I must admit to approaching this event with a bit of trepidation. After 143 days without rain, the Phoenix area was drenched by a chilly, day-long downpour the day before the Valley of the Sun Half Marathon. Add to that the uncertainties of a new race route, the 6:15 AM starting time, and the overall logistical difficulty of coordinating a road relay. It had the potential to be a cold, wet, unpleasant morning.
What a pleasant surprise it turned out to be. The rain moved out a few hours before race time. The air was clear and cool, with a light breeze. On the horizon, the Four Peaks wore a dramatic blanket of snow.
Quest Club entered three relay teams. The Quest Gold team took first place in the co-ed division, and was the first team to finish overall, in 1:25:08. The Quest Blue team finished 3rd overall and was the first all-women’s team, in 1:33:11. The Quest Red team finished 5th overall, and was 3rd in the co-ed division, with a time of 1:42:02. Patty Beckman ran the full half marathon in 1:41:46, a nine minute PR!
Images from the 2006 Valley of the Sun Half Marathon
