This might be boring and long to some and interesting to others..... my thoughts along the course.
First of all this was without question the best race MENTALLY that I've ever done. The night before the race I slept better than the three nights prior to that. Packing to go and organizing for everyone kept me up... afraid I would forget something for someone. The night before the race all of that was done. Training was done. There was nothing to do but sleep and then get up and do what I needed to do.
Two friends, Amy and Jud, were also running and all of us along with our families headed down to the start. Our hotel was in perfect location for the start and really the finish also. We didn't have to wait too long in the cold. And it was cold!!
After my 20 mile training run I was worried I wouldn't finish in the 7 hour cut off time. That training run went downhill at mile 17 and I was really worried what would happen beyond mile 20 on race day. Based on my half times and that longest training run I hoped for a finish around 6 1/2 hours at best... just after 7 hours at worst. I wasn't so much worried about finishing... just finishing IN TIME.
I made a last minute purchase at the race expo of temporary tattoo pacing guide for a 6:30 finish. I hesitated to use it because if I fell much behind these numbers it would mess with me mentally and things could have fallen apart quickly. I have a history of deteriorating with the numbers.
So the rules when racing include starting out slow. It's easy to get caught up in the excitement and other people and start out too fast and then burn out. I started out fast for this pacing guide. That concerned me a little except that I knew I would need to bank in time for a couple porta potty stops. I didn't force myself to slow down because I felt really good and I truly felt like I was doing my OWN race and I wasn't concerned about anyone else on the course. I stayed ahead of this this guide during the first half by about 10 minutes.
Miles 1 and 2 just cruised along... getting used to running and figuring out people around me. Who else was run/walking and their routines. There is a lot of yo-yoing around each other in this "pack."
Mile 3 and also Mile 9 included the Rudee Bridge. This was a windy incline with beautiful view of a marina and the white-capped choppy ocean. I thought this had to be the worse conditions of the race with the cold wind. I was wrong.
Miles 4 - 7 were good. I talked with a few people around me. My friends Jill, Rosemargaret and Angelia surprised me just before mile 6. They had Shamrock leis and an unicorn poster. I LOVED seeing them, but I didn't stop long.
Miles 8 and 9 boring. This part went through some of Camp Pendleton which aside from a Boy Scout run water stop was pretty deserted. Runners stretched out and I just hoped we were all still on course. A guy in front of me had his IPhone attached to the back of his waist and it kept flopping around. I waited for it to fall off, but it didn't. Like I said... boring.
Mile 10 ish and also mile 2 had an Irish or Scottish band. My favorite band simply because of the theme and spirit of the day.
Miles 10 - 12 were the worst part of the course. Most of this was up on the boardwalk beside the ocean going directly into bitter cold wind. I had a hard time deciding if trying to run was worth the energy or if I should trudge along at a fast walk. I tried to watch the ocean and imagine it's power and strength pulling me through the wind. The one thing I thought to be thankful about was that the sand down on the beach was wet and it wasn't raining. The only things that could have been worse would have been blowing sand or rain directly at us.
Mile 12 I was met by my husband and brother in-law. I also passed my family who cheered and kept me headed on. Hubby stayed with me to the half. He gave me a pep talk and reassured me about my time.
Miles 13 - 15 were part of one of the out and back parts of the course. So I was going out while those finishers with times between 3:30 to 4:00 were passing in the other direction. They were on their homestretch of miles 23 to 25.5. Those runners were packed in and I realized that is one advantage of being slow. The marathoners are much more spread out at the back of the race. I was thrilled (TMI warning) that during a porta potty stop my legs were able to still "squat." It was quite disgusting in there and I didn't want to touch anything!
Miles 16 - 19 was my favorite part of the race. We were finally out of the wind and that was a huge plus for me. There were funny and inspirational signs along the course of Irish sayings and jokes. This was a slight incline that slowed a lot of people down. For the first time ever I started picking people to chase down and pass. I've never done that mentally before. When I've read about doing that it seemed mean in a way. But I finally got it. They are doing their own race and I'm doing mine. Somehow, it seemed OK. I spoke to most and wished them well. Mostly I was amazing myself that I was telling my body to continue up that incline and it did. I had the BEST reward at the top. Rosemargaret, Angelia, and Jill appeared again. Both Rosemargaret and Angelia ran with me a bit. Jill asked ahead of time what she could have along the course as support and there she was with my requested banana!
Miles 20 - 22 were on the Fort Story base. My legs started getting uncomfortable. There was an awesome water stop with bananas and candy during this stretch. I passed it by since I'd had Jill's banana. That would have been very welcomed if I hadn't had my own course support. From the map I had expected the wind to be at my back during this section. Instead it blew into my left side. Not what I wanted but better than head on.
Mile 20.5 speaking of course support my hubby met me after mile 20 and continued on with me to the end. He got permission at the gate to come onto the military base and was able to carry my water and encourage me the rest of the way. Throughout the day he coordinated childcare for our kids and our friends kids, traveled on foot about 12 miles to support me, packed and unpacked the car, and drove home in rain and traffic. He should get a finisher's medal too!
Mile 23 things were starting to hurt and slow down. Hubby started telling me things like "You could do a 20 minute mile and still make the cut off."
Mile 24 I wanted to be done. I kept telling myself that there was no way out of this now but to finish.
Mile 25 - 26 I only remember making my body move forward. The faster I could make myself go (which was between a 15 - 16 minute mile pace at best) the faster I could be done. I decided at one point my feet might be bleeding. Hubby said I might be right. I was right... I found later a large blister had broken. During mile 26 we turned left for a block toward the boardwalk and the ocean. That was a bitter, bitter bone chilling cold wind. I saw my mom just as the course turned right onto the board walk and the wind was finally at my back.
.2 I could hear my friends and family before I could see them. I sprinted (OK jogged) to the finish. Another advantage of being toward the end of the race is that the announcer has time to call out most peoples names. I heard my name and town on the loud speaker as I crossed.
Time 6:25:14.
I wonder what could have happened if it wasn't windy.
My finish line hug!
