State Number 34
– Sioux Falls Marathon, Sioux Falls, SD
10 September
2017
When my wife and I decided to confront the enormous
challenge of completing a marathon in all fifty states, there was one question
that kept popping up, both in our heads and from the skeptics.
“You do realize that means you’ll have to do states
like Nebraska, North and South Dakota, right?”
At first, resigning to that fact was not exactly out
of the question, completely aware that knocking out fun states like Florida,
Alaska, the Carolinas or Hawaii could easily top our agenda, I would also have
to spend some weekends in less glamorous, fashionable or dazzling states in
plain, ordinary and unconventional locales.
You inspire little suspicion in others when you say
you’re off to catch a flight to Sioux Falls or Fargo. Where?
There’s no getting around it, eventually I would have to go there, one
way or another. Over the years, I discovered
some very unique marathons. There’s one
that runs near Niagara Falls; through California’s coastal redwoods; through
the feudal lands of the Hatfield’s and McCoy’s; through the monuments of DC; or
through lands subjugated by grizzly bears and moose with the possibility of
being attacked or trampled to death during a marathon.
With all these fun races, there had to be at least one
race in every state that was worth the trip.
Yes, it’s probably the Mt. Rushmore or Crazy Horse Marathons in western
South Dakota, but a “flatter” Sioux Falls Marathon was exactly what I needed
given my fitness level. In fact, the
state’s license plate proudly displays the slogan, “Great Faces, Great Places.” Could that be any hint for what was in store?
Tackling those hilly courses around the famous and distinguishable
presidential sculptures in the world or around an unfinished horse with
dementia or possibly some equine sociopathic disorder didn’t fit into our
marathon calendar. Sure, I would likely
find those marathons nothing more than short of awe-inspiring, but a run around
and through Falls Park witnessing the Big Sioux River spilling and crashing over
the hardened ancient Sioux quartzite formations exposed during the last ice age
would have to suffice as a superseding awe-inspiring run.
Just a mere two weeks prior to Sioux Falls, we ran the
Nebraska State Fair Marathon (State No. 33).
I would consider my fitness level in Nebraska dismal at best. My training suffered and the discipline I
normally exude unexpectedly waned. So,
the expectations going into Sioux Falls were exactly the same as Nebraska – but
I did expect a slightly better finishing time.
I didn’t train much in the time spanning Nebraska and
South Dakota. My ever-present heal
discomfort still consumes my attention, but seems to be subsiding. I know any fitness improvements I may gain in
two weeks is not possible. I didn’t want
to push it, so slow easy two or three-mile runs had to suffice. Besides, the summer heat does not want to
readily concede to the cooler ambiances September usually conveys.
We caught an early morning Frontier flight out of LAX
to Sioux Falls (FSD), with a brief layover in Denver (DEN). Knowing that Frontier was essentially Spirit
Airlines outfitted with a different wardrobe, we were in the dark as what to
expect as a function of timeliness, comfort and dependability.
Fees, fees and more fees. Airlines seem to love fees and will do
whatever to keep passengers paying them.
The low-cost carriers like Frontier charge additional fees for overhead
space rental; however, like our previous trip to Nebraska, we stuffed or
backpacks with our essentials and placed them under the seat, thus avoiding
additional fees.
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| Even the good folks at FSD welcomed runners |
Frontier Airlines?
They surpassed my expectations, arriving at FSD earlier than expected. I believe all airlines inflate their
estimated arrival times giving passengers a false sense they arrive earlier
than scheduled. The rather small, but modern
airport, allowed us ample time to wait for and catch the shuttle van to our
hotel. Since we were only in Sioux Falls
for a much hyped weekend long run (at least for me), we opted out of a rental
car. Besides, what can we see in
southeastern South Dakota? The looped
marathon course likely showcases what Sioux Falls has to offer anyway, with VIP
access to streets and trails.
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| My favorite - a looped course |
Here we
go! Big race day was upon us. I was ready to tackle 26.2 miles in the best
possible way with no thought of attempting a PR, let alone a BQ. I was in it to finish¼and
that’s it.
After a somewhat restless night of sleep (kind of a
norm before a marathon), I munched on a couple of granola bars infused with
some peanut butter and chocolate and a can of beet root juice given to runners
at the expo. The beet juice was new to
my diet and most runners know not to try anything new before a marathon. I was a little worried it would upset my
stomach – but, surprisingly, it didn’t.
Our alarm sounded at 0530, early enough to get
ourselves together and out the door by 0600 for the 0630 start. Let’s do this – its game time! For the second time in the race’s history,
the start and finish venue took place at the Denny Sanford Premier Center, just
a mere 0.25-mile walk across the street from our hotel.
The Premier Center is a large multi-use arena designed
for large scale concerts and sporting events.
