Fifteeners and WHY

  June 25, 2021 is a date that will never forget. That is the day that came as close as ever have to passing out. While waiting at a stop light at mile 19 of a virtual 26.2 marathon along the Cedar River Trail in Renton, Washington I uncontrollably took a wobbly step backwards which nearly caused a backward fall. 

I was severely dehydrated, exhausted, and out of mindfulness tricks. Arthritic bunioned feet were hurting big time. If there had been a Starbucks where the tire store was at that intersection would have gone in and cried till rescued. How did let myself get to that point of desperation?  That answer goes back to the start of the 2020-2022 pandemic. 

After a few easy months following a 5:21 finish at the early February 2019 Phoenix marathon where cramped up badly from mile 6 onwards decided to hop back on another marathon schedule. Training was going well and made arrangements to take part in Kyushu's March 1, 2020 Kagoshima Marathon., Not long after news of new virus wreaking havoc throughout Asia the event was cancelled a month before. As was feeling fairly fit decided to keep training and signed up for  September 13 tunnel run near son Josh's home. By end of July though that was cancelled too. Event directors did though let me roll over entry to an August Challenge they put on where totaled 302 miles, 252 of which were running and a first place age group (was only one entered), second over all (out of 64) for the month. With that gone set sights on December's Honolulu event which wat cashiered too. Kept training volume up and signed on for a June 27 northwest tunnel run, part of the super series. 

In April brother Paul wound up in intensive care. He had passed out which caused a fall that cracked his skull while walking on a bike path near his Delaware home. Three surgical interventions later the bleeding into his skull cavity finally got stopped and he was on the way toward recovery. I changed my itinerary which had called for 11 days pre race event in Washington to go out East instead. Am so glad that did so. We had a terrific visit with Paul and his wife Susie pulling all the hospitality stops imaginable. Every day was a full and busy they wore me out. Who knew Delaware had so many beach towns? I sure didn't - plus gorgeous state parks and that bike path right outside their back door like a runner's dream as it went on for miles and miles. Paul walks fast and on one of our sessions he covered over 5 miles at 16 minute pace. 

During that walk brother thanked me for joining him at the start of his 8 month 2014 Appalachian Trail through trek (I had to bail after 4 months for lots of reasons) and said it was the best thing he ever did*. On another bike path session I ran a three mile section at steady uptempo pace in a little over 30 minutes so was feeling very fit. After a week of ice cream from close by dairy farm and numerous eye-poppers thanks to Paul's alertness was off to Seattle where would get what had planned 3 days of rest prior to the 6/27 marathon.

On 6/22 The day before flew out of BWI got the news ot the northwest historic heat wave predicted to hit that weekend. The race directors sent out a message and offered a virtual marathon option for those who wanted such. By that Thursday I signed up for the virtual. Temperature projections for the finish line after 11 am which if had been a good day would have been about my race time were for over 100 degrees. I did not think it would be safe for me to run an hour or more in that kind of heat. Projections for 6/25 in Renton  though were for temps to hit close to 80 which thinking that is about the same at home decided to get it done on that day even though race directors noted could have through August to do the event.

Due diligence was not done however. On Thursday morning 6/24 I ran for close to 90 minutes with some fast quarters too. That was too much and had not planned to run that much that day but had a hard time finding a bathroom which was open. As restroom situation seemed problematic near Josh and Wendy's home changed my route the next day to go along the Cedar River Trail which starts at Lake Washington by Boeing field. The map showed that there would be 4 parks along the say at which planned to refill my 10 oz hand held nathan water bottle. The run started out fine. Got a little mixed up making the underpass beneath the freeway but after a few back and forths figured it out. What was starting to get a little alarming though was that the parks had the water turned off. Kept figuring the next one up would but after got past the fourth park and still no water figured would have to run around sooner than had planned. In hindsight should have turned around before even crossed under the freeway. But did not. Kept the pace slow and felt somewhat okay until the 18 + mile mark. That was when stumbled by a stop light.  Although Not much water was left did not panic as was back near the library figured could go in there and fill up and so on. However they were closed due to the pandemic. That is when some worry set in. Thankfully had my phone and saw that Deb had called so got a hold of her to make arrangements to get resupplied a couple more miles down the trail where she, Kole and Wendy would be able to resupply. That two miles though were pretty difficult. I walked most of it doing all the mind tricks that could think of while concentrating on staying upright. What helped the most was thinking of the tough time brother Paul had in ICU feeling his head would explode. Good grief! What is two miles or so compared to that!  

