I would say after yesterday I am completely recovered, but if that were true, my butt would have been at the starting line of Rattlesnake this morning. Or would it? Maybe I have learned from this past year, maybe I am more careful, maybe I decided I liked the way yesterday felt too much to go through this year again...
I had one of the slowest healing injuries. Even after a year I still feel pain after a long hard run, which is sadly normal. I hope it isn't always going to be the case, but it is a reminder to take it easy and not overdo it. A reminder we all know I need because my stubborn ass wants to keep showing up at every race I can!
Last year I signed up for the Indianapolis Marathon with many other SWRC members. It was our fall goal race and everyone I knew was either going to do the half or the full. I was put on crutches early October and told not to run the race. I had hoped to be off crutches by the race and help man the tent and cheer my fellow runners on. This was not the case. So I went anyway, crutches and all. Our hotel was about a half mile away from packet pick up and a few blocks from the start line. After crutching back from packet pick up Friday night I decided to take a cab to the start line the next morning. Granted it was dark and I was alone, I took a cab 2 blocks. 2 blocks. I am the person that gets extremely mad when I see someone drive up to their mailbox to get their mail or park at the door of a store and run in so they don't have to walk. I get extremely annoyed because seriously, how lazy can you be. Well anyway I cabbed it and if anyone wants to say anything I still have the crutches, you are more than welcome to borrow them for a day!!
But everyone knows about my injury, this post is about my come back. I had a moment that I could finally tell my hip who was boss, and it was this weekend! This Indy Marathon! My friends played a huge part in both weekends in Indy, the one I crutched, the one I ran. If any of my friends who do not run ever wonder why I love running so much, this is the time you should read what I write :)
So a year ago I was in pretty good spirits for me. I was the crazy runner. I ran every single race that came my way and I ran them fast. I remember the first race Cory came to and watched. After it he told me he did not realize I was a good runner! Haha he meant that in the best way! I finished first female overall and he was impressed, hell I was impressed! That rarely happens. But I love to race and if you race all area races you are bound to win one! I did pretty good for myself and I was proud of myself. So when a race I trained and planned on racing comes by and I can't do it, well once again I was impressed with myself because I was ok with it! My friends made me feel like I was racing with them. Marc Mills made me my own personal bib and even framed it! I was included in all the pics and they made me forget I wasn't racing.
This year I was determined to run Indy! I say run because I had no clue what shape I would be in for it, but damnit, I would show up at the start and cross the finish line. Throughout the year I had a few set backs and thought I would not be going, but as the date got closer I knew I would make it.
I was in all out freak out mode a week before. Everyone around me was sick, not really but I felt like it. I was going to get sick and not be able to go. I would be stuck at home again, defeated by Indy again. My friends, family, Cory, coworkers...they all put up with freak out Niki. I was a bit crazy haha. They kept telling me I was a healthy person and I would be fine but I wouldn't listen. But the day came to leave and I was ok. I was ready. One more obstacle I didn't plan for, the weather.
A week before the race we ran on a Saturday and it was unseasonably hot. This was not the case for the race but I am not sure what was forecasted was any better. Race time start had it at 30 degrees and 20 mph winds, the half marathoners would be running into the wind for the first 9 miles. I mean, good that the last 4 miles are with the wind and all, if you make it through the first 9! The marathoners had it worse! The night before it was even snowing. Snowing on Halloween with 30 mph winds, very funny mother nature.
We had all planned to wear shorts but brought everything. I brought everything and then some. I ended up wearing Sarah Dowd's capris though haha. We head out to the race and it is cold. Damn cold. Michele and I head over to the start line. My mood was kind of blah. I made it here but I was miserable. I was cold, uncomfortable, and just wanted it to be over. Not the Indy I had imagined for the past year. I joked with Michele that I shouldn't have been standing with her, she is much faster and I didn't want to start too fast.
After what seemed like forever, we finally start. I would like to say within a mile I warmed up, but that never happened. I was cold the entire time. I have lost all ability to pace myself. I planned to start off closer to 9 and then get faster as I went and that did not happen. I started off the first mile a little slower than 8, maybe 8:10. My next two miles were both at 8. Michele surprised me at mile 3 and told me she had "caught up" with me. I knew I was going too fast, but I felt ok. I also knew it was early and probably wouldn't last. I decided to just say screw it and stay at 8, and see how it went. Miles went by and I was actually going right with the 3:30 marathon pace group, which would put me at 1:45 for the half if i could keep up. At mile 7 the half and full split and go different directions, so the pace group I was following went bye bye. The guy at the split was not as cool as Mermaid Tricia, as a matter of fact he kindly told us at the split we would start running into more wind! Thanks a lot man! Not really. I should probably tell all my non running friends now, it is not kind to EVER say "you are almost there!" You are never almost there in a race. Not even if the finish line is around the corner. It is still FOREVER AND EVER far away so just don't ever say it!
Anyway it went through my head that if I could keep it up through 10, I would be way ahead of my goal and I could even walk! 10 came and I was definitely tired but I didn't want to walk, so I thought maybe at 11. Around 11.5 I thought I may throw up but I kept going. At 12 I wanted to and at 12.5 we turned right back into the wind and I hated every single part of that moment, but I kept running. I crossed the finish line and looked at my watch, I had actually sped up for the second half, and I was only a little over 2 minutes off my PR. I couldn't believe it. I had come so far from last year when I stood with my crutches on the sideline and watched everyone come in and finish.
For the second time in my racing life I cried. The first time was my first half marathon at Mahomet. Cory and my parents were so proud of me I just couldn't help it! I have done 2 marathons and an Olympic TRI since and didn't feel it but I felt it when I finished Indy. This was the goal I had all year, and it was mine! Time didn't matter, it was just the cherry on the top! I made it to Indy, I made it to the start, and I crossed the finish line!
My friends put up with me and stood by me when I was at my worst. I was not very easy to deal with! Ask Aldo when I went off on him because he was running fast and my hip hurt, ask Amber when I would constantly ask her for advice, or Valeria when I asked her how she dealt with not training with the group for a year. Ask my coworkers when I freaked out about getting sick, my mother when I called with constant worry, or Cory, who puts up with me daily, with it all, and still smiles when I tell him it ended up better than I could ever imagined, because he knew all along it would....
Thanks everyone, I may have made my goal, but I wouldn't have, I couldn't have, without you all. I know it was just a half, but it was my half, my goal, and it meant the world to me...
