I should backtrack. Back in August 2009 I decided to shed the 22lbs I had picked up at my desk job, and started walking. My walks started with a mile or two. I'd be gone for a half hour. After a while my walks were hours long, and I found myself walking 6 or more miles at a go. Walking became faster. Faster became running. Run/walking was the new game. I decided to join a local running club to learn about form and how to run longer.
The group, the L.A. Leggers, had pace groups all across the board. I started with the 20"mile pace group. Yes, I could have went faster, but I sure did enjoy chatting with the other walkers. Turns out, this group's end goal was the LA Marathon. Really?
Fast track three months. There I was, walking to my first race expo, feeling like some outside broke into the secret club from overhearing the secret password. Did I mention I was with my mom? Yeah, she's a runner. My mother had ran marathon when she was my age. Actually, she had stopped by the time she'd hit my age, because of me - her monster child she had to chase. Probably worse than a marathon. When I picked up running for the first time a few months before, she said "I think I might try running again too." I told her how excited I was to have ran/walk 5 miles. She'd just ran 9! I love her for that. I like being the one chasing her, now.
So we pick up our bibs... What a feeling that is, for the first time, to see a race number you're to wear. So much meaning behind it. So much emotion. We pick up our ankle strap timing tags... my first safety pins!!! I was in awe of all the races and places being sold at the expo. I wanted to buy everything and run every race... But I hadn't got through the first race itself. Time to get ready for the big one.
We stopped at Cafe Ladro, my favorite place to caffeinate myself in Seattle. I stared at my bib the whole time we were there.
Dinner was a salmon burger at pike place market. Dinner was crashed by my longtime ex-boyfriend and his girlfriend, which was fine, because as I said, longtime. He was freaking out about carbo-loading. He needed more PASTA! I ordered a beer. He scolded me. How dare I consume alcohol or anything unhealthy the night before a race. What would it do to my time? I didn't care. I just wanted to get through. While he was bragging about how this was his first race and he was going to run the full in under 4 hours, I was wondering if I'd make it. Yeah, ex for a reason.
After dinner he so kindly insisted upon paying for, we walked back to the hotel. I set out my clothes, my timing tag and bib, and my shoes... for the first time.
It was nice staying in a hotel in downtown Seattle. We didn't have to wake up too early, and were able to walk to the start. It was cold outside, in the 40's probably, and there was some droplets here and there. I had a cup of coffee in the hotel lobby and carried it to the start. I was wearing a hat my grandma knitted and some warm gloves. As we approached the start line I started feeling anxious. So many fancy running shoes, toned calves, people in shorts? So many... runners. I didn't feel like I belonged there. I was unsure of myself. My stomach twinged with anxiety. The corrals filled up with people faster, or at least more sure of themselves, than me. My mom and I slowly got squeezed out to the back where we went unnoticed.
As we kept getting pushed back the crowd started walking forward... faster... faster... faster... then I noticed these blue mats across the ground and as my feet crossed them FASTER - TAKEOFF - GO! It wasn't running so much as preventing trample. My mother and I are just flowing with this sea of runners, like salmon upstream. My thought process is going: Wow, I'm running a half marathon. Wow, I'm running through a red light! Wow, there are a lot of people on the sidewalk clapping and cheering. Holy moly look at all the gloves and hats on the ground... Now is the time to grab free clothes! Cool, we're running under the monorail! Wow.... I'm tired!!!
A walk break, a half mile in. I couldn't run for more than a few minutes without walking. My mom and I walked quickly though, never slowing below a 15" pace. Another goal. We joked about the Seattle PD motocycles along the course with the flashing lights, and joked about jumping on one. After a bit more running and more walking we started climbing from 5th up the I-90 express lane onramp. My mom decided to call my dad to tell him we're 2.5 miles in. I was mad. I told her to get off the phone and run. We got looks, yeah. This was all walking uphill at this point. I decided, hey, I'll try some gu. For the first time. This was not a good idea. I squirted it into my mouth and instantly regretted it. I know many love gu, but I am just not a fan. The woman behind me said she could smell a pj&j, but it was my berry gu exhalation. I needed a water stop!
Mile 4 we're in the Mt. Baker Tunnel of I-90 and there is a water stop ran by the Atheists. The banner across the table reads "Seattle Atheists: We believe in you!" I drank unholy water, and it got me through to mile 6. I have never been so thirsty in my life. There is nothing as amazing as cool water when you're sweaty and hot and uncomfortable, and this perfect fluid cools you down and gives you refreshment. I'm getting thirsty for water just thinking of it.
This was also where my mother warned me not to drink so much water... Later I'd find out why. We pop out of the tunnel and see the split between the full and half marathon. I was relieved my "fast" ex-boyfriend hadn't caught up to me yet, and was pretty sure I could relax at this point without being hassled by him. With relief we turned down Lake Washington Blvd and strolled down the waterfront.
At mile 6, just before the halfway point, I heard someone say "Diana?" and I see Lisa, a pre-college roommate and old co-worker from my Home Depot days. When I was an underage drinker in the states partying up in Vancouver on the weekends Lisa was a co-conspirator. We hadn't seen each other in nearly 10 years. She told us it was her first half marathon too, but she'd been more prepared. We caught up at the halfway point, and Lisa warned us about the upcoming hill at 7.5. She was not kidding. She warned us of a hill at mile 8, and mile 9, and heck most of mile 10 was uphill through the park. Garmin equipped, when she ran - we ran. We might have slowed her down because I had to walk a lot. I tried to push it though and run and keep up with her, but I couldn't.
Somewhere around mile 10 a man sneezed, and the wind blew it all over me. Oh yuck.
The arch in my left foot started to ache, and so did my stomach. Oh, that's why I'm not supposed to drink water at every stop? I kept going though. We had 3 miles to go. Slowing down our pace and aching we made it to mile 11, and a downhill was in sight. I was able to run, but at this point the run/walk ratio because 1:1. When we hit Eastlake Ave we started running all out down the hill, and turning, downhill again, we were almost to mile 13.
Before we hit the chute I had to slow down to a crawl. I had to save it. Lisa, love it, takes off like a bomb. I know my mom wanted to as well, but I just didn't have it in me. We turn, turn, turn, Mercer, 4th, the stadium... and we're on the grass! We made it? I see the finish. Ok, yes mom, now. We run. I started walking when I crossed a blue mat and she yells "it's not the last one." and I see another blue mat at the finish. I swear under my breath and run under the finish banner.
I just finished my first half marathon. Oh my god. Thank you man for taking the timing chip off my ankle. Oh, someone is putting a medal over my head?!? Oh my gosh I have a medal. Oh, mom has one too! Oh tired. Are you dizzy too mom? Lets walk? Chocolate milk! Where the F did those people get chocolate milk? Oh, ok, lets take a picture....
We pose with our medals, then run into the expo... it's so crowwwwwwwded. I wanted to cry. I see a huge line for the Darigold chocolate milk. I was ready to give up when a girl walks up to me from the darigold booth holding 2 chocolate milks for me and mom. "here you go." I wanted to hug her, but told her as much and thanked her for saving the day. Dear Darigold girl, you were the savior of the day, I assure you.
Chocolate milk in hand, and medal on neck, we slowly crawled back to the hotel for the best showers of our lives. I asked mom to drive because I was sore. Up to Bellingham we went. Sure, I didn't run a full marathon like my ex, or even fast like he tried to be, but we finished. Our official time was 2:55:07. Yes, I was happy with that.
Little did I know that this would be the first of many runs, many races, and many of both with my mom.
