Race
Report from Kimya Rakes:
Where, oh where to begin….
At the beginning of the
year I started running with the great group I have the privilege to
run with every week. After one Saturday run, we went the DQ for breakfast
and I happened to mention that I thought I wanted to do a marathon.
Ricky spoke up and said you should do the Boogie. You will have a
9 hour time limit and you can do it in that. Me, being the brave person
that I am, said okay I will sign up. I told Ricky to get my training
schedule together and I would do it. I became more committed to running
than ever at that point. I met Sharon on Wednesday’s and Saturday
mornings we met the group and did our long runs. It is so nice having
my friends to run with. I have trained on my own and did not do as
well as I have this year.
Later on Ricky came and told me he needed to talk to me. He said you
need to try to start doing Owen hill at the college to help prepare
for Bethel Hill……he did not tell me that the last 2.5
miles of the 6 mile loop was going to be as bad as Bethel Hill. I
will let him and Sharon slide on that one this time. The first Wednesday
night that Sharon and I were going to do Owen Hill, I was so tense
I felt like my shoulders were over my head. We walked up and back
down and then I felt much better. It was such a relief to have that
off my shoulders. Then we added more and more hills……I
love hills. : )
About two months before Boogie time I started having knee pain. I
have had surgery on my left knee and that was the one bothering me.
It had caused me not to be able to complete long runs and to have
to walk a lot of them too. I changed my shoes and that helped some.
However that pain came back and got REALLY bad. I said I don’t
have time for all this. I have to get my training in. Went to the
Chiropractor and that did the trick.
My first 20 miler I had the honor to do with Sharon. I am so glad
she was there, because I am not sure I would have made it through
it without her. She hung right with me during all of our running times
together. I was so afraid I was hurting her and her training. I thank
her from the bottom of my heart for being there though.
I have had moments that Coach Ricky has fussed at me for not listening
and that hurt me worse than my dad seeing me walk during runs. I could
not let him down, since he had worked so hard on fixing my schedule
for me. I wanted to make him proud. I don’t think dad ever thought
I would do a marathon. I know I never thought I would, I said it just
takes too much time to train and I don’t have that kind of time.
Well here it is the Saturday before the Boogie, I said Sharon we only
have to do 10 miles this week. She said when did you ever think you
would say that. I said….NEVER. : ) I asked a million and one
questions that week. What do I take, what do I need to do, may have
even asked what was I thinking. I started getting really nervous.
Ricky said that the hard part is behind you now, you will do it. I
was thinking yeah right.
Boogie time…..
We get there, get out of the car and it is 100 degrees, it feels like
it anyway. Sweat running down your back, in your face and everywhere
else you can imagine. Trying to lay out all the things I need and
make sure I have everything. Doing the mental run down of what I need
to take on the course with me. I think I have everything. Off to the
meeting under the tree…..Doug is talking I am getting more and
more nervous. You hear, “This aint Disney. It’s hot and
lots of hills. You will not get a PR on this course, ect.” Sharon
pats me on the back and I fight back tears, thinking what have I gotten
myself into. We go to the start line and the marathoners go backwards
for .1 miles and come back. I am standing towards the back so that
the faster people can go ahead. I passed a few people and lots passed
me. I knew I had to take my time because I had a long journey ahead
of me.
First six mile loop….
It starts downhill and so I am running along, then the rolling hills
come. I walked up hill and ran down hill. Came to the aid station
at 3.5 miles and find on that side of the loop it is mostly up hill,
however I felt pretty good. Around three miles I met Lucy, she was
nice and had a Garmin, so I was thinking hanging with her would be
okay, if I could keep up. When we started up hill on the back side
I found I could walk much faster than she could so I went on ahead.
Got back to the start line and I made it in 1 hour and a half.
Two mile out and back….
