All about that pace.

Light At The End Of The Tunnel Marathon

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Location:

Lakewood,WA,

Member Since:

Dec 19, 2008

Gender:

Male

Goal Type:

Boston Qualifier

Running Accomplishments:

  • 5k
    Resolution Run 5k:
    1/1/09 20:46 (6:42)
    1/1/10 19:33 (6:18)
    1/1/11 19:23 (6:15)
    1/1/12 19:33 (6:18)
    FSRC Turkey Trot:
    11/20/11 18:50 (6:04)
  • 10k
    Resolution Run 10k:
    1/24/09 42:40 (6:53)
    1/23/10 40:48 (6:35)
    1/22/11 39:40 (6:24)
  • 15k
    Resolution Run 15k:
    2/21/09 1:05:59 (7:06)
    2/20/10 1:04:15 (6:55)
    2/26/11 1:03:46 (6:51)
    2/25/12 1:02:26 (6:42)
  • 20k
    Resolution Run 20k:
    3/21/09 1:27:16 (7:01)
    3/20/10 1:26:46 (6:59)
    3/26/11 1:24:37 (6:49)
    3/24/12 1:25:27 (6:52)
  • 1/2 Marathon
    Grand Columbian 1/2 Iron Relay
    2007 1:58:29 (8:59)
    2010 1:39:07 (7:34)
  • Marathon
    2005 Portland: 3:52:21 (8:52)
    2007 Tacoma: 3:47:17 (8:40)
    2010 Eugene: 3:16:21 (7:30)
    2011 Boston: 3:25:28 (7:51)
    2011 Tunnel: 3:06:30 (7:07)
    2012 Boston: 3:53:56 (8:56)
    2012 Big Sur: 3:23:06 (7:45)
    2013 Tacoma: 3:41:25 (8:27)
    2013 Tunnel Lite: 3:07:33 (7:09)
    2014 Boston: 3:40:35 (8:20)
  • Ultra Marathon
    2013 Defiance 50k: 4:49:12 (9:18)
    2013 Steilacoom 50k: 4:44:06 (9:09)
    2014 R2R 51.9mi: 9:51:40 (11:24)

Short-Term Running Goals:

??

Upcoming races: Just pacing and volunteering this year. PRs coming in 2016?

St Paddy's Day 1/2 1:50 Pacer 3/12/16

Whidbey Island 1/2 1:45 Pacer 4/?/16

Tacoma City Marathon 3:55 Pacer 5/1/16

 

Personal:

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
Heb 12:11

 

Favorite Quotes:

"Go out and preach the Gospel, and if you have to, use words."  - St. Francis of Assisi

"Life is short; running makes it seem longer." - Baron Hansen

"If you have to ask, you wouldn't understand." HD?

"Rule #1. Cardio - Zombies lead a very active lifestyle, so should you." - Columbus (Zombieland)

"A one that is not cold is scarcely a one at all." - Strongbad

"Running without hills is like motorcycling without corners" -me

 

Favorite Blog Posts:

Puke and pass

My epic Beatles for Burt blogpost

Vodka at an aid station?

 

Hot tips for winter running:

Screwshoes
Poor man's cleats. this works a LOT better than you would think! Very quick and easy.

LittleHotties
Are you cheap like me? Put those little hotties in a ziplock bag and use them again tomorrow!

Kickstart your dead Garmin
Hold down the reset/lap button and the mode button together to get your 205/305/310xt to restart if it won't turn on or if it freezes up.

Favorite Blogs:

Click to donate
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Miles:This week: 0.00 Month: 0.00 Year: 0.00
Brooks Adrenaline GT13-3 Lifetime Miles: 964.63
Shopping Cart Lifetime Miles: 9.60
Race: Light At The End Of The Tunnel Marathon (26.2 Miles) 03:06:30, Place overall: 9, Place in age division: 4
Total Distance
26.20

