Our friend, Sleeping Bear, talked us to doing a race in our favorite city, to visit. Why not, we enjoy the BIG city life in short spurts. Sure, we haven't been running too much, but it's only a 15K.
Big race, in a huge city, you have to plan where to meet. A few minutes prior to our scheduled meeting, CT and I get to our designated spot, when my phone buzzes with a text from Sleeping Bear, "Just got up, running late". The race starts in thirty minutes and even in my small hometown with zero traffic, it takes ten to get across it, no way SB is making it.
Honk, honk, goes the starting gun, just as another text comes in, "Can't get a f*cking cab, have to take the train". Yeah, SB isn't making it. Part of the desire of doing this race, checking out the skyline of the city. First two miles, completely underground!
Mile three, buzz, "Train has been f*cking rerouted". About the time I'm smiling to myself about the fact that by the time SB finally gets to this race, we are going to be done, that's when I found what the city is famous for, the wind! Maybe there really is a ginormous Big Apple, I have yet to see, but now I'm a believer in this Windy City slogan. Along this stretch, the road is split between those turning for the 5K and the 15K people going straight. I watched two young volunteers almost go airborne attempting to hold a 5K flag. Had one of them let go, without a doubt, would have para-sailed directly to Michigan. Running, almost felt like what was required to simply stand still, let alone make any progress.
Around mile six, the course finally changed direction. Looking at my watch time, it didn't even seem physically possible for my pace to be as good as it was. Not even going to attempt to lie and suggest maybe I wasn't in of bad of shape due to my lack of running. The whole reason, just so happened that I had my maze and blue Michigan block M shirt on. Hearing people yell out "Go Blue!" or "Keep it up Michigan!" helped more than I ever realized. Random strangers cheering, mental note for next time, because that support was awesome.
With roughly a mile or so to go, for as insane as I was running, the tell tale signs of fatigue were coming fast. At one point I could feel some chest pain, about the same kind of pain the first few times ever running, that's when I decided it's time to ease back. If reader Mom sees this, she's probably freaking out, but I know my limits. Nothing to worry about, just my body reminding me that maybe I should train a little more if I plan on running like this.
Crossed the line. Waited for CT to cross the line. Then, told her about my SB texts. We just kind of laughed as we walked to get our post race treat. CT then decides, lets FaceTime SB. Thought the shock of the day was the wind, SB answers the FaceTime, running the race, just passing mile 4! She actually made it, she was able to start it, and was officially on the course! Take that wind!
