(Better late than never posting! Had dinner with the Michael's last week and was reminded still waiting for Boo's deput in the marathon..........so here we go...I don't know how to resize the pictures so they aren't so big to download...sorry about that.)
September 18, 2010, the Equinox marathon begins with a cannon blast. It was a beautiful morning and one of the warmest starts to the Equinox I can remember.
The race begins.....actually the leaders have already gone up the hill and are out of sight. Michael says if you blow this picture up, you can find Boo, Karoline and I.
Along Farmer's Loop road near Ballaine Lake, we come out along the road for a bit before getting to Mile 2. Karoline in blue, Me in white, and Michael in the middle.
Yeah, we can still talk - -it's only mile 2!
Michael finally deciding it's not worth carring his jacket with him for the next 24 miles, runs off to Dad for the throw.
Approaching Mile 5, along the Musk Ox farm/Large Animal Research Center.
The photographer turns his attention to the musk ox.
Coming up to Mile 8, along Goldstream Road before crossing the road to head up Ester Dome.
The thing about the Equinox is that it is not the best for spectator watching, as we go off onto trails and then on Ester Dome where there are many many miles where you cannot watch. Here's Michael coming down Henderson Road approaching Mile 20. At this point, he has run up Ester Dome with his Aunt, done what is called the "Out and Back", down the "Chute" and completed Alder Creek trail. We told Michael, he could leave the us at the top of the Chute if he was feeling good and then race his own race. And of course he did!
and then many minutes later, we finally come down the road.
At the end of Sheep Creek after Mile 24, Michael must have gotten bored while running on the pavement and started lolly-gagging. Almost at the end of Gold Hill Road, Michael turns around and sees Karoline (purple) and I catching up....he decides to lighten his load and ditch his water bottle holder..and then he really takes off again....leaving us in the dust.
Michael coming up the last little hill (which after 26 miles feels like a monster!) for the finish.
Rounding the corner and it's all down hill from here!
A L M O S T T H E R E !!!!!
Michael finishes with an official time of 4:48:03.7. 1st in his age group and 117 overall out of 232 men. Not bad for his first marathon. Great Job!
and here we come..........(can you believe it's September in Fairbanks!)
"It's all down hill to the end!"
"But the finish still looks so far awayyyyyyyyy........"
We finish with an official time of 4:51.15.7 (breaking the under 5 hr mark!) We came in 41/42 out of 210 woman runners and 5/6 for our age group to remain unidentified.
Another Equinox Completed.
It was fun having Michael along though I don't think we ever heard him breathing hard. He has a lot to be proud of, completing his first marathon and not just any ole marathon.
