August Marathon of the Month: Crater Lake Marathon

 
August isn't exactly peak marathon season, but there are still a few good choices out there, such as the Crater Lake marathon in Klamath Falls, Oregon. The 37th edition of this race will be held August 11th. There are two other distances to choose from: a 13.0 mile run and a 6.7 mile run. All three courses run along the upper rim of Crater lake, offering breathtaking views. They cap the total number of participants to 500 people, so the race sells out pretty quickly.

Last year Toby and I ran the half marathon, excuse me, the 13.0 mile run. I wasn't sure I wanted to take on the full marathon, mainly because the altitude ranges from 5,980 ft to 7,850 ft, and the terrain is extremely hilly. I think it was a wise choice, at least for me. The 13.0 course traveled about 3/4 of the way around the lake, and it required a lot of walking! Oh, but it was so beautiful! Crater lake is the prettiest lake I have ever seen! They say the reason why the color is so vibrantly blue is because the depth of the lake and the purity of the water (it is only fed by rain and snow). The races are held entirely within the Crater Lake National Park, so camping is an option, although I would think it would be a little chilly, as there was still some snow in places!

A visit to Crater Lake and the surrounding southern Oregon area is a must, even if you are not interested in this run. We spent a few days in nearby Ashland, Oregon, which is absolutely beautiful, especially in August.

Here is the link to the race web-site: http://www.craterlakerimruns.com/

Winne the War Baby: Catwalk Misadventure

We were standing on the "catwalk" on the flight deck as they rolled the A3 to the catapult for launch. Per procedure, once the plane was securely attached to the catapult the ? man signaled to the pilot "ready to power", hence the pilot revved the plane to full power. From our vantage point we could see the pilot, but not the ? man. Something wasn't quite ready with the pilot, so he motioned to the ? man to "send a crewman to come check on something", and powered down the A3. We see a crewman hop up onto the wing, and then the body of the plane, as he starts making his way over to the pilot to look in and see what the problem is. The pilot changes his mind and signals out "ready to launch", and revves the plane up again to full power without seeing that the crewman was making his way towards him, and apparently the ? man wasn't aware of his presence either. All of us on the catwalk are screaming and pointing at the crewman on the top of the plane, but nobody could hear us over the sound of the jet! We were horrified as to what was about to happen! Luckily the crewman was quick on his feet and scurried onto the tail and leaped off. Just as hit feet hit the ground that damn plane shot off the flight deck over his head!

My Top 10 USA Marathons REVISED (as of 2016)

My top 10 list has changed a bit since 2012, so I figured I would re-post. It is worth noting that my top 3 favorite marathons have remained the same. Since 2012 I ran 4 marathons worthy of making the list, which means I had to remove 4, which wasn't easy. Maybe next time I will post my top 20, ha! Please note that my list only includes marathons I've ran.

Here is the list, in order of preference:

1. Big Sur International Marathon:
The bucket list marathon. No other marathon scenery compares to the views along the pacific coast as you run from Big Sur to Carmel. I would not recommend this as a first time marathon though, because it is very hilly. Everyone is forewarned about the climb to Hurricane Point, but what is not clearly evident is that there is a significant hill in every single mile from mile 16 to the finish. If you take this one on be sure to do some serious hill training.

Bixby Bridge

2. The San Francisco Marathon:
The course starts and finishes on the Embarcadero, runs through Fisherman's Wharf, across the Golden Gate Bridge and back, through Golden Gate park, etc. It hits just about everything the city has to offer. This is another hilly one though, so come prepared.



3. The Colorado Marathon:
Even though this marathon is at elevation (approximately 6,000 ft), it runs downhill, dropping to approximately 5,300 ft. The first 16 miles run along the Poudre river, offering stunning scenery. The last 10 miles aren't as scenic, but the number of spectators pick up as you head towards downtown Fort Collins, finishing in the Old Town Plaza.


