The Desert is a Harsh MistressI recently felt the compunction to catch everyone up on my running fun for the last several months in my second hometown Tucson, Arizona (not by the sea).
And, while all of you Midwestern brethren were freezing in the dark, I was shuffling along in the sun in shorts an a T-shirt for most of the cold dark winter months.
Nonetheless, I still want to set the record straight about life in the Desert. Running here is not as easy as you might think.
First, Tucson - Tucson is after all, In The Desert. So, a lot of the races I did this winter are run - IN THE DESERT. The desert, as it's name implies, is hot, dry, sandy, rocky, hilly, and there are sharp-edged plants that you can either cut yourself on, or receive a skinful of stickers if you're not careful.
And those two words buried in the above sentence, a terrible twosome that no one wants to be a part of, yet are a constant simultaneous experience in Tucson running - my good friends "Sandy" and "Hilly"
And, who can forget “Rocky?” Put all three together and you’ve got experience (s) that are unforgettable.
(You’ll see some of this most excellent prose repeated in the ensuing blog – I extracted it for the preamble as I had used it and some other verbiage for some individual race reports. Trust me, it’s fun to read it twice!)
So, after my warm experience at the Rock and Roll Marathon in January, I focused on the Local running Scene and managed to turn off a few memorable performances and have some interesting experiences. Race schedule included the following:
Sun Run 10K
Arizona Distance classic Half Marathon
Sabino Canyon Sunset Run (a 7.6 mile out-and-back)
The Catalina State Park 10.75 mile training run
The “Run for Fun” Half Marathon (a DNS/DNF)
The Spring Cross Country Challenge 5K
The Cinco De Mayo 10K
I wound up sending emails to my friends back in Wisconsin summarizing, complaining and in some cases sarcastically describing the races of the Desert Season. I’ll include these as I’m pretty happy with the prose I created around describing the races, and hey, it’s easier to cut and paste than “rewrite the wheel”!
The Sun Run 10K
So, the Sun Run 10K was held a week after the Rock N Roll Marathon, and even though I was still feeling the effects of the 26.2, I signed up, picked up my packet at “The Running Shop” the day before, and, on the day of the race, jogged up the street to Reid Park to the Colorado Rockies Stadium where the Race was being held that morning. It was exactly a mile to the starting line from our Co-op, a nice warm up run.
So, later here is what I wrote to Gregg in Wisconsin
I really don't get away with this freebooting training lifestyle you know. You play, you pay and I am definitely not 29 any more.
Even though it's a scant week since the Rock and Roll, I did the local Sun Run 10K up the street in Reid Park this morning and booooo, I sure can feel the residual dead legs and energy dearth from last week - still. I took Five, count 'em, Five days totally off, ran an easy four yesterday and still was total toast last night. Almost didn't want to get out of bed to toe the line this morning, even though it was only a mile jog up the street to the start line. I did it anyway, as I had paid, picked up my packet from the day before, kind of liked the shirt and may want to wear it sometime. I could have just done the 5K, however, what Marathoner worth his salt would go short when they could go long??
I do pay for my training regime in recovery time, yes I do. Still, I managed to shuffle off a 50:25, about 4 minutes slower than usual. It was a great morning, perfect weather, cool and endlessly sunny, a fun large loop course that meandered in and around Reid Park, 22nd Street, up Country Club and back around the horn to the finish line(much of which I run on daily) A BIG crowd, though I'm not yet connected into the Tucson Running community, so there was no one to banter with.
It was small consolation that, not only was I back at altitude at 2,500 feet, also, the age groups were ten deep. These damn Tucsonians are faster than hell - to get close to the top five in my age group, I would have had to average a 6:05 pace or better. As it was, I came in a distant 21st.
Still, I'm never too unhappy. It was a fun race, and it’s always great to have done one This time of year in Tucson, everyone dresses like it's July in Wisconsin, hah, my life is good.