Regardless made it to the rendezvous point drank over a liter immediately got some rest and got the watch to show over 26.2. Of course was the slowest have ever done for a marathon and an hour and a half behind Phoenix time, but you know what - I feel good that did what did. The journey gives the satisfaction.  For the fifty two weeks leading up the race I averaged over 10 and a half hours a week of running which included 97 runs over two hours, 44 over 3 hours, and four more than 4 hours. Never did so much volume for such a long time in my life. Same goes for uptempo work too. A few days after the virtual I was able to hold an 11:08 pace for a few miles with Kole and also did some quarters on the track between 97 to 105 seconds each. 

But to get back to the virtual event itself was it an enjoyable experience? Well maybe the first part was and then near the end when Luna ran with a bit but the truth is that over all to be honest was quite brutal. Was more n likely close to heat exhaustion, and if had not done that much volume the year prior could/would  have been worse. Will keep running? Yes that is the plan. Why? Here are some of the reasons:

I enjoy receiving  praise. Once a Samoan man pulled his truck up alongside while I was jogging in a parking lot rolled down his window and declared how he could not believe his eyes seeing some one my age running that fast!

Some have said that I give them inspiration which makes me happy. One in particular does all sorts of extreme fitness activities like 50k runs and hiking 100 miles in three days - stuff I dare not dream to do but am so glad to contribute to his inspiration to do so

I love to float, to fly, to glide with no effort. Happens not that often but when those endorphins do kick in it is glorious.

One suffers when they run. Not always but enough. Suffering is part of life and to endure helps to prepare for the end. I hope to go out like my Mom - full of gratitude. My father in law who made it to 102 ran till he was 98.  He was grateful too.  But running to me means more than facing death with courage - it is being glad to be alive. To relish those moments when can touch the sky and to push through those when every fiber hurts. 

Puts a smile on my face!

aloha

day after unlimited loganberry pie reward!

top of Honopu arch

                                        

                                        

north shore Molokai

                                           

Halelakala

* It seems that every 15 years there is some sort of big adventure which gets seared into my being. The summer of 1961 was 11 years old and for the first time in my life spent a couple of weeks away from both parents. Cousins Phillip and Gail came up from KC Kansas for a week or so and I joined them on their return home via an 8 hour train ride which we spent roaming from car to car. The highlight of that trip was three or four days spent with Phillip in nearby woods. We built a lean to and camped near a stream. What food we did not take from home we took from fruit trees and vines found on nearby farms. Uncle Al showed up a day early to pick us up due to an incoming tornado. Phillip, three years older caught snakes as a hobby. He snatched a few copperheads on one of our hikes. He had a keen eye and upon spotting  a rattler or copperhead would grab em and quickly dump em in a paper bag. Upon arrival home he milked the venom and sold such for money. I never was around a woman so upset as Aunt Alberta was when she came upon one of his snakes that had gotten loose in her kitchen upon our return. 

The summer of 1976, when fairly new to the islands went on a sierra club trip down the Na Pali coast. We  anchored the boat off the shore of Honopu, from which we swam with our gear 50 meters to the beach. Honopu has a gorgeous hidden waterfall and a natural arch which juts out into the ocean several yards. The day after landing we trasped out to its' foot from which climbed up to the top. I didn't bring tabis so went barefoot. At one point around two thirds of the way up we roped up to get past a steep section. At the very high point of the arch Wes and I found a nest with rather large looking bones. Needless to say did not touch em. The morning we were supposed to leave Honopu for possibly just a short 40 meter swim to the famed Kalalau beach cave , two of the members of our party were a no go. One had sprained his foot on the arch climb and the other had a bad case of food poisoning from his blueberry cheese cake. We spelled out HELP as large as we could in the sand. In those days helicopters and zodiacs were not going up and down the coast all the time like they do now, It was afternoon by the time a military chopper spotted us. They returned a bit later to lower a basket to transfer our injured party to medical treatment. By this time they got hauled off it was mid afternoon , the water had turned rough and the tide was up. What was supposed to be at most a short easy walk or swim turned into a 45 minute endurance session due to the wind and the cave entrance being closed. Unlike most in our group I had no fins and was for sure the least experienced in rough water. After floundering around with the crawl and back strokes, settled on using the side. I doubt if would have drowned as another club member had paddled in the day before to help ferry backpacks if need be. But in the moment sure felt like could have. By the time though rounded the cave was relaxed enough to time the waves so as to get pushed on to Kalalau's shore. Upon arrival, I found the closest rocks that could and sat down completely exhausted. Soon after two young woman came over and asked a bunch of questions such as where did you all come from. They were friendly school teachers from Ohio on vacation and did not have a stitch of clothing on them. After another night under the stars with nothing ahead out in the ocean except Alaska we hiked the 11 mile trail out. It was all in all an awesome adventure, one in whcih made a good friend in Wes Willams. Wes was not part of our our gorup having swam on his own down the coast line toting an inner tube. He did stuff like that, one of the few people to hike between Waiau and Pelekunu valleys via hazardous goat trails. An older blog post titled Home the journey had more detail of this trip.

