Fits Do Race Reviews: The Newport Oregon Marathon

By Cool J in Minneapolis

Hi friends! I'm logging in to write a (hopefully) quick marathon recap while I'm sitting here at Crater Lake Lodge in Crater Lake National Park, enjoying views like this:

Pretty breathtaking, right?

So I ran my 14th marathon on Saturday, and checked Oregon off the 50 state list as my 12th state. My official time was 4:00:57. It was nowhere near what I had hoped for, but it was still such a fun race. I'm not going to be down about the time on the clock. Honestly, after all the IT band issues I had this training season, I'm happy to be healthy and to be able to successfully complete 26.2 miles with a smile on my face.

Oh wait, I did not have a smile on my face.... 

But I finished. And I hope to train harder this sumer and make up for it in Berlin in September!

So onto the recap and review: We flew into Portland on Thursday night and then drove the 2 hours 45 minutes to Newport on Friday. We stayed at the Hallmark Inn right on the beach in Newport.

The Hallmark Inn was perfect. We had a large suite with a lovely seating area and balcony overlooking the beach.

It was also in a good location for the marathon, as we could walk to the start line in the morning. I highly recommend the Hallmark Inn if you plan to run the Newport Marathon!

On Friday, we arrived in Newport with plenty of time to settle into our room, go to the grocery store, hit up the expo, and even drive the 26.2 mile course.

checking out the course on Friday: the start line at Yaquina Park

Do you think its a good idea to drive the course ahead of time?
Sometimes I think I'm better off not knowing what's coming...By driving the course, we knew that there was an evil hill at mile 4, and again at mile 25. Mile 25 is an awful place for a hill! 

We also spotted the oyster farm that would be handing out oyster shooters at mile 11 and mile 20 during the marathon. And yes, I did take one at mile 20! You had a choice between plain or with Tabasco, and I went with the plain. Did it come back up? No. But I could definitely taste it for a few miles.

(FYI- the record oysters for a marathoner during the race is 100 oysters! WOW!)

source

We carbo-loaded at the Savory Cafe in downtown Newport. We drank our waters, and gazed longingly at Abby's husband Andrew's frosty mugs of beer...

Race day! The marathon started at 7 am, so we were out the door and headed to the start line at 6 am. 

It was less than a 1/2 mile walk to the start line from our hotel.

At the start line at Yaquina State Park

with the race director at the start

The marathon is not big. I think it's capped at 900 runners, which is small, but I liked the size.  I definitely prefer a marathon event where the marathon is the main (only!) event, and this was true for the Newport Marathon. There were no half marathons, 10ks, etc- just the marathon.

The course: 

The course was primarily an out-and-back along the coast, albeit with a quick tour through town for the first four miles. The turn-around point was at mile 15.5, which wasn't too bad since you knew you didn't have quite as far to go on the way back in! I was concerned if there would be enough room on the road with runners going out and back in, but there was plenty of space, and it was actually really nice to be able to see Dustin, Kelly, and Abby as they came back around. We were able to cheer for each other!

The course was mostly flat, with some rolling hills (and that aforementioned hill that we hit twice- once at mile 4 and once at mile 25). The downside of the course was that although the coastal highway was gorgeous, unfortunately it was cambered, which wasn't very kind to the IT band. Abby complained about the same thing, and we both heard other runners complaining about how hard the slant was on the legs.

Though personally we were able to walk to the start line from our hotel, it might have been stressful for other runners since the start line and finish line were in different locations. Luckily, Abby's husband was there to pick us up at the finish. I guess there was a shuttle back to the start line, but the logistics of it all was confusing to us at the expo, and we didn't get a ton of clarity there. 

The marathon itself was chip timed, but it was quite odd that there were no chip mats anywhere on the course (except at the start and finish). In fact, there weren't even any clocks on the course, which was strange. Most runners have Garmins these days, but it would have been nice to see your splits at some point. I also thought that it would have been too easy for someone to cheat, since there was no chip mat the turnaround point! There was also no online runner tracking for your at-home supporters. That's pretty common for a smaller race though, and I wasn't all that surprised. 

The expo:

The expo was held at Embarcadero Hotel on the Friday before the race, from 3-9 pm. It was pretty tiny, but quick and easy. There was no flair or extra swag, so don't go there expecting to stock up on your GU packets. Just the basics at this expo: pick up your packet and go. 

(There were some random items in the goodie bag, let me tell you....)

The finish line:

The finish was downhill (after that nasty hill at 25), but it included a sharp right turn into a bank parking lot. The sharp turn made it difficult for spectators to see who was coming towards the finish chute.

The finish line goodies were great though. They had ham sandwiches, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, watermelon, oranges, bananas...and best of all? Clam chowder and Rogue beer!

clam chowder and Rogue beer!

At the finish line, you could also immediately go to the results booth and receive a printout of your finish time/place/pace, etc, which was really rewarding. 

