Anyway, we headed off to the race in the pitch black of night. We arrived at the parking lot by 6:30AM and got on one of the buses to the start line area. Since there was no parking at the start/finish area we had to take shuttle buses from a designated parking lot. We arrived at the start area and sat around in the rotunded on the beach (Easton's Beach/1st Beach in Newport) until it got close to race time. I went to the bathroom and took all my extra layers off so that I was ready to race. It was a little chilly to start but I stayed with my shorts and tank top since it was supposed to warm up. I'm glad I did because once the sun came up it was blazing down on me for the entire race. The first half of the race was fine except that I had to stop and use the porta-potty twice which is unusual for me. Other than that my pace was fine, my legs were fine and I kept slowing myself down so that I didn't die on the second half of the race. I kept thinking that the half marathon distance seems like nothing now which seems so strange since it seemed like a lot when I ran that distance before. There was really not much wind to speak of on the first half of the race and I really enjoyed the section that ran along the ocean. It was sunny and beautiful and the smell of the ocean air was awesome. I completed the first half in two hours five minutes which was perfect for where I wanted to be and life was still good. I continued past the finish line for the half marathoners and by mile fifteen I was looking for a potty again...not good. I was meant to stop and stock up on powerade and power bar balls at mile fifteen when I saw Jason but all I could think about was a potty break so I just kept on to the next water station/porta-potty stop. Thankfully that was the last time my stomach acted up. After leaving the water station I started down a very looooong stretch. OK, it was only about 1 1/2 to 2 miles but it was the windiest stretch of the race that it might as well have been ten miles long. The sand was whipping off the beach and stinging my legs and I had to run at an angle into the wind so that I didn't get pushed sideways. Fortunately I knew my family was waiting for me at the end of the wind tunnel so I kept pushing through and got some high fives, cow bell ringing, and pom pom shaking as I ran by my parents, kids, aunt, nephew, brother and sister in law. Jason ran with me a few yards and stocked me up on power bar balls, gave me a pep talk and sent me on my way. I rounded the bed and escaped the terrible wind. I had six miles out and back with some big hills. I did walk a little and had to fight my own mind telling me to quit. I just kept thinking about what I have told Sofia with swimming her laps..."We don't quit! When we are tired we tell ourselves that we can do it and you push through to the end." Her little face in my mind told me I could do it and I kept pushing myself. I stopped to stretch out at one point because I could feel how stiff I was and my legs were like cement. As I was stretching the EMT guy came over and asked me what hurt. I had to laugh because at mile 22 what didn't hurt. He offered to spray my legs with what he said was a aerosol cold spray which acts like ice packs. I said yes but I don't feel like it made anything better. By that point I just kept telling myself, "two miles to Jason, two miles to Jason" since I knew he was waiting for me at mile 24 which was where there was a short but very steep hill. Sure enough he was there and ran up the hill with me. Oddly enough I am quite good at the steep hills and generally pick up my pace with shorter strides. I powered through the hill and said bye to Jason as he took the short cut to the finish line. I picked up my pace since I knew once I made it past mile 24 I was home free. As I ran past a guy he said, "wooow where did you get that burst of energy?!". I just said "don't ask. it might go away!" and I kept running picking up my pace for the final distance. As I came near the finish I rocked it out and poured every last ounce of energy into my run. They were annoucing people as they crossed the finish line but my name didn't get announced since they were annoucing the two girls in front of me as I blasted past them to the finish! There is something about blasting past people near the end that is just fun. The adrenaline of finishing before other people gives me the final burst to sprint to the finish. Hopefully my finisher picture comes out better than my last race picture. I always hope for a pretty finish picture but the mad dash to the end doesn't seem to lend itself to a nice pretty picture. I'm ok with it though...a better finish time is better than a pretty picture!Thank you to all my family who came to watch me in the race. I know that it is a long race and means watch a lot of people that you don't know but it means a lot to me that you came and cheered me on. The small amount of time it take to run past you gives a great emotional boost and kept me going. It gave me goals to look forward to....just 4 miles to Uncle Joe and Aunt Joan, just 4 miles to Jason, oh look there is the rest of my family, just two miles and you will see the kids, mom and dad, Joe and Jen, Michael and Carlene again, 3 miles to Jason, 2 miles to Jason, you might see the family group again so don't walk now....they aren't there but at least you didn't walk, oh there is Jason, and the final stretch to the end! I can't imagine running that distance without any friends and family along the route. You all were my mile markers who kept me going. THANK YOU!
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