No. Name Town Sta Age Sex Cou Net Tim ===== ====== ======================== ============== === === === === ======= 1 222 Susan Talon Berwick ME 60 F US 5:06:58 Deadwood/Mickelson - Marathon Male RRCA Awards List ============================================================================= MALE RRCA OPEN ============================================================================= Place No. Name Town Sta Age Sex Cou Time ===== ====== ======================== ============== === === === === ======= 1 49 Aaron Epps Saint Francis SD 28 M US 3:11:29 ============================================================================= MALE RRCA MASTER (AGE 40 - 99) ============================================================================= Place No. Name Town Sta Age Sex Cou Net Tim ===== ====== ======================== ============== === === === === ======= 1 8 Kenny Ames Washington DC 40 M US 3:17:47 ============================================================================= MALE RRCA GRAND MASTER (AGE 50 - 99) ============================================================================= Place No. Name Town Sta Age Sex Cou Net Tim ===== ====== ======================== ============== === === === === ======= 1 168 Bill Owens Springfield IL 56 M US 3:31:09 ============================================================================= MALE RRCA SENIOR GRAND MASTER (AGE 60 - 99) ============================================================================= Place No. Name Town Sta Age Sex Cou Net Tim ===== ====== ======================== ============== === === === === ======= 1 154 Douglas Muellner Long Beach CA 60 M US 3:55:29



Deadwood Mickeleson Trail Marathon

Congratulations on finishing the 2018 Deadwood Marathon

Below are your individual results.

NAME:                            Kenny Ames 
OVERALL PLACE:                     2 
AGE GROUP:                       M4044 
AGE GROUP PLACE:                 1 /   20 
FINISH TIME:                     3:17:47 
HALF MARATHON SPLIT:             1:38:25 
PER MILE PACE:                    7:33 
For complete event results, please visit:
http://onlineraceresults.com/event/view_event.php?event_id=20721

A celebratory beer!

27 down and 23 to go!

I don't know what my next state will be. For 2018, I have already raced three marathons and only the New York City Marathon is on my calendar right now. I am planning to shift gears (no, really) and train for short distance races, a one miler and 5K, for the summer. In August, I plan to start NYC Marathon training. I look forward to checking off my next state - whatever it may be!

Boston Marathon 2016 Recap

The factors I cannot control are the ones that seem to bother me the most. There was the sun at the start, making it feel like a 70 degree day to start the race. There was the headwind pushing me back the closer I got to Boston. And, there were um, stomach issues, the night before the race. So now that I have my excuses out of the way, let's talk about what happened at the 120th running of the Boston Marathon.

Someone took a candid of me as I entered Athlete's Village

Heading into the Boston Marathon, I was feeling strong and confident. I was coming off of some very serious personal bests, namely the Houston Marathon in January in 2:59:31 and the Rock N Roll DC Half Marathon in 1:23:54, plus a very strong course PR at my club's Langley 8K, a hilly and challenging course. I wasn't concerned with my poor showing at the GW Birthday Marathon Relay (we got second place with no shot of taking first or any real challenge from the third place team), my withdrawal from the Club Challenge Ten Miler due to tired legs, or my hamstring issue that forced me to take a couple of days off prior to our Ireland trip including my final true long run. When I stood in the starting corral, I felt pretty good. I knew a personal record was unlikely due to the temperatures, and coach and I agreed that I should keep my pace between 6:55-7:05, aiming for a 7 minute pace. That would have given me a 3:03/4 and a huge course PR and another BQ. In retrospect, I probably would have been better served holding a 7:10-15 and aiming for a 3:10.

The day began early as my father drove me to the start in Hopkinton. We left by 6:10 and he dropped me off a few blocks from the runner's village around 6:40, plenty of time for him to get back on 495 before they shut the road. I vowed to spent less time on the course than I would spend in Hopkinton waiting for the race to start. 3:17 < 3:20 so mission accomplished. I found a spot in the sun and laid down and relaxed. I chatted up with a guy near me, Chris, who ran with Capital Area Runners. This was his second Boston and third marathon. At 8:30, I met Derek Bailey, my friend from Houston, by the "It all starts here" sign. We exited the village, headed down to the starting line in our corral, and waited.

