This was indeed an unplanned detour from my race schedule.I have decided to have a non-boring summer and do something different! I had been specifically training for Moscow Trail on the 24th. However, after coach and I sat down and assessed my fitness level this year, he said I should try at least ONE marathon on pavement this year. Ugh....I had tried to move to the marathon from the half in the trail, but it was too late. Plus, I'd be looking at a long recovery from that. The next factor was yup, the weather forecast was not looking good this year. I won last year because it was cold. I can be very fit, but if it's hot, I'm done and my body just shuts down. Well, if you want me to attempt a marathon in the SUMMER, that's only happening way the heck up north and even then it's a risk on heat. What's on the menu? Well there's Arkhangelsk. I have always wanted to do this one but either lacked time or money or both. Usually, it was both. Arkhangelsk is on the same latitude as Fairbanks, Alaska. I even remember pointing that out to the kids in my Russian classes when we did Russian geography.
Translation- I'll get midnight sun/ white nights and a climate similar to what I''m used to in Alaska, but yeh, can still be a heat risk. So, after hearing good reviews from friends in Moscow who have done this run, I decided to do it! I contacted the race director and he was very helpful. You only live once and one of the biggest regrets I have about all the time I lived in Russia, is that I was always bound to my very less than satisfying unstable work and never got to travel as I wanted to. Russia has so much to offer and there are countless cool and beautiful places still on my Bucket List even after all these years. I still want to go to Baikal, Kamchatka and Yakutsk for sure one day, and that's just the tip of the iceberg. Yes, I've been in Russia off and on for over 28 years, and I still have a Bucket List.
I found a very nice flat and awesome host on Air bnb- which is pretty much what I use from Alaska to anywhere else because truth be known- I hate hotels. You can't cook (very important for athletes before races), can't do laundry, have annoying cleaning people coming to your room every day, and the noise.....not to mention that they are generally a huge ripoff no value for the money (with the exception of the Skanste in Riga). Flats are cheaper and-yes, you get the place to yourself which is what I need before a big race. I need to rest and I need a quiet place to do so. After the race, I can play, but before it's rest and EAT. Pelmeni tend to take care of the carbo loading needs as do varenniki. I'm not going to lie, then I'm in the Bush I miss good Russian food. (and produce...and beer...and beer did I mention good beer?)
Of course, when I got to town it was +10C when I went for an evening walk. The next day...ugh 23! My job was to stay home and get lots of fluids in along with calories. I walked around a bit after my shakeout run but not overdoing time spent in my feet. I found the stadium where the start finish would be-took me 10 minutes :)
Here are some pics from that evening walk-beautiful!
Race day- I got up 4 hours before the start to eat and hydrate. Much later than that, and I risk toilet issues. I have to eat early. I walked down to the start area to drop my stuff and after a quick parade of participants, a quick TV interview,and we were off. The course was a short out 1k to the embankment where it was 5 loops then back to the finish. Not only did I have the dumb luck of it being warm 23-25 C and not a cloud in the sky, but it was windy enough the waves off the river were white capped. Oh yes, and people were sunbathing at the beach-not a good sign when you are trying to run a marathon! I actually held pretty consistently until about 36 or so k in when I was really feeling the sun. Despite drinking fluids like a fish, I was headed to dehydration. I had been taking my gels and Vespa as scheduled and even had my salt sticks. I wondered if I'd need them, but in the morning, I took them with me as it's always better to be looking at something than wishing for it. I made the right decision. I was very glad this marathon had an aid station in the middle of the loop very well stocked and you hit it every 4 km. They had water and isotonic and those cold sponges were a lifesaver. Yay to the volunteers!!! THANK YOU!
The 3rd woman had been trailing me 600-800m the whole day and I knew she was trying to close the gap. With about 3k to go, I was feeling that nasty light headedness I get when I overheat. I just had to gut it out, it would be the pits to get passed that late in a race. I just dug in and gutted it out til the finish in the stadium. I finished 2nd about 10 min slower than planned. I made a beeline for the shade after I finished and sat and got fluids in for a good half hour before I got up. That sun was killing me. I finished with one hell of a brown tan no beach necessary.I had a good half in May but, it was 5-7C and that says a lot. The finisher's medal is about one of the coolest ones I have.
clear skies and hot!
It was 30 in Moscow the weekend I ran in Arkhangelsk, so I still did the right thing by leaving. There was no way I was going to do well in the trail race in that heat.
