The Jacksonville
Bank Half Marathon and Marathon calls themselves the ‘Fastest Marathon in the
South,’ and it sure showed true for me today!
I went into the
race not feeling my usual energetic self. Maybe it was the cold. Maybe it was
because I had just completed a 17 mile training run a few days ago. Maybe it
was the stress of learning more bad news of a couple of close friends. Maybe it
was my personal life getting in the way of my focus of running. I don’t know.
The run includes
not only a full and half marathon, but also a 5k. This is one of the oldest
races around town and is an out and back from Bolles High School.
The course of the
Jax Bank half marathon runs right along with the full marathon. It takes you up
and back down San Jose Blvd, with the roads still open. (I got a nice lungful
of exhaust a couple times! Nice!). But then takes you into a few different
neighborhoods. Being so close to the river, I would have liked to have seen
more of it. I did get a chance to look over my shoulder to catch a glimpse of
the river! There were not that many supporters lining the course to cheer you
on. Tthere were no bands every so many miles. There were no cheerleaders
dressed in costume to motivate you. But all in all, for some reason the
nickname of this race held true. It was a pretty fast course. I guess the
quietness keeps you in the zone and focused. This race is about you and only
you, and how mentally prepared you are to handle the distance when you are all
alone. A huge thanks goes out to the 80 year old man that stuck with me most of
the race, and the little 5 year old boy and mom that were ahead of me a good
portion of the race, as well as the two Mrs Claus’ dressed up in full costume.
They were my entertainment.
Despite the
extremely long walk to start, waiting for the race to start was very
uneventful. Parking is extremely limited. Not much is available at the school,
so it just leaves the one side of the busy San Jose blvd (we run on the other).
Unfortunately it seems the businesses around the school are greedy and were
charging $20 for parking! It was extremely cold for Florida, although I heard
people say this race has had colder starts. It was about 45 degrees at the
start and the winds didn’t help much. Luckily they had the gym open for us to
cram into as we waited until line up. Most people still weren’t on the street
after the anthem and the gun shot. They ignored the corrals, and just made
their way into the crowd as they came out of the gym.
My first few steps
of the race my mind still wasn’t in the game. It was like I was just going
through the motions with no feeling. That quickly changed when about mile 2 I
started getting a cramp on the side of my right calf. Mile 3 it had moved to
the front of my right shin. Mile 5 it had moved to my right knee. Mile 7 it had
moved to my right hip. Mile 9 it had moved to both knees. Mile 10-13 my whole
right leg was a constant ache, it felt like I was almost limping on that side.
Despite the
discomfort, I was on a mission to run at least 6 miles without stopping. I had
not done that since last Feb’s breast cancer marathon and thought it was about
time to do it again. Before I made it to mile 6, I had already changed my mind
that I would run until at least 7 miles without stopping. Mile 7 quickly
approached, probably because the water stations were spread about 2 miles apart
instead of 1. So I just continued to run. Mile 8 came and I debated walking,
but I decided the pain would hurt worse if I walked and stretched out the time.
Plus my breathing was really good, so I continued. Mile 9-11 I about died,
until I came across a Mimosa station…thanks so much! Although, all I wanted to
do was sit at their bonfire that they had going too and drink ALL the mimosas!
But I continued. At this point, there was no way I could stop now, being so
close to the finish.
About another mile
later some guy on a bike on the sidewalk slowed enough to tell me “Thank You”….his
mom had died from breast cancer. He pedaled off as I gave him a warm ‘Your
welcome!’ and then started to become so emotional. He was an angel sent to me,
sending me a message from everyone above that I could do this. Telling me that
I may not have someone standing on the sidelines with a poster with my name on
it, I may not have someone waiting for me at the finish line, but I had
someone, many someones, up above supporting me! And it was perfect timing. I
had to choke it up and turn those tears into determination and complete this
mission!
Thoughts running
through my mind as I contemplated walking several times? Well, I kept a good
pace with a real skinny 80 year old man for the entire race. He kept passing
me, doing the run/walk method. But then I would pass him as I didn’t stop to
walk. I decided I had run enough races, doing the run/walk method, letting the
older runners beat me at the finish line, that this time, it was my turn. Mile
11-13 I picked up the pace, and the people that I had run with for the majority
of the race, I left in the dust.
I also thought of
all the names and ribbons on my back (I made a Christmas tree out of this
ribbons this time, instead of keeping them on the tutu). I thought how one
friend had just finished up chemo treatments and had handled it so well and is
now thankfully in remission, yet may have a whole new situation on her hands. I
thought how I just found out another friend is just beginning her own battle
and is yet to figure out her own strength. I thought how could I know so many
people going through such horrendous treatments just to stay alive, how could I
bicker and complain about a little sore knee when I am running healthy?
I thought about
how all this time, when I started running 5 years ago, I limited myself and
allowed myself to walk. How I never, ever, considered myself a runner because I
‘walk’. I mean, its not ‘real’ running if you walk half of a half marathon,
right? I realized today I had been giving myself permission to hold back. I had
never really tried to put it all out there 100%. And once I realized that, I
kept amazing myself at each mile on how strong my body actually is when I don’t
hold back! So I knew I couldn’t stop.
Today I became a
runner. I completed the entire half marathon without walking once (well,
besides the 6 water stations to gulp a mini cup of water/Gatorade…still haven’t
mastered the run and drink without missing my mouth!)
The race finished
up on the Bolles track field, which was pretty cool, because every time I race,
all I can think about is how embarrassed I would be in PE class in grade
school, when I was always the slowest one to complete the mile on the track
because I had to walk most of it. Not today….. Not today.
13.1 miles 2:24