Fire & Nike Race Report

This is going be a long post since I’ve got some catching up to do.

Fire Report and Our Families

The fires down in Southern California have been on our minds for the last few days as they are every year during "Fire Season". My parents live a little to close to where the fires hit each year. My thoughts and prayers go out to all those who have lost their homes and possessions. It is all very sad.

My parents live about 20 miles from where the Magic Mountain fire was but I spoke to them yesterday and they said that it was not coming in their direction. I also looked online and that fire was 80% contained as of last night. We are still keeping on eye on the news though to make sure no new fires show up in that area. About 4 years ago when they had a firestorm in Ventura County my mom and I were in El Salvador visiting my uncle who was losing his battle to cancer and my dad was at home packing up their van with belongings and the doggie because they had been told to be ready to evacuate. Not a good situation. The fires were contained or went in other directions and my dad did not have to leave but it was a scary time for them.

Rocky though does have family in San Diego that has been evacuated. We got an email today that said the family is okay and staying with their son in Carlsbad. Rocky’s uncle is on duty with the Sheriff’s Department so he’s been pretty busy. So far their home is okay and the family is okay. We are keeping our fingers crossed that all goes well and they can return home soon. They winds are suppose to subside after today so hopefully that will happen and help with getting the fires contained. As of last night the fire in the San Diego area was only 2% contained :o(

Nike Race Report

The race that always kicks my butt and believe me it kicked it big time this year. I am feeling much better today although still a little sore in my quads. Hopefully by this weekend I’ll be all better.

Friday night was pretty much spent getting everything packed and ready for the weekend. Rocky and I had dinner at a nice restaurant in Montaclair, Italian Colors. We had yummy pasta to carbo load. Then it was back home to finish packing and relax.

Saturday we slept in for a little while and then finished last minute stuff and waited for Ms. Olivia to meet us so we could head to the city. Our teams were having pictures done at 4pm so we had to head out a little early even though the pasta party didn’t start til 5:30. We got to SF a little earlier than expected so we went over to the mall and walked around. At 4 we met with the team for a group shot then stood in line to wait for the Pasta Party Room to open up. At about 5pm they let us start piling in and OMG the receiving line had about 400 people. They were all cheering us on as we made our way to the big room. It was a very BIG room. All 8,300 TNT people were going to be having their pasta party together. It was pretty awesome. It is one of the biggest pasta parties I’ve ever attended. We grabbed our food and the headed to our table along with all our other peeps from our team. They had the slideshow set up as they always do with all the team honorees and we heard from various speakers. We heard from John “The Penguin” Bingham, he was hilarious, Joan Benoit, gold medal winner in the Olympics the first year they had the women’s marathon and Amy Bartlett, a survivor. After the speakers and before we all went home Coach Al gathered up the East Bay Team and had us all sing Happy Birthday to Cole. It was a very sweet moment and Brandy was very happy that Coach did that.

After dinner Rocky, Olivia and I headed over to Daly City to call it a night. We got all our stuff laid out and ready for the morning and about 10pm we all hit the sack. Alarm was set to go off at 4:45 :o( eewww.

Up we were at 4:45 to get ready for the race. We all got dressed and met in the kitchen for breakfast and at about 5:30 Martin picked us up to take us to the start. I was feeling sick but not from the food, I think the nervousness start hitting me and the realization that I was about to run a hard 13.1 mile half marathon after not training at all. YIKES.

