Had a great drive up to Duluth with my favorite girlies.
Brought Dashboard Jesus with us.
Had good times at the Expo.
Ate pop tarts in bed.
Slept like a rock.
I woke up on race morning and looked out the window. There was a bank in view - flashing the temperature. 64 degrees.
Yeah, this might be a hot one.
Grandma’s Marathon follows the American College of Sports Medicine color-coded flag system.
When the race started, the flag was red.
RED FLAG (High Risk): All runners should slow their pace and those with previous heat stress problems or heart disease should consider not running.
Yeah, this might be a hot one.
But whatever. We were at the starting line, 26.2 miles from Duluth...we might as well start heading back. So I lined up with my favorite girls - JD, Ruth and CJ - and we started running. It was JD and CJ's First Marathon Ever.
We were off. Annnnnd this is where my defense mechanism kicks in. Details? I don't have any.
We still look good at mile 3! Ruth, CJ, JD, Ally
I felt like crap. I couldn't get into the happy runner groove. The sun was beating down on us with no shade in sight.
The next time I saw the heat advisory flag, it was BLACK.
BLACK FLAG (Extremely High Risk): All runners should slow their pace, drink extra fluids and those with previous heat stress problems or heat stress problems or heat disease should consider not running.
Faaaaaaaak.
No wonder I felt like crap.
At the half mark, the girls stopped to use the Biffys. I still hadn't found my groove, so instead of soldiering on and running my own race, I waited for them. And wondered where in the hell I was going to pull out the strength to run 13 more miles.
We trudged on...putting ice in our bras, under our hats, in our hands, in our mouths. We dumped water on our heads. We took electrolyte strips, salt tabs, gus.
It was hottttt.
I wasn't having fun.
At mile 21, JD need to use the Biffy. I stopped with her, and CJ and Ruth kept on trucking. Ruth asked if "I had JD". Do I have JD??? Pffffffffttt. JD HAS ME. I would NOT have been able to make it this far if I didn't have that girl at my side.
Somewhere around mile 22-23, I spoke the words that I never say. "JD, I'm sorry, but I Need To Walk."
I was walking during a marathon. Not during a water stop. It hurt my soul to walk, but it hurt even more to run. This sucks, yo.
The brightest spot of the marathon was seeing fellow runner Kate at mile 25, who came up from Roseville just to cheer for us. She spotted us and started jumping and screaming. It was like JD and I were Hannah Montana and Kate was a 12-year-old girl. Seriously, I have never heard such an exuberant ruckus, and it made me smile, laugh and cry...all at once. Kate, YOU ROCK.
We rounded a corner and ran by our hotel - and I saw the bank thermometer from that morning. Guess what it said?
91.
NINETY. FUCKING. ONE.
Degrees. Fahrenheit.
I picked my jaw up off the pavement and kept running...closer and closer to the finish line.
And then finally, with a few steps to go, JD and I held hands and crossed the finish line together.
5:16:14.
We hugged. We cried.
JD was happy that she had finished her first marathon. I was happy that the hellacious marathon was finally OVER.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Fast forward 10 days.
I haven't seen my running shoes since the marathon.
I have no desire to run. In fact, I think I'm going to become a professional swimmer.
I think I've learned my lesson.
Lesson: DON'T RUN MARATHONS.
I kid. I can't stay mad at the marathon. But I can be mad at myself. Yes, the conditions were atrocious, but I was completely undertrained. I did the Stillwater marathon as a training run and then cut my running mileage and intensity too severely.
We always like to say that during a hard workout, we "put a deposit in the pain bank." Well, at Grandma's marathon, I took a withdrawal from the pain bank. Hell, I OVERDREW from the pain bank.
So every time I do a workout and it starts to get challenging, I am allowed to quit. Sorry, nothing left in the pain bank. :)
But I better start making some deposits soon...the Chisago Half Ironman is only 25 days away. Why do I keep doing this to myself??
Brought Dashboard Jesus with us.
Had good times at the Expo.
Ate pop tarts in bed.
Slept like a rock.
I woke up on race morning and looked out the window. There was a bank in view - flashing the temperature. 64 degrees.
Yeah, this might be a hot one.
Grandma’s Marathon follows the American College of Sports Medicine color-coded flag system.
When the race started, the flag was red.
RED FLAG (High Risk): All runners should slow their pace and those with previous heat stress problems or heart disease should consider not running.
Yeah, this might be a hot one.
But whatever. We were at the starting line, 26.2 miles from Duluth...we might as well start heading back. So I lined up with my favorite girls - JD, Ruth and CJ - and we started running. It was JD and CJ's First Marathon Ever.
We were off. Annnnnd this is where my defense mechanism kicks in. Details? I don't have any.
We still look good at mile 3! Ruth, CJ, JD, Ally
I felt like crap. I couldn't get into the happy runner groove. The sun was beating down on us with no shade in sight.
The next time I saw the heat advisory flag, it was BLACK.
