Race Day

7:30 a.m. Why? Why? Why? Why?

8:30 a.m. Brunswick Street with so many people, no line up for the port-a-potty, invite from a friend to a bbq after the race. Tick tock

9:00 a.m. Let's get this thing going, stop dancing Tower fitness people, stop talking radio people, shoot the gun for the marathoners already.

9:05 a.m. There are over 2000 10 km racers, I try to get to the back of the mass, far from the pace bunny with the 55 minute sign. I stop behind a group of women wearing the same t-shirt. A mother with friends running because of the too-early death of her child and raising money for the IWK.

9:10 a.m. We're off. I see my family cheering as I pass by Citadel Hill.

1st km, look at my time, hmmm, that would appear to have been an 8 minute km but I don't run that fast. Made myself slow down.

2nd km, two women stop, one is bent over in pain, she can't walk, the race is over for her.

Along Maynard Street and heading over the bridge I take in all the supporters, all these random strangers hooting and hollering and saying kind words. Have mushy gushy Blue Nose marathon feelings.

Nantucket - this hill was THE hill for me. I put my head down and did it. I shuffled my butt up that hill, not stopping and am most proud of that.

Back over the bridge - feeling overheated with no energy and walk more than my usual one minute. See a port a potty mirage and decide to walk to it while remembering my daughter's comment, "Can't you just not go to the bathroom for an hour and a half?" uh-ya but...

Down hill part of the bridge - know if I don't pick up the pace, the runner in me will disappear. Start my shuffle, turn on to Brunswick and there's my little darling, her bud and my mom. They run with me for a bit. Hubby is waiting at the finish line.

9 k.m. - I wait for some energy, some kick, some source of power to surge through me. Nada.

As I see the finish line I am aware that a woman who is WALKING is keeping pace with me. It can not be, I dig in and hustle to the end.

My chip time is 1:30 and some seconds. That was my goal. Whoo hoo.

On this sunny, warm day, my runner's high took about 1:40 minutes to hit me but it lasted all day.