The volunteers were standing by with my transition bag, ready to hand it off ... they did, after all, have plenty of time to prepare as I slowly waddled, walked, crept, potentially rolled my way towards the changing tent where I then disappeared.
I didn't rush. I took my time so that I didn't forget anything - something I often do when I try to race in and out.
Naturally, I decked myself out in my neon yellow calf compressions to match my yellow sports bra and yellow nails.... because all know that you have to be color coordinated nicely for your race day photos...
I was one you wouldn't miss out there on the course... not even in the dark.
I strapped on a new race belt that sported my race number and one that was well stocked with a fresh set of GU's, threw back a couple Advil's and an energy shot, and wrapped my headband around my wrist as I ran out... this would be needed later on.
Running from of the transition area, the street was lined with spectators... but all I could see were my spectators. I was overwhelmed, but in a good way, and I did my best to wave at them all. Above all the cheers, I heard the announcer call my name as he sent me off to the run ahead. With a slight fist pump in the air I showed that I ... was ready.
So after the dramatic exit from transition, one that filled the air with excitement and energy... after I ran past my family and friends ... I slipped into the nearest port-a-pot
Now I was really ready, and I turned the corner onto the 4.3 mile stretch of road that would be my friend, and my enemy, for the next 26.2 miles.
Before the race began, I didn't imagine I would be able to run too much before I had to stop for a walk break. I came in expecting quite a bit of walking during the course of the marathon, and I was fine with that [well, sort of]. I questioned how I would get through the miles without any music, and how my body would hold up. I questioned if I would be able to keep my nutrition in check so that I didn't bonk like I did during the Eagleman.
None of this did I now think of or even question. I ran... I just ran... and I kept running.
The landscape ... was beautiful. The lingering clouds from the mornings overcast were now not even a thought as the sun shined high. For the first time all day I felt the heat against my skin - and finally, after 8.5 hours, I was warm.
One mile... two miles... four miles.
At the turn around point located 4.3 miles out, I saw Cory. It took me a second to realize who it was because it wasn't something I expected. It was an amazing surprise [I still don't know how he got there - but I love that he was] We high fived as I ran by and he told me I great I was doing.
Of course I can't let him see me walk or stop ... so I didn't.
Six miles... Seven miles.
The only thoughts I had, were how awesome this day had been so far, my excitement to see everyone and how strong I felt. This run felt better then most of the training runs I had done, and I was surprised that I was holding a steady 10:00 min/mile pace.
Eight miles, Eight point two five miles ... I could hear the music and the faint cheers of the crowd.
I could hear... the cowbell.
Just as he was on the bike, Jared was there to run me.
We turned into the high school for the turn around point. I am sure it came as a surprise to all, that at just under nine miles on a marathon run.. I was still smiling... a genuine smile. Joy overtook me. I made sure to stop and kiss all of my friends and family as I passed them ... I wanted them to know how much it meant to me that they were there.
Just before I had to turn for the exit, stood my mom. Slowing down to give her a kiss, I heard her say
I really am just so proud of you.
My eyes filled up and a lump formed in my throat as I struggled to hold back the tears. Luckily my back was now towards them so this was a struggle that they wouldn't see.
1 of 3 loops - done.
The rest stops laid at about each mile. I had to stop at the first one I reached, for today was not the day to pee my pants. It was occupied... of course... so I had taken a moment to reach in my pocket... You see, the night before, I had my parents, my sister and her boyfriend write me a little note - fold them up - and place them in my race belt pouch. That way, if I needed it, I would have a little bits of encouragement along the way. I pulled one out, it was Dave's ... a Rocky quote.
It wasn't planned, but it worked out well, since it was just around the mile 10 mark- which is known as the "halfway" point for a 140.6 race.
I began to walk the water stations on this loop to make sure I got more hydration in my mouth then on my face and up my nose. I drowned one too many times during the swim as it was. But just as soon as that cup would hit the trash can [oooorrr the ground], I ran again.
I really enjoyed the layout of the run. A short, flat, one road out and back loop with a 4.3 mile turn around point. The flat for obvious reasons... but the 4.3 miles seems doable, and then you are heading back to your loved ones. Also, with the ability to see the rest stops far in advance, it made making small goals - easy.
Just get to the next rest stop.
I felt slightly behind on this loop because I was constantly asked if I was on my last loop, which I would then have to [sadly] reply back that I was only on my second.
... my neon yellow, however, was a hit by all.