Derek and I devised a plan to race together. For the first few miles, we were talking to each other, getting into our rhythm, and grabbing each other water. I went over the plan which was to hold on to a 7:05 pace, nice and easy, survive the hills intact, and make a go for it the final five miles. We mostly stayed together in the first 10K, but I had to run my own race. In my head, I told myself to get through the first ten using my head, the next ten using my legs, and finish strong using my heart (the final 10K). The first ten went according to plan, and the plan stayed mostly true until the Newton hills. Someday, I'll be fresh when I hit those hills, but Monday wasn't that day, and rather than waste myself trying to maintain pace, I climbed them trying to just keep moving forward.

In the past, I knew I wouldn't have a good day in 2012 when at the 10K, it felt like the 20 mile mark in that almost 90 degree heat. In 2014, I think I made it to the ten mile mark before I started to negotiate with myself as I backed off the pace. This time, it wasn't until mile 16 when I knew coming in under 3:10 wasn't going to happen. I know they say there are four hills in Newton, but I somehow counted six. At the top of Heartbreak, I felt some freshness return to my legs and thought about picking up the pace. But, given that 3:10 was no longer realistic, I lost my motivation to put myself through any more struggling. I certainly didn't quit, but I didn't have the same positive view I had in Houston in the final miles. I'm confident that had one of my time goals other than to set a course PR been achievable, I could have willed myself to push it

What kept me going the final few miles was looking forward to seeing my family at Coolidge Corner. We scouted a spot on Saturday at the corner of Beacon and Harvard, so I knew exactly where to look for them. As I approached, I slowed to kiss them and say hi and demand a picture. My wife pushed me away, worried about my time, but you can see that in this video my father shot. They were just before the Mile 24 marker, and I left them at right around 3:00:00 on the dot, so I knew I could do about two and a quarter miles in less than twenty minutes, perhaps as quickly as 17 minutes. With my mind set on 3:17, I tried a few surges and with one mile to go, I had 7:30 to break 3:18. My watch had me on 7:30 ish pace for most of the mile, but when I turned left onto the final straight-away, I entered the pain tunnel and pushed my body across the finish line with time to spare. A 3:17 and a new personal course record!

After, I wobbled through in a daze, freezing as the wind had picked up and there was no more sun since the buildings blocked it out. I met my friend, went back to his apartment for a shower and change of clothes (gave them to him Sunday at the expo), and took off to the T (Back Bay to State and transfer to Blue to the airport and then a shuttle bus to the C Terminal). At the airport, my father and wife picked me up, we got food nearby in East Boston and a beer, and then we were onto the airport. I had time to sit at Boston Beer Works before our flight home to DC.

I received the following official email from the Boston Athletic Association:

Your finish time is listed below.

Kenny Ames
Net Time	3:17:49
Overall	4442/26639
In Gender	3870/14471 (Male)
In Division	2309/4807 (M18-39 Age Group)

This gives me a chance to compare my results of my four Boston Marathons:


2012 - Bib # 4186
22:44 5K; 46:14 10K; 1:11:24 15K; 1:38:09 20K; 1:44:55 Half; 2:08:07 25K; 2:41:38 30K; 3:17:14 35K; 3:52:47 40K; 4:07:40 Finish. 10122 Overall; 6956 Gender; 2947 Division.

2013 - Bib # 4935
21:47 5K; 42:58 10K; 1:04:27 10K; 1:26:46 20K; 1:31:46 Half; 1:50:18 25K; 2:15:15 30K; 2:41:14 35K; 3:08:03 40K; 3:19:41 Finish. 5774 Overall; 4962 Gender; 2730 Division.

2014 - Bib # 6304
21:51 5K; 43:33 10K; 1:05:32 15K; 1:29:48 20K; 1:35:00 Half; 1:54:55 25K; 2:21:42 30K; 2:49:37 35K; 3:17:49 40K; 3:29:06 Finish. 9029 Overall; 7076 Gender; 3311 Division.

