Each Day Is a Gift

RACE MORNING

After two days of rain, wind and cold, we were finally greeted by a sunny morning. We got to Hopkinton with 3 hours to kill. It's amazing how you can meet, find and even run into friends among 22,000+ athletes. I ran into twin sisters, Joyce and Jolene, whom I met at Ogden and Shauna whom I paced for her BQ last year.

I had trained hard and prepared well and was just soooo happy to be there with my Forum family. I was especially excited for Teena and MarcE who almost didn't come. I only had one more promise to fulfill. My friend, Lowell (who was supposed to run Boston'09 with me) had been bugging me for 12 months about not connecting with him at the start and to run with him at Boston and SGM. So, with my cell phone in hand and Teena's help we went looking for him. By the time we found him and brought him to the "forum's pad", everyone except Lark, MarcE and Hillbilly have left. I was devastated to "loose" my running grannies. O well, I just have to go with plan B.

The RACE

Lowell had assured me that his training was going well despite developing a blood clot in his calf 3 weeks after SGM. He told me we would run my PR time of 3:58. I corrected him that I needed to run sub 3:57. What I hadn't count on was Plan C. He had brought with him a friend, Brent, a 66 yr old whose fashion taste was as hedious as Lowell's. These two geezers cracked me up with their antics, picking up camping pad and blanket that other athletes have left behind at the village and stuffing them in their drop bags. It took them FOREVER to get ready to go. Lowell had to take picture of the F-16 flying overhead and a bazillion group pics. Good grief, wave 2 had already started 10 min. ago!

Did I mention Lowell has unusual fashion taste? He was wearing purple tights and purple long sleeve shirt UNDER his shorts and short sleeve shirt which has his "identity" printed front and back. Brent was wearing red shorts that looked like swimming trunk, a green sweat shirt and knee high socks. They both had wind breakers and fanny packs on. Lowell also wore a winter hat that has ear flaps which he later switched to a bright green running cap. Needless to say, they were WAY overdressed.

I could tell Brent was having a hard time keeping up with the pace. Mile 1-3 splits: 9:23, 8:58, 9:13. There goes my hope of a 3:50. I was okay with that. Brent had a bottle of chocolate milk in his fanny pack. It leaked all over his shorts and legs. I helped him discard the bottle but he would not throw away the sticky wet fanny pack. Lowell also needed a hand in shedding his l/s shirt. He told me he'd wait till Wellesley to have the girls help him shed the tights.

Oh, Lowell announced that he wanted to stop at the even number aid stations. Darn, I had planned on odd number aid stations. O Well, we ended up stopping at every one. Mile 4-6 splits: 8:39, 9:21, 8:43. I tried my best to keep track of my two "Idaho studs". Laughed so hard that my belly seriously was hurting. Brent finally told us to leave him at mile 10. Mile 7-10 splits: 8:32, 8:47, 9:06, 8:34

We passed some runners with F75 and M75 bibs on their backs. There was even one with M80. I felt so smart explaining to Lowell what the bibs meant. I lost Lowell somewhere around Wellesley. Hmm, which lucky girls got to help him strip down the purple tights? I had so much fun greeting the Canadians and Koreans, Mickey and Minnie Mouse, lotsa cancer supporters, a guy celebrating his birthday and Gwen (an amputee) as I passed them. My running was relaxed and easy telling myself to save my legs for the Newton hills. Ran the half at 1:57:59.

I drank gatorade at every station. It tasted too sweet so I chased it down with water. I took gu at 5, 9, 13, 17, 21. I did not look at my Garmin except when crossing the timing mats. I thought about what my friends and Larry would see when the alerts come to them. Mile 11-16 splits: 9:02, 8:45, 8:56, 8:41, 9:05, 8:56.

Here comes the infamous Newton Hills! I just kept a steady effort and tried to keep my breathing under control. I later found out why my breathing was labor. Lowell had given me a pair of arm warmers which I shed around mile 3. He told me to make knots and tie them around my waist. I think they must have constricted my abs because the area just below my ribs were swollen and tender to touch even days later. Anyhow, I was determined NOT to walk the hills even though some people were walking faster than I was running. Mile 17-21 splits: 9:28, 9:25, 9:10, 9:30, 9:45.

The crowd at Boston College were incredible. Their scream almost overpowered my screaming quads. I tried not to charge down the back side of Heartbreak knowing I would pay for it later. It was soooo hard to stay focus. Wish I had ear buds to block out the loud bells and the constant screaming of BC BC BC. Wish I had some ibuprophen to ease the pain. Wish I had my running grannies to help pull each other along.

First sign of cramping came when the Citgo sign appeared in the distance around mile 24.5. I knew I was in trouble. Somehow I was clustered along the right shoulder, literally running into walkers, drunken spectators, even along side a motorcycle cop with its occasional sirens. The noise gave me a splitting headache. My calves were angry with threats of charlie horse, and my quads were burning. My 40K time was 3:48:28. The thought of disappointing my running friends in not getting a PR made me cry , but I just couldn't muster enough power to go any faster. I had to walk the slight uphill under the MASS pike tunnel and Hereford where I passed the Hoyt's father and son team. I gave them a weak encouragement/congrats. On Boylston, I could hear Doone's and my hubby's cheering my name, but I couldn't pause or turn to acknowledge them. The finish line kept moving away from me. Mile 22-26.55 splits: 9:05, 8:48, 9:29, 9:39, 10:48, (0.55 mi @ 9:36) My official finish time: 4:03:16, 25 seconds slower than last year's time, but did BQ with 12 minutes to spare.

The UGLY
After crossing the finish line, I was walking with the throng of runners, when all of a sudden, my left calf seized up, then the right calf went into a convulsing grip. I collapsed in a heap of pain crying like a big baby. It was Park City 2008 all over again, except this time was much worse. Almost immediately the volunteers lifted me up onto a wheel chair and whisked me into the huge med tent. They dumped me onto a cot like a rag doll. My legs were in a vice grip and horrible pain. While a PT worked on my calves, the physician scanned my bib and asked bazillion questions while a nurse started an IV on my arm. They pumped 2 liters of saline in me. They wouldn't let me get up b/c my blood pressure was 80/50. I was freezing cold. My clothes and 5 flannel blankets were soaked with my perspiration. They kept me there for almost 2 hours. My poor hubby waited and waited for eternity at the family reunion. I finally left the med tent with swollen face and extremities and gingerly walked my way to find my drop bag, changed into dry clothes and met my hubby on Stuart St. It was 5pm when I got back to the hotel. Had a quick shower and met the gang who waited patiently for me to walk to Legal Seafood.

I felt better after getting some food in me and drinking some diet coke at our post-race dinner celebration. THANKS Rhett & Doone for treating. Larry and I really appreciated your generosity!


Well, can't say I never cramp at Boston anymore, so sad! But, I'm happy with my preparation and training. I feel so very grateful for such wonderful forum & FRB friends. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!! Y'all make running more meaningful to me and Boston the more special because of you!