I’d planned and trained for better. Not only my training but also my pace in prior races this year held promise for a five-hour finish. I even held a pace in the first half that promised a negative split in the second half but, that didn’t happen. My left IT band seized up; each time I stopped to stretch, it got worse. Around mile 15, I started taking walking breaks. Around mile 18, I wanted to drop out. Around mile 20, I thought I’d have no choice but to drop out. It was cold, I was miserable and, I was limping. My finish time was 6:05:42 for an overall pace of 13:57 per mile. I’m blown away that I finished. Despite all that went wrong, I feel an amazing sense of accomplishment.
Don’t get me wrong. I felt the weight of failure. After months of training, how could my race come down to this? Friends and training partners have told me that you just cannot know what will come on race day. Something more than failure did come- I finished.
Pain is not a deterrent but a motivator to push through to the next level. My goal for next year is to overcome the setbacks I experienced this past Sunday, to not only meet the pace goal I had set for myself but to kill it.
Prior to the race with fellow MIT (marathoners in training) and Gracehaven fundraiser Judi. It was her birthday.
In the final mile at barely a trot but still smiling.
Proud of Jennifer having stretched herself beyond her first 5k in June to run her first half marathon four months later and represent for Gracehaven.
Struttin’ past the finish line, perhaps somewhat delirious from pain and exhaustion, and looking for Ann who would give me my finisher’s medal.
Showing off the medal. This gets me to thinking that capes are underrated.
After the race with Ann and Terri. Accomplishments such as this are better when the experience is shared with friends.
Post-race celebration one week later with the Flying Turtles of the MIT 12:00 minute pace group. That there is a good-looking group.
Richard, I didn’t know you have a blog! I totally understand how you are feeling. The same thing happened to me at Cap City. I’d done my 12 mile run at goal pace and then I finished Cap City at a 14-something because I just plain screwed up my hydration. I’ve decided to focus on the fast that I finished (it was my first half). There’s always another race to get my 2:50 half (hey, I’m slow). Congratulations on finishing, you’ve done something most people will never even consider doing and you raised a lot of money for a great cause!