With a capacity of over 10,000, it is the perfect place for a marathon
start and finish.
As we stepped out of the hotel lobby, dazzling flashes
of lightning contrasted against the dark morning sky with intermittent trickles
of rain drops plopping on my face. Based
on what I saw on weather forecasts, the cumulonimbus clouds and rain were to
move out by daybreak. The thought of the
starting time being pushed back due to lightning crossed my mind. I turned on my Garmin for a solid GPS signal
before entering the arena – a lesson learned from Fargo.
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| Nervous runners |
Similar to Fargo, starting in an indoor arena is a
rare occurrence. First and foremost,
runners need not have to worry about wearing several layers of clothes to stay
warm while waiting in the starting corrals.
For a real bonus, genuine restrooms are a real treat (it’s the little
things, people).
Greatness. What
makes a person great? What quality is the
most important quality in a person?
These can be challenging questions and if I were to ask these questions
to a variety of people, the wide disparity of answers would be amazing.
My gut reaction to a question about greatness would
send me looking for powerful athletes or world leaders known for amazing feats
of diplomacy, but I also think greatness can also be defined in terms of character.
During a visit to an upstairs restroom, I overheard an
assembly of runners from all walks of life gathered on the second floor of the
arena listening to a fellow runner deliver some inspirational messages. As I pinned my ears to the goings-on, I got
the impression the daily message revolved around character, ego and not being
afraid of taking the hand of Jesus, if needed, for the duration of the race set
before them (Hebrews 12:1).
The message was not letting one’s ego get in the way
of a great, or not-so-great, run. Being
unhappy about your marathon time may be the result of your refusal to ask for
help, or not bending to listen or walk with Jesus, and mostly, rejoice in one’s
hard-earned effort of running 26 miles.
The hand of Jesus is always stretched out for you as a free gift for
healing, restoration for your shame, failure or forgiveness. All we have to do is accept His hand.
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| Thirty minutes before start time |
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| I'm somewhere on the left side |
It was 66°F outdoors and seemed
ten degrees cooler indoors. With about
fifteen minutes before the start time, a mass of marathon runners (half
marathoners started thirty minutes later) gathered in the winding and twisting
starting corral. My wife and I
negotiated our way to near the front of the pack next to the super-fast runners
as a way to get out early and not be slowed down by a large pack of runners
exiting the arena. Not long after, an
announcement informed the runners that due to the lightning in the area, the
marathon will be delayed fifteen minutes.
While waiting for the starting gun, I thought of that
inspiring pre-marathon message and how I would apply it to the race set before
me. I felt as if I needed that
encouragement to see me through and whatever my time, I will be content,
gratified and at peace with myself.
The short-lived delay came and went. It was time – time to begin my weekend long
run. I glanced at my Garmin, and as
predicted, shockingly no signal. After a
prayer and the singing of the National Anthem and the sound of a starting gun,
we were off and running!
One never knows what will happen on marathon race day,
but I’ve done what I could do and now the aim is to give it my all and
finish. That’s all I can ask for at this
time.
I joined the 3:25 pace group shortly after exiting the
arena until I couldn’t hold on any longer.
Then, settling into my normal groove, I moved to the side of the road
and tried not to affect those faster folks behind me with my slower, and much
more comfortable, pace.
The temperature in the arena was somewhat chilly. It was either the air conditioning working
overtime or maybe it was the floor ice under the sheets of plywood that covered
the floor. Either way, it was cold and I
was glad to get out into the warmer humid air outside the arena. The cool air did feel good, and as the
marathon progressed, I looked back and relished that cold air.
Daylight began to quickly dominate the skies within
the first couple of miles. The cloudy skies
put a smile on my face and if they prevail throughout the day, I felt confident
my performance would surpass my disaster in Nebraska.
The first five miles took us from the arena center into
downtown Sioux Falls. The hills weren’t
easy, nor tough, but just the right mix to afford runners a warm-up for what
was to come. Of course, fresh legs do
make a difference. Over the course of these miles, my Garmin
indicated each mile about 0.05-mile short of the course’s official marker
flag. I surmise it was from the lack of
a signal in the arena.
Charging up the downtown hills at marathon pace gave
me a sense of euphoria – but the downhills were even more fun. A portion of the course’s downtown journey
took runners through a section of Sioux Falls’ renowned sculpture walk where various
sculpture exhibits adorned the sidewalks.
Some were so abstract I couldn’t figure out what they represent while
some were of actual animals, birds or ordinary people doing ordinary things. Apparently, the sculpture’s artists loan
their work to the city and are available for purchase. Lots of people made their way into downtown
and braved the elements to cheer on the runners, which always makes it super
fun.
