Driving out to San Antonio on the way to the airport, we got a flat. That was after we were sprayed by a gravel truck, which destroyed our windshield. Nothing like that to get our trip started. We got to the airport shuttle just in time.
It takes 3 hours to drive to the airport, it sucks. Our flight was 5 hours including a layover. Then add an hour and a half layover, sprinkle that with a side of Naomi and you have a VERY long day. Traveling with a toddler a few days before a marathon burns a level of glycogen, due to the level of stress. Luckily we were staying at our friends' parents home, which made for a comfortable stay.
There were 4 others traveling from Del Rio to run the half marathon. It was exciting for them, because it was their first half marathon. Total, there were 13 runners in our party that were taking part in the weekend running events. It was a Par TAy. Luckily, the drinking didn't commence until after the race.
EXPO day was an expo with all of the same usual crap. I loved seeing all of the Air Force memorabilia. David picked up his racing uniform for the MAJCOM challenge. The shorts looked like they were 5 sizes too short. I made him wear spandex under them. I basically threatened him with our marriage if he didn't. I think the spandex saved him in the long run.
My friend Brittany's mom made us a carbo loading feast the night before. Like, I don't even see that much food at a Mormon function! Pasta on pasta with cheese and sauce and meat and pie and cake and beer. It was much more than we could have bargained for. I made myself go easy on it or else I would have no control over my bathroom stops along the course.
Race morning. 4:15 am rolls around and Naomi wakes up screaming (of course). I wasn't sleeping anyway, so I tried to calm her so the rest of the running house wouldn't wake from the beast creature. She was just making sure her parents weren't sleeping in on race morning. We had sat all of running wardrobe out the night before, so we just had to slip in our running clothes and slither out the door.
It was WARM out. A humid warm. Not a Texas humid warm, but warm enough to forgo the cover up clothing. That is always a bad sign in my book. Plus, I was majorly sleepy. Got to the race start (20 min away) and parked the car in a large grassy field. I could feel allergies starting to set in because of everyone rolling around in the grass. Then we got the privilege of walking a million miles to the start line. I felt like a zombie.
No line for the portas, so we went. Then we went over to the majcom challenge tent. It was pretty lame, so we left to go get back in line for the portas. Went again. Started to make our way to the start. It was nice because it was not overly crowded at all. The start area was very spaced out and I was able to find my pacer easily. I wanted 3:20, there wasn't a a 3:20 pacer, so I decided to run with 3:25.
There was a flyover and it was the U2. Easily, the BEST pre-marathon start EVER! The colors were presented and the crowd grew silent very quickly. All I heard was a pacer near me talking to a group of runners. He had his back turned, so he didn't see that they were presenting the flag. He was embarrassed when someone finally told him what was going on. National anthem was sung beautifully. Then the U2 flew very low and it was really just a beautiful plane. So cool because they never fly that low. Then they hit it and climbed straight back up. It gave me the chills and I got a little teary. Then it was time to start.
Got going and 3:15 was where it was for me. I had my race paced out on my smart race band created by Andy. I was going off of his splits for the most part. The 3:15 pacer kept just being by me, so I just decided to run with the group (only men). I only could see one female in front of me (the entire race), and I passed her at mile 8. No females passed me the ENTIRE race, super confidence booster.
Splits: I can honestly only remember a few vivid parts of this race. I was really looking at the ground or concentrating so hard to keep going. I really did not look around much.
1. 7:32
2. 7:43 (uphill)
3. 7:02
4. 7:33
5. 7:32
6. 7:25
7. 7: 19
8. 7:35 (I saw David on this part, it was an out and back portion in a little town. There were a lot of people out cheering for the marathoners)
9. 7:28 (started feeling really good)
10. 7:20
11. 7:21
12. 7:11 (Knew I needed to back off from the 3:15 pacer, he was going way too fast! )
13. 7:27 hit the half at about 1:37:xx. I knew that I was ahead of pace, but not by much. Didn't feel THAT good.
14. 7:35 My goal was to listen to my playlist until mile 20 without stopping. My music held me together this race.
15. 7:53 Turned and headed back toward the start and it was extremely windy. I watched 3:15 fade into the distance, I was ok with that.
This was the aid station that served us literally, on silver platters. They were dressed in white shirts and ties. It was rather darling and I hope that aid station wins the competition they were doing.
