run_sunshine

Nov 10, 202120 min read

Lake Tahoe Marathon 2021

A journey from 7:05:56 to 4:11:03

FIRST PLACE OVERALL FEMALE

Way back in 2016 I was looking for motivation to get back in shape. I was a newlywed, settling into married life and getting comfortable in a sedentary lifestyle. On one of our many trips to Lake Tahoe, I noticed a half marathon advertisement and marveled at the fact that people could run that far. Something about that race stuck in my mind and by March I had registered as a ”walker”. I had a blast running/walking the mostly downhill course. During the race, a man stood roadside cheering runners next to a large banner that read “Lake Tahoe Marathon”. After the half marathon and the several weeks it took to recover, I thought back to that man waving. Hmm. I had only been “running” a few months when I researched the full marathon and saw that the finish line was on the same beach we were married. It was a sign! I immediately, and without discussing it with anyone, signed up for the full event. A few months later, after a grueling 7:05:56 and coming in 187th out of 195, I became a marathoner.

That first race lit a fire inside me, wanting more from my fitness and dreaming of improving every aspect of my running. I kept this race in the back of my mind during each and every training run over the years, remembering the difficulties of the course and using this event as an overall benchmark in my running journey. To say I looked forward to going back each October would be an understatement!

I gradually saw improvement over the years with a sub 5 hour finish in 2017 and an 2nd place age group award in 2018. But my course record still stood at 4:46:19. I had looked up specific overall and age group finish times for women over the years and taped them to my bathroom mirror. The First Place finish times were 3:30:00 or better on average (way out of my league) so I focused on reaching a coveted “TOP 25” spot. Reaching this status earns you a special T-shirt. This was my goal! I wrote little notes to myself and tucked them away everywhere. Some had my paces from previous years at LTM, others had goals I still longed to achieve, others had elevation stats, and still others had times I’d reached certain miles. Was I borderline obsessive? YES! But I suppose I wanted to master this race. I missed the TOP 25 in 2018 by six minutes and, after positivity announcing, “I’ll get it next year!”, I was reminded by a volunteer that it’s very difficult to take that much time off your marathon PR. Isn’t it fun to be underestimated?

The 2020 event was canceled but my running journey wasn’t. I worked hard during that year and continued training harder in 2021. An injury in 2019 turned that race into a 5 hour “fun run” for me so by 2021, three solid years had passed since my course PR. I WAS READY! I was excited!! This would be my year!! Then, an unforeseen snag, the Caldor wildfire started. Lake Tahoe was evacuated and the marathon was postponed 3 weeks. My heart sank. The new date, Halloween, was pushing close to winter season in the Sierra mountains. And, although the race director assured us he hadn’t seen snow on Halloween in 35 years, like clockwork a historic storm came in just a few days before race day dumping 3+ feet of snow in the high elevation and blanketing the courses. For a moment I felt a twinge of uncertainty. Then, a few days before race day, the RD switched the marathon start from 8am to 9am in hopes more snow/ice would melt. Now, I was not only worried but saddened that the event might not be the same again this year. By the night before the Sunday marathon, Cal-Trans pulled the permits for the event! Luckily, the CHP worked with the RD and closed roads so that we could continue on safely. Thank goodness everything was a GO! And Ron and I were in our glory, thrilled to be heading back to Tahoe after so much turmoil. So, on October 30 at sunrise we loaded the car with running gear and heavy jackets, and started the 2021 LTM weekend adventure.

A gorgeous Halloween weekend sunrise offered some much needed positivity as we cruised up HWY 50. A quick stop for breakfast at our favorite spot in Placerville, Buttercup Pantry allowed us to stretch and continue our mid-trip tradition.

As we traveled further up in elevation, the leaves put on a show of their own, mixing with the freshly fallen snow for a spectacular blending of seasons. However, the burn scar from the wildfires gloomed ever presently contrasting with the colorful leaves and bright white snow.

Before we knew it we had arrived in South Lake Tahoe and everything was just the same as it had always been. Our familiar happy places were all spared from the devastating fires and we felt giddy driving down the main strip into town.

