I was up at 3:30 am. I admit it. I sat on the couch in the hotel room and looked through my phone in the dark. I am looking at pictures of my boys and I started my slow burn. This is scary to me (racing 26.2) because I have kids. I am not at all afraid I can't, or that I will get hurt, I am afraid of not coming home to them. I said some prayers and admittidly cried a little, or if you will leaked some awesome.
I got dressed and suited up smoothly. Everything planned out. We left in plenty of time. We arrived to the park with enough time for me to walk from the parking lot with Hubbs in the dark. Presque Isle is pretty dark at night and the stars are amazing. It was nice to take time and look up.
Not much to say about the darkness and waiting for the gun to go off. I just felt buzzed. I love this crap, not many people understand it except for the group of about 700 fellow psychos standing next to me. You get excited even if it's a contact high.
It took me about a minute to get over the start this year. I lined up with the 11 pace group. The course was beautiful the mood was light. I didn't leave the group right away this time. The first 2 miles I tried to slow myself down but I did 2 10 minute miles. Then I stopped off to pee at at restroom. It's not as bad as some people I saw 'watering' trees that includes a T-100(meaning a running tool) girl she didn't even bother to hide. I actually looked at a runner beside me and said "HOLY SHIT". It really was amazing to me, but during the marathon there are no rules its a crazy dash and privacy and modesty slow you down.
The first 10k was pretty cool. Happy and smiling Manda the whole way, chit chatting a little with others because I was still in a pack. Around mile 5 though I was so concentrated on the good vibe I wasn't paying attention to my GU. I opened it and decided i wouldn't take it all in one bite, as I ran it blobbed out down the side of my fingers and everywhere. I think well sticky is no fun but I am going to ignore it. About another mile down the road I got salty sunblock sweat in my eye and quickly went in for a wipe, ah with the sticky hand. I didn't think about that until after I had glued my eye lid open. Yes, I totally did. My right eye from about mile 6 until about mile 14 was glued open. This year I brought sunglasses thankfully I just put them on. It just made me smile more to know under those glasses I looked like FireMarshallBill.
The second 10k I began seeing fasties from the Half marathon. And they were wizzing by me. I continued to enjoy myself. Every once in a while I would shout to someone passing me because I like to encourage others especially when they close a 1/2 hour gap like that. I crossed the half way point in 2:30, and skipped on down the road. still not totally solitary. We were weeding in numbers. The stronger ones had gone on ahead but there were a few right with me. I think that only one other woman and like 3 guys, and we stayed together most of that 3rd 10k. We all talked a little. Hubbs met me on the side of the road with a bottle of nuun and beef jerky, I told him he looked sexy. After 14 miles a man waiting for you with beef jerky just is sexy. Just about right then when I got to far from him to justify turning around my left foot started to hurt under the laces. I began dreaming out finding ibuprofen on the ground. But I kept on with my fellow runners. I noticed around 15 that I lost my Pearl Izumi arm warmer, just one of them. DAMNIT> I was sad :( they are cool. I tied the other around my belt as tight as I could at that point and kept going.
I saw my mom around mile 18. She crossed the race course to get to me and had a baggie of beef jerky a bottle of nuun and a banana. I took the jerky and nuun. She asked how I was I told her I would prostitute myself for a tylenol. She went across the street and gave me an Aleve out of her purse, I took it on my way down the road thanking her over my shoulder.
I was stretching out on the course very few stragglers on my radar the same 3 but we weren't together now. I am still feeling good. Even at the 20 marker where Hubbs was I was still pretty good, I was happy with this race so far. I didn't take another bottle of water with nuun I told him to leave it for me on the other side on his way back through to the finish. I never did get that bottle. Around 22 I started getting pretty tired. I started throwing in walk breaks and eating my beef jerky. I got a little crampy at one point and I actually took a dry nuun tablet and tucked it in my cheek. Mind you these tablets are kinda like alkazelter and they are delicous with water, they are not so good when you are frothing at the mouth and have to swallow it. But at some point you go with what works for what you need. As I made the last turn to run back the last 4 miles all the water stops were so encouraging. It really was not as scary as last time. My foot was hurting but not enough to stop I kept my form strong the whole time. I tried to encourage those I past along the last stretch. Telling them how far they had left and asking them if they wanted some of my beef jerky. They all looked like I felt last year. I was running strong just taking walk breaks for rest at that point.
At mile 23 a miracle, my arm warmer just laying there for me to pick up. I bend over and picked it up and waved it around my head like helicopter and shouted WOOOOHOOOOO BABY. There was one older gentleman on my 6 the whole time he laughed at me. I really don't mind. I was tripping on the wall. In fact at this point my MP3 player started playing manomanah. The muppets song. I found this hilarous. I kept going and I played it on repeat like 3 times. I sang along. Why was this on there? Not entirely sure but how funny! At the end of the line I let my MP3 player roll and I think the last song I heard was Fall Out Boy, Where is your boy. Because I took off my belt in the home stretch and threw it at my mom and yelled "pick up my shit!" I can't tell you why I did that. I hate a belt but I should have just left it on. Whatever you do weird stuff when you are a little dry.
So I double timed it in. I remembered not to hug the lady with the medal. She asked me if I wanted a chocolate milk and I yelled "AH HELL NO I'LL THROW UP" I found Hubbs and mom and went and sat down in the dirt then I laid down in the dirt. I needed a rest. I am happy to report I did get up and walk my butt over to the food and eat before we left. My time clock time 5:29:01. My chip time 5:28:41, I looked it up later.
I know this is so much shorter than last year, but I didn't think much. I loved it, I was so blessed to be able to do it again. I was fortunate to have an excellent summer training injury free and smooth race!!! Really I want to do another one next year. The jury is still out on this of course I need to get back to normal first. I still have quite the runners high. if anyone is paying attention that is 30 minutes difference from last year. :O And about 50 others finished after me.
Yay, you!!! xoxox
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