Running has become a passion; I am more in love with running each race I run. At first running was a means to an end that is, at first I did it to lose weight , then I did it to cope with life and most recently I ran to escape the pain of losing my mom.
NO MORE!
I now run because I enjoy it, I run because it is fun, I run because it gives me a sense of accomplishment!
2 weeks ago, I took part in the Runners World Challenge; Runner’s World magazine invites runners of all levels to join them at several races over the year. Prior to the event, you are provided with a training program based on your level and desired race performance. You are also given the opportunity to communicate directly with Runners world editors and fellow challengers via forums. Over the course of 10 weeks or 25 depending on the race distance you select you begin to interact on a regular basis with people just like you. All come from various backgrounds and running levels but we are all there for one thing…that is to succeed in our upcoming race.
So you’re thinking, big deal how is this any different than a running club or any other online chat forum. Well I can tell you first hand it is so much more. I signed up for the challenge at a time when I thought I would be in a position to really embrace the training. Life decided otherwise or at least I thought it did. One day feeling quiet down and ready to pack it in a not participate I decided to post as such on the RW forum. The response was so overwhelmingly positive I felt compelled to charge on. I continued to post and train albeit not as regularly as I would have liked. Each time I made a post, I had either RW editors or complete strangers holding me up saying you can do it. I decided to participate, I thought it would be worth the price of admission for the pre and post race perks and to meet in person Bart Yasso, the mayor of running and Chief Running officer of RW.
So here we were the week before the race and I am feeling good, like things are going my way and I will be able to compete. I am excited to meet the Experts and other participants of my same running ability. I decide to send an email to Bart so as not to make a complete fool of myself when I meet him in person. In my email I share with him the struggles of the last year and how running has played a part in my healing and coping process. I also shared I was ready for running to be more I was ready to embrace it as fun not just a way to deal with life.
Friday night before the race and I am sitting in a meeting room at the Omni Hotel with my fellow challengers getting a briefing on the course, being introduced to others and listing to the editors, to include Bart, impart their wisdom and humor.
I go to my hotel room that night ready to take on the challenge, the jitters are there but they are jitters in a good way, if that is possible. I lay out all my clothes, I pin on my bib number, I double check that I have my ear buds, iPod and Garmin watch. Then it hits me. I didn’t sync up my iPod with the Richmond Half playlist I had created….WHAT DO I DO NOW???? You would have thought I had left my running shoes at home. I figured out a solution to my music delema, I set my alarm clock and made a call to the front desk for a wakeup call. It is now 9pm and it is lights out.
I lay there wide awake at 2am nervous, what if I fall asleep and don’t hear the alarm? What if the front desk doesn’t call for my wakeup call? What if I can’t finish the race? What the hell have I gotten myself into? I put my head down and doze for 40 minutes; up again this time I think need to hydrate, I grab my water bottle a pound 8ozs of water. Then I think well I need some electrolytes too, I guzzle the Gatorade.
Again I lay my head back down it is now 4:30am I am so wide awake and it is pointless for me to sleep. I get up get dressed and tinker around on the computer, people post interesting things on face book at 4:30 on a Saturday morning!
It’s time …I leave my room head to my car and make the 7mile drive to the host hotel. There I watch others like me mulling around. My husband calls, we chat while I walk to the starting line. I reach the National Theater and see the Runners World Challenge flags and my stomach does belly flops. “What the hell have you sign up for here Whalen?” I think. I go inside where I am greeted by Jenn Van Allen an editor at RW she is bright eyed and smiling “How ya doing?” tired ,nervous didn’t sleep well I say. She points to the bathroom and the food, I look for a place to sit my stuff and enjoy the warmth of being inside, and I pace my fluid intake so I can plan my inside bathroom break to just prior to start time.
I strike up a conversation with a woman by the name of Trisha, she is running the half like I am and has a goal of under 3 hours. Cool someone of my speed I think. We chat about the event where we have run before.
It is about 10 minutes to the start of the half and I grab my opportunity to get a picture with running loyalty. Bart is gracious and lets me snap a picture, what happens next blew me away.