I could NOT wait to get my hands on my bib and collect the other swag from the “expo”. To my surprise, they had a medal preview there as well so I gawked at those for longer than I should have.

I was beyond excited! There was no place else I’d rather be. The next day I’d see the start line in Homewood, laugh with the familiar race director, hear the bagpipes as we begin, smell the pine trees on the bike path, breathe the thin, fresh mountain air, climb “the hill from hell”, view Emerald Bay with sheer cliffs on either side of the road, and stagger through Tahoe Keys back to Stateline and the Lakeside Beach festivities. It already seemed surreal to be back to this point and I was completely appreciative. FINALLY! We were here! And the race was going to happen! And although I was going to do my best, just being back in Tahoe was a win.

We spent the afternoon visiting our favorite spots and taking pictures. I carried my bib everywhere, taking photos of it like a crazy person. Just so grateful!

After some beach shots, we drove to Taylor Creek for a short walk to admire the changing Aspen leaves. What a gorgeous area! We noticed a small group gathering to look at and photograph something in a tree. It was a bear! I’d never seen a bear before. We all stood and waited for the lazy animal to do something. Meanwhile, I noticed something just as rare: a man wearing a “TOP 25” shirt! My mind quickly jumped back into focusing on that prize.

The afternoon flew by and our reservations at our favorite restaurant, Edgewood were fast approaching. We arrived early enough to take a stroll on the beach as the sky turned pink at dusk. It was chilly with the wind whipping across the deep blue lake. I wondered if the morning weather would be more kind.

I ordered the sea bass and rice which was delicious yet petite. I felt like I needed more calories ahead of a marathon. The waiter got wind that I was running and said he’d be on course. His friends were throwing a Mimosa cheer party in the Tahoe Keys section of the race. He’d be looking for me around mile 20. I explained I’d be wearing my Halloween orange and black.

Because of the late 9am start time, we took our time returning to the room. When we did, I snacked on a protein bar just to make sure I stored up enough energy. It was lights out by 9pm and we planned on getting the show started by 6am the following morning. Plenty of time for solid sleep. That didn’t happen! Almost immediately we realized that the Hard Rock was a “party” hotel, not a “solid sleep before a big race” hotel. A full volume “Halloween” movie theme played from some random tv so I turned our tv on to drown it out. I couldn’t sleep though so I turned it back off and turned the fan on. Ahh, peace… Ron woke up and turned the fan off a bit later. It was only blowing HOT air and our room was now an oven. Haha! But I needed the fan on to sleep so I desperately turned it back on and opened the balcony door. Ok. Perfect! Except just as I fell asleep someone outside yelled, “ECHO, Echo, echo!!” “HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!” Ugh! Then, I kid you not, a dance party started at the club downstairs with a DJ rallying the partygoers. Is this really happening?! I think somewhere around midnight I passed out. But it was short lived. Our next door neighbors, high on life (and whatever else) returned from the casino or club and brought the party with them. NONSTOP talking and arguing ensued from 3:45am until, you guessed it, 10 minutes before we left for the race start. We literally had to laugh at it all. It was like that movie, “My Cousin Vinny”. Anyway, I took a shower to try to wake myself up and went to the lobby (where it was quiet) to buy a LARGE coffee and a poundcake, something I don’t normally eat on a regular day much less on a race day. But I was hungry and tired, so I devoured it without guilt!

The coffee was kicking in as we left the parking garage on the way to Homewood. Ron decided he needed extra caffeine so we found a Starbucks. Since it was Halloween now, Ron was served by a unicorn! I took note of this cue and started to positively adjust my frame of mind. I remarked that I had trained on days where I was sleep deprived just in case something like this ever happened. I thought I’d be ok.

RACE DAY!

Here we go! We drive the course backwards to reach the starting area. Usually this makes me super nervous especially with the steep hills and twists and turns but this year I was oddly calm. I definitely wasn’t the same runner I had been in 2019. My mindset was totally different and my body was trained for this. Instead of nerves, I was excited to see how well I’d do this year and I was wondering why I had made this course out to be so hard in years passed.

