Marathon Maniacs Marathons/Ultras run by #1340
"The Lone Runner" Rob Rayder

Seq Race Date City ST Finish
Time		 Distance Bib Overall
Place		 Sex
Place		 Age
Place		 Remarks
74 Kalamazoo Marathon 05/05/13 Kalamazoo MI 4:49:06 Marathon 8451 387/ 557 248/ 319   Pretty predictable second marathon in a double. Great first half with the collapse at mile 14 and the run-walk-run into home. Still finished the "Mittens" challenge. My third double. Seems I'm a sucker for a little extra bling. Chris broke 3 hours for the first time on the second race of his first double. Why can't I do that?
73 Wisconsin Marathon 05/04/13 Kenosha WI 4:12:42 Marathon 843 456/ 1062 310/ 614   Great weather and better training do make a difference. First race of my 2 day double (with Kalamazoo.) Chris set a PR but is gunning to do better in Michigan.
72 Knoxville Marathon 04/07/13 Knoxville TN 4:53:43 Marathon 212 467/ 698 308/ 436 57/ 79 Out of shape. Hot. Fatigued. Undertrained. What else can I say?
71 Andrew Jackson Marathon 03/16/13 Jackson TN 4:27:27 Marathon   73/ 96   9/ 11 Might as well keep the streak alive with another awesome first half followed by another predictable fall apart. Too hot and windy. On the plus side, I kicked butt at the Germantown half the next day. There was no second half to fall apart in!
70 Little Rock Marathon 03/03/13 Little Rock AR 4:30:42 Marathon 248 907 625/ 1296 110/ 221 A tough one. Did great until I hit the hill at mile 14 then things went downhill (unfortunately not literally.) Walked a ton after that but still finished to collect my massive medal! That part was awesome!
69 Mardi Gras Marathon 02/24/13 New Orleans LA 4:22:22 Marathon 5223 1206/ 2633 803/ 1431 157/ 260 Another perfect day in New Orleans, and another typical race, with an awesome first half and a total collapse in the second half. Still, I enjoyed my stroll by the lake from miles 18-20. Maybe I shouldn't have taken that free Martini at mile 22... Definitely not a good plan to settle your stomach.
68 Mississippi River Marathon 02/09/13 Greenville MS 4:19:17 Marathon   150/ 374 108/ 213 2 Windy and cold but surprisingly fun race. Loved the suspension bridge over the Mississippi and the fact that the course goes from AR to MS. Second place as a Clydes! Go BIG guy.
67 Rocket City Marathon 12/08/12 Huntsville AL 4:30:53 Marathon   629   84/ 132 Great conditions. Glad to finally run 2 marathons in a month again. Almost like the old times!
66 St. Jude Marathon 12/01/12 Memphis TN 4:43:09 Marathon 4391 1270 785 139/ 240 Warmer day than I thought and my continued lack of training have really zapped my times. More than an hour slower than last time. Still, the finish at Redbird's stadium was just as sweet as always. Happy 44th Birthday!
65 Chickamauga Marathon 11/10/12 Fort Oglethorpe GA 4:41:27 Marathon 773 378/ 530 48/ 61 48/ 61 A beautiful run but deceptively difficult with long, sustained inclines and declines that I recognized too late when I came crashing down at mile15! Went out MUCH too fast. Still, the fall foliage was nice and it was a great way to spend Veteran's Day weekend.
64 Chicago Marathon 10/07/12 Chicago IL 4:41:00 Marathon   22392/ 37455     Race #2 of my Double. Chicago was GREAT. Lots of support. Lots of people. Perfect conditions. I felt great until mile 9 then had to run-walk the rest. Wore a bib on my front to honor my wife and it inspired me many times to beat my old time on the second race of a double.