BLACK FLAG (Extremely High Risk): All runners should slow their pace, drink extra fluids and those with previous heat stress problems or heat stress problems or heat disease should consider not running.
Faaaaaaaak.
No wonder I felt like crap.
At the half mark, the girls stopped to use the Biffys. I still hadn't found my groove, so instead of soldiering on and running my own race, I waited for them. And wondered where in the hell I was going to pull out the strength to run 13 more miles.
We trudged on...putting ice in our bras, under our hats, in our hands, in our mouths. We dumped water on our heads. We took electrolyte strips, salt tabs, gus.
It was hottttt.
I wasn't having fun.
At mile 21, JD need to use the Biffy. I stopped with her, and CJ and Ruth kept on trucking. Ruth asked if "I had JD". Do I have JD??? Pffffffffttt. JD HAS ME. I would NOT have been able to make it this far if I didn't have that girl at my side.
Somewhere around mile 22-23, I spoke the words that I never say. "JD, I'm sorry, but I Need To Walk."
I was walking during a marathon. Not during a water stop. It hurt my soul to walk, but it hurt even more to run. This sucks, yo.
The brightest spot of the marathon was seeing fellow runner Kate at mile 25, who came up from Roseville just to cheer for us. She spotted us and started jumping and screaming. It was like JD and I were Hannah Montana and Kate was a 12-year-old girl. Seriously, I have never heard such an exuberant ruckus, and it made me smile, laugh and cry...all at once. Kate, YOU ROCK.
We rounded a corner and ran by our hotel - and I saw the bank thermometer from that morning. Guess what it said?
91.
NINETY. FUCKING. ONE.
Degrees. Fahrenheit.
I picked my jaw up off the pavement and kept running...closer and closer to the finish line.
And then finally, with a few steps to go, JD and I held hands and crossed the finish line together.
5:16:14.
We hugged. We cried.
JD was happy that she had finished her first marathon. I was happy that the hellacious marathon was finally OVER.
Fast forward 10 days.
I haven't seen my running shoes since the marathon.
I have no desire to run. In fact, I think I'm going to become a professional swimmer.
I think I've learned my lesson.
Lesson: DON'T RUN MARATHONS.
I kid. I can't stay mad at the marathon. But I can be mad at myself. Yes, the conditions were atrocious, but I was completely undertrained. I did the Stillwater marathon as a training run and then cut my running mileage and intensity too severely.
We always like to say that during a hard workout, we "put a deposit in the pain bank." Well, at Grandma's marathon, I took a withdrawal from the pain bank. Hell, I OVERDREW from the pain bank.
So every time I do a workout and it starts to get challenging, I am allowed to quit. Sorry, nothing left in the pain bank. :)
But I better start making some deposits soon...the Chisago Half Ironman is only 25 days away. Why do I keep doing this to myself??
Labels: Marathon Maniac, Race Reports, Running
11 Comments:
Cause we are runners. And slightly nuts!
You'll do great at Chisago and it's okay to take a break to refresh and crosstrain! Just to finish a marathon in those horrible conditions is amazing! This fall will be better :o) xoxo
2 Marathons and a half ironman within a few weeks of each other??? You are insane!
Honestly, I'm totally jealous of your ambition. It takes a very special person to have the mental strength to do the things you do.
Keep it up!
You are amazing, girl. There is NO WAY I would have made it through to the finish in those conditions--you must be superhuman!
AWESOME job. And don't worry--I'm pretty sure if you made it through that hellish experience, the half-IM will be cake ;)
Marathons can really suck balls. You, however, do NOT suck balls. Well, maybe you do, but I wouldn't know that and frankly am okay with not knowing. ;) My point? You rock. Your experience sounds so much like my 2 marathons in 2007 when the heat was unbearable and the temps were 90+. It kind of breaks your soul for awhile, but eventually, you'll forget how painful it was...allow yourself to heal your mind! Makes you want to sign up for a marathon in Alaska though, right?? :)
I don't know how you do it! It hurts me to run 2 miles in any weather over 75 degrees. And you do 26.2 in 90 degrees! But I'm a wuss...and you are hard core.
I thought of you today when I was swimming laps. I need some pointers before my tri. It's in a month!!
i love you. even when events like this suck your soul dry.
Great job at finishing despite that heat!!! You will do awesome at Chisago--my hometown area so I look forward to hearing all about it! Again, awesome job at overcoming that heat!
ahhh that just sounds awful... i hate hate hate the heat and that was HOT! congrats on finishing girl! good luck in your upcoming race :)
holy hotness girl!!!!! 91 is not joke to run in :( great job on pushing throug and I LOVE your finish line pic! nothing better than crossing the finish line with a great friend :)
YAY! And also...uuuggghhhh how HOT!
Congratulations!
You are allowed to be lazy after a mary, it's required actually....great job on your planning and training for your tri! Kick ass, girl!
Post a Comment
<< Home