After my awful Mock Marathon 2 weeks ago, I rested and did slow runs before R66. By Friday before the race, I was feeling excited and energtic again. My only challenge is I have been having trouble sleeping. Between hot flashes (men wouldn't understand) and praying in the middle of the night for a local pastor who has cancer, I wasn't totally rested.
Sunday morning I went outside and thought I could tolerate standing at the start line in a short sleeved shirt. I wish I had the nerve to put my singlet on underneath it but I figured it wouldn't get warm enough. Hmmm, my loss. So I got to our meeting place for Runners World and checked around to see if anyone was going my pace. Stefanie and Tracy said they would be going between 11 and 12 min pace so I decided to pace with them.
We took off and it took about 3 min to get over the start line. We paced ourselves pretty evenly, staying between 10.03 and 10.48. Tracy and others had a sign party to make signs for Simone and Bronda since this was thier first marathon. So, in the beginning, we were watching for the signs and making sure that Simone and Bronda saw them. I thought that was so thoughtful of their team to make those signs, that's what I love about the Runners World groups. At mile 9, I saw Carmi, Teresa and Cindy in their silver wigs and black & white glasses handing out goodies and cheers. They showed up again somewhere around Denver, isn't it something how seeing someone you know gives you a boost? Once we got onto Riverside, Stefanie and Tracy were running faster than I was and they got ahead of me. I don't run well by myself in marathons. I get bored and unmotivated. Tatur Dave's article that he shared earlier this week about pain challenged me to run through my pain since I have walked after mile 17 of the other 4 marathons I have run. Today, I didn't walk until mile 24, except for the water stations. The main reason I didn't have a PR was because I took a potty break at a single station porta potty and a guy went in before me. I figured he would be quick but I kept hearing the toilet paper roll being rolled so I knew he was having stomach trouble. I didn't know where the next porta potty was so I waited...and waited. While I waited, the 4:45 pace group passed by, darn! Finally he came out and I hoped the porta potty wouldn't be a mess, it wasn't. I wasn't mad at him, I had the same problem at the first R66 I ran. Anyway, back on the road, I tried to catch up to the 4:45 pace group but I couldn't accelerate that much. I told myself that I could still catch up in the next few miles but I didn't. As I made the turnaround at 76th street, I still hadn't walked and I thought I could get through the whole marathon, this was at mile 21. Well, I did well until mile 24 and I let myself walk a little, just a little. Somewhere along Riverside, I saw Mary _____, someone I run with occasionally and learned that this was her 3rd marathon in FIVE weeks!!! She had just passed her darling family, kids, hubby, parents, so sweet. When I got to mile 25 I told myself,"come on, just a little over a mile." I walked for a block and then headed for the finish line. I love hearing people's name being called and where they are from and I love to hear my name, but you know what I love more than anything? Hearing that darling voice, "Mom, hey, good job!" I can't wait for my daughter to run a race with me again.
I did something unique for me during this race. Some of you know that my 23 yr old son drowned in the Columbia River in Portland, OR this past August 1. So for this race, since his birthday was Nov. 21, as I ran each mile, I thought about what he was doing during that year of his life. So, for my own therapy, I'll recount what I thought about, I didn't do this for each year.
Mile 1-as a baby, we loved to take pictures of Chris on the bed, he was soo cute, my unbiased opinion
Mile 2-my sister-in-law started telling me that we weren't being strict enough, this was during the onset of the "terrible twos"
Mile 4-Jessica was born during this year and I thought about how Chris was dethroned and all the time we spent playing in the sandbox
Mile 7-I thought about second grade and a wonderful teacher that Chris had, Mrs. Neece
Mile 12-I thought about middle school, 6th grade, and how Chris probably started getting teased about his stuttering, this is also when he started playing the trumpet in band
Mile 13-Chris built the web page for Byrd middle school and got 1st chair for trumpet
Mile 15-Chris did not like where he went to high school as a freshman and had a poor math teacher, Chris was brilliant in math
Mile 16-Chris transferred to Tulsa School of Arts and Science and had a great experience there, he also started to drive
Mile 18-Chris took extra math classes at TCC and graduated from TSAS
Mile 19-Chris started at University of Tulsa and lived on campus
Mile 22-Chris graduated from Univ. of Tulsa and began working for vidoop and the company relocated to Portland
Mile 23-Chris had the absolute best year of his life, found a church that he loved being a part of, survived a company going under, got 3 job offers in a city where unemplyment was 10% and loved his new job.
Mile 24-this is when I started walking and maybe that's why....
I am so grateful for his life, and for the assurance that he is in the most glorious place in the universe, with the very best friend of all, Jesus.
Once I got across the finish line, I met up with Carmi, Teresa and Cindy without their silver hair wigs and we had pics taken with Mary and her sister. I connected with most everyone else that I run with and learned that the majority of the people had good runs, some had PRs. Simone and Bronda had an excellent run and finished ahead of me, way to go girls!
When I got home, I tried to do the right recovery things, I started out eating a Cliff protein bar when I got in the car, then I drank some chocolate milk. I tried to take a cold bath but I couldn't find the plug for our bathtub so I stood in a cold shower. I drank some more chocolate milk and took a little nap. Then I finished my chocolate milk and checked the web for more finish times. On to planning my next race and training schedule. Maybe I'll see some of you at the Von Franken Family Run this Thursday.
