Malibu International Marathon – (Nov 11, 2012)

Malibu, California – MIM was my second marathon in my back to back marathon weekend. I was tired and my body was thrashed from the day before at the Catalina Eco Marathon (race report) where the big hills and drops had done a number on my legs.  The progress my left knee, which had been recovering from a torn meniscus, took several backwards the day before on the island.

Run It Fast member Lisa Gonzales (RIF #5) picked me up early at my house to make the hourish drive over to Malibu where we parked near the finish line at Zuma Beach. From there you hop a bus for about an hour to where the race starts inland.  Before the race I ran into Deo Jaravata, Nadia Ruiz Gonzales, and Yolanda Holder from the day before along with Maniac Rocky Morales and several other running friends.

I hate to complain or knock marathons, and this will be my only complaint about the Malibu Marathon, but the race was supposed to start at 8am and we didn’t end up starting til 8:30am because the RD’s made everyone wait for someone to arrive at the starting line for the race.  A delay of that length can throw off many runner’s nutrition, race plan, etc.  This race is big enough that it should have started on time.

Everyone shivered and waited hurdled together for the race to finally start and it finally did.

The first 10 miles take you from inland, through several turns around farmland, until you reach the Pacific Ocean at about mile 10. I struggled for those ten miles leading to up to the water. I was slugglish, tired, and my knee and feet were hurting from the day before at Catalina. But getting to where the water started was good mentally as nature’s beautiful scenery started to unfold in front of me with majestic mountains and hillside to my left and the endless ocean and beaches to my right. Somewhere around mile 15 a fellow runner pointed out dolphins jumping in the water to me.  It was a truly wonderful site to witness during the middle of a marathon.

I had good and bad stretches over the last 16 miles of this race. I became stronger on the uphills as there were several long uphills as the race got closer to the finish. I was able to keep running up them and past many other runners as they walked and fatigued. I’d then float and speed down the downhills and straightaways as I started to count all the targets I was knocking off. I met a sweet woman over the past 3 miles that pushed me as I pushed her as we were eager to get to the finish and put this one in our race journals.

The medal was great and instead of a finisher’s tech tee like at most races they gave everyone a Malibu International Marathon beach towel which was a nice touch. The finish area had two food trucks and a live band as runners relaxed on the beach, in the water, and at the finish to watch the remaining runners came in.

I waited for Lisa to come in (that’s Deo above not Lisa) and she did with a smile as she had hit her pre-race target. We ate some food from one of the food trucks and then made the trek back home.  I’m thankful for Lisa picking me up and dropping me off for this race. It wasn’t necessary on her part, but it made it easier on me having run and traveled to Catalina to race the day before.

• Medal: 8.5/10 (see here)
• Course: 7/10 (last 16 miles 9.5)
• Scenery: 8/10
• Support: 8/10
• Crowds: 5/10
• Price: 7/10
• OVERALL: 7.5/10

A beautiful race in one of the most beautiful places in the United States.

– Joshua Holmes (RIF #1)

You can follow Joshua on Twitter @bayou

Catalina Island Eco Marathon – (Nov 10, 2012)

Catalina Island, California  – This was one of the most beautiful and challenging marathons I’ve done to date. It’s a bit of a hassle to get to as you have to take a hour long boat ride to get over to the island, but it’s well worth it. Enjoyed meeting Aaron Nowlin on the boat ride and discussing his upcoming 50-Miler. I also enjoyed meeting fellow Run It Fast member Nadia Ruiz Gonzales (RIF #69) before and after the race, Guinness record holder Yolanda Holder, and Maniac Deo Jaravata as well.

The race started with a 1,500 ft climb within the first 3 miles of the race that drained the hammys for the rest of the day. Once ‘atop’ Catalina the view continued to impress more and more as you could see almost the entire island at once.  It was very windy in parts with 40 mph side-ways gusts, but I kind of like that type of extra added challenge that helps separate the field from one another.

I struggled at different points during the day as I felt a bit out of shape from not training much in the past three weeks since the Javelina Jundred. I did have some good stretches at different points though.

Different parts of the race included almost every type of trail imaginable which helped to battle the mental fatigue that can sometimes come from seeing the same thing over and over.  Catalina had some really great running from mile 10 to 19 but then, oh then, mile 19…the Catalina Crush!  The Crush was a straight climb/walk/crawl to heaven as the back of my legs and back ached and caused me to stop and let the throbbing relax before continuing my slow crawl to the top and to the rest of the marathon.

The last 3 miles of the marathon are a twisting trail dump back down 1,500 feet with the last 1.5 miles of those 3 being on asphalt as you re-enter the small town to finish right in front of the beachfront.

