So, for months I have been training for a half-marathon. By training I mean running, running and a little more running. I was supposed to do a race in June but by the time I got up the courage to actually register and commit the race was full. So, I looked and found one in Pagosa Springs, Co this past weekend. I was supposed to do this with Emily but a week before she injured her foot and was unable to make it, which left me to do this all by myself. Anyone who knows me would know that this is completely out of character for me. We packed up the kids (minus gimpy Olivia...she stayed with Grandma and Papa) and headed for Colorado. I got up the next morning and left my family at the hotel (it is kind of hard to entertain kids at a race for hours on end). I got there and I got the feeling that I was the only one who didn't know everyone else...felt like I was crashing a large group of friends out for a Saturday morning run. I turned on my borrowed Ipod and prepared myself...little did I know that there was no way to prepare myself to what was to come.
There are (I am guessing here) about 50 runners and we start out jammed together on this narrow path and it seems to be working for the first mile or two. We hit around 2.5 miles and it is a steep, rocky, 6-in. wide path straight down a mountain. You can not run this for a couple reasons, one...there is no passing due to the width of the path and if one person walks ...we all walk, second...you can barely make out where the trail is going...rocks covered in ivy and other lovely greens. At one point we were joking about how we did not realize a nature hike was going to be part of our race. So we finally make it to this meadow where there is the same 6-in. path carved out through the tall grass and other unknown types of vegetation. We are climbing over fallen trees and ducking under low hanging branches and crossing dry creek beds. Then we come to the "gradual climb" as they called it...a 1000 ft. climb up the side of a mountain. I am going to take the time to remind you that in my training all I did was run...by this point I was in utter disbelief. So I make it to the top of this mountain and hit the turn around (so by this point I have run 6.5 miles)...looking forward to the downhill. For the first 2.5 miles I was just cruising, it felt flat (which I prefer) not downhill. Then I hit the part where we are running down that same mountain and it is so steep you are not really running you are just trying to stay on your feet in a running like manner and your joints are just being jarred against each other. It was painful and ridiculous...yet kind of fun, something new, something different. Then we get back to that same treacherous hike that now we have to go uphill (by this point I have run 10+ miles). This is pure torture. I got to the top, ran about 2 more miles and I was DONE!!!! I had done it, all by myself and under 3 hours (which was my goal...under 3 hours and not to be last, which I wasn't). I was very proud of myself. I had made some friends in the last 3 miles and together we got one another through. It was one of the hardest things I have ever done but I will never forget it and once every inch of my body stops throbbing I will enjoy the whole experience even more.
There are (I am guessing here) about 50 runners and we start out jammed together on this narrow path and it seems to be working for the first mile or two. We hit around 2.5 miles and it is a steep, rocky, 6-in. wide path straight down a mountain. You can not run this for a couple reasons, one...there is no passing due to the width of the path and if one person walks ...we all walk, second...you can barely make out where the trail is going...rocks covered in ivy and other lovely greens. At one point we were joking about how we did not realize a nature hike was going to be part of our race. So we finally make it to this meadow where there is the same 6-in. path carved out through the tall grass and other unknown types of vegetation. We are climbing over fallen trees and ducking under low hanging branches and crossing dry creek beds. Then we come to the "gradual climb" as they called it...a 1000 ft. climb up the side of a mountain. I am going to take the time to remind you that in my training all I did was run...by this point I was in utter disbelief. So I make it to the top of this mountain and hit the turn around (so by this point I have run 6.5 miles)...looking forward to the downhill. For the first 2.5 miles I was just cruising, it felt flat (which I prefer) not downhill. Then I hit the part where we are running down that same mountain and it is so steep you are not really running you are just trying to stay on your feet in a running like manner and your joints are just being jarred against each other. It was painful and ridiculous...yet kind of fun, something new, something different. Then we get back to that same treacherous hike that now we have to go uphill (by this point I have run 10+ miles). This is pure torture. I got to the top, ran about 2 more miles and I was DONE!!!! I had done it, all by myself and under 3 hours (which was my goal...under 3 hours and not to be last, which I wasn't). I was very proud of myself. I had made some friends in the last 3 miles and together we got one another through. It was one of the hardest things I have ever done but I will never forget it and once every inch of my body stops throbbing I will enjoy the whole experience even more.
My only visible injury (surprising enough)..blisters galore. This open one hurts beyond belief!
3 comments:
Congratulations!!! Doing it by yourself sounds way too tough. I'm glad you got that under your belt. We need to look for one around here. I missed seeing you yesterday.
Awesome! I'm proud of you! I sure couldn't have done that all by my self.
Good JOB Sam! I think I would have quit the first mountain climb:)!
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