Kensington Marathon: The Journey

 

Having trained for months (actually almost a year)

New Years Day 5K... training with a 20 lb backpack

for the backpacking trek at Philmont, I decided that it was time to do a marathon.  I had done 20 mile training hikes (both over two days).

Backpacking on the North Manistee Trail

  We trained at 11,000 feet in Colorado

Hiking in Colorado

and then we hiked 100+ miles with a full backpack at Philmont. 

On the trail at Philmont

  

 

I hemmed and hawed and waited until after returning from Philmont to sign up for the only fairly local marathon in July, the Kensington Marathon.  It was a new marathon, run in Kensington Metro Park.  It seemed perfect, just about 40 minutes away, in a park, two loops and two out and backs, so if I needed to I could cut the run short.  And so I signed up.  I continued training after Philmont, mainly walking lots of miles with Simon and my friend Elaine, who recently had knee surgery.  Another runner friend, Lisa, offered to run with me on the Sunday before the race, so I picked up her friend David in Okemos and we headed to Island Lake State Park.  We parked there, ran under I96 to Kensington Park and then did a loop around the lake for a total of 9 miles. It was foggy at the start of the race, but that gave an interesting aura to the lake as one could see the fisherman out in the lake but not much beyond that.  The fog lifted as we ran but the temperature was perfect and it was great to get a sense of what I would be running for the marathon.

 

As with most runners, as race day approached, I began watching and stressing about the weather.  I figured I would get some advice from running friends so I posted on the women's running forum that I'm part of and in a local running group on FB.  Got lots of great advice and Leslie offered to come and run it with me.  That was an offer way too perfect to turn down.  So we made plans to meet at one of the local park and rides and head to Kensington together. Since we needed to be at Kensington Park by 6:30, I went to bed early, woke up numerous times throughout the night, and finally got up at 4am.  Uneventful morning: made coffee and oatmeal, finished packing (checked list numerous times), and got dressed.  We were out the door by 5:20 only to realize that there was a dense fog blanketing the area.  Driving was challenging and it took my husband and I about twice as long to get to the park and ride in Williamston where were were to meet Leslie.  She was there when we arrived and we started the grueling drive to Kensington in the dense fog.  It was so thick you couldn't see the exit signs until you were right on them.  But we made it to the park only about 15 min later than anticipated. Usual race prep.  Discussed the plan:  Leslie would let me go out and do the 4.8 mile out and back section toward 96.  Then she would meet me at the start, go to the next aid station, and I'd do the out and back alone, then we'd meet up and finish the last 15 together.

 

And so the 26 or so marathoners lined up and we were off, headed down toward I-96. 

The start of the Kensington marathon

  Not wanting to go top fast I stayed with the last of the runners.  Chatted with the last runner, who I later found out was Henry Rueden.  And I thought he was just some nice guy from Green Bay, Wisconsin who had come to Milford, MI to run a small-town, inaugural marathon.  Turns out he's a legend among marathon maniacs and has run a marathon in every state 11 times! 

 

The fog got thicker as we ran toward the 2.4 mile turn-around to the point.  Aid station at 1.8 miles.  Continued on to the turn-around and headed back toward the start.  I felt good and a 12:2x pace felt easy so I continued on, leaving Bill and Henry behind.  The fog was thick now and one could barely see the lake. 

Fog at the start/finish line

  Got back to the 4.8 mile mark, cheered on by Simon, and met Leslie

who planned to run to the next aid station where I would head off on an out and back loop and she would wait.  And so we did.  First path intersection: Go right, left goes to a parking lot.  Remembered the information given by the race director and guidance from Lisa given to me the previous Sunday.  Aid station 3 at the 6.5 mile mark, which was where Leslie would wait. 

 

Crossed the streets and headed out.  At this point, the 26 or so marathoners were spread out so once I crossed with the police, I was on my own.  Shortly after the crossing, came across a group of women running the marathon coming from a path to my right.  That didn't seem the correct path, so after hesitating a bit, I continued on.  Came across another woman marathoner who came from another path toward my right.  She was downright lost and had come from the wrong direction.  She said she had already run 10.1 miles, which was much more than she should have.  Got her to go back with a few runners coming toward me and I headed out to the turn-around.  Down a hill, past the signs that cautioned "birds nesting", I worried that I'd be dive-bombed by birds.  At the bottom of the hill to my left was another lake and an osprey nesting area, with adult osprey in the nest and several young birds in the water. 

