Run Like Hell!

Last Sunday, on a whim, I signed up for the Run Like Hell 1/2 Marathon. Good lord, what was I thinking? Seriously, when the alarm went off at 5:30am, I did get out of bed, but quickly sat on the floor by my dresser drawer full of running clothes, and said to myself....no one will know if I don't do this race. No one will know! And I could just sleep in. Oh yes, beautiful sleep, maybe even with dreams. Oh please let me go back to bed. But no, sleep would have to wait. And I talked myself back into it....the race isn't 'til 7:30am...the first 5 miles are flat and I will take it easy...then I will get through the 3 mile hill...then it's just a few rollers and a long 3 mile downhill finish. THEN it will be over and I can come home and sleep. Besides, I desperately needed the miles before the 1/2 marathon in San Francisco in 2 weeks. So I got dressed, ate something that wouldn't make me sick later, and went downtown to run 13.1 miles with 1000 other people.

When I was in line for the Honey Buckets, they were announcing that they race would be starting in 5 minutes. Yeah, yeah, plenty of time. But the line wasn't moving. And the clock kept ticking. And when I finally did come out of the Honey Bucket...it was like a scene from a Western movie where everyone disappears when the bad guys roll into town. Silent, and completely empty, apart from the lone piece of garbage blowing along the ground in the breeze. I felt like I walked into an alternate universe.

So, I hauled ass over to the start line, which was several blocks away, and found myself at the back of a large crowd of runners...waiting. I forgot that if you start at the back of a very large crowd of runners, you actually have a couple of extra minutes time since that's how long it takes you to cross the start line.

The first five miles went by pretty fast and I was feeling good. Except for these two girls that would NOT shut up. So chatty! Going on and ON about everyone in the world they knew and who said what, and NO WAY! Are you serious?? UGH. Finally I decided to just slow down for a while so they would get ahead of me and I could have some peace and quiet.

On The Hill I turned on the music on my iPod and cranked it up loud. By the last mile on The Hill I was flying! Passing everyone, heart rate high, form excellent. It was awesome, cause this NEVER happens to me. I am always the one getting passed. I was rejoicing, as much as I could in my oxygen-deprived, latic-acid-muscle-burning way. What was an attempted grin probably came out as a half sneer, and possibly frightened some spectators.

The rest of the race was good. I finished strong (who wouldn't since it's all downhill?) and I set a new PR for a half marathon.

1/2 Marathon
1:46:16
8:06 pace
600' elevation gain
10th of 90 in my age group
57th of 559 in overall women