Running with Friends - Savannah Rock N Roll

I don't run with people.  I just don't like it.  Never have.  Even before I became a runner.  Once, many years ago, I was visiting a friend and decided to run a few miles for a workout.  He was a runner and decided it would be a great idea.  We both laced up and headed down his driveway.  By the end of his driveway I'd had enough.  I asked which way he was going...he went right, so I went left - and had a nice, enjoyable run. 

My first half marathon was a struggle, not because of the distance, my heartrate, or any of the typical reasons...because the sound of everyone else's feet hitting the pavement was driving me crazy!  I turned the iPod up to drown it out.  I've even been known to occassionally close my eyes on a course (but not for long because I can't stay in a straight line with them closed!). 

I will admit racing has gotten better and I now really enjoy people surfing the running crowd, reading the backs of their shirts, seeing costumes, etc.  But I still don't run with people.  The only person I have EVER actually enjoyed running with is my cousin, Susie.  She's two months younger than I am and we're more like sisters than cousins.  When we run I'm good.  I once ran with her younger sister and that was pretty good too...but other than that, the only time I've physically run with someone was Myrtle Beach with Carissa.  I enjoyed that, but it was because it was more about spending time with her and pushing her to do her best and less about me actually running. 

But that said, I've run with nearly all of my friends.  Many of them have no idea.  I've thought many times about posting something on here or my facebook to let them know, but until today I've never taken the time...however, things are changing so I figured I'd better come clean.  You see, I put together my playlists to run, like most runners, based on music I like, that motivates me, or that makes me kick it up a notch when I need to.  But like most people, I have memories tied to most songs.  So, often times when I'm struggling to push myself through the first couple of miles without a warm up and a particular Tim McGraw or Shania Twain song pops in my ears Jenn is right there with me and as I laugh to myself thinking of some of our antics the miles tick by until I reach that wonderful point where I could go forever...or at least until that point where I'm so flipping done and I've been going for too long and I just want to stop and Buck Cherry rings in my ears and it's summer of 2008 again, or Katie Perry and there's Dustin.  I've even had the Itsy Bitsy Spider appear out of no where during a 98+ degree run around mile 5...couldn't let Garret down with that going on.  So, without even knowing it, many of you have gotten me through tough spots in races or brought a smile to my face during a mindless easy run. 

Yet, it doesn't stop there...this year, I actually did begin to enjoy running with friends.  When Susie, Brooke, and Rachael did the Diva with me last October I had a blast.  As I began to meet folks along the Rock N Roll circuit and race with them it became really fun.  The difference was we all met up before the race and hung out, but when we hit the corrals we said our "good luck"s, got our hugs, and went to our own race.  Then as we filtered into the finish in our own time we began to congregate for the congratulations and more fun.  We ran "together", just not physically together.

Savannah was no different.  We all met up for the pre-race VIP, shared some breakfast and photo ops, then headed to the corrals.