I started running down the hill and went as much as I felt like I
could. I did walk some of it, but that was okay because it was still
early. Coming back up Bethel Hill, I thought I was going to die. It
was just the never ending hill. It took about an hour to do these
four miles. Still not too bad. As I got back to where the car was
I knew I needed to pick up my headlamp because it was going to start
getting dark on me the next go round. Meeting Ricky, dad, Johnny,
and Sharon along the way was nice and they were there to encourage
me and remind me to pace myself.
Second six mile loop…
This was the never ending one. I did good to get the first three miles
in at a total time of 3 hours now. This is about what my half marathons
have been. I had to walk the majority of the last part but hey, one
foot in front of the other gets you there. It got dark and I needed
my light. I found out that it was harder to judge distance with it.
I would think I was getting close to the aid station and it was still
a long ways off. Then I would think I was getting close to the stop
sign and there were more hills. I got back though. I had to stop at
my chair and take off my shoes to dump the pebbles out that were hurting
my feet. Marc asked me if I needed anything else and I ask him to
have me some GU’s for when I come back up the hill and he did.
Thank you Marc for all your help!
Second two mile out and back…
Wow this one was tough. I saw Sharon again and she said last time
out and back and what wonderful words to hear. Going down in the bottom
was a little spooky when you are by yourself and it is pitch dark
and lots of sounds coming from the woods. As I was going back up the
hill I met Johnny. I thought he had come to help me, but later found
out he had been cramping and had to take a break. He caught up with
me and I told him we were going to do it. When I got back that was
20.2 miles down. I was at 5 hours and 25 minutes now. This was 5 minutes
less that it was when we did our 20 mile training run.
Last six mile loop….
HMMM…I have not gone this far now. I started it and was thinking
wow, I am headed away now and I have to get back somehow. I ran the
down hills and walk uphill. Then my left hamstring wanted to tighten
up and cause my calve to hurt. At about mile 23 I ran into the brick
wall that did not want to move. By this time I am strictly walking.
I would try to run a little but just didn’t have it in me. Still
remembering to do S-Caps on the half hour and GU on the hour, I started
taking extra S-caps, praying I could keep from cramping. I would have
to get close to the edge of the road and stop and stretch. I was doing
everything I could. Last time by the aid station I stopped and sit
down in the chair there to stretch. I told them this was my first
marathon and I had to finish. Deep down inside I was thinking I want
to quit. I hurt, I am tired and there is a big hill right in front
of me. The little guy down there said he would walk with me, but I
told him it was okay because my dad was coming back to meet me. I
did not know how far back in he was coming but I knew he was. I started
off up the hill. 50 miler people passing but asking are you okay.
That was so nice to hear. After walking for quite some time a guy
came by and I asked, “Do you know how far we are to the stop
sign?” He said, “I am at 34.5 miles, so about 1.5 miles
to go.” I kept walking and after a little bit I said well that
had to be about a half mile. Then I was thinking well, I have to be
about a mile now. Stop sign should be getting close. Finally I reach
the stop sign, turn right and walking up the last part of the course.
One thing I wanted to do was run across the finish line, but just
knew I didn’t have it in me to run up the hill. Part of the
way up I see my dad. I tell him, “I am going to make it now.”
As the tears start coming I see the lights from the clock. I asked
if I was going to make it in less than 7 and half hours, and someone
spoke up and said you have two and a half minutes. I knew I had to
pick up the pace. I started walking faster, as I get close to the
finish line something comes over me and I take off running. Dad said
slow down and I said I can’t. I run through the chute and across
the finish line to see the clock say 7 hours 25 minutes. Oh what a
sight that was. Of course I cried again and had to sit down, but hey
I did it. I just FINISHED my first MARATHON.
Wow what a wonderful feeling that was that came over me. I would not
have been able to do it without the help of my friends. I cannot thank
them enough and express to them what it means to me to have them as
a part of my life. Sharon told me the people in Ellerbe were just
good ole running boys and she was so right. Everyone down there was
just as nice and they could be and helped out in every way they could.
Boogie man even told me, “Good job tonight!” : )
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