Sunday morning I went outside and thought I could tolerate standing at the start line in a short sleeved shirt. I wish I had the nerve to put my singlet on underneath it but I figured it wouldn't get warm enough. Hmmm, my loss. So I got to our meeting place for Runners World and checked around to see if anyone was going my pace. Stefanie and Tracy said they would be going between 11 and 12 min pace so I decided to pace with them.
We took off and it took about 3 min to get over the start line. We paced ourselves pretty evenly, staying between 10.03 and 10.48. Tracy and others had a sign party to make signs for Simone and Bronda since this was thier first marathon. So, in the beginning, we were watching for the signs and making sure that Simone and Bronda saw them. I thought that was so thoughtful of their team to make those signs, that's what I love about the Runners World groups. At mile 9, I saw Carmi, Teresa and Cindy in their silver wigs and black & white glasses handing out goodies and cheers. They showed up again somewhere around Denver, isn't it something how seeing someone you know gives you a boost? Once we got onto Riverside, Stefanie and Tracy were running faster than I was and they got ahead of me. I don't run well by myself in marathons. I get bored and unmotivated. Tatur Dave's article that he shared earlier this week about pain challenged me to run through my pain since I have walked after mile 17 of the other 4 marathons I have run. Today, I didn't walk until mile 24, except for the water stations. The main reason I didn't have a PR was because I took a potty break at a single station porta potty and a guy went in before me. I figured he would be quick but I kept hearing the toilet paper roll being rolled so I knew he was having stomach trouble. I didn't know where the next porta potty was so I waited...and waited. While I waited, the 4:45 pace group passed by, darn! Finally he came out and I hoped the porta potty wouldn't be a mess, it wasn't. I wasn't mad at him, I had the same problem at the first R66 I ran. Anyway, back on the road, I tried to catch up to the 4:45 pace group but I couldn't accelerate that much. I told myself that I could still catch up in the next few miles but I didn't. As I made the turnaround at 76th street, I still hadn't walked and I thought I could get through the whole marathon, this was at mile 21. Well, I did well until mile 24 and I let myself walk a little, just a little. Somewhere along Riverside, I saw Mary _____, someone I run with occasionally and learned that this was her 3rd marathon in FIVE weeks!!! She had just passed her darling family, kids, hubby, parents, so sweet. When I got to mile 25 I told myself,"come on, just a little over a mile." I walked for a block and then headed for the finish line. I love hearing people's name being called and where they are from and I love to hear my name, but you know what I love more than anything? Hearing that darling voice, "Mom, hey, good job!" I can't wait for my daughter to run a race with me again.
I did something unique for me during this race. Some of you know that my 23 yr old son drowned in the Columbia River in Portland, OR this past August 1. So for this race, since his birthday was Nov. 21, as I ran each mile, I thought about what he was doing during that year of his life. So, for my own therapy, I'll recount what I thought about, I didn't do this for each year.
Mile 1-as a baby, we loved to take pictures of Chris on the bed, he was soo cute, my unbiased opinion
Mile 2-my sister-in-law started telling me that we weren't being strict enough, this was during the onset of the "terrible twos"
Mile 4-Jessica was born during this year and I thought about how Chris was dethroned and all the time we spent playing in the sandbox
Mile 7-I thought about second grade and a wonderful teacher that Chris had, Mrs. Neece
Mile 12-I thought about middle school, 6th grade, and how Chris probably started getting teased about his stuttering, this is also when he started playing the trumpet in band
Mile 13-Chris built the web page for Byrd middle school and got 1st chair for trumpet
Mile 15-Chris did not like where he went to high school as a freshman and had a poor math teacher, Chris was brilliant in math
Mile 16-Chris transferred to Tulsa School of Arts and Science and had a great experience there, he also started to drive
Mile 18-Chris took extra math classes at TCC and graduated from TSAS
Mile 19-Chris started at University of Tulsa and lived on campus
Mile 22-Chris graduated from Univ. of Tulsa and began working for vidoop and the company relocated to Portland
Mile 23-Chris had the absolute best year of his life, found a church that he loved being a part of, survived a company going under, got 3 job offers in a city where unemplyment was 10% and loved his new job.
Mile 24-this is when I started walking and maybe that's why....
I am so grateful for his life, and for the assurance that he is in the most glorious place in the universe, with the very best friend of all, Jesus.
Once I got across the finish line, I met up with Carmi, Teresa and Cindy without their silver hair wigs and we had pics taken with Mary and her sister. I connected with most everyone else that I run with and learned that the majority of the people had good runs, some had PRs. Simone and Bronda had an excellent run and finished ahead of me, way to go girls!
When I got home, I tried to do the right recovery things, I started out eating a Cliff protein bar when I got in the car, then I drank some chocolate milk. I tried to take a cold bath but I couldn't find the plug for our bathtub so I stood in a cold shower. I drank some more chocolate milk and took a little nap. Then I finished my chocolate milk and checked the web for more finish times. On to planning my next race and training schedule. Maybe I'll see some of you at the Von Franken Family Run this Thursday.
Way to go Paula! You are in incredible person and mom - Chris was looking down on you yesterday and I am sure so proud of his mom!
ReplyDeleteAnother great accomplishment. See you at the Von Franken Family Run on Thursday, if not sooner.
ReplyDeletePaula, you are awesome...you have "run the race with perserverance". Thanks for sharing your thoughts...what a great way to remember Chris.
ReplyDelete