2016 - Bib # 4174
22:11 5K, 44:16 10K, 1:06:26 15K, 1:29:07 20K, 1:34:02 Half, 1:51:59 25K, 2:16:13 30K, 2:41:58, 35K, 3:07:43 40K; 3:17:49 Finish. 4438 Overall; 3866 Gender; 2309 Division.

I know I am getting better and smarter as a runner, but I would have had a faster race if I set my goal to 3:10 instead of 3:05. I should recognize I do not fare well in heat, especially if I have not had a chance to acclimate. Hopefully, future races give me the perfect 45 and overcast weather where I thrive! On to the next one...

Running in Ireland

Laura and I traveled to Ireland for our one year anniversary, and like all of our trips, I am quite excited to run in new places. Last year ( May 2015), we took our honeymoon in Europe, and I was able to run in Reykjavik, Barcelona, Lisbon, and Paris. Three years ago (August/September 2013), we went to Brussels (only a layover so no time to run), Budapest, Vienna, Salzburg, and Zurich. And, this past September (2015), we traveled to Montreal for a weekend. Prior to traveling with Laura, I had run in Madrid, Rome, and Florence (August/September 2012); Warsaw (July 2011); Tel Aviv and Jerusalem (June 2010 and December 2011); Berlin (December 2010); and London (October 2009).

Irish flags - that's how you know you're in Ireland, or South Boston.

Dublin: March 25-27

Dublin is a pretty neat town. We were quite jetlagged as we barely slept and when we landed, it was already morning. After getting the rental car, I had to adjust to driving a car on the wrong side of the road with the steering wheel on the wrong side of the car. Plus, the stick shift was done with my left hand (not a problem since I’m ambidextrous), and the street signs are in metric. Once at the hotel, we were able to check in and then wander around for someplace to eat. We found a cafe across from Trinity College and then booked one of those hop-on/hop-off buses to take us around Dublin for two days. We stayed on the bus for a while to get our bearings of the city. We learned where the Guinness Storehouse was, passed by Kilmainham Gaol where there was a ceremony commemorating the 1916 Uprising, and went out to the Phoenix Park, which would make a lovely running route. When we went back to the hotel to rest, I set out to run an out and park in Phoenix Park. Unfortunately, I hurt my hamstring earlier in the week and the pain started to bother me near Guinness. I wisely stopped two miles into my run and walked back to the hotel. Laura was sleeping so I soaked in the bathtub.

I'm happy because I haven't yet aborted my run.

Prior to dinner, I went to the hotel bar while Laura finished getting ready. Oddly, no alcohol can be served on Good Friday in all of Ireland, but apparently the loophole is your hotel can serve its guests. I brought my book, Round Ireland with a Fridge, and was reading it when a local plopped down next to me. Since he couldn’t order for himself, I bought PJ a Guinness and he gave me advice on what to do in Dublin and around Ireland. He had lived in San Diego, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Salt Lake City as he worked in construction; now, he is retired but owns and manages property. At dinner, we found a pub that could serve us dinner but nothing spirited to drink. For dessert, we enjoyed Murphy’s ice cream, which is based in Dingle and we would enjoy more than this one time.

On Saturday March 26, we took a long walk of about two miles from our hotel to the Guinness Storehouse. Once inside, we toured the factory, and it was pretty much a zoo. There were long lines everywhere. While I found it interesting, it wasn’t actually a brewery but an "experience." When we made it to the end and sat down at their nice dining restaurant, but they didn’t bring me my drink until after I had finished my lunch. At least they didn’t charge me for it, as I barely drank it. We finished by going to the top to redeem our drink ticket and get a Guinness and look over the city. But, it was too crowded and I had a few sips before we decided to leave. After, we took the hop-on bus to the Kilmainham Gaol, but when we arrived around 2PM, we were told there were no more tours for the day - they had sold out. Instead, we hopped on the next bus and went back to the downtown area and instead went into Trinity College to see the Book of Kells and their old library.

