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| Sub 4 on the mind!!!!!!!! |
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| At the start!!!! So exciting, 7:00am Saturday June 1, 2013 Newport OR |
Yesterday I ran Newport Marathon. It was my 5th marathon, 3rd time doing Newport. Last year, I was pretty sure I was running at my fastest. I was fine with being a 4.5 hour marathon runner and didn't expect much more than that in 2013...maybe a 4:15, but knew I would never be faster than that....and again, I was ok with that.
The marathon is 26.2 miles. They say the first half of a marathon is miles 1-20. The second half is miles 21-26.2. If you have ever run this distance, you know this is true. It is a mental game after mile 20.
As I started into Newport training 4-5 months ago I realized (while out running with my running buddy Tonya one day)...I need to change my long runs for Newport. I wasn't exactly sure how, but I just felt I needed too.
Around this time in training, a local ultra runner found my running group on facebook (Dallas, OR Run the Open Road) and started running with Jerry, and me on weekends...and who-ever else we could get to join...Tonya, Jenny, Brian, Raelee. Chris, the ultra was doing Newport too and seemed happy just to have people to run with. As we got to know him a little better I found out he worked with a running coach, has been running for 10+ years and really seemed to know what he was talking about. I began to ask lots of questions and decided, what do I have to loose? I want to change some things...why not give his advice a try.
I just had to have Faith:
“belief plus unbelief and acting on the belief part.” Every
blessing is available to those who put their faith to work by “acting on the belief part,” moment by moment, day by day, one little step at a time.
So, I did just that....took my training moment by moment, day by
day, one little step at a time and acted on the belief part. Chris and
Jerry kept me positive and kept giving me reason's why I could do
this. After awhile, I started to believe it myself...then things
started getting good.
I had to be willing to take some constructive criticism.
I was told some things I was doing wrong and some things I
needed to work on.
showed me how to get my eating under control, even during
marathon training when you can be hungry all the time. It was
awesome!
I really started to believe I could do a sub-four marathon. Chris and
Jerry had faith in me but it took me a little longer to have faith in
myself. I am sure glad I took the constructive criticism and ran
with it.....it paid off!!!!
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| Tonya and I at packet pick-up |
Friday May 31st we left for
Newport. My family checked
into our hotel then went to
packet pick up. I was so excited
to see Tonya and Teresa. We
looked around for a few minutes
then everyone took off for The
Chowder Bowl at Nye Beach
for dinner. We would be running right by this place Saturday
morning! Our friends Chris and Jeanne also meet up with us for
dinner.
I didn't get much sleep Friday night. My head started hurting really bad. I fell asleep for at least an hour, but the night seemed to last a lifetime. I was glad I slept well Thursday night. Saturday I got up nice and early and still had a headache. I tried not to focus on that, I had a long morning ahead of me. I ate a banana/oatmeal thing about 3:30am. I took some headache medicine to try
and ease the pain. I hate taking meds before I race. Never sure how it's going to affect the stomach when it's near empty.
6:20am Jerry and I left the hotel and meet Chris on the corner along with 100's of other runners walking or jogging to the start only about half mile away. I got right in line for the rest room. I
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| Jerry and I just before we started the marathon |
stood in line for 20-25 mins and got done with 5 minutes to
spare. Jerry and I walked up to the starting line. We saw Teresa, she took a quick photo and we took our places in the starting shoot. I didn't make my way to the middle or front of the line this time. It was chipped time and I thought it would be fun to start in the back and pass some people the first few miles. I couldn't find any of my friends, but I had ran out of time for that. As the gun went off I started looking for Tonya. I weaved in and out of people and finally, there she was! I got to talk to her for a little and then we split up.
After I bit, there was Jerry. We
gave each other a few tips and
just ran. The first few miles we
were running on Nye beach
area of Newport. I saw Jeanne
and waved to her outside her
hotel. We went up and down the
streets, and made many turns. There were people everywhere
along the streets and I just kept weaving in and out of runners. I
felt really good!
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| look close, you can see the band playing |
We looped back around to
where we had started from.
Now we were going the
opposite way. We went up and
over by the Newport Bridge.
