Mt Whitney Zone Forums General Discussion Wild Wild West Marathon - May 7th

A couple of people have made reservations for the WWW Marathon in Lone Pine in May. I know for a fact that wazzu is in. I just made my reservations.

Anybody else doing this?

I am hoping to run uphill and walk downhill. This is 26.2 miles up from Tuttle Creek Campground to the Portal Road, then down Hogback, making a sharp turn at Movie Road, up "Mother Hill", then back to the Portal Road and up to Tuttle Creek. It's mostly dirt road and trails. You will cross Lone Pine Creek a couple of times and you will go through the Alabama Hills. Lots of water stops and aid available.

Pasta dinner the night before the marathon. This run is very fun, but way slower than a street marathon. The friendliest people I've ever met at a marathon.

If you are doing this....please let me know.

Here's the website:

Wild Wild West Marathon info

Joe

Bump....this is only about 5 weeks away. My training is going well and I'm expecting to finish in the last 5% at around 8 hrs. It's all about the experience and trying to get into good overall shape to make the Whitney summit this year.

Any last minute takers on joining some folks from this board and walk/jog 26.2 miles on May 7? Maybe if Doug has the store open, we can head up for a burger & beer a couple of hours after crossing the finish line?

Good luck! I can't join you thIs year as I am running Boston in 14 days. I would love to run the Wild West Marathon one day though.

There's three of us...wazzu, my buddy DJ and me. All three of us have had some light to moderate knee problems (my first ever!) But, should be fun with lots of conversation and absolutely gorgeous scenery.

If anybody else goes, let either wazzu or me know.

I'm envious. I'd like to try at least part of it some year, but it won't happen this year.

You guys have fun!

...and we want to see some pictures!

I am with Steve. I have always wanted to run a marathon. Since I can no longer run due to knees and back degeneration I still plan to walk one. I have a patient that walks marathons in 6 hours. So I am gonna walk one someday. I will be in Pittsburgh the weekend of this WWW marathon. Maybe some of us can start planning and training for next years. That would be awesome to have a large contingency of the Mt. Whitney Hikers Association.

Trail runner - Congrats on qualifying for Boston. That's a great accomplishment. Would you be willing to post your bib # so I/we can follow you on race day?

I had a good friend in the race a few years ago and it was really nice to be able to check his progress during the day on the web.

Rod - I have walked/jogged in all the marathons I have completed. Very possible to finish in the 6 - 6.5 hr time. Just gotta keep putting one foot in front of the other. Have you thought of trying a 1/2 marathon? 13.1 miles is still a good distance. Long enough to feel like you've done something, but not so long that you are wiped out at the end. Very possible to walk a 1/2 marathon in 3 - 3.5 hours.

Wazzu:

Sure, though nothing like a little extra pressure of being watched from afar. My bib number is 11125. My goal is 3:15 to 3:20, so if you see anything over 3:30, it was a bad day at the office.
One week from today, so wish me luck. Good luck to you and the others in the Wild Wild West Marathon.

Kent

3:15 to 3:20? Wow, that's flyin'!

7:30 to 7:40 per mile -- Way to go!

When I did a marathon ten years ago, that was my first mile time, and it went downhill from there. I think the last one was something over 10 minutes.

Have a blast Kent! Show them young'uns how a not-so-young'un kicks ass!

Maybe you need to be doing MR doubles with Mr.Pickering . . .

Thanks guys. Obviously setting a goal is one thing, while getting it done on race day is something else. I will give it hell and see what happens. This is my first Boston and second marathon ever, so I am a little concerned about this tough and hilly course. I think I am ready, but will find out for sure this time next week.

Kent

Wow...you should change from Trail runner to Speed Racer. Your goal is to finish 26.2 miles in the time it takes me to finish 13.1 miles.

Good luck and thanks for sharing the bib number.

Ran Boston in 1975 with a runner I was coaching. Only advice & I am sure you have heard it before: take it easy at the start with all the downhill as you don't want to go out too fast too early.

Enjoy the experience. Too bad they no longer offer the free bowl of stew for all finishers which was traditional back in the "Old Days"

wazzu I just want to check off a marathon off of my list.I really don't think once I start training again that walking a marathon will be too brutal.Even if it wacks me good I just want to check it off. I am not a runner or desire to do 5Ks 10Ks or anything less than a full marathon. I'll be one and done.

Congrats Trail Runner!!! A finish time of 3:18...a 7:35 pace...all I can say is WOW, you are fast!

Kent, that's incredible - congrats! Definitely worth the trip to Beantown. Way to go!

Thanks guys! I appreciate the kind words. I didn't quite hit my goal, but I will take it for my first Boston. I was on pace through about 16 miles, then the hills came. I now know why Boston is considered such a tough course as somebody put the hills right where you don't want them, (miles 16-21). I faded some at the end but didn't lose too much time. I will say I left it all on the course and felt like I had been beat with a bat afterwards and still do today.

It was a great experience though and a tremendous race with unbelievable crowd support.

Please let me know how the Wild Wild West Marathon goes and good luck to all who are running!

Thanks,
Kent

Way to go, Kent. That's a great time, and "not making your pace" seems tiny compared to the achievement.

Congratulations!

CMC2: You were right about the down hill in the beginning and yes plenty of others had also warned me. It is hard not to let it go a little on the down hills as you want to make up some time you lost in the congested first couple of miles and you also know you won't negative split the second half of the course. You feel good, but don't realize how the down hill is shredding your quads until you hit the hills at mile 16. I now know what everyone was trying to tell me.

I know some of you guys enjoy playing with the new mapping software tools. Let me know if you want to see the Boston Course information from my Garmin GPS watch and I should be able to email it to you.

Kent

Kent, I'll bite on the gps data. My email is in my profile.

I'm pretty busy these days though, so no promises on getting the map posted. ...but if it isn't too difficult, I might. Fishmonger is the man who can go the job. ...Any others??