INS Half-Marathon

Summer say too many sakau nights and not enough long run evenings. My runs, however, always included joggling with a eye to attempting to joggle the annual INS Nakasone store half-marathon.

I stepped off the road so my son could capture this picture

By the end of the half-marathon I had made on the order of 8,835 throws per hand, an estimated 17,670 throws in all. Yes, I dropped my balls. Many times. Heavy rain in Nett did not necessarily help.

A shot from the car near the end of the half.

This year was an special challenge. My final week taper was a total cessation of joggling due to a head and chest cold. Headache, congested sinuses, and productive chest cough. Whether I would run Saturday at all was touch and go.

But by Saturday afternoon I was coughing less, but my energy levels remained low. I was dragging Dausokele outbound. Still, the run was fun and the road filled with people. Out in U I passed a couple markets that were cranking up. I asked if the sakau was ready and was told, "Saik."

At the turn-around I drank a Gatorade and called the house - the new cell tower in U made a connection possible.

Inbound past the market I was told the sakau was ready, so I stopped to quaff a slug. Kelai sakau, strong. At Palipowe the route was slammed by torrential rain, which darkened the road and brought on the headlights. I had no sense of time - no watch, and even if I had one I did not want the weight. Even lifting a watch 8000 times adds up.

A team of three, including an Aussie, manned an impromptu water stop in U, I kept asking for Fosters when I passed them, but they had none.

In Nett I stopped for a CapriSun and a twist, leaving the rest of the bag at the water stop across the road. Although the liquid load started to give me stomach cramps, I felt better for having some food and juice in me.

By Etscheit hill my legs were wooden and my form was dragging, but I still felt a sense of joy despite the discomfort I was feeling.

Final meters - coming in past Truk Trading Company

I finished in 2:27:15, which surprised me. All my pre-race estimates suggested that I would exceed two hours thirty minutes, even given the 19.8 km course - something I measured last year while running with a GPS.

The route was blessed with clouds, so while the temperatures were warm and humidity 100% full saturated air, the lack of sun on the route and cool pavement were huge pluses.

Son of the owner, INS Nakasone store

An absolutely huge shout out thanks to INS Nakasone store and the FSMNOC for putting on the run. I simply have more fun each and every year. And this year will be especially memorable for having joggled the course, minus a brief stretch while I ate my twist, and for having had a shot of strong sakau along the route. Where else but Pohnpei on a Saturday afternoon?

The spread of "obi" from the run including a cash prize!

No other run gives every single runner a gift pack - this run remains special. Where else can you run on the planet where the support crew outnumbers the runners and you do not have to be an elite runner in an invitation-only race to enjoy this level of attention?

Some of the support crew for the run. Debra and Sweeter worked water stops and registration. Shrue was personal support staff, and Lisa was there at the end.