Waitsburg long-time runner finishes first marathon, shares dangers of running along local roads

WAITSBURG-Long-time Waitsburg resident Ann Adams has been running for more than a decade, but it wasn't until earlier this month that she hit one of the ultimate running milestones: She finished her first marathon, running more than 26 miles in just over four hours, at the North Olympic Discovery Marathon in Port Angeles, Wash.

The North Olympic Discovery Marathon follows the Olympic Discovery Trail, which stretches roughly 100 miles from Port Angeles to Port Townsend. The course zigged and zagged through the lush rainforest, the lively town of Sequim, and around the quaint tourism district of Port Angeles. Nearly 1,000 runners, coming from all over the country, dashed through creek crossings, soccer fields, and scenic trails before hitting the five-mile finishing stretch along the Straits of Juan de Fuca.

Why would anyone want to run for 26.2 miles? Adams said a coworker and fellow runner at work challenged her in what she described as a 'roundabout way.'

"I figured if he can do it, I can do it," she said while laughing. "It was fun having someone to bounce ideas off of and share frustrations and achievements with."

She beat her coworker to the finish line, however, as he plans on running his marathon at the end of the month.

Adams began her marathon training in February, following a 16-week plan she found in Runner's World magazine. The training targeted runners averaging 30 miles per week, she explained. Over the next four months, she ran five days a week; sometimes, her weekly mileage was as low as 19 miles per week, working up to as many as 43 miles per week.

Adams said she had observed a significant increase in local traffic over the last ten years. Still, it wasn't until she was spending hours a day on the roads that she realized just how dangerous it is for runners, cyclists, and other outdoors-fitness enthusiasts of all calibers in the area.

"Regardless of what I wore, drivers seemed not to see me," she said, explaining that the first half of her training happened before daylight savings time. "I wear a lighted LED vest with reflective material on it, as well as a lighted headband. When it is chilly, I have a fully reflective jacket that looks like a lightbulb running down the road."

Drivers not seeing her was not only a problem on the highways but on side roads as well. Much of her training was done on Lower Hogeye Hollow, Bolles Road, and Mill Race Road, but she said the backroads were often scarier than the highways.

"There is so much traffic, and people don't really slow down," she said. "There are no shoulders and nowhere to go to get out of the way."

The highways, including Highway 12 and Highway 124, were a bit safer to run on, as they both had wide shoulders, but she said sharing the highways with semi-trucks and vehicles pulling trailers got a little bit 'hairy' at times. Adams said she follows safety recommendations for runners while training, including facing traffic when she runs so she can see what is coming towards her.

One of the scariest moments of her training happened just up the road from her house. A driver passed in a no-passing zone, crossing the white fog line and nearly striking her. According to data released by the National Highway Traffic Administration in 2019, nearly 6,300 pedestrians were killed in the US by drivers, the highest number of fatalities since 1990. The same study showed that female cyclist fatalities jumped up 29.2% in 2018, compared to a 3.2% rise in male cyclist fatalities.

However, the grueling training and hours of running were not enough to spook the seasoned runner away from future marathons. She's already pondering the idea of another long run, saying that she knows she can do better next time. Adams said she is hopeful that the proposed Touchet Valley Trail would be ready for use by then. A motor-free trail would make training a lot easier, not to mention safer, for runners, cyclists, and walkers alike.

"There seem to be a lot more runners and bicyclists in town, and it (a trail) would be really nice with the increase in traffic over the past several years to have a safe place to run," Adams said. "It would be nice to have a safe space to enjoy our beautiful area without worrying about a car side-swiping you."

In the meantime, Adams plans on continuing to train and stay in shape, always keeping an ear out for her next race. And, not to brag or anything, but she happens to be my mom. I was able to join the family when we cheered her across the finish line and can't wait to do it again!