Medals:

The medals were glass handmade in Newport. They were ranked as one of the top marathon medels recently in "Marathons & Beyond" magazine. Though they are a little difficult to read, they are definitely unique, and very "Newport."

Spectators:

Due to the nature of the out-and-back course, there weren't a ton of spectators. Unfortunately those that were out there weren't particularly enthusiastic. Kelly and I both wore our names on our shirts, and we both were surprised at how few people cheered for us by name, which hasn't been  the case in larger marathons when we wore our names on our shirts.

There was a spectator bus taking people around and around the loop, dropping them off at support stops and picking them up again as necessary. Abby's husband was able to bike the course very easily, cheering for all four of us runners at multiple locations. Since the out-and-back was only on one side of the highway, it was easily accessible via bike, and he commented that it was a perfect course for a bike-riding supporter. 

Post-Marathon Celebration:
Immediately after the race, we soaked our legs in the freezing cold Pacific ocean...brrr!

Newport is a charming town, and there were plenty of unique restaurants for a post-race celebration. For lunch we went to a funky seafood place on the south side of the town- "Southbeach Fish Market" I believe it was called. Dustin had the steamers, I had the crab sandwich, and the others had fish and chips. So good!

And later that night, we hit up the Rogue Ale House for some more "fuel."

Overall Experience:

I asked Kelly and Dustin what they would give this race as an overall experience. Dustin said he'd give it an 8, and Kelly said she'd give it an 8.5 (she did have an AWESOME PR, so maybe that's part of the reason for the higher score). Even though my finish time wasn't stellar, I would still rate this marathon an 8.5 as well. I love the smaller size and the unique touches (the medals, the oysters, the finish line goodies), and the course was stunning. I really like a Saturday marathon (vs. Sunday). Yes, the out-and-back wasn't perfect, but overall, it was a positive experience, and I would recommend it to friends.

Score: 8.5 out of 10!

My personal performance:
I went into this marathon battling a cold and with the unfortunate timing of a visit from "my special friend." (You're welcome for that tidbit of TMI) so I was a little worried that I might have issues (excuses, excuses!). My plan was to stick around 8:45 min/miles, and hopefully have some gas in the tank at the end to pick it up. I was confident for the first 15 miles that I would have a PR. Unfortunately, this did not happen. I clearly hit a wall, and struggled at the end, finishing with some 10 min/miles.

What could I have done differently? What should I have learned from this marathon? 
I'm still trying to figure that out...I definitely hit a wall, and I don't want that to happen again.

Next on our Oregon tour is Bend! Stay tuned for some "Fits on the Road"- both shopping and athletic activities. Yes, we did lots of hiking in the two days after the marathon, and our legs are feeling great!

Fitting Remarks: Travel Itineraries and Marathon Mantras!

By Cool J in Minneapolis

Tomorrow, we head out for our week-long tour of the grand ol' state of Oregon. 

Said tour will include a 26.2 mile foot tour of the coastal town of Newport!

Newport, Oregon!

I have re-adjusted my marathon goal slightly, as my training didn't go exactly as planned, and the previous goal now feels a little aggressive...though the weather appears to be in our favor!

If you know me, you might know that I am a planner. I love to pencil things into my planner, plan things in advance, and then finalize the agenda! 

I don't always put together a travel itinerary for every trip we take. Yet this time our friend Kelly is joining us, so I thought it was a perfect opportunity to compile all of the recommendations that we had received into a travel binder.

There's a page with information about each city along the way, 

a page with dining suggestions, 

and even a blank page for note-taking!

I included the "36 Hours in Portland" article from the New York Times. 

Their travel articles are the best!

But most importantly, at the end of the binder are a few pages of Marathon Mantras to inspire us!

I gathered together as many as I could find, but here's where I need your help....send me your personal running mantras! What keeps you going for the long haul? I'd love to add more pages to the binder.

Here's what I have so far:

"This is your race. This is your opportunity. Trust your training."

"Run the first 10 miles with your head.  Run the next 10 miles with your legs.  Run the last 10k with your heart."

"Don't listen. Don't look. Just run."

"Hills are my friend."

"Just stay calm."

"The strong get stronger."

"One mile at a time."

"Save it. Save it"... or "Savor it, savor it!"

"This is what you came for."

"Define yourself."

"You're tougher than the rest."

"Think strong, be strong, finish strong."

Today is my day.

I can do this.

"All I smell is my personal best." ~lululemon

I believe in myself. I believe in my run.

I don't stop when I'm tired. I stop when I'm done.

"The difference between winning and losing is not quitting." ~Walt Disney

Enjoy the mile I'm in.

I am strong. I am tough.

"Stepping outside my comfort zone is the price I pay to find out how good I can be. If I planned on backing off every time running got difficult, I would hang up my shoes and take up knitting." ~Desiree Davila

If it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you.

