Game Day!!! - Laguna Hills Memorial 1/2

I'm alive and I crossed the finish line in one piece, with 2 new blisters.

My time : 20:31:15

Cal Burned: 1320

Cal Eaten Whilst Racing: 400

Cal Eaten Since: ~300*

*it will be if I can shove these Smart Puffs down. And I know I didn't do it for the calorie burn, yeah that's it.

I thought we were cursed. As I drive toward the start line parking it starts to drizzle, then rain lightly, then drizzle as I park and walk around to the port-a-potty line. It's Surf City all over again. It stopped misting about 10 minutes before start, which was when I found my friend Stacey, her SIL and husband. We took a picture before the race (see below) and then we were off.

Stacey and her SIL were awesome. We were talking until about mile 5 when I realized A) my knee was talking to me like we were already at mile 10/11, B) I was running my short distance pace, not my long distance pace and C) I had taken no walk breaks, except a short one when I got water at the aid station around mile 2.5.

Carp! I told them about my knee and not to worry about me. I started running MY race about 1/2 way through the race. Not good, not good at all. I started my run a mile, walk 1-2 minutes. then run about 5 minutes walk 1. I blame this on my fast start.

On the course they had Cliff Shots, awesome!! AND they had the mocha ones with 50 mg of caffeine, so my last 2 Cliff Shots were the mocha ones, the first 2 being apple pie, natch.

Around mile 10.5 ish I met up with this woman who had come out to run the last 3.1 miles with her friend. In fact, the woman actually running the race had a total of 3 friends that came out to run the last bit with her. I thought that was awesome. It was great for me too, because Katie, she was the only one who's name I got, ran with me for a quarter of a mile and the last half mile of 13 another one of her friends kept me going. I wanted to wait and watch her cross, but after I finished I couldn't stop moving, or my muscles were going to freeze up.

Did I tell you there was a hill at the end? There were hills through out, but how do to they end with a hill? Well, it was ending a the community center and the hill was just us running under the street and to the park.

I wanted to cry so bad, my hips were aching, my knees were aching, the right one more than the left, but I was done, and Martha was right there at the end, talking to some other peeps, so I know she wasn't really waiting for me, but it was awesome to see her there. I then filed in line for the food and drink and got my commemorative finisher's glass.

I wandered around for a bit after that, kinda dazed. I had called Jer back at mile 10 telling him if he couldn't make it down in about 30 minutes, not to bother, because I was going to finish faster than I told him (my estimate was 2:40-2:50). He got up early for no reason. There was no way he could get down and at the finish line in 30 minutes, and I knew that. He promised me that he's be early to the next one. It wasn't his fault, really, it was mine for being too speedy!

I did end up seeing Stacey and her husband again, where I mistakenly told them there were medals. Well, there were, for the top 3 in each age group. California Pizza Kitchen was there, giving out slices of BBQ Chicken Pizza. It smelled good, but my tummy said no. I signed up for a massage, but there was about a 10 minute wait, so I walked around and picked up a FRS peach mango can (my fav) and headed back to the massage place.

I stretched whilst waiting for the 5-10 minute massage I was going to get. I loved every minute of it. After I was done, I ran into Martha and her daughters. She asked how I felt, and I told her great, for not really running my race. She and her friend from the OC Tri Club were talking about starting out too fast. Funny really.

I trekked out to find the shuttle back to the start line parking, where I saw Stacey again, and I headed back to my car and drove home. Here's my after picture.

I was greeted by my wonderful husband and my animals. I didn't realize, but my face was all covered in salt, as was my whole entire body. I tried to take a picture of it. Please realize it's not a glamour shot! Also, following are pictures of my salt removers.

Can you see any of the salt? My salt removers helped get me cleaner.


Dusty and Buckwheat licked my face. It was their way of helping...

Today was the last run for these shoes. Oh New Balance 1123's you served me well. I'm sorry I over estimated the mileage/cushion I had left on my shoes. I think this contributed to my early knee pain. I hear by retire thee.

I came home and iced my right leg after I took a shower and rid myself of all the salt I excreted. I even used a stuffed animal/dog toy to hold the ice pack on my leg. I knew that monkey would be good for something (thanks Jesse).

Now, 3 and 1/2 hours after I finished, I feel better, still a bit sore and walking funny, but better. I've had my Luna Recovery Drink mixed with milk (it's chocolate milk people), I'm drinking water. I'm eating my Smart Puffs, but I don't think I'm going to finish them all.

You know, for all I talked/bitched about having to find a bathroom around mile 9, I didn't need it. Maybe that's because I ran in the morning instead of the afternoon? Or because I sweat it all out running too fast. Who knows?

Thanks everyone for all your support, good thoughts and words of encouragement. I really appreciated it.