Davis Fields Marathon Running

2009 #24			Santa Barbara International Marathon Santa Barbara, California Sunday 6 December 2009 This was the inaugural running of the Santa Barbara Marathon, and the organizers did a great job. I had barely trained for this one, and got a very sore knee at about mile 9, so I was happy to finish in 5:21.
2008 #23			Silicon Valley Marathon San Jose, California Sunday 24 September 2008 When you barely train, you feel it, like I did in the second half of this marathon. I reached the halfway point in 2:15 and took over three hours to finish the rest, with a final time of 5:19. The course has been changed since I ran this one in 1997, and now follows the Los Gatos Creek Trail to Los Gatos and back. Nice!
2007 #22			Rome Marathon Rome, Italy Sunday 18 March 2007 Son Davy was studying for a semester in Parma, Italy, so Rome was a great marathon destination. A fabulous running tour through an amazing city. Start and finish were at the Colosseum, the course went right through the square in front of the Vatican, and past every monument and fountain and statue you could imagine. Some running on cobblestone, which is a challenge. My finishing time was 4:59.
2006 #21			Berlin Marathon Berlin, Germany Sunday 24 September 2006 Wow. Over 30,000 runners and an estimated one million spectators. Gorgeous weather, fantastic course through the sights and history of this fascinating city. Right before the finish line we ran through the Brandenburg Gate, which was in the "no-man's land" between East and West Berlin when I studied there in 1978. I probably started too fast, lost momentum... halfway point at 2 hours 15 minutes, finish line at 4:53. I was very happy with that result considering I'd run San Francisco only seven weeks before.
#20			San Francisco Marathon San Francisco, California Sunday 30 July 2006 My fifth running of the San Francisco Marathon. I ran this with my younger son Jim, our fourth marathon together. Our finishing time was 4:53, the best of the four marathons that we ran together start to finish.
2005 #19			San Francisco Marathon San Francisco, California Sunday 31 July 2005 My fourth running of the San Francisco Marathon, but on a brand-new course that included crossing the Golden Gate Bridge in both directions. Sensational. I ran this with my younger son Jim, our fourth marathon together. He got a bad cramp in his right leg at mile 23 that somewhat disabled him, but we still finished, crossing the line together at 5 hours, 11 minutes.
2004 #18			Tucson Marathon Oracle to Tucson, Arizona Sunday 5 December 2004 From the mining town of Oracle through the desert to Tucson. I ran this with my younger son Jim, our third marathon together. I was suffering some kind of stomach flu and actually threw up in the bushes before the start (ok, ok, too much information, I know) but was proud of myself for persevering. We crossed the finish line together in five hours, 32 minutes.
2003 #17			California International Marathon Folsom Dam to State Capitol in Sacramento, California Sunday 7 December 2003 My third running of the California International Marathon, again with younger son Jim. We ran together, start to finish, with a time of 5:35.
2002 #16			California International Marathon Folsom Dam to State Capitol in Sacramento, California Sunday 8 December 2002 My second running of the California International Marathon, and the first marathon that my younger son Jim ran. He was feeling good and we decided he should go on ahead of me. He finished in 4:40, a super time for a first marathon, and I came in at 5:12.
2001 #15			San Francisco Marathon San Francisco, California Sunday 8 July 2001 My third running of the San Francisco Marathon. My time: four hours, 42 minutes.
2000 #14			Maui Marathon Kahului to Kaanapali, Maui, Hawaii Sunday 19 March 2000 Despite the exotic locale, this was a tough event... very strong cross-winds and blowing sand as we rounded the southern tip of West Maui... and very hot in Lahaina. My time: four hours, 38 minutes.
1999 #13			San Francisco Chronicle Marathon San Francisco, California Sunday 11 July 1999 This was the first running of the "new" San Francisco Marathon, with a wonderful course through Golden Gate Park, the San Francisco waterfront, Chinatown, and the financial district, running by the new Giants baseball stadium and through Haight-Ashbury. I had trained even less than usual for this one and was happy to finish in four hours 58 minutes, even though that was my worst marathon time ever. (Can I blame it on the fact it was my 13th marathon?)