This race is not easy and not for everyone based on degree of difficulty but you won’t find a more beautiful trail marathon anywhere.

• Medal: 9/10 (see here)
• Course: 9/10
• Scenery: 10/10
• Support: 7/10
• Crowds: 1/10 (would ruin it anyway)
• Price: 5/10
• OVERALL: 9.5/10

It’s not in the small print but it’s going to cost you a $79 boat ticket to get to and from the island.

– Joshua Holmes (RIF #1)

You can follow Joshua on Twitter @bayou

Catalina Island Eco Marathon Medal (2012)

Here is the finisher’s medal from the Marathon Ayrton Senna Racing Day that took place at the Interlagos race track in São Paulo – Brazil.

Some international bling to help motivate you to dust off your passport.

[medal photo submitted by Vinícius Nunes.]

Here is a look at where everyone is running this weekend. We had 29 responses this week. Good luck to everyone and Run It Fast!

To join Run It Fast – The Club then click HERE to read more details.

Where Run It Fast Runners Are Running This Weekend (Dec 1-2, 2012)

Storified by Joshua Holmes · Fri, Nov 30 2012 09:56:02

This is the medal for the Space Coast Marathon that was held on November 25, 2012 in Cocoa, Florida.

Awesome medal! Love the shuttle and the stars and the planets. Shiny bling well worth a marathon effort!

MORE PHOTOS OF MARATHON/ULTRA MEDALS AND BUCKLES

[Medal photo submitted by RIF #156 Susanne McDowell]

This is the medal for the Standard Chartered Bangkok Half Marathon that was held on November 18, 2012 in Bangkok, Thailand.

Here is another view of the marathon medal:

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[medal photos submitted by Natalia Tanyadji – follow her on Twitter @nataliatanyadji and by Vincent Morand – follow him on Twitter @vincent_morand]

This is the medal for the Amica Seattle Marathon that was held on November 25, 2012 in Seattle, Washington.

Per Scott “It has a kind of minimalist elegance” and I agree. 🙂

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[medal photo submitted by Scott Hillis – follow him on Twitter @bittermelon]

This is the medal for The Harpeth Hills Flying Monkey Marathon that was held on November 18, 2012 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Very cool wooden medal for a very, very, VERY difficult marathon. The medal and the rest of the swag we received at the race were totally worth the hills though! Here’s a photo of the race shirts, sticker, magnet, and Silipint we received at this year’s race.

The Monkey gloves in the photo with the Silipint were my door prize! Not only does all the monkey loot make this one of the best marathons around but the race and party atmosphere are a blast and the course is gorgeous so you hardly notice the hills! Well, maybe not. 😉 Here’s a photo of some of the Run It Fast – The Club members getting ready to tackle this year’s Flying Monkey.

Check these links out too if you get the chance:

Last Year: 2011 Flying Monkey Marathon Medal

2010 Medal: 2010 Flying Monkey Marathon Medal (Photo)

Follow the Flying Monkey Marathon on Twitter @HHFlyingMonkey

Harpeth Hills Flying Monkey Marathon Website

RELATED: Flying Monkey Marathon Named #1 Marathon in Tennessee

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[Medal and race swag photos submitted by RIF #5 Lisa Gonzales – follow her on on Twitter @runlikeacoyote. Group photo submitted by RIF #187 Daniel Escue]

A poignant moment came yesterday as I was greeting finishing marathoners at the Flying Monkey Marathon. A runner named Graham Gallemore, who is sixty-nine, crossed the finish line.

He pointed at a tin campaign-button-type pin he was wearing on the front of his tee. He’d had it made. It showed a picture of Angela Ivory.

“She still pulls me through,” he said.

The last time I saw Graham was on June 9th in Memphis at Angela’s funeral. The last time prior, I’d seen Graham was at the 2010 Flying Monkey, which I had run myself. I had come upon Graham. Angela was accompanying him a ways during his run. Pulling him through. I stopped briefly that day, and she hugged me. Pulling me through, too.

When I tell people about Angela Ivory, I say she ran a marathon in every state. Then she ran a marathon in every state again. Then she ran a ultramarathon in every state (She maybe lacked six or seven finishing this last goal). And as amazing as that may seem, it’s not even her story. that’s not her story at all.

She did that while fighting cancer.

Read the full story by Dallas Smith by clicking HERE

This is the medal for the Philadelphia Marathon that was held on November 18, 2012 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Love the motto on this medal. Perfect for a marathon.

MORE PHOTOS OF MARATHON/ULTRA MEDALS AND BUCKLES

[medal photo submitted by RIF #155 Trent McDowell. Follow the race on Twitter @runningfranklin]