Trinity College Old Library next to the Book of Kells

At night, we went to O’Neill’s (misspelled according to my good Irish friend), for a drink before finding a proper pub for dinner. We had a nightcap and dessert at the pub near our hotel. That night/early morning, I experienced springing forward a second time as their clocks went into daylight savings time.

Phoenix Park and an obelisk.

I arose early to get in a run and see if my hamstring was all right. It held up without pain, just discomfort, for the six mile route I planned for Friday which was by the Laffey River and to Phoenix Park and back. They were preparing for the 1916 Easter Uprising parade and celebration, so I snapped a few pictures.

1916 Easter Rising Centennial Run

Kilkenny: March 27-28

Having walked most of Dublin, it was now time for my first real driving experience in the countryside. The drive out of Dublin took a while as much of the city was blocked off for the 1916 Easter Rising parades and celebration. The GPS kept taking us into barriers, but we eventually figured out how to leave town. Once in Kilkenny, which took less than two hours, we checked in, found the garage for the car, and found a hotel bar that would only serve us scones and croissants.

After, we took the Smithwick’s tour, which was another "experience" as it isn't a brewery. On our tour were a couple from Freetown and two couples from Olney, Maryland. The Freetown couple - he was a state trooper and she was a paramedic/firefighter. Another couple was living in Colorado, but originally from Michigan. This was a better tour than Guinness as it was more personalized and informative and less crowded. And, at the end, I got to enjoy a beer and posed for a pour of a beer. For lunch, we hopped into a pub for pizza and a pint where we chatted it up with a newlywed couple from the Jersey Shore - eight months married. We toured the Kilkenny Castle which reminded us of Downton Abbey and went back to our hotel room to rest before dinner. At night, we went to Kyteler's Inn where we enjoyed authentic Irish traditional music. For a drink, we found the Hotel in the Wall Pub, which was a tiny speakeasy.

Monday morning, I took a run on the River Nore and the hamstring was even better. I was going to add an eighth mile, but I started to feel it and decided that seven was fine. It was a beautiful run through the woods and along the river. If I needed more miles, there were more paths and sidewalks.

View of the Nore River in Kilkenny

Waterford: March 28-29

Waterford was a quick drive from Kilkenny. We were there really only to tour the Crystal Factory. It was quite the fascinating experience to see crystal made in front of us. I had a ball, literally. In the morning, I went out for a longer run which was out and back along the river and then past the hotel, past Reginald's Tower (which we toured after the crystal factory), and to a park that was one kilometer around (I ran six loops).

Sunrise over Waterford

Reginald's Tower

Dingle: March 29-31

On our way to Dingle, we stopped at the Rock of Cashel, which offered great views but cold and wind. We posed by the castle on a sunny day. That drive to the rock took us through some one lane roads that were traveled in both directions while the drive to Dingle from the Rock took a good three plus hours. But, once we hit the Dingle Peninsula, we were rewarded with incredible views! In fact we saw some amazing weather off the shore and a pretty cool classical music song was on the radio so we took a video that came out well done. We checked in, walked to the town and stopped in every gift shop. For dinner, we ate at Danno's, and celebrated our one year anniversary. Of course, we had Murphy's ice cream for dessert.

Slea Head Drive

In the morning, I rose early to test out the hamstring and ran out five miles clockwise around the Slea Head Drive and then back. It was dark and cloudy when I departed but I got a good view of the sunrise. Going out, it was a bit hilly, but the views on the way back were incredible. I particularly liked all the sheep baah-ing at me. I have some great photos and video of the sheep telling me to go away.

Sheep!

The drive was really pretty. We stopped at a pottery place - we noticed that many of the pottery shops were also cafes. Halfway around the loop, we stopped at a cafe and ordered a scone and milk. At another spot, we pulled over and saw people climbing to the top of a hill, but decided not to hike up the trail. At another point in the road, I almost hit a dog that was in the road and wouldn’t move. He looked soaked and scared and Laura had to get out of the car to help him move along so he wouldn’t end up dead. Poor little guy.

