The Old Port race was cheap (only $40!) and small (it was
limited to 1500 racers). I think a few hundred people ran the 5k and the
majority of people ran the half marathon. We got there about an hour before the
race started and had enough time to find parking, pick up our race packets,
take a few pics, and make our way to the starting line, which was a mile away
from the finish area. I got to the starting line around 7:15 and the race
started at 7:30am.
When I got to the starting line, I was confused because
there were no corrals and people weren’t lined up yet. It turns out there were
only two waves: females started at 7:30 and males started at 7:45. There were
no ropes, no barriers - everyone just lined up in the road and we were off with
the gun! I started near the front of the pack, which was actually pretty
discouraging because people were passing me the entire race.
The first couple miles were mostly downhill. In my
excitement and eagerness to stay with the crowd, I went a little too fast in
the beginning. I forgot to start my watch at first, so I don’t know how fast I
ran the first mile, but it was definitely under 9 minutes. I ran the second
mile in 8:08 – way too fast! I didn’t want to use up all my energy in the first
miles so I tried to slow down. I ran mile 3 in 8:36 and mile 4 in 8:45 – much
better. A girl came up alongside me running about the same pace, so I ran with
her for a while. Then she started to pull away and I didn’t try to keep up.
Around mile 5, the heat started to affect me. It had been
hot and sunny all day, but the first few miles were somewhat shady. After that,
much of the course was in direct sunlight and I could feel the sun beating down
on me. I told God I would be thankful for any cloud cover, any shade, or any
breeze that he provided. It was just so darn hot! Mile 5 had an uphill section
on a grass path through the woods and across a hot field. That slowed me down a
little. I ran mile 5 in 9:13.
Mile 6 was back on pavement. Still hot, but bearable. I ran
it in 8:55. I had run the first six miles in about 52 minutes, so I was on pace
to finish in under 2 hours!
However, after that, things went downhill. I was getting
tired and hot and my miles started getting slower and slower.
Mile 7: 9:06
Mile 8: 10:01 (stopped for a minute to take a gel)
Mile 9: 9:12
Mile 10: 9:46
I was getting worried that I wouldn’t finish in less than 2
hours. It was so frustrating! I was pushing myself and I still felt myself
getting slower and falling short of my goal. I started beating myself up for
even having a goal. If I didn’t, I could’ve just slowed down and been happy
with any time. But I had this dumb goal that didn’t even mean anything to
anyone but me. I told myself it didn’t matter if I didn’t make it. I could try
again another day, at another race.
Still, I had run those first few miles so fast. Wouldn’t
that make up for my slow miles? I tried to do some mental calculations, but my
brain was tired. I figured out that I could still make it, but I didn’t know
exactly how fast I needed to run. I just knew I couldn’t give up. I focused on
one step at a time, one agonizing mile after another.
Miles 10, 11, and 12 were pretty brutal. The course went
around Back Bay Cove on a gravel path. It was really hot, there was no shade, and
the trail seemed to go on FOREVER. I thought I was never going to get around
that stupid body of water. To make it worse, the SAG stops started running out
of Gatorade. They still had stuff they called Gatorade, but it was very watered
down. I started feeling the effects of dehydration. After mile 10, I felt like
I had no energy left, even though I had taken an energy gel during mile 8.
I honestly don’t know how I ran the last 3 miles. I wanted
to quit. I wanted to cry. I wanted to be done with running forever and never
push myself past my comfort zone ever again. I told myself this wasn’t worth
it. (I think that was the heat and dehydration talking. I’m not usually so
discouraged during a race!)
Despite all my negative thoughts, two things kept me going.
First, other people were starting to walk, but I never did. Even though I
wanted to, I never stopped running. I told myself that other people may be
faster than me, but my strength is that I never give up! Secondly, my goal time
was still within reach! At mile 10, I had been running for 1 hour and 30
minutes, which meant that all I had to do was run the last 3 miles in 10:00
each. Even my tired brain could do math that simple. A 10:00 pace isn’t that
hard. All I had to do was keep running.
Mile 11: 9:51
Mile 12: 9:27
Mile 13: 9:35
The last three miles seemed incredibly long, but they were
all clocking in under 10:00! (The numbers aren’t even entirely accurate,
because I kept forgetting to hit my watch. But close enough.) After mile marker
13, I barely had the energy to sprint the last 0.1 mile, but I did… and I saw a
1:58 on the race clock!!! I couldn’t believe that I’d just run a sub-2 hour
half marathon!
I have to attribute my time to God’s grace and my improved training regimen. I actually didn't run a very good race. I started out too fast, I let the heat get to me, and I let myself get dehydrated (after the race was over, I chugged an entire bottle of water!). I’m amazed and humbled that I was able to meet my goal. This race was challenging mentally AND physically. I learned a lot about myself in those 2 hours. I learned that I have strength and determination. I learned that I can be mentally tough, despite the negative voices in my head. And most of all, I learned about what it means to persevere – to keep going no matter what trials and temptations I face. This is why I love running.
James 1:2-4 "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."
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