Fast Running Blog

Ok, so the more and more I see what Ike did to the area yesterday in terms of flash flooding and such, I feel like bragging. I raced through a hurricane! Ok, so it was just a mere tropical depression technically. But it was quite the run! You can check out the story here http://dandy.fastrunningblog.com/blog-09-14-2008.html ..... which begs the question ... what's the craziest race you've ever run?

In the Boise City of the Trees marathon in 2006 I raced in a pounding rain, cool temperatures all 26.2 miles.  Also a headwind for almost the whole race in November. 

Murray XC 2006: hail, rain, massive puddles, soggy grass threatening to suck your shoes off, and a steep, slick mud hill that almost everyone ended up clawing their way up on hands and knees. Awesomest race EVER!

In 2007 Dave Holt and I ran the Boston Marathon in what was said to be the worst weather for that race in it's then 110 year history. A historic Noreaster Atlantic storm came through and pounded Boston for three days. They almost canceled the race but with 22,000+ people running that would have been bad.
So we ran the race in a sub 30 degree, raining storm that POUNDED us with a headwind for almost the entire time with wind gusting over 60 mph. It really, really sucked at the time but now looking back I'm glad I ran it that year. The winning times were an avg of 7 min's slower than every other year.
 

Superfly, you shouldnt have ran it so fast. I only got sprinkles for about 1/2 mi and a couple wind gusts. I got really warm (overdressed). But I froze at the finish line, I NEVER EVER been so cold in my life, that wind picked up as soon as I crossed and I was shivering to the bone. Oh just thinking about it makes me so cold! Yah if you would have ran about an hour slower you could have had great weather. THats what you get for being fast!

I once golfed in a hurricane if that counts.  It was Hurricane David and most everyone left the island except for our family.  I took a good healthy swing with a 9-iron and it went backwards a good 20 yards.

I don't remember it being that bad.  I like your version better, though.

I've heard a lot of people say that back in the pack it wasn't really that bad. But Dave and I really went through some tough crap. From the half to the finish it was like you were running basically solo. No wind shields to take the edge of. The thing that sticks out to me is look at how much slower the winning time was compared to any other year. I'm guessing those guys would agree with me on the conditions.

And the hour and a half in the med tent trying to raise our temps from 90 and 92 (respectively) back up was quite memorable as well!

I forgot about that part!

Ok, so here's a youtube video taken about 30 minutes prior to the start of Race Through Tropical Depression Ike.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63jy8ihP0xc

Pretty impressive!  Makin' Memories!

Wind, rain and cold are not fun, but probably not as bad as the Chicago Marathon last year. 90 degrees, 90% humidity, no wind, no shade, not enough water.

I would say State Cross Country my senior year (04-05)  I hadn't run in anything less than 70 degrees all season and mostly 80 to 90 degrees. I was ranked 3rd or 4th.  And then all of a sudden sugarhouse was 40 degrees and pouring rain/snow mix.  I took 12th.  :P  When I finished I was still shivering...I never even got warm the entire race.  It sucked.  Like bad.