63 Southern Tennessee Plunge 10/06/12 Winchester TN 3:59:58 Marathon 104 34/ 115   6/ 18 The first race of my second Double. I decided to run this one hard and cruise through Chicago. Conditions were ideal and Chris set a PR at 3:18- that was 3rd place overall! The swag was even better this year with a cool medal and a great shirt and hat. Wish Christina could have come. Her bravery inspired me to break 4 hours despite my less than stellar training!
62 Tupelo Marathon 09/02/12 Tupelo MS 5:09:42 Marathon   185 131 25 A PW for road races but at least I have a few excuses. This was my first run after hernia surgery and my first race after learning Christina had breast cancer. My training SUCKS. It was also hot and humid which didn't help things much. Still, I was very excited that I was able to finish this race at all. It was a battle, both for me and my wife. Chris finished 3rd overall in the half and Christina finished her race too. Not bad, all things considered.
61 Blister in the Sun 08/05/12 Cookeville TN 4:52:40 Marathon   37/ 79     Another round in the park for the Blister. Again the worst of the heat was spared from us but the humidity was pretty uncomfortable.
60 Grand Island Trail Marathon 07/28/12 Munising MI 5:09:34 Marathon 500 152 103   A beautiful course on an island surrounded by the crystal clear waters of Lake Superior. The weather was ideal and the views spectacular (although I could have done without the run through the sand.) There was a lot of elevation change and my time was very slow but at least I only face planted once!
59 Kona UCC 06/24/12 Kona HI 4:12:51 Marathon   93 66 1 I love running in paradise. Won the Clydesdale division by over an hour! Slower than last time however. Need to re- learn how to beat the heat!
58 Run Under the Stars 10 Hour Endurance Race 06/09/12 Paducah KY 10:00:00 45.5 mi 92       My first endurance race with a set time. It was run overnight on a lighted half mile horse track. The lights were turned off at the half way point and we ran with lighted candle bags the second half of the race. This was a big PR in terms of distance, shattering my previous best by over 12 miles. Weather conditions were great and having my own aid station was a big plus. Nice race and definitely worth the collection of blisters on my feet.
57 Berryman Trail Marathon 05/19/12 Berryman MO 6:32:24 Marathon 584 40/ 57     OK. OK. I know. 6:32 sucks even for a trail run. Still, it was 91 degrees and humid. I hate the heat and wasn't well trained for it. It was a beautiful trail even if I nearly collapsed from heat exhaustion. I seriously considered dropping at mile 16 but am proud to say that I hung on to finish. The SLUGs (St. Louis Ultra Group) were great. They at least know how to smile while cooking you in paradise.
56 Knoxville Marathon 04/01/12 Knoxville TN 4:31:53 Marathon 608 401/ 726 288/ 469 39/ 69 A tough race for me. Too hot in the second half and my mind wasn't in the right place. Still, loved the fact that my daughter Rebecca finished her first half marathon here! I still had enough energy to do my Neely Stadium football show at the finish!
55 Mardi Gras Marathon 03/04/12 New Orleans LA 4:02:07 Marathon 5462 1154/ 3657 805/ 1955 128/ 322 I paced Chris through the half and felt great for the second half except at mile 23. Had to walk more than I wanted due to nausea and it cost me the sub-4. All three times I have run this race the weather has been great. I really enjoyed the Martinis at mile 15. Just when you think you've seen everything...
54 Sylamore 50K Trail 02/18/12 Allison AR 7:11:08 50 km   106/ 155     One of the most beautiful trails anywhere deep in the heart of the Ozarks. The creek crossing was not bad and, in fact, my legs welcomed the wet coolness of the river on the way back. Stunning vistas, towering cliffs, cascading waterfalls... words fail me.A brutal beauty!
53 Mercedes Benz Marathon 02/12/12 Birmingham AL 3:49:19 Marathon   267/ 968   38/ 110 Cold. Yup. That about sums it up. Start temp was 23 with a wind chill of 16. And I rocked it! Wish I was a little better trained so I could have held it together for the last 8 miles. I was on PR pace before that. The weather was cold but this run was hot! 2 loops around downtown Birmingham. Tons of great maniacs to push me on.Thanks to you all!
