Well, 10 weeks of focused preparation have lead to this event. Tomorrow I get to lay it all out there and answer a few questions I've had about how this will go for me. It's hard to describe to outsiders the atmosphere of the weeks of leading up to Mt. Marathon and the general vibe in the community of Seward during this event. In South Central Alaska, there really is no other event that generates as much buzz and media attention as MMR. It's really something. And to think I have the good fortune to experience it for the first time as a competitor is pretty cool. It's certainly going to suck for part of it but if I can make down in one piece and pull off a decent performance along the way, I'm going to be pretty psyched.
The taper and the wait has been eating me alive for the last few days. I'm really ready to rodeo. Competitors eat and breath nothing but this event for weeks before. Grown men diet hard to be as light as possible. Multiple laps on the course are necessary to dial in your chosen route through the lower section of the course. Weather contingencies are planned and you hope your form comes around right when you need it. Although most Alaskans would prefer a cool foggy day, no such luck this year. It's gonna be HOT.
The heat, like the mud on wet years, throws an unknown variable into the mix. In 2009, two apparent winners, Holly Brooks for the women and Brent Knight for the men both came to grief in the heat within sight of the finish while leading their respective races. Both ended up in the hospital and were denied the sweet victory that was within their grasp. I'm sure it was a bitter pill to swallow.
For me, heat is hateful but often I perform well. But those occasions where I did so were usually preceeded by training in the heat, like when I lived in Boise, Idaho. No such luck here. I'll try some starting line cooling strategies and pace myself accordingly. Times are often slower on warm MMRs.
Preview
For those interested in the true nature of the course, a local television station has produced some very nice, short videos detailing key sections of the race. Clint McCool has done some 18 editions of the race and has been top 10 numerous times. He's gunning for the 50+ record this year. In these videos, Clint gives his take on the terrain.
Click on each for a link to the video
For those looking for something to do around 3pm AK time, the Men's race will be broadcast live here.