Sunday 14 October 2007

Denver Marathon - Preliminary Report


Now that I have stopped shivering and shaking, I can type. This race was COLD. And I can handle cold, but combine cold and WET, and that is REALLY COLD. I was soaked to the skin, through and through. My feet have big honkin' blisters - from running in wet socks, in wet shoes.

Somehow I turned off my garmin for maybe a half a mile, so I have no idea what my time was and it is not posted yet. I believe I beat my time for my one and only other half-marathon. I really didn't expect to do that, but I felt great - aside from being cold.

At about 5 miles, I realized that I was never getting down to my short-sleeved shirt as I had planned, so I undid the safety pins on my bib and put them on my jacket. Unfortunately, I wore a big old cotton long-sleeved t-shirt over my short-sleeved shirt and under my jacket. I fully expected to take off the jacket, discard the old cotton t-shirt and tie the jacket around my waist! HA! That formula about temperatures feeling 20 degrees warmer during a race? That works when it isn't pouring rain. After a while, that cotton t-shirt was almost as long as my running skirt - because it was soaking wet. In other words, I looked like a dork - I won't expect to have a new profile picture from THIS race!

All that negative stuff aside - I really had a great time. I felt like I belonged in this race. That is a miraculous thing for me. My biggest enemies are always mental... I have met the enemy and she is looking back at me in the mirror! Today I didn't feel I had to struggle with that negative thinking. I just felt good to be out there with all the other freezing nuts.

When I saw the camaraderie the Leukemia & Lymphoma Team in Training had, I think I might have decided to join a running club... we shall see. They were kind enough to give me a garbage bag to wear for my first mile or so.

I will have more details later. I still feel kind of wacky.

11 comments:

Adam said...

Great Job

Marcy said...

YAY Mary!!!! I look forward to the full report!! CONGRATS!!! ;D ;D

PS I'm SURE you didn't look like a dork. We're always our own worst critics LOL

Marathoner in Training said...

Great Job Mary. A true runner will not give up just because it is not ideal weather conditions, well with some exceptions. Lets see pictures of those toes and blisters. I have made it back from my travels and am back blogging. Get out for a nice easy run asap, to help with the recovery.

ws said...

sounds like despite the weather you had a great race...

the wet socks, wet shoes combo - the worst.

CONGRATS on your HM finish...

Unknown said...

Oooooh. Brrrr cold. Shivery cold wet all the way through...I know how that is. Hope you get warmed up soon!!!

I'm so glad you enjoyed the race though, especially that you said you felt like you belonged in this race.

YAYYYY for you!!! WoooooHooooo!!!!

Wes said...

Woo hoo! Way to go, Mary! That is awesome :-) Now that you've got another great race behind ya, your future is an open canvas!!! Get warm! Rest well!!!

Joe said...

Way to go, Mary Gee!!!

Cold or no, you made it go!! And there are no style points in running...you looked just as wet as all the others!!

Glad you made it and felt good about it. And, yes, TEAM is an awesome group!!

Jess said...

Congrats on the finish. Can't wait for the full report!

Debbi said...

Congratulations on finishing! I'm so glad you were able to run it after the injury scare last week.

Randy - Maniac #788 said...

WAY TO RUN!!!!!!!!!

Brrrrrrr to the rain and the cold...I agree what a wild combination....

I'm glad you had a good time though and that you may have PR'ed...

Sorry about the blisters....the cold...the wet sock...wet shoes...just makes for yuck...but you came...you conquered...now on to the next mountain!!!!!!

J~Mom said...

Brrrr!!! Mary that sounds so cold!! I popped over and saw this yesterday, I thought I commented but I guess I didn't. Congratulations!!!!!