1998 #12			Alice Springs (Australia) Marathon Alice Springs, Australia Sunday 16 August 1998 As soon as my family and I started making plans for our first-ever trip to Australia, I got in the Web and found a marathon in Alice Springs, right in the center of outback Australia. I came in 12th, which is as close to 1st as I will ever probably get in a marathon. My sons take great pleasure, whenever I tell someone about coming in 12th, that there were only 19 marathoners in the whole race! This was a remarkable event through gorgeous, empty scenery. I did not see another runner, ahead of or behind me, from mile 12 onwards - only the water stops every 3 km kept me sane. My time was just over 4 hours, 20 minutes and I was very happy to cross the finish line. Instead of a medal, I received a trophy cut from the red stone of central Australia.
1997 #11			Silicon Valley Marathon San Jose, California Sunday 21 September 1997 A new marathon event, sponsored by Microsoft. Although the course is flat, which is nice, it's really boring, mostly passing by office buildings. Because of a big business project in Europe, I hardly trained at all for this one, and was suffering from too much international travel in recent weeks. I started having leg cramps at mile 20, and had to take it easy for the last six miles. Under the circumstances, I was pleased to finish in 4 hours, 36 minutes. (Yes, the medal really IS a circuit board with a chip on it!)
#10			Big Sur International Marathon Big Sur to Carmel, California Sunday 27 April 1997 My second Big Sur Marathon (the first was in 1994). From Big Sur to Carmel on Highway 1. Tough, tough course. Lots of up and down between sea level and 550 feet elevation. This year there was a strong headwind (blowing the wrong way!) from mile 3 to mile 21. Despite this and not enough training, I took 19 minutes off my 1994 time. My time: 4 hours, 34 minutes.
1996 #9			le Marathon de l'Île de Montréal Montréal, Quebec Sunday 22 September 1996 Interesting course. Few spectators. My wife, two of her brothers and her sister-in-law formed a relay team and beat me by 15 minutes. I'm sure I'll hear about this from all of them for the rest of my life! My time: 4 hours, 19 minutes.
#8			London Marathon London, England Sunday 21 April 1996 Enormous event. 30,000 runners. Huge number of spectators. Great atmosphere. A 26-mile-long street party. Best parts: crossing Tower Bridge at mile 12, finish line near Buckingham Palace. Map of part of the course. An newspaper article from the Guardian. My time: 4 hours, 22 minutes.
#7			Napa Valley Marathon Calistoga to Napa, California Sunday 3 March 1996 Beautiful course. Quiet setting. Nice damp, cool weather - great for running. My time: 4 hours, 19 minutes.
1995 #6			California International Marathon Folsom Dam to State Capitol in Sacramento, California Sunday 3 December 1995 Rolling hills, generally downhill. My time: 4 hours, 20 minutes.
#5			Marathon de Paris Paris, France Sunday 2 April 1995 Fabulous course, passing practically everything you'd want to see in Paris. Cool logo. Start: Champs Elysées. Finish: Arc de Triomphe. My time: 4 hours, 12 minutes.
1994 #4			Stockholm Marathon Stockholm, Sweden Saturday 4 June 1994 Two thirteen-mile loops through the city of Stockholm. Great views. Lots of spectators - but they were really quiet! My name in the list of runners. Finish: Olympic Stadium. My time: 4 hours, 2 minutes (best ever).
#3			Big Sur International Marathon Big Sur to Carmel, California Sunday 24 April 1994 From Big Sur to Carmel on Highway 1. Tough, tough course. Lots of up and down between sea level and 550 feet elevation. There was a hailstorm(!) just as I got to the highest point. Fabulous views of the cliffs and ocean. My time: 4 hours, 53 minutes (worst ever, but I was happy just to survive!).
1993 #2			Berlin Marathon Berlin, Germany Sunday 26 September 1993 For me personally the most exciting marathon experience ever. I studied in West Berlin for six months in 1978, when it was still surrounded by East Germany and the Berlin Wall. I had never been back since the Wall came down and Germany was reunited in 1989. The course started near the center of (formerly) West Berlin, barreled straight to where the Wall had been and then right though the columns of the Brandenburg Gate, which had been in the "no man's land" between East and West. Unbelievable. I never expected to touch the Brandenburg Gate in my lifetime. Huge and enthusiastic crowds. A great course through historic eastern Berlin and many interesting neighborhoods in the western part of the city. My time: 4 hours, 14 minutes.
#1			San Francisco Marathon San Francisco, California Sunday 18 July 1993 My first marathon. Sensational start across the Golden Gate Bridge into San Francisco. Right through the center of Chinatown. Finish in Golden Gate Park. My time: 4 hours, 27 minutes.