YRC 2012

I did it! It was my slowest Yakima yet - about 19 minutes slower than last time. However, last time I was two weeks out from running 100K at Pac Rim. This time I was a year out from my last marathon. No matter though, I did it on minimal training and felt pretty good the whole way. Started feeling a little chest tightness and shortness of breath in the final two miles, but bounced back as soon as I finished. Margaret stuck with me the whole way, plus I got to walk with Bob Dolphin around mile 19. He's 82 years old, and Yakima was his 500th marathon, plus he and his wife are the race directors. I enjoyed our conversation about things non-running. Pretty awesome stuff! I managed my energy well, ate, drank, and s-capped well. All-in-all, a good comeback race!

The Yakima River Canyon is beautiful. Basalt, columnar joints, sage, folding hills, wide river, gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous! I love this small and friendly race. The volunteers are helpful, chatty, and funny, there are running friends everywhere I look, the canyon is incredibly quiet and deserted, and of course, scenic. It is one of my favorites.

So...what's next? That, I'm not sure of. I've got one more intense class ahead of me and though I will admit I looked at the race calendar today, I realize I'm going to have to get into the class before I can figure out if my weekends will be free. Here's hoping so!