So...remember when I ran the Revel Big Cottonwood Half Marathon last year? Remember how I went so fast down the mountain that I started thinking that I might actually want to do the *gasp* FULL marathon and try to qualify for Boston? (For those of you out there who are still reading and may not be runners, here is a short explanation of why qualifying for the Boston Marathon, or earning your "BQ," is kind of a big deal). Well, I couldn't quite decide whether or not to give it a try. The qualifying time for my age group is 3:40, or below a 8:23/mile pace. That is kind of fast for me for a whole 26.2 miles, but not impossible? Maybe?
I decided to train for the Ogden half marathon last May and see how I felt after that. Secretly, I was expecting to crush that race and then sign up for the Revel Big Cottonwood Full Marathon in the glow of victory, but it didn't quite work out that way. The 2016 Ogden Half Marathon was pretty much miserable. It poured rain/sleet every single step of that race, and the wind blew mercilessly. My feet were completely soaked after the first mile, and the rest of my body quickly followed. It was COLD. I won't even tell you about the ankle-deep water in the tunnel we had to run through in mile 10. Anyway, I ran 1:49 for the half, which was quite a few minutes slower than I was hoping to go. Discouraging.
Now what?
Well, the lure of Boston was still in the back of my mind. Somehow, I really wanted to get that BQ! I'm not sure exactly WHY....maybe it has to do with the fact that I'm getting older, or maybe it was something measurable I could have to prove I am "good" at something? I don't know, but I did know I wasn't ready to give up on it yet. I decided in early June that I would do a training run and go the first 18 miles of the Revel full marathon course, and see how it went. I was thinking that I would cruise down the canyon at blazing speeds, and then sign up for the full marathon in the glow of victory (sound familiar?).
Yeah, not so much. One evening Preston and the kids dropped me off at the tippity-top of the canyon (Guardsman's pass), and I did begin to cruise down the canyon at blazing speeds! The first three miles went great, but then I hit the big uphill headed to the Brighton Loop. I hammered up that hill and around that loop at a pretty fast pace...in fact it was probably too fast because I couldn't catch my breath and my legs were already burning. I recovered a little once I started down the canyon, and did pretty well until about mile 13. Right about then, one of my feet started cramping up, and I had to keep stopping to walk and stretch it out. Those last five miles were long, slow, and painful. Worst of all, my total pace for those 18 miles was WAY (like, way WAAAY) slower than the pace I would need to qualify for Boston. I felt totally discouraged. Feeling just horrible awful on that drive home, I decided NOT to sign up for the full marathon after all. Goodbye, Boston.
So, June went by, with not much running on my part. I felt kind of lost since I didn't have any races scheduled to train for. I was kind of in a funk. I still kept doing regular running workouts, but no long runs. What would be the point? Still, a voice in the back of my mind kept bugging me...
During the summer, Preston would take the kids to his mom's house for piano lessons/visiting on Wednesday nights. It was a nice break for me to catch up on work/housework/whatever after being with the kids 24/7. In July, not really having a plan, I started doing longer runs while everyone was gone. You know, just for "fun" and to keep up my fitness. Each week I went farther. After I had worked all the way up to 18 miles somewhere in early August, I told Preston that I was thinking AGAIN about running the full marathon after all. I had given up on qualifying for Boston in that race, but decided that it would be a goal for me to EVENTUALLY qualify for Boston, and I had decided that actually running and finishing a marathon would be a good first step towards that goal. Preston rolled his eyes, but said okay...and even drove me up the canyon another time or two for some downhill training. I was finally officially signed up for the Revel BC Full - my very first marathon.
During the rest of August, my right foot gave me trouble during training runs (guys, I think I might have a bunion!). I think the pain in my foot made me run a little funny, because my opposite hip started hurting too. I made some adjustments and worked through it. I got through my longest run of 22 miles about 3 weeks before the race, and it was a SLOW 22 miles. Training wasn't going so great. I felt slow. I hadn't really told anyone I was doing the marathon except Preston, and decided I would just keep it to myself since I wasn't sure I would even be able to finish based on how things were going.
As the race drew near, I was worried about a number of things: (1) Will my foot/hip/whatever hurt so much I'll have to quit? I've never not finished a race before! (2) 26.2 miles is a freaking long way to run, and it is going to be very hard to finish, even at a nice, easy pace. (3) Sometimes during a race, I get a little excited and run significantly faster than I do in training because I like to pass people and I don't like it when people pass me. This could lead to me going out too fast at the beginning of the race, which will result in a huge BONK! sound as I hit a wall somewhere around mile 17. (4) what if I get sick, (5) what if it rains (6) what if...(infinity), you get the picture. I decided that I would try to have the mantra of "Finish Lines, Not Finish Times!" to keep myself in check, not go out too fast, and make it to that finish.
The day before the race I dutifully carbo-loaded, picked up my packet, obsessed about my running play list, and set my alarm for a ridiculous 3:30 a.m. Oh, and I stressed out a little...or a lot.
