13.1
…turns out to be a lot longer than 12.x miles. And way longer than 11.5 miles.
But I did it! I completed the entire San Francisco Marathon First-half course, and I didn’t die or sustain grievous injuries doing it!
I decided early on, and then confirmed my decision recently, not to set a time goal. However, back when I was considering setting a time goal, it would have been 2:30. I subconsciously must have been working to that goal, because I ended up finishing in 2:35. Under a 12-minute mile, which was what I was hoping for on my first big run, and a run that is so hilly. And if I hadn’t had to wait in line 4 minutes for a restroom, it would have been even better!
Actually finishing, while not any enormous surprise, certainly involved experiences I hadn’t been expecting. When I hit the 10-mile mark I was really excited. Then there was a big hill.
At some point I started getting teary – my right side was spasming, my hip felt like it was on fire, and my back was killing me. I slowed up a bit, took it easy and tried to relax on a big downhill, and thanks to my efforts at self-distraction and the power of music I managed to get my mind off it long enough for the pain to subside so that I could keep going.
Passing the 13-mile marker, I got choked up. There were people cheering all over the place, and most of them were there “for” somebody else, but they were there for me too, kind of, and that was really a bolstering thought.
And then I realized, hey, I’m really going to finish this thing. For all the times I was nauseous, in pain, or just wanted to stop, I kept going, and before I knew it (haha, as if you could just tune out running 13 miles) I was approaching the finish line. And according to my watch, I crossed the finish line at 10:30/mile, which was way faster than my overall average pace – I really pulled out the stops to be running across the finish. When I finally stopped running, I almost cried from the stopping, the pain, and the overwhelming “I DID IT” feeling.
And then I got very, very cold. Wrapped myself up in a heat sheet, got some snacks, and called Ben over from Vesuvio, where he’d been passing the morning with scotch and strangers, to pick me up.
My results don’t compare well to the overall results for women, and I wish I didn’t care. I’m a little disappointed. But what the hell, I’m telling myself. I finished this thing! Next time, I can plan to do better.
This time, I just need to celebrate having done it.
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Seems to me that for your first half marathon the goal should be 1) finishing and 2) beating yourself (which in this case means meeting your time goal). You can worry about beating the other women later.
.-= Annika´s last blog ..Another Entry Altogether =-.
DUDE. I’m SOOOOOO proud of you. OMG, you’re amazing.
Yes, those people are there for you too. I’ve never been to a race where I didn’t cheer for everyone going by. At the LA Tri, I cheered on people who seemed like they could use it. And how many couldn’t??
You rock.
Kisses.
.-= noelle´s last blog ..Musica! =-.
CONGRATS!!!!!!
And I always wondered about the heat sheets. Seen them in pictures, had no clue what they were (or even that they were called heat sheets) – they looked like pieces of the finish line, and I wondered how it was possible that so many people got them!