Notes
Going to Boston! It still feels a bit surreal. Even after a brief cooling-off period, I have a love-hate feeling about the Newport Marathon. Here are a few highlights:
BEAUTIFUL day for a race! so cool and crisp and standing at the top of a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean! woo hoo! With 800 runners, it feels very different from Portland (my only other marathon experience.) The start was very subdued...quiet...lacking pomp and circumstance. But the view was stunning and the company delightful. Nell, Jamie & I drove from the rented Depoe Bay house to Newport in time to find the best parking spot around. We hit the FLUSH toilets with NO line (amazing) then met up with a few other running friends of Jamie's. Cindy & Deb found us at the start & gave us a wonderful emotional lift (along with very helpful offers to take our warm-ups.) My goal for the day was to come in at the BQ mark of 3:45. Average pace would need to be 8:35 or better.
mile 1: 8:21 Needs more cowbell. or load music or something. quiet & beautiful though.
mile 2 8:23
mile 3 8:19 loved the first stretch, past the lovely Nye Beach area.
mile 4 7:46 dooooooooooown the hill, past the High school marching band, past Cindy & Deb with fun signs...favorite mile of the whole race! maybe should have held back some to avoid the desperate numbing of my toes later int he race?? hard to say.
mile 5: 8:30
mile 6 8:06
mile 7 8:16
mile 8 8:23 enjoying the beauty of the bay and River...cool breeze, shade all the way.
mile 9 8:23 hitting a stride
10 8:23
11 8:30
12 8:23
13 8:11 the first half honestly felt great. it's a really good feeling to know the training has been effective.
14 8:15
15 8:33 starting to put on the game face. working harder to maintain goal pace.
16 8:34
17 8:32 had been thinkiing that getting to the point of "single digit miles remaining" would be a huge relief. not so much. 9 miles sounds like WAY too many remaining. working very hard.
18 8:43 starting to worry that I will quickly use up my small cushion of time if I let pace slip too far. Feet HURT. a lot. can't feel some of my toes.
19 8:44 can't do math in my head, but convinced that if I let my pace slip any further I will not qualify. almost don't care anymore.
20 8:58 decided that a marathon is clearly 6 miles too long. how many runners would sign my petition to change it at this point in the race? I hate everyone and everything a little bit. especially the speedsters who have already finished their stunning race in about 2.5 hours. the same gorgeous view sucks now. All I want to see is the next mile marker...and the big FINISH sign.
21 8:49 I think Cindy & Deb popped up somewhere around here. It was so great to see them & hear their encouragement. Cindy even ran alongside for a bit...despite her injury (bad girl.) After parting ways, I wanted to cry & walk back to their car & ask for a ride back into Newport.
22 8:21 okay, Drama girl...pull it together. don't share all the embarrassing stuff in your crazy head. I decided at this point that it hurt to go fast AND it hurt to go slower...so I made myself push as hard as I could until the watch registered goal pace again. mental toughness partially regained.
23 8:25
24 8:43 Cindy & Deb helping to give another boost ...love those girls!
25 8:50 I never want to do this again. ever. oh, $%#!, I've already registered for Portland. and have been praying for a chance to go to Boston in 2010. what is my problem? why would anyone choose to do this?
26 9:31 curse the gradual hill at this point in the otherwise flat race. where is that finish line?
the crowd gathered in the last stretch was great. Cindy, Deb & Gwen were a beautiful sight & their voices pulled me around the last corner. Seeing the FINISH line...and the clock with a friendly read was more stunning than the Grand Canyon (yeah, I haven't been there...just thought it sounded poetic/dramatic.) 3:44:17 was my finish time. Praise God.