After slogging around Reid Park for the next several weeks, doing a stint in Los Angeles in February, and an 18 day return to the Midwest, the next race that came up was the Arizona Distance Classic Half Marathon all the way at the end of March. By then, I think I was fully recovered
Here’s what I sent Gregg and Scott and Greg:
Well here are the results for the Arizona Distance classic Half Marathon in Tucson this morning and I'm really not disappointed -
16 404 Peter Klein 48 Oconomowoc WI 1:45:44 8:05
That's a pretty good time for me, it was 42 seconds faster than last year. AND, within 10 seconds of my Finish time in Sheboygan last August, which is the fastest half to date (or in this decade anyway).
Had to fight the pace a little, I felt every ounce of the almost 10 pounds more than last year I'm lugging around and also the altitude and hills - the course meanders around from 2900 - 3100 feet above sea level.. Still, I'm happy, it's a nasty rolling hills out and back course, though the last 2.1 miles of downhill makes up for it. I had a finish line sprint and averaged a 7:33 and a 7:32 for the last two miles, this after 11 miles of rolling hills. I was chasing the 1:45 pace group from the five mile mark on (that's where they passed me as I walk the water stops) but they were far in front of me at the end. I think they came in more like 1:44 or less, actually.
Weather was perfect - 48 at the start with a light breeze, high clouds, never really got too warm. When I left the course after the finish it was up to 67 degrees. I left at 5:15 am and was home by 10:30 am. (and by the way, it was 3-5 inches of Snow and Ice in Wisconsin this weekend.....)
Good finishers medal and Mizuno short sleeved technical shirt. Typical Finish area, though this year it was much more sparse.
Note how I claim my Wisconsin hometown here in AZ. Perhaps this summer I'll mess with Wisconsin, and claim I'm from Tucson. What do you think?
And, I have a "Peter the Running Dork" moment to share that might make you laugh. So, here goes
The Timing Chips were those new disposable adhesive ones that they attach to your bib at packet pickup. You're supposed to peel them off, detach some adhesive corners, and wrap them around your shoelaces so they look like this orange loop. I know this, I've used them before - in the Rock and Roll Marathon, so I'm an expert - right?
Well, wrong. It actually didn't click as I'm getting ready for the race - until...........
It's 90 seconds to the start of the race and I'm looking at peoples shoes around me for some reason and noticing the Orange Loops on everyone's laces. Except for mine.
(Shit!)
I scramble to peel it off my bib, peel off the adhesive backing, and thread it through my laces, stuffing the residue and the instruction part into my shorts pocket, finishing seconds before the gun went off. And, I'm all the way up front. Literally ALL THE WAY up front.
Either there was a lot of pre race focusing going on, or I'm invisible. No one seemed to noticed. No one commented, even though for the last 15 minutes, I'm walking around sporting this great big orange sticker on my bib, with - get this - My name on it as well. Can you say "Moron?" Named Peter??
I'm glad I'm not well known in the AZ running community - yet. Or maybe now I will be, time will tell.
How’s that for a pre-race adrenaline rush?
I have a race here every weekend now until the end of April - first a 7.4 mile up and back at Sabino Canyon (extreme!) a 10.75 double Trail run at Catalina State Park (lots of sand trails and hills) Another Half Marathon on the Far East Side of Tucson and then a Cross Country 5K (think Lapham Peak) after that. It's good to be in AZ!
The Sabino Canyon Sunset Run
"Gotta get up to get down….!” George Michael “Fast Love – (Thunderpuss Mix)After the fun at the Arizona Distance Classic, I’m all set to do one the week later – The Sabino Canyon Sunset Run. This race was held in Sabino Canyon, a local State Park Recreation area. I’ve been to Sabino Canyon before, what I remember was taking a long tram ride that meandered up this mountain road, the tram gradually straining up long hills to disgorge you at the top, where you were free to meander down, dipping into the streams that came through the canyon, hiking the side trails and enjoying the mountainous desert beauty, Cactus, river crossings, boulders, and glorious natural formations.
It hadn’t really occurred to me what it would be like to RUN in Sabino Canyon. At sunset, no less……..
Later I wrote:
Okay, this one was a ball buster
Half of it anyway....
