Sunday, July 3, 2011

Mt. Marathon: Prepare to suffer, all ye lads and lasses

Gulp, it's almost time for the Mt. Marathon Race. In 36 hours I'll be struggling, gasping and wheezing up 3,000 feet in 1.5 miles and then hurling myself back down much too fast for my own damned good.

I am totally not ready. I've been training for long distance marathon miles, not short steep climbing miles. And believe me, there is a difference. My poor legs will be a shakin' and a twitchin' the whole way up. I'm sure they'll protest and I'm sure we'll have a couple of heated exchanges but hey, these things happen.

And now, a tribute to the mountain:


The roots at the beginning, where you pull yourself up and hold on for dear life, praying the roots don't snap--they will someday, you know.

Men's race a couple of years ago. Photo credit: Frank Baker (thanks, Frank!)



Women racers going up, 2009




Wheeeee! Women racers going down, 2009. The leaders run down in about 12-13 minutes.
 (Both of the above 2009 pics by Brookelyn Bellinger)


Rocked cliff at the bottom of the mountain.

Pics of men racers heading down to chute to the last 1/2 mile on the road in last year's race.







And last but not least, yours truly almost to the finish of my first Mt. Marathon Race in 2009. Notice how dirty I am--my hair is brown instead of blondish! (I collapsed after I crossed the finish, the the woman ahead of me puked on my shoes, hee, hee.)




And finally, a link to my essay in this week's newspaper: Loving and fearing the mountain.


Cheers and enjoy the Fourth and whatever runs/races/family time you have planned.

2 comments:

  1. That is one tough race. A friend of mine visited Alaska a few summers ago. She came home with a newspaper about this race for me. I have been in awe ever since.

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  2. Hubby and I went to climb Mt. Marathon last June. We got partway up and found the trail went through knee-deep mud. So we went the other way to the waterfalls and beyond there. The views aren't as good, but it was way too much steep muddy parts for a girl that wouldn't get a shower for three more days! Good luck tomorrow!

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