Route 66 Marathon Race Recap
Some days you feel like a nut, and sometimes you don’t. Yesterday I didn’t…feel like a marathon nut, that is. Earlier this week I’ve blogged on how I like to be in control. Control, in itself, became a huge factor in this race for me. The things I could control, the things I couldn’t control, and then the other things that I made bend to my will. This race will be a memorable one for me not for the almighty time, but for my will to finish despite unbearable circumstances.
First things first, my friends and I got into Tulsa Saturday afternoon. We immediately headed downtown to have lunch and attend the expo. It appears that every eating establishment and business shuts down on the weekends. Everything. It was a ghost town down there. Other than this strange man wandering around with a power drill in his hand, we didn’t see anyone. After 4 restaurant attempts and four blocks we find one Subway restaurant open. Praise Jesus. Afterward we went to the expo and it was good. For a smaller expo it was well put together. Once leaving the expo we drove to the start line and then from there to our hotel so that would could gauge how long it would take us to get there in the morning. Our hotel is a story all in itself. I don’t say this lightly, if traveling to Tulsa do not stay at the Baymont Inn. The service staff is rude and unbudging (especially for runners) and reservations do not mean anything. It was nice to relax for a bit and let Baby C out of the car seat. He was precious the entire trip. If possible laid claim to an even bigger stake of my heart this weekend. Anyway, after a great dinner at the Outback across the street we were in for the night.
Race morning was exceptional. I woke up and Ry handed me a card from Ashley. Somehow she snuck it to my husband to give me on race morning. How sweet is that?! The weather was perfect; sunny and in high 40s. Before the race I had the pleasure for a brief acquaintance with our very own Willie! Folks, he’s just as nice and sweet in person as he is on our virtual world. We had plans to meet up in my pace group and run together for a while. With 5 minutes to the start I made the grievous error of starting in the corrals backwards. That’s right. Backwards. I was walking in to a VERY crowded starting shoot from the elite folks back. My 4:15 pace group was so far back I didn’t think I’d ever get to them on time. When they shot off the gun for the wheelchair start I was still with the 8 minute mile folks. Finally I was like, “Look, I can’t run this fast- please let me back!” That got enough chuckles that some people let me through. I made it back as far as the 4 hour pace group when the gun when off. As Willie had warned me, the first half of the race, especially miles 1-9 were quite hilly. I guess in previous years this was the end of the race and this year they did it backwards. He was right. It was definitely hilly. The neighborhoods were beautiful. I felt pretty fantastic and was cruising right behind the 4hr folks for the first 8 miles or so. About mile 9 Willie found me. Bless his little heart; he actually started at 4:15 (where I wanted to be!) He looked all over, ran slow enough to check out the 4:30 pace group and then sped up and found me where I was. I feel so bad because that is when I started going downhill (figuratively, not literally as the course was still hilly!) He was a gem and kept me going for several miles. Quite the joy to run with and I can’t wait to do another race with him when I don’t feel so crummy. At the halfway point I was right on target to get my 4:15 goal, with a time of 2:06.
The 4:15 pace group passed me around mile 14. I tried to keep up with them for a while but just couldn’t get cruise control to stick. Willie followed his plan and left at mile 15 so that he could try to get a sub-4 hour race. He looked so strong. I was proud to be his friend!! Folks, I was so dizzy. It felt better to run but every time I did the world would spin. So I walked. I developed a pretty good run/walk scenario. Miles 13-25 was a long out and back along Riverside Drive. It was sunny and 66 degrees and the river was beautiful. The 4:30 pacers passed me around mile 18. I was so miserable that I honestly considered quitting. It would have been my first DNF in a marathon and at that point I felt so bad that I would have done it just to be done. Stupidly though, I kept thinking of the cool medal at the finish and I didn’t want to give it up. I started crying when I saw Ry at mile 18. I’m not sure why I was just unhappy and hurting and so dizzy. I can only imagine how awful my pictures looked right then! The turn around was at mile 20. I stopped at a medic tent and got some salt and it helped a bit but I think I was so far gone at that point that not much was going to work. I stopped and sat on the curb a few times. The medic folks were AMAZING. There were people biking all over the place keeping track of runners. The 4:45 pacers passed me at mile 21. I met Ry and my friends again at mile 22. Ry gave me two options: quit or he was running with me to the end. My sweet husband ran the last 4 miles in with me. This is saying a lot because bear in mine my husband had just ate biscuits and gravy and downed a vanilla frappacino right before. Not only that, but he hasn’t done any running in quite a long time. It was just the extra oomph I needed to get to the finish. I love my husband more than anything for sucking it up and pushing me through. Ry and I crossed the finish line right at 5:00:47. This race was very well supported and the organization ran it very well. They know what they are doing. Mucho thanks to all the volunteers and cops who blocked off streets and worked the water stations. You are invaluable.
