Ahh, another Saturday another marathon! This time pacing the 4:15 group. Lowell hadn't BQ'd yet this year, so it was now my job to get him in and qualified for 2015. It is a good course and I knew he could make it...we just had to get him to put the camera away.
Marci stayed the night at my house. We had chicken enchiladas and she brought me a HUGE box of apples that were SO yummy and delicious. They didn't last too long. Craig got home from a 2+ week trip in Barcelona around 1AM and so between that and going to bed at 11:00 I didn't get much sleep, but at least I could drive to the start and didn't have to take a bus.
We picked up Chad and headed out to Copperton. Met Lowell and the other pacers (Curtis was pacing with me and Marci was an honorary pacer) and I was glad I'd come quickly from home because there were only 7 pops for the 250ish runners. Kind of taken aback by that, but at least I didn't have to hold up the line.
Before too long it was go time and we were lined up, but I couldn't find Lowell after he'd dropped his bag. It got awfully close to the gun before he came over, but then he didn't move and start with us, because he was...guess what?!? taking pictures! :) The first mile was fun and we had a good group of folks with us including Gary who was doing a double this weekend and was not only running all 50 states, but golfing them too! He was from HI and I really enjoyed chatting with him.
Lowell kept us all entertained and we put a couple minutes in to be able to take the hill a little easier. Lowell wanted us all to turn around and run downhill for, guess what, a picture! We all told him to go ahead and take it as we ran up. No one wanted to do that hill twice.
At mile 10 I realized things seemed harder than they were at first...oh, I needed a GU! After that I didn't have too many problems.
The half mat said we were 7 minutes ahead of time...whaaa?!? Oh, and about .6 of a mile early as well. Go figure. From that point on the mile markers were HORRIBLE! I found out later that the half marathon was told to go the wrong way as well, so their race was wrong. A lot to fix in the RD's first year. When we got to the approach on temple hill the wind was fighting us. I kind of hung back from Curtis and Marci so that I could help a lady up the hill. She didn't keep up much longer, but she rocked that hill! After the race she found me and was in near tears telling me Thank You for my help. She was ready to give up, but because I got her over the hill and encouraged her, she made it to the finish. Did I mention how much I love pacing?!?
Around mile 18 Lowell started to sag back. I knew he was struggling and that I was going to have to turn on the "Old Testament" mother to get him to the finish on time. I made him stop taking pictures on temple hill (he made me stop so he could get some, then switch so I could get some of him) and then just before mile 20 I made him stop talking. I was the one that was going to do the talking and he was only to do the running. He had started telling me about one of his missionary companions, but I never got to hear the end of the story. BUT, the end of MY story with that is the guy was at the finish line! Lowell hadn't seen him in years and had no idea he'd be there, but he was. Crazy world.
We kept Curtis and Marci in sight. My watch died just before mile 19, so I had to have Lowell give me splits. I knew from my band that we were still on pace (they were a bit ahead) so I stayed with him and figured they had the sign and two of them, so I'd be okay hanging back to help someone.
As we had our finishing stretch along the JRP headed South (uphill) I threatened, yelled, begged, bribed and humiliated to keep Lowell running. Anyone that knows Lowell will simply laugh. He not only deserved all of this, but asked for it too! Kris (Mrs Iron Dean) saw me and said hello and after running a bit around us said "you are a slave driver!" Yes, yes I am. When I am given a duty, I fulfill it! I had to Smootherize him and make sure that I pulled him into that BQ!!!
The last .2 he picked it up and finished strong. The timing for SOJO was ALL wrong. Embarassingly wrong. It had me at 4:14:32, which is perfect for my pacing, but Lowell stopped his watch at 4:16, so I would've been a few seconds over 4:16 since he started behind me. Most people had it off 1:50 or so. Lowell's official finish time was 4:13:58...so, strange, but whatever!
It was a wonderful finish and lots of friend to chat with and enjoy! Lowell now had his 10+ min BQ for 2015 and my job was finished!
I'd post the pics, but Lowell sent them to my email and I'm too lazy to import them to FB to post them here :) Maybe if I would've written this up the same day and not tried to blog over a full month at once....
The splits I have:
9:02, 9:08, 9:18, 9:35, 9:34, 10:50, 9:29, 8:43, 9:20, 9:14, 9:54, 9:51, 9:55, 9:53, 10:03, 9:11, 10:20, 9:52, 9:28
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