7:00am

I was not prepared to run a marathon today after spending most of last night (2pm to midnight) helping a stranded biker we found on I-90. My best friend Roger and my wife and I were coming home from a CMA rally in Moses Lake when we found "Mad Mike" on the side of the road between George and Vantage. He is an elderly guy and had been stranded there for hours in the hot afternoon sun. There was a fair amount of traffic and I'm still amazed that nobody else had stopped to help him. We picked him up and took him and his battery into Vantage to get his battery charged up and buy him some lunch only to find out his battery was completely shot. Mad Mike also seemd a little "shot" but we were not sure if that was his typical self or not. He wouldn't order anything to eat and kept throwing up every time he tried to drink some water while we were calling around to find a new battery. We found him a battery in Ellensburg and decided to get him to the hospital when he kept throwing up on the way to "E-burg" as they call it in Vantage. While Mad Mike was in the hospital being treated for heat stroke and pneumonia we got his new battery and went back to George to fix his bike and bring it back to the hospital in E-burg for him. Of course, it was getting dark by this time and his headlight was burned out so we also had to fix that before I could ride it. It was a very shaky 46 miles getting his old '86 Sportster with bad shocks, and no turn signals or brake lights into E-burg (we didn't know those were out until it was too late to mess with them).


Me revisiting the origins of my road name "rattletrap" with Mad Mike's bike. Funny how both his bike and I look so much better from a distance :)


Me and Roger with Mad Mike in his hospital room.

It was after midnight before I finally put my head on a pillow and it seemed like only a few minutes had gone by when the alarm went off. We were still about 45 minutes from the start line so I was up at 4am as planned to manage some very unpleasant and unplanned bathroom business and get out the door with enough time to find some pepto bismol on the way to the race. The race was very well organized for such a small event. I had no problems getting my race packet with my number and two drop bags, one for stuff left at the start and another for flashlights and any other shed gear after exiting the tunnel. There was also a very cool tech shirt in my favorite color, "biker black"! How cool is that? They even had giant inflatable start and finish arches and a PA system at each end with lots of great music to get us pumped up! I did not expect anything that official looking for a marathon capped at 300. I started right up front and ran with Walter and Jake through the tunnel where I instantly lost my GPS signal. They said they were aiming for 3 hours so I figured they would keep me on pace for the first couple miles until we got out in the daylight. There were 4 other runners ahead of us who must have went out in the low 6s. I stayed with Walter and Jake until the 6 mile mark when I got a false 7:30 reading on the garmin, panicked and picked up my pace thinking we had all slowed down. My next reading was 6:30 after I left them a ways behind me so I slowed back down a bit and continued to run by myself until Jake caught up and passed me at the self serve water station at mile 10, they had 8 aid stations with 5 of them being sef-serve. Once Jake was back out in front of me I tried to keep him in sight as we got back down in the 6's. We both passed the number 4 guy in mile 16 and then I passed Jake again in mile 17, I still don't believe I was running that fast(5:38) and was back by myself until I turned onto the Snoqualmie Valley Trail at mile 21. It was there that both Walter and Jake caught up with me and told me to hang with them as they passed. Jake quickly faded and I spent the last few miles chasing Walter and fighting sleep. I was literally dozing off while I ran! My head kept leaning back and feeling very heavy and I had to fight to keep my eyes open, lean forward and get my chin down to snap out of it. It was a lot like driving long distance at night with no coffee. Every couple of minutes I'd find myself repeating this process and just could not get back under 7s. I was maxed out and my calves were also starting to cramp up. At one point my right calf cramped so bad that I almost stopped, but I knew that would be the end so I just kept going and it eventually loosened up after several limpy strides. I think it was in mile 25 where Walter and I both passed the number 3 guy. Walter was so far ahead by now that I didn't even consider trying to catch him and settled for 4th place(in the 7am wave). There was another wave at 8am so I'm sure that 4th place will end up being more like 14th when all the results are up.


That's me on the right in the gray shirt next to Walter.


My Beautiful wife waiting for me at the finish 


Me approaching the finish. I wish I could find the picture that Kym is taking of me in this picture


I wish I felt half as good as I look in this one.


Oh, that's more like it.

Finishing with a BQ in the 18-34 AG was my primary goal going into this, and anything better was just a dream. I'm thankful for the opportunity to put my plans aside for God's work and that He still sustained me to meet that goal.

