Bob Panzak and I flew into Denver on Thursday in order to catch the Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Colorado Rockies baseball game at Coors Field. It was an excellent game with both teams combining for 30 hits and 17 runs. Our plans for Friday was to drive up to the summit of Mount Evans, then drive through the Rocky Mountain Nation Park on the way Casper. The summit is 14,774 feet (150 feet higher then Pikes Peak which is about 60 miles south of Mount Evans). On a clear day, such as the day we had, you can see Pikes Peak. We get to the top of Mount Evans but the summit is actually another 100 feet higher. If you want to get the to actual summit you need to hike, or actually clime over rocks and boulders. Bob decided to climb to the summit. About 10 feet from the summit Bob slips and breaks his thumb. The next 8 hours are spent in an emergency clinic and a hospital. Skipping the scenic drive through the Rocky Mountain Park we finally get to Casper at 11:30 PM.

We met up with the Thompson’s (Linda and Craig, and their daughters, Sammy Jo and Sarah) and with Ken Winn (his friend Vickie and her son, Gabe). They arrived about a week earlier and vacationed in the Grand Tetons and surrounding area. The local paper, Casper Star-Tribune, has an article in Saturday’s paper about the marathon. Race director Mark Humphrey states “We dreamed of having 300 runners when we first started planning. Well it’s gone well beyond that”. Race organizer, Becky Sondag, the 2002 women’s winner of the Houston Marathon states that “Nationally, 35 states are represented, with a majority of the out-of-state runners from such far flung places as Titusville, FL; Chapel Hill, NC; Tupelo, Miss; Sidney, Maine and Canton, NY”. Not noted in the paper, but we were informed by another one of the race organizers was the fact that Linda Thompson was the person to register for this inaugural marathon.

Start time for the marathon is 6:30 Sunday morning. The weather is fairly nice. The temperature is in the high 40’s at the start and probably climbs to the mid 60’s over the next 4 to 5 hours. With the low humidity and thin air it seemed much warmer then the 48 degrees reported but still favorable for a marathon. The overcast sky was a big help also. The marathon starts at 5,300 feet near the Historic Trails Interpretive Center. The Platte River in Casper was a focal point for many of the major trails heading west to Oregon, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, to name a few. A portion of the marathon runs along the Platte River. Other then running along side the Platte River, the only other significant landmarks of note is a statue of Casper Collins and Fort Casper. The course is advertised as relatively flat but that’s by Wyoming standards. The course is probably closer to moderately hilly with one long hill at about mile 4.5 and one at 24.5. There are also many turns on the course including 10 180-degree turns.

Since I had some experience running at altitude last year in the Colorado Springs Marathon (6,300 to 5,600 ft) I decided to consume more fluids and walk 30 to 60 seconds at each water station. Matter of fact, I drank so much water and Gatorade over the previous 24 hours, I had water sloshing around in my stomach for the first 12 miles. Due to hydrating well and the built in walking breaks, I never had to walk.

The marathon and half marathon start is on a hill that overlooks the city of Casper with it’s 49,000 residents (second largest city in Wyoming, Cheyenne has a population of 50,000). Bob and I plan to run together as does Linda and Ken. I have my cell phone with me so I can call Craig Thompson if Bob’s thumb starts to hurt too much. The first mile is primarily uphill with the first of many turns. Within the first three miles there a several sightings of Antelopes including a small herd of 8 that run across the road within a few feet of several marathoners. Our first four-mile splits are 8:17, 8:34, 8:20 and 8:37. With a long uphill between miles 4 and 5, my quads start to tighten and thinking about my experience at the Colorado Springs Marathon, I decided to walk for 30 seconds while on the hill and then skip the walk at the water station. Bob is feeling good and he keeps running. Mile 5 was 9:10. Miles 6 through 16 was uneventful with the exception of seeing Craig, Sammi Jo, Sarah, Vicky and Gabe a few times on the course. I enjoyed their support as well as hearing that Linda and Ken were doing well. Mile splits were 8:35, 9:09, 8:33, 8:30, 9:05, 8:43, 9:04, 8:56 (half marathon split of 1:54:45, projected finish time of 3:49:30), 9:25, 8:48 and 9:10. Just prior to the 17-mile mark I see Bob on the return portion of the out and back section of the course. Bob is looking good and has about a 9-minute lead on me. Miles 17 through 19 splits are 9:11, 9:00 and 9:07. I see Linda and Ken and they’re smiling. Linda’s form is looking as good as I have seen her look in a long time. I am feeling comfortable from mile 20 through 24.5 where we hit the steepest and probably the third longest hill on the course. Splits are 8:48, 9:21, 8:58, 9:06, 9:29 and 9:00. Finishing time of 3:54:45. Not quite the sub 3:40 I was hoping for but considering the altitude, weather (satisfactory, but not ideal), hills, the many turns and a nagging hamstring from the St Louis Marathon, I was satisfied with my time. I placed 54th overall out of 198 starters and 178 finishers. 13th out of 27th in the 50 to 59 year age group. If I were 13 months older I would have won the 60 to 69 age group. Bob finished 36th overall in a time of 3:42:13 and 13th in the 30 to 39 year age group. Linda and Ken finished in 4:42:31 placing 115th and 116th overall. Linda placed 7th in her age group, the best showing of the four of us. Ken placed 30th in his age group.

Race organizers did an excellent job in the inaugural running of the Casper Wyoming Marathon. Everything from the pre marathon pasta dinner Saturday evening through the post marathon refreshments was great and very well organized. The course needs to be improved somewhat with the elimination of some of the many turns. For example, lengthening the out and back portion of the course could eliminate some of the loops in the parking lots. I would like to think the race organizers will improve the course for next years marathon, but if they do not, the existing course has to be better the very difficult course in Laramie.

50 marathons completed in 40 states. Next marathon is the YMCA Bismark Marathon, in North Dakota on September 6 with Linda Thompson, Ken Winn and possibly Bob Panzak.

Rest if you must, just don’t quit,
Marty