Slipping and sliding through the 2011 LA Marathon
Captain’s Log 10, star date 3-23-2011
I can’t believe I did it ! I never got my stride. At mile 8 I am wondering why I could not relax into this run with 18 more miles to go. My whole body feels heavy..could it have something to do with the extreme wind blowing into my face,the rain coming down in sheets at a weird angle,my entire body being wet, cold and already aching ? I am not sure what is going on, but I am not enjoying this race.
I was so excited about running this new course. This was my fourth time running LA, and my second course change. The first two times the course was a loop which started and ended down town. The first year was the El Nino year and it rained for part of the race with warm temps. As you all know with Ross “it doesn’t count unless you do it again” We ran LA a second time, this time the weather was good and we enjoyed the race. The third time I ran with some friends, no rain great race. The timing of the race is perfect because it does not impact the dragon boat season.
I read about the new course and decided I wanted to do it and invited
some Healers to do this crazy thing with me. In all of our training we never
talked about the weather, after all “ it never rains in Southern California”
lets flog the person who wrote that song ! We started to get worried about
the rain 3 days before the race…….we are Healers “no big deal” As a last
minute caution, I packed one extra long sleeve tech shirt. I think the goddess
was looking out for me.
Mile 9 , still no stride. I notice some empty entertainment tents, a
dredth of people cheering us on, my shoes are slipping on my orthodics,
my toes are rubbing together. In all of my running career I have never
had a blister…..I am getting one now. I still can’t believe this is
happening….many more miles to go. I am a running purist, I never run
with an ipod, wish I had one on Sunday. I am trying to feed of the small
crowds, I thank every volunteer, at Rodeo drive, I have a fleeting moment
where I want to run in and buy a fur coat with by bib as collateral……I am
freezing……am I really in LA ????? . At mile 18 I reach for a cup of water
from a volunteer only to have the cup slip out of my hands. I realize I cannot
feel my fingers. I stop at the next medical tent ( I never did this at any other
marathon ) they warm me up, put lots of vaseline on my hands and off I go
to finish this journey of pain.
I start worring about my running team mates, I am a seasoned marathon
runner and I am having the worst race of my life, “how are they doing”….probably promising to flog me if they survive. As Gio said” I just
wanted to paddle year round, I join the Healers and the next thing you know
I am running a marathon”
At mile 21 I thought ‘ this is a short run” I can do this, I have to do this, I am
too tough to kill !
They say the marathon is about challenging your body but more
importantly it is about finding the guts to cross the finish line, its about
fighting your demons to cross the finish line ! To my fellow running team
mates, job well done. You all fought for the finish line and found it.
Captain out !