But this run was amazing! My mother-in-law and sister-in-law were there to see me through some of the most exciting experiences I've had as a runner. I met my running mom idols, Dimity McDowell and Sarah Bowen Shea, who wrote "Run Like a Mother" and "Train Like a Mother", which I now own with autographs!
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Sarah Bowen Shea, Me, and Dimity McDowell at the Zooma Expo in Cape Cod, MA
I felt like a little kid meeting their favorite movie stars! I know that sounds silly, but these women have really had such a wonderful influence on me as a runner and mother. I feel like we've run together, celebrated together, and cried together. Even though it was a paperback book that accompanied me, I identify with these women as if we are old friends. And they embraced me as if we were the best of friends. They gave me high-fives when I told them about my run and they greeted me on the race course every time I saw them. It. Was. Awesome.
The Zooma Cape Cod Half Marathon course was a beast! As we waited at the starting line, we all fidgeted in place to stay warm before the start of the race. Someone commented on my outfit (all hot pink, thank you very much!) - the exact words were, "no one's going to be able to miss you!" And then we had a short conversation about pre-running coffee and the inevitable bathroom stop after. Turns out ZoomaRunner1 got up at 4am just to get that coffee in before the run. Not me! I like my sleep and I don't dare drink coffee before any run, so I get up as late as is feasible to get to where I need to be on time. My alarm went off at 5:30 that morning and that was ONLY because my SIL and MIL wanted to get there early :) Otherwise, I would have been up at 6:30 to be at the race at 7am... Yep, that's how I roll.
The race started exactly on time and we were off. Perfect weather, lots of cheering, and enthusiastic runners all around got me off to a great start. I had a very specific goal in mind. I wanted to come in sub-2:20. At Mile 3, my left calf cramped up to the point where I had to walk (very slowly), stretch, and then walk some more. I was so angry - I had trained like a demon and this shouldn't be happening. But it was. And then the cramp eased out and I hit the pavement again. I checked my pace and I had lost about 5 minutes, but it was too early for me to get discouraged. I had a goal.
The description of the course said, 'rolling hills,' but as ZoomaRunner2 and I discussed around mile 9, there were no rolls. It was all hills! We had a good laugh about that, passed another runner, and jogged together in silence for a minute. It was tough and there were times where I felt spent. But my usual 8 mile wall didn't show up until mile 10! :) I pushed through those hills and I kept my eyes on my watch as the minutes ticked away. I saw my goal slipping through my fingers, but I've learned some things about running. One of the most important things I've learned is to be flexible. Running is a sport and conditions can be unpredictable. So, I reset (internally) and pushed on. I may not have met my initial goal, but I still kicked ass!!!! And I finished with a time of 2 hrs 25 mins 59 secs.
The race started exactly on time and we were off. Perfect weather, lots of cheering, and enthusiastic runners all around got me off to a great start. I had a very specific goal in mind. I wanted to come in sub-2:20. At Mile 3, my left calf cramped up to the point where I had to walk (very slowly), stretch, and then walk some more. I was so angry - I had trained like a demon and this shouldn't be happening. But it was. And then the cramp eased out and I hit the pavement again. I checked my pace and I had lost about 5 minutes, but it was too early for me to get discouraged. I had a goal.
The description of the course said, 'rolling hills,' but as ZoomaRunner2 and I discussed around mile 9, there were no rolls. It was all hills! We had a good laugh about that, passed another runner, and jogged together in silence for a minute. It was tough and there were times where I felt spent. But my usual 8 mile wall didn't show up until mile 10! :) I pushed through those hills and I kept my eyes on my watch as the minutes ticked away. I saw my goal slipping through my fingers, but I've learned some things about running. One of the most important things I've learned is to be flexible. Running is a sport and conditions can be unpredictable. So, I reset (internally) and pushed on. I may not have met my initial goal, but I still kicked ass!!!! And I finished with a time of 2 hrs 25 mins 59 secs.
And that's a new PR! By 11 mins!!!! I could NOT be happier.
My sister-in-law, Jamie, and I at Race Start
I spent the rest of the weekend sightseeing with my MIL and SIL (and yes, walking, and walking, and walking) and had the greatest girls' weekend ever. I can't wait to do it again. Maybe I won't be the only one running next time!
This was a very inspiring moment for me. Watching all those runners come across the finish line and seeing the physical condition they were in...I really have to find me those runner legs! Now on a serious note, I have started to read Run Like a Mother and am very interested in picking up running I just haven't made it a committment yet. I would like to run in the early morning, but I am still fighting my need to sleep as well until the last possible minute. I know I really just need to get up! Thank you for showing me what this could really mean. Aside from the race, it was the best weekend I had had in a LONG time....
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