It has been a week now and I know that there are things that I have forgotten about the race but in fact I couldn't probably have recorded it all anyway. Here is a distilled but not 'absolute proof' version of events. The single most different thing about his race for me compared with every other was that R was able to leave our boys in heavenly Fall Creek while he followed me around the course. In the past he's been brilliant at figuring out my mile splits and managed to catch me going past. So we relied upon his abilities to do the same here. The day dawned overcast and actually rather chilly. I wore two long sleeved shirts over my tank on the way to Hayward Field, the start. The race set up is fantastic and R was able to park the car just on the street parallel to the start line, down the road from the port-a- loss. This is something I had planned on doing so I joined a line and started pre-race people watching as I waited. With that taken care of, I met R by the race line-up. There were still about ten minutes to go. I handed him my second long-sleeve top and threaded my way somewhere around the 4:45 and 5:01 pace cards...but no pacer anywhere, no matter, I've never run with a pacer before anyway.
I positioned myself near a couple who looked as though they knew what they were doing. She was wearing a blue Seattle Marathon 2006 shirt (one of my favourites) and she also sounded quite English...comforting in this big crowd. National anthem and then we were off, pretty much right on time. I always enjoy the feeling of starting a race. I felt fresh and ready to run, the cool air was a good thing for me. Soon enough the crowd began to thin a little and I found a group that were running my pace, though in all honesty I did think they all looked as though they were already pushing it a bit. At the 1/4 mile mark my friend's sister, to whom I'd been introduced at the expo, greeted me, she said hi and then zoomed off to hook up with a couple of friends just ahead. I knew she was trying to beat 5 hours too and I half wanted to run with her but it was okay, in any case I was sure that 'zooming' was not on the cards for me today. I didn't see her for the rest of the race and was sure that she'd got a really good time. In fact I must have passed her at some point, since I came in about 10 minutes ahead of her. I'm not gloating, but after all my hours and miles of training I have to tell you that she is the first person I actually know that is slower than me, I feel a little more justified about my 50 miles a week and 5.30am starts in the dark.
2, 3 and 4 miles were spent trying to lose a largish guy in a black cotton t-shirt bearing the phrase 'God is Love'. This guy was carrying a large wooden flagpole with a full-size US flag which flapped at anyone within five metres of him, and the pole threatened to skewer anyone who happened to be behind him. He huffed and puffed and wheezed. He ran and stopped and walked and sprinted, all the time moving the flag from one shoulder to the other. As he turned the corners the crowds cheered more loudly for him and snapped away. So desperate to not be in those pictures I let my pace go and left him behind me. Very annoying person, for the first time in a race I felt at mile 4 that I was just too tired and needed to not do this thing at all. Anyway we had just seen the leaders looping back, that is beautiful inspiration so I continued against the brisk wind through miles 5 and 6 to mile 7 where I stopped for my chocolate AccelGel with caffeine. I felt the difference quite soon and cruised to mile 8 and somewhere along there was R waiting for me. I passed him my other long sleeved shirt which had been tied around my middle since about mile 5. R kept me company and jogged alongside me for a bit. We chatted, it was so lovely to see him. Then it was over the footbridge which apparently was bouncing with all the runners on it and over to Springfield. This was a pretty nice part of the course through parks and fields. I remembered it fairly well from last year too. There was a DJ playing loud good 70's tunes which helped me to loosen my stride. All of a sudden I realised that I had hit the halfway point 13.1. Though I had thought I was reining myself in, this was my best half time ever. I felt great about this, yet nervous that I may not be able to keep it up. At 14 I took another gel. At mile 15 R was there again and jogged along for a bit longer this time. The course is pretty at this point and there was a dirt trail along the side that he was able to use. I still felt able to chat and my pace was strong. The next few miles, all the way to about 20 miles were against the wind. There are some very short steep step-ups and downs, not much in the way of music but the river is serene alongside and the promise of heading over a bridge again to the other side where we could see the faster runners, kept me going, in a hypnotic state. Mile marker 21 just did not want to arrive. I tried some of the cherry beans that I had taken along at the last minute but I tore the packet through and several beans rolled along the bridge. The two I tasted had an artificial almond taste that just lingered. No more gels for me now, my tummy felt fragile. I started on the Gleukos energy drink at the next station. I walked through this one with a cup of water too and R was there again taking a picture before I headed off again. Mile 22 R ran with me and this time I couldn't talk much. The course was all familiar to me now. Pretty parks with supporters along them. Lawns pink and white with fallen blossom. I looked at my watch and saw that I had 50 minutes to make the last 4.2 miles. I knew that this was theoretically very possible yet also didn't allow any time to walk. So I continued to run and occasionally walk as fast as I could (not very). I was hoping that R would be able to figure out some way to run the last bit with me. My mind wanted to give up, but I was so close. No real pain but numbness in my head and attention seeking toes. Just at mile 25 there was R this time in his running gear. He quickly realised that I was an automaton and needed appropriate encouragement. 'Just one foot in front of the other' etc. I wouldn't let him leave me until the crush barriers started up to mark the finish chute and then something happened and I let my legs glide and float to the finish...an end surge? I raised my arms at the finish line (for reference see earlier post).
I got my blanket and water bottle, for the first time ever I was not hungry after a race. I grabbed a bag of cookies for later or for the boys who were going to come to the finish. Medical staff asked if I was okay as I stopped and then weaved out of the gate. I said "Yes, I'm just enjoying the moment!"
Thanks to R I got my time goal..by just one second.
Saturday 10 May 2008
Wednesday 7 May 2008
Result
I'll have to fill you in properly later, I'm still figuring out what to say and what my impressions were.
1. I finished
2. Under five hours
3. By one single solitary second 4:59:59
Eugene is still a lovely place and our hosts N and D provided a slice of heaven for our too brief stay.
1. I finished
2. Under five hours
3. By one single solitary second 4:59:59
Eugene is still a lovely place and our hosts N and D provided a slice of heaven for our too brief stay.
May 4th, 2008 - Eugene, OR | Summary
|
| bib number: | 1669 |
| age: | 37 |
| gender: | F |
| location: | Seattle, WA |
| overall place: | 1441 out of 1743 |
| division place: | 108 out of 129 |
| gender place: | 577 out of 770 |
| time: | 4:59:59 |
| pace: | 11:27 |
| half: | 2:22:54 |
| 20 mile: | 3:41:57 |
Friday 2 May 2008
Angels
Yesterday I was talking to a friend also running Eugene. We came up with the concept of Marathon Angels. The only other person I know who really has looked into the angel phenomenon is my sister's friend who wrote a PhD thesis and then I think, a book about them. My experience was last year at the inaugural Eugene Marathon. The last mile consisted of a loop around the back of Autzen Stadium which just happened to turn into a wind tunnel that day. A long-legged 'real runner' wearing proper racing kit appeared from nowhere all of a sudden, tucked in front of me and called out over his shoulder for me to follow him...draft off him! He kept checking over his shoulder to make sure that his pace matched my crippled slow shuffle, he saved me! At some point the wind subsided and he zoomed off. R didn't see him cross the finish...he couldn't possibly have been finishing in the slow set anyway. I didn't see him again.
My friend told me about someone she knew who had a similar experience with a guy who just found her and chatted to her through the last two miles when she had been ready to give-up. She crossed the finish line, looked around and he was gone! Well, I hope there is an angel sent for me on Sunday if I need one again.
Just a few more things to pack and then I'm ready to pick up all my people and head down to the deep southern part of Oregon. Can't wait to see N and D down in Little Fall Creek. The boys are beside themselves with excitement.
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