The Commoner Runs A Half Marathon

I didn't really want to run another half marathon in April.  I mean I loved the Rock and Roll Half marathon in October because it was fun!  But Rob wanted to.  We couldn't get into San Francisco Half Marathon because it filled up.  We were going to run one in Santa Cruz but it said it had breathtaking vistas.  To me that meant big hills.  So we decided on San Luis Obispo.  It didn't seem hilly and it had a lot of people running.

Okay I'll do it and I've told you the training went pretty well for me.  Rob was injured but was nice enough to come with me this weekend, where he was not only in pain physically because he hurt his back but mentally because he couldn't race.

I hate the start of races.  I hate the port-a-potties which I ALWAYS have to use.  All the racers do-it's a law-you sign your name to do that on line of your entrance form.  There's the standing around in a corral you or no one with you probably belongs in.  It's cold.  And I always start my NIKE app too soon.

The race starts and although yesterday was cold and windy-and we were starting before dawn.  It was a comfortable temperature.  I had scoped out the people at a 2 hour pace to finish even though my goal was 2 hours 15 minutes.  

Rob told me to expect uphills to end at mile 3 and the rest to be flat and down hill.  I don't know what website Rob was looking at. But the first 3 miles were super fast. I kept thinking-I'm going to blow my goal out the window-or die I better slow down a little.  But if I know one thing from running my trail-when you can run fast do it, because ahead there are things that will break your pace-and boy were there.

By mile 4 we started climbing, and we pretty much climbed for over 2 miles maybe 3 until we got to the turn around.  For the first time ever in my running life my legs got tired.  But I shouldn't complain.  I actually don't really mind hills, I find they focus me.  But you know me I like to complain.

Things moved along-ha ha -and I'm doing great.  The miles are ticking away and I'm waiting for the down hills to the uphills I've been running but they never came because the course director had other plans.

We meandered through a bike path in a park.  Not nearly as nice as my trail and very crowded -with the poor marathon winner trying to get past all of us.  We are about 3 miles to go and my pace is great and I'm not only going to smash my personal record I'm making my goal no problem.  

I decide to look up and see what's around when I notice people on a walk path which was an over pass to the road.  That's funny I thought I hope we aren't going up there.  But we were.  If you've read my blog for awhile you know my fear of bridges.

But I zoom up the the up ramp when all of a sudden my legs buckle under me.

I half way apologize to those around me for my exhaustion when I realize the same thing is happening to everyone else.  This is one of those bouncy bridges that buckled under the runners.  You couldn't run because you couldn't balance and we all walked for a little bit down the ramp and to sea level.

That was a stupid thing to put in a race but I was okay and found that I lost some time not a lot but some  and I was still running strong.  1 mile to go-we're almost there.  When we turn and there it is-not the finish -not yet but this other ramp uphill that was so steep we all had no choice to but to walk.  We were all mad and defeated -like really?  They saved the steepest uphill for the end.

I made it however.  I was off my goal by 4 minutes-Darn you foot bridges.  I finished strong and I felt great.  Even commoners can take on lofty goals and attain them.  In spite of the foot bridge