Word on "The Hill"

Well, I did it.  I crossed the finish line.

I didn't walk all of it, but I did walk part of it.  The pace group leaders called it "Power Walking."  They said it is part of good running strategy.  Whatever.  It was still walking.  Usually I am a purist.  Today I was totally okay with walking.  More on pace group leaders in a little bit.

My time did suck.  I'm also okay with this.  Actions (or in this case, little to no action) have consequences.

I'm sure I looked like an idiot.

For some reason, this picture comes to mind:

Lots of thoughts swirled through my brain for the roughly three-and-a-half hours I was at the race.  Here are the coherent ones in no particular order:

~I am not a runner.  I can run.  Much of my exercise routine includes running.  I occasionally run races.  But I am not a runner.  I'm not built like a runner.  I'm not competitive enough to be a runner.  I dislike excruciating pain and feeling like I want to vomit too much to be a runner.  Races like Hospital Hill have lots of runners.  They also have lots of people like me.  That's pretty cool.

~My competitive sport experience is admittedly narrow, but I would hold distance runners, their fans, and race support staff/ volunteers to be among some of the nicest, kindest, most supportive and friendly people in the world.  From the people I chatted with while waiting to start, to the six or so people in the pace group I ran with, to the police officers re-routing traffic, to the Girl Scouts raking up hundreds of  crumpled paper cups, to runners' sweet children holding up signs of encouragement--this is a fantastic group of people.  Run, watch, or volunteer for a race just so you can interact with these incredible people at least once in your life.

~I was unbelievably lucky to get to run this particular race today.  I could run it yearly for 10+ years and not get the amazing weather we had. 13.1 hilly miles run the first weekend in June in Kansas City, Missouri is a recipe for...well...misery.  The weather today was delightful.

~I am sold on pace groups.  I have run a couple of halfs before and I didn't use them.  At the advice of my dear friend the personal trainer and nutritionist, I utilized them this time.  They are FANTASTIC!  The two amazing people who led mine probably deserve to be named in my will.  I might not have finished the race without them.  I certainly would not have enjoyed it.  And I did enjoy running this race.  They joked, laughed, encouraged, supported, and most importantly...kept me from running too fast in the beginning.  My time did suck, but It was totally worth it to spend 2 1/2 hours with them and the "2:30" group.

~I'm getting a Garmin running watch as soon as I can.  The Mapmyrun app on my phone sucks.  Just saying.

~Playlists are very important.  As I started out, "Vienna" by Billy Joel hit my ears.  "Slow down, you crazy child..."  Good advice.  I took it.  :o)  "The Lazy Song" by Bruno Mars really has to go.  Especially since it blasted at around mile 6.  Not fantastic timing in the least.

~My friend, Jennifer, said that when she ran Hospital Hill the first time, it didn't really seem that hilly.  It was the second...and third...and fourth times that she really noticed them.  I can only vouch as a first-timer, but I agree.  It didn't seem as hilly as I expected it to be.  If I ever do it again, I don't expect to be so pleasantly surprised.

~During the last couple of miles of the race, we had to move out of the way for an ambulance with its lights and sirens going.  I hate that I now have to hope that it's just "someone with heat exhaustion" and not someone injured by senseless terrorism.

~I said earlier that it is really cool that lots of people like me can run races like this.  And it is.  But those of us who run but are not runners need to respect the fact that there are real runners who are running this race to win. or to PR.  Or in the case of full marathons...to achieve qualifying times for other, more prestigious races.  We need to do our homework and be respectful and make sure our race experience doesn't get in the way of theirs by hanging back to start...not running six abreast...pulling over to the side to walk...etc.

~Kansas City really is a very pretty city.  Well.  It has very pretty parts.

~Getting a "Good luck on your race" text from your oldest daughter sometime between miles six and seven and a "It won't be long now.  Hang in there" text from your husband is nearly as good as having them there in person cheering me on.

~I'm not trying to judge here, but might I suggest that if you have enough energy to take a picture of Every. Single. Mile. Marker. on the course and update your Facebook status with your phone, that you could use that energy to knock some seconds/minutes off of your time and not stop in the middle of the course?

~Find a running friend. Run a race with them.  It doesn't matter if he/she is better than you are.  It's just so nice not to feel like you are running a race all by yourself.  You need someone with whom to take a "Why Exactly Are We Doing This?  We Must Be Crazy" before race picture:

And a "We Did It And We Didn't Die!" after race picture:

~It is a bonus if this person also believes that the only appropriate post-race meal is a steak salad from Chipotle.

~There were LOTS of times where I wondered what on earth I was doing and where I swore to myself that I'd never sign up for anther one of these crazy things again.  Specifically at miles six and eleven and the part where you can see the finish line but you're far enough away that you could still drop dead before you have a chance to cross it.

~That feeling is quickly forgotten.  I'm already Google searching half and full marathons in Southern California.