Marathon #2 - Hello again Death Valley

Back on February 7 I returned to Death Valley to run the Death Valley Trail Marathon that goes through Titus Canyon. However, the canyon was closed due to snow and mudslides, so we ran Westside Road, a road not far from Furnace Creek, the entire course below sea level. What made this run fun was the starting temperature of about forty-four degrees and rain. In face, it rained for over two-thirds of the race for me, with the road getting increasingly sloppy, but I love cool weather and rain, so this was an adventure to cherish.

As we ran, though, the weather was causing increasing problems in Death Valley, which, despite being so dry, does not handle heavy rains well at all. By the time we took the shuttle bus to Furnace Creek, where our vehicles were, roads were being closed. I was two cars behind a Highway Patrol officer who shut down the road back to Stovepipe Wells, where I was staying. With more roads closing and the Furnance Creek resort sold out of rooms, it started to look like a long night. Finally, the Highway Patrol led a convoy of us back to Stovepipe Wells, driving through a water flows across the road ranging from a few inches to a foot or more, with rocks and sand--quite an adventure.

Death Valley Marathon

After seven months and over 500 miles in training I finally got a marathon under my feet. My first marathon was supposed to be the inaugural Pasadena Marathon in November but it got canceled due to air quality from all the fires, probably just as well since temperatures were supposed to be in the upper eighties. So I had to wait until December 6 to do the Death Valley Marathon. I really enjoy Death Valley and it was special to run my first marathon there. I had a pretty rough second half of the race because I started way too fast, but I got it done and hope to do that one every year if I can make it. Rock!