The 8k was cold and windy. It wasn't a problem once we got in the woods. The cooler weather made the race easier than last year. A lot of the race is off road on soft dirt. Sometimes it wasn't very packed down, which made things more challenging. Running in the mountains is paying off. The small hills weren't much of a bother. I didn't need to walk and felt energetic during the race. I finished with a time of 49:24, a 9:56 pace. During the race, I came across a Phi Beta Chi sister, Kristin. We finished at about the same time. The usual food was served, egg and cheese biscuits. The warm food was most welcome. I finished up with a trip to Duck Donuts. Pumpkin spice and maple glaze with bacon...yummo!
At the starting area, I found Kristin and Julie. We had a similar walk/run approach. Mostly, I listened to my interval timer, which was set to 4 minutes run/1 minute run. I started with the 5 hour group, which I was sometimes ahead of, sometimes behind. I eventually got separated. Knowing how long I'll be out there, it seems like it will be a very slow process. The miles always go faster than I imagine they would. It helps a lot once I reach the halfway point. Even though I have half of it left, it's much easier to visualize reaching 20, then 26. The first mile marker on the bridge road is 21, so I think about that. The community support is great for this race. There are some unofficial aid stations with things like gummy bears and other snacks. All official stops have water, some with Gatorade. People had signs, music and plenty of things to help encourage us. Someone was playing YMCA, which I may have acted out, while running, in a tutu! Physically, I seemed to have good energy. I had some lower back pain early on, but Tylenol helped. My left knee bothered me some, but it wasn't bad. After one hellacious marathon, I always wear two knee supporters and take meds during the race. The pancake place had their usual banana bread right before we went uphill in the woods. Bless them. But speaking of sweets, I eventually got tired of them. A diet of candy and Gatorade gets old. At the candy/soda table, I picked pretzels. At some point, I may or may not have danced to YMCA while running in a tutu. It's always interesting to observe as the race goes on. Little socialization. We're all in our zones and no one has the energy. By the time we're on the main highway (and not going back into neighborhoods), it's a struggle. It's no longer an easy morning run. We finally got to the bridge road. It was pretty uneventful, until we start the incline. Last year, I never looked up. This year, I kept looking up, but tried to keep my head down. I made it up that beast! As we made the descent, there was a person in a shark suit and a huge inflatable crab. This was sponsored by the NC Aquarium. Then, CVS! This is always one of the best sights; it's the last major turn. So, running/walking, just trying to get to the finish. The first marker after the bridge is mile 24. I could see the stoplight where we turned. It was right, left, right and left to the FINISH! On the way, I told random strangers how I wanted nachos after. I finished with a time of 5:21:06 and made 7 with my fingers. This was my 7th marathon. I turned down the space blanket; I was roasting. This was much warmer than the 8k. I accepted some snacks and drinks before getting in line for real food (smoked sausage and sweet potato fries). Thank you for your encouragement!