Late summer 1991 I joined a local Kayak group to venture down Molokai's north shore. Anna Banana's proprietor Rusty Buldong was the leader. I went with my rather large inflatable as did a few others. Most though had sit on top boats which tracked through wind and rough conditions a little better than mine. First day out we took off from Halawa valley. After a few miles pulled in at Hakahano. There picked opihi off cave walls and had a feast. On the way to Pelekunu we stopped off at Waiau valley. Winter storms toss giant boulders on these valleys around as if they were snowflakes, thereby changing from season to season the best ways to approach landings. Half of our group capsized getting in but by the time my turn came to dock had if figured out enough to get a smooth landing. Getting back out to sea though was problematic. My boat got pushed what seemed like 90 degree perpendicular before finally got out on the third try. At Pelekunu we walked past the broken down structure on the hillside and conitnued up the valley aways to one of the best slippery slides anywhere. Final night spent with the Kainoa family's property which sits on a bluff halfway between Pelekunu and Kalaupapa. They hoisted our boats up via a cable set up. Joyce and family entertained us with stories such as how for daughters prom she towed an innertube with gown as swam up the coast. Reading paddler journal entries was also fun except for the one which noted great white sighting a few days earlier. Their bluff had a helicopter pad for large supply drop offs. No roads in or out there in one of the most inaccessible spots in the state, and one of the most scenic sitting as they were amongst the tallest sea cliffs in the world. The last day landed at National Historic Park Kalaupapa, Saint Damien's domain and the home to people who have hansen's condition.  The day paddled there the wind was up. By this point of the trip the duct tape covering one of the holes on my boat's right pontoon was not working, and the left pontoon had picked up a leak the day before and was losing air too. So had to paddle harder to stay afloat but it was a short trek over to Kalaupapa. After a quick tour there we flew out after having our weight checked as the plane was small. Upon home, I dumped the inflatable and got a sit on top boats.

2006, there were acutally two rather big adventures. One of which took over a year of planning involved accompanying youth form Ho`opono on a back pack service trip through Haleakala National Park's summit area. There is an older blog post to be found on this blog site titled A Walk in the Park. Suffice to say the experience was one of the most rewarding of my life. Ours was the first documented group from a blind agency to hike and pull weeds for the park service at Haleakala. There were three subsequent trips made as well. The other big outing that summer with with son Joshua in the Sierra where we did the 60 mile Clark range route with ranger Dick Ewart and Yosemite conservancy members. Jumping off rocks, walking up avalanche remains, venturing cross country, counting meteors, finding hidden falls and lakes made for a fabulous trip. Friend Hank, and others added to the fun at campfire time. It was the second of four trips that did with that group all of which were great but that one especially since Josh was with was da best. Also best were the many other camping trips, and hikes done on other non fifteener years with Betty, Deborah, Becca, Ray, Joshua, Wendy, Rhea, and Luna.

If could cheat the cycle by notching it downwards then could throw in the four months spent hiking with brother Paul on the Appalachian Trail in 2014, and our practice hike in 2013. Heart pounding moments such as the howling winds freezing night at Jenkins shelter, fording swollen streams, climbing fire towers, and holing up in a privy - those memories are locked and ready to relive whenever so choose to do so. As well as are those days and nights that longed to be back home in the islands with Betty and our children. 8 days in the late summer of 1978 has turned into 43 years with the love of my life Ms. Betty Lee. She took my breath. There are other posts on this blogsite with more detail accounts of the time spent on the AT.

da one and only Betty Lee!

                                     

brother Paul and I on the knob!

   

Clark Range

So in hindsight the significance of big adventures every 15 years is not that they were any more special than other experiences but that they happened. Their memories assist to affirm the joy life brings.