Saturday was overcast and cool. The rain held off until after the race, but we got wet during the award ceremonies. It was a drizzle, not a downpour, so we stayed put until the awards were all handed out. I'm getting ahead of myself, though.
We arrived onsite at about 645AM to set up. We put up our team signs and our banner so that our other team members could find us. We handed out race packets, bib numbers and team t-shirts as our team members began arriving. Before long, we had an official looking team of walkers and runners. :)
Just before 8AM, everyone started crowding in at the starting line. And when I say crowd, I mean it. There were almost 2000 participants at this race! I am still in awe at how many people came out to support this cause.
At about 805, the race began, and I was quickly left behind by my daughter and my husband. LOL
My daughter wasn't letting anyone stop her, as she had a stern warning from her personal trainer that if she let my husband beat her to the finish line, she would get an ass kicking at her next training session. (Her trainer is ex-military, a Marine. I almost said ex-Marine - but once a Marine, always a Marine, right?) Anyway, she wasn't waiting for anyone.
My husband got caught up in the excitement of the race, and didn't even realize he'd left me behind. I didn't care though, I was just enjoying the experience of it all.
Unfortunately, about a mile down the course, I come across my husband - walking. Uh oh. So I fall into step beside him, and he tells me his knees are hurting pretty bad. He had double ACL reconstruction in late 2010, and he suffers from patellar tendonitis now, and he was hurting. I could see it on his face.
So I walk with him until he's ready to run some more. And then we run. For maybe 1/4 mile. And then we walk some more. See where this is going? The whole rest of the race was like that. LOL
But it gave us an opportunity to chat with some of our team members, as well as some of the other participants who were walking.
When we got to about the last 1/2 mile, my daughter showed back up to cheer us on, and we started running again. My husband took off again, leaving me behind, but my daughter ran with him across the finish line, and I was right behind them.
So we all finished the race, but our time sucked (51:32). Well, not all of us. My daughter finished in 34:19. She's not super happy with that, but I know she will run faster when there are drill sargeants yelling at her. LOL
I would have loved to have run the whole thing, but I was more concerned about being by my hubby's side at this one. There will be other races that I can run.
We did beat hubby's time/place from last year - which wasn't too tough, since last year he was just coming off chemo, and it was only a few months after his knee surgeries.
We're already talking about next year's race, as well as maybe traveling to run this same race in other cities. We made some great new friends, spent time with friends there to support us, and in general had a wonderful time. I wouldn't have done it any different. <3
I find most everything is about the people. I am glad you all had fun!!
ReplyDeleteIt really is. Sometimes it's hard to remember that, when you (I) get caught up in trying to meet a goal. But I wouldn't have traded this experience for running the race in 30 minutes, or even 45....because I wouldn't have had time to chat or see the beauty of the race course. <3
DeleteI'm glad you had fun, but I'm really sorry about your husband's knees. If he's anything at all like my husband, he'll go balls to the wall and then break down, instead of taking it slow and steady :) I'm a slow and steady kind of girl.
ReplyDeleteMy hubby and I are planning on running a 10k in a week or so, and it will be completely done in intervals. I've been training for a 5k, using Ease into 5K on my phone, but he's been doing nothing to prepare. It will be a nice walk/run/walk for us :)
Yeah, he tried to go balls to the wall, and I wouldn't let him. I kept telling him "If it hurts, then STOP!" Last thing I want is to have to take care of him if he has to have surgery on them again 'cause he did something dumb! LOL Been there, done that already.
DeleteGood luck with the 10K! That's on my list of things to do, but I need to get through a 5K (running) first! Your husband sounds like mine - not a dang thing to prepare for the race. Have fun!
I love to hear stories like this. I'm a terrible runner but I do work out quite often, and now that my asthma and back issues are under control I'm working hard with running again. Long distance runner coming up! And what a great cause also.
ReplyDeleteOh, don't get the wrong idea. I'm not a great runner either, it's just something I enjoy doing. I figure eventually the speed & distance will come if I keep at it. :)
DeleteLongtime distance runner here, until my family's bad-knee history caught up with me. Managed to tuck in a marathon and several half-marathons in there before middle age hit, though. One thing I discovered about distance running, is that unless you're one of the minor elite who actually compete for the purse at the end, running is more of a deeply personal challenge than anything else. Yeah, its cool to casually mention that you jogged 10 miles in some nasty hilly terrain before breakfast, but most folks won't truly understand what all that entails. Or the fact that runners of any distance always talk in tenths (or hundredths) of seconds, and swell with pride when they say they shaved that tenth off their time. I mean, its only a tenth of a SECOND, right? Riiiight. Ya just gotta get there and experience it to understand. Speed and distance are things that can be worked on. And that runner's high makes it all worthwhile.
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