What is the Quadzukilla, you ask? It is 4 half marathons and then 4 marathons in 9 days. It is round Thanksgiving and it is a way to increase your standing as a Double Agent with the Half Fanatics and Marathon Maniacs.
November 18, 2017 - Cupcake Half Marathon
The pain came back about half way though the first half marathon. This time it was below my knee along the outside. Is it an IT band issue? I limped along, and hoped I wasn't injuring something else due to overcompensating. After the race, I iced around that side of the knee. I decided that for the next day I would use some left over RockTape we had purchased for my daughter's foot. (She used it for arch support during cross country until her orthotics arrived.) I googled and found a video demonstrating how to tape around the knee.
This course was an out-and-back on the Centennial Trail in Snohomish, WA. Of course, I had a cupcake when I finished.
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| photo credit: Ross Comer |
November 19, 2017 - Balanced Athlete Half Marathon
Pre-race checklist:
Take ibuprofen - check.
Apply RockTape - check.
But the pain came back after just 2 miles! And then, somewhere on a downhill jaunt, I figured out that it didn't hurt if my foot landed on the ground when my knee was fully extended. So, I clomped along for the rest of the race landing flat-footed every step. I probably had a funny-looking gait but I was no longer running in pain. The trick was to not load up the muscle along my shin bone. I knew just how I wanted to tape my leg for the day to support that muscle.
The course was an out-and-back on the street and the Lake Washington Bike Trail along the east side of Lake Washington, starting in Renton, WA.
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| photo credit: Ross Comer |
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| The course was out-and-back, so we passed the Seahawks training center 2 times. |
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| Finishing with my friend, April. |
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| I made an apple pie to donate to the finish line food table. |
November 20, 2017 - Orting Trail Half Marathon
Wet day. It was pouring down rain at the start. The course was 3.3 miles out and back, to be run twice. The rain let up after about 3 miles. I was drying out nicely and looking forward to finishing that way. But the rain returned for the last 3 miles. It was Monday morning and people were heading to work after they finished. It was pretty quiet at the finish line. The good news is that my knee doesn't hurt!
The course was an out-and-back on the Foothills trail in Orting, WA.
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| Photo by Ross Comer. |
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| Photo by Ross Comer. |
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| The trail was an old railroad grade and it followed the Carbon River. |
A solemn run for this course. I have run this out-and-back course before in Bothell with the First Call Running Club.
That's it for the half marathons. I can't believe I have made it this far. Now, I get to rest for one day and then start running marathons.
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| I took this picture from the First Call Running Club website. This bridge is at the start and finish of the race. It is a foggy picture whereas my race day was all rain. |
November 23, 2017 (Thanksgiving Day!) - Wattle Waddle Marathon
It felt great to take a day off from running. And then I ran a marathon, in the rain, on Thanksgiving day. But I was really lucky! I got to tag along with Christy Hammond! We ran most of the first 10 miles together. Then, Christy took off at her own pace. After a few miles, I caught up to her at an aid station that her family was commanding. She waited to run with me because the rain was making for a miserable and lonely run. I ended up pushing my pace and finishing faster than I probably should have. After all, I still have 3 more marathons to run in the next 3 days.
I noticed my left big toe was swollen after this race. Ouch.
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| After the race, we were given brandy glasses. I was tired and a little blind without my glasses. I had no idea that the race director, Matt, photo-bombed this picture of Christy and me! |
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| Raining Seattle across Lake Union. |
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| The start and finish were at Gasworks Park. It is a cool place with the remnant of a coal gasification plant. |
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| Relaxing with my family at Thanksgiving dinner! |
November 24, 2017 - Grandpa's Wishbone Marathon
The day after Thanksgiving marathon went pretty well. It was a non-rainy day. The course was an out-and-back twice on the Green River Trail in Kent. I had lots of support during this race. I made arrangements to meet up with my friend, Sheila at about 3 miles where the course passes by her home. She thought she would run with me for a mile or 2, but she was feeling so good that she ran with me to the turn-around and back! Lucky me!
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| Sheila and me on the trail (and the Green River) by her house. |
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| A little post-Thanksgiving humor along the course. |
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| I ran into Sarah and Tina near the 6.55 mile turn-around! |
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| Fuel 100 co-founder Andrea Bonaccorsi met me at the 13.1 mile turn-around to supply me with more Electo-Bites to fuel my next few races. |
November 25, 2017 - Seattle Ghost Marathon
This was my third marathon in three days, and I was exhausted. I probably pushed myself a little too hard in the marathon the day before. The course was through Seward Park and along Lake Washington Blvd. It was an out-and-back twice. I started running before it was light out. On my second loop I ran into my friend, Andrea (the supplier of Electo-Bites!). She was kind enough to run and walk with me for the next 5 miles! Then, Tami and Baxter joined me to walk the last 6 miles. I really wanted to run but I knew I wouldn't finished the Seattle Marathon the next day if I didn't save myself for it.
After the race, I headed downtown to pick up my packet for the Seattle Marathon! Both of my big toes are swollen now, and they are painful.
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| Sunrise over Lake Washington |
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| Marina at Leschi. |
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| Mount Rainier peeked out from under the clouds. |
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| Tami, Baxter, and Hero with me at the finish line. |
November 26, 2017 - Seattle Marathon
I made it to the last day, the fourth marathon, the eighth race. I cut holes in my shoes above my big toes to give those swollen guys more room. They felt so much better! I was running on adrenaline and shuffled through the race as fast as I could. I enjoyed being with a bigger field of runners and the spectators. They were a nice distraction for me. It was a rainy day in Seattle and I got very wet, but I just didn't care. I was done!
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| I was so cold at the start that I sat in a port-a-potty to stay warm. There was no line for the bathroom so I didn't feel guilty about sitting in there. |
The end result:
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| Several weeks later, this arrived in the mail. Thank you, Ross Comer! |
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| My swollen big toes. |
