All started harmless enough. The Lace Up Against Breast Cancer Half Marathon and 5K were fast approaching. I had pretty well decided on doing the 5K. I was ready for it. Since suffering the fracture in my foot and spending 2 months mending I had started back to running slowly but managed to build up to 3.5-4 treadmill miles. Easy runs, about 10 minute miles or so.
I recently joined the LUABC board and at one meeting remembered Laura Lenz mentioning that she fund-raised for the event. I had never really thought about it. As board members you generally try to find sponsors. As runners you pay your entry fee and run - that is your contribution to the cause. And much appreciated too. So the fundraising thing stuck more or less in the back of my head and time went by and I hadn't done anything about it. Then an email hit my inbox. Sherry "oh Canada" Boutcher sent out a fundraising request - challenging people to make her run 5K, 5K twice or the Half Marathon by donating $300, $300 to $500 or over $500 respectively. What a great idea. I asked her if it was ok if I joined the fun and she graciously agreed.
I emailed friends, family and coworkers giving them the opportunity to put me through a little or a lot of pain by donating to this worthy cause. And donate they did. I am still not sure if it was the cause or the opportunity to put me in a world of hurt but the donations just kept coming. I hit the $500 mark and kept right on going.
I was now committed to running the half - like it or not. I knew this would be a long slow slog and just prayed that the untrained old body would hold up long enough to cross the finishline.
I headed to the venue early as I had signed up to volunteer. I ran some last minute errands to pick up more cones, cups and other equipment and then settled in to race day registration - it never ceases to amaze me how many people show up the morning of a race - even a long race like a half marathon - to register - quite often with just mere minutes to spare before race start. It gets really frantic.
About 10 minutes prior to start I got myself ready, pinned on my bib, headed for a restroom and made sure I had what I needed with me before finding my friend Sherry at the start. We had talked about covering the distance together. Although a bit better prepared for this race than me - Sherry also confessed to being somewhat undertrained - so misery was looking for company.
Another group of friends was lined up near the back - the Chatty Chicks - a fun group of ladies sporting tutus and smiles. We fell in line behind them and waited for the gun to go off.
People are always so cheerful at the start. You would think they have never run a long way before. You would think their feet have never hurt, their thighs or underarms had never chafed, their heads have never hurt from dehydration, glutes have never screamed in agony or IT Bands have never rebelled. What is that all about? Here we are happily waiting to go get beat up mentally and physically, even anxious to get going as though we can't wait for the carnage to begin. What am I saying? I am one of those people and glad to be.
The gun went off and we were running. Mile one was a little fast - 9:40 something. No land speed record but faster than anything I had done since I broke that darn foot. I knew I would have to settle into a much slower pace if I was going to hang on for 13.1. We walked for a minute or so and then started to run again. We did this - run about 10 minutes and walk about a minute for several miles. I also opted to walk any inclines. We still were posting between 10 and 11 minute miles. Right on track. I assumed that this would be about a 2 and 1/2 hour half marathon. We kept on trucking. The day was really beautiful and sunny and the bike trails for the most part were clear of snow and ice. Some of the course was out and back so we got to see the really fast people leading the race and we cheered for everyone coming toward us. Time really flew.
Around mile 8 or so I started to have some ankle pain. Left foot. Same foot I had fractured. That whole leg is weak. From hind end to calf, my muscles are just not what they were before the injury. I am sure that contributed to what I was sure was a posterior tibial tendonitis developing. I was really wishing for some K Tape. No time to worry about it. Sherry really was good company, as was her fiance Mike who had joined us somewhere between miles 6 and 7.
Between 9 and 10 we had to stop for a train. We stood for about 2 minutes - about 5 of us on each side of the tracks. Not sure if I welcomed the break or prayed for the train to hurry up so that I wouldn't seize up right then and there. Soon enough we were moving once again.
By the time mile 10 came along I knew that I had just about emptied my tank. It was a real effort to keep on moving. The ankle was getting worse and I was really feeling the effort.
It amazes me what we can do. Physically I mean. Our bodies will go much harder and longer than we would think. It is our mind that will stop us long before the legs give out. Sheer willpower kept me moving from mile 11 to the finish.
I had been telling Sherry and Mike for some time that it was ok if they could move faster than I could and went at their speed. They finally did with a little over a mile to go. I saw them catch up to another runner, run along side her for a bit and then pull ahead.
I caught up to the runner next. Her name was Jennifer and her feet were hurting. Nothing like someone else's pain and struggle to take your mind off your own. I started to talk to Jennifer and we pushed along side by side. I reminded her just how strong she was and assured her that I would not leave her until we finished this thing. We pushed on, side by side, sometimes walking and then running. With about a half mile left to go we walked for a bit and I told her that we would walk to the back side of the school and then we would run to and across the finishline. And we did. I pushed her and she carried me. Simple as that.
I have run much faster halfs - but none will ever feel so good.
Together with friends, family and coworkers I raised $1002 to put toward fighting this devastating disease. I managed to finish a race on nothing but sheer willpower - not that I would recommend that.
I was glad when I was done. I felt that I had done the best I possibly could and that is a really great feeling.
Thomas Edison said:
"If we all did the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves."
Now isn't that the truth.
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