CIM Marathon New PR! 2:45:28

CIM Marathon: December 8th, 2019:

Time: NEW PR by 3 MINUTES!: 2:45:28

BUT I missed the Olympic Trials By 28 seconds. So Bummed!

So… the morning started off great. I woke up at 3:30 a.m. Corom and I left his brother’s house (in Sacramento) and drove 40 min to grab Alison B from her hotel. He dropped us off at the bus that took us up to the start. (The pic below is obviously the day before picking up my packet…)

We waited in line for the bathrooms for a while, then only warmed up for about 3 min. The least amount of warming up that I have ever done before a race. The weather forecast said it was supposed to be pouring rain and wind. We had the perfect amount of “rain” and little to no wind. It was awesome. It was very humid, though.

If any of you have run a marathon… you know that the entire race is a mental and emotionfest! I felt great, then the next mile I felt like crap, then the next it was all good, the next I kept thinking there is no way I am going to hold this pace, then I am totally going to achieve my goal… on and on for the entire marathon. Well, this race was no different. I felt great and then mile 7 rolls around, and I honestly thought, “Holy Crap, I have a long way to go, there is no way I will be able to stay at a 6:15-6:18 pace.” I held on to a few more miles, and something clicked over and I felt strong and alive! I made it to the halfway mark at a 1:22:23 I believe, a few seconds under the Olympic Trials mark of 1:22:30, and still felt great. I was a little behind the pace group, on purpose, because they were going a little faster than what I wanted to do; but still kept them in sight. Mile 15-16, I began to struggle again. My legs began to feel heavy and the negative thoughts started to seep in. I quickly took another Marten gel hoping that would help. The wheels started to click over again at mile 17 when I realized I only had an hour left of running. I became excited and knew I could hold on for 1 more hour!

I began slowly to make my way up to the pace group pack. The 2:45:00 pacers (3 guys that were pacing the Olympic Trials field) started off with about 150 ladies… by about mile 20 when I caught up to them, there were only about 20 ladies left. Most just fell off that pace and could not hold on, but still a good size group. I had emotions come on early of excitement and joy that I was going to do this! I felt great. I even held back because when I caught the pacers, I wanted to run ahead. So for the next 3 miles, I stayed right with them. They kept telling us to relax, that by mile 23, we were 10 seconds ahead of the 2:45 time.

Holy Crap… I was going to do it! I knew, I only had 19 minutes left of running and then I was done! I started to pull a little ahead but not by much. Mile 24 comes up and still feeling good, fatigued, but good. We were 15 seconds ahead of the 2:45 time!! Then with only a mile and a half to go, my legs started to feel really heavy, like lead. I popped another piece of run gum in, hoping that caffeine would kick in and carry me over. The pace group quickly caught up to me but I knew I had about 10-15 seconds to spare behind them. So for the next .7 miles, I held on behind the group. With only a mile to go, at about 25.2, I really started to unravel.

I was driving my arms and trying to hold on but the group got a little farther. I saw the mark that said 800 meters left, still kept trying to drive but my pace slowed down to a 6:25. 400 meters left, I slowed down to a 6:30ish… I could not get my body and mind on the same page. I was struggling so bad to push through the last 3-4 min but I COULD NOT do it! This is the last 400 meters of my race. Bless Coroms heart for running on the side of me just to get a video… I’m not a very pretty runner.

I crossed that finish line at 2:45:28 and I was so sad. I felt what it would have been like to achieve a goal that I have been trying so hard for. I just started to cry and I couldn’t stop.

Corom was so patient with me and just waited for my crying to stop. There were many runner friends there that were encouraging and shared my frustrations.

But it was still hard none the less. I am so grateful for a 3 minute PR. My best time before was a 2:48:12 and that was 4 years ago. Since I started training again this last year and a half… I have not been able to break 2:50. So I am so excited but sad about it at the same time.

Looking back now that it’s the next day, I keep questioning myself why couldn’t I just push on. How did I let it go that last mile. But I guess it’s back to trying for one more shot in Houston… I’m getting to old for this. 😂😂

There are so many people that I have to thank!! Corom (my husband, my 4 girls, my mother in law for watching our girls, my family, friends, neighbors, ladies I run with and the kids I coach. So supporting and amazing!