My first half marathon! 6/20/09

"Tears streamed down my face as I crossed the finish line. I was a new person, a runner."

~Thomas King, Novelist and Broadcaster

I should start by saying.. I DID IT!!! 13.1 miles: 2 hrs, 20 mins.

On Friday night, I laid out all of my gear and made a morning check list. I was all nerves! I had a terrible time getting to sleep. It was like Christmas Eve when I was a kid... except with more anxiety! LOL I got up yesterday morning at 5am, showered, dressed and got the boys up and ready. I dropped the kids off at their dad's at 6am and I was off.

I arrived in Burlington right on schedule at 7am. I got an excellent parking spot, which I think is always a good sign. :) I readied my things and then walked over to pick up my bib. I was the first runner to arrive, but shortly after, another woman showed up.. She was running the 2 mile. She, like me, was new to running. She was very proud of what she had accomplished so far. Boy, could I relate. She told me that she had made it her goal to run in a race every month. I enjoyed speaking with her and we wished each other well.

I spoke with other runners as they started to arrive. I find that other runners are so supportive of each other. As I stretched and loosened up my muscles the excitement grew. The negative worries about the race were gone, leaving only the excited butterflies and delighted anticipation. Many people wished me well and I did the same. I knew I was ready. The air was chilly, so I had decided to wear my running coat. I hated bringing it as I knew it would only be needed for the first few miles. We all stood anxiously at the starting line. The start was a few minutes late, but at the toll of a huge bell, we were off!

The first mile or 2 were not hard physically, but had more of a mental aspect. I thought about the fact that I had so many miles to go! I anxiously tried to quiet my mind, enjoy the scenery around me, and take it all in. I looked at my Garmin from time to time and was surprised at my pace. I was going faster than I had planned, yet I felt extraordinary. I couldn't help but wonder if I should slow down to conserve energy for later. I ultimately decided not to. I thought, "Why should I? I'm not racing against anyone else. If I'm tired later, I'll slow down later." There was also an element of fearing coming in last.. Ok, so I guess I was racing against someone.. the someone at the back!! LOL

Eventually, I slipped into that place.. the place where my mind drifts away and and there is no pain or number of miles to go, there is only peace. This place is why I run. This place is quiet and beautiful and calm. This place reminds me of this one summer when I was in high school. I was out on Lake Washington in a rowboat. The weather was perfect; warm and sunny. There wasn't a cloud in the sky. I laid down in the bottom of the boat and closed my eyes. I felt the sun's warmth on my skin, and the only sound was that of the water gently lapping against the bottom of the metal boat. I laid there like that for hours. All of my problems, fears, sadness, and anger were released. For those moments I wasn't the kid from a screwed up home... I was just.. Alyssa. Out there on the course, there she was again... Me.

Shortly after the 8 mile marker, my brain was forced to engage. We had been running on pavement up until this point, but now we had turned onto a gravel road. It was rather unpleasant! The gravel was not packed or even.. it was lumpy and was a mixture of golf ball-sized rocks, potholes, and random patches of grass! I felt like I was on an obstacle course! I couldn't help but think to myself, "yeah.. this is great for my knees!" LOL At least my mind was preoccupied with trying not to trip and kill myself. :-)

At about mile nine, I decided to have a puff on my inhaler... it wasn't there! Oh shit.. I had dropped it! I eagerly glanced behind me, hoping I would be able to still see it laying on the ground.. It wasn't. Where had I dropped it?? My heart sank a little bit; after all.. the dreaded mile marker 10 was approaching... my wall.. but I pushed forward, still at a pace that surprised me. At 9.5 miles, the course split again, sending me onto a soft dirt path surrounded by trees. As I ran the next 1/2 mile I started to worry that I was going the wrong way. There were no course markers in sight, but then I realized that I could make out the tracks of running shoes. Even though logically I knew I was where I was supposed to be, I was still nervous. Wouldn't it just be fabulous if I got lost and never finished the dumb race?? To my relief, a couple out walking their dog came around the corner. I asked them if they had seen runners and they graciously confirmed that I was on the right path and told me I was doing great. My spirit soared.

Shortly after this reaffirmation, the course looped back around, had a short stint on the highway and then returned me back to my gravel road. "Hi gravel road," I thought.. "Now I know how far you are!" I was starting to feel the distance I had covered, though. I was no longer able to shut out the world. My feet were sore, my abs were tired, my lungs ached.. and then.. there it was, laying on the trail, wrapped in my running gloves.. MY INHALER!!! I scooped it up and puffed on it a couple times. I love air! The happiness my inhaler brought my was short lived, however. Although my lungs were doing better, and I was once again on my beloved pavement, my body was just plain exhausted! I told myself, "Two more miles, Alyssa. Easy! Cake!" I touched my necklace and remembered it's meaning.

At one mile out I called my friend Jennifer. Her voice was encouraging. As I hung up the phone I thought, "Next time I talk to you.. I will be DONE!" At a half mile out I was really dying. Although I knew I was so close, it felt like I was running in place!

The last stretch of the course was straight through town. Directly following the race, there was to be a parade on the very road I was now running on. As I got closer, the street became lined with people waiting for the parade. For the first block, no one seemed to noticed the half dead, covered in sweat, crazy woman running down the street.. and then, like an angel from heaven, I heard a voice.. "Great job runner! You're almost there! You can do it!! You can do it!!" It was the woman I had spoken to before the race! She was jumping up and down on the side of the street, waving her arms like mad, and screaming these beautiful words. I became overwhelmed with pride and joy as her actions became contagious and everyone started cheering for me. It was at that moment that I realized.. I had done it!

Tears filled my eyes as I approached the finish line. I was sprinting at this point. My body was like a machine and all I felt was euphoria. There was Ky! Alannah! Jonah! There was John!.. and his children! Jennifer was there (holding my banana!) and her fiance, Sean! And then the most beautiful sight of all.. I saw my children. They were beautiful. Then something extraordinary happened.. It was Matt, grinning from ear to ear.. he had started to run! He was finishing my race with me! I swear I will never forget that moment. Crossing the finish line was everything I had dreamed of and more. I hugged my friends and cried as I held my children. It was a wonderful and unforgettable moment.

I have to thank a few people.. (I feel like an Oscar winner lol) Thank you Ky, Alannah, Jonah, Matt, Spencer, Jennifer, Sean, John, Mason, and Robbie for driving all the way to Burlington to cheer me on. Thank you Dave, Chris, and Steve for being there for me in spirit. You guys are awesome. I'm one lucky gal!

So what's next...? Oh, it's already in the works. ;-)

http://www.bellinghambaymarathon.org/
http://www.skagitflatsmarathon.com/
http://www.seattlemarathon.org/Home.htm

Hrmm...