San Francisco Half-Marathon - Complete
Well, I am back in the Valley of the Sun, or as I like to call it...Satan's winter home, and my trip to San Francisco was awesome.
I first want to give a big thanks to Cheri and Dave for providing me with transportation, lodging and food. All of which was gratefully appreciated. Sorry about the chair, I really have been trying to lose weight, I guess I have a few more pounds to go. I love you guys and again...thank you. I don't care what anybody says Cheri, you are awesome and I love you like a sister.
I want to thank everyone who wished me well and supported me during my training. Knowing that so many people were supporting me and would be asking me how I did made me train and run that much harder. Accountability can be a good motivator.
I especially want to thank Theresa for her support over the past several months. Listening to me talk about my training and running all the time can be tiring I know. I appreciate the support, the encouragement and the love. Without you, this wouldn't have happened. Many people think I am a pessimist, I always thought of myself as a realist. You helped me to see that reality is what you make it, and that a dream, with work can become reality. You complete me.
Enough with the Grammy acceptance speech, let's get on to what took place on Sunday. I won't bore you too much with Friday or Saturdays itinerary. Suffice it to say I flew to SF on Friday and Saturday attended the Expo where I picked up my shirt, my bib and countless free samples of health snacks and juices.
So Sunday started about 4:00am. I woke up and started drinking water, took a shower (so I would smell nice at the starting line) and off I went. Cheri and Dave provided me with a morning "To Go" bag consisting of some bananas, water, and homemade granola. I ate the bananas and granola as I made the drive up to start line. They had told us that the Embarcadero Center would have parking available for only $10, so after a few mis-turns, I found myself a place to park. I had left early enough that I would be able to find parking and make a bathroom break before I needed to report to the start line. As I emerged from the underground parking garage at 5:30 in the morning, I realized something...it was cold. I made my way to the starting area and found what seemed like hundreds of port-o-potties for which I needed one. The problem, so did thousands of other runners. After waiting in line for almost a half hour, I got my chance. I made it to the starting line in time, and for some reason we were delayed so I was good to go.
I did a little stretching and warming up and took in the experience. It was still dark, cool and some low fog. The kind were it was just above most the buildings, although you couldn't see the top of the Transamerica Building. Behind us at the start the Bay Bridge stood close and just in front of us was the Ferry Terminal. After several minutes of waiting, it was my waves turn to make our way to the start line. As we made our way towards the start line we passed the medical tent for the full marathon finish. There was literally stacks of crutches sitting there, in plain sight. Thanks for the boost of confidence. I reminded myself that this was it, this is what I had trained for, what I got up early in the mornings for, what I ran in 90 degree heat for. I was ready.
When I first made plans to run this race my goal was to complete it in about 2 hours and 25 minutes, just over an 11 minute mile pace. Over the past few weeks I thought about changing my goal to a quicker pace by maybe 15 or 30 seconds but since I hadn't been able to do as many long runs because of the heat and I knew there was some rough hills toward the end, I left my goal at 11.
The race started and we were off. Running down the Embarcadero, right along the Bay. It was a little congested at the beginning but I tried to find my pace and enjoy the views. I watched as the fog was just over Coit Tower when I hit the first mile marker, it was 11:15 on my watch, slower than I wanted. I then picked up the pace which was easier as things started to thin out. We passed Pier 39, Boudin Sourdough Company (which smelt delicious at 6:30 in the morning) and Fisherman's Wharf. It was about then that I hit mile marker two, just under 22 minutes, I had made up my time and was feeling good.
Just after that was the first hill. It was short but steep and led us through Fort Mason. Looking to my right I could see Alcatraz sitting in the Bay. Just ahead was the Golden Gate Bridge, the upper half of the towers covered in fog. We made our way through Crissy Field were the next hill was visible. A long climb that led toward the bridge. In front of me was a sea of runners, almost like a line of ants climbing up the hill. I started my climb trying to be as optimistic as possible, thinking soon I would be on the bridge. Sure enough I made it up, and I was on the Golden Gate Bridge.
