Driven or Stupid?

Despite the excitment with which I'd added my last 5 races in 3 weeks to 2012 and the determination to reach my goals for 2012, as I headed to the start line in Huntsville, AL for the final weekend in my quad double and completion of my 34th state I was feeling anything but excited.  I was exhausted, physically, emotionally, mentally...it had been a long few months and I was wearing down.  My ankle was not much better and I was beginning to have pain throughout my foot when running (I attributed it to my weird gait trying to compensate for the ankle).  Despite having been so diligent about my training throughout September and most of October, the ankle had brought that to a screeching hault and for the last couple of weeks I'd simply run the races and gone home to a little rolling, no workouts, no running, nothing.  I arrived at the startline early and parked.  It was 40 degrees outside yet was supposed to climb into the 70s during the race...not a pleasant race to prepare for.  I set an alarm on my phone and dosed off for a quick nap.  Once the alarm went off I headed to the startline. 

Huntsville was not my first choice for AL, but it had worked out that I could do this one and get a double and a state, so I had.  I'd come here to run AL, not experience it.  But I have to admit I found the small town charm of the race endearing.  It started just in front of a church parking lot with the finish area set up in the parking lot.  There were 980 runners (the event was capped at 1000).

As I walked down to the start line I was immediately struck with the lack of organization.  There was an older gentleman with a bullhorn barking for everyone to get to the start but there were no corrals and no one was placing themselves by time...just crowding in the front or heading to the "way" back.  All the while the Army Materiel Command's band played.

It was Veteran's Day and there were quite a few veterans in the crowd.  As start time approached the church's pastor offered up a prayer, we were then led in the Pledge of Allegiance, stood for the National Anthem, and then all sang America the Beautiful together.  It was definitely an interesting experience and I enjoyed it (felt like bible school with Mrs. Kathryn back in the day!), but if you aren't patriotic or Christian consider yourself warned and don't be offended.  Yes, this is America and you have rights, but this race is on Veteran's Day and it's about celebrating the folks that fought to give you those rights....and it just happens that the fellow leading the festivities and the race director were both veteran's so if this is how they chose to start their race, it's their right....you have the right to chose not to participate.  I'll step off my soap box now...

After the singing wound down, we had a few minutes in the corrals before the start.

Then we were off.  The crowd was congested and the lack of corral placement hadn't helped, folks struggled to get around each other without falling or tripping - it was chaos.  For all of the small race charm, there is still something to be said for large race organization!  The first 3 miles were a loop through a neighborhood and the first 1/4 mile seemed to be straight up hill.  I felt like crap.  My ankle and shins were already burning and I was already losing the mental battle.  I know once I push myself to mile 5 I'm fine, truthfully I'm usually good somewhere between miles 3 and 5, but those first miles always are a mental battle for me.  Today, I chose to not fight the battle.  I walked several times during the first 2 1/2 miles, considering the concept of actually running a couple of miles to warm up before races - then I realized I was starting to sound like a runner!  As we came back towards the church the crowd of runners had thinned out a bit, making it a more pleasant run.  I was parched and realized the first water stop for the race was at the 3 mile mark (a little late into the race compared to most), from there they were spaced 2 miles apart.  Overall there was not a lot of crowd support/energy on the course, but it was not completely void of such.  There were pockets of people and everyone was really nice.  I was still favoring the ankle a bit and was starting to feel it in my knee.  I kept my eyes peeled on the course for road hazards to avoid an additional turn/injury, but apparently not good enough.  I felt it just before I saw it, but I'd struck a random reflector on a speed bump and the bad ankle was rolling.  Determined to not do permanent damage to the ankle I rolled with it.  I decided I'd fall if need be, but I wasn't damaging that ankle anymore.  Luckily I managed to stay upright and didn't feel any pulling or tearing, so I kept going.  I did, however, note to self - speedbumps in the neighborhoods on the course have 4 rows of reflectors staggered across them...would've been nice if there had been some warning about this somewhere, so consider this your warning if you decide to run this race!

As we came out of the subdivisions and hit the 5 mile mark and next water station there was a long stretch of straight roadway that seemingly went on forever.  I made a mental note that on the return when the sun was up and beating down on this it was going to be miserable.  I also made a mental note that knowing this part was an out and back I just had a 5K out and a 5K back to this point...

Once I'd rolled the ankle I'd decided to make this a 2:10 day...I seemed to be on course for that.  After the long straight away we turned a corner and the scenery was really pretty...the heat played with my head...it's not this warm when the foilage is out back home! 

Though the picture does it no justice, the trees ahead were just vibrant reds and yellows.  Right around mile 6 we turned onto a bike/walking path down the greenway.  It was also pretty scenery, and again the picture does it no justice.

I was feeling ok by now with all of the foot and ankle pain pushed out of my head and just kept pulling along.  Just past mile 8 we turned around to head back.  I watched for the reflectors when we got back to the neighborhood and soon enough I was turning into the church parking lot and heading up the slight hill to the finish.  I pushed at the last minute to ensure I'd met my 2:10 goal...final time 2:09:55.

Alabama complete it was time to grab my shirt, medal, and head to the Y for a quick shower before hitting the airport to San Antonio! 