Distance    Split pace
1.00    7:04
2.00    6:51
3.00    6:50
4.00    6:52
5.00    6:45
6.00    6:54
7.00    7:01
8.00    6:41
9.00    6:41
10.00    7:06
11.00    6:47
12.00    6:39
13.00    6:37
14.00    6:59
15.00    6:39
16.00    6:47
17.00    5:38
18.00    6:18
19.00    6:33
20.00    6:55
21.00    7:04
22.00    7:08
23.00    7:16
24.00    7:14
25.00    7:12
26.00    7:22
27.00    7:44
27.12    7:27

Ending with 27.12 miles, I must have either been running terrible tangents or my garmin just got very confused after losing the satellite signal in the tunnel.

Comments
From Dan on Sun, Jul 24, 2011 at 23:54:10 from 24.209.83.20

Heck of a run man. Add in the conditions leading up and it is even better. Goal achieved!!

From april27 on Mon, Jul 25, 2011 at 00:08:31 from 99.188.251.180

Man I hope if I ever end up on the side of the road there is a good samaritan around like you to help me out! Above and beyond! Great race! I can't believe you practically slept through it! hahahah

From Lily on Mon, Jul 25, 2011 at 00:09:42 from 67.199.178.210

You did well. CONGRATS! You are the man and you will always be blessed when you are serving other people. Nice job!

From CookieLegs on Mon, Jul 25, 2011 at 01:14:18 from 70.56.100.104

Awesome PR and super kudos for helping the stranded elderly motorcyclist!

From Kelli on Mon, Jul 25, 2011 at 01:53:17 from 71.219.99.3

AWESOME!!!!!! I love that last paragraph, you are an inspiration to me for so many reasons! YIPPEE. So glad this race went well. SO SO SO happy for you. You deserved it.

From DLTheo on Mon, Jul 25, 2011 at 02:27:44 from 76.28.161.119

You are awesome Mike. The most amazing thing of the day (to me) was that you were willing to risk blowing the marathon after all your hard training to help someone in need. Way to have your priorities in the right order!

From nicole on Mon, Jul 25, 2011 at 05:48:52 from 203.117.64.67

Way to go! YOU ROCKED IT! Way to be a really amazing good samaritan as well. What was the course like? Pretty? Hilly? Recommend it?

From derhammer on Mon, Jul 25, 2011 at 07:04:41 from 70.113.125.159

Wow - what at pre-race adventure. Congrats on the race. Awesome splits.

From JG on Mon, Jul 25, 2011 at 08:05:30 from 71.57.246.108

Awesome job! Way to take care of a fellow biker & then to run that fast on so little sleep ... you are a running machine! Congrats!!!

From Burt on Mon, Jul 25, 2011 at 11:21:35 from 206.19.214.144

One of the best reports I've ever read. Way to go!

From flatlander on Mon, Jul 25, 2011 at 11:22:02 from 198.207.244.102

One of the best race reports ever. Don't know your running history too well but isn't that a significant PR? Really admire what you did.

From rAtTLeTrAp on Mon, Jul 25, 2011 at 12:10:04 from 75.244.66.20

Thanks everybody for all your support. I love you guys and always look forward to sharing my running adventures here.

This race was not much for fanfare being so remote, but the course is beautiful and very fast. It is definitely worth traveling for if you want to PR on a certified course (I PR'd by almost 10 minutes on auto-pilot). There are only a couple tiny inclines and flat stretches with the rest downhill. It starts at about 2500' and ends at 500' elevation. Training on hills for this one is a must if you want your quads to survive. About 80% of the route was shaded and the sun was behind me the whole way. Running across the high trestles was probably the coolest part of the race, it felt almost like flying. There are a couple of them that are several hundred feet high. If you are scared of heights or enclosed spaces, this may not be the race for you. If this sounds fun, watch the website and sign up early next year, it's going to fill up fast!

Mad Mike called both Roger and me to thank us again and say that his cousin wants to meet us. We're planning to get together with them at the Sun & Surf bike rally in Ocean Shores this weekend. I think he may have been reading the Bible I left him, he ended his message with "God bless you". This weekend should be interesting...

