The Steamworks . .Half Marathon

So for me running a half marathon and childbirth have a few things in common. One is that for me its not excruciatingly painful but it is uncomfortable, I don't need drugs but today I am sore and tired. Two,you lose all sense of dignity. I'll go into that later. And three as time passes one forgets either due to oxytocin or adrenaline, and thinks that wasn't so bad I'll think I'll do this again. Insane! Well normally I don't think I would mention this on our blog- of course you all know that I don't like to toot my own horn - However I feel that perhaps that this could be a source of inspiration to you all or a cautionary tale- you decide.

After a few months of training with a dear friend and not training as well as I should have; I signed up for the Steamworks Half Marathon in Durango. I ran this last year for the first time ever and like childbearing signed up for it again.I didn't want to do it alone this time but when my friend tried to register it was full! drats! Sorry Sam! So alone again..

The trip: uneventful, made sandwiches on the go. Lodging: we camped, fun! Really! Until we tried to go to bed. Obnoxious family next to us forgot to heed the quiet time rules ..later we got our revenge. Ro was too excited to sleep she crawled from sleeping to sleeping bag. At 2:30am Aly started vomiting, Jeff and I started to feel questionable ..I poisoned us with the sandwiches! I looked at the package and the date was three days expired! We spent the rest of the wee hours in the laundry room while Jeff packed up the tent and gear. Meanwhile, Aly kept vomiting, I thought we should go home but Jeff the very awesome husband that he is, said no not after all this. So we drove over to the pick up area at 5:00am there we tried to sleep and Aly continued to throw up.

The buses driving to the start left at 7:00am and I was on one trying to get get 15min more sleep. We get there and of course my questionable stomach turned to trouble and there were only 5 porties. Imagine 300 runners and 5 porties. Rumor had it there would be another potty at mile 4. Needless to say I didn't get a chance to use it before the race started ..but my tummy calmed down a bit so I ran. Its a humbling experience witnessing people twice your age gliding past you and a lady with a stroller. Although there is some vindication...I did end passing up a few later on ..but not many.So I'm feeling alright, its nice and cool the peeks out for a while but then is obscured by what looks to be rain clouds later in the afternoon. Mile 4 water stop with porty comes into view do I stop? nah,I feeling good. The tunes are hopping and I'm not stopping. Mile 8 Oh Crap! Not so good, uncomfortable,---now can you begin to compare the complete lack of dignity? People are dodging in bushes left and right ,but we are on private land..expensive homes and manicured lawns, not to mention the people dotting the sides of the road cheering they're loved ones on. I stop it takes me a good 5-8 minutes to find a spot and gain the courage...ugh mosquitoes. I nearly fall down from my NBIFFY (Natures Bathroom In the Forest For You)--you dig the girls camp jargon don't you!---on to the road. Now I feel the urge to catch up, ran a little too fast and by mile 10 its about curtains for me I knew I had two more obnoxious hills ahead. What to do I'm jogging slowly now , but just then, wait guilt kicks in ..I imagine poor Aly throwing up at the finish ..we have to go home NOW! I start pushing..I see a girl that claimed she only trained up to 6 miles casually walking back on the course to encourage her mom..little liar or I'm i really that slow..sniff sniff. Working the last two blocks up the hill to the finish line and I spot Aly running all over the place just fine. I finished..don't know my time, don't ask. Maybe next year when I'm considering this again I'll find the results website and that will remind me of the extraordinary time I had....but then like childbirth I'll say oh it wasn't that bad.