I had to take a few breaks to stretch my lower back, which at this point was tighter than all the spandex in sight.
But, just as the first did, the second loop came and went - slightly slower, but still strong.
Again, the faint screams of a nearing crowd grew..
Again, was that cowbell.
Again, was Jared, waiting to run me in.
Embracing what I could, I was in disbelief that I was finishing up the 2nd of 3 loops. The end was so close I could see it...
Literally, I could. It was just to the right of me, but since I had 1 more loop to go I had to turn left.
I passed my friends and my family, and I could now finally say I'll see you at the finish!
... I'll see you at the finish ...
At this point, there was nothing that could get in the way of me and that finish line [even though really - there were plenty of things]. But I could crawl to the end and still make the cutoff time of 17 hours.. which I would do if I needed too. Heck, I would roll the final 9 miles. Anything to get to that finish line. Anything to be a ChesapeakeMan.
A burst of energy struck me and I ran out of the turnaround faster then I came. My miles were strong
I finally glanced at my watch. I saw that I was going to finish under 14:00[!!] and that I could possibly make it under 13:30. And that was that. I was done thinking about my time. I didn't stress.
...nineteen
...twenty
The sun was beginning to set. Darkness swept across the sky and the temperatures began to cool. Soon, it would be cold. It would be dark.
At the final turnaround point I was given a glow necklace... all runners needed one.
Visibility was harder now.
With "only" 4.3 miles left, it was here that I hit the inevitable wall. It wasn't that I was tired, or that I hurt - I was neither. It was that I couldn't see. Was the light ahead a runner? a car? a random pole or a rest station? I couldn't decipher what was what and it played with me. I had no small goal to set cause I couldn't set my sights.
I struggled to get down my final Peanut Butter GU. I love these things, but when they are all you have for an entire day, they quickly become your least favorite thing [at least for that moment].
The sky was now colored black and the sweat covering my body chilled me. Goosebumps, once again, covered me.
I was cold [freezing to better describe], but this time it were my hands that were going numb. I constantly flicked my wrists to try to keep the feeling, and it would be at this time that I finally stopped between the rest stations. I counted 30 steps and ran again... only to stop and count another 30.
That was that, and that would be it. That would be my walking during this marathon run.
I had finally reached the second to last water station. This next mile, I had dedicated to my grandmother ... and with this mile, I wasn't going to let her down.
She may have questioned this journey when I had first signed up, but over the course of my training she had become one of my biggest supporters. With my dad providing her all of my blogs to read, she has been with me every step. Every good, every bad. Every smile, every tear.
I thought of her voice.
I thought of a phone call she had made to me a week and a half before ... one that she insisted on making right after being taken to the ER just so she could tell me how proud of me she was.
Her support has, and still does, bring me to tears just thinking about it - this is what I thought of.
This one, was for her.
The strength in my run was back as I pushed through the wall of darkness. I heard faint voices.
What can we get you? Water, Gatorade, Soup?
It was the next rest stop... I was at the last rest stop.
I grabbed a chicken noodle soup and its warmth instantly creeped through my body. I felt revived, and now, only one mile [and some change] sat between me and the finish.
It was time to set a goal, I glanced at my watch.
You aren't going to walk this mile, you are going to finish under 13:30.
I threw on my headband that was still wrapped around wrist [because again, it is all about the photos] ...
It was time.
The lights from the high school lit up the distance, but I was still hidden in the shadows. I couldn't see what was in front of me, but I could hear it. I could hear my footsteps, I could hear my breath... I could hear .. the cowbell.
I couldn't see him, but I knew who it was.
It was Jared, to run me in... for the final time.
I'm coming, I yelled. I wasn't quite sure where he was, but I wanted him to know it was me, and that I knew it was him.
Pushing the pace a bit quicker, my quads finally felt how tired they really were. A feeling I had ignored for the last 13 [plus] hours... but a feeling that instantly disappeared as I turned into the high school. There, in sight, was the finish... lined with neon yellow.
I ditched my glow stick before the photos - duh...
My cheeks could have easily hurt just as much, if not more,then my legs did from the smile that was plastered across my face all day... especially now.
A flash from the first photographer, the cheers blasted in my ears. I wasn't just close, I was there.
I turned the corner into the finish chute.
I heard my name.
I fist pumped, I clapped, I waved. I was overwhelmed with happiness .. I was overwhelmed with disbelief.
With one final sprint I passed under the archway as the clock read 13:17.
