California Int’l Marathon by Annette Wotherspoon
Wow, what a weekend! Ruedi, Irene and I left for Sacramento on Friday morning. The drive down to Seattle was uneventful. At the airport it was clear that the plane would be full of fellow marathoners. All those lean bodies, sipping on water bottles. A few Boston jackets were in sight here and there. This would be my first destination marathon and my third marathon. The energy on the plane and all the marathon chatter was exciting. The flight attendants all wished us well as we disembarked the plane.
We went to the expo on Saturday morning to pick up our race package. The usual vendors were there and great deals on shoes were to be had. We managed to listen to one of the lectures on running the course. They kept talking about the hills and this was getting me worried. I reminded myself that we do run in North Vancouver and can’t go anywhere without encountering a hill, usually a big mother of one, at that! Others were telling us that the hills were no more than gentle slopes. Anyway the lecture was useful and we took from it what we wanted!
Our hotel was about five blocks from the finish line. We wandered down to the finish area where they were getting things ready for the next day. In this race the women run down one finish chute and the men down another. The reason for this being that when the race first began there weren’t many women running it. It was felt that the women were getting lost among the men at the finish and not getting the credit they deserved. So they had separate finish lines. Capitol Park and the State Capitol Building was a nice finish after the long run.
After our pasta dinner at the hotel we went back to the room to organise our race day clothes. The weather report seemed to be changing all the time. It was certain though that it would be warmer than expected. So, long sleeves or short? Vest or no vest? Oh it’s always hard figuring out what to wear. Nothing is worse than being too hot or too cold for four or four and a half hours! Timing chips were put on shoes and bib numbers put on shirts. Off to bed around nine for an early wake up at 4am. The buses that were dropping us off in Folsom were leaving at 5 and 5:15am. I managed to sleep quite well considering.
I woke at 4am, dressed and went down to get some breakfast that the hotel had prepared early for all us runners. We were on the bus at 5:15 and off to Folsom. The three of us had to stand. It was unclear how many buses there would actually be. So rather than risking not getting a bus we stood. It was still
dark and it seemed to be a long bus ride. Irene was busy chatting to a man, getting some last minute advice. So I was quiet throughout the half hour bus ride. What am I doing here? I was asking myself. I had a throw away shirt on over my race shirt for which I was thankful. Though it was mild there’s still a damp chill in the air, or maybe it was just nerves. The porta-potties went on for it seemed miles! I believe there were 500 of them all in a line. Of course the ones closest to the start had line ups we walked to the farther away ones where there were no lines.
Okay… the start. At this race the pacers have times that coincide with the various qualifying times runners need for Boston. My goal was to PR (personal record), have a good run and enjoy myself. Ruedi headed off to his starting point and Irene headed off to hers (4:05). So I was left alone! I decided to hang out with the 4:15 pacers. I thought I’d hang out at the back and see how it goes. I had never run this distance before on my own (okay I wasn’t entirely on my own per say; there were a few thousand other runners around me). It felt weird not to be chatting nervously to friends and fellow runners from NSA. I didn’t know how I’d cope without the encouragement from the people I usually run with throughout the 26.2 miles; it’ll be a learning experience. Considering this, I was really quite calm and ready for the challenge. It’s 7 o’clock and the gun has gone off. The sun has barely come up and off we all trot. I find an easy pace and fall in with the pacers. They tell us to ignore the mile splits that get called out at each mile marker, they call out the gun time and we are running to chip time. At mile 3 I have to use the porta-potty! I leave the group and have decided that I will have to pace myself. I have a pace tattoo on my arm but I can’t read the stupid thing without glasses! Getting older is so inconvenient at times! I plod along and a couple of miles later I see the 4:15 signs (we had 2 pacers). I’ve caught up to them!
We trot along at an easy pace. I was feeling great around mile 10 and sometimes thinking I could leave this group and go on ahead. I used my brain and decided to stay with the group since we were still in the early stages of the race and still had a long way to go. I was enjoying the scenery through the countryside and the spectators who had come out to cheer us on. The sun had come out and it was warming up. I was glad I had put on a short sleeved shirt. The halfway mark came up really quick. I was surprised at how fast it had arrived. Still feeling good I resisted the urge to go ahead of the group. I don’t know where the time went, it went by so fast. I know I was thinking of my fellow NSA runners and wondering how they were doing. There were others along with Irene, shooting for a Boston qualifying time. Other than that I don’t remember what was going through my head.
At about mile 17 I see a familiar figure just ahead of me. It was Irene. Hey, I shouted. What’s happening? Irene was having a difficult time and was about ten minutes behind her pace group. She had been sick with a cold the week before and had been struggling with a hamstring injury for a few months. I thought about staying with her but as it turned out we got separated and I carried on by myself once again. Mile 20 looms ahead. On this course they have an actual wall. Well it’s an inflatable one with a huge hole in it, but a wall none the less! All the way the pacers are shouting out advice and warnings of the upcoming hills (what hills? There were hills?) Actually the course had gentle rolling hills. Nothing compared to the ones we have on the North Shore but they were hills.
Mile 23…. My hip flexors are hurting. It’s tough going. I want to walk but know it’ll be hard to get started again. I slow down and let the 4:15 group go on. 3 more miles I tell myself. Dig deep Laura always says. I
wonder what that really means. Where am I to dig? I haven’t been here on my own before and don’t know how to “dig deep” I think of the gal that spoke at the expo the day before. She beat breast cancer to run her 246th marathon today. I shouldn’t complain; I have no right to. I stop and walk along L Street. I have about 20 blocks to go before turning onto 8th and the final few metres to the finish line. Come on NSA (I have an NSA shirt on) you’re doing well I hear. I don’t know this person but figure she must be from the Vancouver area to know to call NSA. It’s all the encouragement I need to start up again. It hurts. Once I get moving it’s not too bad. I pass our hotel, which is at 15th and L so realise just how close I am. I muster up the energy and pick up the pace. I’ve found out how to dig deep! I turn onto 8th, really close now. My adrenaline pumps me up and I feel strong. I turn the corner and into the finishing chute. People are cheering and I run as fast and as strong as I can to cross the finish line. The time was 4:19:20 (gun time) 4:16:12 (chip time). 9 minutes faster than my last marathon. The Capitol building is ahead of me and it all looks wonderful. I had a really great run and most importantly had a great time doing it. I get my medal and for a minute watch as others cross the line. What we have achieved is amazing. I head for our meeting point towards the Capitol building. Not long after I arrive Irene comes along. She is disappointed in her time and I’m disappointed for her. But there’s always another race and hopefully we have many years left of running to qualify for the prestigious Boston.
We go back to our hotel and relax with a bottle of champagne (an Aschwanden tradition). Every time Ruedi looks at me he has a huge grin on his face. He is so happy for me; I had such a fantastic race. He makes me feel very proud of myself. Next morning we leave to come home. It’s been a great weekend. Now it’s time for a massage. A week off then back to the grind stone to get ready for Big Sur May 1st 2011! Bring on those hills!!!
Cheers,
Annette Wotherspoon