Sometimes you just have to get up and show up to make things work out. Today was one of those days. I woke up at 4:00 AM which was good because I had set the alarm to 4:30 and that would have put me in an (unnecessary) panic. As it was I woke up, decided I felt pretty lousy but that I would just walk it through, one step at a time and see how I felt at the start line.

I did the usual stuff – used the bathroom, had some coffee and whole wheat toast (oops! Forgot the banana), brushed my teeth, put on the running clothes, pinned on my bib, got my chip attached to my shoes, grabbed my sweats bag and headed for the door.

The drive in was uneventful except I missed a turn to park at the ball park and catch the shuttle but I found a garage near the start and parked there. On the way to the start I noticed a long bank of port-a-potties and no lines – woo hoo! I thought the event was just not that crowded but I was wrong. I was just really early.

Then I remembered that I got to use the VIP tent due to the way I registered so I went there and they had more coffee and Luna bars and it was oh so nice. I skipped the coffee but grabbed a water and some Luna Bars then headed for the start.

Oh – now there were thousands of people. It was really crowded. Long story short, after about 30 minutes we finally got to head to the start. I walked until the pads were in view and then started running. It was a beautiful, clear morning. We ran through the downtown and on to Fisherman’s Wharf.

I love running along the water in San Francisco – it is so beautiful. We headed up the hill into the park. This is the hill that I managed so effortlessly in July only this time I walked it. No sense burning out early. Through the park and down by the water again, up another hill and BAM – the most gorgeous view of the Golden Gate Bridge shrouded in flocculent, blue grey fog. Just beautiful.

Along the waterfront and past the adult cheerleaders (mostly male), around the bend and then… OMG – a hill. A hill that went on for ever and ever and ever. I had thought that this was an easier course than the SF Marathon but no such luck. We went a different way and the different way involved a steep hill that lasted for at least a mile. Then down hill and then back up – forever. I walked the hills unapologetically.

Finally we got to the park and I knew I was almost done. I tried to curtail the walking in favor of running and getting it over with. At some point I decided that a 2:45 would be okay. I finished in 2:41 something. Not bad considering my training for this event and my cold.

Let’s review the training:
Week of 7/31 – 26.2 miles (SF Marathon)
Week of 8/6 – 3
Week of 8/13 – 2.62
Week of 8/20 – 2.87
Week of 8/27 – 8.07
Week of 9/3 – 12.57 (woo hoo!)
Week of 9/10 – 3.13
Week of 9/17 – 9.23 (another big one!)
Week of 9/24 – 4.41
Week of 10/1 – 5
Week of 10/8 – 0
Week of 10/15 – 3

So that 13.1 miles represents more running than I’ve done in the last month which makes me very proud I was able to do it at all.

Fun Things about this event:
1). Thank you Humbly Anne for straightening me out about the marketing message. It makes sense
2). Great crowd support on the course thanks in large part to TNT but the cheerleaders were awesome
3). Special thanks to the 2 ladies who held up the “X miles to beer” and the inflatable beer bottle and managed to show up in several spots. I’m sure the marathon runners really appreciated that.
4). The guy who stood just ahead of the finish line with a sign that said “Amy Will You Marry Me”. And thanks to Amy for coming in when I did. It was a very cute thing to see
5). Good looking SF Firemen in tuxes holding the Tiffany boxes on silver trays. You guys were a sight for sore eyes.
6). Tiffany for cosponsorship and giving up pretty necklaces. So much nicer than big honkin’ medals.
7). Lots of great food at the end (yeah for Jamba Juice even though I couldn’t find it)
8). Free massage. Ahhhhhhh…….

And thanks to me for showing up and going the distance. I actually feel better and I also feel like I’m back from vacation and ready to rumble (loosely translated that means train).