4. Newport, Rhode Island:
The views are stunning from beginning to end, with a tour of the island mansions, the ocean shore, and the changing of the leaves, if timed just right. Yes, with scenery comes hills, but nothing too horrendous. It's a nice mid-sized marathon, and the area of Newport provides lots to see and do.

5. LA Marathon
This marathon is an iconic tour of the city of LA. It's a point to point course, starting in downtown and finishing near the Santa Monica Pier. Its only real drawback is the size. It's a rather big marathon, with over 20,000 participants, with a not so great finish area organizationally, but still, running down Hollywood boulevard then Rodeo drive, priceless.

6. Grandma's Marathon:
This marathon is a point-to-point course running along the north shore of Lake Superior. The race begins just outside of Two Harbors, Minnesota and finishes in Duluth’s Canal Park. The last 8-10 miles approach Duluth, offering lively crowds along the way. The town of Duluth is a surprisingly fun town to visit, as well. Organizationally, a top notch marathon.

7. California International Marathon:
This marathon is a point to point course offering a net downhill, boasting that it's a very fast course. It starts in Folsum California, and finishes in front of the state capitol in downtown Sacramento. I found this course appealing because the first 20 miles roll along through small northern California towns and countryside and is pretty quiet, progressively getting noisier as it heads into town.

8. Ogden Utah Marathon:
Although the altitude and terrain can be a challenge, its beauty makes it worthy of the struggle. There is a significant downhill portion in the second half, with a view of this waterfall to boot, which helps. The only real drawback appears to be the weather. More often then not it's a cold wet one. And I mean COLD.

9. The Outerbanks Marathon:
For a truly unique place to visit, North Carolina's outer banks (OBX) is like none other. The marathon starts in Kill Devil Hills and finishes on Roanoke Island in the town of Manteo.  Scenic highlights include the Wright Brothers Monument, the Nags Head Wood Nature Preserve, sand dunes, and a gigantic causeway bridge to Roanoke Island. Combined with a pirate theme, titled the "Post Race Pirate Jamboree", this is hands down the best post marathon party ever.



10. Green Bay, Wisconsin Marathon:
I was surprisingly entertained by the uniqueness of this marathon! I'm not even a football fan, but was enthralled with Lambeau field, where the race starts and finishes. In fact, the marathon course runs a lap inside the field just before the finish, which is incredible. I am forever a Packer's fan I guess.

I will be back in a few years (God willing) with an updated list for you!

Running to the Center of the Universe

For some of us tomorrow is the official starting day of training for Tulsa’s Route 66 marathon!  We will be registering before too long, but before we do we have to be prepared to answer yes or no to the question, “Will you be taking the Detour to the Center of the Universe?” Say Whaaa??  According to the marathon web-site, “The Center of the Universe Detour offers runners a unique opportunity to run an extra 0.3 miles to visit Tulsa’s historic Center of the Universe. The distinctive quality of the landmark is an eerie echo that is heard by someone standing in the center of the circle. Participants who stand at the center of the brick circle and talk will hear themselves echo, but others outside the circle can hear no such echo”.

I can’t say that I find it tempting to take a detour off a marathon course in order to hear my own voice echo while I stand in a circle and talk to myself… so I am pretty sure I will answer “no” to this question.  The marathon web-site says you can make the decision during the race. The detour is on the 17^th mile. If you take the detour you are handed a medallion (great, something to carry for another 9 miles).  Still, it is only .3 miles extra. Only! Think about that .3 miles extra when you see the finish line in the distance.  What to do, what to do. Like I need another medallion…hmmm…I like medallions…Ok, I changed my mind. I will answer “yes”, to make sure they order enough medallions and call it on race day. I am pretty sure my decision will be based primarily on peer pressure, but then again mile 17 is a tricky mile. Sometimes I am holding it together, and other times I am in a very ugly place. I think this is true for most of us.  It will be funny when we all reunite at the finish line and empty our pockets!

Here it is: The Center of the Universe!