Walking Big Sur

Here I sit, wedged between a Christmas tree and a roaring fire (in a fireplace), in the heart of Big Sur. My morning walks have taken me by the Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park Ranger Station, the start for the full marathon in April, and the Big Sur River Inn at mile 2.5. It’s as spectacular as marathon morning but with more traffic. It makes me even more appreciative of the privilege of walking this coast with the highway closed to traffic on race day.

In July the Big Sur hills south of the marathon route were struck by lightening and the ensuing fires devastated much of the landscape as well as many homes and businesses. On Christmas Eve and Christmas day, heavy rains were predicted to cause flash flooding and landslides as the fire-stricken areas bare of vegetation could be easily washed away with even 2 inches of rain. State parks and trails were closed. Today, Boxing Day, skies were perfectly clear and we could drive south. Hillsides have swaths of brown and black where fires raged. Still, signs of tiny green life are already visible.

There remains great risk of landslides and flash flooding through the winter and spring months which typically bring heavy rains to the area. I will be hoping for the best for the people who live and work here. It’s a part of the world that can’t be captured by the million or more photographs and paintings that have been taken of it. And, as many of you know, I consider the opportunity to walk this coastline, free of traffic and with drums and music to enhance the perfection of the views one of the great blessings of my life. As my morning walks the last few mornings, jumping to the ditch to avoid cars, has reminded me, it’s a walk that simply can not be duplicated any other day of the year.

Our training schedules for the race begin the first week of January. And, if you can make it out to the left coast the last Sunday in April, there is still room in the 21 miler event – the perfect distance and course opening walkers! This is the first time in the six years that I have entered the race that the event was not sold out by the end of November. I’m not sure if it is the fires that have made people hesitant to visit the area or the economy, but I can tell you that the coast is still perfection for walking.

Here's a hot idea for a snowy weekend

For all of you buried up to your eaves in snow, how does a little Miami heat sound? If it sounds appealing, consider joining me with Team Prevention at their first race of 2009 - the ING Miami Marathon on January 25! The full marathon has a time limit of 6 hours 30 minutes while the half marathon has a time limit of 3 hours 30 minutes.

You can sign up with the team at www.prevention.com/team

This may be the best gift you could give yourself this holday!

Dallas White Rock Marathon

Last weekend I attended the Dallas Marathon – the fourth and final marathon attended by Team Prevention for their fall 2008 series. Joining the team is easy, readers of Prevention register through the magazine to receive online moral support and training for the marathon of their choice. As part of the package they can choose to join us for a special pasta dinner and pre-race breakfast at the event.

As the walking coach for the Team, I enjoyed another wonderful experience meeting so many walkers who, through the magazine, have changed their lives setting the goal of walking a half or full marathon.

Dallas has no walking division but the half marathon course is open for 5-1/2 hours. The full course has a closing time of 6-1/2 hours. Several Team Prevention members finished within 30 minutes of this time limit and the race commentators remained cheerful and enthusiastic until the last – giving a personal cheer over the loud speakers as the final tenacious marathoners came across the line.

I joined the larger percentage of the Team walking the half marathon. We started with the full marathoners in the appropriate pace corral beside the American Airlines Center at Victory Park in downtown Dallas. Despite freezing temperatures in the days prior to the marathon, race morning was a balmy 20° C . Saved by the weather gods! All of my cold-weather gear was safely stowed for Canadian winter at home.

We lined up in the appropriate pace corrals waiting for the crowd of 17,000 to inch forward. A beach ball was being bounced around up ahead. Finally, a roar rose from the front of the crowd, and we began a slow shuffle toward the bouncing beach ball. Confetti filled the air – a blizzard of green, red, ad white tabs of paper.

The course was definitely not what I expected after walking around downtown Dallas for two days. After a short mile or two in the downtown core, we found ourselves making our way through wealthy residential areas with homes decorated with garlands, bows, and lights.
The half marathon course featured just enough inclines, trees, and homes to protect us from a fierce wind. I later heard from participants walking the full course they faced a full gale assault walking around White Rock Lake between miles 15 and 20. The last two miles for those of us walking the half was along a beautiful and protected rail trail converted to a walking and bicycling path.

Back at the finish line, Team Prevention half marathoners, many of whom were walking 13 miles for the first time, came in to a hearty welcome from Team Prevention staff and massage therapists! NOTHING beats having a massage at the finish.

Once all the half marathoners arrived there was time to make our way over to a separate finish line for the full marathoners. Race organizers for the Dallas White Rock Marathon had distinguishing blue bibs manufactured for first time marathoners and there many blue bibs at the back of the pack. Their time limit was 6 hours and 30 minutes but as the final Team Prevention walkers came in at 7 hours, race organizers remained at the line to welcome them with a personal word of encouragement.

It’s a becoming a cliché how completing a marathon can change a life but seeing family supporters for these final finishers with their hand-painted signs, flowers, and bear hugs reminds me that completing a marathon is not just a test of endurance but commitment, tenacity, and faith in the human body’s capacity for growth. It’s not your regular day at the gym.