Thoughts on the Run

5:13:55 – 26.2 miles

So first off, no I did not type the time incorrectly. I went into the marathon knowing this would not be a personal best based on the little training I did for it. Today was all about the cause: running for American Cancer Society. During the journey leading up to race day, I have been introduced to some amazing people. These range from cancer survivors to people that have lost family members to those still being impacted by cancer. One of our neighbors passed away just 2 months ago after a battle with cancer. It is everywhere around us and while nobody in my immediate family has been impacted, I wanted to do something to help keep it that way. With over 70 of us on Team Determination, we raised over $100,000 in this one event. That is just 70 people. Imagine what could be done if more got involved.

On to the race and why the crappy finish time …

The morning started in style. Our team had a warm indoor meeting space about half a mile from the starting line. Not only was it warm, there was coffee, yogurt, water, juice, and oatmeal. I had eaten before arriving downtown so didn’t feel the need to add to it, but I felt like a VIP! Also there I was able to spend a few minutes chatting with Ms. Colorado. Nothing enlightening, just talking about the day’s expectations.

The day before the race, many parts of Denver received up to an inch of snow and temperatures in the 30’s. That didn’t sound like very enjoyable weather to run around the city in. Fortunately for race morning, the moisture left and temperatures climbed to the 40’s. Our team all headed over to the starting corrals and just like last year, experienced the congestion of the starting line.

Whomever decided to put port-a-potties inside the actual corrals is a genius.

For the first 8 miles, I was holding a solid 10 minute/mile pace. I was looking around, smiling, chatting with people, laughing at the signs, and generally feeling good. Then the nausea started. Now, I ignore most of my body signals, but this one was tough to keep upright while running. It was like every pounding step just made it worse.

Around mile 10 I stopped running consistently. I switched to a run 5 minutes and walk 2 minutes strategy. This led me to the realization that time was not going to be on my side, so I decided to have some fun.

Along the course there were 5 different cheerleading squads. I decided to show off my cheerleading skills through jumps, dances, and arm waving. It got noticed. There were 3 aid stations in particular that were feeling the groove to the music. What else can one do but stop and join them!

At mile 14 I was introduced to throwing up in a race. That is all I’d like to say about that.

At mile 16, Jamie met me at the entrance to Wash Park for 3 miles. He runs faster then me on a good day and this was not a good running day for me. As I approached him I asked “are you ready for the slowest 3 miles you’ve ever gone?” Jamie being the cool guy he is said we can do some walking and running, but will get through it. I certainly made it through Wash Park faster with Jamie. At mile 17 some fun college kids had a table with cups of beer. Yes and thank you!

Leaving Wash Park, I was left with 7 miles in front of me. As I’ve mentioned before, I like to ignore body signs, but I started to have discomforts (not sure if I’d call it pain) in my chest. The discomfort seemed to connect to my stomach and was playing ping-pong back and forth. It is frustrating to walk. Maybe a better way to put it is that I don’t have the patience to walk.

I am a big evangelist saying that running is mental. My problem today is that all I could think about was running. I tried music, singing songs, looking at the trees, talking with people, praying, and doing math. For about 4 minutes I was distracted from thinking about running. Frustrating.

There were many small hills from mile 20 to 25. The last mile was all downhill, but at that point, it certainly doesn’t make it easier. I cruised into the corral and crossed the finish line. Part of me really wanted to do a cartwheel across the finish line, but I seriously doubted whether or not had enough feeling in my arms to do so. In the finish area, I inhaled 2 burritos, a bagel, granola bar, and Cytomax drink.

Overall, I really enjoyed the experience of running for a charity. While the race didn’t go the way I wanted it to, such is life. You can plan and prepare as much as you want, but the powers to be may have a different opinion. All you can do is go with the flow and make it a positive experience. I decided that I would do my best to make the experience as much fun as possible. When people put their hand out for a high five, I was there. When a little 3 year old asked if I wanted a cup of water, I had to take it. The unexpected challenges allowed me to meet more people and put a smile on their face.