Okay, I know this was a few days weeks late. Sorry.
So, let me tell you about the run.
I had planned on broadcasting my run using instamapper.com. The iphone app was all ready, I had kept my phone charged. As we were driving to the start line… I couldn’t find my iphone holder. Drat and tarnations. Oh well, I will soldier on, but my audience (who I had emailed the day before) wouldn’t have a chance to chart my progress. But at least I hadn’t forgotten my shoes. It was only a minor inconvenience. I hadn’t planned on using the ipod portion any way.
I was at the start and it was a little cooler that I would have thought, although I knew I would warm up. In the waiting around, I was asked by about 8 different people about my shoes. Some thought I was pretty ballsy for running a marathon in them, others were just curious.
After the national anthem, the waves started. I was off in the third wave, it had begun.
The course was a little crowded initially, but the local spectators were great. The best sign all day was at the .8 mile marker; it read: You are almos there, only have 25.4 miles to go. Just what I wanted to think about.
The first few miles were a blur. I really only realized where I was around mile 3 when I saw off on the side of the road my support team, Esther and Hazel cheering for me. I had just turned into the sun and donned my sunglasses, which were fogged. That combined with facing the sun made it hard to see my cheering section only after I had almost run past them.
The course was awesome. I loved running on the sounds side, it was gorgeous.
My Garmin was chirping. I knew it would. I was running pretty fast, but I decided to ignore it I was feeling so good.
By mile 7, I was really in my stride. By my calculations, I knew I would be finishing 13.1 well below my Rock ‘n’ Roll half time. Mile 7 marker was in the woods, I had no clue that I would get to see Esther and Hazel, but in the middle of the woods, there they were. I ran up to them, gave them both a big kiss and then started running again. A good little recharge.
Eventually we ran around the Wrigh Brother’s Memorial. It was kind of cool, although, I was glad we weren’t running up it, the memorial lives on a large hill.
Eventually we headed back into the woods, my memory is getting a little hazy. All I know is I got to see Esther and Hazel at mile 11, still feeling great about my run. Seeing them along the way was a huge boost.
Between mile 11 and the 13.1 mile mark, we did some trail running on a thick bed of pine needles. It was hilly and very curvy, but I loved it. Running past a few other runners, I heard them grumbling to their running partners about how they hated trail running, how it shouldn’t be part of the course. I do know if it was my shoes, but I loved it. It was the most exhilerating running I have had in a long time. Maybe trail running is something I should look into.
13.1 – I was there in 2:02:53, which means that I can definitely run my next half marathon in under two hours. I was actually psyched about the half way mark. The idea of finishing a half in under two, now I had my next challenge.
I grabbed a Hammer Gel at the half way point, partly because I wanted a different flavor that my DIY goo, partly because I had over salted my goo. From that point on I had the worst taste in my mouth. Part way between fruit punch and ass, although closer to ass. I ate a few more as the miles dragged on, I can’t remember how many, some where around 5 ish.
I was feeling pretty good, but I was starting to feel my head of steam cooling off. I was good until mile 16. From there I had to slow down. A short walk and then I was back on track. I saw Esther and Hazel near the Mall, Hazel running from Esther getting a chance to play in the grass. Esther scooped her up while I was running towards her and they both cheered me on.
The second half of the course was not nearly as exciting as the first. The course when from running the back roads of the Outer Banks to down the main strip. A lane had been closed, but the run was monotoneous. Just a straight line, for the most part, into the sun.
Running is like riding a bike. If you stop pedalling, you feel tired; if the legs keep moving, fatigue is held at bay.
Once I started with a walk, I was doomed.
From mile 17.5 I was walking on and off about a quarter mile for each mile I ran. The walking was a little demoralizing, but I knew at that point, I could and would finish. Between mile 21 and 24, the course took a hard turn to the right and out over the water and onto the bridge.
The bridge was daunting. I kept thinking “Oh, I’ll run the bridge” and I ran part of it, but not nearly as much as I wanted to. My feet were beginning to act up, they were burning and tender. I now know that I need to put more long miles on my feet before the next run.
Once over the bridge, I knew the end was near. I continued to struggle between mile 24 and 25, but when I saw the Mile 25 marker, something changed.
I knew I wanted to finish running across the line. I started to crank it up, and ran all the way to the finish.
The last parts of the run were odd. Time began to really shift. It felt like I had been running for ever. “Where is the finish?” I found myself asking. “I should have run a mile point two.” It was weird.
Needless to say, to catch a glimpse of Esther seconds after crossing the finish line. I was so happy. It is weird to have such a rush of energy after exhausting myself. I walked through the finish corral, keeping Esther in my sights as I collected my medal and water and mylar blanket. When I got through the shoot and met up with Esther, it was so good to hug her. It was fantastic to be finished and while I was tired and worn out, I was jazzed to have completed. I was sure in the finish corral, that I would be doing another one and probably one after that.