From allie on Mon, Jul 25, 2011 at 19:46:50 from 24.10.191.18

first of all, congratulations on a great race, awesome time, and the 4th place finish. second, thanks for sharing such a great story. probably the best pre-race story ever, and a very selfless act to help someone in need even though you were losing sleep and risking your race. truly altruistic and a great example!

From Steam8 on Mon, Jul 25, 2011 at 20:25:51 from 166.70.55.77

OH MY HECK! Congratulations!!!! I am so excited for you. I knew you were in amazing shape and you so proved it! YAY! Maybe we could be in Boston together this year! I would love to meet you in person. Are you going to sign up for it?

I can't even say how excited I am for you!!!!! All of your hard work sooooo paid off!

From Steam8 on Mon, Jul 25, 2011 at 20:27:28 from 166.70.55.77

I knew you were a great guy! It looks like Mad Mike was put in your path. :)

From Laputka on Mon, Jul 25, 2011 at 20:30:55 from 98.202.142.68

Very fine run TrAp. Congratulations, that is an incredible time. Well done!

From Burt on Mon, Jul 25, 2011 at 20:47:11 from 206.19.214.144

I wouldn't stop to help a crazy looking biker out. I'm glad you're a crazy looking biker yourself.

allie - I remember this one girl that found some money before a race and took it to the lost and found. That was very altruistic, whatever that means.

From rAtTLeTrAp on Mon, Jul 25, 2011 at 23:35:35 from 24.22.239.183

Allie - Thanks and you're welcome. I thought about not sharing that story, but decided to anyway hoping that somebody might read it and really think about WHY I would go so far out of my way like that. It's got nothing to do with me, it's all about Jesus.

Amy - I do plan on registering for Boston, but I'm not sure we will have the means to get there again. If we do go, there will definitely be an ice cream party at Ben and Jerry's if anybody wants to join us!

Laputka - Thanks! I think with a little more training and a lot more sleep I could crack 3 hours on this course. Maybe next year...

Burt - I think Mad Mike is glad about that too :) and FWIW I probably wouldn't turn money into the lost and found, but I would tithe on it :)

From Kelli on Mon, Jul 25, 2011 at 23:38:32 from 71.219.99.3

Did someone say ICE CREAM????

From rAtTLeTrAp on Mon, Jul 25, 2011 at 23:38:34 from 24.22.239.183

I posted a few pics.

From Kelli on Mon, Jul 25, 2011 at 23:39:59 from 71.219.99.3

Love that last picture!!!

From rAtTLeTrAp on Mon, Jul 25, 2011 at 23:41:37 from 24.22.239.183

Ben and Jerry's ice cream!!! They have flavors there that you can't buy at the store... We tried to drag some bloggers there this year, but couldn't find any takers. Maybe I smelled funny?

From Kelli on Mon, Jul 25, 2011 at 23:47:18 from 71.219.99.3

Oh, if I had only been there!!!!

From rAtTLeTrAp on Mon, Jul 25, 2011 at 23:51:49 from 24.22.239.183

Kelli - if you would have woke up early to register like me you would have been there :)

From rAtTLeTrAp on Mon, Jul 25, 2011 at 23:52:56 from 24.22.239.183

Kelli - Don't you still owe me a cookie?

From Kelli on Mon, Jul 25, 2011 at 23:57:47 from 71.219.99.3

Probably. And a cookie sounds good right now! I think you need to come and run a race here. OR maybe we should run the Ragnar in your neck of the woods. I would not mind getting out of Utah for a bit!

From rAtTLeTrAp on Tue, Jul 26, 2011 at 00:09:48 from 24.22.239.183

I would love to be on a Ragnar team with some bloggers. I could even host some runners here. An ultra team would be great!

From Kelli on Tue, Jul 26, 2011 at 00:15:52 from 71.219.99.3

Ultras are the way to go! ;o)

From Kam on Tue, Jul 26, 2011 at 00:48:25 from 174.23.239.10

Count me in on the ultra, as long as you are hosting. Great job on the race. That is an epic performance after your pre-race walk in good samaritan's shoes. Way to put first things first. For the last time, I'll blame skipping Ben and Jerry's on my wife's tired, pregnant legs.