52 First Light Marathon 01/08/12 Mobile AL 4:46:05 Marathon 1943 260/ 460   30 My 50th marathon (not including my 2 Ultras) and the second marathon of my first DOUBLE! Whoever said that a double isn't tough? It is! Still, I loved the smaller field of runners and the surprisingly scenic course. What a way to Celebrate #50!!
51 Mississippi Blues Marathon 01/07/12 Jackson MS 4:55:40 Marathon   485/ 741 347/ 487 55/ 72 The first marathon of my double and I tried to run it slow but ended up cooking in the unexpected heat. I ran this one with Chris who I made stay with me and unfortunately he cooked as well. I think we both were a little hyponatremic at the end of 5 hours of being over- dressed and over heated. Still, a nice race and a cool Finisher's medal and tech shirt.
50 Tecumseh Trail Marathon 12/03/11 Bloomington IN 5:17:07 Marathon   345/ 636 273/ 468 58 A surprisingly pleasant December day for yet another hill filled marathon down the scenic Tecumseh Trail. I could here the musket fire of the deer hunters echoing off the walls of the steep hills and valleys. I only fell 3 times during this trail run. A new low fall count!
49 Flying Monkey Marathon 11/20/11 Nashville TN 4:42:01 Marathon 1 152/ 275 120/ 167 21 Rain, wind and cold couldn't keep me from my first Monkey kill! A fun run through one of the most scenic stretches in Tennessee. Why do I keep on doing these super hilly marathons?
48 New York Marathon 11/07/11 New York NY 4:17:29 Marathon   21249/ 46536 15842/ 29669 3430 A perfect day for a marathon. Fall foliage, gentle winds, cool temps and 26 miles of screaming fans shadowed by skyscrapers galore. The biggest marathon in history! My first time to the Big Apple couldn't have been better.New York rocks!
47 Mt Lemmon Marathon 10/23/11 Tucson AZ 5:31:57 Marathon   100/ 174 81/ 127 13/ 19 An amazing run with 6000 feet of elevation gain that starts in the Sonoran Desert amongst the massive Saguaro Cacti and finishes in the Aspen and Pine trees of a Ski resort! It is ruthlessly uphill for the first 21 miles but some downhills exist once you reach the 8000 foot mark! Another Maniac "Must Do" for the clinically insane runner!
46 Southern Tennessee Plunge 10/01/11 Winchester TN 3:59:06 Marathon   20   5/ 16 Perfect weather for a run. My son broke the Tennessee State record for 12 year olds and it inspired me to run better despite the hills. A great run on a great day! Welcome back to a sub-4!
45 Tupelo 09/04/11 Tupelo MS 4:39:53 Marathon   153/ 224 108/ 143 25/ 33 Started hot and humid and then the tropical storm arrived. Cooled things down nicely. Fall 2011 came to the South at mile 18 during the marathon!
44 Blister in the Sun 08/07/11 Cookeville TN 4:23:47 Marathon   11/ 39     This run is reserved for those who have fried their brains! If you ever wonder if there is a difference between Heat and Heat WITH Humidity then you need to run this race. It is held in the full force of the summer heat in sizzle of the South. The RD guarentees "Suck Ass Conditions" and he delivers. The bibs are hand drawn by his wife and the finishers medal is a actual frying pan with a sticker in the middle. Be ready or your goose will be cooked on this course.
43 Grandfather Mountain Marathon 07/09/11 Boone NC 4:40:39 Marathon 352 202/ 360   28/ 41 Always a tough race but the hills really got me this year. My son owned me with a time that was over an hour ahead. Still loved the views and the course. Hard to beat the Finish at the Scottish Games!
