I'm Fast!!

Yesterday, I ran my first footrace. I didn't prepare. I didn't train. I biked 12 miles to get there and 17 miles home afterward.

Here's the link:http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=114876327314207992279.000001127b564eb78c315&om=1&ll=43.085345,-77.671108&spn=0.020686,0.040169&t=k&z=15

There were 10,000+ racers in this particular event. When we lined up on the 4 lane road, there was a solid quarter mile of ridiculously healthy bodies in front of my, and another 1/2 mile of not as ridiculously healthy bodies behind me.

An air-horn blared, signifying the start of the race.I waited nearly a minute to actually start moving as people ahead of me spaced out a little. I went maybe 40ft til I hit the traffic jam of hot bodies perspiring due to the 90 degree weather with 80% humidity. After we got through the jam, people started whizzing by me. I had a hunch that I would later see these same people as they got tired. The thundering sound of race shoes pounding the pavement was truely incredible. The rubberized thud repeated itself for the duration of the run. By the top of the hill on the first quarter mile, I could already start to hear wheezing and panting. I smiled as I commended myself for not following the ridiculous pace of the people that were now 10, 20, 30, 50 yards behind me. The sound of sport shoes against the blacktop was all you could hear. There was no cool breeze, no cheering, just the look of desperation from people that had gone too fast too soon and the confident yet dispassionate sway of the runners that actually had what it took. We hit the water distribution at the first mile and I desperately attempted to get a few sips while still running, then poured the remainder of the cup over my head as I lept forth with a new vigor from the refreshing drink. Another 50 yards and I'd wished that I hadn't poured the water on myself. It was so humid that nothing evaporated. The water stayed, insulating my from the cool that I needed to continue. I perservered. "2 miles!", yelled an official from the sideline. I started to wonder if I should have stuck with my buddy who was now far in front of me. I've never run myself to exhaustion before, so I had no idea how to pace myself. This is nothing like my 18 mile run to Scottsville with a loaded backpack, but I am wary of tiring myself. I continue getting faster. Another water table, good! This time I attempt to gulp the water, but it goes down the wrong pipe!! Cough hack, gag, stumble, need air! agh! Cough cough, still running. Lips turning blue. *COUGH* Phew! the last of it! I drink what I can of the highly chlorinated water and press on. My legs feel a little wobbly from the lack of oxygen, but they soon recover. "1/2 Mile left! Go for it!" (How far is that? I dunno. Better keep up my slow pace.) I'm now whizzing by people left and right, I'm having no trouble breathing, actually, I'm not even breathing hard... Uh Oh! I can see the finish line! Man, I shoulda started sprinting at the 1/2 mile mark. I'm now diving through the crowd at my top velocity. I passed nearly 400 people in the last quarter mile. "Whoa, what a strong finish", I hear from the sidelines. I smile to myself and think about how much faster I could have gone for the race. My heartrate only got high for my sprint, and at a measly 1/4 mile sprint, I'm still not breathing heavily. My time is marked and I notice that there are not many people ahead of me. Actually, I can see the head of the line. I make my way back to the tent and record my time. I'm elated to find that I've come in 3rd!!!
From there it was beer, hot dogs, and friends aplenty! I don't run for exercise, I hadn't run for at least two months prior to the event, and I've never been in a race before. Just WOW!! It was sooo much fun!!

It was a good end to the week and definitely made up for my hospital stay last week. (I was in the hospital having horrible tests that I won't describe because it's probably TMI for 14 hours overnight last week because I was losing blood rectally. NOT FUN)
Another quick note: I went to Vermont for a quick anniversary trip with Cheryl. We did all sorts of excellent activities like toured the Norman Rockwell museum, mountain biking, kayaking, swimming and enjoying the fresh mountain air. Pictures to come!