Bart says “Stephanie, right” yes I reply “Stephanie Whalen” He then goes on to say “I read your email, actually read it twice, I am sorry about your mom and you will do great today” he may have said more but I was in shock so I didn’t get it all, he then gives me a hug. I am about to burst into tears! I lost my mom a mere 3 months ago I am dedicating this race to her and this man who gets hundreds if not thousands of emails a week makes a personal connection with me.
Bart Yasso and me before the Richmond Half Marathon
I keep it together, I turn in my bag and Bart is on stage getting everyone revved up and he says “See you at the Finish Stephanie” and gives me a thumbs up. I proceed to the door to the start line, when Jenn who is well aware of the emotional journey that has gotten me here gives me a big hug and said have a good race and have fun, at this point I was trying to keep my composure and not bawl like a baby. Trisha whom I met earlier, and I head to our starting waves I wish her luck and get in the pack of wave 4 starters.
The first couple miles were a blur; I had so many things rushing around in my head, did Bart Yasso really address me personally? Wasn’t Jenn sweet to give me a hug? Why the hell am I doing this? Am I going to be able to make it? Before I know it I am at mile 4 and I am settling in nicely, I have found my pace and my space. I am not franticly looking at my watch, I am simply running and taking this entire race in.
Not really sure who this guy is, it looks like we were battling each other :)
I get to the 10k mark (6.2 miles) I am running what has the makings of a PR and I feel great. I keep going, taking in the amazingly supportive people of Richmond who yell out to me “keep running challenger” or “you’re looking good Steph” (my name was on my bib).
Who ever thought I would smile and wave during a run!
I get to the spot where wet washcloths were to be giving out , mile 10 I believe and there is not a fresh one to be had. Now if I was looking for dirty, salty, trampled washcloth I could have had my pick of the litter. I won’t lie my spirit was a bit broken I was looking forward to a cool facial wipe down. I was starting to drag and needed a pick me up. I get to the next water stop and need to take a walking break. At this point, I look at my watch and realize holy crap I am well ahead of my PR time. I start saying to myself “you can do this you are stronger than you know” I think I said this for the next 3 miles. However at the end of the race I couldn’t remember what it was I was saying to myself it came back to me about a day later.
I start to run again albeit at a slower pace but I am moving and I plan to keep moving till I hit the finish line. Between miles 11 and 12.5, I had a couple more walk breaks but nothing more than 90 seconds I had to beat my PR.
I round the last corner where you hear the crowd saying "it’s all downhill” they were right and off I went. I pulled out my ear buds and for the first time ever in a race I let the crowd take me to the finish line.
I crossed the finish line in 2:18:23! I am overwhelmed, I not only beat my PR of 2:34:06 I shattered it! In my mind, I had a PR of 20 min, where I cam eup with that math I will never know I think I was delirious. It was really less than that, but that realization didn’t hit me till I got back to the hotel and got a shower.
Me sprinting to the finish!
I make my way to the Runners World Challengers reception where I was greeting by applause as well questions How was it? How do you feel? I found my bag and called my husband who was floored by my time. I waiting for my massage (wonderful by the way) and I dined on peanut butter and banana sandwiches, water and power aide. It was heaven!!!
The marathoners started to come in and it was so enjoyable to see the high fives and the pats on the back for a job well done. I realized the wave of marathon finishers was coming and I decided I better head to the hotel and get cleaned up so I could head home. I said good bye to Jenn and thanked her for everything, she encouraged me to stay in touch.
Monday Morning I am headed to work when my Blackberry chimes that I have a facebook message. It’s Bart Yasso, sending me a message to congratulate me on my 16 minute PR and letting me know how proud he was of me and my time. He also wrote of how my mom was a part of my success and to know that she was at peace. He then offered up his contact information, should I ever have questions.
I must say this was just the most amazing weekend! I am determined now to do a marathon and I will be doing it with the Runners World Challenge but not for the reasons you might think, sure the VIP treatment is the great, but the camaraderie runners show to one another is amazing!!!
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