42 Hatfield and McCoy 06/11/11 Belfry WV 4:23:21 Marathon 79 63/ 237 54/ 149 11/ 29 You just can't get more rural than this race. It is held on the border of West Virgina and Kentucky and crosses the tiny Rudd River from one state to another over and over. The course closely follows a string of the famous sites of THE Feud of all feuds, the Hatfields verses the McCoys. It is surprisingly beautiful and really has only one significant hill to contend with. The heat is another matter. This is a southern marathon held in June! It really worse me down in the second half.
41 Big Sur 05/01/11 Carmel CA 3:56:50 Marathon 2449 825/ 3241 568/ 1688 83/ 248 What can I say. It's Big Sur even if was twice over the Carmel Heights instead of the point to point. I ran over the Bixby Bridge on my own the next day since it was cut out of race day. What a beautiful course. I finally was back below 4:00 on a hilly and windy course.
40 Blue Ridge Parkway Marathon 04/16/11 Roanoke VA 4:49:11 Marathon 207 129/ 227     It rained. The wind blew. There were 3 mountains to transverse instead of just the two from last year. I hurt myself at mile 20, and I was in a lot of pain for the last 10K. Tough race but proud to count myself among the survivors to cross the finish line.
39 Knoxville Marathon 04/03/11 Knoxville TN 4:05:36 Marathon 556 315   29 I had a touch of bronchitis that kept my times slow, especially the last 3 miles. Still, I had a great time pretending to score a touchdown at the 50 yard line of Neely stadium during the finish.
38 Snickers Marathon 03/05/11 Albany GA 3:54:48 Marathon 649 219/ 631 166/ 381 32/ 55 Where is Albany, GA you ask? It's the home of one of the best early spring marathons around. My son and I ran this relatively flat and fast course and loved it. Chris broke the 4 hour mark for the first time and we crossed the line hand in hand!
37 Cross Timbers Trail Marathon 02/19/11 Lake Texoma TX 5:55:12 Marathon 233 26/ 45 20/ 33   A beautiful and brutal trail run around a scenic portion of Lake Texoma (on the Texas- Oklahoma Border.) This race is 25 miles from my dad's grave and gave me an excuse to pay my respects while visiting my step mom and doing what I love most (running marathons.) The trail bills itself as the "Toughest Little Trail in Texas" and I have no reason to argue with that. This is a very technical race with over 5000 feet of elevation change. Still, the scenery is great and the aide stations are well stocked. Take your time to enjoy a vista or two along the way while you recharge.
36 Swamp Stomper 50K 01/16/11 Millington TN 7:39:24 52.5 km 53 17/ 25 11/ 14   A challenging trail run through mud and up steep bluffs and past scenic lakes and ancient Mississippi Valley Hardwood groves. It is tiny but well run. At 32.6 miles it stands as my longest run to date. I can just feel the hair growing on my chest! Super Tough Ultra- Runner Man!
35 Walt Disney's Goofy Challenge 01/09/11 Orlando FL 4:19:28 Marathon 886 3354/ 13546 2441/ 7271 462/ 1275 Another Goofy Challenge and this time ran the half with my son and just cruised through the whole! Had a great time and this year's weather was perfect. It's hard to beat Disney for entertaining big races. I got into the spirit of things and wore an oversized Goofy hat for both races!
34 Rocket City Marathon 12/11/10 Birmingham AL 4:00:10 Marathon 240 521/ 1149   76/ 135 My second marathon in 2 weeks and 3rd in 4 weeks. After my all out effort last week I just didn't have any gas left for anything but a mediocre performance here despite nearly ideal conditions. Barely missed that 4 hour mark! Tried to sprint the last little bit but just fell short.
33 Memphis St. Jude 12/04/10 Memphis TN 3:42:43 Marathon 2714 285/ 2427 224/ 1375 37/ 205 This was my second time running my home town race and I was pacing my son through most of the half. Maybe taking it relatively slow in the first half paid off big for my finish time or maybe there is something to the concept of "Home Field Advantage." Whatever the reason I had my second best race here! I was aiming to cut an hour off my first race in 2008 and succeeded with plenty of time to spare! I love this race!