About 400 plus runners and walkers, it was a crowd and they capped it off, registration sold out days ago
After warming up doing some laps up and down the initial staging area of the canyon road, we all lined up facing up the canyon, Promptly at 6:00 pm, with the sun setting behind us, the gun goes off – and here we go, 3.7 miles up to the top of Sabino Canyon, turn around, come back for a total of 7.4 miles or about a "12K"
The Elevation rise was 2.700 to 3,400 feet, my Garmin showed it as a rolling straight uphill and then a rolling straight downhill.
I took off, kept up with the crowd, had a nice quick downhill at the start and thought “Okay, not bad so far.
Then came the hills. The never ending hills. They went up, and up……and up……..
The last 1.8 miles going up were STRAIGHT up. It was a killer slog, a winding mountain road that wouldn't end. This after 1.9 of rolling uphill. I never though it would end. And, as I’m still apparently a mile from the top, other runners are already flying past me headed back down the mountain. I struggled to the top, breaking into a WALK for a few paces as my heart rate was redlining trying to keep moving. Even so, no one passed me as I could walk as fast as I was capable of running.
And, okay, to give you an idea of the difference, the first 3.7 half to get to the top cost me 33 minutes and change, I was clocking out at about 190% of Max Heart rate and pushed it absolutely as hard as I could to the top of the Mountain without puking, still at times I was barely below a 9 minute pace.
Made the turnaround - the view was awesome - then it was time to fly. Got all of the 1.8 back and then some.
Turned around, and blasted down the mountain, covering 3.7 miles in about 26 minutes or less. A big negative split, though part of the problem was, I really had to put SOME brakes on, so I didn't catapult myself ass over teakettle - it was that extreme. And the quads and knees take a complete beating on the downhill’s for sure. I remember thinking that if I had enough surface on my arms that if I kept up my speed and spread them wide I would have taken off into the air, I felt like I was moving that fast.
Flew down the last hills, and even flew up the hill at the start (which was now close to the end) and blasted to the finish, the gravity pulling me in like a tractor beam. Finish time was 59:56, averaging an 8:07, which I'm completely satisfied with. It was fun watching the mile average on my Garmin wind down like crazy as I flew down the hill.
It was dusk when I crossed the finish line, sunset apparently over, and as is common in the desert full dark followed pretty quick and it was FREEZING in minutes. Didn't even check if I placed. Some of these guys were clocking 5:20's overall. Woulda had to average about a 6:28 according to last year's results to be anywhere near the money in my age group. These damn Tusconians kick big butt on the running field.
Hung around a bit at the end, however again knowing that in that crowd there was no way I was a “contenda” I got back in the Toyota, actually switched the air conditioning over to Heat, drove across town and was home by 8:00 pm.
The race shirt was a 100% Cotton Short sleeve T-shirt nothing special.
However, I would completely do this one again. The scenery and location were sensational.
And, the best part was - once you get up, you get DOWN!
The Catalina State Park 10.75 mile Trail Run“…then you go back, Jack, Do it Again. We’ll turn it round and round…..” Steely Dan “Do it Again” (Becker and Fagen)
Interesting thing about these Tucson Races, many of them are double loopers, meaning that you do one loop, and then you go back, Jack, and do it again.
And sometimes knowing what is coming from the first time really makes you dread the second go round……….
First of this was the Catalina State Park 10.75 mile trail run, yet another odd distance and brutal, out in nature type course. This was the second year I had actually done this one, so I knew what to expect, anyway. The interesting thing about the race, was it was actually downgraded in distance from the previous year. Last year it had been billed as a 5.5 or 11 mile race, this year it was a 5.5 OR a 10.75 mile race, probably because many of the alert GPS-wearing fanatics such as myself had complained bitterly about the short markings according to our GPS.
Knowing that it was only 10.75 miles didn’t make it any easier though……
Check out the picture above, that's an actual photo from the race that day.