16. 7:52 Knew it wasn't there. It was windy, hot and humid. My shirt was soaking wet and I was really hot. Thirsty at EVERY aid station, Stations were about 1.5 miles apart.
Caught up to a man to run behind and block the wind. He was NOT happy with me. Stopped so I would go around him. I looked back and his nipples were bleeding. Yeah, I'll leave him alone.
17. 7:51
18. 8:21
19. 7:57 Almost to 20... This 14-20 was horribly boring. Nothing to look at, just like running at home.
20. 7:51 Ran around a random out n back that was not necessary for this poorly marked marathon. Took all I had in me to run around a stupid cone.
21. 7:51 Met up with the half marathon. Parade of people that looked much worse than I did. The half started 1 hour after the marathon.
22. 8:43 This was an overpass we had to run up. Kill me. And then I tripped on the grating. I let out a scream and a swear word.
23. 8:26 hills
24. 8:57 Just annoyed. Esp when the 3:25 pacer passed me and was telling me to keep up with him. I just wanted to yell at him
Hill and then flat here
25. 7:53
26. 8:02
.4. 7:13 I knew that if I wanted under 3:25, I would have to push really hard for it the last half mile. We passed the finish line at this point and had to go all the way around a runway. I was ready to push the half marathoners at this point because they were all over the place.
I saw my friend Matt in the crowd and that gave me the final straw to push. Ten seconds to spare... And then I collapsed. It was the strangest thing. My legs just gave out and I fell down. It felt so good to stop running. I sat there for about 30 seconds before a girl came and picked me up. And then a Colonel came. They helped me stand up, I was fine. They still took me to the med tent. I collected my medal first.
I went to the med tent and David followed me in. I asked him his time and he was so upset. 3:11. He had a sub 2:50 in him, it was NOT his day. I felt so bad for him. He just lost all hope and even walked a few times, which is not what he does.
I chugged a water bottle down and left. Passed all the food that looked gross at the time and just wanted to leave. We found our group waiting for us. Everyone that did the half seemed very happy. Little Naomi was sleeping and she seemed fine. We all left right as it really started to rain. I knew the humidity was there, it followed us from Texas!
Walked, and a year later got to our car. Started driving and we got ANOTHER flat tire. Of course it was raining and David was in his skimpy running attire, he tried to fix the flat. It was rusted on to the rim, so we had to wait and wait for our friends. Why oh why did we not pull over next to a bakery? I just wanted a cookie or something.
In the pouring rain, they fixed the tire. I sat in the car and felt bad for my husband that had some kind of bad luck upon him.
Got back and it was sunny and beautiful out. :) Everyone sat around in pain and talked of the race and it's many adventures. I got to answer questions about why digestive systems do strange things on race day. Oh the joys of being with newbies. One of our friends even ate bacon and drank beer during his half. He was pretty pleased that he could accomplish so much out on a race course.
**** Couple of things I want to remember for the future.
*I took a SaltStick EVERY 30 minutes. I know these saved me because early on I felt a leg cramp that completely went away.
*Caffeine is my friend on race day. Give me the Roctaine, give me the mocha mocha GU, Give me the Salt Stick with caffeine. I probably should have only been taking caffeine SS.
*Don't gorge yourself with pasta the night before. I did most of my really good carbo loading 2 days prior with lots of water. Gives it some time to digest.
*Don't race the Air Force Marathon again. Jk, I think I would do it again. I think a 22 miler needs to be in the mix of my long runs. More tempo miles stuck on the end of long runs. This course is definitely more difficult in the end. You can feel the slight net downhill the first of the race. When you turn the corner up to mile 14, everything hits you in the face. Slight uphill and wind.
*French braids were the ticket. I loved my hair and it was perfectly manageable later, no tangles.
*If traveling to a race, two days prior is great. Boston we got there really early. I was completely exhausted by the time I actually got to run. Do all sight seeing afterward.
BIG shout out to the one and only RACHELLE WARDLE. She was David and I's running coach for this marathon. I have honestly never felt more prepared for a marathon. Give me a downhill course and I would have won (yeah right). But I really felt great going into race day and I executed so many difficult workouts along the way. Plus it was majorly cool saying I had a coach. Cross my fingers that she will work with me again!
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