Starting with the multiple e-mails from BAA - DON'T RUN! - everything had to change. My goal of running a 3:42 (after a Big Sur 3:49)didn't look to likely. I'd been dealing with some knee/leg pain for the last week, but figured adrenaline would carry me through it. My plan - and this is where I just made one bad decision after another - was to 'hang on' to my goals until I couldn't any longer, and then slow down. I wanted to run 8:30, was willing to accept 8:45. The e-mails that we got from BAA were very specific - they strongly suggested that we DON'T run the race at all, but if were were going to anyway, add a minute or two to your pace. HA! I said. Pshh....I won't need THAT much more time.

Wellll........they may have had a point. I'll need to look at my Garmin when I get home for details. I didn't push it going out - I gotta tell you, the heat, combined with all of the bodies, was beyond stifling. My fist mile was about 8:45, second about 8:40....third 9:00. Uh-oh. Well before the 10k I knew that my 8:45 pace was gone, and unles it started to rain, my 9:00 was gone too.

So......leg was sore from the beginning. Having dropped my inhaler right after the start, I was missing the inhaler by mile 10. (worrying about missing it by mile 2). Started getting seriously light-headed, (and cold flashes, how weird is that?) and dizzy by mile 16, couldn't talk. Didn't recognize MightyMom at mile 13! She hugged me anyway!! Jeff was waiting at mile 16, it was a nice hug/kiss, but I didn't want to go back out. Really wanted to quit. Walking way more than running at this point. Mile 21-22, I puked. Would have been humiliating if so many others weren't doing the same thing. Carnage. However, I did keep moving! Mile 24ish, something popped in my knee. OMG, daggers in the back of my leg with every step. Still don't know what it was/is. Still pretty darn painful. Last 2 miles - about 30 minutes.

Finished, waved off the wheelchair because I knew if they took me to medical, I'd get an IV and I'd never make it to the airport. I got offered medical multiple times down the chute and the exit area. SO TEMPTING. Got my medal, picture, clothes bag, water....found Jeff. Layed down on the sidewalk. With many others, may I add! Finally made it to the corner....got a cab. This whole time, Jeff's on his phone trying to change our flight - we'd missed it. He was able to change it - of course the new one was delayed, so we had to wait at Logan for 2 hours, and then take the 4 hour flight. Got to the hotel in Ft. Lauderdale at midnight, left for the Bahamas at 5:15 in the morning. Rolled into the lobby here at 9.......aaaaaah.

Jeez. Listen to the pros, start off SLOWLY. Don't underestimate the heat. Believe the flashing highway signs on the side of the road that said *HEAT ALERT* *HYDRATE* *SLOW DOWN*. Don't lose the inhaler. Never plan an early flight. Don't assume adrenaline will fix a knee issue. Bring more GU!

Stagger through the finisher's area. Find Jeff. Get a cab to the hotel. 15 minutes to final pack and shower. AAAKKK!!! Chafing on the back - need a new sportsbra. Sprint to the airport.


I don't care waht the offical # was - it was 93 in Wellesley and I'm guessing closer to 100 on the pavement, in the pack. ARG.

EDITED AFTER DOCTOR APPT: Torn gastroc, strained hammy, extension of sciatic nerve pain. No s/b/r for at least 2 weeks. Well, at least it's an explanation.