That night, we got a drink at Dick Mack’s pub and met a couple from Charlotte, NC, that attended one of the UNC (Chris and Jennifer). Chris graduated in 1996 and married in 1999, but they haven’t traveled much since they have two kids. I discussed politics and the absurdity of North Carolina passing an anti-LGBT law. Chris defended it saying it was protecting the children. I usually find that protecting the children is code for, “We just don’t like this behavior.”

Just prior to sunrise, eight miles out from Dingle town

For my second run in Dingle, I arose quite early and ran in the dark going counterclockwise on the Slea Head Drive out eight miles and back for a total of sixteen. It was completely dark for the first half as the road was lit only by the moonlight - going out, I saw one car with its headlights on, but no one was in the car as it was parked by a house. It was a terrifying yet exhilarating run, and I kept thinking that I better not get mauled by the sheep or wild animals! I passed Mount Brandon and took a picture at the halfway point. The last four miles were mostly downhill, so I decided to hold a pace just slower than my half marathon pace, finishing up in 6:33/35/36/15. The hammy felt good!

I'm pretty sure this is Mount Brandon as seen during sunrise on my way back into Dingle.

Breakfast at the hotel was amazing as they had a full buffet then took your order. Yesterday, we stuffed ourselves on the breads, fruits, and cereals that we didn’t have room for anything from the kitchen. Today, we were wise to leave room and were not disappointed. David, Cameron’s son, is taking over the bed and breakfast and was the chef. During breakfast, I spotted a full rainbow outside the B&B and took a fantastic photo.

Ennis: March 31-April 2 (Cliffs of Moher and Galway)

We drove from Dingle towards our destination for the day, the Cliffs of Moher. The best way was to take a ferry from Tarbet to Killimer for €18. On the ferry, I asked the steward for the wifi password and he replied “Not Working.” I asked if that was all lower case, but he didn’t get the joke. Then it was another hour to the Cliffs of Moher. We again traveled down an unnamed side road where we could barely tell if a car was approaching due to some high climbs.

At the Cliffs, we ate lunch consisting of soup before going out to explore. They have a barrier to keep you safe and recommend staying inside. We saw a number of idiots crossing the barrier including a father who took his two year old son over the rail. There have been several folks over the years to fall over - there is a plaque memorializing them. I took a nice selfie but was photobombed.

Be careful!

From the Cliffs, it was a short drive to Ennis. There was no hot water for me to soak in the bath. We walked around the town, guided by Martin who is one of the workers of the hotel who needed to stretch his legs. He is also a runner and detailed a 5K loop that I dubbed the Roundabouts of Ennis since it turned left at each roundabout. We ate dinner in the restaurant, Poet's Corner, attached to the hotel. It was really the only option we considered as we ate there both nights. And, both of my runs consisted of loops of the roundabouts of Ennis - eight miles on Friday that was two loops plus an out and back through the town center and ten miles on Saturday that was three loops plus a shorter out and back through the town finishing with eight striders.

Ennis was the only place I ran where I didn't take any pictures on my run. On Friday, April 1, it rained most of the day and we spent it in Galway, an hour away. After lunch, we walked to the City Museum and saw the underwhelming and overhyped Spanish Arch.

The "famous" Spanish arch - do you see it?

Running was fun in Ireland. I started out injured in Dublin but gave the hamstring the proper rest and as I write this with about a week to go until Boston, I feel that I am at full strength and ready to at the least set a personal course record (3:19 in 2013). Not only did I enjoy most of my runs on the Emerald Isle (except for Dublin where I aborted one and was tender for the second one), but I left behind my "JHU-labeled" shoes as they hit 500 miles: I need the room in my luggage for souvenirs for the niece and nephews.

I BROKE 3 HOURS AT THE HOUSTON MARATHON!!!

I am a sub 3 marathoner!!! All that hard work paid off: those early morning runs in the cold and dark, the strength training, the yoga (okay, that’s good for the mind), the long runs, the tempo – all of it.