So, here is what I wrote:
Catalina State Park Trail Race Report
Cold and Windy, with on and off Rain (49 degrees and a cold wind - Snow on the Catalina's)
Huh? YES – SNOW in APRIL in Tucson on the upper stretches of the Catalina mountains, the glorious range for which the state park was named.
Being the second year I had run this race it was the same two loop brutal trail course with three half mile straight up stretches, one of which is a switchback set of railroad tie stairs that goes up....and up.......and UP!.
Two washes to cross – twice! Running water in the washes this year. Wet feet, plus sand in the shoes ensued and because they are in the first mile and also the sixth mile, you get to slosh and squelch for most of the race.
Still, I managed to persevere. Interestingly it was good to keep moving as the chill wind would hit you at odd times and the up, down, around, tiptoeing through the boulders and slogging through about six miles of sand was actually a little easier as the moisture kept the sand down, the cold temperatures made you not as overheated and the scenery was intriguing with a haze of winter humidity in the air.
I made it around once, then twice and hide it into the finish line with immense relief.
Clock said 1:35:13 at finish, an 8:49 pace, and over eight minutes faster than last year, which moved me from FIFTH to FOURTH in my age group. (nuff said about that - I was doing my best!)
Exceptionally outstanding Technical Finishers shirt - even better than the one Gregg Hermann (who wanted to be mentioned in my blog) didn't get in Lake Monona in 2007 (which they hand you, at the Catalina race, in your size when you cross the finish line),
After crossing the finish line and jogging to the Toyota for some dry duds, awaiting close to the finish area is an OUTSTANDING post race breakfast - scrambled eggs, refried beans, fresh salsa and tortillas, PLUS Robek's (a local vendor) Orange Smoothies (which made me even colder than I was) all served up by enthusiastic and friendly volunteers.. I actually went back for seconds, they were encouraging us to do so, and a Mexican breakfast never tasted better. I gorged myself shamelessly.
They actually had a pre-race raffle, which I managed not to win and One of the pre-race raffle prizes was - get this - a LIMO ride to and from the race in a long Lincoln stretch limo, which was parked, complete with uniformed driver, by the breakfast tent..
I chatted desultorily with some interesting and freezing people over our eggs and beans, however, knowing that the awards ceremony would be screwed up (it was the previous year and in fact also was this year and, having my fill of free food, )I decided it was time to go. It got rainier and windier and colder after breakfast (was this Tucson???) so I split, again blasting the heat in the Toyota to take the post race chill off of me.
In spite of the weird distance, rugged terrain and screwed up finish results, I would do this race again – the state park is awesome and the breakfast is incredible at the finish. Good shirt too!
My First DNF (actually a DNS!) for the Year - the "Run for Fun Half Marathon"
I was signed up the next weekend for the “Run for Fun” a local well-touted “fast and flat” half marathon. However, nature had it’s way with me, perhaps it was the Catalina’s revenge because…..here is what I wrote that Saturday:
Well, for the first time in four years, I was felled by a severe sinus infection/head cold thingy this week. Started getting inklings of it on Tuesday, by Thursday it was full blown, yesterday was pure hell, and finally I started draining about 1:30 am today, and am still down for the count.
Had to bail on the Half Marathon scheduled for today, When the alarm went off this morning, I couldn't stand up straight, let alone tackle the 13.1 Another burned race fee, and since I haven't been sick in YEARS, I forgot how much it SUCKS to experience this.....Damn!
I did go pick up Bib and Technical shirt, and because I would never wear a shirt from a race I hadn’t run, I got it a size Medium and donated it to Cayelin, when I got home, and she immediately lateralled it to Jeremy minutes later. It changed owners three times in about five minutes that shirt. Looks good on the boy though.
Well…..there is always another one!
The Spring XC Challenge 5K
I fought the virus for a week, and then, yes, there was another race! And, this one was a normal distance too! Here is what I wrote:
Did the Spring Cross Country Classic 5K in Tucson this Am, and I officially sucked.
Lots of excuses. First, Tucson - Tucson is after all, In The Desert. So, a lot of these races (and the last three I've done) are run - IN THE DESERT. The desert, as it's name implies, is hot, dry, sandy, rocky, hilly, and there are sharp-edged plants that you can either cut yourself on, or receive a skinful of stickers if you're not careful.
