This ½ marathon was sort of surreal for me. Going back to run in my hometown. I actually didn’t sign up until the day before. The weather was funny and honestly I had NO desire to run my last race of the season in heat and humidity. I help saying I don’t want to have a bad race at the end of my season. But, the race went right by the house I group up and lived in for 18 years. How could I not do it? I had to run at least 10 miles anyways, so why not run a ½?
We started in the Longview High School stadium. This is where I spent most of my Friday nights in high school cheering and I haven’t been on the field since then. The best thing about the start was they let 2 soldiers in full gear start before everyone else. They were running in honor of friends they’ve lost. Also, I got to start with Joy, my sister-in-law, running her first 5K. After a fly over and a few other items of business, off we go! As always I start off telling myself, “Don’t get caught up with the shorter distance runners. Run your own race.” As we get out of the high school parking lot and head down airline that would be the only big group of people we would see during the whole race cheering us on. But, it was exciting nonetheless!
I turn right on Hawkins parkway, which was all trees when I was growing up. Actually, I remember riding with a friend on his motor cycle through those woods once. As this point in the race there was a guy with REALLY bright shoes in front of me and I just tried to keep him in sight.
We turn left on Eastman Road. For several miles I just thought to myself “NONE of this was here when I was growing up.” Kohl’s, Target, car dealerships, spas, and even a college. I also remembered this was the ONLY street I couldn’t cross from my neighborhood because it was 5 lanes wide. Oh, but believe me, I’d go all the way to it! Just never crossed it. By the way, I’d already run up 2 hills! And it wasn’t going to get any better! It was during this stretch that the girl in pink passed me. I let her pass but I DID NOT let her out of my site. I remember thinking, “I wish running was like triathlon and there was body marking so I knew how old she was.”
I can’t tell you how perfect my music was shuffling. All the right songs came at the perfect time right when I needed them. This time was Aerosmith. Out of the corner of my eye, a gunmetal grey Camaro. I smiled and was reminded that’s the reason I work so hard…to get one of those one day! That one wasn’t a convertible but it was sweeeet! I run by the park we played Softball at and see this little kid running out of the woods! Probably went to the bathroom. I thought to myself…wow, he’s young to be running a ½ and he’s going to blow up at that speed. I’ll catch him for sure.
I never caught up to him!
I got chilled/tingled for a second. Not because of electrolyte imbalance but because I was about to cry. I was sooo happy to see a young kid running and enjoying it. A drop of sweat dripped from my hair! The was the only drop I would have the entire race. Oh yeah, something else to point out here…I don’t sweat. Yes, that’s what I said, no sweat! So, in this kind of heat and humidity it’s a fine line between a good pace and pace I’ll overheat at. Good thing I’ve learned by body and know when I’m pushing too hard. That’s why my face ALWAYS looks like a tomato when it’s over 60 degrees.
Eastman road is the road that goes to my brother and his wife’s house as well as my dad’s house. As I’m getting close to Tank and Joy’s house I’m thinking, these hills are already kicking my butt and it sure would be nice to just disappear. I quickly reminded myself of all those individuals that don’t have the ability to run. Not an option.
I’m going down hill now. I pass my brother’s business. I feel so lucky to have him as a role model and friend. I look up to what he’s created everyday and I’m so proud of him. I hear people cheering for us. And by the way I’m neck and neck with the girl in pink now. I decided to let her know I hadn’t gone anywhere. I take my first gel, one I’ve never had before (I know, I know, nothing new on race day, but that was the only flavor I could find.) It was gross! And, it had 2X caffeine…didn’t know exactly what that was going to do either. J We start up the next hill and for some reason half way up she stops! Yes, she just stopped! It sounded like she threw up but I didn’t want to see that so I just kept shuffling up the hill. It wasn’t too much longer and we were swinging back south to come down Judson Road. I had pulled away from any other runners at the time and felt my heart rate getting a little high. Luckily, Stevie Ray was on and I thought what would Stevie do? He’s certainly not stressed and breathing heavy while playing so I relaxed into a good pace for me while going down a hill for a few minutes. Then Led Zeppelin, then Santana. Thank goodness for ipods!