The winds had stopped and the skies were clear. It was a chilly 38 degrees but it was due to warm up to almost 50 by noon. Perfect running conditions. As we approached Homewood, my excitement was off the charts.

We parked up the hill from the starting line and we could see the “early start” marathoners starting their journey. It seemed like a lot of runners were starting early and I wondered if I had read the many emails wrong. The details had changed so many times in the last few weeks. My understanding was that if you started early you would not be eligible for placement in age group awards.

I jumped out of the car, shed my winter coat, and started my Garmin for a quick warm up. Phew, it was brisk! And the air was thin! Ah, yes, this is just how I remember it. I returned to the warm car, ate a banana, and changed into my racing shoes. Then we marched down the hill to congregate with the other runners and listen to any new instructions from the RD.

As soon as we neared lake level I felt a little disappointed with the low number of athletes. We talked about it in the weeks before the race that between the COVID restrictions and the the postponement from the wildfires, the field would probably be significantly smaller. But, there were only about 20 runners here! On a normal year there are 200. Still, I ran into an IG friend who took advantage of Halloween to run as Forrest Gump.

We knew it was just about 9am when the bagpiper strolled down the hill to the start line while playing the familiar “get ready” melody.

The RD lined us up for a group shot and explained that the woman standing in the front was the marathon champion for the last 2 days (she was participating in the Tahoe Triple-3 marathons in 3 days). I sized her up knowing she was probably my “competition”. She looked strong and ready and relaxed. I thought back to my TOP 25 goal and an age group award instead of trying to beat her. Then, I overheard someone ask her what kind of times she was running. When she said 4:30:00 and almost 5:00:00, I felt a glimmer of something more than an AG award.

Two minutes later, Les pulled the shotgun trigger and we crossed a timing mat (a new edition this year).

I had mentally prepared myself for the first few miles because they’re uphill and I’ve struggled in previous years with the start. Lake level is at 6,200 feet so the elevation gain, the cold when you’re not warmed up yet, and the altitude makes you rethink your goals early on. This year I told myself to start slow and remember if it feels too hard it’s because of the incline. For weeks I pictured those miles in my mind so that I felt relaxed right out of the gate. I waved to Ron and listened to the bagpipes fade away behind me.

A few men passed me during the first half mile and I was sure TRIPLE GIRL was on my heels. I settled in, listening to my music and smiling from ear to ear, happy to be back on my all time favorite course. Not even a mile in, a biker came up on my right. What’s this guy doing? I trying to stay relaxed. I knew there were escorts for the lead marathoners but my brain could not compute that he was there guiding me. I truly figured he was waiting for the lead who was coming up behind me. My brain was warped (or sleep deprived). Finally, after nearly 2 miles, I allowed myself to believe I was in the number 1 position. Unbelievable! When this happened in Crater Lake a few months ago, I thought it was a once in a lifetime deal. Now, it was happening again! Try not to think about it, you’ve got a LONG way to go. Just then BIKER GUY asked me something. What was he saying? I’m supposed to be relaxing over here and now I have to talk on top of everything else? Ha! A few minutes went by and the RD slowed down as he drove by also asking me something. This time I lowered my headset volume and BIKER GUY said, “He wants to know if this is your first marathon”. NO! I shouted as he drove out of hearing distance. At this point I felt obligated to tell BIKER GUY my LTM history. I mentioned I’d probably finish around 4:30:00 and he looked at me with a blank stare. Did he not hear me? Did he think that was too slow? Was he pondering what he got himself into? And why did the race director think this may be my first marathon? Did I look undertrained? Was I going out too fast? Thoughts of this year’s Boston marathon flashed through my mind with the lead male going out too fast for the first 20 miles then being passed by all the fast runners at the end.

Stay calm, you’re only at mile 4. Go by effort, forget your watch, forget BIKER GUY, forget TRIPLE GIRL, it’s just another run. You’ve been dreaming of this run for years, enjoy everything and take it all in. I refused to look behind me, instead focusing on the environment, the lush trees and snow covered pinecones.