And those two words buried in the above sentence, a terrible twosome that no one wants to be a part of, my good friends "Sandy" and "Hilly"
I knew I was off to a rocky start this morning (hah, make it a Threesome!) I was tired when the alarm went off having not completely shaken this stoooopid sinus virus. I got LOST on the way to the Park, finally having to stop and ask directions from some guy who was zipping along at a sub-six minute mile pace doing warm-up miles and wearing his bib. And, so I arrived there discombobulated, and out of sorts. There was a tiny 18-inch square sign for the race, posted at ground level guiding you into the park entrance.
This, by the way was a $7 entry fee, so I wasn't expecting much. It's the spring cleaning race for SAR (Southern Arizona Roadrunners) and they handed out a motley assortment of leftover bib numbers from other races (mine read "Saguaro National Park Labor Day Run") and then it's a T-shirt Grab Bag, where you can choose from a heaped up assortment of T-shirts from past races, many of which I already had, and had given away because they were so ugly. Unexpectedly, though, I burrowed into the pile and found a nice technical shirt - in my size - from a race I did last fall, that didn't have the Year on it, (I think you had to pay extra to get this shirt) so I wouldn't feel bad actually wearing it. Or, chucking it as a warm-up in some race down the road…...
Adding insult to injury, I fire up my GPS only to hear that dreaded flat electronic squawk, indicating "Low Battery" You who are Garmin aficionado’s probably know that sound - it means, Mister Garmin will work for about 90 seconds and then go blank. I'm instantly enraged, and just barely restrained myself from slamming the damn electronic nuisance into the asphalt of the parking lot.
Oh well, now I'm resigned to the fact that at best this will be a $7 training run.
Interestingly in the SAR CC races, SAR separates the Girls from the Boys race-wise - and the Women went first this time. Next year, apparently, it will be reversed. Anyway, I got to watch all of the women come ambling by, most looking like they were just jogging normally, even the fast ones. That should have been my clue.
So, about 10 minutes after the promised start time after we waited for some female stragglers to amble in from the desert (chivalry has it’s price!), me and the rest of the boyz line up en masse. It's 8:30 am, the sun is already high and beating down and my tongue is glued to the roof of my mouth it's so damn dry here. One, Two, Three Go! And, we go, thundering off into the desert, raising a haze of dust
It's a double loop course, the "loop" consisting of a meandering, rocky, rutted trail, three extreme uphill’s (think Lapham you Wisconsinites without the shade) with little accompanying downhill and a lot of sand to slog through. One water stop about halfway through, thank the Lord, which temporarily unstuck the tongue. Then, you go, Back, Jack, and Do it Again, hang a right instead of a left at the nexus point, and the last 1k is an uphill asphalt bicycle path to the finish line. It wasn't an easy, flat, fast 5k by any means.
Didn't have anything to give, couldn't gauge my pace anyway, and so was passed by a plethora of my fellow idiots for the first half mile, and then as time went by, I picked a few off one at a time as the Darwinian aspects of Desert Trail running (and the heat) kicked in. The second loop, after I took water, I felt myself fading away by inches over the next few hills, and struggled through, hating every minute of it.
Interestingly on the second loop (and I didn't report this on the other two races) there was a runner hard down on the course, way out and unable to walk, and ultimately the paramedics had to retrieve him. I offered to stop and help, however by the time my mid-pack slow ass had arrived on the scene, he had half a dozen volunteers around him and a terse Nazi-lady (who I see all the time, she's a tough chick my age who is at all the races,) told me to "Keep Moving"
This also happened in Sabino and Catalina - runners hard down - as well - the Desert is a harsh mistress for sure!!
Finish line time was 24:20-something, and I didn't even bother to check placement. One cool thing about SAR is, even though they are ultra competitive and cliquish, if you win, you can pick up your award anytime in the next month from any race, they hang on to it for you at the main sponsor - The Running Shop. Not that I think I got anything, either way it didn't matter. I wanted to go home and forget about it. It sucks not having a watch to run with, I'm going to put a cheap digital in the car for just in case for in the future if Mr. Garmin takes a powder again..
