While surfing the World Wide Web (no one says that anymore) I came across the Timberline Marathon and they were having a 50% off sale for the Sunday half marathon. So for 40 bucks I thought this would be a fun race to do again. I have done the marathon here a few times and the half a couple more. It runs around Timothy Lake and starts at the old Ranger Station where many a race I have done.
Race day turned out to be a bit of wet one. A lot of fog and rain on the drive up to Mt Hood. I parked down the road as usual and started getting my trail shoes on and trying to stay dry as the rain was very light but steady. Just as I was about to go pick up my bib a damn mosquito buzzes me. "Really??" 45 degrees and rain and you guys still are hungry? Jeez! So I grab my bug spray and start lathering that on. Now I got that summer trail race smell going without the suntan lotion.
This races is not a true half but 14.4 miles long. I can't run trails all the time like the old days so I have to pick and choose which ones I do every year. Everyone says trails are soft and best but I really find my joints and knees like a more stable platform, the rolling and different gaits on a trail end up tweaking my joints a bit. Back to the event. They start us in stagger line so the trail doesn't get packed all at once. I decide to not go the usual back of the pack and have to pass a ton of folks so I go about 25 or 30th. I wear my vest so I don't have to stop at any aid station, its a half, don't got time for that. I run well at first getting passed by the faster folks but that is ok. I am going down a steep section and I say to the woman in front of me. "On your left", "on your left", "sneaking by on your left". She seems shocked as I go by. 3 guesses? Yep, got the tunes cranked and I can't hear a thing. Trail runners know the tunes got to be softer otherwise you never know whats behind you.
I am running a bit harder than normal and really trying to pick up my feet so I don't trip. I never really run trails anymore but so enjoy it. It's wet the first few miles but not too muddy. Running in the forest you never get soaked like on the roads. Soon we start to come up to flooded areas. After the first few times trying not to get too wet I go into 5 year old boy mode. So much fun to just power through the mud and puddles! The guy with the expensive Nike Fly Knit Carbon Powered Nitro Extreme Wedge Juiced Turbo Charged Road shoes probably didn't have to much fun on this trail today. I saw way more runners with road shoes than trail shoes. I of course even had the gaiters on. So my trail name for today was "Bret the Puddle Destroyer". They got really big after mile 5 or so. I caught many a faster runner that were doing everything possible to stay dry. I just ripped through them and said "see you at the dry sections!" Meaning they were faster than me and would so catch the old guy.
I got a bit tired around mile 11 and could feel the fatigue but was going steady 10:40 pace which for me now days on the trail is good. But, I never looked at my watch the entire day until I was finished. I just ran by feel which is fun to do now and then. I slowed down to the 11's those last few miles but the puddles got massive, one half way up my shin and then a little stream we had to fjord that was flowing into the lake. The last climb was the only part I walked all day. The orange/Iron mud was really flowing down the trail. It was very Hagg Lake like for those who know what I mean.
I finished in 2:40 which was fine, my goal in my head was 2:30 for 14.4 miles on trail but with the mud I was happy with 2:40. I got 3rd old man in the 60 to 69 which is fun. I am starting to sound like my father when he race walked. "I got first place!" Nice dad, how many in your age group? "Me!"
This was the first time in many races at Timothy that I ever ran in the rain. Normally sunny with great views. But I had so much fun! I was smiling most the day. To be my age and go out and play in the puddles is such a gift! I truly feel blessed that I have been given the opportunity to continue be involved in this sport.
I am considering racing more half's this summer and maybe just a marathon every few months or so. That way I can enjoy more of the competition than spending so much time training, which at times gets a bit boring by yourself. Also when we move (soon) to Southern Nevada there is not much racing in the summer due to the +100 degree weather so race it while I can!
