CIM - Chilly!!!!!

This marathon was definitely different than past marathons. First of all, I didn't go up with a group of running friends. I went up to Sac with my family and stayed at a friends' house. This was also the first marathon that I didn't have pre-race gitters, adrenaline and overall excitement. I think I just wanted to get it out of the way. This is a little depressing, but nevertheless I was there to run.

Aries dropped me off at the bus stop to go to the start of the race. A very tall chatty man sat down next to me and said I looked fast. I told him that looks can be decieving. It turns out he was the fast one, having run CIM last year in 2:59. It also turns out that we are both SVTC members and have actually seen each other track practice. What a small world. This became a continuing trend as the day passed.

So I make it to the start and don't actually see any of the people I know who are going to be running the race. Oh well. So, I'm off and the first 4 miles my shins hurt. I expected this due to the cold weather. My shins always take awhile to warm up.

Around mile 3 I start talking with 2 women, one is another TNT runner from San Diego and she is running with someone she just met. We're all about the same pace so we decide to run together. The other woman says that I look familiar and asks me where I went to middle and high school. It turns out that we went to the same high school; she graduated a year after me. The world get smaller everyday.

Just after mile 4 Aries yells to me. I toss him my long sleeve shirt and my gloves. BIG MISTAKE!!! My hands turned bright red and began to ache. They ached for the next 5 miles. Maybe I shouldn't run cold weather marathons, and it isn't even that cold outside compared to past years. Plus, it's not raining - ideal conditions to most.

I ran with my 2 new found friends until mile 14, when I needed to make a necessary port-o-potty stop. There was a short line and I was back out running a few minutes later. Things were going fine and I felt pretty good until a little before mile 16. Then my feet cramped up. Were my shoes on too tight? Afterall, I was using thicker socks due to the cold. Maybe it's the new model of shoe. Well, whatever the case may be, I ran on cramped feet for the next 10 1/2 miles.

At mile 19, I had the pleasant surprise of seeing Coach Wayne from the North Bay Ironteam. He suggested that I relax my ankles to help the cramping in my feet and then at mile 22 block out the pain and tear it up. So that became my race plan.

Around mile 21 I saw Stu from last year's North Bay Ironteam walking. He started to try and jog with me, but since my feet hurt a lot I had to keep a quicker pace, as I was ready to be done. I guess something happened to Stu at mile 19 (he's a much faster runner than I am), which was why he was walking. Bummer!

Around mile 25 I passed my 2 friends from the beginning of the race. They were about 1/4 mile apart and one of them was having some stomach issues. I finished the race in 4:12, right about what I had expected. I felt fine, except for my throbbing feet, and definitely had gas left in the tank, which is a first after a marathon. I think if I hadn't of had the bathroom stop, I may have done a negative split, another sign that I can run faster.

I quickly got my medal, took my picture and then went to gear check. I called Aries who was waiting at the finisher's shoot. He and the girls had missed me because they couldn't find parking. Oh well. Then I ran into some other SVTC friends and TNT friends. Everyone looked pretty cold. It's strange to finish a marathon and not be sweating. One friend, Debbie, had just left the medical tent and her lips were still blue. She stayed cold for the next few days.

I met Aries and the kids and we left. I was happy to be in the warm car. Overall, the race went pretty well, but I still have a sore left foot. Hope it heals quickly.