April 11, 2009

20 miler! BOO-YA!!

The first 10 miles started out wonderfully. I it was a clear day, in the upper 30's when we started. I was very dehydrated when I started. I burned through my fuel belt in the first three miles. By mile 5.5 I had gone through it a second time. I as feeling better by Soldier Field. I know it's because I had been on Lasiks all week. I swear that I'm the only woman in the world that gains weight (at least 7 lbs.) running 20 miles. The bright side to the water stops was the last one. I was very excited because there were snacks!! I discovered at the 50k I really do <3 snacks when I run long distance. There were Cheeseit's, gummy bears and some Chex Mix. Clearly, I hit the Cheeseit's and gummy bears.

We made it to the half way point at 1:55 ish. It was the way back that was the problem. Running in to a 30 mph head wind was not easy. I made it 2.5 miles and my asthma got the better of me. I just couldn't catch my breath!! Danielle gave me the "It's ok to walk, chica." But all I wanted to do was make it to the water stop.

Once there, (and after I could breathe again), I made the decision to run the rest of the way south. I knew if I continued north, I'd never make it. I'd either have to walk or have an asthma attack and have to quit. I had run the first 10 miles just fine, so I told Danielle that was my decision, and that I would take a cab back to the start. I offered any of my runners if they wanted to join me, and only Donna (who also happens to have asthma, and was having a hard time herself) joined me. We continued along at an 11:30 ish pace. At mile 16 we stopped for a bathroom break and then at each mile marker after that, Donna said she needed a walk break. Even with our breaks we still finished in 3:58:01.

On the cab ride back to our car, the cabbie kept rolling down the window...I guess after 20 miles, there's a serious funk factor. We had run from the Waveland Totem Pole to the South Shore Cultural Center at 68th (with a 2.5 mile double back in there). Somewhere between Navy Pier and North Avenue, the cabbie asked "Wait, you ran this far?" To which we both had a proud "Yup" as a reply.

I'm so glad that we ran south...I don't think I would have made it as easily going north. We even got shirts promoting the Magellan 1/2 Marathon after we finished. I guess I have another tech shirt for the pile.