Mon 13 Oct 2008
Spokane Half Marathon
Posted by ortingrunner under Courage, Half Marathon, Race, Run
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A lot of things can happen to a person running a half marathon. Injury, sickness, euphoria… The list could be a long one and I will let more qualified people fill it in. For me, I was struck by something I was not prepared for.
It was a cold start at 08:45 AM. 675 half marathoners lined up waiting for the start. I forgot my sensor for my iPod so I was kicking myself a little at the start. Other than that, I was layered against the cold, well hydrated and I thought I had eaten right. Breakfast was fruit cocktail (canned and crappy), eggs (probably freeze dried) and bacon. I was not able to eat everything but I had enough to know that if I ate any more, the race course would have some of it (if you get my drift).
The cold crisp air kept the starting line very quite. Without any warning we were off. The Spokane Half Marathon starts out on Spokane Falls Rd in downtown at Riverfront Park weaves its way though town heads out past four cemeteries and connects up with the Centennial Trail. The trail wanders along the Spokane River though beautiful pine trees and rolling hills, then heads back into town and ends at Riverfront Park. Here is my Garmin link. It was a beautiful run. I chose to run for the first four miles with a group that had a similar strategy (run 25 minutes/walk 5). At mile two we started the first of many long ups that I managed to run most of. The one thing I was told about hills by a veteran Bloomsday and Spokane Marathoner was that I should run the downs faster than the flats and the hills as slow as I need, “Just keep your arms and legs moving,” he said. I kept that in mind on every hill climb. Slow up, fast down and cruise the flats. Okay, it worked for a while. Then my right knee started to flair on the downhills so I just took it easy on it all and enjoyed the sights. I walked the water stops every 2.5 miles whether I needed to or not. I nurtured my knee as well as I can. By mile 5 I was still in my run walk pattern but the hills were taking there toll so I started my backup up run one mile, walk 3 minutes. I was able to do that through to the end (sans hills). By mile six, I was with a new group of run/walkers that I managed to stay with for the rest of the race.
At mile seven (out of the valley and behind Spokane Falls Community College. Here was one of my breakthough moments in the race. I was really worried about my knee. I was in a lot of pain and I was feeling really emotional about it. As I came into the water stop, cheers from the large contingent of support their boosted my spirits and gave me strength. I received a hug from a happy cow. I was so overcome with emotion that I… (I’ll explain at the end). From mile 7 to mile 8.5 it is a steady down hill path to the base of Doomsday Hill. Doomsday hill is a long (.7 mile) up that was a big challenge for most of my group. As I ran across the bridge and turned to the hill, I said to the guy next to me, “Here is that goofy little speed bump we have been waiting for!” I slowed and chugged my way to the top. I ran 80% of that hill. I should have walked it. This left me without much fuel in my soul. Even the HammerGels were not making much difference at this point. I slowed and just walked when I had to and ran when I could. Funny thing happened just before the speed bump. I was listening to FDIP 156: Cheers from a Little Blue Bubble and just as I turned the corner for the hill, I heard “You can do it, Orting Runner!” It couldn’t have been more perfectly timed. I really needed it.
I spent the last part of the race trying to put the knee pain out of my mind and just focus on the next step. The rolling roads and beautiful scenery kept me going forward and finally we turned into Riverfront park for the finish. I finally saw the finish clock and it showed 02:56:00 and I started to “sprint” to the finish. I finished in 02:56:14 (official) and I placed 629/675.
So what happened to me at Mile 7? History: Saturday night I drove around Spokane to check out a few things. A friend of mine was a EMT here and I drove by his station. His devotion to helping people killed him. I was the last person he talked to one night over 15 years ago. He called me and said that he could not do it any more. He was sober and grieving his life. He felt guilty for the things in is past that he had to do to save is brother from an abusive step dad and uncaring mom. I will spare you the details of that event only to say that his brother is alive today do to his actions. My friend called me and told me that he was going to commit suicide. I tried to reason with him but I could not. 20 minutes after I hung up and called 911 he had driven to Alki Point in Seattle, put a shot gun in his mouth and pulled the trigger.
At mile 7, after the cheers and hug, I started to grieve the loss of my friend. I have carried the guilt and shame of that night for a long time. Tears ran down my cheeks till I hit Doomsday Hill. I felt myself let go of the grief and I felt that my friend had forgiven me as I crested the top of the hill. The release from my past, the touch of forgiveness from him, the clarity of what I have to do from this moment on gave me the desire to finish.
Moral of the moment: Not all races are just physical efforts, some of us must battle with our pasts to gain a foothold in today’s race. This is what happened to me and I am so grateful for it.