24th Mile with Aimee Newsome (my right) and Derek Bailey (in red) in hot pursuit

Thank you Houston and thanks to my coaches, Ryan Vail and Mike Hamberger, pacer Derek Bailey, club DC Road Runners, too many club mates to mention that includes Stephen Easley, Alex Albertini, Joe Kane, Michael Rohlf, Shawn Zeller, Michael Pryce-Jones, and more, and my favorite running partner, Sammy Ames. But most importantly, thank you to my wife, partner, and muse Laura Goldin Ames!!! #sub3 #houstonmarathon #micdrop

Derek and I during took a photo during our easy jog.

To recap the weekend, I arrived Friday, January 15, 2016, into Hobby where Derek Bailey, my running friend who I met in 2011 at the Pocatello, Idaho, Marathon, met me and drove me to my hotel, the Club Quarters.  On the flight, I finished “Once a Runner,” a fun fictional story about a runner realizing his potential.  One of my resolutions for 2016 is to finish a book a month, and I had started this book a few times before finally finishing it this weekend.

Watching Chris finish the 5K.

In the morning, we met up with his friend Chris and ran an easy twenty minutes then watched Chris break 17 in the 5K.  The expo opened at 8:30 AM and we were some of the first people so we quickly grabbed our packets, shirts, and other goodies before headed off to breakfast.  We found a bakery along the early miles of the course, and I grabbed a green tea, a raisin bagel with lox and cream cheese, and two bagels for Sunday breakfast.  The three of us drove the course, which was helpful, as I knew what to expect on Sunday.  Back at my hotel, I went out to a nearby Italian restaurant that is also an Irish pub, and took the pasta bowl to eat in my room.  I rested most of the afternoon and watched the Patriots win their divisional matchup against the Chiefs.  At halftime, I went down to the hotel restaurant, ordered more pasta and bread, watched a quarter next to two Chiefs fans from Kansas City, and retreated to my room.  I spent a lot of time on my bed simply relaxing, watching football and other TV (Brewster’s Millions), and went to bed.

All the names of the runners listed in the expo.

I woke up a few times during the night since I was overhydrated and because some of my neighbors loudly returned to their rooms past midnight.  I think around 2AM I was up trying to fall back asleep, but since it was fruitless I just kept my eyes shut.  Around 3:30 AM I ate the first bagel, readied myself, and ventured out to the George Brown Convention Center, where the runners waited indoors.  Having never been to Texas before this trip, it was amusing to see several church services occurring.  Derek met up with his running group that was also sort of part of a church or prayer group – the minister had won the race in 70s and given Bill Rodgers a good race in Boston.  A runner from DC, Tuan, was connected with us as he was going to try to produce a three-hour marathon.  Around 6AM with an hour to go, we left to go to the start line.

Packet pick up

The weather was perfect for a marathon – it was in the 40s and I was cold waiting around for close to thirty minutes.  At the gun, we took off and tried to stick together as best we could, but there were so many people.  I took the first mile slow with the goal of easing into my pace by the 5K mats.  Derek and Tuan stayed in sight if not on my shoulder and he started to run with his friend, Amy, who was in the sub elite crowd.  I don’t recall the four of us ever running shoulder-to-shoulder, but that could be due to the fact that we were surrounded and then absorbed by the three-hour pace group.  I wouldn’t be surprised if there were thirty runners relying on the pace group.  It wasn’t my strategy to hang with them, but there was a steady headwind that I avoided letting it beat me up by tucking myself into the pack and drafting off the leaders.  Derek and Amy took off by Rice University after the eighth mile but Tuan was with me.  I do remember passing the Hillel a mile earlier when Derek was with me and said the Shehechianu as this was our first time running Houston together.

As we neared the halfway point, I thought that Derek had sped ahead, but while turning I saw him behind the pack by about twenty seconds.  I later found out he pulled over to go to a port-o-john.  I did a self-assessment at the halfway point and everything felt pretty good, and I had clocked a solid 1:29:38.  Since I had read a couple of articles about the shortcomings of the GPS watch, I had an easier time ignoring my watch and focusing on the dude’s shirt in front of me or the pacers’ balloons.  Of course I still checked my pace from time to time, especially early on to make sure I wasn’t going out too fast, but for the most part I was able to focus on the mental game.  At the 22K mark, I vowed that if I can hang with them for the next 10K that I would make a push with 10K to go.