Running up the next hill was when I got passed by a man. Instead of getting upset, I just drafted all the way up that really long hill (this is where the wind was in our faces – but much needed.) That was very kind of him to come along.J He stopped at the aid station and that put me right in front of my middle school which is being renovated. It doesn’t look ANYTHING like the school I went to. Memories flooded my mind and Avril Lavigne came on. How appropriate! Not because I listened to her then but because the words remind me of middle school.
I’ll insert my race strategy here. I have NEVER tried to think about running a race strategically. For those of you who run with me you know I run naked. No, I don’t mean naked with no clothes whoever just went there! I mean naked with no gadgets. I haven’t worn gadgets since training for Ironman. As a matter of fact they make me crazy. This morning before the race I texted my coach and said “Any advice for a hilly course.” I’ve never done one because I HATE HILLS! First he said, “I thought you said Longview was flat!?” I said, “I thought it was!” His exact words were “shorter quicker strides going uphills with arms held higher & drive elbows back. Downhill-arms dropped, lean slightly forward and run like hell.” Oh and “drink cold water to keep core temperature down” because he knows my lack of sweat problem. I’ve never run with a strategy before but I did today! I did exactly what he said on the hills and I know there were times going downhill I fast and it felt great!
Coming up on Emerald Gardens (a landscaping/plant place), I begin to window shop. That was fun picking out flagstone that would look good in my yard where I can’t grow grass and trees I would love to plant .
Before I knew it I was turning left into what used to be my stomping grounds. And by MY, I mean I’m pretty sure I thought I ran the neighborhood growing up. I passed my first set of woods that we used to play in and I wanted so badly to run on a trail that was still there. I couldn’t believe it because every other piece of land with trees had a house on it now. I hope kids still play in those woods. I come up on the house where I went after school everyday when I was little. They had built a garage onto that house so it looked different than I remember. Once I get in to my actual neighborhood the memories flood my brain. Treehouses, cartoon tag, riding bikes, jumping on trampolines, walking to the Fina to get candy, four-wheelers and much more. Then I passed the Bateman’s house, the houses that used to buy wrapping paper for school fundraising and jewelry I used to make, Mickey and Andy Haught’s house, Chris Meadow’s house and the Hammack’s house. The house right next to the Hammack’s had painted their front door TCU purple. Go Frogs! J I was getting close to my house. My mom was wearing a green hat and St. Patty’s day beads. Joy and all of the Kauffman’s were there. Jay was running his first ½. They all cheered and I got excited! I’m pretty sure my heart rate maxed out! Then, down the hill we skateboarded down and next, down the hill we sledded in chili bowls down. Then, guess what that means? More uphill. It was here I realized the girl in pink was not in sight. I relaxed and ran the hills. I ran by the Dockery’s house and headed back to Judson Road. When I drove the course the night before I thought all that zig zagging through the neighborhood would be terrible, but I didn’t even think twice about it and it broke up the monotony. One more neighborhood to run through and then it would be just a last big hill and finish. As I turned into the neighborhood, I finally asked a volunteer, “how many girls have you seen before me?” I really had no idea and I figured since I wasn’t planning on getting passed and I was at mile 11, it felt right to know. He said 5 or 6. I just smiled and ran.
I’m not going to lie. That last hill was brutal. Take Main Street at Cowtown Marathon x 2 and put it at mile 12.5. One guy passed me and I joked with voluteers on the course that it was pretty mean and that next year we should get to end going downhill. As I entered the high school campus again on the south side I was remembering my Physics project with Kelli Hargrave, the catapult. My last memory came when I entered the stadium to finish and had to run ¾ around the track to finish. I looked up in the stadium and the bleachers looked so small to me. I remember thinking they were huge when I cheered there. Everyone at the finish line cheered when I finished and I’m thankful I did it because I got first in in Age Group for the first time!
Age Group Winner!
