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I finally found the energy to go for a run at the Wasilla Sports Center today.  I am still tired from the flight home that got in at 5:30 yesterday morning.  I have a touch of soreness left over from the marathon but mostly I am just tired, from the all night flight as well as the marathon itself. I just ran a short 4 miles and was feeling pretty exhausted at that point.  So I may need another rest day before I can hit it hard again. 

I am all set up for the next 4 runs in New Orleans, Mississippi, South Carolina, and New Jersey.  Booked my hotels and also my flights to Tokyo and London for my April and May Japan and Liverpool marathons and Shikoku 88 Temple walk.  I hope I can managed to keep it all straight.

Looking forward to New Orleans and the run with Team In Training.

Maui Oceanfront Marathon

Finally, the reason I came here in the first place.  The Maui Oceanfront Marathon.  I have been consumed with worry about whether I would be able to meet the time limit, even though it is really very long at 6:30.  But I have been dealing with several issues.  An ankle injury back in December that prevented me from training adequately, the fall at Waimoku Falls, and most of all the 80 degree temperatures and humidity.  When I picked up my race bib I changed to the early start marathon which gave me an extra hour, plus that extra hour would still be in the dark.  So at 4:30 am I started with the other slower runners and walkers.  I think it was an excellent decision.  I never had any pain, thank goodness, but it was hot even for those first 2 hours before the sun came up.  Once the sun did come up it really got hot.  But it really wasn't quite as bad as I had expected because there was always a bit of an ocean breeze.  The course was spectacular with a continual ocean view and the sound of crashing waves the whole time.  I really enjoyed it, and also enjoyed knowing that I would have plenty of time to finish.  I was pretty slow but did finish in 6:15:50, which would have been within the limits if I had started at the regular time.  But perhaps the heat would have slowed me down and I would not have made it.  The early start was a good decision.  Once I crossed the finish line I went down to the ocean and jumped it.  That was a great ending!

Here is my finishing picture from Marathon Photos.

Maui Oceanfront Marathon Finish

Haleakala

What a change from the warm temperatures down in Paia where I am staying.  The summit of Mt Haleakala is over 10,000 feet and it was quite chilly up there.  I decided to hike the 4 miles down into the floor of the crater, and then of course I had to hike back up.  Going down was a breeze, but coming back up was a different story.  I started really feeling the altitude for the last 2 miles.  I even got dizzy and started staggering a few times.  Plus it started to rain.  But the rain also brought me a beautiful rainbow.  It was very cold and windy but a fabulous hike.  My ankle injury from the other day didn't cause me any problems, which is a good sign with the marathon coming up in a few more days.
 


Haleakala Crater

I only wish I had more time.  There are miles and miles of amazing trails that go all over the mountain, and even all the way down to the Waimoku Falls area.  But that would be a trip that would take a few days. It would be a fascinating place to explore. But today's 8 mile hike was enough for me because it was getting very late.

Waimoku Falls Trail

Today I drove the amazing curvy winding road to Hana. I went on past Hana to the entrance to Haleakala National Park and hiked the 4.5 mile trail to incredible Waimoku Falls.  Immediately I knew this was the place to scatter the little packet of my mother's ashes that I had brought with me. Along the trail I found some orange flowers that had fallen on the ground.  I put the ashes inside of one and placed it in the pool at the bottom of the waterfall.  It would be hard to find a more spectacular place.

 

 

The trail itself was amazing with a deep dark bamboo forest, several stream crossings, and many small waterfalls along the way. I managed to have a very bad fall and twist my right ankle causing excruciating pain.  In the process I landed on my right knee producing a gigantic bump and taking off a good bit of the skin.  This was just what I needed a few days before running a marathon. But it doesn't appear to be serious because I had no problem walking on it after that.

 

Diamond Head

I'm in Hawaii now for the Maui Oceanfront Marathon.  But first I am spending a couple of days on Oahu to visit a couple of special places.  First I had to drive to the Byodo-in Buddhist temple.  It is a place that really touched me back in 1981 when I first came here.  So when I come to Hawaii I make a special point of paying a visit. It is so peaceful and magnificent with the beautiful backdrop of the mountains.  It poured rain part of the time that I was there, but that only added to the beauty and mystery of the place.

Byodo-In Temple

Then I went to Diamond Head and climbed the trail to the summit.  I have never seen so many steps in one place!  But it was really quite an easy trail. The view from the top of course was spectacular. Honolulu has grown so much since my first and second visits. It is quite a sprawling metropolis now.

Honolulu from the top of Diamond Head

At The Sports Center

Finally back home in Palmer and did my first run of 2014.  I'm still catching up on sleep and transitioning from night shift work to night sleeping.  It's happening very slowly.  I felt great for the first 3 miles then felt like I was going to fall over during the last two of my short 5 mile run.  It's also a transition to go from the treadmill to running where I actually move across the ground.  It really is a different movement.  Next week I am going to Hawaii and will enjoy running in warmer weather, preferably along the beach.  I am planning to run the Maui Oceanfront Marathon on January 19th, my first marathon of the year.  It will be a nice contrast to today's snowstorm.

I took this little picture of the snow with my phone as part of the Nike+ phone app.  I like how you can add a picture when the app posts to Facebook.

New Snow at the Sports Center

Skating

I went ice skating on Westchester Lagoon with Diane for an hour today. 3 miles total according to my Nike+ iPhone app.  The first loop I was wondering if I would even remain standing.  I definitely didn't have my skate legs yet. But by the second loop around I was feeling pretty good. Skating is a great way to get in a good workout and still have a really good time. It was a perfect day for it too.  No wind, and not terribly cold either.
I did take one picture of the Chugach Mountains from the ice.

Chugach Mountains, Anchorage