32 Route 66 Marathon 11/21/10 Tulsa OK 4:28:49 Marathon 1390 598/ 1509 451/ 937 60/ 144 I ran this race to pace my son through his first full marathon. He blazed through the first half but struggled against the long miles and famous Oklahoma winds in the second half. He held my hand for the last 5 miles. How many dads will ever get the opportunity to do something like that for their kids?!! Once in a lifetime race!
31 Marine Corp Marathon 10/31/10 Arlington VA 4:17:56 Marathon 3036 6905/ 21977 5059/ 13258 828/ 2120 I dedicated this historic run to my deceased father. I had hoped to finish a sub-4 hour but I fell apart at the wall near mile 20. Still, it is hard not to enjoy a race that runs by the Potomac, the Lincoln Memorial, Monticello, the White house, the National Mall, the Capital Building, the Washington Monument, the Pentagon and finishes in Arlington National Cemetery. I felt like each tiny white cross was a fallen war hero standing at attention near the finish. A race filled with history and emotion.
30 Southern Tennessee Plunge Marathon 10/02/10 Winchester TN 4:06:07 Marathon 5337 20/ 48   6/ 8 Winchester Tennessee is a small town about 20 miles from the Jack Daniels Distributor and is nestled in the gentle rolling hills that make up the mighty Smoky Mtns. further to the east. The course is open to traffic and the weather was a little warm for my taste especially at the end. Still, the volunteers were great and the race did have a certain small town charm. I even had a police escort for almost a mile. The officer held my water bottle as I ran. Pretty cool for a mediocre runner who finished in the middle of the pack!
29 Tupelo Marathon 09/05/10 Tupelo MS 3:44:31 Marathon 215 58/ 253 47/ 155 10/ 22 A great day for a marathon. Perfect weather and great swag including the now famous Skull and Cross bone Medal and tie-dyed shirt. This run gets more and more popular each year.The pre-dawn start was great! Not even the usual heat and humidity.
28 Pikes Peak Marathon 08/22/10 Manitou Springs CO 7:50:13 Marathon 541 477/ 691 379/ 514 61/ 84 This race bills itself as "America's Ultimate Challenge" and with good reason. It starts in tiny Manitou Springs (at the base of Pikes Peak near Colorado Springs.) The elevation is a hefty 6300 feet above sea level. Over the next 13.3 miles you run-walk up the Barr Trail to Pikes Peak at 14,115 feet above Sea Level The rarified mountain air has about half the oxygen at sea level and the trail is relentlessly up. The term "Zombie Runner" is the best description of the runners up top.Once you peak the top then you begin a difficult technical trail run straight down back to Manitou Springs. Totally Nuts! A MUST DO RACE FOR THE SERIOUSLY DISTURBED MARATHON MANIAC. Twisted doesn't begin to describe this race.
27 UCC Kona Marathon 06/27/10 Kona HI 3:53:07 Marathon 245 33/ 264   1/ 5 Knowing what to expect makes all the difference. The Lava fields were no surprise and I was better prepared for the post- sunrise heat. I finally won a divison at the marathon all-be-it by a scant 40 seconds in the Clyesdale divison (total of 5 finishers.) The Coffee cup prize was pretty cool. I ran the last few miles with my shoe untied. I must have known that I was being closed in upon from behind!
26 Grandmas Marathon 06/19/10 Duluth MN 3:47:50 Marathon 1559 1212/ 5611 974/ 3464 153/ 447 A great race along Lake Superior and into town. Super support from volunteers and just regular folks alike. I loved taking the train to the start line. Again GI trouble at mile 25 and I fell apart but I finished with a good time despite all that.
