This past Sunday my husband and I completed the http://nodm.com (North Olympic Discovery Marathon). This was our second time doing this Marathon, our first experience at this event was for the half Marathon. You can read about our first Marathon experience on this course HERE.
We run/walk, our training this year was on a 10 minute run/10 minute walk rotation. Our training seems to fit in O.K. with our Spartan race training except when we get to May, the Montana Beast event hits right when we really need to be upping our miles. This year the longest training run/walk we got in was 17 miles. I was a little nervous that we hadn't put in the long miles needed to finish our Marathon and that my weight would be a factor. I still seem to keep the pounds on, I need to figure that out and get to a leaner/lighter body so I'm not pounding my way on pavement. Every added pound is hard on the joints etc. Oh well, focus focus focus. That's what it's all about isn't it, and having grace for ourselves when we feel we just don't measure up to where we want to be. It is what it is, and here we are still being active and not letting it get us down. We do the early start (6 am) for the Marathon walkers. This event gives the walkers 7 1/2 hours to complete the course. The runners begin at 7:30 am and have 6 hours to complete the course.
We stayed at a motel in Port Angeles the night before the Marathon so we could be close to the event on race day. Before checking into our motel on Saturday we went to get our race day packet and I took my "course finish" photos.
It was a beautiful day, but there was a pretty stiff breeze that I was hoping wouldn't be there for us on Sunday.
On Sunday morning we woke at 4 am to get ready for our day then we drove to the shuttle area. The shuttle bus took us from Port Angeles to the race start at the 7Cedars casino, just outside of Sequim on hwy 101. The casino gives us restrooms to use and a warm place to wait for the start.
Our "official" start photos.
When we started the temp. was in the low 50's, but it felt a bit muggy to me. I get warm pretty fast.
The course follows the Olympic Discovery trail from the 7Cedars casino to Port Angeles. It's a beautiful trail, I always enjoy being on it.
The 15 minute mile "super pacer" Monte. The plan was to stay with him for our pace.
Here we are staying just in front of the pacer.
My "sherpa" carried our water and aid, in case we needed anything before we would get to an aid station.
Again, Monte is tucked in right behind us. You can just see his blue hair!
We did a quick steep down and up to get under the 101 hwy. The photo below shows the up part.
Making our way up the hill.
Everything had been going fine up until we got past the aid station at the top of the hill. We made a right turn to get us away from the highway and there are a series of short rolling hills in this section. My left inner thigh muscle decided it didn't want to go up anymore and decided to cramp. Of course I panicked because we had around six more miles to go. I have had issues with cramps and have taken steps to help my body ward them off, but I had been sweating hard all day and I think that and my extra weight was the culprit more than lack of high training miles. I don’t think heat had much to do with it as it maybe got into the low 70’s, so it wasn’t an overly warm day, I just felt like it was really hot out.
There are a few hills on the course, but I don't consider it a particularly difficult course. Here's the course and it's elevation map.
Such a scenic course❤
I've never been good at managing my cramps when they attack, my usual response is to panic and assume I'm done for the day. My husband shared an experience with me that he had on a Spartan race in Montana. He isn't prone to cramping and had been surprised when he cramped with 5 hilly miles to go. He learned that day that he could manage them, so during our Marathon on Sunday he helped me to learn to manage mine and not to stay in a panic mode. Of course we carry our Mustard, so I took a shot and we began walking until I felt brave enough to jog. I shortened my stride and tried to keep a choppy step and walked whenever I felt a twinge. This short step jogging mixed with a shot of Mustard and long walks helped keep them away. I also had a great mental turn around moment for my brain. I was talking to my husband and said “I’m trying”, then I caught myself and said aloud “no, I’m doing it”. That was a big moment for me.
Trying to stay hydrated. This is the aid station just before we made the long downhill to the Morse creek bridge.
Doing my downhill walk and trying to have a positive attitude.
I love the Morse creek bridge area, I don't know if it was the long shady stretch or if the mustard had finally worked it's magic but I felt a cloud lift in my head. I felt like I could pick up the pace.
Thank goodness, it was much more fun to run/walk with a lighter spirit.
Making sure I'm staying hydrated at the last aid station.
Finally at the seawall. There was a breeze but it wasn't bad, just refreshing. In the photo below we’re sharing a sip of water for the last stretch.
My dad had spent the day cheering us on and taking photos, the official course photographer managed to get one of both of of together.
Finally at the finish chute (the clock isn't our time).
Finish and medal pictures.
Garmin stats:
total miles - 26.2
total time - 7:13:18 even with my cramp managing we came in under the course cutoff time of 7 1/2 hours, we didn't stay with our pacer but we finished!
total ascent - 1138 feet
I'm very thankful to my husband that he joins me on all of my ideas and is willing to be my sherpa and encourager. Also, thanks to my dad for the cheers and photos.
Finally at the seawall. There was a breeze but it wasn't bad, just refreshing. In the photo below we’re sharing a sip of water for the last stretch.
My dad had spent the day cheering us on and taking photos, the official course photographer managed to get one of both of of together.
Finally at the finish chute (the clock isn't our time).
Finish and medal pictures.
Garmin stats:
total miles - 26.2
total time - 7:13:18 even with my cramp managing we came in under the course cutoff time of 7 1/2 hours, we didn't stay with our pacer but we finished!
total ascent - 1138 feet
I'm very thankful to my husband that he joins me on all of my ideas and is willing to be my sherpa and encourager. Also, thanks to my dad for the cheers and photos.
*funny note- I discovered afterwards that I’d worn my left sock inside out for the whole day & didnt’t even notice. Interesting for a girl that doesn’t like to feel sock seams on her toes.