This is my favorite view during
the race...well, besides the finish line anyway!!!! It's so
pretty. It was about 7:30am and the sun is shining through the clouds. There were still people everywhere and you can hear the school band drumming under the bridge to cheer us on as we ran by. Then you get to the top, and run down into the bay. Coasting down the hill waiting for the smell of fish to fill your nose. It didn't
seem as strong as last year....lol! The weather was nice. Slightly warmer than I thought it would be, but a very good temp to run in. About 50 degrees with the sun
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| Jerry and I about mile five |
out. Jerry and I ran
along the bay and then
down around to where
the finish line was.
There were lots of
people lined up here. I
saw Tonya's family and
many others.
As we went by, we
were heading down the LONG road, an out and back. About 11
miles out, and then 10 miles back to the finish line. I like the out
and back because you get to see the really fast runners go by and
it's really awesome to watch. You also get a chance to watch for
people you know that are running this race, and you can say hi as
you go by. We were starting to thin out some, but I always felt
like there were runners around me. I was feeling very strong and
above my goal pace, so I just tried to settle in and go with it. I
ended up leaving Jerry but I knew he was right behind me and
expected him to pass me in a few miles when I started to get tired.
I decided I was getting a little board and started up my music. It
felt good to just be out running. I kept thinking, if I could only
catch up with Chris....I know he's up there somewhere!!!! If I
catch him, I'll qualify for Boston...hahahaha! His goal time, would
qualify me, BUT, I didn't train for that pace! It sure gave me
something to think about though. I finally started seeing the elites
going by. Of course, I was still heading out, and they were heading
back to the finish. They somehow inspire me and I really love
watching them go by. Soon I saw Jerrilynn, a running friend from Dallas. I was so excited to see her! I yelled hello to her as we went by each other. She was running this race for her husband who is kicking cancers butt! I am so proud of her. She is such an inpiration.
I soon saw Chris, going back and thought he was a good two miles
in front of me. I began looking for Tonya and Debbie the closer I
got to the turn-a-round. This was Debbie's first full marathon. A
fellow Hood to Coast team mate. Way to finish Debbie!!!! As I
got to mile 15, I knew I was close to that turn around!!! I got to 15.5 and there it was, sooner than I remembered. There was a crowd of people at the turn-a-round and that made it fun. I still was feeling good and knew I would start seeing people I knew as we passed by each other.
Jerry was right there, still very close behind looking strong. I soon
saw Tonya and Debbie. I got to say a very quick Hi to everyone.
It was great. I continued on my way, still thinking, if only I could
catch up with Chris....lol!
Around mile 16 or 17 a man came up beside me and said something
about a negative split. He was obviously a seasoned runner and
could tell by the way I was running what I was trying to do. He
went on to tell me, his wife was ahead and he had put some
furniture together for her and pulled something in his leg so she was
beating him today. We laughed and agreed she must of had it all
planned out. It was encouraging to have someone to talk to for a
few minutes. I went on to pass him and later he passed me back.
In a long distance race, there are many friends out there running
with you, that you have never even met before. I love the unity
runners have with one-another.
As I came to mile 22 my pace started to slow down a bit. Fatigue
was setting in and I wanted to puke. I was kinda frustrated because
I felt like my legs could move faster but I had to slow it down so
my stomach wouldn't freak out. I think it was the meds I took for
my headache that never went away. I was just thankful it wasn't a
migraine. I did trow up a little and spit it right out and kept going.
The grueling marathon...this is the hard part!
I looked back for Jerry and could no longer see him. I was a little
worried, but also knew he had done his training and was going to be
ok. I knew he expected me to just go, so that's what I did. I just
didn't ever expect to stay in front of him....EVER! He runs faster
than me.
As I came to about mile 24.5 I saw two beautiful faces coming
towards me. Alyssa Miller (Tonya's daughter) and her friend Angie.
I knew they were going to run the last few miles with Tonya. As I
went by them, I told them to watch out or I would spit on them. I
have no idea why I would say something so weird except, you do
and say some weird things when your body gets this tired....lol!
They laughed at me and kept going to find Tonya. I was so happy
just to see someone I knew. It was getting really really hard.
I was still doing good mentally so I knew I would be ok to the
finish, even though it was hard physically right now. I would tell
myself, It's only 40 more minutes, then it's only 30 more minutes
and so on until I was at it's only 10 more minutes and you can
stop...and I knew I was with-in reach of my SUB-FOUR hour goal.