25 Tacoma City Marathon 05/02/10 Tacoma WA 3:37:38 Marathon 404 63/ 397 57/ 242 13/ 33 BIG PR!!!! Broke the RocketCity mark by almost 17 minutes!! What a race. Cool temps, rolling hills, gentle breeze and overcast skies! NARVANA for a big marathoner. After training in the sauna that is Memphis in late spring, the cool temps were a very welcome relief. The run through Point Defiance was scenic and running with all those maniacs was an experience. I suppose that WA state runners get used to seeing other maniacs all the time but they are still rare in my neck of the woods. Only the tiny Shamoo Keychain that was called a Finishers' Medal distracted from the experience. Otherwise, a GREAT race.
24 Blue Ridge Parkway Marathon 04/24/10 Roanoke VA 4:06:22 Marathon 281     12/ 33 A great race for an Inaugural event. All that hill training paid off big in this steep up and down race. I haven't seen hills like this since the Twisted Ankle trail marathon. Still, Gotta love the views and the downhills are just as impressive as the uphills and may account for my unusually good time.
23 Andrew Jackson Marathon 04/17/10 Jackson TN 4:11:22 Marathon 347     4/ 8 A small race on a perfect day. It did suffer from being a little overwhelmed. I do not think they are used to so many runners and things seemed a little out of control. I ran a great first half but struggled with the second half. A lot of walking after mile 18. I was stung by a Bumble Bee on my back somewhere along this bucolic course.
22 Little Rock Marathon 03/07/10 Little Rock AR 4:27:39 Marathon 1867 647/ 1545 488/ 971 77/ 147 A tough race with some brutal hills. Still the medal was HUGE and the course mostly scenic. I met the Kenyan who would win the race beforehand and he took a shine my son running his second half at age 10.He gave him his laurels after winning the race!
21 Mardi Gras Marathon 02/28/10 New Orleans LA 4:26:10 Marathon 5280 1488/ 3515 1018/ 1959 160/ 291 Another Perfect day for a race in the Big Easy. My son ran his first half here and did great! The course was flat and the redesign from last year was definitely an improvement. The streets are still pretty banged up though. A legacy of Katrina after all these years.
20 Surf City Marathon 02/07/10 Huntington Beach CA 4:17:57 Marathon 2783 983/ 2349 681/ 1388 124/ 228 My childhood home coming and the weather couldn't have been better after days of rain. I hurt my hip in Orlando and it gave me fits throughout this race, especially the last few miles. Still, a respectable showing and I had fun running with my good friend JD. It was also the first race my mother saw me cross the finish line. All that and it was scenic too.
19 Disney's Goofy Challenge 01/10/10 Orlando FL 4:07:16 Marathon 5704 2609/ 16883 1933/ 8731 355/ 1531 Orlando froze over and I ran in it! I ran the unofficial "Dopey" Series with the 5K on Friday (27:16), the half in the sleet on sat (1:46:36)- a PR, and the marathon on Sunday in the sub-freezing temps. I also ran with my 10 year old son in the "Mickey Mile"and recorded my best time in 15 years at 6:15. A great weekend of races despite the chill being put on the family vacation part. The Goofy medal was huge to celebrate the Goofy Challenge's 5th anniversary. What a weekend!
18 Rocket City Marathon 12/12/09 Huntsville AL 3:55:48 Marathon 500 521/ 1254 411/ 846 76/ 154 It took 18 marathons but the 4:00 wall finally fell and I earned my 6th Maniac Star here to boot. The rain and wind held off and the cool temps served me well once again. The course is mostly flat and fast but it is not much of a scenic run. You run Huntsville to set PRs and that's just what I did in my last run of 2009! Rocket City is Rocket fast. Run it for the time of your life.
17 Route 66 Marathon 11/22/09 Tulsa OK 4:29:06 Marathon 1594 628/ 1218 440/ 752 79/ 128 The first half of this marathon was great as it wound through downtown. From miles 14-25 the race became an out and back run along the Arkansas River. Those famous Oklahoma winds sure effected me on the outbound portion. I wish the shuttle system was better coordinated. Although there was a shuttle someplace I ended up walking 1.5 miles to the start and again another 1.5 miles back to the hotel after the race. Should I count this as my second Ultra?
