Kansas City Marathon Race #13

Kansas City, Missouri
Saturday, October 17, 2015
Time: 4:36:34
Overall Place: 783/1297

Last year I ran the Des Moines Marathon and I met a lady who had just run the Kansas City Marathon on the day before and was running Des Moines the following day.  When I asked her about Kansas City her response was that she wasn’t expecting it to be that hilly.  Well, there are hills and then there are hills.  I have run a lot of races and have never run a course that included this many hills especially at the beginning of a race.  Someone told Heidi, who was running the half marathon that the first six miles are really hilly and if you can make it to ten miles you should be okay.  This set the backdrop to marathon #13 in the quest to run till next year’s Manitoba Marathon.  Did you notice I left out the amount?  Lets’ just say twenty something all within the fifteen months.  I’m having too much fun.

It was nice to get back on the road again driving to our destination of Kansas City.  We left on Thursday and spent the first night in Omaha Nebraska.  We usually leave around noon so that Heidi can finish her work day and we drive to the race destination or as close as we can so that we don’t have to drive too far the next day.  On this trip we left about three hours for the next day and would arrive in the late morning.  This trip included Heidi, our oldest daughter Jennifer and me.  Heidi was going to do the half marathon and Jennifer and I would do the full marathon.  I was looking forward to this trip; yes there I said it again, because this time I would get to run with Jennifer as we planned to run together.  Jennifer had not done a marathon since last year so she wasn’t sure how it would go.  Training can all go very well but you never train for the last six miles of a race.  That is where the race really starts.

We arrived at our hotel around 1:00 and were able to get in to our room which is always nice because check-in is not until around 3:00.  They asked if we wanted to be on the lower or upper floors.  Jennifer right away said upper so we ended up on the 35^th floor.  What a view it was. 

 

 

 

We settled into our room and then headed down to the Expo which was in the same complex as our hotel.  The hotel I had booked was a Sheraton Conference Center.  I only booked one night here mainly due to cost, but it is really nice to be near the start finish line.  I thought it was quite reasonable but the first and last night were pretty much free so it was nice to keep the cost down.  The Expo was quite simple with no speakers so we picked up out race bibs and toured around a bit and then left. 

 

 

It was getting to be later in the afternoon and I like to eat a nice carb meal around this time. We ventured out and were going to take a bus to a place called the Plaza which was about ten minutes away in another part of Kansas City.  Across from the bus stop we noticed some shops and realized that we had what we needed right by our hotel.  Actually this small mall was across the street at the Westin Crown Center.  Here we found some really cool shops and a food court, perfect.
The evening came and we actually had some options as to what we wanted to do.  It just so happened that the Toronto Blue Jays were in town to play the Royals for the first game of the baseball playoffs and Jennifer checked to see if we could maybe go to the game.  We soon ruled that out after we found out that the tickets available started at $109.00 for the standing room only.  Sure, just what we want to do before a marathon, stand for four hours.  However, we did find out that there was a large party going on downtown, which was about a mile away in the power light district.  It was an area enclosed in a city block surrounded by restaurants. 

 

 

 

 

Best of all it was free.  When we arrived there was a large screen with thousands of Royals fans.  The atmosphere was electric with excitement as this was the first game of the playoffs.  It was very hard to show excitement for us since we were Blue Jays fans.  Something you don’t want to share too aggressively unless you want to leave in an ambulance.  We hung around for an inning and then Heidi and I walked back home to the hotel.  Jennifer stayed a little longer. On our way back to the hotel we did manage to stumble across an old building known as Union Station which is the old train station. We got a history lesson from the security guard which we very much enjoyed.  We went back to our hotel room and settled down for the evening.  At least I could watch the game on TV.

The next morning I got up at 5:00 for the 7:05 race start, Jennifer of course took the later wakeup time.  It was a dark morning with a temperature hovering nine degrees, perfect for running.  The Marathon Maniacs wanted to do a group shot at 7:40 at the start line so we made our way to the line.  Have I mentioned lately that I love a hotel close to the start finish line?  It is most convenient to be close, easy to get to the start and then back to the hotel for the quick shower before we leave and no parking worries.

Anyway we got our picture done and the race went off at 7:05.  They started the half marathoners with the full marathoners so there was probably about 6,000 people all starting off together.  Jennifer and I got stuck way back around the 5:15 pace bunny but it really didn’t matter because the start is based on chip time.  It doesn’t matter when the gun goes off.  The time doesn’t start till you cross the timing mat.  We started slowly but yet there was enough space around us so we could go at a nice pace.  The course started on a downward slope, followed by two corners and then our first big climb of the day. 

 

 

This was followed by another downhill and then another big climb, get the picture.  This was the course for about the first six miles.  After that it flattened out somewhat followed by more hills in the back of the course.  What impressed me about this course was some of the neighborhoods that we ran through.  The streets with overhanging trees just starting to show their autumn colors and mansions on either side were truly spectacular.  We ran quite well for about the first twenty miles and then Jennifer hit a little bit of that runner’s wall.  After a couple of miles we finished off strong to the end.  There was a moment in the race that really stuck with me.  It must have been around mile 18 or nineteen there was a girl maybe in her twenties running beside us.  All of a sudden she darts over to give someone a hug, turns out it was her father.  It was very touching when she left after the embrace that he started yelling encouragement to her and telling anyone who would listen that this was his baby girl.  I always marvel at the emotions that these races bring out in people.  He was so proud of her and she was just beaming.  I feel a lot of the same things when I can run with any of the girls and Heidi and that it is a very proud moment for me when we can do something like this together.  It really brings us all closer together as a family.

 

 

Jennifer and I finished the race together and we picked up our food.  It worked out great because Heidi could come with us and she had a back pack so we could stuff as much as we wanted in this backpack. 

 Sometimes the food is really good and this was one of those times.  In fact, they had Chick-fil-A as one of their sponsors and if you’ve never had one of these chicken burgers they are to die for, really.  Since I can’t eat after a race we really stuffed our bag full and headed to our hotel.  We had just enough time to shower, stretch and get out of our hotel room and hit the road.  Our plan was to drive to Sioux Falls and then home the next day.  It is really different running a race on a Saturday because 90% of all the races are on Sunday so it really messes with your mind.

It was another very successful weekend trip and we had a really good time.  I forgot to mention that Heidi did complete her half marathon and actually felt pretty good.  I couldn’t help but think of her when she was running and how the hills were going to impact her.  She did just fine and really enjoyed the race as well.

 

I should also mention here that I really appreciate those that have taken the time to support my cause in running with a purpose and making a donation to Siloam Mission.  To date we have raised $11,394.21 and let me just add here that every penny that is raised goes to Siloam Mission.  You are truly making a difference in the lives of those less fortunate. 

It is amazing how much the body can do.  I have run 6 marathons in 7 weeks and when I planned to do this I wasn’t sure how my body would react.  I am a little tired this week but I know that I now have a three week break before heading to Indianapolis, and I feel very good.