Race morning (if 3:30 can be called "morning"). I got all ready and I made it to the buses on time. In line for the bus, I made a friend (whose name I can't remember) who had flown in from Seattle to run down the mountain and get her first BQ. She was nervous, but confident. She had run several fulls before, and it was fun to talk to an experienced runner as we made the looong drive up the dark canyon. We got off and waited in porta-potty lines and huddled under space blankets, waiting for the sun and our 6:45 start time. ("Prayin' for Daylight" from Rascal Flatts played from the speakers as we waited, which I thought was perfect). My new running buddy told me that running marathons is a mental game...your body will tell you to stop, but you have got to keep going to the finish! Okay, I am getting excited now.
Start time came, and I threw my drop bag in the truck, said good luck and goodbye to my buddy, and headed for the starting line. I knew there were a lot of runners trying for their BQs, so I didn't want to get in their way. I hung back and didn't cross the start line until a minute or two had passed since the gun went off. I noticed everyone else starting their watches as they crossed the line. Oh crap! I forgot to turn my GPS watch on so it could find the satellites! Dangit! Oh well, I am running now, and I have no idea how fast, and I'm not going to be able to tell for sure my total time since I didn't start my watch at the beginning. Oh well, I don't care, right? Finish lines, not finish times!
The first section from Guardsman's pass is a pretty steep grade, and I just let myself fall down the canyon, not braking much at all. It was cold! The start of races is always crowded, so I had to concentrate on picking my way through the slower runners while not wasting too much energy weaving around. I also tried to enjoy the beautiful mountains as I went. My watch finally found the satellites around the 1 mile mark, so I started it there. I was still going at a pretty good pace down the canyon...in fact after the first mile of watch-tracking (which was approximately mile 2 of the race), my pace as 7:25! Oops, too fast, I need to slow down! Okay, slower. I'm still concentrating on weaving my way through the crowd, and now we are at the bottom of the big hill when my watch beeps another mile gone by...7:38, oops, still too fast, slow down!
As I get to the hill, I follow my race strategy and walk up the hill at a fast walking pace. It was hard, because pretty much everyone else around me was still running at that point, and well, you know how much I love it when people pass me. But I stuck to my guns and walked all the way to the top, and felt MUCH better as a rounded the loop...but my time for that mile was 9:20. Slow. Oh well. Finish lines! By the middle of mile 5 we were back to the slight downhill of the canyon. Ahhh...I loves me some downhill.
I was running along near the 3:40 pacer AND the 3:35 pacer. These guys were right next to each other, so I wasn't sure if the 3:40 pacer was fast or the 3:35 pacer was slow. I did know that the 3:35 pacer was WAAAY too excited and loud. There was a flat trailer parked on the opposite side of the road about mile six, and he ran across the road, got on the trailer and run along it and then jumped off the end with a big "WOOOO!" This guy has had one (or four) too many energy drinks.
I was still running along with an average pace for miles 5 - 10 of a little less than 8:00/mile. I was trying to just stay within myself and enjoy the beautiful scenery. I got warm and took off my gloves and left them at an aid station. Then I got cold again and wished I hadn't. The leaves were starting to change, and the trees were so beautiful in the early morning sunlight. I kept my eyes open for moose but didn't see any. My play list was working great, and I felt good. My foot and hip were holding up okay. Both pacers were still in my general area (since the pacers for this race run faster down the canyon and then slower on the rolling hills afterward). Finally, around mile 11, the 3:40 pacer started to pull away from me, and the 3:35 pacer was way ahead. I was starting to get tired, and didn't want to push myself any harder for fear of bonking. "Oh well," I thought. "That's okay...finish lines, not finish times!"
I ran along for another mile or so, feeling okay. Then around mile 12, the canyon started to get a little steeper, so I started to go a little faster. I did mile 13 in just a hair over 7 minutes. I told myself to slow down, but still was still going fairly fast for mile 14 and 15, and actually passed both the 3:40 and 3:35 pacers again. My legs were starting to get noticeably tired though. More than halfway!
At mile 16, DISASTER STRUCK!
No, I didn't fall down or pull a muscle or anything, but my blue tooth headphone lost its connection with my little ipod! AAAAAH! No music is playing in my ear! I quickly pulled my ipod out to see what the trouble was. I pretty much ran all of mile 16 and part of mile 17 while turning both my ipod and my earphone on and off and muttering to myself. Please connect! I couldn't get them to work! AARRGH! I hate running without music with a hot, hot burning hate. I decided to just turn on my ipod's speakers to a level where I could still hear the music and just hope it didn't bother any of the people running around me too much.
Unfortunately, Mr- Energy-Drink 3:35 pacer had caught me while I was fiddling with my #$@% electronics. He was running next to me and started singing along to the music coming out of my pocket. It was "Just Like Fire" by Pink...you know, "Just like fire, burning up the way, if I could light the world up for just one day!" I felt a little stupid and explained how my headphone wasn't working and apologized for my noise pollution. I turned it down a little. Now it wasn't bothering anyone, but I could barely hear it! Also, my calves and quads are fried at this point. I was starting to feel the miles, and the dreaded end of the canyon was upon me.
