my first ever half marathon
I've been meaning to post something about my father's day half marathon for weeks now, so here it is! I've always said I wanted to run a half someday, but in the last few years I've either been pregnant or I've recently had a baby, or I've simply chickened out. This past Christmas I told myself that this would be the year I did it, so I logged on to the Manitoba Marathon site and registered. It was still six months away, so I'd have lots of time to run and get ready. It sort of seemed a lifetime away, until it wasn't.
I had full intentions of going to bed at 9:00 pm on the 18th. A good night's sleep couldn't hurt, right? Well, I chatted on the phone for a while, did some dishes, and decided to go to bed. Then I remembered just one more thing I had to do. And another, and another. I ended up in bed around 11:30. This always happens. My alarm rang at 4:20. I leaped up and showered and dragged my poor family all out of their beds to accompany me into Winnipeg.
Not sure if you can see the display in my van, but it says 4:57. At this point we were all buckled, yawning and leaving Portage. I had packed the kids each a breakfast in their lunchboxes for Steven to feed them after I left the starting line.
In Winnipeg we parked at one of the few Marathon bus stops. We piled Elliot into the stroller along with food for the minions and diapers for her baby bum. We walked half a block to the bus stop and stood in line with dozens of other runners. Then the bus stop organizer informed us that we couldn't bring the stroller on the bus.
I was already worried about being late (the information package highly recommended being at the university by 6) so I stayed in line and Steven said he'd take the stroller and the kids back to the van and catch another bus. As my bus pulled away I saw him walking with the stroller and the three older kids in the general direction of the university. So much for catching that next bus.
I hopped off the bus at the university and used the washroom and found a place in the crowd waiting to start. There was still time so I left the line to see if I could find my family. Nope.
The crowds were neat, there were people everywhere. The music was pumping out of giant speakers on the hill, the announcer was yapping about the race, the start times, people of mention, etc. My heart was pounding. I couldn't believe I was actually there and about to do this.
I found my way back into the crowd as the first wave got ready to start. Finally, it was time to go. The crowd ahead of me started to move and the movement rippled back to me and then I was running. Just starting was an amazing experience. As I ran through the start gates I saw Steven and the kids standing just on the other side of it, jumping around and waving like crazy. The best moment ever!
I later found out that Steven had arrived a few minutes before the start and had been looking for me. I was pretty psyched that they had seen me start. This is how they killed time after:
It's nice to see other people's kids also climbing trees and fences.
After that I was on my own and I was really doing it. Here's the route, if you can make any of it out:
Click HERE if you want to see a nicer map of it. It didn't crop over very well.
The first couple of miles were a breeze. We ran along Pembina Highway, past the first apartment Steven and I lived in together, and then through the park just off of Pembina highway. Actually, Lyla, Steven and I used to walk through that park years ago when we were all roomies and nobody was married or had kids and we had time for walking and biking through parks.
I ran alone and without music. I never run with music, and I generally never run with a partner. Seems most people I know who run don't do it at 5am. Odd that. As I ran along I noticed that I was with kind of the same group of people. Some people passed through the group, some slowed down, some sped up, but I'd recognize people miles later that had been near me earlier. One woman was running about ten feet in front of me and I found myself following her. She had a good pace, maybe a little faster than me, but not uncomfortable to match. As we ran through the park she struck up a conversation with a man who was running with no shoes on. Seriously. Barefoot, and running the whole marathon (26.2 miles). It was neat, if not a little crazy. I ran along behind them, listening to her conversation with the crazy barefoot runner. At one point she asked him if he ever listened to music. She went on to say that she didn't, and that it was hard to find someone to chat with during a race because so many people were plugged in. That was my cue to say hi! When she parted from Shoeless I caught up to her and confessed that she had been pacing me for the last mile or so. We struck up a conversation and we ran for the next 7 or so miles together. She was fun and entertaining and I found that I wasn't even looking for mile markers. There's something to be said for a running partner!
As we passed the halfway mark we noticed our time. Deanna (my new running buddy) figured we were going way too fast, but we carried on anyway.
Eventually we cruised along Jubilee Avenue, and BDI drive-in where (sadly) we did not stop for ice cream. Deanna did point out that soon we would reach the beer guy.
Yep. Beer guy. Apparently he's famous with the MB marathoners and half marathoners for handing out beer just past the BDI drive-in. The Beer Guy lives on the marathon route, buys a keg and sets it up at the end of his drive way alongside a sign that says "Last Beer for Miles," and he hands out cups with an ounce or two of beer in it to the runners. It's cute. It was also colder than the water and Gatorade along the way, making it the only beer I've ever drank and actually enjoyed. This was around 7.5 miles.
