More Than Pink

What. A. Day!!

I love Race for the Cure and the attention it brings for breast cancer awareness. It's hard to not be aware of something that everyone is affected by one way or another. But this day, that thousands and thousands of people gather to celebrate or memorialize their loved ones, it's just so special.

Scott and I drove to Little Rock, arriving much earlier than we needed to. That wasn't the plan, but I think we were... okay, I was anxious. It doesn't matter how many races I do, or what the distance is, I always have start line anxiety.

Because I'm actually training for Soaring Wings Half Marathon, and after that continuing on with Walt Disney World Marathon training, my training plan had 11 miles for today. We decided to do a warm up mile before the 5k race, then almost right away get 6-7 miles in before the survivor parade. Things almost went as planned.

After the warm up mile, we found a place in the corral for the competitive runners. There was about 15 minutes until our race began, but time went quickly. While we waited I was looking around to see if I could figure out where we were in the lineup. I didn't feel like there were THAT many people in the corral. I knew that the first 250 finishers received a medal, and at the time, that was my only goal.

When the gun went off I tried to focus only on the running I had to do. Not the people around me. Not a pace or goal time, even though Scott did ask what my goal was, and I told him I'd need a pace of 8:40 or less to PR. Something I had no expectation of getting because it was so warm already and humidity was at 100%. Not to mention, I know how many hills are squeezed into this course! Half a mile, and one bridge over the river in, I glanced at my watch and realized I was running a sub 8 pace. This is a very new pace for me!! It's also not the best way to start if I didn't want to flop before the finish line, but at the same time, I was surprised that even though it was hard, I was not struggling. I also knew I wouldn't hold that. I was close though, for the first mile. :) Out of habit I looked down when my watched beeped- Mile one was done in 8:01. That's also about the time Scott got a real in the moment picture of me. I thought I was smiling for the camera, but I was wrong. lol

I definitely slowed down over the next two miles. At least on the uphills. I tried to keep it steady, but around 1 1/2 miles I started getting a side cramp and it never went away. So I'd go up the hills at a slower pace, but try to pick it up on the downhills. I didn't hear the beep for mile two so it wasn't until almost 2 1/2 miles in that I realized my pace was in the 8:30's. Scott had been encouraging all along the way and at this point he started telling me he knew I had more in me. I told him I was giving it all I had. I really believed that. For the next .6 miles he kept telling me I could do this, but I had to go faster. At least, I think that's what he was saying. With about 1/3 left to go I turned my music up so I wouldn't hear him. Don't get me wrong, I REALLY loved and appreciated his support. So much. But I had a horrible cramp and I was pushing to the point of feeling like I'd be sick. I needed to just focus on whatever song was playing and making sure my legs didn't buckle underneath me. In my heart I knew he was encouraging me, and for that moment, that was what I needed. I knew if I could at least keep my current pace, I'd get the PR I didn't know I was going for. I also knew I was giving it all I could when my normal kick did not show up. Maybe it was the uphill climb to the finish line. I don't know, but it's ok. I had it! I crossed that finish line mat, stopped my watch, received my medal from a lovely volunteer, and after I got some much needed water, I finally looked to make it official. :-D

Finish time 26:54
Average pace 8:34
Overall place 56/211
Female place 25/152

My finishing place puts me in a higher percentage for placement than I have ever been for any race distance. It was a great surprise to find the results and see those numbers!

We only stopped for a couple minutes because I really wanted to get back for the survivor parade. Our next 6 miles were quite the adventure, which was good because after pushing so hard during the race I really just didn't want to move. I had planned for us to run the mile or so down to the river trail because I knew it would be mostly flat once we got down there, and do an out and back route. We got down to the trail and it was so peaceful and quite, but barely a mile on the trail, it ended because of construction.

So we battled with some traffic and ran on grass for a little bit until we found the next street we could turn on, and from there it was up and down more hills, over and over again, until we were able to make our way back in the direction of the race route to finish. We did stop for a couple pictures and a big drink of water when we reached the Capitol building. At that point we checked the time. I wasn't sure how behind we would be because of the detour and walking we were doing. I thought we may only be able to get in 5 miles. We realized we would have time to finish 6, but not the 7th mile, the one that would give us our 11 total for the day. That would have to wait until after the parade.

Once we hit 6 miles we had about 3 blocks to walk to where the parade would be. Those blocks just happened to be at the finishing area of the 5k. I really enjoyed walking the sidewalk and watching people finish!! I'm not sure if I've mentioned in past recaps, but the competitive run, which is what we did, starts half an hour earlier than the rest of the race. The number of participants is so large and there is so much entertainment along the course, that it can take an incredible amount of time to finish. I've walked it twice. One year, it took over 2 hours! So, when we finished our 6 miles, it had been an hour and a half since the general start of the race. At one point, not that long ago, Race for the Cure in Little Rock was number 2 in the country!! I'm not sure what the numbers were for this year.

I didn't know anyone in the parade, but I wanted to be there to honor my friend who normally is a part of it, and also because it is such a special part of the day. The song played during the parade this year was called "Run For Life" by Melissa Ethridge. This was the first time I have heard this song, and it touched me so deeply. Between the song and watching these amazing, strong women walking with huge smiles, I just couldn't keep my emotions under control.

A few of the ladies made eye contact and I'd gesture towards them, clapping or something. It's so hard to explain these experiences. One lady walked over and hugged me. But, it wasn't a hug FOR me... like she wasn't comforting me. It was a thank you. I've been trying to figure out how to put that moment into words and that's it. She was thanking me for being there. For the support. For the tears I'm shedding because I hate so much what they, and anyone with any form of cancer, has to go through. It's amazing what can happen when we show a little vulnerability.

The parade ended, but we waited another minute or two for things to clear up (emotions included!) before we started our final mile. I really didn't want to run anymore, but we had to get back to the car anyway, and it was almost a mile away. So we sucked it up and got moving. I was thankful that a good bit of that final mile was downhill or flat. :)

It was such a good day. The feelings were as much of a roller coaster as the hills we ran all morning long. I wouldn't have it any other way though!!