It has been 24 hours since I crossed the finish line of the Rock and Roll Marathon, and I am still in awe. Awe that it really happened, awe that it went so perfectly, awe that I am capable of doing 26.2 miles when just a year ago doing a 5K was a stretch for me. In awe of me.
The back story:
Until 3 years ago, all I had done was the Danskin sprint triathlon. That’s it. I wasn’t fast in any of the three sports, but my accomplishment came in finishing. I didn’t even want to join RTB because you had to do 2 events, and that scared me. The Danskin was all I thought I had in me. (I didn’t even get a wetsuit until RTB made me, because I thought wetsuits were for the good people, the ‘athletes’.)
But then Hope came along and I knew I needed what it was offering, so I gritted my teeth and decided I could do 2 triathlons. That first Hope year I did 4 tris, including an Olympic (I came in next to last because it took forever to run 6 miles), then I got talked into doing the Seattle Half Marathon in November 2007. I’m sure many of you have heard the stories of our Saturday training runs - I never asked how far we had to go because I knew there was no way I could do whatever miles we were going to do, and Shaun Linse talked the whole time so I never realized my whole body was screaming at me to stop this nonsense. But amazingly to myself, I completed the Seattle Half (oh, there’s another story there, but not now!).
The second Hope season, more tris and another Half. I’m learning about myself all this time. I’m a professional writer, I like process, I make lists. For this unfamiliar world of athletics, I used these skills in deciding what works for me and what doesn’t. I learn to take my wetsuit off immediately out of the water, I hear the word ‘electrolytes’ for the first time, I find out what a ‘hip flexor’ is and why mine hurt after doing a mile run – and how to eliminate that pain. I learn I have ‘quads’ and ‘hamstrings’ and I even figure out which one is where in my body. I learn how to use clip-on bike pedals. I start thinking about food as ‘carbs’ and ‘proteins.’ I discovered that using a camelback was essential to me. When Patty Swedberg mentioned that it made me hunch over I decided to strengthen my back muscles instead of giving up my camelback. When I found a pair of running shoes that worked (and were pink, to boot!) I bought two more pair. When the soles of my feet hurt, I discovered that even though they still look new, running shoes don’t last forever and when they break down your feet hurt.
I didn’t get much faster, but I got more efficient.
Getting to the Marathon
Then one day Angela Meeks says “let’s do the Portland Marathon!” I say “Okay!” But during a 3 week trip back east to work I got plantar fascitis (I had no clue then why it hurt to walk, the diagnosis came later) and when I got better there was not enough time to train for Portland in October. Then Jessi Richardson tosses the Inaugural Rock and Roll Marathon at us and I signed up.
Now, understand that during these two years I was ashamed that I couldn’t run well. I would run and then I would have to walk, then I would run again. I thought I was supposed to run the whole way, and physically I just couldn’t do it. So I settled into doing what I called a “trot.’ I trotted well, though, but it was a pretty slow trot, but at least I was ‘running’! I secretly didn’t think there was any way on this green Earth I could trot for 26.2 miles. I figured something would happen to my body (like I couldn’t do Portland) and I wouldn’t REALLY have to do this one.
My ex-husband pleads with me not to do a marathon because he is afraid I will injure myself, and that is a real concern for me, too. I heard all the stories about people who couldn’t finish a marathon, how they hurt themselves and were in rehab forever, how hard it is on your body, how it takes weeks to recover, and all the injuries you get. Those possibilities didn’t excite me, either. Then I discover that the reason there are so few women in my age group is because they have all run themselves into the ground earlier in life – they now have bad knees, bad ankles, bad everything – and I’m fresh!!! Me, who has never done anything like this, has good knees, good feet, good everything. Another great decision: make sure I don’t injure my freshness, even if it means being consistent instead of fast.
The training plan was another new thing. I looked at several in the marathon book and threw up when I saw how much running you have to do to train for a marathon. Then Angela casually mentioned a “Run/Walk” plan – and I think, “People actually train to walk?” So I did my own investigation and find that yes, people do train to run/walk marathons – and there is no shame in it. And I don’t have to trot the whole way! I can run/walk!!!!!!
Karen Nolting blesses my run/walk plan. I train according to schedule, but I start having trouble when the plan gets to 4 minutes run, 1 minute walk. Can’t do it. I start to back it down to 3/2 or 3/1 and now I’m getting worried. What if I can’t get to 5/1 like the plan says? Well, then, I guess I can’t do the marathon. I’ll be last, I won’t finish, I won’t make the cut off. I will have failed. I am not happy, which surprises me because I now realize I really want to do this marathon.