As tired as I was, I was excited! Knowing I was almost there felt
good. Soon I came to the incline. The last .2 miles of Newport is a
nice down hill to the finish line, but first there is a little uphill
incline that is killer when your body is spent. BUT, I knew I was
there now. I started listening for the crowd. I put my head up as I
stepped to the peak of that downhill and I saw the crowd. I
couldn't help but smile. I couldn't help but run a little faster. I
couldn't help but feel nothing but good. I saw Chris, who stood
cheering for me...I saw Teresa cheering for me. I saw my daughter
cheering for me. I was done! I looked up at the clock and saw I
came in about five minutes under my goal time of 3:59:59.
A volunteer placed a finishers medal over my head. Another
volunteer cut the chip timer off my shoe and then I heard my
daughter...MOM, MOM...over here. Raelee stood on the other side
of the fence with my two boys (Randy and Rylan), her friend Katie
and my Dad Roger. I was so happy to see them. I walked over
and hugged them over the fence. I was pretty overcome with
emotions and started crying when I saw my Dad. He got up very
early to come come see Jerry and me run. I meant so much to me
to have him at the finish line standing with my kids.
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| Jerry coming in for a strong finish (3:59:20) |
Then I saw Jerrilynn and Blanca and started talking to them about
how things went for them and goals and everything. Blanca ran
Newport last year and has come in support of some of her friends.
As I stood there talking with them I was watching the finish line
for Jerry (my husband). I knew he had to be coming in at any
moment. His goal was the same as mine. There was an announcer
naming off runners as they came in. All of a sudden I hear Jerry
Mullins, and I look over and Jerry is on the ground. I told my
friends I have to go and went over to him. It looked like he made
his goal but it was a close call so we would have to wait for results
to come up to be certain. A volunteer and myself helped Jerry
over to the aid station where they checked his pulse and made sure
he was ok. They said, he was indeed ok. What happened is when
he came over that hill he knew in order to come in under 4:00 it
would take all he had left. So he gave it his all. He BOOKED it
down that hill and after he crossed the finish line, his body said, I'm
done and his knees gave out. By the way, he DID make that goal
time. His official chip
time was 3:59:20 and
right now, he has no
desire to run another
marathon...lol! He is
doing the The Oregon
Uberthons on Sept 28th.
I went over to get some food for Jerry after we got him to a safe
place to rest. I had to stand in line with other runners and all of a
sudden I felt very ill. It had been about 7 minutes since I finished the marathon and I think a little dehydration set in or something. Maybe my body was just a little freaked out. I had to bend over and squat in the line. Chris (my Ultra runner trainer) came over to tell me how proud he was of me and tell me that him and Jeanne
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| My big finish...put my head up and took it all in...the moment you train for! |
were taking off and I tried to
stand back up. I just kept having
to squat back down. Ugh, this
wasn't fun. I finally got some
food and went back over to
Jerry and just sat, I would get up
and then sit...over and over. I
finally just gave up and sat! I
listened very closely for Tonya
Miller to be announced. I really
wanted to see her come in.
When I heard her name I quickly got up and went to her. I was
so happy to see her.
Jerry was now able to stand. He told me that was harder than he thought it would be and he was so proud of me.
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| Jerry and I are standing! All done and ready to go home! |
We needed to get back to the hotel fast to check out before we got charged for another night. We had
about 20 minutes to load up and
shower...talk about crazy. We
were sore and it was hard to
shower fast! But being clean
made me feel so much better for
the drive home. We stopped at
Subway and ate food....it was
good!
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| A HUGE Thank you to DC Electric who sponsored Newport for me. What's next for me???? August 10th Foam Fest 5k with a group of friends (let me know if you want to join our team August 17th Albany Half Marathon with who ever will join me September 28th The Oregon Marathon with bunches of people from Dallas Wish list...... November 2nd Silver Falls Half Marathon December 7th Shellburg Falls Trail Run and whatever else I can work into my calendar....lol! Want to be encouraged to get up and get moving? Join me at Dallas, OR Run the Open Road for fun tips and encouraging quotes. I also have times of meeting with people to walk or run at different times of the year. Feel free to drop me a line and tell me your goals. |
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