I did go by the finish line "Potluck" nosh - and saw one apparently local dish that almost made me hurl - get this, Celery Sticks with Peanut Butter, Chocolate Chips, Raisins, and Colored Candy Sprinkles. OOF, and I thought Wisconsin tastes were bad.
Interestingly, they also had a keg of beer. At 9:00 am. No interest on my part, though about an hour later, as I’m working up a thirst, I’m thinking hmmmmmmmmmm..
I hope I feel better soon!
The Cinco de Mayo 10K
I struggled again for another week with this lingering Sinus monster that won’t go away. April became May, Step-daughter Jenna blew into town, and come Sunday, May 3rd, it was time to toe the line with Jenna for the “Cinco De Mayo 10K” out west of us at Cholla High School.
We arrived early, me thinking correctly that there will be a crowd. And, there was! We snagged one of the last parking places in the school lot, and ambled over to the starting line festivities.
This was a really big race, about 800 people, a dj at the start, Starbucks Coffee for all, and a big expo inside for afterwards. Promptly at 7:00 am we line up, the gun goes off and off we go towards again, you guessed it, the mountains!
It’s again, a “meandering uphill out and back course underneath the "foothills” that never seemed to not be uphill. I’m slogging the whole way, unable to find my pace or be happy about being there. 10K’s are tough, they are two times a 5K, however, if you wanna go, you “got’s to wail!”
I’m joined at about mile 1.5 by Jeff, a friendly gentleman in my age group that I met in Sabino briefly. We wind up running up and around to the halfway point, however not before I apparently pass some tense runner too closely who gives me a shove as I pass him by, “you’re pretty close” he rasps nastily at me, “Sorry!” I chirp in return, thinking “Asshole!” Either way, I leave him floundering in my dust.
Jeff and I make it to the turnaround and start heading back. At about mile four, I tell him to go, I’m at this point starting to fade. He lopes off into the distance, I think he was sandbagging to hold the conversation with me which was really kind of him. In any event, I’m just happy to be going and want to be done.
I roll down out of the foothills, and even though it’s supposed to be downhill, it still seems uphill to me, as my leaden legs just don’t want to hold race pace. I have no idea where Jenna got to, either she’s way in front or way behind. Not too far behind as it turns out, actually…..
Managed to grind out the last mile, then have a little bit to push in the last .2 as well. Finish time is 49:04 and I’m happy that it isn’t worse, actually. A 7:54 pace, I’m actually surprised at that. Not my best and as usual, I’m not in the finish money.
Immediately, Jenna turns up at my elbow, her finish time 49:08, a record for her and she’s right on my heels, the next runner behind me. A great race for her and she chortles merrily about her time and performance as I moan and groan about mine. 
At the finish line, her “real Dad” Tom awaits, startling us both, and after they trade hugs, she mutters to me “oh great, now everyone probably thinks I’m dating one of you old guys!”
We acquire some Starbucks, and move into the expo area where a Mexican feast awaits, several different types of Breakfast burritos, juice and all kinds of things. We nosh heavily, washing it down with Power Water and watching a militantly organized water balloon toss. Jeff joins us and we all munch companionably as we watch several people break water balloons over each other and the festivities around us start to spool up.
Neither Jenna nor I were interested in playing picnic games, and having had our fill of the free food, we depart, heading back to the Co-op for pictures and more breakfast I think – at this point, I can’t recall what happened for the rest of the day.
That pretty much wrapped up the spring running season in Tucson. I actually took a dip back into Wisconsin the next week, running the Lake Geneva Half Marathon with Gregg Herman who wants everyone to know that he placed third in his age group and won a HAT – and I was FOURTH in my age group and went home with a bare head. However, that’s got nothing to do with the desert, so I hope you’re happy Gregg!
Looking forward to coming back for the Wisconsin Racing Season…… Hope to see you all at a Race soon!
