The weather forecast couldn't be more different than it was last year. Last year the race was postponed for an hour due to a thunderstorm and I was soaked clear through from head to toe before the race started. This year it was sunny (very, very sunny) and mid 60's at the start (70's at the finish).
I had no real plan going in. I wasn't sure if I would try to race it for a new PR and good half marathon time or just run it as a training run. I figured I would figure it out on Sunday morning depending on how my legs felt. I'm still dealing with some foot pain although it is getting better and my longest run since early summer was 11 miles.
Packet Pickup was at Luke's Locker in River Oaks on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. I don't drive downtown on Saturday unless I have to and I had Field Day at my oldest's school on Friday so I really needed to do pickup on Thursday. Pickup started at 10 am and I decided to take an early lunch to beat the train and try to beat the lunch rush. I did beat the train, but the line was already pretty long at 11 am to pick up the race packet. I think the change from a half marathon and a half marathon relay to a half marathon and a 10k really increased the # of runners or at least the # of individual entrants that needed to pick up race packets. I didn't feel extremely well organized but that could just be because I was a bit impatient.
With my Race Packet at my desk I went back to work and didn't really think much about the race until Saturday night other than trying to do a little extra hydrating.
Saturday Night while I was at a pumpkin carving party with my girls, I got word that an old college friend was in the last days of her 3+ year battle with cancer. I decided that I would dedicate my run to my friend Ashley and would pray for her, her husband, her boys, her family and her friends at each mile marker on the run.
I got home from the party and laid out all my running gear, pinned on my number, packed my bag, filled my water bottles (why do I carry water to races, I never use the water I carry), and attempted to get to bed at a decent hour. I swear I checked my watch and it was fully charged (it was not - I have technology problems for races). I went pink for this race since it is in October which is breast cancer awareness month, and it was very fitting since I was dedicating it to Ashley.
Sunday morning came very early well not as early as some of my long runs but still pretty early. I had the alarm set for 4:30 am. I got dressed, repinned my bib number (I always end up repinning it at least once), made my standard long run breakfast of a half a PB and cheese sandwich, made a cup of hot tea, drank some water and hit the road.
All was smooth sailing until I got downtown. From the time I arrived downtown a few minutes before 6am to the time I parked it was 40 minutes. Yes 40 minutes. Once I got into a line for a parking garage and realized how bad it was, I was stuck as all directions were trying to get to that same garage and you couldn't really get out of the traffic I was in. I really wasn't sure I was going to make it to the race start on time.
I got to the pre-race park about 15 minutes before race time and this was the line for the port-a-potties with 10 minutes to go until the race started at 7 am.
I was really hoping a bunch of people would bail on the line but I ended up being the one who bailed and headed to the start line.
I finally found my way to the corral and got ready to run. I didn't have my normal time to prep prerun and didn't feel very motivated or ready to run when the start happened. I decided to just run and not really pay attention to my pace and see what happened. I didn't really think my legs had it in them for a PR and I wasn't feeling it.
I started a new playlist on Spotify that I had never used before created by an online running community I am part of called the Mickey Milers hit play and just started running.
I was so unprepared I guess I didn't tie my shoes properly because I had to pull over to the side to tie my shoe at the half mile mark.
When I decided I was going to pray for Ashley and her family at each mile, I didn't think much about it at first. I didn't realize what an impact that would have on me over the course of the race.
I hit the first mile - too fast as usual especially since I could already tell this wasn't going to be a fast race. I purposely slowed down and started praying for Ashley. As I was praying the song Brave by Sara Bareilles came on my playlist. Songs have different meanings at different times and I tend to focus on different parts of it. Today I was focused on "I just want to see you be Brave" and I started to tear up because from everything I had heard Ashley had been the pillar of Bravery throughout her fight. "Say what you want to say and let the words fall out". I felt like God was telling me to just open up and release myself to him during this prayer vigil. I started getting very emotional. Emotional responses in races are normally reserved for the last couple miles not the first mile and a half. The tears which had been right at the surface started pouring out. I'm sure it must have looked like I was really struggling in the race.