16 Midsouth Championship Marathon 11/07/09 Wynne AR 04:56:26 Marathon 16 102/ 150   10/ 13 My first marathon as a pacer (5:00 Group). I lost all my members between miles 13-16 due to high winds but I chose to keep the pace and met a lot of interesting people along the way. I felt great at this pace and did cheat a little at the end to finish a few minutes ahead of schedule but being a pacer is a ton of fun. The race was country rural scenic mixed with some fall foliage and gentle rolling hills. The awards were deep and impressive in every age category. I might even have won something if I wasn't pacing!
15 Mt. Desert Island Marathon 10/18/09 Bar Harbor ME 4:24:47 Marathon 732 284/ 600   36/ 50 This is a great race for those who love beautiful scenery (fabulous fall foliage mixed with great views of the New England Coastline.) The organization of this marathon is unsurpassed for a race of its size. The RD is a Maniac himself. I put down a fair time considering the number of hills and this was my first time running a marathon on back to back weekends. I loved this race!
14 Chicago Marathon 10/11/09 Chicago IL 04:13:17 Marathon 8292 13169/ 33475 9410/ 18983 1563/ 2919 It's was my first major and the weather was literally freezing at the start (30 degrees) but the chill left quickly as the race got underway. Starting in a Corral (Corral D) paid off big here in reducing the effects of the huge crowd. The course was well supported and very flat. Who could ask for better scenery than the skyscrapers and historic neighborhoods of Chicago. I still scored a PR despite hitting the wall at mile 19. Throngs of fans at most miles and all are supportive. This is what a big city marathon should be like!
13 Air Force Marathon 09/19/09 Dayton OH 4:10:48 Marathon 2456 756/ 2012 631/ 1496 108/ 223 My first PR in 6 months! The heat was finally gone and the weather was PERFECT. The course only has a few hills and the water stations were at about 1 mile intervals the whole way. I finally finished with a pace team I started with and kept the "upchucks" at bay. The jets overflying us at the start were impressive as is the heavy finisher's medal. Really enjoyed being at the start line with my wife and son who ran their first 10K!
12 Tupelo Marathon 09/06/09 Tupelo MS 4:35:09 Marathon 197 157/ 257 125/ 187 26/ 40 A hot and humid run. I had the flu most of the week and maybe that played a factor in my slower than average time on this mostly flat course. The 5 AM start is great and adds interest in this out and back marathon (seeing the landscape by moon and by sun.) The Finisher's Medal is really cool and the tie-dye t-shirt was pretty unique. A good run if you can take the heat and humidity and like a nice down south country rural atmosphere. Also a great run if you like dogs. We had more canines cheering us on than humans for most of the race!
11 ET Full Moon Midnight Marathon- 51K 08/09/09 Rachel (Area 51) NV 5:59:38 51 km 215 18/ 49 14/ 34 2/ 8 My first Ultra and under 6 hours at that! There are aliens in Area 51 but most of them were running in the Half. Clear skies and surprisingly cool with moderate winds early but perfect weather later. The altitude (5500 feet) only got to me a little on the largest hill but otherwise wasn't a factor. Running at night is a TON of fun. Lots of impressive shooting stars!
10 Grandfather Mountain Marathon 07/11/09 Boone NC 4:27:30 Marathon 349 217/ 377 171/ 294 31/ 31 If Kona was about heat, this marathon was about hills. Easy compared to the Twisted Ankle run! The scenery was incredible and the ending at the Highland games was fun! I wore plaid pants to celebrate the event. A neat run and Highly recommended.
