The
second time around should be fairly easy, Right? Wrong? I was so going to be
ready for this race, be prepared, ready to kick some asphalt this time around.
But with a knee injury healing and being sick, I almost missed this race…
ALMOST!
I
decided my knee was healed enough (and it was), and I felt pretty healthy
(enough to run) so I decided not to forfeit my $75.00 and run the half at The
NC Charlotte Motor Speedway.
I
got up to a cold and windy morning, getting ready I felt pretty good. I had
taken heed of previous races and eaten the correct foods for fuel and to keep
my stomach from giving my problems (or I thought I had). I got in my car and
headed to the track. As soon as I got there I had to go to the Bathroom, and my
food choices were not correct (so lesson one learned for the next race).
It
was raining heavily when I arrived and people were not happy. We crowded into the car garage (where during
a Nascar race all the cars are worked on and get ready for the race) to stay
warm and dry. Then 30 minutes prior to race start time, they asked to go stand
at the start line. What!?! It’s raining; well I will go to the bathroom one
more time. The line was about 400 women deep, Dang it, where is the other
bathroom, across the way in the other car garage. I headed over to that
bathroom. That was a little better, only 100 women deep. I used the facilities,
praying that I was “cleaned out” and ready to run. As I made my way to the
start line, God smiled on us 1244 participants, He shut off the tap. No rain as
the gun went off for us to start running. I always love the start of a race,
the nervousness, the adrenaline, it’s a rush. As I got into my grove my knee
was holding up very well and I could breathe. We did our first full lap on the
Track then headed toward the outside of the stadium for the long trek of the
race. As I was finishing my 5K (3.1 miles) I saw the winner coming back into
the Stadium to finish his half marathon. I was on 3 miles at 45 minutes and he
was at mile 9 with 4 to go to win and finish this race. As we were at the back
of the herd, we cheered on the leaders as they were going to finished in about
20 minutes and we knew we had a couple of more hours to go.
Then
we rounded the area away from the stadium to run around the Dirt Track, and
down into the “hole” to get that extra mile and a freaking long hill added into
the race. This brings us back into the land of Racing
Now
the rain was not really the problem, rain I don’t have a problem with, in fact
I laugh in the face of rain, I run in rain all the time. The problem was the
track, because it was a drag way it was completely flat, so the rain hit the
track then bounced up and hit us, so we were getting to hit from above and
below. Then as the water had no where to run off from the track, we were also
running in about an inch of standing water. Fun, Fun, Fun, NOT!
So
after that hell on earth run of a mile we came off the track and got a little
bit of relief from the rain and water. It started to ease up and the rain was a
drizzle. I however could have added about 2 gallons of water to the race, but
no bathrooms were available to use. I just don’t understand the reasoning
behind not having enough bathrooms for runners during a half marathon. Don’t
they know when you run things get jostled and a lot of runners have to “GO”;
then I see a bathroom facility on the back part of the race, go over to use it
and it’s lock. WTF! Are you serious? This is ridiculous didn't I go through
this last year? I even asked if they had added more porta-pottys for the race
and was told yes. I saw 7 extra, but not where they were actually needed. So I
move on and try to hold until the next set of bathrooms.
It’s
at mile 9-1/2, I make it to the facilities and I am so cold, wet and tired I
can barely get my gloves off to get my clothes off to go to the bathroom. I
make a decision; my car is parked about a mile away, when I get to the lot I’m
going home. I don’t need any medal; I just want the heat of my car and to go
home. As I finish and struggle to get my clothes and gloves back on, I pray;
“God, Help Me, Please!”
So
I come out of the warmth and dryness of the bathroom into the cold and light to
medium rain. I am cussing up a storm every time the wind blows because I am
soaked through, every part of my body is wet, cold, numb and in pain. I am
blindly following the course as two women come up behind me. They ask if I am
all right. “I will be in about 10 minutes, I am going home, enjoy the rest of
this race and your medal, I’m done!”
“Oh
don’t say that, we only have a 5K to go 3 little ole miles, finish this with
us.”
As
I turn to look at the women talking, I see the one next to me, no sleeves on
her shirt and a half of a garbage bag to keep the rain off her (she is colder
than I am) then it hits me I asked for Help and here it is, two angels here to
get me to the finish and accomplish what I set out to do 2 hrs and 50 minutes
ago. So I agree and run/walk with them. We pass my car, I look at it longingly.
But I am determined to finish this. I introduce myself to Trish and Melissa; we
become fast friends bonded over will power, rain, cold and being runners that
don’t need to win, but to at least finish.
 |
| Left to Right: Angel #1- Trish, Me, Angel #2- Melissa |
I
cross the finish line at 3:26:24, which is worse that the previous year of
3:14:04, I take into consideration; I walked the last 4 miles of this race (the
first year I ran the whole thing). I was injured and finishing up fighting a
cold. It was also raining and freaking freezing that day. But God is great and
He taught me a valuable lesson, you can run by yourself, you can win be
yourself, you can accomplish anything you set your mind to by yourself, but
when you are hurt, in pain and need help if you ask and accept that help you
are unstoppable as to what the future will hold for you. Always listen and look
for those “Angels” God sends to help his children.
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