I kept going. The sun started to rise as we finished our downtown loop and ran back by the start and turned down Allen Parkway. We came by the first set of porta potties but as they were at the start/finish and the 10k was just getting ready to start they still had pretty long lines.
I have done quite a few races on Allen Parkway. I really don't particularly like running on Allen Parkway. the road is rough, there are cracks/holes in it, you have the wonderful underpasses (aka reverse hills).
At the second mile marker I noticed my GPS said I was at 2.1 miles. This .1 differential carried on consistently for the rest of the race. I'm used to being off about .01 per mile not .1 miles after 2 miles.
Just before mile 4 there was another bank of porta potties, this time finally without a huge line so I waited for 1-2 people in front of me and finally got back on the course.
The race continued, I made it down Allen Parkway for the outbound, ran up the bridge and switched to Memorial Drive. Just after the 6th mile just after I started praying for Wayne a song I'd never heard before came on the playlist, a song that literally took my breath away and almost brought me to my knees. I found myself crying and gasping for air as I went over the 10k marker.
The song was called "I run for life" by Melissa Etheridge
It's been years since they told her about it
The darkness her body possessed
And the scars are still there in the mirror
Everyday that she gets herself dressed
Though the pain is miles and miles behind her
And the fear is now a docile beast
If you ask her why she is still running
She'll tell you it makes her complete
I run for hope, I run to feel
I run for the truth for all that is real
I run for your mother, your sister, your wife
I run for you and me my friend
I run for life
It's a blur since they told me about it
How the darkness had taken its toll
And they cut into my skin and they cut into my body
But they will never get a piece of my soul
And now I'm still learning the lesson
To awake when I hear the call
And if you ask me why I am still running
I'll tell you I run for us all
I run for hope, I run to feel
I run for the truth for all that is real
I run for your mother, your sister, your wife
I run for you and me my friend
I run for life
And someday if they tell you about it
If the darkness knocks on your door
Remember her, remember me
We will be running as we have before
Running for answers, running for more
I run for hope, I run to feel
I run for the truth for all that is real
I run for your mother, your sister, your wife
I run for you and me my friend
I run for hope, I run to feel
I run for the truth for all that is real
I run for your mother, your sister, your daughter, your wife
For you and me my friend
I run for life
I run for your mother, your sister, your wife
I run for you and me my friend
I run for life
It's an amazingly powerful song and it was so appropriate for my mission on this race but overwhelming at the same time.
I hit the midway point and came to the 7 mile mark where it was time to make the turn to come back East.
Here I am at mile 7. You can see that big bright light behind me. (and wow - I can see it in my face here just what a challenging place I was in emotionally at that point) I didn't know then what a nightmare that big bright light would be in a few minutes when we turned back East again.
Mile 7- 8 was nicely shaded so it wasn't until about mile 8-1/2 that the sun started to become a problem. And then that sun. Wow was it bright. I couldn't see. I kept running with my hand over my eyes and squinting. I joke that I turn into a running vampire because I can't manage to run in sunlight. This race might have made me believe it. I must remember sunscreen and a sun visor in the future for runs during day light hours.
I started really slowing down on those last 5 miles on the return loop. I don't know if it was the sun but I am sure that had a lot to do with it. Running into the sun when I was already emotionally and physically exhausted took its toll on me. But I kept running, I kept praying for Ashley and her family and I kept moving forward. Nothing that I was doing could compare to what they were going through.
But the Houston Half for me wasn't a race about time, it wasn't about medals. It was about old friends and life. So during the race and today, I prayed for the Salter family. I prayed for peace, for strength, for an end to pain, for hope and for life. Ashley ended her struggle with Cancer on Monday morning and I am confident is healed and whole in Heaven with Christ now. I pray that her husband and her sons will be comforted and find strength. Ashley was always such a joyful and Christlike person. I haven't seen her in years but friendships crafted in CCF at Georgia Tech span beyond time and distance. She is well loved and will be greatly missed in this world.
For Ashley and all the people she has touched directly or indirectly in this world - I run for life!
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