Well after signing up over a month ago, the day finally arrived for the 31st running of the Mercedes Benz Cotton Row Run in Huntsville, Alabama on May 31, 2010. Some 5,240 runners had signed up for the three races, 10K, 5K & fun run and for the Fallen Officer's Memorial Walk. The weather was overcast and a big muggy and humid.
After suffering from shin splints from “Hades” in the past, we got out our Kinesio Tape the night before and applied in the appropriate places. I looked quite the bionic woman afterward. Bright blue tape up and down my leg, strategically placed to prevent the pain that I suffer after each race.
The night before, my husband whom I think believes I have lost my mind anyway, quietly cornered me urging me to at least drop down to the 5K if I was dead set on running in this race. Oh if he only knew how those same thoughts had crossed my mind more than once. But I am a stubborn woman and I had decided I was all in.
After another sleepless night before, I woke at 3 AM to prepare for the day. My usual pre-race nerves were at an all time high that morning. For some reason I just can't seem to get a handle on them. I had a lot of anxiety over the usual issues like will I be able to stay with the running pack and will I look stupid running, do I need to drink my coffee or eat something, and if so-then what? If I eat will I get the runners trots, and if I don't eat will I be able to make it on empty. What will I wear? If it rains or I run through the sprinklers will my shirt be see through? All the usual crazy things going through my mind..
Worse still, that morning I woke up with my previously broken foot hurting me. I had not run in 3 weeks. I just didn't feel at the top of my game. I was going to run in my largest race ever going farther than I ever had in a race and I was not physically prepared after not training for so long. What was I thinking?
A friend had called the day before to ask about riding together and I really considered backing out of the whole thing then. But I told myself that I had made a commitment and I was going to see this through. My daughter and I had run the course 3 weeks earlier just to be sure I could complete it. A group was meeting every weekend morning for the whole month to train. We went. It was torture. I walked/jogged and ran it slowly and not even within sight of the others, but I finished it. My daughter stayed with me as we made our way.
But today was the day. Monday, Memorial Day 2010. As my daughter and I drove to my friends house to pick him up, I truly felt sick at my stomach. It was beyond butterflies- it was an “I may need to pull over and hurl” feeling all the way there. We drove the 30 minutes it took to get there with my husband and other daughter following behind us in the pre dawn dark. In my Nike Structure shoes and my Reebok running pants and top with my blue taped legs, I was as ready as I was going to be. But definitely was questioning my sanity at that point.
We were early and got a prime parking spot. The setups were just getting underway. We had time to walk around and relax a bit before things started jumping. It helped. As the people poured in, I became calmer and “zen” like. It took effort, but I reminded myself that my goals were simple that day. Foremost it was just complete the race. Secondly I would like to not be the last person over the finish line. Thirdly, have some fun and enjoy the race. I realize this sounded like some very low goals to the diehard competitive racers, and I must admit not my usual mindset when competing. But I had to realistic. I was undertrained to expect anything more.
Once we were instructed to line up at the 7AM start time, I went to the point near the back of the pack. Then I decided to move up more to the middle of the pack as everyone tightened up the lines. As we stood in line, the officials gave us a speech about how this was a challenging course and that only those truly fit should run it. That if you weren’t there was no shame in dropping out. Great! Just what I needed to hear when I was already feeling a bit overwhelmed. Good Grief. But stubborn and determined I held my place.
Then after the pre-race ceremonies were over, we were off. A throng of thousands literally, elbow to elbow for at least the first half mile and then it started opening up as the faster runners pulled ahead of the pack.
As I ran through the streets of Huntsville with my fellow runners, the spectators cheered us on. Hundreds of people had come to cheer on their loved ones and strangers as they each worked to accomplish their own personal goals for the day. It was such a neat sight to see and made me feel so good.
As we made our way through the 6.2 miles, we would talk amongst ourselves. I met new people and heard their short stories about their experiences that day or why they were running. Some were running for their first time, some were running their 100th time and recovering from injuries. Of course the faster runners were long gone from our area of the pack, but you felt like comrades as you ran together and chatted; happily knowing there were quite a few more runners behind us. Validating that while we might be slow, we weren’t the slowest; not that being the slowest was bad.
The topic always turned to the hill ahead; that hateful straight up hill that seemed to go on forever. I knew where it was and I knew it would take all my mettle to reach the top. Once we made it through that point, we would be half way and the rest would be relatively easy after that. As I was running I encountered four 15 year girls running their third 10K together. These girls were so funny. Ah youth… But being able to say that I was able to hang with the 15 year olds for most of the race made me feel a little better about it all. Now they may feel differently because they have to say they ran with the 50 year old. And we followed the 70 year old that beat us all…
Once we reached the bottom of the dreaded hill, someone had the theme from Rocky playing loudly to spur us on. It did inspire me to run the first quarter of it before my legs said “What you talking about woman?!!” NO WAY! So I walked the rest of the way up; at one point almost crawling it as my nose came closer and closer to the asphalt. When your car actually has to strain to get up a hill, you know its steep.
However, once I reached the top, the guys carrying the American Flag were there to cheer us on and congratulate us for our successes. The water station was ahead and a sprinkler was set up to run through to cool us down. Thank you Huntsville!! After that point, it was another smaller hill and then the very steep downhill descent. I turned it on as fast as I safely could. I reached the bottom to the blaring sounds of Alicia Keyes’ Empire State of Mind. Just what I needed to give me that extra push along. The people standing in their yard cheered us loudly and we all had a bit of dancing in the streets with the music as we went by. It was a priceless moment. Next, it was a shout out to some more friends who lived along the course way and some more cheering on. By then we all knew we were going to make it. It was mile 4 and only 2.2 more to go…
As I pounded out those last couple of miles, loudly breathing, trying to conserve that little bit for the sprint at the finish line, I was smiling and feeling that this is where I needed to be. Maybe that was that runners high I had kept hearing so much about. I truly loved the moment. This was the first time that I could remember actually enjoying the run itself. Before, the enjoyment always came after it was over.
That last quarter mile was priceless. The crowds cheering, the music playing, the excitement in the air; it was all good. As I crossed the finish line, my friends and family were there waiting and cheering me on. They had run good races and were feeling good too. My husband was smiling and proud of me also. The first person I saw was the smiling face of my younger daughter as she whooped and hollered for me; it was all perfect.As I sat at the base of a big elm tree I savored the moment. I had accomplished my goals. I had done IT! I may be slow, but I still did it. It was just bliss. I can’t describe it any better.
The day was a great day. The race was perfectly organized. The rain had held off. The crowds were huge. I saw no one injured or sick. It was just good fun!
Maybe –just maybe-there is still some kick left in me yet….
Granted I have been sore all over, but no shin splints. Yea Kinesio tape!
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