Free State Trail Marathon

This past Saturday was the Free State Trail Marathon at Clinton Lake State Park in Lawrence, Kansas. The race was all on trails that hug the north shore of Clinton Lake, winding up and down the wooded hills. The topography was very similar to the Westwood Lake trail in New Castle, IN, but rockier.

The race and the rain started at eight in the morning. We did a little loop on the trails away from the lake to let the crowd disperse. The half marathoners started with us, but did a smaller loop.

Shortly, the light rain turned into a full-on downpour and thunderstorm, soaking everything, and turning the trails into a soupy, sloppy mess.

There were 54 marathoners (plus dogs, halfers, 40 milers, and 60 milers). I dropped back in the pack to make sure I didn’t get caught up starting too fast. This is what the rain was like a half hour into the race.

There was no point of trying to keep your feet dry, so I just ran through the middle of everything. Overall, the mud was a silty mud that wasn’t too sticky. It didn’t weigh down my shoes too much, but it did make things slick.

I was thankful that I don’t get blisters as my feet were wet the whole time. I was glad that I had sturdy trail shoes, since sharp, large rocks were mixed in with the mud.

Someone had made a fun tunnel on the trail.

I was glad that I had studied the map before the race, as there were no mile markers, and very few landmarks. The race was well marked, though, with wrong way signs on intersecting trails.

Looking back on a rocky shoreline stretch. The racers bunched up here due to the footing; this was roughly mile 10 or 11.

Here was one of the many wet creek crossings. As the runners spread out, I focused on relaxing and covering ground.

The mud actually got more sticky when the rain slackened later in the race and runners had churned it up. I managed to keep my balance the whole time.

A wetter spot near the eastern turn around. There was a short stretch on grass, which was a nice surface change. The trail back wound around and had more hills.

I made sure to snack when I got to aid stations, and particularly enjoyed the dill pickles and oranges. I carried two small water bottles with me, and only ran out of water once, and only for a short time.

I was pretty much alone for the second half of the race, but that was fine. I kept up a steady routine of running the downhill and flat, and walking the slippery hills.

I was encouraged to get to the last aid station and hear that the finish was about three miles away. Of course, I took that with a grain of salt. Spectators and volunteers have a pernicious habit of under representing distances. ‘About three miles’ can mean anything less than five miles. The muddiest stretch was that last three miles. Even running everything but the ups, it still took me 50 minutes for that last leg.

I finished with a 5:17 time, which I was very happy with. I am sure it would have been under five on a dry, cool day. I felt strong, never crashed, and ran my way across the line. The one lesson I re-learned was to be even more liberal on the application of body glide. My legs didn't chafe, but moving in wet clothes for over five hours left chafing in other places. The race was a well-run race, with a nice staff, and a very well-marked trail. Being soaking wet and tired, I didn't hang out long at the post-race party.

Wrap-up of Kansas Birds

While birding the dusty backroads of Gray County, I was pleasantly surprised that there were actually birds in the open fields. One of the most common birds was the Western Meadowlark. If not the most common (probably Horned Larks), then they were the most vocal.


Vespers were up there in abundance. These 'little brown birds' are actually fairly good sized for sparrows. They would virtually disappear when they landed on the bare ground.


Trees were so scarce that there was pretty stiff competition for nest space. Here a Great Horned Owl and nestling keep a careful eye on me.


A Western Meadowlark got caught almost facing the camera. They seem to have a sixth sense about which way to face if I have a camera out.


A Vesper Sparrow sits on a barbed wire.


Wind turbines along the horizon, making use of the constant wind. A brochure I saw claimed that Dodge City is the windiest city in the United States.

Cimarron National Grasslands

A windmill on the background of the yucca and sage steppe of the Cimarron National Grasslands.


An American Kestrel perches on a yucca stalk. I made the trip to these national grasslands Tuesday afternoon. I had a couple hours to spend before sundown, which is no where near enough time to bird/explore the area in the way it deserves. CNG is in the extreme southwest corner of Kansas, abutting Colorado and Oklahoma. This area was very hard hit during the dust bowl, after which, the government started buying the devastated land and setting it aside for conservation. Now it is one area of short-grass prairie and steppe that has some natural character in the area.


A Badger looks up from his business in a wheat field. He wasn't sure what to make of me, and kept smelling the air, before waddling off and continuing his hunt.


Another windmill in the distance obscured by heat distortion. I know it is an old effect, but I love the impressionist painting look it has.


I decided that my goal at CNG was going to be the Lesser Prairie Chicken lek. I couldn't work out any way to visit the lek in the morning, so evening was going to have to do. The National Forest Service had set up a blind, and the log book had been reporting at least a couple Lesser Prairie Chicken displaying for the last couple mornings. I hiked/birded around for a couple hours before the sun got low. The birds were occasionally supposed to display on the lek in the evening, approximately one hour before sunset. Sunset happened to be about 8:20 central time. A very nice British couple and I got in the blind a little before seven o'clock. The weather was warm (mid 50's) and sunny, but the wind was brisk. I appreciated the windbreak of the blind. We kept our eyes and ears peeled, but the prairie chickens never showed. It was by far an unpleasant time, though. There was a prairie dog town with a pair of Burrowing Owls on guard. A Kestrel was hunting the steppe. Western Meadowlarks and Horned Larks (pictured above) sang to us. Jackrabbits and White-tailed Deer wandered past.


Slowly, the sun set, and I had to leave. Almost as soon as the sun dipped below the cloud layer on the horizon, a pack of coyotes just over the hill broke out into chorus of yaps and howls. It was quite a magical experience. I hope the Lesser Prairie Chickens can hold on against the coyotes and habitat destruction. If I ever get the chance again, I'll have to come back and try again, and look for the other specialties there like Scaled Quail, Mountain Plover, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Curve-billed Thrasher, Black-headed Grosbeak, Cassin's Sparrow, Rufous-crowned Sparrow, Clay-colored Sparrow, McCown's Longspur, and Chestnut-collared Longspur.

Kansas Swainson's Hawks

Swainson's Hawk on a fencepost, Gray County, Kansas.


Swainson's Hawks were the most common Buteo I observed this past week in southwestern Kansas. I saw several Red-tailed Hawks and one Rough-legged Hawk, but the majority were Swainson's Hawks.


A Swainson's Hawk takes off from a wheat field where it had been sheltering from the constant wind.


These three shots were taken in rapid succession. I like it for it's flip-book like action. Hunting, looking over at me, and then sailing off. I just missed getting to photograph this hawk with its pair going through the courtship ritual where they grasp talons and fall together. It was fun to watch.

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, near Cimarron, Kansas

What a showy bird! I am glad I got to see him and that now I can cross him off the list. Not in the sense that I never want to see them again and I am moving on to the next species, but now that I have seen one, I am sure I will see them more frequently.