This weekend we attended our first official race – the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon. 23,000 people – a marathon, half marathon, marathon relay, kids marathon and a 5k fun run. We ran the 5K portion of the event.
We arrived on Saturday evening to our hotel about 1 mile from the Cox Center and checked in. Then we walked to the Cox Center to pick up our packets. (that was our warm up for the run the next day!) It was very well organized and easy to walk through. There were vendors and race officials all on hand.
We got all registered and meandered through the booths a bit and then headed out to Zio’s to meet our friends for dinner. Yum- an excuse to load up on carbs!!
(Our friends Abbey & Dave)
Then it was time to head back to get to bed early! Our race began at 6:40 am!! We woke up the next morning at 4am. We headed down to meet them and find the start at 5am (remember we still had a 1 mile walk to conquer). I was doing pretty good until I heard the roar of the crowds and realized that I really was about to “run” and let me tell you what then my stomach turned into some large knots. I worked myself out of the nervousness when I saw all the wonderful people who were participating in our race. I kept telling myself that it didn’t matter what happened because it wasn’t a race, it was untimed, I could WALK it if I wanted to!! It was just getting caught up in the whole atmosphere of the day.
Here’s a pic of us in the starting corral:
We waited and eventually got the official “horn” to GO! At first we had to weave through many people and we were running about a 10:30 which was pretty fast for me but I didn’t feel it b/c I was so nervous and trying to get to an open part of road and spread out. Right about that time we were at 1mile. It went SO FAST I didn’t even realize it. But at 1.25 there is a HUGE hill. When I get to a hard spot like that I just keep saying “just keep swimming, just keep swimming”.
I walked the hill. That killed my time a little – I ended up finishing with a pace of 13:02 a mile. After the hill was some leveling out and then a bend and so I took it in run/walk spurts as much as I could. I don’t remember thinking “will this ever be over” and honestly it wouldn’t have been FAST but I could have pulled a 10K. I was sweating like a pig (what’s new?) but I had more in me. I had my iphone and so it was reporting in to me every .25 miles. I heard the 2.75 mile mark and knew around the bend was the FINISH. So I gave it all my might and just RAN!!! Kev said I must have been awfully motivated for that ending!! Although I ran so hard I dropped my phone which threw me off and of course made my heart explode running back, bending down, etc. LOL! Anyway – yes crossing the finish was an AMAZING feeling.
We spent the rest of the day walking – I swear we got in 10 miles through the entire Sat evening to Sun afternoon! My knees are feeling it. We visited the Memorial. What a moving experience. People were placing their medals on the “chairs” of those that were lost in the bombing. It just brought you to tears. Then we walked over to the Baptist church that is downtown and watched some of the marathon from the television in their fellowship hall and get this – they made everyone FREE pancakes and sausage, coffee, juice etc. Is that amazing or what? I read in the handout they gave us that the first year of the marathon the church members were upset because there was so much traffic that they couldn’t go to church. Instead of complaining to end the marathon they all got together to “serve” by doing this pancake breakfast. My heart melted. The city was amazing, the people were amazing, the race was well organized, and I said to Kev that if you “couldn’t fill up your cup of inspiration by being there then something was wrong with you!” It was true…it was AMAZING!!!
I will tell you what though – I left there thinking “all I did was a 5k” because you will see some things that just make your jaw drop! People who can’t even walk well on their own completing half marathons. The cool thing about this race was that there was no “time” that you had to race against (ie they wouldn’t kick you off if you decided to walk it) so as long as you FINISHED you were good. I saw people you would NEVER think would run a marathon cross 26 miles!!! It made you feel like you were capable of so much more. THAT is INSPIRATION!! There were firefighters who ran in full gear *50 lbs in memory of the fire fighters that were lost or worked so hard doing their jobs the day of the bombing and after. There were people who ran in memory of a loved one that was lost. It was so moving.
So, to wrap all of this up. I will leave you with my suggestion that even if you don’t run take time to go check out a race near you!! I never thought that there were so many runners or people who would step outside their comfort zone. It’s not at all what you associate it with in your head. Running is for anyone who wants to try.
1 comment
Great job Tara—I agree, there is no greater feeling than accomplishing something you didnt think you could do and seeing other people do the same. I'm proud of you. You look great!
Tami