Lots and lots of recollections on this race because I had lots and lots of time to think when I was out there. Number one thing on my mind- I have the best, most supportive friends a girl could ever, ever hope for. Not only did my sweet friends Mark and Laura give up their weekend to support me on a race that wasn’t stellar, my friends Sarah Jo and Linden were out there with the COOLEST signs I have ever had the pleasure to see. And cowbells. I first saw them at mile 6ish ringing to beat the band with 3 signs that said, “Run Sarah Run” I couldn’t believe I signs that were my very own. I saw them again at mile 13 and they had a sign, get this, which said “Run for Cupcakes”! It was the hit of the race. All kinds of folks were talking about that one. Little did I know until later that I really had cupcakes waiting on me at the end. And lastly they had a sign at mile 23 that said “Running Queen.” So. Awesome. My friend Betsy sent 6 homemade cupcakes with them to greet me at the finish. It was such a wonderful surprise. And those cupcakes are divine, by the way…and by divine I do mean heavenly.
Secondly, the time really didn’t matter to me and still doesn’t. That seems so alien to say that but as I’m sitting here I still feel the same way. I know I should be very disappointed that 4:15 wasn’t in my grasp yesterday but I’m not. Physically I was trained for it and prepared. Had all constants remained the same I could have done it. It is not for a lack of ability and maybe that is why I’m not upset. Not sure. I couldn’t control how my heart was going to behave that day and that was the big “if” statement. However, I did control that I finished. This race taught me that my will to succeed and my determination are a lot stronger than even what I had anticipated. You’re not always going to have good days, not always going to PR, and definitely not always have good races…its how you come of it in the end that shows who you really are. Just like my quote from a few days ago, it’s how you let the fire shape and mold you. I’m quite proud of who I am and what I did yesterday. Not many folks at all can say they finished a marathon, let alone finish a marathon with heart issues. Yesterday’s fire shaped me in a way that I wasn’t prepared for…it showed me my salt. It showed me what I’m worth. It showed me my strength, both mentally and physically. It showed me that I am a fantastic runner, even with a heart condition. And that, my friends, is something I’m quite proud of.
As an aside, I think I know why my heart issues arose yesterday. If only I had thought of this earlier to alleviate the situation, but you think much more clearly after its all said and done when you’re looking for mistakes. J If you recall, last week I drank lots and lots of water. I was trying so hard to not get sick that when in doubt I was downing another liter of water. What I wasn’t doing was increasing my salt. If anything my salt probably went down because I was eating so much healthier. I’d bet you a $1 that I flushed out all my salt and electrolytes last week and because I wasn’t working out I didn’t even notice. I’m supposed to eat volumes more in salt than any normal person to keep my blood pressure up. I did not do this. I can’t guarantee that this was the problem, but I’d wager it highly contributed.
I’m running another marathon next week in Memphis and I can’t wait! Ashley and I are running it to support our friend Melinda who this will be her first FULL marathon! Wah-hoo!
Lastly, just one more shout out to all my lovely friends for all the thoughts, prayers, signs, hugs, cupcakes, cards, and smiles from this weekend. It is quite humbling to feel so much. Yes, the Queen can be humbled every now and again. J
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Sarah, I am so proud of you and your friends and Ry, of course. You were amazing! And to finish despite how you were feeling is a testimony to your strength
Good luck at the next marathon, wow!
Sarah, I’m so proud of you for finishing! You did an awesome job, and Ry is super amazing. You are blessed to have such a supportive husband!
Good luck with the next one! :0)
ok-I cried reading your post!! I cried because you are SUCH A STRONG WOMAN!!! I cried because your wonderful husband ran the last 4 miles with you! And I cried because you got cupcakes at the finish!!!
You are a fantastic runner! You persevered thru hell and finished!! And yes, I’m sure you had too much water! I had that issue at the last LA Marathon I ran!!!Hypotremia sucks!!!I got super ill!! So I know how you were feeling!! But I have learned how to run to fend off that!! And you have too!!
You ROCK!!!!
You are fantastic! I’m so glad to read this post as it speaks to your soul. Not just as a runner but as a person. That running spirit has moved into your life and is molding your character into one tough cookie! Wonderful meeting you and good luck in Memphis. Be sure to recover and get those electrolytes back in balance.