100 Half Marathons Along The Road

When I started this running “business” pretty much with my first marathon in Seattle in 2007, I liked it so much that I decided to run one marathon per year (WOW!). Loyal to my commitment I ran Seattle again in Nov 2008. As I was ready with air tickets in hand, luggage packed, a furnished apartment, and a car to start a new work adventure in beautiful Italy for the next year I put my eyes on Rome Marathon on Mar/22/2009 to be my 3^rd marathon. Then, life hit me hard. Luggage was unpacked; tickets, apartment, and car were returned. My own illness plus the terrible loss of one of the most important persons in my life, the father of my children, all happening at the same time reshuffled my whole being.

After the main treatment was over and I was able to cope with the loss, I started thinking back on running a race. After much thought I got inclined to work more for speed than for endurance. I dedicated to run 5K and 10K; a bunch of them. I unleashed myself and ran 24 races in 8 months. By the end of summer I decided to run something not so short, but not as long as a marathon. I discovered the half distance, and registered for Seattle Half Marathon 2009. My first.

41 months later, May 2013, I have run my 100^th.  It was a feast for me; a running and numeric feast; a milestone. And it was no coincidence that my 100^th Half Marathon was run at Tacoma City: a Maniac/Fanatic centric race because the Half Fanatics Club was pivotal to reach this goal. It motivated me to run more finding my own limits. It was only a year ago when I ran my first back to back (Saturday and Sunday), now I do it all the time. Every race in the calendar means seeing friends and new faces, and the new faces become friends, and the friendships become magical.

Tacoma City was inundated this weekend with MM and HF from all over the country. It was a whole weekend of festivities celebrating the 10^th anniversary of Marathon Maniacs. Starting with the Ghost of Tacoma Marathon and Half Marathon on Saturday (my 99^th HM), followed by a day at the Expo at the Hotel Murano, girls times with good friends, raffles as a pre-stage for the 2012 awards and pasta dinner (let’s not talk about this). I got 2012 Half Fanatic of the year 5^th place, a pretty trophy engraved with my name and HF # 881. On Sunday the real deal happened. MM and HM departed our way to run an awesome race (HOT) but awesome. For the Silver Striders of Washington is was the last race of the Grand Prix Series.

After I finished my 100^th Half Marathon, which I struggled a lot because let me repeat: it was HOT, I celebrated with friends at the finish line. I went to mile 25 to cheer on my marathon friends and to pace a dear friend that was running to qualify for Boston 2014. This particular pacing deserves a blog entry of its own (coming soon). It was exciting to be now not a runner but part of the crowd and to encourage all runners with the terrible sound of: Only one mile to go! (If I don’t know how hard that last mile is.)

I always ask Prez (Steven Yee): Did you guys ever imagine this MM/HF explosion? The answer is always no, but I will continue asking so they can savor the good they have done for running, not only in Washington State but in the US.  The beauty of the Half Fanatics Club and the Marathon Maniacs is that are all inclusive. It is for all kind of runners, you don’t have to be elite, fast, or under certain range of speed, or age. You just have to want to be part of the community, run like a maniac, and voila, you are in. Sorry, yes, you have to run like a maniac. I heard once some runners in Green Lake criticizing the club because it was a matter of “quantity” not quality. Those are the runners that believe the track belongs only to the under 6 min/mile runners.

There is no major quality for me that what I have experienced during these 41 months. The amazing friends I have met during my 100 Half Marathons Along The Road.

Lizzie Lee 100th Half Marathon

2013 Ghost of Tacoma Half Marathon and Marathon

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Splits details of races #201 (98^th ,HM), #202 (99^th,HM), #203 (100^th  HM)

Race #201 – Heroes Half Marathon – Everett, WA – Apr 28, 2013 – 1:51:47 – 8:32 min/mile – 2^nd place

1- 8:59

2- 8:52

3- 8:21

4- 8:18

5- 8:29

6- 9:24

7- 7:45

8- 8:40

9- 9:00

10- 8:44

11- 7:58

12- 8:12

13.1- 8:12

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Race #202 – Ghost of Tacoma – Tacoma, WA – May 04, 2013 – 1:50:24 – 8:26 min/mile

1st Half 57:08
2nd Half 58:34

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Race # 203 – Tacoma City Half Marathon – 100^th – Tacoma, WA – May 05, 2013 - 1 :55:38 – 8:50 min/mile

1- 8:35
2- 8:26
3- 8:49
4- 8:52
5- 8:28
6- 8:58
7- 8:48
8- 8:37
9- 9:03
10- 8:35
11- 9:05
12- 8:56
13- 8:46
13.1 – 0:42 (7:00)