By this point we had already logged 5 miles and I was now about a minute or so ahead of schedule. The bridge was congested which made it difficult to find the right pace. They had one lane of runners going North and one lane of runners going South, a buffer lane, and then the traffic. I had lost a couple minutes by the time I got off the bridge but it opened up as we made our way to the vista point parking lot. I was able to make up some time and get in front of slower traffic as some stopped for drinks and/or to use the restroom. (The half hour standing in line was well worth the wait...all along the course people were waiting in lines to use port-o-potties at the water stations). Going back across the bridge was pretty congested as well but opened up again as we made our way off. Getting off the bridge led to a small decline as we entered the Presidio, at which point we were past 9 miles. The problem was, it was all hills from there on.
After a rather small decline, a very long steep hill was waiting. It seemed that this hill went on forever and even though it was scenic, it was rough. On the way up the hill I grabbed a drink at another water station and continued to climb. Near the top of the hill the Pacific Ocean became visible. After the top came a long run down the other side. Running down was not exactly easy but it was nice to be going down. The only bad part was the rolling hills that stood between were I was and the finish line. At mile 11 was another drink station and since I didn't have to even slow down at this one, I took some water and kept going. I had reached 11 miles and I was almost perfect with my pace time.
I would have liked to say that at mile 11 I was feeling great but I think I started to hit a wall. My left calf muscle started to feel tight, my math skills were becoming depleted and in my mind I cursed this hills before me. At mile 11 we were now in neighborhood streets, going up a little and down a little. Over and over again. At mile 12, Golden Gate Park was in sight and a new sense of hope overcame me. I thought, "only a little more than a mile, that is just four laps around the track". I have learned from running, the last mile is always the longest.
We made our way to the park and as we took a right turn we encountered another uphill battle. The sides of the road were covered with people cheering us on and I knew the end was near. As we continued up the hill we reached the split off point, full marathon runners go right, half-marathoners to the left. I was glad to go left, I couldn't imagine being just at half-way. A little further and I had reached to top of the hill, and I knew it was all down hill from there...literally. We came around a bend and there it was, a big white banner across the street that let us know the finish line was close. A quick glance at my watch and I knew I would be right about my goal. At some point, in some way, I dug down deep and gave my everything to run across the line. I don't know if I was really running all that fast but it felt like I was sprinting. I crossed at 2:24:14. That was 46 seconds under my goal time.
I had done it, I made it...mission accomplished. My left calf was killing me but other than that I felt fine. After the finish line they handed us some water, then just past a filled medical tent they gave us our medals and a heat blanket. I took some time to walk around a little bit to try and stretch out my calf but to no avail so I made my way to the food line. After grabbing some tasty treats and a drink and feeling fine, I recycled my heat blanket and made my way to the line for the shuttle back to the start. In hind sight I should have kept my heat blanket, I had to wait in line for a good half-hour or more for a shuttle and it was pretty darn cold.
When I finally did get on the bus I was so happy to be sitting down...that was until I tried to get back up. Now more of my muscles were sore, especially that pesky left calf. I hobbled my way back to the car (thanks again Cheri for the use of your sweet ride) and off I went. I had done it, and it was awesome. I was able to snap so many mental pictures of that day. It was an experience I will not soon forget. Not just for the sights that I saw or even the experience but for what I did. I dared to dream, I worked and sacrificed, and I achieved. I saw it through from the idea of "what if I could" to crossing the finish line.
When I was on the bus back to the start line I was talking to the lady sitting next me. We were talking about the race, about how we felt, that kind of stuff. It was her second half-marathon and I told her that it was my first. She asked the question of "what's next?" Would I do another half or a full. Originally I never thought I would do a half and I did. Then I thought perhaps I would do a full but in that moment on the bus, after the experience I was unsure. Physically it would be twice as hard but mentally it would be twice as rewarding. I think I will wait a few days for the pain to go away before I decide what's next. I have another 5K coming up in a couple weeks, then I may try my hand at a 10K. Beyond that, we will see.
