And, more importantly, it was a GREAT day for many of my teammates!
The plan was to run a 3:25, but if you're gonna blow it, you might as well blow it big. I'd call twelve minutes big.
I was on plan at the half, but by mile 15 the wheels had come off. Sciatic pain shot up and down my right leg, settled into my knee area, then settled itself back down in a few miles. But by then my legs had lost all their turnover. My quads and hamstrings pretty much seized and decided they would not go any faster. I tried a strategy to increase my turnover during the times when the discomfort seemed to fade, but it came back each time.
It's a blur from about 15 miles where the 3:30 group passed me to where I caught up with the Dan-O at about mile 21 or 22. Together we hung on. Dan-O was sending all his "good vibrations from the behind" to his brother Mark, who Dan hoped had qualified for Boston. I still don't know how Mark did.
We came upon Rogue Derek in the late miles and he was truly suffering. I tried to get him to go with us, and he did for a short while, but he faded. A short way ahead of me I saw the very distinctive blonde pony tail swinging that could only mean that Julia was having a good day. She looked very strong. Then Michael passed us and I was able to eek out a "Go Michael" but he didn't know it was me until I visited with him in the hotel lobby later.
The Dan-O and I held on and turned the left turn and I was wondering, "God, aren't we there yet?", but the finish line appeared and I said to Dan "there it is!". Just then I saw that I had to go left into the women's chute. I was on Dan's right so there was some maneuvering before could give each other a final high-five and farewell, and it was on to our respective finish lines.
I haven't checked my finish time online as yet, but my watch says 3:37:21. I'm looking forward to comparing notes with the Dan-O.
As I write this a few other notable moments come to mind. The bus ride was quite pleasant, with Erin, breakfast Jon, Derek, Nedra, and Christine. There were several other Austin folks on our bus, too. Robert and Trevor, Paul and Lauren, Danny, James, the Salazars, Andy and Jennifer, Fred and Patrick, and Gazelles Renee and Lisa.
I had a nice visit with Danny along the course because he was doing his come from behind thing so he can visit with folks along the way. Nedra passed me with the 3:30 group and expressed very kind concern for my welfare. It was great to see our coaches Steve and Ruth along the course, but it was hard to face them when, by 19 miles, I had fallen so far off my plan. It was great to see other familiar faces too, like Mandy, Trey, Dennis, and Chris.
It will take a few days to process the rest of the ordeal. But for now it's on to my honeymoon!
