Finding Momentum

Before we begin, let me say THANK YOU to all of you who’ve contributed to the International Justice Mission cause! In the span of just two weeks, we’ve raised over $800! Thank you for your generosity! It’s our hope that we wouldn’t just give and turn away, but our hearts would be more sensitized as our giving solidifies the link between our wallets and our hearts.

 — 

Another big THANK YOU to all of you who had been instrumental in encouraging me to press on in my training for this event. This event was like no other I’ve ever been to.

It struck me on race day what a fraternal sport running is; everybody’s in it together. So when we all gathered up at the starting line, strangers were giving each other pep talks, finishers walked back on the course to encourage stragglers, and a good bunch of three runners stopped running completely to come to my aid after I graciously faceplanted with a cramped calf.

So the weeks before, I’d been sidelined a bit with a knee injury (tendonitis in my left knee). Therefore, I’d been running only gym workouts for a good two weeks before race day. No long, extended distances, which led me to doubt my readiness on race day.

Typical marathon workouts encourage you to run four or five 20+ mile workouts in your training routine prior to racing. I had been averaging 13-14mi on my long runs in the months prior, so I was about six miles short of being a truly prepared runner.

Still — when the starting gun blew, I found myself in this huge sea of people. It was pretty amazing, this sheer number of crazies like me getting out there to run on a chilly morning. I also noticed some stomach pain; perhaps from the weird PowerBar formula I took an hour before.

The Golden Gate was WAY windier than I’d expected, not doing much for my stomach. I ended up pacing behind guys with big muscles. I don’t know why I did; maybe I just assumed they knew what they were doing. I took the first half pretty easy: I ran a 2:03 split (a 9:25/mi pace).

I started to get a bit more into race mentality on the second half. I got it into my mind to break 4 hours, so I knew I had to catch the 2:00 pacer girl (these are runners who guarantee a certain running pace). So the second half was very much a race to catch up to and pass as many people as possible.

People I remember remembering: Big Guy with Big Muscles in a Cutoff Shirt, 2:00 Pacer Girl, Girl in Blue Shirt Who I Couldn’t Pass The Last Six Miles, and Tony the Popular Guy in a Purple Shirt (everybody he passed was like “Go, Tony!” or “Hey, Tony!” to which he’d throw up a peace sign and a million-watt grin).

What I didn’t expect was how hard The Wall would hit me at the 19 mile mark. We were exiting Golden Gate Park when my body told me, “Andrew, I think I’m done running” and started Cramping Mode, which I hadn’t really counted on.
The next seven miles were the Longest hour of my life, and it was essentially a lot of awkward running sprinkled with some intermittent cramps in my foot, my calf and my hamstring. They’d usually take turns, just to keep it interesting. My mind didn’t quite appreciate it. Spectators just laughted.

What I don’t get is why I didn’t get it in my mind to stop and take the time to stretch. I guess I was too doggone set on beating 4 hours, so I’d be running through cramps (my body’s obvious way of signaling me to stop). It helped that 2:00 Pacer Girl was in striking distance, keeping me on pace for better or worse.

So it completely befuddles me that despite these cramps and a fall that I’d run my second half faster than the first: 1:58 (at a respectable 9:13/mi pace). What in the world happened there? No idea.

But let’s just say that one of the greatest feelings in the world (well.. it’s pretty up there) is crossing that finish line and just feeling your body scream for joy of Being Done. And is that food on those tables over there? Yeah, I’ll be over there.

Major props to Tony for finishing his half marathon in style and being a great help in IJM fundraising. Of course, Sarah was as patient and amazing as ever in trucking our weary bodies all around SF that morning and afternoon.

All in all, a wonderful feeling, this marathon thing. Really, I’m not crazy. I just like the feeling of moving forward, the inexorable draw toward the finish line and the charge to persevere.

There’s talk of running more races in the fall. Anybody interested?

A Smorgasbord of Pain!

(More on Flickr, of course)

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