Run With Guys Prostate Half Marathon
Soap Lake, Washington
Saturday, August 10, 2013

I race walked the Run with Guys Prostate Half Marathon on Saturday, August 10, 2013 in Soap Lake, Washington. The event was the smallest in which I ever participated as there was only 15 participants in the half marathon. The size of the event caught me by surprise. I knew it would be a small event, but I did not expect it to be that small. The race director, Christine, and her Police Chief Husband were a very friendly. The event awarded every finisher a medal and a trophy for first place overall. The event was well organized; however, somehow in the marking of the course, a 1.2 mile out and back section was not marked and was not run. When I approached the finish line, I realized on my GPS watch that the course was short. Thus, when I was one block from the finish line, I turned around and went out just over 0.6 miles and then turned around and finished. My GPS distance registered 13.21 miles. I wanted this to be a full half marathon so I could count it as a state completed on my artificial left knee. This count stands at 13 states. The course was 9 miles of gravel road and 4 miles of pavement. It was a difficult course with two major climbs and the footing on the gravel roads was not very friendly for race walking. A section of about 150 feet near mile 5 was steeper than any other section of a race that I have ever done, including my trips up Pike’s Peak. I had to carry my own water/Gatorade as there were three places where water was available, near miles 4, 8, and 10. Except at these three places and the start/finish area, there were no volunteers anywhere else on the course. I enjoyed myself and Christine and her husband apologized profusely for not marking the course properly. I thanked them for holding the event and that I appreciated that they held the event to help fight prostate cancer.