I'm thinking it was as we passed mile 8, 9, and 10 that conversation slowed, and people just kept on chugging. Around mile 10 I slowed a bit to make sure I'd make it to the end, and I let Deanna carry on without me. I had three miles to go and I was determined that I wouldn't crap out and walk. I still kept a decent pace and wondered how my time would be at the end. I really hoped to be about 2 hours and 11 minutes (for a 10 minute mile pace) but I figured I'd be happy with 2:15 to allow for water breaks or 2:20 because it was my first ever half, or to at least make it to the end without napping in the grass by the side of the road only to be scooped up by a medical team and driven to the finish line. They don't actually consider that finishing.
I carried on over the bridge on Bishop Grandin, back down Pembina and onto University Crescent. I had passed mile 10, 11 and 12 and couldn't wait to see the end. I was pooped. I tried to pick up my feet again in the last mile to salvage (what I thought was) my increasingly slack speed. Eventually the starting area came into view. Yay, almost done. Then we ran past it. Then we ran past the bank of porta potties. People were milling about. I worried that I had somehow left the course. Can you imagine? Finally we turned into the outdoor arena at the University and I saw the giant finish line. I was so relieved and ready to be done.
Can you find me? Steven took this picture and I am actually in it!
I crossed the timing belt and had officially ran my first ever race. It was glorious! I followed the other runners through the arena and into the recovery area. As I reached it I found Deanna who had only finished a few minutes before me. We congratulated each other and ate frozen yogurt pops. I then found my family. This is the picture Steven took of me:
Notice my four empty cups stacked - I was very thirsty! This is my happy family watching the events from behind the fence as only the runners were allowed into the recovery area:
I had to steal them some water too, you know, because it was there. Notice Tennyson pouting because Mitchie was given water first. Poor kid. Life is so unfair.
My official time was 2 hours, 6 minutes and 45.9 seconds. I was so thrilled by this. I figured that at absolute best I'd get there in 2 hours and 11 minutes.
There were professional photographers taking pictures, and then tagging runners with their numbers on the Internet. Here are a few they took of me!
After chatting with Steven and the kids for a few minutes, and fetching them more and more water, I went through the snack line.
This is the snack line behind me:
Entering the snack tent:
There was loads of refreshment for all the runners: frozen yogurt popsicles, bananas, bagels, chips, chocolate milk, oranges and yogurt, as well as gallons and gallons of water. I grabbed a bunch of snacks for me and a few for the kids. Anybody with kids knows that the only way to actually eat a snack of your own is to put some food in their hands first!
We decided to walk back to the van. Of course I didn't realize that it was miles away, and that by the time we walked four kids back there, taking turns carrying Mitchie and/or pushing the stroller I'd be extra tired. But what a day, what an experience. I can't wait to do it again next year!
I had full intentions of going to bed at 9:00 pm on the 18th. A good night's sleep couldn't hurt, right? Well, I chatted on the phone for a while, did some dishes, and decided to go to bed. Then I remembered just one more thing I had to do. And another, and another. I ended up in bed around 11:30. This always happens. My alarm rang at 4:20. I leaped up and showered and dragged my poor family all out of their beds to accompany me into Winnipeg.
Not sure if you can see the display in my van, but it says 4:57. At this point we were all buckled, yawning and leaving Portage. I had packed the kids each a breakfast in their lunchboxes for Steven to feed them after I left the starting line.
In Winnipeg we parked at one of the few Marathon bus stops. We piled Elliot into the stroller along with food for the minions and diapers for her baby bum. We walked half a block to the bus stop and stood in line with dozens of other runners. Then the bus stop organizer informed us that we couldn't bring the stroller on the bus.
I was already worried about being late (the information package highly recommended being at the university by 6) so I stayed in line and Steven said he'd take the stroller and the kids back to the van and catch another bus. As my bus pulled away I saw him walking with the stroller and the three older kids in the general direction of the university. So much for catching that next bus.
I hopped off the bus at the university and used the washroom and found a place in the crowd waiting to start. There was still time so I left the line to see if I could find my family. Nope.
The crowds were neat, there were people everywhere. The music was pumping out of giant speakers on the hill, the announcer was yapping about the race, the start times, people of mention, etc. My heart was pounding. I couldn't believe I was actually there and about to do this.
I found my way back into the crowd as the first wave got ready to start. Finally, it was time to go. The crowd ahead of me started to move and the movement rippled back to me and then I was running. Just starting was an amazing experience. As I ran through the start gates I saw Steven and the kids standing just on the other side of it, jumping around and waving like crazy. The best moment ever!
I later found out that Steven had arrived a few minutes before the start and had been looking for me. I was pretty psyched that they had seen me start. This is how they killed time after:
It's nice to see other people's kids also climbing trees and fences.
After that I was on my own and I was really doing it. Here's the route, if you can make any of it out:
Click HERE if you want to see a nicer map of it. It didn't crop over very well.
