What a fun filled night and morning. Packet pick up was crazy, but I got to chat and hang with some fun people and thanks to friends only had to spend 30 min in line. Dinner alone with 5 kids and an all you can eat ice cream machine is also exciting :) Woke up 4AM the next morning to avoid the craziness waiting for buses. I forgot how long it takes to get dressed for a cold run! I was just a few minutes behind schedule, but Kelli and I still got on the first bus up to the top. I nearly puked on the ride (lights inside the bus were left on and I get sick and hate the bus anyway!), I mean seriously almost puked. I was just glad it was a nice bus with a bathroom. I almost got up and ran in, but I decided to try to cool down first. Ripped off the pink wig, jacket and gloves. It gave me enough relief to make it until the bus stopped....about a mile up the road from where it should have. Being inside a bus turning around on the alpine loop is, well, a tad frightening. Then, as we headed down 4 other buses were headed up in the wrong direction. Being inside a bus on the alpine loop while another bus is trying to pass in the other direction is simply terrifying! Kelli and I both thought we were going to die or were in for a true Halloween nightmare! Good times :) I think it only took about 2 of the 3 hours waiting for my stomach to finally settle down. Sat in the tent and wasted away the next 3 hours chatting with Steph, Heather, Kelli, Allie and James as our small spot of real estate was slowly encroached by the influx of runners constantly streaming in. Met Walter at 8 to do the pacer run down, then found the secret passage back into the tent so we didn't have to fight the masses to get warm :) As we lined up for the race, it was fun to feel the excitement and have the people who lined up with us (1:50) ready for a good race. We warned them that we would be running course specific paces, and to not go out too fast. Then, we were off. It was great to see how 4 pacers all had a little different info streaming into their garmins mile after mile, but we'd just kind of take an average and we were always close. Except sometimes, then we just went with the one that was most right...which was usually Kelli :) I think we only had one girl hang with us the whole time and she was a trooper! Most people used us a benchmark "are you still the 1:50 pacer?" they'd ask as we'd run by "no, we decided mid-race to change to a 1:40." really?!? yes, the pink haired tall lady is "still" a 1:50 pacer. The last mile I would tell people struggling "you got this! Stay in front of 1:50, don't let the clock beat you!" I just loved being able to push and encourage people! It was hard at the end not to get the 'horse into the barn' feeling and start picking up the pace. We had to stay steady, but everyone around us was picking it up. Definitely the hardest part! The finish chute was bad, spectators crowding the small trail and Kelli and I kept telling people to sprint and to go, but you could hardly get around anyone. I asked the spectators to move back a little, and most responded...at least while I was going by. I tried to hug the side, but still just felt like I was in the way. At 13.1 on the garmin the time said 1:50:02 - perfection! It's not my fault the course was long at 13.2 and we finished 1:50:40 total time, but still perfection if you ask me. We hit all the paces within seconds of the prescribed time on the wristbands, and it worked out great. AP: 8:23, right on the nose. Kelli really needs to take credit for this one, she is an EXCELLENT pacer - I just might have to hire her to get me to hit my BQ next year! You do work for food still, don't you? :) Helped unload the rock sacks, oh, uh I mean drop bags, from the truck - but only until mine came out and then Kelli and I left. We'd had enough Halloween 'fun' to last us a whole 'nother year! This race is always fun when it is said and done with, but it is getting crowded and more disorganized as the years go on. I'll probably still run it, because I love the shirts and medals and the fun to be had, but I hope they can get their act together next year...might be asking too much. Thanks Kelli for letting me tag along today and thanks to Walter for letting me help out, definitely the way to run this race! All the craziness doesn't feel so bad when you didn't have to pay :) Walking around with sore quads and calves today - thank you 13 miles of downhill for that one. All the dancing I did at the Halloween party later helped work some of it out I'm sure!
| 
