<p>Thanks! This is actually one of the top marathons in the country and I have always wanted to run it, so here I am. Just did a short jog around the hotel area here in MSP. We head up to Duluth shortly.</p>
<p>Hey…Good Luck! You will be in my neck of the woods! Just saw this thread and wanted to say Welcome and Good Luck! Grandma’s is so much fun!</p>
<p>NJRes, Duluth is a great place! It is a very pretty port city on Lake Superior; I actually am thinking about retiring there someday (of course, I would rather cross country ski than do anything else I can think of, so that could be affecting my thinking…). But in the summer ANYONE would love Duluth!</p>
<p>Wow! You both are inspirations! Best wishes to both of you!</p>
<p>More good wishes to both of you. I see Joan Benoit Samuelson will be speaking; I would like to see her.</p>
<p>We made it! It was a brutal, hot day. I am SO over these hot marathons. The winds shifted overnight- we were cold yesterday evening (would have been perfect) and it was in the low 60s or higher to start. It was really awful. People were dropping like flies and they “black flagged” the race, which means they were close to closing the course.</p>
<p>I did well. My southern running and my experience came though, even though I wanted to quit the whole way. My husband said I was passing everybody and nobody was passing me. He caught me a few times on his bike. I went out fast on purpose- once I figured out I actually had to DO this thing. I lost about 5 minutes in the 2nd half of the race, but everyone else I know lost about 30. Lots of medical emergencies.<br>
My time- just under 4:11 for 2nd in my age group (shocking- based on past results I had no expectation of placeing).
I’m proud of GolfingMom, but I’ll let her report in!<br>
We DID get the chocolate cake and it was awesome. We are off to Betty’s Pies in Two Harbors tonight. (hey, this is why we do this)
I love my finisher’s t-shirt and finisher’s medal. I am SO glad it’s over.</p>
<p>Glad you both finished & are still healthy. Congratulations!!</p>
<p>MOfWC and GolfingMom, good job! I’m so proud of you!</p>
<p>(I did a short jog through my neighborhood, and man I’m out of running shape! You two are my inspiration. I’m going to train every day for the triathlon run -our team has to beat the guys’ team. It helps that they have a <em>very lousy</em> swimmer :D)</p>
<p>Wow- awesome time! When my husband runs a marathon I always have an urge to look away because I can’t stand to see people in pain. And he always finshes in pain. His dream is to do sub 4 hours, but his best is 4.07.
I walke my first half about a month ago and have since signed up for the Disney Half in Spetember. I know it’s going to be hot, yuck!</p>
<p>Anyway, congrats to both of you. Way to go!!!</p>
<p>2nd place MOWC Amazing. "Hot weather-what’s that " says this East Coaster.
Sorry to hear it was so hot, you are ONE STRONG WOMAN!!! Inspirational!!!</p>
<p>MOWC, I’m getting a vicarious thrill reading about your race. My first race I started out ridiculously slow. A group of us who trained together ran together, and someone had to go to the bathoom like a mile out, so we all walked so she could catch up. I know people were thinking, “Wow, they’re never going to make it if they’re walking a mile into this thing!” But it was great to save energy early and run a negative split, sailing by buff 20yos in the last few miles. Congrats!</p>
<p>Youdon’tsay, that mirrors my experience in the Twin Cities Marathon almost exactly (lo those 20+ years ago when I ran it…). The thrill of passing the first 20-something Marine puking in someone’s front yard about 10 miles into the race made up for being dead last for the first few miles. And come to think of it, we got a lot of applause while we were last :)</p>
<p>Great job and congrats! I am afraid my marathoning days are long behind me. I just don’t have the endurance any more. I still run, but 4 miles leaves me exhausted and training doesn’t help.</p>
<p>MOWC!! Woot! Woot! </p>
<p>you make us proud! you set the pace, and we will catch up and follow… :)</p>
<p>Congrats…truly.</p>
<p>Thanks, all. When we drove the course (backwards-on our way to Two Harbors) Friday, I scoffed at “Lemon Drop Hill” at 22 miles since I train on monster hills every day. Well-when I got to that hill yesterday it spanked me a little and was quite noticeable, although short and not very steep. One highlight was the sound system (may have been on that 22 mile hill) playing Kenny Chesney’s “We Went Out Last Night”. I guess you can’t take Nashville out of the girl! :)<br>
One of my young female running forum friends (24) was trying to run 3:16 and wound up staggering in at 3:30, passed out at the finish line and woke up with an IV in her arm and a thermometer where she didn’t want one! That’s the kind of day it was.
Betty’s Pies was great last night and today we go to Gooseberry Falls.</p>
<p>So thrilled for the 2 of you! What an inspiration!</p>
<p>Many, many congrats!!! Enjoy the rest of your time out there!</p>
<p>We got home from Duluth last night. We were there for the marathon as well. My husband runs marathons also and this was his first Grandma’s. MOWC was right, the conditions were brutal!! The night before the run, we were sitting with some friends at their daughter’s softball game in 50 degree, foggy weather bundled up in sweatshirts and blankets. When I took the dog out the next morning at 5 a.m. before catching the shuttle to the start, I informed my husband that it was already in the 60’s and humid. It was our first time in Duluth and what crazy, quick changing weather but also REALLY beautiful and hilly.</p>
<p>MOWC, great time in awful conditions. Congrats on the placing!! It has been a cool, rainy spring here and my husband had only 1 warm day run during his training. He has been very good about hydrating and especially the last weeks leading up the the run. He would be up a couple of times a night because he was drinking so much. He was well hydrated at the start (he thought) and kept up well with the fluid intake through the run but ended up very dehydrated and adding about an hour to his time. He runs with a heart rate monitor and he could not keep his heart rate down so had to walk a few times to get his heart rate under control. He’s already analyzing what he could have done differently and why his heart rate was so wacky and of course, planning to do Grandma’s again. Can’t have that time be his only Grandma experience. I always compare marathon runners to having a baby. The training/pregnancy is kind of exciting and scary all at the same time…not sure what to expect. The actual marathon/birth you’re thinking…what the hell was I thinking/I’m NEVER doing this again/when will this be over…and then when it is over…Well, it wasn’t that bad/when can we do it again!! </p>
<p>ON another note, I love being a marathon spectator. You runners are something else, inspirational and I am always so moved watching thousands of runners accomplishing such a major feat!!!</p>
<p>My race didn’t go too well.I don’t do heat well and I made the classic mistake… starting out too fast. Pacer ran the first mile in 8 minutes, a whole minute fast. Started with a pace group hoping to run under 4 hours and avoid running alone which I ended up doing anyway. By 6 miles my Achiles was hurting and I wanted to quit. By the time I hit the first drop out point decided I would finish but not kill myself. I walked about half of the last half. </p>
<p>My son and his friends brother decided to provide entertainment at around mile 22.5 playing their saxaphone and trombone. Was great to see him and give him a hug.</p>
<p>Will do another one in October though. Looking at something smaller in Northern Wisconsin.</p>
<p>Had a great weekend with MOWC and her husband. Fitgers was great. Great beer, food and cake. The piece of cake was huge. One piece was enough for our party of 7.</p>