Skagit Flats Marathon

 

I did a smoky hot Skagit Flats Marathon today. I am now on the couch, happy to have done it, and pretty achy after running a half last Sunday too.

The Skagit Flats Marathon, Half, and Five Miler are sponsored by the Skagit Runners, and supported by the local cross-country teams of Skagit County. This is the 45th year. Many many thanks to these volunteers who go out every year and put on a terrific event. Their smiles and good cheer made my day, through a tough effort in the smoke. This is my running club--glad to be a member of a running club. Some years I volunteer--last year I was at the 13 mile turnaround--but I've really wanted to do the full marathon, which now is on a different course than in years past. Glad I did it.

I mentioned the smoke twice already here. We've had a pretty good summer, smoke wise, as compared to recent years, but the fires took off this weekend due to tinder conditions and a strong breeze. They closed Highway 2, because it was really bad out that way. Skagit was pretty dark yesterday, but a bit better today. We even had a bit of rain this morning, but the smoke persisted, and this guy felt it quite a bit, especially in the second half of the run, when the heat turned up a bit too. 70s to low 80s today.

I love the flats. As I've written here, I've taken to running around the flats quite a bit in the past couple years, passing farm field after farm field -- corn stalks, potato fields, pumpkin fields, berries. Workers showing up early on a Sunday morning--farming is business that requires dedicated attention, 7 days a week. Which reminds me--my tomatoes could use water.

The first half went ok, and the second half not so much, but I kept a trot most of the time. Hard to know when the smoke was really taking me out, but I'm sure it was. The news says the conditions were the worst in the world in Seattle, and I don't think it was that bad here, but I probably should've ran the half or taken a pass. Running in smoke is now smart, so dumb me won out over smart me this morning.

And I'm glad, nonetheless. The couch is good now, and I'm catching up on football, after the 8 minute drive back home from the start line. 

Remembering 9/11, this day.