I do the Kirkland Half as a training run, and I struggle with 4/1. The next weekend I do the Tacoma Half. The night before I just happen to load Michael Jackson’s ‘Beat It’ on my Shuffle. That day was another struggle with 4/1, which eventually gave way to 3/1. Then I saw a long hill and I just said “screw it.” ‘Beat It’ came on and I marched all the way up that hill, replaying that song. I did it well, too, passing running people. It was another good decision, but at that moment I didn’t know how good.
I mentioned my struggle to Angela. She had just read something that says that if you run a 15 minute pace (me!) than you should be at a 2/1 run/walk. Really, I think. Isn’t that like failing? Or cheating? But the next Saturday is our 20 mile run and I am willing to try anything (because I really want to do this marathon now, and I know I have to be prepared and not have any pain so I can focus on the mental part.)
So I do. Elizabeth McCarty is my running partner and usually faster than me. But that Saturday she is not feeling well, so she is up for my 2/1 pace. And it works. I cannot believe how well I do. Now I’ve got it! The next two long runs are easy (another shock) and it is finally a week before the marathon.
I start crying. I cry whenever I think about the marathon, which is a lot. My friends ask me about the marathon and I start crying. My boss in California calls to wish me luck and I start crying. My ex asks how I’m doing and I start crying. I visualize the finish line and tears roll down my cheeks.
I’m crying because I know everything is in place. I am prepared. I am ready. I can do this 26.2 miles.
The Day
Seattle was on display – blue skies, great temperature, although definitely too warm for this event. My camelback is filled not only with electrolyte-enhanced water but also stuffed with a banana (in case I get hungry) and chocolate gels, sunscreen, 2 bandaids and Body Glide wipes, with a visor hat hanging off the back. My cell is in my bra, my Shuffle is full of my running songs, (including 20 consecutive plays of ‘Beat It’), my Garmin is set to 2/1, and I have a small plastic bag that contains a few pretzels and energy bar pieces. I Vaselined my feet and Body Glided my body. My shirt is pink, my headband is pink, my wristbands are pink, my socks are pink, and so are my shoes. Jessi jokes that I could just carry a rolling suitcase, but I'm going to be out there longer than the rest of our team and I need all the tools I can muster, knowing, of course, the most important tool is my brain.
Elizabeth and I run together for the first 15 miles, enjoying Lake Washington, the bald eagle, the people, seeing her sister, the excitement. The sign that split the Half from the Full made my heart stop a second – I could change my mind right there; but Elizabeth turned right for the Full so I did, too. Going east on the bridge was great, but by the turnaround it was too hot and so was I. We both were slowing a bit, and the tunnel came none too soon (except for the band inside the tunnel – it was so loud my ears hurt!) But there was a water station on the other side, and that’s when I made another great decision; I threw water all over me and cooled down. Did that the rest of the way and didn’t have a problem with the heat again.
At about mile 16 Elizabeth decided to go ahead; I was having trouble with 2/1. Another great decision: I could no longer do 2/1 but I sure could march to ‘Beat It.’ So I did. For 9.2 miles it was me and Michael Jackson – and I never missed a ‘beat’! I passed spectators and yelled that it was my first marathon – they cheered me on. I looked at the views of Seattle, thought how lucky I was, knew I was supported from above and below, was strong. Several times I had been told, “you only get one first marathon, so enjoy it.” I did.
The only issue I had was the need to pee. Before mile 24 I never had to; I imagine I was sweating it out as fast as I was taking it in. (I only stopped four times on the route, twice to refill my camelback, twice to stretch, for a total of about 3 minutes.) But going down the viaduct, I had to pee very badly. There was no potty in site. Well, I did what I had to do – I trickled a bit at a time for 2 miles, didn’t want to make a mess in my shoes by doing it all at once!
Jessi and I were texting each other’s mileage along the way, (she being in front and my being last), until I poured water down my front and ruined my phone, so I didn’t know how anyone would know when I would be coming in. But Angela was watching online and let Jessi know where I was, so when I came down the ramp (still marching to ‘Beat It’, mind you!) there my team was! I was pretty close to crying at that point – it was the best feeling to know that these women that I so admire and respect and love were there to greet me.
Would I change anything? Yes – I would bring a small camera like Connie Many did to take pictures, and I would remember that my cell phone was in my bra when I poured water over me. That’s alI I would change.
What did I learn? It really IS about the journey and all the little decisions you make to get to the goal. It is the small steps that take us there, that coalesce into an accomplishment. I learned to listen to everyone and use what worked best for me.
Until today I didn’t REALLY comprehend the breadth of that concept. So yes, I’m in awe of myself. The best decision I made was to surround myself with a community of women that helped me get to a place I didn’t even know I needed to go– the place of complete, utter accomplishment of a goal I never even suspected I had in me. The place of loving me.
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Life is soooooo good!
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