I went into this race better trained than ever before, I had high hopes that Kimmy and I would be in Boston this April. All month I had pictured us having a great race and crossing the line together both with a BQ. It was not to be and it is really hard to write this report with so many mixed emotions. I have started to write it three times but not really sure what to say. Friday night was pretty uneventful. I met Kimmy at the expo we saw a ton of great friends. Went home and my friends had made dinner for us. Pasta, salad, warm roll and Birthday cake (My friends sons birthday was that day). We got ready for bed and set the alarm for 3:50 a good omen for sure (we hoped) I didn’t sleep at all but then I never do, while Kimmy slept great. Got up, picked up Dana went to the buses. Had a great ride up to the start it was really fun to talk to Dana and he put up with all our pre race silliness. We found a great spot by the fires and settled in until it was time to drop off our bags. At the bag drop Smooth spotted me “because of my highness” and joined us in the 3:50 group. Miles 1-5 We were off…everything felt great. I would yell out the goal for that mile and we would all try to hit it. We were going a little fast but we had planned on that so we could have more time at Veyo. Here are the splits for the first 5 miles. Our split followed by what cougars pace chart said we should do. 8:47 9:05 8:37 8:54 8:20 8:33 8:24 8:23 8:13 8:44 (Not sure why this mile was so fast it did feel this fast) Miles 6 – 10 At this point we can’t see Smooth anymore she must have stayed on pace when we went too fast. Everything felt great at this point I just knew we were going to have a great race. When we hit Veyo we walked jogged it like we had planned but we skipped our usual dash to the bushed because I didn’t need to go. At the top of Veyo I felt really great and was ready to go. Around mile nine or ten Kimmy said that Veyo had taken too much out of her and she was ready to stop! I was shocked I didn’t understand we were doing so good where was this coming from? I should have been supportive but I wasn’t I told her it was all in her head and that she needed to get over it. splits 8:12 8:44 7:48 8:44 10:03 9:47 8:59 9:21 9:07 9:05 Miles 11 – 15 At this point Kim would start to slow down and I would yell at her she told me she hated me and I just kept getting madder…this is not a shining moment in my life I should have handled this a lot better. At mile 12 Teena caught up with us right when we were about to kill each other. Sorry Teena we really don’t act that way EVER! Kim slowed down and I just went on without her but I let the whole race know that I hated her at that moment…I wish I could have that time back. I started to cry poor Teena didn’t know what to do so she moved on. I got my composure and just kept on running. 9:37 9:26 9:31 9:00 8:27 8:44 9:09 8:33 8:15 8:18 Miles 16 – 20 Right as I was heading out of the water stop at mile 15 I heard someone yell my name. It was Kimmy!!!! She had caught up to me! We were still on track we could to this!!! We made up and were on our way. At mile 19 going up the big hill Kimmy wanted to walk it. She said to go ahead and she would catch me on the downhill. 8:38 8:33 8:25 8:33 9:18 8:33 9:37 9:00 8:44 8:33 Miles 21 – 26.2 At this point I looked at my watch it read 2:56:21 My pace chart said I should be 2:56:34. I could still make 3:50 if I ran every mile at the pace cougar said. I was starting to feel my legs but I was determined to do it. I kept looking for Kimmy but I couldn’t find her. I ran backwards for a while at mile 21 to see where she was but I couldn’t find her 8:12 8:13 (right on track I can do this!) 9:28 8:33 (I walk and try to wait for Kim I want to run with her but I also want to Pr I am torn!!!) 9:30 8:39 (I see my mom and all my friends I am so happy this is almost over!) 8:38 8:39 (I have lost 3:50 but I want to finish strong) 9:18 8:44 (this mile killed me I want to walk so bad my legs are dead) 10:54 8:44 (I give up and walk so sad…. At .5 mile mark a man runs by and tells me I am too pretty to walk so I run with him until my daughter meets me at .25 and runs me in) Official time of 3:54:50 Like I said I had some really bad moments in this race but It also was a 5 minute pr for me. As I type this I am not sure if I will go to Boston this year or wait to go with Kim WHEN she qualifies next year or both. Still a lot of mixed emotion but over all I am happy I got to see so many friends and to push my body to see what it could do. | 