My head kicked back, I closed my eyes.
I ... was a ChesapeakeMan.
A goal, which seemed so far fetched when I first signed up, was now my reality.
I was embraced by beautiful yellow. No words can express how much their tears of happiness and excitement meant to me... that seeing me through this journey meant just as much to them, as it did me. I may have trained alone more times then not, but I was never alone in this journey.
I expected myself to break out in tears, but I couldn't do anything but laugh and smile.
I was speechless. I stumbled over the words that I tried to get out. There has never been a moment in my life thus far, when I have been as happy as I was at the moment. My mom was right when she said she has never seen me smile so much, or so big, then I did on that day - and it is because I haven't.
You always wonder if the finish line will live up to the one you've pictured in your mind. The finish line you saw every morning at 4am when the alarm goes off, the finish line you saw during every extra mile, every boring meal, every Saturday night in.
You fear that it won't.
But it did... it was more then I could have ever pictured.. imagined.. hoped for.
This night, my life changed, and after this night, it will never be the same.
I hold a memory of pure happiness. One filled with love and pride. A memory that will bring a tear to my eye every time I think about it. No race in the future, good or bad, will change this night for me. I walked away from South Dorchester High differently then when I arrived that morning. The doubts of weakness were now knowledge of strength....
.... Strength... and hunger for something other then GU.
Back at the hotel I dove head first into a pizza. Food comes before shower ... and after my mom spent an hour trying to detangle my post race hair which more resembled a birds nest then actual hair. my family was ready to retire for the night.
They were exhausted - as they should have been - after a long day of cheering. I, on the other hand, was high on emotion... and pain.
... I was high on excitement because race results were posted.
2.4 Mile Swim: 1:19:51
T1: 5:46
112 Mile Bike (with 2 stops): 6:53:06
T2: 7:24
26.2 Mile Run: 4:51:26
Final Time: 13:17:32
I had placed third in my age group[!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!]
It was a sleepless night.
I have never placed in any thing before - I was never even close. Placing top 3 in my age group had been a secret goal that I didn't tell many, because simply - I never thought it would happen. But I had achieved this.
I had skimmed through the awards section of the athletes guide, not actually reading it or paying it any mind because never in my wildest dreams did I think I would actually place... but I did remember seeing that awards went out to the first place finisher in each age group. That, was not me.
Third place is still awesome, award or not.
At some point during the night, I made the decision to go to the award banquet in the morning. One idea I had originally passed on because I thought I would be lost in the land of dreams and wouldn't want to wake up early. But since I was up, why not. Maybe they will say something about the Make-A-Wish fundraising, which I did awesome in and also reached that goal of $3500 the night before my race [thanks Campbell family for that final donation!]
Not wanting to wake my parents and have them pay money to watch other people get awards, I snuck out on my own.
I enjoyed my cup of coffee while I bonded with other racers over our race experience. One guy had attempted Ironman Lake Placid but didn't make the cutoff. This was his second Ironman, his first finish.
I shared my story - how I had just started triathlons this year and started from scratch. That I "had an amazing day and am very happy with my results".
The awards were starting and silence filled the room. They awarded the top professional finishers as well as the top overall finishers before getting to the age groupers.
Top Male Finisher Age Group 20 - 24 First Place ...
... Second Place [?!?!?!]
My heart dropped.... I was going to get an award!!
... I wished I had woken my family up.
My heart raced as the announcer finished up the 20-24 age group.
I pulled out my phone and got the camera ready as he read the winners for the Male 25 - 29 age group.
Finally, it was the women's turn.
I began to sweat.
Third Place ... Amy Chrest.
I was hot [temperature wise of course].
I tapped the shoulder of the man from Ironman Lake Placid. A look of shock crossed his face after I asked him if he could take my picture and he realized that it was me getting the award...
.. the girl who just started.
[I had left out the third place in my age group when we were discussing our race experience.]
My hands were shaking as I reached for my award .. I could tell my face was now red.
Snapping a photo, I wished more then ever that my family was there to see it. Again, I regretted that I didn't wake them.
Sitting back down he said "I hope it turned out okay, I couldn't stop shaking" ... This man, who didn't even know me a half hour prior, was excited for me.
The rest of the award ceremony was a blur... I couldn't wait to rush back to the hotel with [both] awards in hand. I couldn't wait to finally share that moment with my family.
I stared at the award that sat before me with the same smile that hadn't stopped since the day before.
This weekend exceeded my dreams.
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