I have made you wait long enough to hear about my race.
Matt and I left for VA Beach at almost 8pm on Friday. We had to work, and figured we would just wait out traffic to get there. So I napped Friday, and then packed my stuff up and we took our time. Honestly I was pretty calm most of the trip.
We got in late Friday and pretty much just went to bed.
Saturday I woke up around 9 and started to get antsy to go get my race bib. I managed to take a shower and have breakfast and hold off going until noon when the rest of the crew was getting there.
We wandered around the expo for a while. I picked up a couple things I needed and got a bunch of free stuff (isn't that why we go to these things anyway?)
Later that night we had all you can eat pasta at our hotel's restaurant. A few of us also got the all you can eat ice cream bar too, somehow we all managed to only eat one bowl each (probably because someone took all of the Oreos ;) ) Then we headed down to the boardwalk to watch the Saturday night concert, Chicago. I like Chicago's music and I was excited. It didn't start til 9:15, but I knew there was no way I would be asleep before 10:30 so I didn't mind going. Parking was a nightmare, but we made it to the concert.
I went home and was in bed by 10:45 and probably asleep 5 mins later. I was sure I wouldn't sleep well, but I was shocked when my alarm went off at 6am. I sleep like a baby and I wasn't even tired.
I went down and met all my friends at 6:40 in the lobby of my hotel. We walked outside and right to our corral. Best decision ever to stay at the doubletree. I didn't have any worries about getting to the start line on time, I just walked out the door and there I was.
I realized I didn't have my watch, so that was a bummer, but I had everything else. I debated for a long time if I should wear my camelbak, but I decided that I would feel more comfortable having my water with me so I wore it. Glad I did. I had the worst case of cotton mouth right at the start.
Our corral 18 didn't start for probably 25-30 mins after the start of the race, we just slowly moved up. I was getting nervous during this time. Next thing I know we are under the start and the horn sounds and we were off.
I ran with Meg and Jill for a little and then fell off for a second to stretch out my calf muscle that was cramping. I never caught back up to them. The course has you run a little over in the touristy area, then you go over the overpass and run the majority of the race over there. As I was going up the overpass, I saw on the other side the first runner heading towards the finish. She was BOOKING IT. Holy Cow! Good for her though.
The people on the side of the road made me laugh a lot. Some were dressed as Michael Jackson, some in PJs, all of them had different themes. I ran with my iPod in, but I did hear some of the bands playing as I ran past them. This area was nice and shaded.
We ran through the base, and OMG was it ever boring. Boring and hot. There was no shade on the base. This would be where my sweet sunglasses tan is from. Around mile 5-6 my knee was really hurting (it started at like mile 3) I kept trying to push through it, I walked the water stops and could feel a little limp.
Mile 10 things got fun. I was tired, I was over it, my knee hurt, and then I got cut off and stepped on the divot that the road reflectors are in and twisted my ankle. It hurt! What was worse was that it just KILLED my mental game. I was doing a good job of pushing myself and making myself go further than my body wanted to. Now my knee and my ankle are hurting and I am really feeling that there is no way I am going to do this. I walked up the hill on the overpass, and then ran back down it.
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| Overpass - doesn't look like much of a hill, but it was more than I wanted. |
At the bottom was Matt, thank God. I needed to see that face. I needed to hear him say he was proud of me, and that I was almost done. I walked some of mile 11 but then I made myself give what tiny bit I had left and go for it. I could barely see the finish line, but I could see it enough to know that it was there. I didn't take my eyes off it. I started it down so much that I missed Matt yelling at me as I crossed. I crossed it and just started sobbing. I got my banana and water bottle and then Matt ran up to me and I just hugged him crying I did it! I did it! (I may have just teared up writing that)
I did it! I got my medal and I did it! I couldn't be happier (and I might even be talked into another one one day)
As I was running I did a lot of thinking, I wrote a lot of this post while I ran (I don't really remember it though)
Somethings I was thinking:
- That is an interesting outfit
- Oh! I really like that skirt ( I have always wanted to try a running skirt)
- OMG, that woman is like 9 months preggo, if she can do this so can I
- Is that guy really juggling? Ass! Showoff (this was around mile 9.5)
- Holy CRAP that guy has one leg and just BLEW past me! (this guy was incredible - he had one leg, and 2 arm crutches and was smoking past people! He totally inspired me to push through the pain)
- Why did I pay money to do this?
- Why are all these buildings looking the same? (this was on base)
- Oh a tank, cool, must be on a base
- Why the hell am I doing this?
- Are we there yet?
- Cytomax is really gross - why don't they give Gatorade?
- My hands are numb (still don't know why this was)
- Omg my necklace!?! (I reached up to grab it at one point - I did this a lot in training when I as tired and wanting to quit- it wasn't there, I forgot I took it off that am)
- I bet Scott is already done, jerk. Ben too, Jerk.
- I hope Meg and Jill are still running together (turns out they were - they finished together, holding hands - someone forgot about the high five- but holding hands is much better I think!! totally cool thing for sisters to do! YAY!)
- I wish Aubrey was here
- Matt should have run this with me (HA)
- Maybe my dad will
- Oh I forgot about this song!
- Why am I doing this?
- I really need to find a purse for Jordan and Amanda's wedding
- Totally doing a Disney race (this was after I passed some people in silly costumes - totally not as cool as Mickey, but they did the trick)
- Why is this song on my running playlist
Haha - I am not kidding , I thought about the most random things. But it kept me going.
I put my time in on my Dailymile record on Tuesday. I was for the first time disappointed because the pace was so slow. I knew I was slow but the pace sucked. I think I kept about an 11 min mile pace for the first 9 though. Just from the times I saw on the clocks at the mile markers. I REALLY slowed miles 10-12.
Oh well, no where to go but up from here!
**Some pics are mine - some I stole (with permission from Carla, at
I run, You run) others from the official RnR photo website- I am ordering actual prints, but I didn't want to wait til they came to scan them in so I get the sweet watermark until then!***
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