Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Ready, Set, Marathon: Death Valley and Las Vegas Marathon 2008

Here are some pictures of friends who I anticipate seeing at the Double Marathon this weekend
With my friend Lauri F. at the dismal start of the Richmond Marathon mid-November

With my friend Richard T. at the Niagara Ultra 50 km this past June 2008 sponsored by the St Catherines Road Runners club at Niagara on Lake.

With Lisa Bliss during the Umstead 100 mile race this past April 2008. I had just finished (~29 hours) and she had finished in about 18 or 20 hours!



Tomorrow Tristan and I fly to Las Vegas for a running/hiking vacation. I will be doing my first "double" marathon and am a bit nervous. I know I have run marathons on a weekly basis, the Disney Goofy, 50 milers and 100 milers but I have never run marathons on consecutive days.

Tomorrow evening Tristan and I fly Southwest from BWI to Las Vegas (I am using my frequent flier miles for a free trip, yahoo!). During our vacation our tentative plans are to get up early Thursday to drive to Death Valley for some hiking. Friday we will continue hiking and swim a bit in the spring fed pool at Furnace Creek Ranch. Saturday I will run the Death Valley Borax Marathon while Tristan plans to hike Telescope Peak. Sunday I get up very early to start the Las Vegas at 6 a.m. (ugh!!). Monday, I am not sure of our plans but we are debating between hiking Red Rocks, lounging by the Excalibur pool or trying to gamble our way into enough money to make up for all our TSP retirement loses (and considering Tristan and I are statisticians and originally math majors we should be able to gamble and win, right??)

During this trip I know I will be meeting up with many running friends. My friends Richard T. and Joe C. from the Niagara Ultra will be running (and in fact my friend Richard is doing packet pickup at Las Vegas so Tristan and I can maximize our time at Death Valley). During the weekend, my friend Lauri will be staying with us (and hopefully driving me from Death Valley to Las Vegas so Tristan does not feel rushed on his 15+ mile journey up Telescope peak 11,000+ feet). I am looking forward to seeing Lisa B. from Umstead. I noticed on her blog she is nursing an injury but hopefully is well on her way to recovered. Finally I know many of my friends in the Marathon Maniacs and 50 States Marathon club are also going to be at both marathons (with a 2.5 hour drive separating the marathons, it is not a bad two-fer).

If I have the opportunity to get internet access, I will try to post any highlights of this trip; however, I am not overly optimistic about this.

4 comments:

Jamie Donaldson said...

I am soooo jealous! That Furnance Creek pool is amazing! Check out the Sand Dunes while you are there! Oh I really miss Death Valley! Have fun and good luck!

CTmarathoner said...

after a 50 miler and a marathon every weekend you will have no trouble doing back-to-back marathons!!! You are so well-trained -just enjoy the experience!

Runner Tammy said...

Jamie,

You shouldn't be jealous, you should join me!!! I think Southwest flys from Colorado to Las Vegas for about $60 each way. We have plenty of space in our rooms and I bet I could hook you up with a carpool:-)

Or I imagine you could go on us.lastminute.com and get a flight and car pretty inexpensively (for the weekend of Dec. 13th I could get a flight and a car to go to Dallas for the White Rock Marathon for about $350 all inclusive! If only I had vacation time:-)

Sand Dunes will be added to our list of activities...who needs sleep anyway?

Emmy,

I love your faith in me. But you are a running machine. I, not so much. To use a car analogy, if you are a Porsche, I am Gremlin or perhaps a Pinto (minus the sporadic exploding part of the Pinto experience:-)

Well, at least I should have lots of fun, get lots of pictures and in Las Vegas I think I can drink myself through the 26 miles if I become to desperate (I wonder if Vegas has bar/laundromat combinations...because New Orleans does! Although perhaps Vegas has bar/casino/laundromat combinations!

Tammy

TonyP said...

I love the picture with you and Lisa Bliss - 29 hours vs 18/20 hours. Classic.

I was at Umstead as well, pacing. I remember it was not a pretty sight weather-wise.

Hope you are getting ready for Disney.