Kiawah Island 2009
I had been looking forward/planning for this race for a year. I've purposely planned races and other events around this one race. I was excited and ready to run. That weekend we were staying with one of Sarah's friends in Charleston which made our morning commute fairly easy. The night before we stuffed ourselves with spaghetti (it's what they tell you to eat but not my favorite) and then went off to bed. My goal was to run a 3:10:59, I wanted to make sure I qualified. We got up that morning and all I could think about in the shower was crossing the finish line and wondering what it would feel like to qualify. It wasn't a gurantee but I knew I was about to endure a little over 3 hours of pain!
We loaded up and off we went. We arrived on Kiawah and loaded the shuttle buses to the waiting area before the race. We were waiting in this large room for about an hour before I started to go outside and warm up. By this point I was about to go crazy, I had to do something. I had bought a banana to energize me for the second half of the race so I went out and strategically placed it in the woods where no one else would see it! On a side note, I HATE bananas, but again it's one of those foods that they tell runners to eat.
Time has come and the gun goes off. I got my iPOD pumping load music in my ears so I can zone and not worry about the other people huffing and puffing around me. I was a little nervous because this was the first marathon that I hadn't carried my water. I was going to rely on the aid stations to supply all my needed hydration the only problem is I've never mastered the art of drinking on the run from a paper cup. Everytime it ends up all over my face and clothes so I have to stop running drink the gatorade then start again.
I came up to the first mile checkpoint and looked down at my watch, 7:02. I was right on pace. I was going to run 7 minute splits as long as I could then hang on for dear life. I started to click off miles and got to the first water station where I was going to take a drink, mile 6. I came up to the table, stopped and got some gatorade, then I had a guy yell at me "GET OUT OF THE WAY" for stopping. When I heard this I yelled back " I paid just as much as you did to run this race go around me!". After yelling at him, getting my pulse rate up, and making it my mission now to make sure I pass him and make sure he knows that i'm in front, I continued on my race.
At mile 10 I came to the water station again stopping and drinking and noticed...THEY HAVE BANANAS! I started laughing. I didn't have to search for my hidden banana anymore. I grabbed a banana and began to slowly eat away at my new favorite fruit. I passed the half-way point at 1:32. I figured I could do the second half 6 minutes slower and still qualify, that eased the nerves a little bit. The only bad part about kiawah is that once you make the turn-a-round at the halfway point there isn't much activity for the 2nd loop. I caught up to a guy running and started a conversation. By this time there were no fans, and no other runners. I was beginning to wonder if I was still on the course. I got to my 15 and felt great. I began to push my pace a little bit and started running around a 6:40 pace. I figured I better scale it back a bit if I wanted to survive the last 10k.
I made it to mile 20 at 2:23 minutes and was feeling it at this point. I was now 10K from qualifying. I had 47 minutes to run the last 6.2 miles. I kept on going and I came to mile 23 and noticed on the ground someone had drawn a finish line and I remember thinking, " I wish I was finished". I made it my goal at that point to "get to the woods". The last mile at kiawah is along a sidewalk in the woods. I knew if I made it there then I could finish. I made it to the woods at 2:58. I now had 12 minutes to go 2 kilometers. I was flooded with emotions and thoughts as I ran past people in the woods. I knew I was going to finish. I saw the mile 26 sign and right after that the light at the end of the tunnel. I came out of the woods and took a sharp left and the finish line was now in sight. I was coming down the final stretch and I could hear my wife cheering for me. I stared at the big sign as it counted 3:08:11, :12,:13. I had finished. I crossed the finish line knowing that I had achieved my goal. I found my wife immediately and gave her a hug, well it was mostly her holding me up but it was good. They gave me my glass finisher medal and I dropped it as it shattered on the ground. At this point I didn't care, I had just qualified for Boston! I went back and asked if I could get another one and the guy wouldn't give me one...I was like dude, you either give me one or I'll take a new one! Luckily a lady heard me ask and came over when he was reluctant and said "Here you go" and gave me a new finisher medal saving the both of us from a brawl!
What a day, what an experience, all to be remembered on April 18th as I take my 26.2 victory lap!
This week has been mentally tough but physically easy. After a 10 mile tempo run on Sunday it's been marathon pace 2 mile runs on monday and tuesday. Today will consist of a light leg workout and maybe a jog.
check back tomorrow and I share the unique story of how I was able to register while biking across America when registration closed in a few hours!
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