"There are no shortcuts to any place worth going." ~Beverly Sills

I kill hills. I kill hills. I kill hills.

I'm a runner. This is what I do.

My mind will quit a thousand times before my body will. Feel the pain and do it anyway.

Never throw in the white towel. Instead, use it to wipe your sweat and keep going. 

"The only person who can tell you 'You can't' is you ... but you don't have to listen!" ~Dean Karnazes

"Pain is nothing. It doesn't exist. I cannot feel it." ~Maurice

"No one goes this far and leaves without a medal." ~@AdrienneRunsAZ

"I'm STRONGER than running. It WON'T beat me." ~Dorothy Beal - @MilePosts

I was strong enough to get this far. I am strong enough to keep going.

I've done this before. I can do it again.

"Every mile is a good mile." ~runningzen.com

I can dig deeper. I'm almost there.

"The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra." ~Jimmy Johnson

MAKE IT HAPPEN.

Please share your mantra in the comments!

Fit Fanatic: "The Hill" Workout

By Cool J in Minneapolis

Just stopping by for a quick hello, after a late night of hills with the Calhoun Beach Running Club.

I have a love/hate relationship with a hill workout. The hate? Why is it so damn hard? Why doesn't it get any easier? Why am I moving so slowly? Did someone make this hill longer?

But it's not just the actual hill workout that stresses me out. It's the whole day leading up to it! I think about the impending doom all day at work. I think about what I'm putting into my body more than ever. Those leftover jelly beans? Probably a bad idea.  I constantly check the weather, debating how to dress. Windy, with a high of 47 degrees? Shorts? Capris! Ah, the stress!

The love? When the hill workout is over! It's awesome to have completed close to ten miles on a weeknight. Your quads and butt are tired and sore, but you feel great. It's true that you end up getting home pretty late, and you end up whipping up some food, (whatever kind of food you can whip up as quickly as possible), and before you know it, it's time for bed, but hey, you just ran a bunch of hill repeats! You rock! Oh, and tomorrow is a rest day!

Our club usually does repeats of a certain hill that is about half a mile long, or one mile roundtrip (up and down). It's located on Kenwood Parkway in Minneapolis. You know who else lived on Kenwood Parkway?

Mary Tyler Moore did!  Well, sort of. The show wasn't actually filmed in Minneapolis, but this was the house she "lived" in on Kenwood Parkway. Gorgeous, right?

So at least the houses are pretty to look at during the hill workout! But truly, it's hard to notice them when you feel like you're going to puke.....

It's a two mile warmup to the hill from the club, and then a two mile cool down afterwards. Throughout the marathon season, we increase the number of repeats from four, up to perhaps eight! Tonight was my second hill workout of the season, so I managed to do six repeats.

Here's a map of THE hill

I don't have the stats on the elevation for the hill. Mason tells me it's over a 100 foot gain, which may not sound like much, but remember, that's over just a half mile. And in Minneapolis, that's a mountain! But it's challenging for everyone. I dare all you SoCal bloggers to come do repeats on this hill and tell me our city is flat!

**Actually, side note- one of the SoCal bloggers that I read- Run, Eat, Repeat- is coming here in June for the Women's Half Marathon in Bloomington (a suburb of Minneapolis). This half marathon is only two weeks after the Newport Marathon, but I decided to sign up for the heck of it. Who doesn't love an all-women race? All that she-power is inspiring.  Let me know if you're running it!

I don't necessarily have to prepare for a ton of hills at my next marathon, as the Newport Marathon (which is in eight weeks!!!) isn't supposed to be that hilly. However, hill training makes you a stronger runner, no matter what. I'd rather do some extra hills today and be prepared just in case!

Afterall, Newport won't be hill free.  Here is the course description from the marathon website,

"Starting in Yaquina Bay State Park at the historic "haunted" lighthouse, runners will head north along the ocean through some of Newport's picturesque neighborhoods. This loop through the city is primarily residential with a few short gentle hills and turns at street corners. Heading back through the starting area, runners will proceed DOWNHILL under the Yaquina Bay Bridge to the bayfront. Past shops, restaurants, galleries, and a large fishing village, the course continues along the bay. Just past mile four, there is a short hill that rises about 40 fee, then descends back to back to bay level where it continues for the remainder of the race. The course follows the Yaquina Bay and River estuary to mile 15 where it turns back toward town, retracing the same route. The same hill at mile four reappears at mile 26, and then it's downhill from there to the finish. Along the course runners will be treated to a splendid variety of views and scenery, wildlife and shipping, fisherman and crabbers. It is a very flat, very fast, and beautiful course that will produce numerous PR's. The course is USATF certified and ahas proven to be an excellent qualifier for the Boston Marathon."

The course sounds beautiful! I'm getting really excited- only eight weeks!

What kind of hill workouts do you do? Do you like hills? If you live in Minneapolis, let me know where you do your hills!