We arrived at the start a little before 6am and looked around for our team. We met up at the Team in Training tent with the team and Coach for his usual last minute pep talk and cheer. We then headed to the bag check, which was a complete nightmare, you’d think after 4 years they’d have it all down. Anyway, we checked in our bags and headed to the start line. Rocky went on to find his running buddies and I stood towards the back, 10-12 minute pace, to wait for the start of the race. Olivia and Jeanette had to make a last minute potty stop so I just held our spot at the start line. It was CROWDED. This race has always been crowded but this year was worse. National Anthem was sung and gun went off at 7am and then it took us 17 minutes to cross the start line. That was a bit crazy and then even though we’d crossed the start line it was CROWDED and very hard to get around the walkers and slower runners. Hey, I’m a slower runner but what happened to race etiquette? GEESH, MOOOOVEEE OUT OF MY WAY! :o( that part was a bit frustrating for quite a long time. I was also trying to be very careful that I didn’t fall, AG AIN so I was getting annoyed at the people who kept coming to a screeching halt right in front of me without even looking back to see if anyone was behind them. Or the other people who were also trying to get around the small runners and would weave in and out with out looking to see if they were going to trip someone up. :o(

I managed to run up the first hill as I do each year and then from there on I walk up all the other hills. I can never manage to run up especially because it seems like they go on and on and on and on. I think Olivia, Jeanette and I stuck together til a little before mile 10 and I was feeling pretty good but had started to slow down a little. My ankle was fine, NO PAIN, YAY and I was plugging along. Mile 11, I hit a big fat wall. Exhaustion finally hit me and I really just wanted to sit down and have the chocolate bar they handed me at the Chocolate Station around mile 11.

No running for 2 ½ months + very hilly race = very pooped out.

I decided that I would walk from mile 11-12.5 and then run the rest. Um, that wasn’t happening. At some point Anita and Amy caught up to me and I asked Amy what she was doing 4:1 or 9:1 (running:walking), she said they were doing a 9:1 so I thought I would stick with them. Amy runs a little slower than I do and I thought if I just stick with them I’d have company and it would pace me. NOPE that didn’t happen either. I just could not run anymore :o( my knees started bothering me and I felt like I had a blister coming on, which I actually didn’t, it was one of those phantom pains. Don’t ask me how but I managed to make it to the finish line. I had also started freaking out because I wanted to finish in under 3 hours but then I figured, WHO CARES, just get done. Final time, 3:03.

After I crossed the finish line I got my very pretty Tiffany’s necklace, I had my chipped removed and I proceeded to the TNT booth to find my hubby, some food and something to drink. I quickly found Jeanette, Olivia and Rocky, we grabbed some food to fill up our belly’s and we headed out to wait for Brandy and Phil to come in. We were also able to see quite a few of our team members and cheer them on. It was a lot of fun.

After about 7.5 hours (she started at 5am) I’m proud to say that our very good friend Brandy finished her first marathon in memory of her son Cole. She did a great job and we all got to run her in.

Then came Phil with a big fat smile on his face. It took him 6:12 and set a PR for himself and although he had a hard time a few times during the race he FINISHED and said he had FUN doing this race.

CONGRATULTIOS BRANDY & PHIL!

We headed back to Rocky’s mom’s house afterwards where they had quite a bit of yummy food waiting for us. We ate and then headed home. I spent the rest of the afternoon on the couch, my ankle was hurting by then. My hubby iced it for me and at about 8pm put me to bed.

I was definitely very tired for the last 3 miles of this race but the good thing was that I did finish the race with no ankle problems. I think the main reason I was hurting later was that I had stood around for another 3 hours after my race without icing and constricted in my running shoe.

Now the question is, can I get through 26.2 miles with no ankle problems? I don’t know. Can I physically and mentally get to the finish line after 26.2 miles? I don’t know. All I know is that after 3 hours I was exhausted and it concerns me. Granted NY is not hilly like SF but I still have to be out there for at least 6 hours, that’s what I’m hoping for, but if not it may be 6+ hours. I’ve got 11 days to think about it, talk about getting down to the wire on this.

Anyway, the race was hard but I had a great time with everyone. I’m proud of everyone who went out there and finished this darn thing, AGAIN. Will I do it again next year? YEP! I think this race has now become a tradition. It’s in our back yard, all the money goes to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, it’s the perfect way to celebrate Cole’s birthday and oh yeah, I get a very pretty Tiffany’s necklace each year :o)