Conversation had stopped but there was a strange beeping coming from the bike every few minutes. What is that? Is someone messaging him? It took me a few more miles to figure out that the beeps came right before a car passed from behind. Wow, that’s pretty cool!

I was cruising along, briefly stopping for each water station and taking gels consistently every 5 miles. Each aid station cheered, “FIRST FEMALE!” and I couldn’t believe that was lucky enough to be experiencing this again! I thought about how winning Crater Lake Marathon may have been only a stepping stone for this event, preparing me for this exact moment in time. I tried to push down any excitement for now. Hard to do as the miles tick on and the cheers only get louder. I instead focused on the hills that were coming before the halfway mark. I had made it to mile 7 and was met with a nice downhill stretch.

I felt really strong and efficient as I passed several younger men who apparently started with the earlier crowd. THAT was a great mental boost on top of already feeling good. I thought back to my first year, walking and struggling, as the FIRST MALE passed and waved to me. I remember thinking, “Wow! He must be so strong! He must be having so much fun”. His shirt said BE KIND on the back and he pointed to it as he went by. Now, here I am in the same section of the course pulling past men. Ok, no time for reminiscing, there are hills to climb. I took my first walk on mile 8 but it didn’t last too long. Biker GUY noted that biking is easier on the knees. I kept going. We must have passed the relay section because the BIKER GUY joked that my relay person didn’t show up. Ha! Ok, what is this? A sideshow act? I have a marathon to win, let’s stay focused! lol

Miles 9-11 feature “The Hill from Hell”, a 600 ft climb to “Heaven”. I readied myself for it taking short walks but running as much as I could. I passed several more people on this section. It’s satisfying when other runners look over at the bike and figure out you’re the lead as you pass them going up. We made it to the sign that read “You Made It! Fly with the Angels!”

And there was the bagpiper standing high on a boulder playing just for me (and BIKER GUY)! I don’t think I could’ve smiled any more widely. I WAS in Heaven! And the views finally opened up from dense forest to a bird’s eye view of the “Lake of the Sky”.

We traveled down the backside of the hill into Emerald Bay where I got more water before heading back up the last significant hill. I had an advantage by knowing the course like the back of my hand. Just climb this last section, and around the bend, then you’ll be halfway done. And not only that, they’ll be a nice downhill, then mainly flat back to the finish.

I was back to a run/walk for the 400 ft climb to Vista Point and BIKER GUY asked how I was doing. I told him I felt pretty good but apologized for being slow, remarking that I’m sure he just wants to get there. He said he was just happy to be in such a beautiful place. And added that it was a gorgeous day for a ride and that he’d live there if he could.

The half marathon starts at Vista Point and a huge crowd of runners were awaiting their start.

Since they still had 30 minutes to wait, they were not on the road yet. Instead, they were anxiously watching the early start marathoners. When they noticed BIKER GUY, all 200 runners/volunteers cheered just for me!! I almost lost it! They read my bib and called out my name! It was crazy!

I waved to the RD who was frantically setting things up. I kind of wanted him to see that I was still in the number 1 spot but he was too busy to acknowledge me. Plus, I didn’t want to jinx myself with 13 miles to go. I calculated later that I crossed this point in 2:01:30. As we passed the the half way point I felt a tiny cramp in my left foot. Oh no!! This happens to me on this course for some reason but not usually this early on. Try to think of something else. The downhill felt great and I kept myself in check, focusing on quick turnover and light steps. Down we went into the Tahoe basin.

With a sharp left, we turned onto the bike path. We’re here already? It seemed faster this year. The path was cool and quiet for the time being but I knew the half marathoners with fresh legs would soon catch up with us. And I was warming up! More than once I thought about stopping to take off the white long sleeve shirt I was wearing under my tank top. I could just get it later I figured.