Each mile and kilometer marker became a milestone, one more marker to reassure me that I was still on goal of breaking three.  As I plodded onward, the countdown began just after where I thought 16.2 was as I knew I only had to run a solid ten miles in roughly seventy minutes to come under three.  Near the eighteen-mile mark, I passed Amy, but she caught me and we ran together for a few miles.  At mile twenty, my brain knew I had 10K to the finish and simply needed to put down a 43-44 to accomplish my goal.  After the twenty-first mile, it appeared that the pace group dissipated at a water stop.  At past water stops, runners would leave formation to grab hydration, but it always reformed with the two pacers and their balloons in hand taking front-runner status.  This time, I didn’t see if reform and had a decision to make: stay with the one pacer or forge ahead on my own.  I decided I felt decent enough to try to lay down the hammer.  In retrospect, that decision likely saved my race since increasing my effort was necessary to hold pace.  With four to go, I had a small cushion but began to really believe this was going to happen.  After the twenty-third mile marker, I had 5K to go and correctly deduced that my current pace was good, but I needed to hold it.  Around the twenty-four mile, I heard someone cheer for Derek and soon he caught me.  I tried to stick with him for a bit, but I knew that I only needed two more miles at seven minute pace so I let him go.  In retrospect, should I have pushed harder to give him a chase?  If there is a fault in my race today, this possibly qualifies, but you cannot be upset when you run a personal best.

Celebrating near the toilets

The final mile was tough and euphoric at the same time.  I knew I was going to achieve my goal so I used the extra emotion to pick up the pace, especially with half a mile to go.  When I hit that sign, I had about four minutes to break three and half of an eight minute pace would do it but I went faster to leave nothing on the course.  Then there was only one lap of a track left and then we entered the finisher’s chute and I crossed the line with a good push for a time of 2:59:31!  I was ecstatic yelled “PR!” “Sub-three” and “Thank you, Houston!”  Derek crossed about twenty seconds ahead and we celebrated our achievements together.  We marched into the convention center to retrieve our bags – I was eager to call my wife and coach – and our finisher’s shirt and beer mug.  Before parting, we took a photo by the port-o-john, a Derek tradition for some reason, and said goodbye.

Pizza and beer - the celebration lunch of champions!

 Back at the hotel, I showered, packed, checked-out, went to Flying Sauce around the corner for a pizza and some Texas IPAs.  I was able to connect with Brant Koch, the race director, and thank him for a great race and gave him a DC Road Runners Club shirt.  He’s a really nice guy – I met his daughter in DC as she is looking for work.  Then, Tuan and I shared a cab to the airport.

With the race director near the finish

Splits:

None of my miles were in the 7:00 minute range.  Each 5K segment was in the 21 minute range.

Perfectly paced!

According to my Garmin GPS = 6:57/47/40/49/48/46/47/56/45/46/50/51/48/51/48/45/46/46/51/46/49/49/53/58/55/50/ 2:15/6:11 (.37) - 5K = 21:13; 10K = 21:10/42:23; 15K = 21:21/1:03:44; Half = 25:54/1:29:38; 25K = 16:48/1:46:26; 30K = 21:09/2:07:35; 40K = 21:38/2:50:30 Finish = 9:01/2:59:31.

OA = 219; Gender = 170; AG = 34

I only had a +15 seconds positive split – very even (1:29:38/ 1:29:53).  On Marathon Guide, my age graded time is 2:57:54.  I feel really good the day after and even could run a few miles if I had to - which I will not.  I predict my next run to be Tuesday morning - an easy four miler.

I remember when I finished I commented that I had nothing else to shoot for since I accomplished my goal.  He said there are plenty of more goals to set and sub three-hour marathons to run.  I hope he’s right – this was an amazing experience!! Next up: Boston!!

State 23 and Marathon 34