At the mouth of the canyon, the full marathoners head right for a brutal 5-mile out-and-back section over rolling hills along Wasatch Blvd. At this point I was still surprisingly ahead of the 3:40 pacer, so I made a decision. I'd come this far, and only had eight miles to go. I knew I had built up some time cushion in the canyon, so I decided I WAS going to give it whatever I had left and try to get that dang BQ TODAY! FINISH LINES AND FINISH TIMES, yo! Time to embrace the suck!
My first mile out of the canyon wasn't too bad, around 8:19/mi pace. About mile 19 the rolling hills and direct sunlight (no more shady canyon) really started to kick my butt. My legs were already fried from the downhill and felt so heavy. I started to slow down...8:55, 9:01, 9:10...somewhere in here my left foot started to cramp up, but I just kept running. The cramping in my foot came and went for the rest of the race. I had eaten a couple of Gus (yuck!) and had some Powerades and oranges at various aid stations, and I made sure I got Powerades at the rest of the aid stations in the race. It seemed to keep the cramp from getting out of control, but it never went totally away. To add more pain, now that there was some traffic around, I couldn't hear my ipod AT ALL. It was just the sound of my own breathing, my feet hitting the ground, and my thoughts. Blech.
The last mile back up to the mouth of the canyon had a long uphill, and I HAD to stop and walk. I gave myself 20 seconds or so to catch my breath. I knew it was dangerous to start walking because once you start walking, it is HARD to get running again. After the 20 seconds I somehow got running again, but that mile had my slowest pace of 9:21 and I was beat. Finally, we got back to the mouth of the canyon and turned down Fort Union Blvd. Only three miles to go, and the 3:40 pacer was still somewhere behind me. I almost started getting excited through my exhaustion, but told myself there was still a long way to go. I gritted my teeth and just kept running.
Mile 24 was probably a little less than 9 minutes, but seemed to last a few hours. I had seen a couple of signs along the out and back section that said "Pain is Temporary," and "Start Strong, Finish Stronger!" so I adopted these as my new mantras and kept repeating them to myself over and over with my steps (I seriously cannot TELL you how much I could have used my playlist at this point.). Mile 25 had a nice little downhill section, which made my calves burn and now my knee was kind of hurting...but it was faster...8:16. Are we there yet?
Now I was on Mile 26! I could actually see the finish line! My foot was cramping! My everything hurt! Was I never going to make it? Just keep running. I could tell I was going too slow, but there wasn't much I could do about it at this point. I was ex-haus-ted. Mile 26 took an eternity or two, but finally ended (9:20...so slow!) and unfortunately I still had 0.2 miles left. WHY??? Why can't we just end this at a nice, round number?? I was almost to the finish line, but I couldn't quite see the big clock they have hanging there that listed the time. When I could finally make out the numbers, they said I was finishing in 3:36:something or other! Here is me, realizing I made it!
I raised my tired arms as I crossed the finish line.
Holy crap, I did it.
HOLY CRAP!
Guys, crossing that finish line, knowing that not only had I finished my first full marathon, but knowing that I had done what I thought I couldn't do, was AMAZING. BQ! ME! I'm a RUNNER! I have never been so tired, but I was so, so happy and proud! It was a moment I hope I never forget as long as I live.
I had a huge grin on my purple face as I got my medal. I headed over for some water and a banana, over on cloud nine. They even had some Diet Coke, so I grabbed a cup (warm! Yuck! Oh well!). They had pizza and pancakes, but I felt like if I ate a piece of pizza I might ralph.
I wanted to know my official time, so I headed over to the results tent and stood in line for my official printout.
I wandered (slowly) over to the bag drop to pick up my bag and called Preston. I had signed him up for text alerts, so he had been following my race progress (and probably shaking his head). "You crushed it!"he said. I smiled. I did. I CRUSHED IT!
We found each other pretty quick, and I was feeling pretty good about myself! Then Dax looked at my medal and said, "Mom, did you win first place!?!?" I answered, "Um, no I didn't win first place." "Oh," said Dax, looking a little disappointed. "Well, what place were you?" I checked my printout. "Um....360th place." Dax looked really disappointed now.
Huh...okay. So I'm not that cool.
Leave it to the kids to bring you back down to earth, huh?
Oh well, even if I was 360th place, I was still excited! I made Preston take me to the BQ signs so I could hold them up.
My legs were S-O-R-E for a couple of days, and I had a hard time going down stairs. If I had been sitting for a while, I walked a little like a mummy when I first got up. But who cares!? It was worth it.
So, that's the story! I registered for Boston last week, I got my acceptance email on Monday. I am officially in the 2017 Boston Marathon as a qualifier! Which is amazing!
Man, I wish there were mountains to run down in Boston!
2 comments:
I am SERIOUSLY so dang impressed! You are FOR SURE a runner! Congrats on qualifiying and KILLING it!
I loved reading this (it further affirmed by desire to never ever run a marathon)! Can't wait to hear about Boston! I'm seriously so impressed!
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