Of course, by the time I got to San Antonio the ankle was bothering me quite a bit (even with 800mg of ibuprofen); and I started wondering if all of it was worth the wear and tear.  But bottom line, I'd set specific goals and worked really hard to achieve them...I was 2 races away from meeting them all and was not about to throw in the towel now.   Dean Karnazes quote rang in my ears:  "Run when you can, walk if you have to, crawl if you must; just never give up."  Dinner with Denise; a quick drink with David, Raf, Krissy, Dan, and Tim; and it was off to bed to do it all again the next day!

Denise and I were up and moving with no problems in the morning.  We headed over to the start line and met up with Raf, Dan, and Tim. 

We joked around and dropped our bags then headed to the start.  We worried for a bit when Krissy and David hadn't shown up but they came rolling in 5 minutes before the start and we grabbed a group pic before going to the corrals.

Denise wanted to go sub 2 today (it would be her first), but I didn't think I had it in me.  We started together and I found very early on I didn't.  She started to hang back with me but I told her to go for her time, knowing that if she didn't get it today she would have to add another race in December to do so in 2012.  She went ahead.  I was struggling with pain in the ankle and foot when around mile 2 I suddenly felt/heard a weird snap/pop sound and had excruciating pain shooting down the top of my foot and into my toes.  I started walking immediately.  The next few miles were a torturous mix of walking and running.  I kept waiting for Raf and Dan to catch up with me...I knew they planned to take it slow and easy and I wanted to join them.  They apparently took it REALLY slow and easy and had a great time...but they never did catch me.  Around mile 5 I saw David...we stayed on step for about a 1/4 mile and just in front was Sherry.  She joined us and at the next water stop David fell off.  I told Sherry about the foot and she stayed with me - and quite literally got me through - until the split.  We took a couple of walking breaks when it got bad, but for the most part she kept me pushing on and engaged.  Just before mile 11 the course split and she headed left with the full, I thanked her and turned right.

Like so many other runners, she knew I needed the support so she was there...we tend to do that for folks, regardless of if we know them or not.  Maybe it's paying it forward because we know we'll need it one day, maybe it's just because we enjoy the sport and meeting new folks, but no one is a stranger on the course.  As was the case with this particular day...in addition to Sherry getting me through, as we sat at the finish line checking everyone's splits and waiting for them to come in we started worrying about David because his times were looking bad.  Krissy went back out on the course to find him.  She intended to bring him in over the last few miles thinking he was struggling.  It turned out he had picked up someone at mile 14 that was injured and was helping him through.  If you're going for a PR on a particular day that's one thing, but if you are  just out to run and have fun and see someone struggling...strike up a conversation, help pull them through a few miles.

I finished the last two miles with only 1 walk break and insulting one person and snapping at another - it wasn't my best day.  At the last water stop a guy asked me if I'd run Saint Louis.  I said I had and he commented that he had been behind me at mile 8 but couldn't keep up, then he added "I'm obviously doing MUCH better today!"  Without even thinking I responded, "Nah, I'm sucking today."  As soon as the words were out of my mouth I realized how it sounded!  I had no idea what his time was in STL and he may well have been having a great day in San Antonio, but how rude of me to take the wind out of his sails!  I tried to apologize but we soon parted ways.  As I passed the 13 mile mark we had to climb a hill then turn a corner to cross the finish.  Any other day the hill would not have been as issue and I'd been running since Sherry left me.  Just as I started up the hill the angle on the foot shot pain through it.  I started walking.  Just before the top of the hill a young, perky blonde easily strode by and encouraged me saying, "Don't walk now!  You've got this!  Come on!"  Yanking my ear bud out I spewed back, "This is my 8th 1/2 in 4 weeks and my foot is injured.  I'm fine with walking!" She apologized and headed towards the finish.  I felt bad for being so harsh and made a point of finding her and apologizing afterwards, then headed to medical for ice. 

With my foot wrapped in ice I headed back and found Denise had indeed gotten her sub 2!  I'm glad she hadn't waiting for me...I barely pulled 2:17:39.  We all visited for a while.  When I finally took the ice off of my foot the top of it was already swollen up and bruised.  I called the orthopedist the next morning for the next available appointment.

While we waited for everyone I did have the chance to meet John Bingham.

And catch the headliner concert...Jo Dee Messina...who hopped on stage to perform after running the 1/2 herself!

As for the race itself, there was plenty of energy and crowd support.  The course was interesting with plenty to look at.  In addition to running past the Alamo there were beautiful homes and interesting architecture

and a few smiles along the way...I especially found this sign humorous given that it was on the local newspaper office.

There was also ample course support with plenty of water stops, misting stations,

cooling stations, sponges, and GU.  No doubt it is a HOT race, but that is taken into account.  If you are smart about it you shouldn't have a problem with the heat given the Race Director's efforts.

That said, no amount of race director planning could've taken into account my foot.  I was driven to accomplish my goals...and now had 1 race remaining to do so...and looking at my foot and trying to walk could not help but wonder if running on it in a week would be one of the stupidest things I'd ever done.  Time (and the orthopedist) would tell...but I was not willing to give up just yet.