Artichoke's Running Blog (Ken Spence)

Well, I didn't know for sure until just before the race if I would try running or not.  I tried a warm-up jog in the parking lot prior to the 1/2 marathon and my ribs just couldn't tolerate my lungs expanding.  It is still tough to breathe in fully and between that and the bouncing up and down, I just was in too much pain.  I thought I would just watch the race or maybe help out at an aid station or something, so I began walking from the very back and just kept going.  I was almost at the very last, only passing 3 other walkers all within the first mile, then I thought I would just circle back on the other trail to the starting line, but changed my mind a walked the entire distance.  I managed about 16 minute miles walking and I have never really been a very fast walker.  This is the first time in 26 years of running that I chose to walk the entire race, just to see what I could do.  It gave me an interesting perspective that I have never quite appreciated fully.  I got to the first aid station and saw all of the hundreds of paper cups being picked up by the volunteers.  I thought that I had always appreciated race volunteers, but when I saw all that they had to pick up and how far along the trail the cups had been spread, I really had a better appreciation.  They were still in very good spirits, however, still holding out cups and shouting WATER or GATORADE as if I was in the middle of the pack instead of near the very end.  They were real troopers.  I also had a greater appreciation for walkers, in general.  I have run both the St. George Marathon (2008) and Boston (2007) in serious rain storms with shoes that were soaked and never got a single blister, yet walking those 13.1 miles at 16:00 minute pace I got HUGE blisters on each foot.  A lot of things learned yesterday and a new appreciation for those at the very back of the pack and for those behind the scenes at the aid stations.  I hope to back running once I heal up.