Long Beach Marathon
California
Yippee I just crossed the line of the Long Beach Marathon in 3 hours, 36 minutes and 48 seconds: Which just happens to be a personal record and shaved off 9 minutes from last year.
To think that a few hours ago my friend Jodi and I had been sat in a car fretting over whether we would make the starting line in time, it was pretty obvious by 7am we had missed the second wave of runners, then the 3rd, 4th and 5th wave! We both changed in the car, I held out Jodis Brooks shoes to spray the insoles with Kool n Fit spray! The traffic was horrendous and as soon as we turned off the free way we took the first parking space available and ran about 2 miles to the Porta potties, the marathon had already started!
Our warm up was frantic as we made the final wave of runners, and suddenly we were in the marathon! No count down, we had missed the national anthem and I just had time to gulp back a hammer gel and water and we had started! I quickly punched my Polar RS800 my heart rate was high with all the excitement and we were off!
No time for pre race jittersJ
Oh My! right at the back of sub 6.30 hour runners, walkers baby joggers this was going to be fun, Jodi asked a classic question “What Now?” my response was to hug the side walks and keep shouting on your left!
One moment we were running on the asphalt next we were on the grass, hopping on the side walk one minute the next weaving in and out of small openings we could find.
This really was not very fruitful as most of the participants were wearing head phones or walking 4 abreast and talking with each other, yet we slowly plodded through the thousands of people as we snaked around a 6 mile loop which took us back to the start and then out onto the beach I soon lost Jodi as she became a blur in front on me! As I looked around I caught occasional glimpses of runners still on the loop and then it was two miles on the beach path. Now the beach path is not wide to begin with add a few thousand people to that and it becomes congested pretty quickly! Mile 7 I take my second Hammer gel I actually slow down to take water every mile I remembered to hit my lap button on my Polar, just 2 miles on the beach, I tried jogging in the sand as I passed other runners on the path, I did not want to be rude and push or shove. But running on the soft sand was difficult so I excepted my fate as I knew at mile 11 the half marathoners would continue straight thinning out the field of runners. I looked in disbelief at my polar it was telling me I had just clocked in a 10 minute mile! As I pushed on to the 12 mile mark I cheered on the first male runner in the opposite direction, he was at mile 23! I started playing with numbers to pass the time and exchange friendly banter with other runners. Soon 13 was history I looked at my Polar and saw I had done 1 hr 48 for the split! Mmm, despite an ugly side stitch, my left foot taking time to warm up, playing dodge with other runners that was a pretty descent time! I took 2 Advil and a gel…
My favorite part of the marathon was running through the University, I loved all the cheerleaders, and different student groups out there encouraging the runners. One group had hop scotch I managed to do that and hit a winning circle! At mile 18 I stopped to have my legs sprayed with Kool n Fit I took another Hammer gel and drank water and endurolytes, Just 8 miles left and I could stop running! I took in all the sights and sounds of the marathon, I read the t-shirts people were wearing, and waved at all the folks in wheel chairs cheering us on from the comfort of the side walk!
As I was on my way to mile 20 I saw two women taking photos of each other so I volunteered to take a picture of them both, I ran across a busy junction which was well manned by police I thanked all the volunteers at the aid stations, I had a wide smile nearly finished. The last 5 miles was like a battle zone as I passed runners clutching their ham strings, stretching their calf muscles or head held down and shuffling along. I stopped to help one runner who was pretty much done and managed to get him walking again, then I saw Jodi I could not believe it! Just before Mile 23 I tugged my girlfriends pony tail, I was so excited! “Hey Girl we can do this only 3.2miles left yippee!!” We both had our legs sprayed at the final Kool n Fit spray station I took a Hammer gel for extra zip and set off. Count down, 24 miles, 25 miles then I get a runner who spits I quickly dodge the line of fire but made my disgust known! As always the last mile seems like two then the sign Half marathoners to the left Marathoners to the right 26 miles looms ahead, I quicken my step .2 miles, my heart rate is super elevated I here my name over the loud speaker I hit the timing mat and need to keep walking. I look at the medal around my neck, and grin childishly all for a medal! Then I remember to hit the finish button on my Polar Monitor! Soon my girlfriend Jodi who was battling foot problems came across the mat. We had finished and had our photo taken as we were posing a guy shouted at me I thought he told me to climb higher what I had not realized was we were posing on a giant sand castle in the shape of Long Beach Marathon Medal and bank!
What a great weekend, from helping spray people at the Kool N Fit booth, to having a great marathon time and spending the afternoon at the Aquarium of the Pacific! Petting the sting rays, watching the sea otters play! And feeding the lorikeets!
A huge thanks to Hammer Nutrition without proper fuelling it would not have been possible to run 26.2 miles, For Polar Monitors to keep track of my heart rate and mile splits, to Brooks for great Ravenna shoes and hot looking Breast Cancer skirt, Rudy Project Glasses, Kool N Fit for keeping my legs and feet “Kool” Fuelbelt for my race number and of course my girlfriend Jodi for a great weekend.
As I race for a cure for Breast Cancer with AVON of Puerto Rico I raised $184 for my effort today. Happy training!
