"Wow! This is worse than the Garden State Parkway in the summertime."
- a man at the start of the Long Branch Half Marathon
The most hilarious thing about it was the designated start areas being referred to as "corrals," like we were a bunch of cows. I think that speaks for itself. There were pacers at every 30 seconds, runners with flags telling you that you are running at 10:00 per mile. You don't realize how emotionally comforting it is until that 8th mile when you realize you are still doing alright even though it doesn't feel that way. And forget about the bathroom thing. You keep thinking the next port -a- potty is going to be your last, especially when the pounding on the pavement takes its terrible toll on your bladder.
In the 11th mile, my left knee gave out on me. Ironically, it was the right one which worried me the previous evening. One of the marathon officials came up to me and asked me if I was ok. I told her my issue and that I was going to walk a bit. She said I gave her the chance to actually do her job and informed me there were only 2 turns left before the finish line and the rest of the route is along the water. I walked for 2 blocks and then was able to slowly jog across the finish line. Needless to say I was one of many limping to my car. In fact I thought I was going to fall over in the Monmouth Racetrack parking lot as my left leg seized up with no one to pick me up.
If anyone has looked at my former posts they know that I was never the girl most likely to do this. 13.1 miles. That's alot of "putting one foot in front of the other". I don't know whether it was luck. The conditions were perfect: 45 degrees, completely overcast. My head was clear of everything, good or bad. Maybe that was it - keeping a clear head.
There is only one important thing I need to remember from my Half Marathon experience. If I can do that, what can't I do? Well, let's find out.
Incidently, 13.1 miles in 2:32 chip time., 95 lbs, 8 skirt sizes. There's nothing you can't do.
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