as i said above, i didn't really give myself enough time to work up to this distance. next one will be better.

i should also mention that this was a first, ever. i am so not a runner. i so struggle with this. but i am so glad to have done it.

___

alarm goes off at 5am. start coffee, check temperature outside (low 50's?!?), jump in the shower.

out of the shower, wake rick. dress. eat. drink coffee, drink water. attach timing chip to laces, opt against number belt and pin number to shirt.

not that i want it to be hot, but what's with the cold?

choke down cereal. not used to eating so early, but need the food.

put on long pants and jacket over racing clothes. don't want to get too cold before the start; will be able to give everything to rick at the last minute.

leave just after 6; stop by the shop for the gel i forgot to remind rick to bring home yesterday. hit the road. traffic at 6:30 am, other runners on the road. drive around in circles a bit, find side of the street spot by the finish line.

nine block or so walk to starting line. i scope for port-o-potties. find an amazingly clean one.

it is early; 7am. race starts at 8. rick and i find a warm little place to stand. he gives me a pep talk. i am dubious and cold. i do not like being cold. i do not feel like i am about to run a half marathon.

i smile for the camera.



finally is getting close to start time. i take off the long pants, and go for a short warm-up run. when i get back it's time to line up. i grudgingly give rick my jacket. have i mentioned that it is cold? he goes off and tells me he'll look for me on west river drive. he snaps a few shots of the pros at the starting line:





line up is self-seeding, but there are no markers between the sign for 9 minute miles and walkers. ummmm, helllloooooo. walking is 15+ minute miles. that's a big stretch there.

i am hoping to average between 10:30 and 11:00 minute miles. i pick a spot a little less than halfway between the 9 minute/mile pace sign and the walking pace sign.

the national anthem. annoucements. 9000 people racing. 9000. holy crap. wow. it is a sea of people; several blocks of runners fill market street.

finally, the race starts. i stand there, it takes a few minutes for movement to reach my area. once we start moving, it's walking in the direction of the start line. actual running starts at the timing pads.

off, down market street. not so bad. bit chilly. fall into pace. toward the end of the first mile we make a giant U turn, up the ramps at penn's landing, swinging around to run back up walnut. i can see a sea of people in front of me.

i'm looking for the first mile marker when i hear someone say we've already passed it. my watch, started at the timing pad, says i've been running for 10:18. my first mile is probably more like 10:08 since i missed the marker. pleased.

walnut street is a minefield. potholes, potholes. people on the side of the road cheer. i run. i feel good. mile two take me 9:44 - but that is a bit short because i started it late. probably closer to 9:54. still, pleased. pleased and feeling good.

water stop, swig of gel, take a drink. walk for a second to make sure i get some in, but not long. mile three takes me 9:53. under pace.

turn left down the ben franklin parkway, run toward the art museum. second water stop - swig of gel, water, walk. mile four takes me 10:02. excellent. i feel very comfortable, pushing not working too hard.

running down west river drive, spot rick looking for me. call him over. i am just starting to really have to pee. run run run. mile five takes me 9:58.

rick rides ahead to see if there are any port-o-potties nearby. nope, but people are ducking into bushes and trees at the side of the road. modesty is out the window; not waiting any longer. find a bush, pee. my bladder thanks me.

mile 6, with the pee break, takes me 10:57.

mile 7 i start noticing the head wind. i do not like it. head winds are not my friend. mile 7 takes me 10:25.

rick is riding with me, encouraging. he decides to zip up to the race leaders to see what's happening. go, rick, go.

he takes a funky cool shot of the lead group of men hauling ass down kelly drive:



he also sees our friend nace, who is on a bike escorting marla runyon in the lead group of riders. marla runyon has Stargardt's disease and is basically blind. nace is giving her course instructions: hazards, water stops. marla is up with the lead group of women. marla kicks ass.

mile 8 finishes just after a long uphill into a head wind. i've slowed down. i turn right to cross the falls bridge and pass the mile 8 marker at 10:51.

i round the corner onto kelly drive, 8 miles done, and see rick. he takes some pictures.





i've slowed down. things are aching - knee, ankle. dull ache in lower abs, cramping. mile 9 takes me 11:39.

i now require a port-o-potty and a bush will definitely not do for this one. rick goes on ahead and finds one for me, not too far. i have to stop and wait for someone to finish, but at least there's no line as there has been at others along the way. i go. the cramping in my lower abs subsides. i head back out.

with stop, mile ten takes me 13:05.

the next mile hurts. i walk portions. only three more miles. i can do three more miles. three more miles was so easy in the beginning. three more. three.

rick rides ahead to meet me at the art musem, where i'll be starting my last mile.

mile eleven takes me 11:36. would like to go faster, i try but my body revolts and refuses. the thought of walking is an evil, strong lure. i am convincing myself that i can do this.

i can do this.

i see rick, just as i'm finishing mile twelve. he takes a picture:



mile twelve takes me 12:12. i would appreciate the humour in that significantly more if i were not in pain. as it is i'm just irritated by how long that took me.

but i only have 1.1 miles left to go. there is a water stop in front of the art museum; rick tells me to stop and get some water, and then run strong the last mile. no more stopping after water. he is my cheerleader, encouraging. two women running near me smile and as if they can borrow rick. he is good. he is my boy.

i get my water at the last stop, and walk about as long as i reasonably can without unduly lollygaging. and then i'm off. last mile. less.

i can see the fountains in logan square. rick tells me that the finish line is just on the other side of the fountains. he tells me he knows it hurts, but to keep going, i'm almost there.

it hurts. i keep going. i'm almost there.

he tells me he's proud of me. i tell him to stop making me cry. he goes up ahead, passing the two women (who didn't walk quite so much through the water stop and were about 15-20 feet in front of me), cheering them on, almost there.

i round the fountain, i can't see the finish line. rick rejoins me and tells me it's just around the corner. i hurt. he can't ride his bike through the finish area; we separate. he tells me to find him on the right side at the end of the finisher's chute.

finisher's chute. magic words.

and i can see the finish line. the crowds on both sides of the road are held back by barricades. i am running into the finish line. my knee hurts. i'm having some weird ankle pain. but i am done. i am tearing. i am done. the last 1.1 miles took me 12:35. my total time is 2 hours 23 minutes.

i am handed a finisher's medal.

someone takes the timing chip off my laces for me so i don't have to bend down.

i get some water, i look for rick. teary hugs. it hurt; i did it. i finished it.

i was on pace to do it in about 2 hours 12 minutes at the halfway mark, i slowed down a lot and the bathroom breaks didn't help. but i finished it.

i drink my water, it is so crowded. we start walking to the car. i was comfortable during the race, but i am getting cold. i want to call my parents, who wanted to be here but couldn't.

we get to the car. i sit on the curb - joyful sitting - and call my parents.





i am done.

Edited by debs 2004-09-19 4:24 PM

WOW, awesome race report and pics ...and you are smiling in the majority of them too, which is great.

Nice to see the roles reversed and Rick taking all the pics.

I was along the finish line, behind the barricades cheering on friends and I remember you, well actually your bandana going by.

Congrats again.

yes, the purple bandana was intended to help rick spot me. i see it worked on others, too.

i should do a 10k, i was really comfortable through the half-way point. i could've gone a bit faster, even. completely fell apart the second half. also wasn't taking in enough gel from my flask, i don't think i got in enough calories.

i've never done a 10k. hm.

Edited by debs 2004-09-20 11:33 AM

Great Report!! and Great job!!!