But I refused to look back and wasn’t sure how much time I had. I was mentally slowing down and had fleeting moments where I didn’t care if I got passed. Mile 17, Taylor Creek. Where was that bear we saw yesterday? Was he lounging in a tree somewhere? I looked for him and remembered the TOP 25 shirt. Keep going!! Miles 18-20, the half marathon runners started filling the path. It would be harder to keep track if I got passed now. I was tired and now both feet were cramping on and off. Yet, I was proud of the effort I was still putting in. As we entered the residential Tahoe Keys, the sun blazed down. Out of the shade I was hot! Why did I overdress? My buff was soaked and my head felt like a gigantic pumpkin. Just then, I saw a familiar car! Is that Ron? He slowed and rolled the window down. Hi, honey!!!! I’m in first place!!!! He had to keep going. Omg! What was I thinking? I could have gotten rid of some clothing. Oh well, just seeing him gave me an adrenaline boost and I ran solid for another mile straight.

Then, I saw the waiter and all his drunk friends cheering! Ha! He recognized me and pointed, “Number 1!!!” Right after that I saw Ron again. He had parked this time and tried to run/walk with me. I threw him my soggy headband in return for his support. What this man puts up with!

Shortly after this I looked at my watch for the first time. I was struggling with leg cramps but not to the point that I didn’t think I could make it. I was worried about being passed though so I continued with as much power as I could. The watch said about 3:05:00 at mile 20 which was great for me on this course. BIKER GUY asked how I was doing. I let out a meek, “I’m ok”, to which BIKER GUY said, oh that doesn’t sound too believable. Mile 23, still passing a few people here and there but taking walk breaks to relax the leg cramps. BIKER GUY stopped to take off some clothing layers and said he’d catch up to me. Several girls went by and I kept wondering if my time was over. Then BIKER GUY caught up to me. 2 miles to go! My history on the course flashed before my eyes. I MAY ACTUALLY FREAKIN WIN! RUN!! 2 miles in training is like 17 minutes. That’s it! Just 15 more minutes. 14 minutes. A mile to go! I was nearly grunting at this point, or at least sighing heavily. Come on feet! Just concentrate on your music for a few minutes.

Then, as if a sign from above, a song from the LTM video (that I had watched on repeat everyday for motivation while on the elliptical) came on my headset for the final stretch. The music overwhelmed me. I had heard this song a thousand times as I watched finishers from previous years break the finish tape and now it was going to be my turn. How is this happening? I was less than a half mile away from winning. I looked back for the first time. I didn’t see anyone except some girls in tutus running a shorter distance. BIKER GUY asked my name and where I was from. Then he said he’d be leaving me to go up ahead to tell the announcer. I can’t even describe how I felt as he rode off and I knew I had this win.

A new biker came to lead me to the finish shoot, as if I hadn’t already pictured it a million times. Four hundred meters he said. Onlookers started gathering. It took all my concentration to relax my calves and feet. Almost there. People saw me and started cheering and jingling their cowbells. 50 feet to go!! Suddenly, I let go into the atmosphere and my cramps took over.

Omg. No!!! Relax, relax, relax… a man on the sidelines asked if I was ok. Do you need help? No, I’m ok I said (as I struggled to get control of my body). I didn’t want any help. This was my shot and I didn’t come this far to be disqualified. That’s literally what I was thinking. Ha! I regrouped and walked it in raising my arms in utter disbelief!

I freakin did it! Never in my wildest dreams did I dare to think this could happen. It meant everything to me. Ron captured it all on his phone and was so proud!!

A sports therapist shouted “nice recovery!” and a volunteer put a medal around my neck. Ron took me to the side and hugged me and I rested my head on his shoulder for a solid 2 minutes. Then I looked at him and said, “I did it! I won!”

My official finish time was 4:11:03, a 35 minute course personal record. And nearly 3 HOURS faster than my first ever LTM. I was beyond proud of my effort. And even though I knew I only won because of the small field size, my time far exceeded my expectations.

The RD walked up shortly after and asked how I did. I said, “I WON!” For some reason the there was no announcement when I came in. Weird. Anyway, I proceeded to tell the RD my history with this race all while fighting back happy tears.

I was overwhelmed by everything. He gave me a hug and told me the awards ceremony would be in about 5 minutes.

I grabbed some goldfish crackers and walked over to our car to get a protein shake. That’s when I pushed the save button on my Garmin. I totally forgot that the Virtual NYC MARATHON window allowed me to use this race as a qualifier so when my data linked to Strava, I got a badge notification that I had completed that race as well! I found my brand new 50th NYC marathon anniversary beanie and put it on for the Tahoe awards ceremony! Everything came together!

