Half Marathon !!
I’ve been thinking about
this blog for a while and finally have gotten around to completing it. This has been a journey that has developed
over the past three years, believe it or not.
So I see it only fit to start back at that time. The spring after my son was born, a good
friend of mine encouraged me to get out and start running with her. She too, had a daughter the same age, and it
was a good excuse to get out and enjoy our new lives with kids. I’m not going to sugar coat this, because
taking this step was effin hard! I never
enjoyed running, as my previous posts have mentioned, and I would avoid it at
all costs when I was training in highschool for rowing. I despised it with great passion. But, I figured this would be a great way to
help shed some baby weight that was lingering, and really still is. I was only able to run about 100 meters at this point and had … needed to walk in
between. My mind was going crazy trying
to convince my body that this was insane. I could not do this! My body was
trying to tell my mind, that it was insane. I was crazy to think I could do
this.
So fast forward 3 years….. I
have completed multiple 5K runs, a couple of 10K runs and last fall after my
final run for the year and feeling super excited to do so well, I added a new
thing to my bucket list. It was to run a
Half Marathon. That’s 21.1 kilometers , 13 miles for an imperial reference. Now comes the training program.
The year started off fine
with some light running with co-workers, friends and by my lonesome. I played my usual summer of soccer, but ended
up with a major hip/pelvic injury which limited my running terribly. I ran the Wellington Woman’s half of a half
(10.55K) and ended up having to walk the last two km from the pain that this
injury was producing. I felt sick to my
stomach. I was suppose to begin my training regime the end of July and this was
the end of June. As I kept on trying to play soccer, going to physio, doing
light running when I could, I got the horrible thought that I was crazy and
stupid to think I would be able to do this.
August came and I was still in pain.
I actually remember telling my husband that I was going to have to
withdraw from the race and forfeit my money.
Utter despair!
After a 2 week vacation, away
from running, soccer and being able to relax, I finally felt a little relieve
and started my running. Ya, most days I
got 2 to 3 km
before having to give up since I was getting a tingle in my leg from my injury. I kept going, pushing myself to run further
and further. I was not going to give up.
I gradually began to incorporate a long run on Sunday mornings with a
good friend. We worked up from 6km, to 8 to 10 to 14. At
this point it was the week prior to Thanksgiving and I had 2 weeks left. My last final long run, which I completed by
my lonesome on thanksgiving morning was a whopping 17KM!! It was the longest
run I had ever completed in my entire life.
To top it off I ran the whole time, stopping to walk about 500 meters up a very small incline to cross a major road. My adrenaline was pumping and I finally had
the feeling that this was something I was going to accomplish AND in the
projected time I was hoping for. During
this run, I had many thoughts on how I would write this blog. I can tell you that from that time to now,
it’s similar but not quite as I imagined.
I had thoughts of talking about how myself, being an obese woman in the
medical field, could run for this long in a fairly ok time, to having thoughts
of encouragement of how what’s on the outside isn’t always how we are on the
inside, to just getting my story out there for everyone I know to enjoy, and
finally, holy crap: next week is the day!
RACE DAY: I get up, have my
normal breakfast and prepare myself for the day. I get lots of love from home before driving
to Picton, in the rain, to get a bus to the starting line, and wait and wait
and wait…. In the rain I might add again.
Rain seems to be the theme for this race and I’ve become more prepared
talking to veteran racers about what to wear, what I could use to toss along
the side of the road, and just basic words of encouragement being my first time
out running a half marathon.
Now’s the part I really
don’t remember much of. The actually
race itself. I never thought I would blank out and not remember some of this
day, but it happened. I walked to the
starting line, anticipation in my belly, music ready and waiting in my
ears. And we’re off. What? Really? Now?
I’m not ready, but wait… I am ready. I start my race, going my normal speed and
trying not to get caught up in the hype of those fast runners who can do this
in an hour and a half or less. The rain
is upon me and I’m soaked within the first few kilometres. I know this route, drove it many times on our
Sunday outings when there has been nothing to do. Here comes the blanking out bit. I notice the first few kilometre markings,
but then next thing I realize I am now 6K in.
How did that happen? I get into
my groove and follow the same people along the race as they stop to walk at
drinking stations and I pass them not wanting to stop. Then they pass me again until we meet at
another walking time. I make it to about
the 13K mark and start to take some regular breaks. Again, blanking out in
between each water stop which are spaced two kilometres apart. I feel great, wait… make that amazed. I’m
actually running this kind of distance.
At one point, I’m sure the sun wanted to come out and shine, but it was
swallowed up by clouds again. At least
the rain stopped at one point, not sure when this happened. Then….. CRAP!!!
5K to the finish line, my
music dies. Later I realize it must have
gotten moist, since it started to work again when I get home. AND this is right before the big hill I’ve
heard about. AWESOME (note my sarcasm). I pull my music out of my ears, roll it
up and tuck it away in my pocket. Well,
these last 5K are now all in my head and I can’t zone out with my music. I find myself walking more and more and
looking at my watch more and more. Not
good. How can I do this? Should I just give up and ask for a ride to the finish
line? The town of Picton then comes into
sight and volunteers are encouraging every runner that goes by. “Just a little further”, “You ladies are
doing awesome”, “Keep it up”. I find
myself smiling and saying thanks to each one.
Again, I’m tiring and wanting to give up and walk some more when a
police woman yells out, “see that cross walk sign? That’s the finish line! Keep
going!” I had a feeling this would
happen and it did. I started to choke up, feeling my throat closing in and
tears coming to my eyes. Trying to suck
it all back and tell myself to calm down, I manage to do so with a few hundred
meters to go.
The last few minutes were
awesome. I gain some energy and pick up
my pace and I close the gap between myself and the finish line. I then see the best sight ever, my husband
and son waving and cheering (and taking pictures) on the side lines. I smile my best smile and run the last few
meters across the finish line. 2 hours,
41 minutes, 46 seconds. Not fast by all means, not the time I was hoping (10
minutes slower due to more walking in the second half), but still satisfaction
that I completed this race. I just ran
21.1K. Bucket list item off my list… but
wait…. Maybe not since I may decide to do this again and in a faster time… once
my legs have forgotten what I just put them through.
I can say that for anyone
who thinks they cannot run, it is possible. I’m living proof of this. I went
from a somewhat fit teenager, who hated to run, to an overweight woman who CAN
run. I just need to try to eat less LOL.
That’s a whole other story. I’m sure
there will be more running stories as I now prepare for the fall Fat Ass run,
with my thoughts heading forward to next year.
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