Baby's First Half-Marathon

It is a good idea for me to wait at least 48 hours before posting about a long-distance run like a Half-Marathon. Because, at least for me, during the first 48 hours all I can think is, "Why in the world did I do it?" and I cannot even think about doing it again.

Though I have to say, the 14 mile run with Angie was MUCH different. I think the pace of every other long run has been too fast. 13 min/mile makes me hurt. 14 min/mile makes me feel on top of the world!

The feet have stop hurting. I can walk normally now. I even went for a 30 min run this morning. And so the pain is fading and the glow of "I ran a Half-Marathon" is lingering.

It was a fascinating race because it was a 5K, 10K & Half all at the same time. As you ran, you decided how far to go. There was a lady with sign that said, "5K -->" and you turned there if you were only running the 5K. After that point, we saw some fast runners coming our way and figured those were the 10K leaders. Later, we went around a loop and while all the 10Kers turned left, we turned right for the long stretch into the sandy desert. The lady said, "Going to go for it?" and it was an odd question to hear. Yes we were going to go for it. This is what we'd trained for. There was no question about it. We were not there to run the 10K. We were there to run the Half!

A few minutes after the turn, it got lonely. It was only us three (Todd, Angie and myself) and others in the distance. It got really lonely after the bicyclist joined us and told us we were it. Man, it never feels good to be last.

And then we passed all of the big condos and there was nothing to see but sand, sand and more sand. The wind blew hard in our faces. I wasn't mentally ready for a seeminly unending road stretching into the distance with no landmarks in sight.

We saw the lead motorcycle and the leader coming towards us. Yes! It was Mike McCulley - one of our group members. That was a great sight to see and encouraging somehow. (Maybe because I began to believe in the turnaround.)

But the people kept coming and kept coming - and I could see the line of runners stretching before us into the distance - and no sign of that turnaround!

Finally - after three of the longest miles I'd ever run, I could see the fence across the road, the truck and the time clock. It said, "1:21:00" when I turned. The bicyclist told them we were the last and they yelled, "Lady in the while shirt. What's your number?" I yelled back "492!" and then spent the next 10 minutes wondering why they had wanted to know that. Was there an award for the last person to reach the turnaround?

I asked - and Todd busted my bubble when he said, "No, they just are keeping track of who's the last person."

Actually - we weren't last. There was one lady running behind us. The bicyclist just didn't catch her at the turn for the Half.

It warmed up 10 degrees with the wind at the back. I took off my long-sleeve shirt. Now for the first time, I noticed the water and the waves. I began to see and even create landmarks in the sandy-desert: "the top of that hill", "the big pole with loudspeakers", "that stick poking out of the sand." Mentally, it's so gratifying to take step after step that you know you will never have to run again, to get closer to the finish and further away from that awful turn-around point.

Approaching the first condo, someone laughed when I said, "At last, civilization!"

By then, the cars were starting to pass us. Who could be driving down here where there is nothing? Then I realized - other half-marathoners who had finished and were coming to pick up the gear they'd dropped along the way. Another discouraging thought I hadn't anticipated. Little did they know they wouldn't find their gear. The bicyclist had been picking everything up as he rode.

The pace was tough to keep and Angie's knee was acting up. By this point, I was reduced to thinking numbers. "1..2..3..4.." I always stopped to walk 1 or 2 second before Todd's watch beeped. How did I know? Because every other step I counted. When I reached 20, I started over. The first 20 was pretty good as was the second 20. The third 20 was tougher. The fourth 20, I wanted to quit. After four 20's, the minute was over.

Later, I couldn't even count to 20. I counted to 10. And even later, I found myself counting to 2. That's when I know I'm near the end of that I can do.

3 miles left in the race, Angie set her watch to beep and Todd left to see how fast he could go. My hands felt wierd, and then I realized they were swollen! They were so swollen I was worried and nervous. After all, I am 5 weeks pregnant and I don't want to do anything dangerous! So Angie and I started walking for 2 minutes and running for 1. I asked the bicyclist and he said my leg muscles were acting like hearts pumping the blood up from my legs into the rest of my body. I started to hold them above my head and squeezing them to try and get the blood out of my hands. They slowly got better so that right at the end I could tell everything would be ok. (But it did have me scared.)

Just before the end, we actually passed a guy! The first person we'd passed since we turned off for the Half. I actually felt bad passing him so close to the finish. We ran with the finish line in sight. Nobody was at the finish except for the members of our running group (who were SO kind to wait for us.) I only had eyes for my little girl who was standing at the curb with Joe next to her. I saw him crouch to tell her that was mommy, and saw her hands go up to clap - but she was so excited she didn't even think to clap! I only had eyes for her and forgot all about what I'd endured in the excitement of seeing my little girl waiting for me at the finish line.

After I finished, she wanted me to hold her, and I wanted to - but I was exhausted. Unfortunately, Joe wasn't feeling that well and didn't bring the camera. I had wanted a picture of baby's first half-marathon. But that'll have to be another day. I am glad I did it. It is an achievement (even if no one waits for you at the finish line and there's no one to accompany you except the bicyclist bringing up the rear.) He rode off for the last few miles, and I actually missed him! But I can believe that there's something that Angie and I have in commen with Mike McCulley - running at the extreme end with no other runner to keep you company. :)

End Stats: 2:51:19 for a pace of 13:05.
Todd finished in 2:40:52 for a pace of 12:17.
My question is - what crazy pace did he have us running for the first 10 miles?

Hurrah for working out!

Remember my cold? Well, I continued running and tested my theory that as long as I'm not sick below the neck, it's ok to work out. Well - I knocked that cold flat after only a few days and it's basically done! The idea is that as long as working out doesn't cause you to cough and be unable to breathe, it's ok and even good for you. In fact, it opened my sinuses and I was able to breathe easier while working out. The workout elevates your body temperature which I think mimics a fever and kills off the little guys. Yea!