That evening, they had the awards for top 6 marathoners and age categories top 3. This was very well done as well. After, I was invited down to the clubhouse and got to meet some really nice folks. I would definitely like to put this on my schedule next yr. Last year, it was 7C and wet maybe next year I'll get lucky on the weather.
I took my time walking home just before the sun hit the horizon around 11.
The next day I spent the afternoon walking all over town. Of course it had cooled off and was nice....Luba, met me and we had a great time walking about checking out City Days.
Translation- I'll get midnight sun/ white nights and a climate similar to what I''m used to in Alaska, but yeh, can still be a heat risk. So, after hearing good reviews from friends in Moscow who have done this run, I decided to do it! I contacted the race director and he was very helpful. You only live once and one of the biggest regrets I have about all the time I lived in Russia, is that I was always bound to my very less than satisfying unstable work and never got to travel as I wanted to. Russia has so much to offer and there are countless cool and beautiful places still on my Bucket List even after all these years. I still want to go to Baikal, Kamchatka and Yakutsk for sure one day, and that's just the tip of the iceberg. Yes, I've been in Russia off and on for over 28 years, and I still have a Bucket List.
I found a very nice flat and awesome host on Air bnb- which is pretty much what I use from Alaska to anywhere else because truth be known- I hate hotels. You can't cook (very important for athletes before races), can't do laundry, have annoying cleaning people coming to your room every day, and the noise.....not to mention that they are generally a huge ripoff no value for the money (with the exception of the Skanste in Riga). Flats are cheaper and-yes, you get the place to yourself which is what I need before a big race. I need to rest and I need a quiet place to do so. After the race, I can play, but before it's rest and EAT. Pelmeni tend to take care of the carbo loading needs as do varenniki. I'm not going to lie, then I'm in the Bush I miss good Russian food. (and produce...and beer...and beer did I mention good beer?)
Of course, when I got to town it was +10C when I went for an evening walk. The next day...ugh 23! My job was to stay home and get lots of fluids in along with calories. I walked around a bit after my shakeout run but not overdoing time spent in my feet. I found the stadium where the start finish would be-took me 10 minutes :)
Here are some pics from that evening walk-beautiful!
Race day- I got up 4 hours before the start to eat and hydrate. Much later than that, and I risk toilet issues. I have to eat early. I walked down to the start area to drop my stuff and after a quick parade of participants, a quick TV interview,and we were off. The course was a short out 1k to the embankment where it was 5 loops then back to the finish. Not only did I have the dumb luck of it being warm 23-25 C and not a cloud in the sky, but it was windy enough the waves off the river were white capped. Oh yes, and people were sunbathing at the beach-not a good sign when you are trying to run a marathon! I actually held pretty consistently until about 36 or so k in when I was really feeling the sun. Despite drinking fluids like a fish, I was headed to dehydration. I had been taking my gels and Vespa as scheduled and even had my salt sticks. I wondered if I'd need them, but in the morning, I took them with me as it's always better to be looking at something than wishing for it. I made the right decision. I was very glad this marathon had an aid station in the middle of the loop very well stocked and you hit it every 4 km. They had water and isotonic and those cold sponges were a lifesaver. Yay to the volunteers!!! THANK YOU!
The 3rd woman had been trailing me 600-800m the whole day and I knew she was trying to close the gap. With about 3k to go, I was feeling that nasty light headedness I get when I overheat. I just had to gut it out, it would be the pits to get passed that late in a race. I just dug in and gutted it out til the finish in the stadium. I finished 2nd about 10 min slower than planned. I made a beeline for the shade after I finished and sat and got fluids in for a good half hour before I got up. That sun was killing me. I finished with one hell of a brown tan no beach necessary.I had a good half in May but, it was 5-7C and that says a lot. The finisher's medal is about one of the coolest ones I have.
It was 30 in Moscow the weekend I ran in Arkhangelsk, so I still did the right thing by leaving. There was no way I was going to do well in the trail race in that heat.
That evening, they had the awards for top 6 marathoners and age categories top 3. This was very well done as well. After, I was invited down to the clubhouse and got to meet some really nice folks. I would definitely like to put this on my schedule next yr. Last year, it was 7C and wet maybe next year I'll get lucky on the weather.
I took my time walking home just before the sun hit the horizon around 11.
The next day I spent the afternoon walking all over town. Of course it had cooled off and was nice....Luba, met me and we had a great time walking about checking out City Days.
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