April Shannon's Staging Area

As a first time half marathon runner, race day jitters kicked in the day before the race while I trained 20 minutes on the stair master at 4500 elevation. While picking up my bib, my nerves were soon calmed when I talked to a 65 year old couple who told me not to worry, while they have completed 15 half marathons.

Up at 4am excited for the race. The first two miles started out around Estes Lake in very cold rain with hard cold muscles. Once my body was warm the rain was enjoyable. The rain stopped around the 3 mile mark. I felt pretty good during miles 2-8 where I slowly went from 4500 elevation to 7000. At the 5 mile mark my vastus medialis started cramping (the muscle that starts by your inner knee and goes 1/3 the way up your quad). I got a little freaked out bc I used to get calf cramps while running down the soccer field, which would cause me to collapse. I feared this muscle might take me down. I stretched it out, power walked it off, and continued running. At the 6 mile mark the same cramping happened in the other leg. Mile 9 was the big climb up to 8000 elevation. I was surprised during the duration of the race how decent my lungs felt considering the lack of oxygen they were getting. Mile 12 was the hardest bc it felt the longest as I could see the finish line on the other side of the lake. No better feeling then crossing the 13.1 mile mark finish line. I trained for 3months at 73 elevation and raced at 8K. If I can do it, you can to! Set goals and make them happen.

At some point, every muscle or joint hurt from the waste down. Parts that have never hurt, hurt while running in the hills. This reminded me of a photo of my father running the LA marathon in the 80’s, where he wrote “pain pain pain all around”. I felt that for sure. I let my mind flow and my legs go, all while listening to a Jimi Hendrix playlist I made. Ran my first half in memory of my father, maybe someday I’ll do a full.

Overall the race was gorgeous, it wasn’t as difficult as I thought it would be with the hills and elevation, but it was a good fun challenge. My competitive self wonders what my race time would have been if I didn’t have to stop and use the bathroom the first 5 miles. Note to self, when you mostly eat gluten and meat free, don’t try Elk pasta the night before the race. ha! I am grateful for for porta potties, water, and the goo’s at the mile marks. Can’t wait for next years race. I think I’ll race in the Tetons.