Started off like all marathon events...WAY TOO EARLY IN THE MORNING!!! But I guess in Phoenix this is a good thing. Usual start protocal, park at the finish, get bussed to the "start". So the bus drives us out into the desert and drops us off at a bank of portapoties. It's 5am...so it's still rather dark out and no formal race start like looking thing in site. 2000 people are wandering up and down the road trying to figure out where the race starts! Rumor was that the race director slept in and would be there eventually. Eventually the mass of people started running. I guess this was my clue that the race had finally started (~30 minutes late). The course was awesome...pretty much flat or downhill. Things were feeling good, splits were looking good. Mile 6 or so, my foot stated tingling as usual. I was doing pretty good at ignoring it. Mile 10 I check in with my watch and am pretty pumped with the time, so my second wind kicks in and I try to make a go of it for the last 3 miles. That only lasted about 1.5 miles, then the tingling foot went to shooting pain. I didn't let myself walk...only because that meant that it would take longer to get to the finish. So I hobbled in the last 1.5 miles. Apparently I was making audible wimpering noises, because those passing me were offering encouragement along the lines of "really, you can make it!". Time was only 5 minutes slower than my previous 1/2 marathon, so I guess it wasn't that bad. At least I finished in time to get water. Yup, by the time the marathoners were finishing, they were out of water at the finish!!! WTF!! Marathon in Phoenix and they don't understand the importance of water at the finish???? Not convinced I'd do this race again. On a good note, husband got second in his age group for the marathon and a PR!
oh yeah...I have an appointment with a podiatrist concerning the foot issues....
Started off like all marathon events...WAY TOO EARLY IN THE MORNING!!! But I guess in Phoenix this is a good thing. Usual start protocal, park at the finish, get bussed to the "start". So the bus drives us out into the desert and drops us off at a bank of portapoties. It's 5am...so it's still rather dark out and no formal race start like looking thing in site. 2000 people are wandering up and down the road trying to figure out where the race starts! Rumor was that the race director slept in and would be there eventually. Eventually the mass of people started running. I guess this was my clue that the race had finally started (~30 minutes late). The course was awesome...pretty much flat or downhill. Things were feeling good, splits were looking good. Mile 6 or so, my foot stated tingling as usual. I was doing pretty good at ignoring it. Mile 10 I check in with my watch and am pretty pumped with the time, so my second wind kicks in and I try to make a go of it for the last 3 miles. That only lasted about 1.5 miles, then the tingling foot went to shooting pain. I didn't let myself walk...only because that meant that it would take longer to get to the finish. So I hobbled in the last 1.5 miles. Apparently I was making audible wimpering noises, because those passing me were offering encouragement along the lines of "really, you can make it!". Time was only 5 minutes slower than my previous 1/2 marathon, so I guess it wasn't that bad. At least I finished in time to get water. Yup, by the time the marathoners were finishing, they were out of water at the finish!!! WTF!! Marathon in Phoenix and they don't understand the importance of water at the finish???? Not convinced I'd do this race again. On a good note, husband got second in his age group for the marathon and a PR!
oh yeah...I have an appointment with a podiatrist concerning the foot issues....