As I stood shivering in Corral 2 updating my Facebook status I spotted Rafael, David, and Sarah in the same corral and headed over to say hi.  We'd all started in the same corral many times and usually chatted right up until the start then went our own ways.  Today was a little different.  As the race started David and Sarah went on ahead.  Rafael asked what my time was.  I told him my PR was 2:03 but my average when not training was 2:15 - 2:20.  He asked what my goal for today was.  I felt dread creeping in....I don't run with people...but I didn't want to be rude to a friend either...but I figured he was much faster than I was and wouldn't want to be tied down anyway.  I told him I was aiming for a leisure jog so around 2:15 - 2:20.  He commented that was a nice pace and that he'd hang with me.  We didn't chat much.  He had his earbuds in and on occassion one of us would comment to the other about something we saw on the course.  Mostly we'd just occassional bump elbows and one of us would apologize.  I told him early on (within the first mile) that I tend to flare my elbows and we joked that it was good because we'd know we hadn't lost each other.  And that held true and we occassionally elbowed each other over the next 4-5 miles and laughed about checking to make sure we were together.  By about a mile and a half I was actually over my "oh no, I'm running with someone" and starting to enjoy the company.  I did worry that I was holding him back, but I really needed a decent race to boost my confidence (and training) to get back on track for Miami if I was to do well there, and having Rafael with me made me keep pushing myself through my typical mental roadblocks of the first few miles.  I never warm up, so the first few miles I deal with the burning in the shins, tightness in the small muscles in the feet, all of the things that you'd be past by race time if you warm up...I find those first 3 - 4 miles to be the biggest challenge because if I let myself I could easily stop at any point.  Sometimes the fourth mile is the same, but by mile 5 I am fine and could go forever....well at least for 13.1 miles.  ;)  Today was no exception..only when the shins burned I didn't want to let Rafael down (or look like a slack) so I didn't even consider stopping.  We continued on our way, checking in on each other, elbowing each other, and laughing over random things for the next few miles and I actually began to enjoy the company.  Somewhere around mile 5 I thought I noticed him breathing a little heavy and I was surprised.  I slowly began to realize we were actually pretty evenly matched in pace - a topic we actually chatted around around mile 8 or so.  An important part of any race is the course navigation for spectators.  I always leave my support group with maps and preplanned points to be cheering me on.  After this race I realized (through Emily's pictures) that Garret is getting pretty good at navigating the courses using the course map.

This particular race had my support positioned at the start line, Mile 8, then the finish line.  As expected, somewhere around mile 8 Emily found us in the crowd and snapped one of my new favorite race pictures...me, running with a friend!

Somewhere shortly after this was taken we were chatting about pace and a girl joined our conversation, revealing she'd been using us to pace herself.  We chatted momentarily and she was on her way...who knows, maybe we'll bump into her at another event and she'll become another friend we run with. 

When we hit Mile 9 Rafael said his heartrate was getting a little high and he needed to walk.  I began to stop and he told me to go on ahead that I had a good pace going.  Funny how an hour and a half before I would've loved to have heard those words...but now Mile 1 was long behind me and I didn't want to leave him..I wanted to run with my friend.  He encouraged me on, and knowing I really needed a strong race if I were going to fuel my training for Miami I wished him well and went ahead.  The rest of the race wasn't the same.  I missed him.  Every time we had a turn that we could see the remaining racers around a corner or in the opposite lane of the road I scanned the crowd for him...not that I would've ever seen him in the crowd, but I tried.  Around mile 11 I realized there was a good chance I could finish under 2:10.  I really had to reign myself in for the next two miles because I wanted to push it but I knew I'd burn out.  I began to focus on breaking 2:10 and pushed forward.  When the finish line was in sight I saw the clock was at 2:09:30...I knew I'd started in the second wave, but we were only 1 - 1:30 behind the start, so it was going to be close.  I went for it.  I full out sprinted and pushed for all I was worth to break 2:10.  Emily had found her way to the finish and got a great shot of the final effort.

I finished in 2:09:23.  A sweet older lady stepped out of the crowd and placed my medal around my neck and I grabbed a water bottle then headed to the picture line.  As I waited a voice behind me commented on our time...it was the girl from mile 8ish.  We chatted briefly, had our pictures taken and went our separate ways.  After I met up with the family we made our way back to the VIP tent and soon found Rafael who'd finished only 6 or 7 minutes after me.  We chatted about the race, races past, and upcoming races.  Overall Savannah may have been one of my favorite races for no other reason than I ran with a friend.  (of course it was a Rock N Roll event, so for those looking for feedback on the actual event, it was amazing.  The course was good.  The crowd was great...especially around mile 8 where they actually closed in on us, narrowing the street a bit. The expo was good, though I'd recommend going on Day 1 if you could to avoid the traffic and crowds - otherwise, this is a great event to check off Georgia.)