Well life got interesting and hectic. August and September both came and went. At about mid-October, I realized while I might be physically ready for it, I may have lost my opportunity to actually do it since fall and winter were fast approaching. Luckily a friend told me about one in December that would truly be one of the last one's of the year to do.
I signed up to do Portland's "Holiday Half". Just a fun, holiday themed run through the city. Not a super competitive, hard core race. Just fun. Perfect. I signed up.
Then I trained, and had actually not really stopped all spring, summer and fall. At about Thanksgiving I was fighting my body trying to keep it well. I declared myself ready about two weeks before. However, I had never actually run 13.2 miles, I had come comfortably close.
Race day. It was cold that morning, and there was no parking and I knew that. But it became a factor. My husband dropped me off super early. We had made arrangements to meet along the route and then at the end of the race.
As you can see by the picture, not only did the day start out cold, it continued. By the last three miles, the rain was coming down fairly briskly and it was cold. Like little razor blades on my face, and it sucked the energy right out of me. The picture below is at about mile ten or eleven, and I am struggling. My legs are tight and I am just plain cold. Lungs were doing well, it was my leg muscles that were dying.
As I crossed the finish line, I was proud of several things. I did it! I absolutely did it! I didn't stop and I didn't walk once during the race. I felt great emotionally! I teared up a bit and it surprised me. This was a huge accomplishment for me and it all rushed to me what I had done.
I started looking around....no husband....no kids.....didn't see them on the route. And I was cold. Very cold. My clothes are soaked and I am shaking uncontrollably.....that kind of cold. There is no shelter. I had my cell phone with me to track the race, and I had about 2% charge left on it. I know enough about hypothermia, I knew I needed help out of there. Fast.
Call the husband. He didn't expect me to finish that soon. He's way back on the route. Nice compliment! Doesn't help the immediate need right now. I needed warmth, now. I got on a race-provided shuttle bus and took a ride to an overflow parking lot and told the husband to meet me there. That got us away from the crowd so we could find each other easier. More importantly, it got me on a slightly warm bus. I got off the bus, phone dies, husband pulls up, I get in, kids hand me a protein drink. and home we go.
I did it!!
The pics with the kids were at home. What you can't see....I am still shivering uncontrollably. It was a long shower, a long nap, and three blankets that finally took the chill out.
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