9 Kona UCC Coffee Marathon 06/28/09 Kona HI 4:39:02 Marathon 265 111/ 224 79/ 129 3/ 5 A run in paradise. It follows the marathon portion of the "Iron Man" national championship. The run through town was beautiful and filled with ocean breezes. The run on the black highway thru the black Lava fields in the tropics in late June is murder. Overall, a great race with a lot of history even if my time suffered some from the heat.
8 Twisted Ankle Trial Marathon 05/16/09 Summerville GA 6:00:01 Marathon 133 77/ 104 56/ 75 7/ 11 I know if you are looking at my time you must be wondering "What happened?" This is not your run of the mill run. It has inclines that NASA couldn't conquer. You have more ups and downs than an EKG. Unless you're part Billy Goat this is not a race you run for time. It's beautiful and the goal is to enjoy the run and forget about the clock. That's what I did and make no excuses for it. It was a well spent 6 hours.
7 Music City Marathon 04/25/09 Nashville TN 4:50:02 Marathon 16182 1397/ 4122 941/ 2325 147/ 356 A big race. Heat and Hills. People at all miles and thick. Still fun. I wish the temperature was a little less. Lots of music and entertainment to keep your mind off the ups, downs and the heat wave. It would have been even better if we could have finished the race inside LP field instead of the parking lot around the field. Maybe they should take a page from Knoxville and Memphis. A great race needs a dramatic ending! The metal this year was much better than the previous few years. Kudos for the redesign.
6 Knoxville Marathon 03/29/09 Knoxville TN 4:14:52.7 Marathon 341 1579/ 1579 730/ 730 30/ 62 Hills, Cold, wind all rolled into one and still a PR. Another fun run and this time no nausea. The third time (in March) is the charm. The fan support is great despite the cold. The finish at the stadium's 50 yard line is almost enough to turn anyone into a Vols fan.
5 Seabrook Lucky Trails Marathon 03/15/09 Seabrook TX 4:52:17.2 Marathon 134 141/ 237 99/ 152 29/ 40 My first half followed by a whole ("the trail challenge".) I was blazing for the half setting a PR at 1:49:58 and qualifying for a corral start at Chicago. I paid the price the next day during the full. I walked a lot and felt sick from mile 15 onward. Despite yet another case of the upchucks, I at least finished the race! A poor time but quite a sense of accomplishment!! I enjoyed the soft flat course and felt like I got to know a lot of the runners during my 6 round trips of the (approximately) 10K course. I really had a good time!!!
4 Napa Valley Marathon 03/01/09 Napa Valley CA 4:26:46 Marathon 1720 1014 682 130 A beautiful course with gentle rolling hills and a brutal 2 mile uphill from miles 19-20. It was raining for almost all the race and my clothes were waterlogged but still a respectable time in a relatively tough race. Unfortunately once again my abdominal contents found the concrete at miles 24 and 25. I wonder if this is going to become a very undesirable race tradition?
3 Mardi Gras Marathon 02/01/09 New Orleans LA 4:22:04 Marathon 1299 717/ 1823 535/ 947 79/ 160 Another perfect day and a fast and flat coarse. My first time with a pacing team and it was a great experience. Too bad I "recycled" the Gatoraide at mile marker 25 that caused me to drop back a few minutes.
2 DisneyWorld Marathon 01/11/09 Orlando FL 4:29:06 Marathon 12564 3864/ 14958 2666/ 7810 527/ 1377 This is not just a race, it's an event! Fireworks, Disney characters in full costume, and throngs of runners at every mile marker. The weather was ideal and the photo ops copious. A nice break from the winter chill! Next year I'm running the half on sat. and the full on Sunday (The Goofy Challenge!)
1 Memphis St. Jude Marathon 12/06/08 Memphis TN 4:48:53 Marathon 1092 1590/ 2217 1092/ 1393 175/ 211 My First Marathon EVER and it was COLD but I didn't mind the temp. My only goal was to finish and when I entered Redbird Statium tears were in my eyes! The fan support is fantastic even in the cold. Next year I'll run it for time!!

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