Osprey in nest (picture stolen off the internet, I didn't stop to take a photo)

I continued on and the path intersected several other paths.  At each intersection, I remembered the instructions, "At the fork, stay left" and I wondered if this was the place I should stay left.  Not sure, I continued on.  Passed the mile 8 marker, so I knew I was on the right path.  By this point, there were no runners to be found and only a few bicyclists.  But I continued on, hoping to find some sign I was on the right path.  Nothing.  Well not until I came to the fourth aid station at mile 9. Got water, thanked the guys who staffed the station and headed back.  Passed Bill.  Then Henry, who yelled back that he was glad to see me as he was getting worried.  Yeah, I know the feeling, I yelled back. 

 

Past the lake and the ospreys, up the hill, and back to the third aid station, where Leslie had been helping the two young girls staffing the station.  Her wealth of knowledge working aid stations came in handy and she passed out Gu while they passed out water and gatorade.  And we were off clockwise around the lake.  Down past the water park, across the wooden bridge near 96

, past the aid station at mile 2.4,

and back toward the start/finish line. 

Past two sandhill cranes that just stood on a grassy patch in the middle of a parking lot.  Past a deer that seemed unfazed by our presence a few feet away.  Past herons and chipmunks.  

 

About 10 am, the sun came out, just as forecasted.  And by the time we hit mile 18 I was walking more than running and my pace was now 13:19 min mile, but I was moving.   Simon and Jeff were waiting for us there with ice and M&M's.  Ice to help cool us down and M&M's because... well because a track club passes them out at about mile 11 at the Detroit Marathon and I decided I needed M&M's if I was going to run a marathon. 

  Part of me wanted to say enough, but there was enough desire to finish the marathon left in me that we continued on. 

 

Past the two young girls at Leslie's station again.  Filled up my water bottles and picked up a berry Gu.  I figured I didn't have that long left, so why not try it.  And so we continued on.  The number of bicyclists increased significantly and few obeyed the 10 mph speed limit.  While the park officials were worried about runners getting in the way of walkers, they should really worry about bicyclists that shouldn't be on a trail crowded with walkers and runners. 

 

And so we continued on, maintaining a 14:xx pace.  Almost to the finish, I picked up up in the 26th mile and found myself able to do a 14:06 pace and then a 13:07 pace in the last 0.30 of a mile (yes, we did 26.3 according to my Garmin, not 26.2).   Leslie ran ahead to get a few pictures approaching the finish line

Yes, I was thrilled!

and entering the chute.

  The race director had the volunteers form a tunnel for me to run through. 

Jeff and the volunteers for a tunnel

And I was done... 

and a marathoner! 

Bling!!! Marathon medal and AG award (well to be honest, I was the only one in my age group)

 

Lessons learned:

1. In a summer marathon, it was a really good idea to bring one's own water.  I filled up water bottles twice along the course which meant that I had water whenever I needed it and didn't have to wait the three or so miles between some of the aid stations.
2. Cutting up Clif bars and eating a half every hour worked well.  My legs were tired but I didn't bonk. I can also eat Gu (heard horror stories about its effects if one isn't used to it)
3. The gaitor work well, to wipe off sweat, stash ice, etc.
4. The Philmont training of peeing in the woods served me well - didn't have to search for the all too infrequent and inconvenient restrooms.
5. Reviewing the race course map before the race was really helpful, although there wasn't enough detail to figure out the longer out and back.  Running the course around the lake the previous week was also extremely helpful.
6. There isn't much crowd support in a race like this, although quite a few people walking in the park were very encouraging, especially in the last loop. 

Thank you to:

1. Simon and Jeff, for being there throughout the journey and then on race day.
2. Leslie, for being with me throughout the marathon, great conversation and helping to keep me on pace.
3. Elaine, for all the walks in the Spring and Summer, that helped me train.
4. My parents, who believe in me, even though my Dad has a hard time believing I ran the equivalent distance from their house to Tuxedo Park, NY!
5. My Philmont contingent, who helped me train for this.
6. Lisa and all my running friends who inspire me and have supported me on this journey.  
7. Quentin, for being you, and for being my inspiration, and for sharing all your running clothes with me.

 

 

And because I'm a geek, here's the gory details from my Garmin

 

Race course map:

 

Race Stats:

 

Pace Summary:

 

Elevation: