State 44- Washington
6/7/2025
Green River Marathon
4:13
(Technically 5th overall, 1st for women …)
It has been a while since I’ve done spring marathon training. I tend to keep up with weekly double digit runs in general but on the lower end of 10-12. I love turning my remaining states into family vacations and I also do not want to pull Sophia from school so it’s about finding remaining marathons in states and times that are long weekends/summer which can be a challenge.
Perhaps some of the remaining states will not be family vacations …but for now … they are.
We had narrowed it down to an Utah marathon and a Seattle marathon to combine the family vacation. Seattle got the winning vote.
My social running continues to increase - not like how it was in my 20s and even 30s but it has been nice!
Between Linnea and Reena as my regulars, getting both Sarah Kay and Christine to join me by bike, and one of my newest friends(tho I feel like we had to have had our paths cross since our teens and into college), Kat.
My favorite long runs were my 18 miler in Palm Springs, early enough to watch the sunrise and not too hot to finish it off but sunny, my first 20 miler where Linnea met up at 4:30am and we ran in the dark until the sun was up and Sarah Kay joined by bike for the second half with my strong 8 minute mile kick it at the end, and my 22 miler where it was overcast and cooler and Kat joined for the middle portion.
The last 20 was tougher but also happy to have had Christine join me on the bike for part of it.
All of my ‘bad’ runs were in hotter weather than my body was ready for … which is probably why summer training when the heats are horribly high and your body gets used to that with fall races as it’s cooling off … can yield positive results. Or conversely- when you train cooler and race hotter … it’s an element of an extra challenge to slow you down. And that’s why race day I was able to remember this and keep in happy spirits through the race.
In general, since January, I’ve been running in the super early mornings before Sophia wakes up. I forgot how much I love sunrise runs and running in the dark! Especially when there are Christmas lights still up and when I’m with friends.
I have been doing my best to just be on a maintenance program with Dr Sabrina but there was a stretch of needing her two times a week. My lower back was pinching something that was making me think I had hip issues! Stretching only made it worse until after the first two adjustments then I was back on track to having yoga/stretching help. I was feeling great until taper time then that final week my glutes/hamstrings got super tight! I couldn’t get into dr Sabrina right away so I got a massage which helped a ton and helped me understand it was my right glute that had the most pain - I managed two adjustments just before my race and dr Sabrina taped up my back. With that and the dynamic stretches dr Sabrina gives me for my lower back issues - it wasn’t a bother by the start of the race (though the airplane ride was another story of lower back discomfort … getting old is so much fun!)
The race was 2 weeks after Sophia wrapped up 1st grade. It was such a great year/transition to public school. She made so many wonderful friends and managed to keep in touch with her McA friends. She had a great group of girl friends for the talent show where I benefited in making friends with the moms. The last week of school they gave me a wonderful pre race surprise of goodies/note/flowers, and they all definitely joined me in spirit!
The Green River marathon is a smaller race. It has an ultra marathon feel to it. And it is technically free with a $20 donation benefiting the northwest harvest. It is also no frills. No medals no shirts no race chips. Also, the start time is fluid. 8am was the official start time, with 7 am and 6 am options and honor system if you started before this time. There is so much to be said about a race being so inclusive, it’s the opposite of how I feel the 50 states marathon club is like. It doesn’t have that stuck up (insecure?) vibe like only if you run a marathon under x y z conditions, are you worthy of being included. When I signed up (after my 22 mile run), I was the 9th person to sign up, first woman. If nobody else signed up, this race might not be eligible for the 50 states marathon club. But as I’ve mentioned before, I don’t care if I’m in the club or not - this is a personal goal and i don’t need a club to complete the goal.
I believe 28 people were signed for the full marathon up by race day - (and 21 finished) so it technically still falls under the 50 stares rules.
It used to be a Boston qualifier marathon but around Covid they stopped going through their certification process. It is one of the only races that my watch lined up with the mileage - so it’s my opinion it is more suitable to be a Boston qualifier than most.
It was an out and back to complete 4 times.
Now an out and back 4 times … not even a loop - is a whole different challenge. But then again it was in Seattle - or in Kent - and it was mostly along the river, as flat as you can get in the area - vs Seattle in general - is like San Francisco hilly. So the mental challenge was the trade off for no big hills.
I really focused on the family vacation part of this trip. We enjoyed a few day drinks the day before, we did all the walking and sight seeing for a few days before … so I didn’t think much about the race until after dinner Friday night.
I was originally going to start at the main start time of 8am but then there was a heat advisory, and I decided to get out to the race earlier and made it for the 7am start. I’m so happy for this and perhaps the 6am start would have been even better- but- I do love soaking up the sun!
I took a 20 minute Uber to the start where in 5 minutes of my arrival I was checked in and we were off running.
This race also has a marathon option, 50k option (only one signed up), and relay option. The 7am start had about 10 maybe 15 of us, and as they all started - while I knew I was starting at my relaxed warm up pace, I quickly passed everyone I was with which is somewhat of a head mind game worried I was starting too fast. As I was going, I saw others on their way back for their second loop who did the 6am start and remembered this is a great thing with the out and back kind of loop.