The TOP 25 award had slipped my mind when the announcer reminded us to head over to the Tahoe Blue Vodka table to collect it. Instead of a T-shirt, this year’s gift was a trucker hat and a mini bottle of vodka.

We had been waiting about 20 minutes or longer, watching the MALE champion and Half Marathon champions receive their trophies on the podium. It’s got to be my turn next. What’s taking so long. Then, the RD waved me over to a small group he was standing with. Yay! I guess it’s my turn. The RD says, “Beth, are you sure nobody passed you? We have another runner registering a faster time but it may be a timing error”. He asked if I went over the timing mat at 13.1 and I told him that it hadn’t been set up when I got to that point. He acknowledged that and said to just hang tight.

Was this the reason there was no grand announcement when I crossed the finish line? I slinked back to Ron, wondering if this win was a trick-or-treat.

Eventually, the RD signaled that it was time for me to climb onto the podium and my legs had no issues doing that! I wanted to tell everyone the details of my history with this race but stage fright limited my words. Did the huge crowd understand what this meant to me anyway? I think they did, but it didn’t really matter. I tried to hold on to every single moment, remembering the RD’s urging glance to tell my story, the MC’s hand as he bowed in awe of my accomplishment, the oohs and ahhs from the crowd of interested runners, and the photographer’s zoom lens pointed directly at me as I tried to force a relaxed smile through my emotions.

When the RD lead me off stage, he hugged me and said I would get a free entry for LTM 2022. Unbelievable! I was so appreciative and completely taken aback.

We hung around with the other runners and discussed the official results which seemed to be full of errors. A volunteer explained that I wasn’t eligible for an AG or Master’s award since I was champion and while I didn’t want to be greedy, I wanted to make sure I collected all my earnings before making the trip home.

Instead, I gathered my previous year’s medals that I brought from home and paired them with this year’s winnings, then made my way onto the beach for a sandy photo shoot.

Only half satisfied with my photos, we drove off towards home. I suggested we stop at the LTM banner posted on the way out of town for more photos but somehow we missed it. Instead we made a quick stop at Echo Summit for a couple shots. Usually breathtakingly with the green pines against the deep blue water, the vista turnout this year was burn scarred and snowy. It would have to do.

And perhaps, these photos represent a more realistic memory of this race anyway-not picture perfect but a real, scarred struggle with a determination to persevere despite all the obstacles. An imperfect but beautiful journey.

We continued down the mountains and back into the Sacramento valley, arriving home just before dusk with the neighborhood buzzing with Halloween vibes. As, I handed out candy, I checked the official results. My heart sank into my stomach. There it was! Another girl’s name above mine. Her time was 3:43:14! I ran to tell Ron, almost not able to speak. I was ok with finishing first in a small field but I needed it to be legitimate. Did she do the early start? Did she leave early? Who was this person? Why did the results have me officially finishing in 2nd place? I needed answers. Ron said there’s no way they’d lead me in on a bike and stand me on the podium crowning me the winner if I didn’t win. But this bothered me. I couldn’t celebrate anymore, not until I was sure. I lost sleep on Sunday night, going over it all. Did someone pass me in the beginning? I tried to look her up on social media for clues. Nothing. I figured eventually when the professional photos uploaded, I would learn the whole story. So I waited.

Tuesday afternoon, I happened to check the official results again. They had been UPDATED!! I was the true winner! Finally, I felt like I could really celebrate. The other girl actually finished in 7:19:10! She had stepped over the timing mat at the halfway point which registered 3:43:14. I was so elated! It had been an emotional 4 days, but now it was done.

The results officially read “1st in Division”.

So, what’s next? A sub 4 hours time on this course? A marathon win on this course with a regular field? A stronger finish with an official announcement? Yes, to ALL of these! Even with this year’s crazy win, I haven’t mastered this one yet and the free entry for next year’s race only confirmed my intuition to not only return to defend my title but to give the challengers a “run” for their money.