The first couple of miles were a breeze. We ran along Pembina Highway, past the first apartment Steven and I lived in together, and then through the park just off of Pembina highway. Actually, Lyla, Steven and I used to walk through that park years ago when we were all roomies and nobody was married or had kids and we had time for walking and biking through parks.
I ran alone and without music. I never run with music, and I generally never run with a partner. Seems most people I know who run don't do it at 5am. Odd that. As I ran along I noticed that I was with kind of the same group of people. Some people passed through the group, some slowed down, some sped up, but I'd recognize people miles later that had been near me earlier. One woman was running about ten feet in front of me and I found myself following her. She had a good pace, maybe a little faster than me, but not uncomfortable to match. As we ran through the park she struck up a conversation with a man who was running with no shoes on. Seriously. Barefoot, and running the whole marathon (26.2 miles). It was neat, if not a little crazy. I ran along behind them, listening to her conversation with the crazy barefoot runner. At one point she asked him if he ever listened to music. She went on to say that she didn't, and that it was hard to find someone to chat with during a race because so many people were plugged in. That was my cue to say hi! When she parted from Shoeless I caught up to her and confessed that she had been pacing me for the last mile or so. We struck up a conversation and we ran for the next 7 or so miles together. She was fun and entertaining and I found that I wasn't even looking for mile markers. There's something to be said for a running partner!
As we passed the halfway mark we noticed our time. Deanna (my new running buddy) figured we were going way too fast, but we carried on anyway.
Eventually we cruised along Jubilee Avenue, and BDI drive-in where (sadly) we did not stop for ice cream. Deanna did point out that soon we would reach the beer guy.
Yep. Beer guy. Apparently he's famous with the MB marathoners and half marathoners for handing out beer just past the BDI drive-in. The Beer Guy lives on the marathon route, buys a keg and sets it up at the end of his drive way alongside a sign that says "Last Beer for Miles," and he hands out cups with an ounce or two of beer in it to the runners. It's cute. It was also colder than the water and Gatorade along the way, making it the only beer I've ever drank and actually enjoyed. This was around 7.5 miles.
I'm thinking it was as we passed mile 8, 9, and 10 that conversation slowed, and people just kept on chugging. Around mile 10 I slowed a bit to make sure I'd make it to the end, and I let Deanna carry on without me. I had three miles to go and I was determined that I wouldn't crap out and walk. I still kept a decent pace and wondered how my time would be at the end. I really hoped to be about 2 hours and 11 minutes (for a 10 minute mile pace) but I figured I'd be happy with 2:15 to allow for water breaks or 2:20 because it was my first ever half, or to at least make it to the end without napping in the grass by the side of the road only to be scooped up by a medical team and driven to the finish line. They don't actually consider that finishing.
I carried on over the bridge on Bishop Grandin, back down Pembina and onto University Crescent. I had passed mile 10, 11 and 12 and couldn't wait to see the end. I was pooped. I tried to pick up my feet again in the last mile to salvage (what I thought was) my increasingly slack speed. Eventually the starting area came into view. Yay, almost done. Then we ran past it. Then we ran past the bank of porta potties. People were milling about. I worried that I had somehow left the course. Can you imagine? Finally we turned into the outdoor arena at the University and I saw the giant finish line. I was so relieved and ready to be done.
Can you find me? Steven took this picture and I am actually in it!
I crossed the timing belt and had officially ran my first ever race. It was glorious! I followed the other runners through the arena and into the recovery area. As I reached it I found Deanna who had only finished a few minutes before me. We congratulated each other and ate frozen yogurt pops. I then found my family. This is the picture Steven took of me:
Notice my four empty cups stacked - I was very thirsty! This is my happy family watching the events from behind the fence as only the runners were allowed into the recovery area:
I had to steal them some water too, you know, because it was there. Notice Tennyson pouting because Mitchie was given water first. Poor kid. Life is so unfair.
My official time was 2 hours, 6 minutes and 45.9 seconds. I was so thrilled by this. I figured that at absolute best I'd get there in 2 hours and 11 minutes.
There were professional photographers taking pictures, and then tagging runners with their numbers on the Internet. Here are a few they took of me!
After chatting with Steven and the kids for a few minutes, and fetching them more and more water, I went through the snack line.
This is the snack line behind me:
Entering the snack tent:
There was loads of refreshment for all the runners: frozen yogurt popsicles, bananas, bagels, chips, chocolate milk, oranges and yogurt, as well as gallons and gallons of water. I grabbed a bunch of snacks for me and a few for the kids. Anybody with kids knows that the only way to actually eat a snack of your own is to put some food in their hands first!
We decided to walk back to the van. Of course I didn't realize that it was miles away, and that by the time we walked four kids back there, taking turns carrying Mitchie and/or pushing the stroller I'd be extra tired. But what a day, what an experience. I can't wait to do it again next year!
Comments