The next couple of miles took runners out of downtown
and the historic district onto the multi-use paths of Sioux Falls’ prominent and
well-known Falls Park. Observing the Big
Sioux River spilling over the hardened Sioux quartzite looked magical in the
early morning light.
We continued along the pathways crisscrossing the park
passing by numerous historical markers and the park’s Overlook Café, Queen Bee
Mill and the remains of its penstocks, and the observation tower. Each one of those structures are built with
the quartzite rock quarried and extracted out of the area. I wanted to stop at each one of the
historical markers and read the inscriptions, but with my time-sensitive
mission, I decided to come back sometime after the marathon (a post-marathon
recovery walk so-to-speak) to enjoy and appreciate the splendor of the park.
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| Looking strong |
After exiting Falls Park, runners embarked on a
journey back into a revitalized section of Sioux Falls’ Riverwalk, with views
of the Big Sioux River, downtown buildings, sculptures and a variety of artwork
forms.
Riverwalk converted into Sioux Falls Bike Trail
through the greenways of Beadle Park, Cherry Rock Park, Riverdale Park and
Pasley Park, beautiful sections of parks adjacent to the Big Sioux River blanketed
with predominately maple and locust trees, numerous playgrounds, picnic areas
and dog parks.
After a short out-and-back section around the Pasley
Park’s parking lot around Marathon Mile 10, runners began a journey through
some older residential neighborhoods.
The flat sections of park trains suddenly transformed to some hilly
sections of roadway – something the race organizers threw in just make things stimulating
and attention-grabbing, suggesting to runners, “just because it’s South Dakota
doesn’t mean its flat.” My pace slowly
began to taper off, likely from the hills rather than from fatigue. Cloudy skies still prevailed, but the
temperatures and humidity levels changed gradually.
In a well-kept middle class neighborhood of southeast
Sioux Falls, I crossed the half marathon split in a time of 2:18, more or less,
just under my goal time of 2:20.
As runners entered the busy East 57th Street,
a tall municipal water tower dominated the nearby background, but first I
needed to negotiate an unwelcomed hill before settling into a routine of small
rolling neighborhood hills before embarking on parkland trails.
I got the first indication this, again, wasn’t going
to be my day when the thought of conserving my energy level needs became first and
foremost on my mind. Giving in to the
temptation to walk the hills wasn’t really what I wanted, but reality bites. Consuming some Honey Stinger energy chews I
had previously packed gave me some extra vitality to charge ahead while still
remaining optimistic for a sub-five hour finish time.
At Marathon Mile 16, runners again joined the
pedestrian/bike trail at Tuthill Park.
The cloud cover began to break allowing for some unwelcomed sun and
rising temperatures. For the next two
miles, the shaded areas along the Big Sioux River provided needed relief from
the unsolicited meteorological elements.
Over the last couple miles or so, a small, but
nagging, pebble somehow made its way into my shoe. I put up with it all that time hoping it
would maneuver itself into a neutral position.
No so. While in Yankton Trail Park,
I relented and had to seat myself onto a memorial flagstone slab bench to
remove it, while passing runners asked if I was ok. I assured everyone I was peachy keen, but I
admit, it felt great to remain in a seated position, while watching kids play,
runners pass by and the sounds of birds in the trees, but I had a job to
complete and time was of the essence and sitting there wasn’t going to get it
done.
After exiting Yankton Trail Park, it was back on to a
one-mile stretch of East 57th Street into Sertoma Park, home to
several oxbow lakes of the Big Sioux River.
Turning into the park grounds, runners passed by the Butterfly House and
Aquarium. As I made my way into the
parking lot, the sound of AC/DC’s Back in
Black blared from a stereo system set up near the aid station, giving me
some oomph and inspiration for the psychological halfway mark of a marathon –
the final 10K.
I run up a short but steep hill near the outer
boundary of the park to the top of a flood control levee and into a stiff head
wind. The wind made running difficult
and nearly blew the hat off my head and into the river. To conserve energy, it was again walk time
until I crossed the bridge at Marathon Mile 20 to begin my run with the wind at
my back.
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| The dreaded levee run |
This was the beginning of what was to be a dreaded
five mile section of boring open land on a bike trail atop a levee sharing the
road with cyclists who didn’t want to be bothered by runners. Too bad, so sad I thought, slow down and deal
with it.
Spectators were few and far between and pretty much
non-existent. Flyovers by military jets;
running past the rear of the Great Plains Zoo while saying hello to the bison,
giraffes and rhinos; and watching golfers hack their way down the fairways at
the Minnehaha Country Club sort of took my mind off the monotony of the hugely
boring levee trail and kept me from going crazy and losing my sanity. It was akin to being on an endless outdoor treadmill
that would never stop.
The cloudy skies quickly departed the scene while I
was on the levee. There was zero shade
and zero protection against the intense sun on exposed skin. I was dying.
