Again... too much time has passed without entries... sigh... This weekend I did the Bizz Johnson Express Half Marathon (my third half marathon), a race that I have been looking forward to for at least a year! I discovered it last year when I stumbled upon Michael McCollough's photos on the Coastal Trail Runs site...
Thankfully I decided not to do the Full and to stick with the Half. Let's just say the altitude kicked my butt!!
I started out feeling good, not as out of breath as I expected. I kept a steady, comfortable pace going, and with the slight downhill grade was feeling confidant. Soon, I pushed just a little to get by a few run-walkers and a group of chatty women. And with only 185 runners total, spent much of the time all by myself, quite fine with me. The scenery is just breathtaking and I kept reminding myself to 'be here now'... The weather, which had been a concern, was stunning. Just perfect in fact. Cool, crisp air with a warm sun. Clear, clear, clear. And I had layered correctly.
I think it was somewhere around mile 8 that I started to feel the uh-oh... my legs HURT... and the voice of negativity was LOUD... 'just walk' 'why do you even do this?' etc... it was hard to combat... other than the fact that I was resolved to enjoying the Bizz itself, no matter what. My training had been derailed and even though I was able to do my last long (12m) run two weeks earlier, there was only one short run since. That surely was not helping. Every time I would start to walk I would literally say - yes, out loud - 'don't walk, it will only hurt more!'... and I would begin again... but each time, as expected, the pain increased... I know not to do this, but I couldn't help it... then somewhere in mile 13 I succumbed ... I walked... for a good three quarters of the mile... I was not happy about it but I had to... I felt like both legs would cramp solid... this walking pace was enough for all those chatty women and run walkers to pass me... Not happy. But I just couldn't, the pain was too intense. I even took Ibuprofen around mile 11 (in the hopes it would help for the finish pain)...
My boyfriend came with me on the trip and even though I wasn't sure he'd be at the finish line - he was :), I knew I needed to pick up the pace - pain or not - and get across that finish line. So I began the hobble... at which point, my calf muscle actually cramped into a knot!! 'Keep going!'... hobble hobble hobble... And there it was, the finish. 2:58:03. But hey, I finished within the 3 hour time limit. And, I finished!
There were only a handful of people that came in after me. In fact, I was 174th out of 185 and 24/25 in my age group. It's a little embarrassing. I want to be better. But I try to remind myself, I will get better. Endurance running is still pretty new in my life. I enjoy the running and these races... and most of all, the experiences that these runs and races are giving me. The places I visit, the trails I discover, the internal journey, the people I meet... I really love it. So I guess that gives me the answer to that negative voice ...
Within minutes of finishing I met a woman that was going to be doing the Full Marathon the next day... my pain had eased into discomfort and already my thoughts were 'maybe I could do the Full next year'....
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