Race Recap: California International Marathon

Way too much has already been written for me to chime in on the disastrous conditions of the California International Marathon this year. Too many pictures have been posted of the downed trees, flooded streets, pouring rain, and whipping winds. Too many DNFs happened, too many goals were altered, too many old injuries flared up. And despite the harsh conditions of this year's race, a lot of great things happened, too. 

Groups of people banned together to beat the wind and shelter one another from the rain. Spirits remained high, hands of fellow runners were shaken, hugs and jokes were shared, beer flowed, pizza and pasta was served. A few magical PRs erupted (I'm looking at you, Renee!). A sense of accomplishment shone across every person's face at that finish line -- from the people finishing in just over 2 hours to those finishing after 6. We had all just been through something truly epic.

CIM 2012 happened. I got my goal. I crossed the finish line. It was my worst race time-wise, but it was one of my most meaningful mentally.

Courtney and I started off 2012 running an impromptu marathon in Hawaii, crossing the finish line full well realizing we were capable of accomplishing something most "normal" people would consider crazy. Over the course of the year, we've gone through a lot -- with jobs, travels, boys, cats, apartments, each other. We ended the year crossing another finish line together in something even fellow marathoners consider crazy. 

Courtney makes Hefty bags cute. Me? No.

We were both undertrained, I was injured, and the weather didn't want us to be out there. We questioned our own sanity, but we never gave up.

Everything hurt so unbelievably bad that I wasn't able to focus on my gimpy hip. Instead my water-logged feet, tight IT bands, sore quads, achy ankles, slouched shoulders, and hunched-over back pain acted as a good distraction.

And yet every time a glimpse of pain or suffering got so bad that the idea of quitting seemed like the better option, I switched my mind back to Chachi. I reflected on my best little buddy, the great years we had together, how peacefully he passed away in my arms, how much I love him, and how terribly I miss him. A number of times I teared up (and I realized how hard it is to cry and run at the same time!) and Courtney was there to tell me that Chachi loved me, too. We hardly spoke a word to each other during this race, and yet when we did, she had the right thing to say. While I was struggling, Courtney never once complained. She just stayed by me with a smile.

We ran to mile 6 -- a distance PR for me during my recent "WTF is up with my hip" streak. Then we ran to mile 12 & I was so out of it I thought we were at mile 9. I knew I could make it to the halfway mark, and I knew I had banked enough time to walk the rest of the race if need be. We ran mile 14 -- "Chachi's mile", the age of my cat when he died -- then ran to mile 15. I then started taking walk breaks at every mile marker, and Courtney never once urged me to push beyond my comfort, but instead just kept telling me I could finish.  

I did.

I had a truly great time running with a friend who's been here for me all year. I'm so happy and proud of how we did. I am ending my year feeling good about my running life despite this unknown injury. I can't wait to rest, recover, figure out a long-term solution to my hip, heal, get stronger, and set new goals.

(Hopefully this goes without saying, but I also want to thank my friends who were out there spectating in the storm & for all my Internet people who asked to track me online & sent me some "you can finish" vibes. I thought about you all during the race, too!)

I ran CIM with Chachi's picture pinned to my side. And even though we were sopping wet, his picture barely absorbed any water. I thought about him lots -- and still think about him lots -- and that race was for him. 

My 10th marathon. Chachi In Memory. 2012.

Official finish time: 4:42:03
Splits:
1: 10:16
2: 9:58
3: 9:42
4: 9:25
5: 9:32
6: 9:34
7:  9:36
8: 9:38
9: 9:46
10: 9:33
11: 9:39
12: 9:34
13: 9:33
14: 11:47
15: 10:28
16: 12:08
17: 10:04
18: 12:52
19: 10:00
20: 13:02
21: 12:56
22: 13:19
23: 12:23
24: 11:50
25: 10:11
26: 11:21
.44: 3:59 (8:58 pace)