From april27 on Tue, Jul 26, 2011 at 01:30:45 from 99.188.251.180

I like that you were number 3 and finished 4th!

From Burt on Tue, Jul 26, 2011 at 01:53:53 from 72.223.91.148

And don't forget that he started with #2.

From rAtTLeTrAp on Tue, Jul 26, 2011 at 08:26:35 from 24.22.239.183

Final results are up from both waves. I took 9th overall and 4th in my division. The top 3 in my division were also the top 3 overall! Go old guys!

http://www.littlemarathon.com/tunnel/Results2011.asp

From rAtTLeTrAp on Tue, Jul 26, 2011 at 10:11:46 from 24.22.239.183

Kam - No worries about last time, I understand. I just wish we all had more time to hang out. We would definitely have that if we do a NWP Ultra! If someone wants to step up as team captain to handle all the registration stuff, I can host runners and provide a driver. Finding volunteers will be tough, we might have to buy our way out of that requirement.

April - My 4th didn't last long, but it was cool for a minute. Top 10 out of 300 still feels pretty good :)

Burt - More like 1.5

From Kelli on Tue, Jul 26, 2011 at 10:16:01 from 71.219.99.3

DANG, I forget we would have to provide volunteers because you live there. Could you move for just a minute to get us out of it? What time of year is that race? Scott and I would totally do it.

From JimF on Tue, Jul 26, 2011 at 10:49:09 from 98.253.193.207

Congratulations on an awesome race and great time! Thanks for sharing the story and great to see the sacrifice for someone in need. Great job!

From rAtTLeTrAp on Tue, Jul 26, 2011 at 11:09:47 from 72.102.176.57

Thanks Jim

Kelli - NWP is in July. This year it was 7/22-23

From Burt on Tue, Jul 26, 2011 at 11:48:14 from 72.223.91.148

Wait, your real name is Mike Davis???

I noticed there is only one person under the age of 30 in the top 30.

1.5. lol!

From Kelli on Tue, Jul 26, 2011 at 13:22:36 from 71.219.99.3

So, it was just last weekend. We have an ENTIRE year to plan. ;o)

From rAtTLeTrAp on Tue, Aug 02, 2011 at 11:43:48 from 72.102.17.28

Oh man, race pictures are up and my pics coming out of the tunnel(about 3 miles) look horrible. If I saw another runner looking like that after 3 miles, I'd bet on a DNF. I also read that there was a bear on the course at some point during the race, but no pictures of that.

From Kelli on Tue, Aug 02, 2011 at 14:00:19 from 71.219.99.3

Where is the link to view this GREAT picture???

From rAtTLeTrAp on Tue, Aug 02, 2011 at 18:10:24 from 75.244.150.205

What picture? Oh, never mind, forget I said anything :)

From Kelli on Tue, Aug 02, 2011 at 21:00:04 from 71.219.99.3

NO, you can not do that!!! I will find it....

From baldnspicy on Tue, Sep 13, 2011 at 23:47:04 from 72.77.67.247

Ok, it's official, I win lamest blogger of 2011. You mentioned I should come out to run the Light at the End of the Tunnel Marathon with you. I thought this was some made up marathon to make me feel better about how much coming back from sitting on my butt for months while my foot healed stunk. Then as I browsed around aimlessly on blogs tonight, I see your freakin' awesome PR at this REAL race!! THEN to read that you truly are an inspiration to everyone on more than just a running level (already knew that, but this confirmed it). Mike (if that's your real name), you're awesome! Congrats on your killer PR, and go OLD GUYS!

Now I'm going to have to really think since your encouragement to come out and run this non-fiction race was, well, non-fictionally sincere. :-) Where did I put that marathon training plan...probably under the pile of empty pizza boxes and Ben & Jerry's cartons...

From Kelli on Tue, Sep 13, 2011 at 23:51:31 from 71.219.67.175

I wish this was facebook. I would hit the LIKE button Mr Spicy and Bald.

From baldnspicy on Wed, Sep 14, 2011 at 00:33:25 from 72.77.67.247

I accept your fictional Facebook LIKE, Ms Kelli.

From Kelli on Wed, Sep 14, 2011 at 20:13:31 from 71.219.67.175

;o)

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