Each Day Is a Gift

Signed up for this marathon last min. since I didn't race Boston and want to see where my fitness is.  We lucked out with pretty decent weather and this proofing to be a fast course, I decided to take a gamble for a BQ.  Well, I crashed and burnt but have no regret.

We camped out at a campground/RV park about 2.75 miles from the start.  Woke up at 5:15 and hubby dropped me off at the start at 6am.  Looked for Teena and Shelby as I waited in the PoP line.  Temp was in the mid 30s.  Race started on time at 6:30.  I walked the incline 0.2 mile to the road so I was way at the back of the pack.  It snowed the first couple miles or so.  High fived hubby as I ran passed the RVpark.  My breathing was labored from the get-go.  Wasn't sure what it's all about since I took 2 puffs of the inhaler 20 min. before start.  I wasn't running very fast or so I thought just taking advantage of gravity.  There was a turnaround at around mile 5 in the Mt Charleston Visitor Center/Lodge with the first uphill and wham! hit by a stiff headwind.  This is also where I saw the pacers.  Finally got into a groove after 10K, passed the 4:25 pacer, debated whether to stay with him.  It's getting warm and I chucked the arm-warmer and gloves.  Soon after that, it got cold with cloudy sky and a headwind, blah! 

Uphill to mile 12.5 and I walked to take in 2 Leg Cramps caps.  Reached mile 13 in 2:05:xx so I stopped at a car parked south of the aid station to stretch crossing the half at 2:07:07.  I began to worry that I might have banked too much time and going to pay for it later.  The brief stop and stretch refreshed me so I brushed aside the thought and just go with it. 

First sign of cramps came just before mile 18 as the course started to level out so I took the remainder 2 Leg Cramps caps.  At mile 21 aid station, I stopped to rub on the Leg Cramps ointment and took 2 salt caps.  Saw hubby at the mouth of the canyon turn off and told him that my legs are cramping up.  He said: "It's ok.  You're doing great!"  After the turn, a Korean family was there handing out small cups of Coke which I took because I swallowed the salt caps without any water.  That tasted so good! 

The next 5 miles to the finish was shear torture.  I was directed to run on the left side of the road facing traffic.  I could not see any runner ahead of me.  My calves were starting to cease up and my breathing was rapid and labored.  I fought with every ounce of my will power and energy to keep jogging but eventually succumbed to walking but my breathing would not slow down.  I reached mile 22 at 3:37:xx so I had less than 48 min. to make my BQ goal of 4:25 which means I cannot let my pace dip to 11.  Mile 23 came in at 11:14. 3:49:08.  The wheels completely failed after that, the cramps got worse and even my left foot was cramping up.  I walked in bigger stride to stretch the calves and tried to slow down the breathing.  It brought no relief.  I was in so much pain and in such delirious state of mind that I missed a right turn and a traffic cop had to yell at me to turn around! 

With about a mile to go, the 4:25 pacer passed me and invited me to go with him...I tried with all my might but could not latch on.  Then all of a sudden, Teena came running towards me!  What a beautiful sight!  I was so happy to hear that she got her PR.  My leg muscles were fatigued and cramping up.  She coached me to stomp on my heels as I walked.  It worked momentarily but wound start to cramp up when I tried to run.  When my watch reached 4:25 and I still had 0.3 mile to go, my BQ dream gone, I just gave up fighting and walked the rest of the way.  Teena pointed to the last turn where Larry and Ryan were waiting and encouraged me to run to the finish for the photo!  There was a guy cheering with his bull-horn telling me that I could do it and then there'd be no more running!  I wanted to tell him to shut up cause I was in so much pain!  :) 

Teena met me in the finishers corral to take care of me.  She wrapped some ice bags around my left calf and right shin.  I couldn't have done it without her!  After I collected my medal and drop-bag I walked to the road to wait for hubby driving the RV to pick me up.  We drove straight to St. George to the medical center where hubby could take his INR test.  So 3+ hours later, I went to the bathroom for the first time and realized how dehydrated I was.  By the time I got something to eat 4+ hours later, I was femished.

*Fastest mile was mile 8 at 8:46 and slowest was mile 26 at 13:44.  I failed miserably but now I know what I need to do!