I wanted it to be done! The
thought of stopping a biker, jacking his bike and riding to the finish was a
novel idea. But, I could never do
that. I was in it for the long haul.
With 5K remaining, I high-fived a little girl at her
“official high-five station” just before crossing under the West 12th
Street overcrossing. She had this
jubilant look on her face as runners extended their hands for a much needed
power boost.
I knew a sub-five marathon was out of the
question. With just seventeen minutes to
finish, I knew that would certainly never happen, even on a good day with super
fresh legs. My new goal – beat my time
from Nebraska. All eyes were set on
that. With thirty-seven minutes to run
five kilometers, no problem, right?
The final two grueling, demanding and punishing miles
on the levee finally came to an end. Suddenly,
the Marathon Mile 25 flag appeared as I made my way off the levee onto Russell
Street. My Garmin still showed a
distance discrepancy of about 0.08 mile, pretty much consistent with all the
previous miles. If this course was
short, I wasn’t going to complain one bit.
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| Home at last |
I reached into my grab-bag of tricks for everything I
had for the final mile, giving it my best shot to finish strong. When the Premier Center came into view it was
a heavenly sight, only a short jog to the finish line. I was hot, sweating like a pig and ready to
call it a day as I entered through the loading ramp doors onto the arena floor
while being blasted with the arena’s chilled air. What a feeling!
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| Eyeing the finish |
I finished with a not-so-great time of 5:20:49, just
two seconds slower than Nebraska. Mission
failed. If I hadn’t stopped for a couple
of pictures along the way, walked that half mile, or removed the rock from my
shoe, I would have bettered my time.
Coulda, woulda, shoulda. My
Garmin read 26.15 miles. My guess is
that the arena affected my GPS signal and threw off the distance a bit.
Age graded
score: 43.91%
Age graded
time: 4:40:01
Average time:
4:18:00
Standard deviation: 0:46:03
Food! I was
dying for food. That’s what I had on my
mind closing in on the finish line. I
was more than happy to partake in some of the post-race refreshments provided
to the runners. Post-race food? Where?
My wife informed me that all the food, beer, refreshments were gone,
eaten by mostly half marathoners and the faster full marathoners. All I got was a bottle of water. Fortunately, my wife saved a bag of chocolate
milk (which I quickly consumed), bananas and other goodies. She finished over an hour before me.
I couldn’t believe it.
I was not a happy camper and was profoundly disenchanted. We even voiced our discontent with the race
director who acknowledged that miscalculation.
I had nothing to revitalize my day except for my finisher’s medal (at
least they had enough for all the participants). I even scored an extra three-quarter zip event
tech shirt from the multitudes of left-over shirts as we left the arena vestibule
for a long painful walk back to the hotel.
I remembered that spiritual message I eavesdropped on prior
to start time. Yes, I may be a little
unhappy with my performance, but I forbade my ego from getting in the way of my
not-so-great run. Most notably, I wasn’t
afraid to ask for His hand to guide me to the finish. I rejoiced in my hard-earned effort and can
be at peace with myself as I sum up my memories of Sioux Falls.
I looked forward to a great meal to satisfy my burning
desire for a post-marathon meal. A
Philly cheesesteak fit that bill, but first we took full advantage of the spa,
pool and indoor water slide, which we had all to ourselves. The therapeutic relaxation and the absence of
hyperactive and overexcited kids was a godsend.
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| Hotel's indoor pool area |
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| At the falls |
On Monday morning, we embarked on a five-mile post-marathon
recovery walk to Falls Park and downtown to enjoy the sculpture walk. Stopping, seeing and reading all the
historical markers at the park and exploring areas in downtown I wasn’t able to
see during the run made the tough effort worthwhile.
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| Sculptures in downtown |
As for the race itself, I can assertively say I really
enjoyed the first twenty miles. For
Fifty Staters wanting to run South Dakota, to put it mildly, just prepare
yourself for the final six miles.
It wasn’t the flattest or the hilliest course I’ve run,
but there was undoubtedly an interesting mix of parks, downtown landmarks,
historic neighborhoods and, of course, Falls Park that made Sioux Falls famous. As for the hills, they were thrown in just to
make the course interesting, yet challenging enough to test ones fitness.
With thirty-four states behind me, I have just sixteen
states to visit to bring my fifty states journey to a provisional close. In between now and then, I’m letting myself
be lured down a new path, one with its own discoveries, not only to explore
uncharted terrain but to reignite the flame of my athletic endurance and
fitness levels and re-draw the lines that we call our limits.
I loved the spirit and the people of South Dakota. We departed FSD on a late Monday afternoon
flight. I went home happy, content and
ready to challenge myself to the next state.
It’s onwards and upwards.