The first part was a bit industrial but nice views every now and then of mt rainier and fun to watch the airplanes right above the tree line, we passed a climbing watch tower on the left and at about a mile and a half there was a nice playground and another watch tower. We made our way to another open area until we went under the bridge and right along the lake. This part had a little bit of shade and then as we went along there was a great breeze. The second 1.5 mile stretch was my favorite part of the lap. It was a little winding … more river views and probably the breeze made it the most enjoyable. The entire run was on concrete which we know my thoughts about that but only just before the turn around was a slope noticeable (on the first lap at least).
The turnaround was a small climb with a water stop there. Backing up to the no frills and laid back like an ultra run- there were two water stations on this race. One at the start and one at the turn around point. You bring your own bottles and just refill. It’s about 6.5 miles for a full lap - 3.25ish for half. So I figured every 6.5 miles I could refill and be fine.
So I turned around and made it back to the start. There was this bunny- it was colorful and running in the road alongside me at this one point. I don’t know if I’ve seen a rabbit just like run the distance this one was running - as if it was running the race (they have fast twitch fibers and can run fast but just short distances- this guy was running slower but longer)- not running to hide. It made me laugh.
I got back to the start (end of lap 1) where I took my first gu just before stopping to refill water (and my own electrolyte powder). All the Gus I had were only the normal caffeine levels which I usually like to have 2 of my 4 be double the caffeine. My solution to this was I had a Tylenol:caffeine powder packet with me which was extra caffeine and given the pavement pains … I would take that just before the end of my second loop to help.
Oh the second loop you start noticing all the familiar faces that you will see 8 times or so while running. When I got back to that open road spot - the bunny was still there ! Just running back and forth, so - since nobody else was around I talked to the bunny as we ‘ran together’. Just then, some super fast guy passed me. So … maybe my little bunny chats entertained him. I wish I took a picture of the bunny! By the time I slowed and was taking pictures, there were more cars on that road so the bunny was not there. I swear it was colorful and so unique in its behavior.
I continued on my way and a guy and I commented on the super fast kid (turns out it was a 19 yrs old - first marathon finished in 2:41). Also around now I realized I lost my Tylenol/caffeine packet which made me sad. I stayed on a lookout for it on the course bc I had to have dropped it one of the times I took out my phone or got a gu/electrolyte packet - but I never found it.
It was getting hotter and the sun was shining brightly as made my way back to the start of the second loop. By the third loop I started to think maybe I’ll be walking already on this loop. I also hoped I put enough sunscreen on my face and wondered if my body would burn (it did not) I managed to push it until the half turn around, where I started filling my water at this stop as well. The thing I kept saying to everyone in small passing talk was ‘great day for a tan!’ Instead of complaining about the heat lol.
At the half way turn around I walked for about a minute and then continued on my way telling myself just get to the last loop and then I could do whatever- just soaking up the sun - take it as easy as I wanted.
So as I was on my last lap I walked a bit after the water refill. Texted with Tammy and Linnea set a goal for 4:20… and then pushed it to 4:30. I walked for about 5 minutes drinking my drink, removing my shirt (down to sports bra) and texting with Joe as well as Tammy a bit more. And then at a slower pace, I continued on. When I made it to the turn around, I figured 4:20 was back in sites and did my best to minimize walking. With two miles to go I sent a final text to Joe asking for a Diet Coke when I got back to our Seattle home (when it’s hot, I always crave soda on my runs) and shot a quick text to Kat then made my way to the finish.
I realized I never really cramped til the end and it wasn’t too bad as I refilled my water bottle 5 times total.
Once I finished I chatted with the race director some, changed into dry clothes - realized my thighs chaffed and my pants were hot and hurting it so I pulled up my pants. As I waited for my uber I kept adjusting my pants and apparently a bee was on me as I got stung on the finger! The sting hurt more than the chaffing for about 5 minutes but the chaffing definitely takes the cake on what hurt most lol.
While there was no medal, when I got to our Seattle home, Sophia had made me a medal, I plan on putting a string around and hanging with my other medals.
When the race results came in, of the 28 who started 21 finished the entire race. Maybe it was the heat- maybe it was because it was easy to quit after each loop. The race directors gave credit for anyone who completed one two three or four loops (and looking at results it appears someone did a 5th loop) We will pretend it was the heat … and that’s why 4:13 is outside of my norm 4 hour marathons. It is the slowest race so far in my 40s which I’ll take as a win in general.
I was the 5th overall to finish the marathon distance, 1st female. Not that anyone is tracking lol.
This race was more about the family vacation and enjoyment of running - the victory lap of a really fun training season. We all had a great time and Sophia would like to go back sometime but is also looking forward to exploring the rest of my 6 states.
Since the plan is one a year, I’m not sure what to do with myself for the rest of 2025! Of course I’ll find time to get at least one 20 mile run in over the summer. Kat sent me a half marathon I’m considering for some fun social time. Reena is getting into triathlons this year so while we will run, maybe I’ll bike some with her, and have Linnea keep pushing me on the 8:30 and faster 10 mile runs. I guess for now I’ll focus on my recovery week and go from there!
6 states left!
Utah
Wyoming
Arkansa
New Jersey
New Hampshire
Maine (tagged for last)
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