Alright, so, we have been out of touch for a while, at least as the blog goes. We had a wonderful time with Mom and Dad here which deserves its own post. However, I am just going to post about the half marathon that we completed yesterday. It is a run that we did last year also because it is on a saturday. We luckily had great friends that were willing to watch the kids so this time we elected to just ride out to the island the day of rather than spend the night on the island. We were not very impressed with the expensive accommodations that we had last time. Also, it seemed like last year we just did too many things the day before and the day of the half marathon. For some reason the Japanese schedule a large amount of their races in the afternoon. This is stupid. Who wants to eat lunch then go out for a long run in the toasty sun. So, the morning as we left our house was awesome. It was like 65 degrees. There was a little sun but there were a ton of clouds in the sky to make it cool. So, we were really looking forward to the race. We dropped the kids off and were off to the ferry. All went fine with the ferry. The water was calm so it made for a really beautiful ride over to the island with beautiful views.
When we got to the island we retrieved our shirts and saki and just rested in a shady part of the port building until around race time. We did notice that on the promotional poster for this race there is a picture of the starters from last year and we are in the group so I snagged one for memory sake. We then walked up to the race and by this time the sun was really beginning to shine down on us. It still was only about 76 but that is warm when the sun is coming down hard on you. So, we started the race at 1510. That is just stupid, let me say that again. This time I actually had my ipod functioning, not like last year when I got to the starting line only to find the ipod on and drained of all power...Where is Taylor when I need him? Anyway, this time I had a back up shuffle in my pocket of my shorts and a backup set of headphones in my shorts also just in case anything happened. We started off quick. The first 3-4 miles were at a really good pace and Tracey had determined prior to the race that she was going to stay with me the whole time if she could, and that woman has some serious will power so I was convinced she would. She says that for the first 6 miles it was really tough to stay up but that after that she felt really good. I on the other hand was really having trouble. Tracey tried to leave me a few times and I caught up with her each time because I was not going to have my pride hurt. Every long run we went on during this training schedule has ended with me leaving her at the end because I was going to fast and now it was race day and I was going to let her just go ahead? No way. But, I can only do what my body lets me do. So, we ran as hard as we could, walking through water stops only. The last 5K seemed like forever even though I have been doing 3 miles in my sleep. It seemed like each Km, and they mark each one, lasted forever. I hate that it is listed on the side. This does not help. I have a watch for that.
So, toward the end of the run there is a long hill, so I headed up the hill as fast as I could. I past up Tracey and just kept going hard into the finish. I was feeling completely drained but I had already missed my target so I just wanted to do as well as I could. Tracey stayed very close behind but the fact of the matter is that my legs are twice as long as hers. So, I finished hard, passing up 6-7 guys on the hill and into the finish.
Yeah, I beat yellow guy.
And then, I lost it. As soon as I crossed the finish line I was dizzy, I felt like I was going to fall down. I managed to make my way to a chair in a tent as multiple japanese people crowded around me. I requested an IV because I felt drained but they did not understand me. They gave me water and this brown sugar square that I immediately threw up. I made my way to the ground and my shoes were removed. I apparently asked them for a foot massage which was not granted. I just remember being very delirious and just wanting to go to sleep. I tried multiple times to get up but just could not do it. I have never felt this way. So, I sat on a chair eventually and threw up another load of water. I guess all of the water that I was consuming during the race was not making it past my stomach.
So, I had to be moved over to another area to free up room in the tent I was in. They kept wanting to send me to the hospital but I refused. After being moved, one of our friends saw me and immediately identified it as heat exhaustion and instructed people to pour cold water on my body. She said I looked like death. My pulse was very fast even 30 minutes after the race and I was pale. I got cramps in my legs and feet over and over again. It was very painful. So, in the end, we made it home. I threw up another time on the way home out the car door. It was all the water I had drank during the race. I must not have had anything in me. I am fine now. Frustrated at the whole thing and what it took out of me to not reach the goal we had. But, we did well. Both Tracey and I finished around 1:42. So, it is my PR, but Tracey has a more amazing PR so she had to settle with me. I am not sure why this race has my number, but it does. I could go out any other day and run 13.1 at 6 in the morning and get my goal. I did it every time we did the long runs. But, something about the rolling hills of the run and the heat, you are virtually exposed to the suns rays the whole time, it makes it really difficult. So, we are done. On Garmin we were actually very consistent pace wise. It did not feel like that. Here are some charts if you care and some pictures. I guess we just have to always have interesting experiences with races. We will continue to because we are not going to stop running.
Crazy, Tom. Glad you survived!!!!! Tracey, good luck with girls' camp. I can't even imagine what kind of planning and work that takes. At least it will all be over soon!
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