We drove down Friday evening after work and stayed the night in Danville. We traveled across the San Ramone bridge and what I was going to be doing was still surreal as I looked over the Bay. I could see the lights of this City that I have some what of an obsessive love affair with. I am not sure why my heart melts and calms when I even see San Francisco, but it does, and seeing the sky line and the subdue lights lining the shoreline and the Bay bridge, it seemed magical.
I crashed out the moment I put my head on the pillow when we got to my "adopted family's" sister/aunt's house. Woke up first around 6:15, rolled over, went back to sleep, and finally simply could not sleep anymore by 8.Kristen and I headed out to run 3 miles to the nail salon where the family was getting mani's and pedi's done. I took the time to walk back to the coffee shop, call and update my mother on the following day's schedule of events via phone, grab some ice coffee, and relax for awhile prior to the insanity which would be SF.
We returned to shower and got ready to go to the City. As we drove to the City I had panic attacks that I left things such as my watch, socks, etc... thankfully I didn't leave anything I needed.
As the adopted fam. went off to a baby shower I took on the public transportation system to go pick up my shwag and bib number, etc. I was only mildly prepared for insanity that would be the Expo.Entered the SF Design Center and really quickly was able to pick up my bib, drop bag (a drawstring bag you write your number on) tech race shirt, timing chip, some other random samples, coupons, etc.
Then I navigated towards the schwag store and the expo... having to pull myself over to the side-lines several times and reminding myself to breathe and focus... people going every direction, while I am trying to select things I really wanted and would use (which I really have trouble doing in a calm environment) Honestly I don't do well in gift shops with tons of people, I just don't. Anyhow, picked up a few things, headed to the vendors area to locate the Running Divas booth to pick up one more item (got to support the SLO based running clothes brand)(helps the fact that they have awesome gear as well).
Then I navigated towards the schwag store and the expo... having to pull myself over to the side-lines several times and reminding myself to breathe and focus... people going every direction, while I am trying to select things I really wanted and would use (which I really have trouble doing in a calm environment) Honestly I don't do well in gift shops with tons of people, I just don't. Anyhow, picked up a few things, headed to the vendors area to locate the Running Divas booth to pick up one more item (got to support the SLO based running clothes brand)(helps the fact that they have awesome gear as well).
Finally found it, managing to snag a few free samples along the way, but honestly, I just don't think its worth dealing with the crowds to score all these free bit size samples everyone seemed after, just sayin...
Chatted with Aeron from Running Divas about Jani Johnson and track and running over at Cuesta, as she had run with Jani at one time, and had Jani help model shirts for the website to show off the products. I then decided it was time to get out of there, and headed out with a t-shirt.
Basically I think the organizers of the SF Marathon did a great job in having adequate space to make picking up your race information/number/bag very easy, however the rest of the space was simply not large enough for the number of people going through it. (1 of only 2 complaints/suggestions of area of improvement for future race organization)
Jumped back on Muni back to where I left Kristen to hand off the schag and stuff I didn't need to race (avoiding having to go back across town to pick up stuff after the race) a quick thank you, hug, see you to tomorrow after I run 26 miles, and I was off to head to Lower Pac Heights to stay with my college sorority sister Ashley for the evening.
Got to the neighborhood about an hour/hour and a half before we where suppose to meet up so I headed to Lafayette Park, which is about a block from her place. This could possibly be the first time I have had true down time in SF, which is completely fine by me. I just enjoyed the sun between the clouds, soaked in the warmth of the sun and made a few last minute pep talk calls to Karen and my mom, did some people watching. Love that City....
Met up with Ashley and her boyfriend Nelson, and headed to Filmore St for some diner carbs and catching up, ate some decadent ghonnci and walked back to her place. Nelson decided it would be great to watch YouTube videos of runners gone bad or something of that sort.... such as this one... Finish line FAIL
Basically I think the organizers of the SF Marathon did a great job in having adequate space to make picking up your race information/number/bag very easy, however the rest of the space was simply not large enough for the number of people going through it. (1 of only 2 complaints/suggestions of area of improvement for future race organization)
Jumped back on Muni back to where I left Kristen to hand off the schag and stuff I didn't need to race (avoiding having to go back across town to pick up stuff after the race) a quick thank you, hug, see you to tomorrow after I run 26 miles, and I was off to head to Lower Pac Heights to stay with my college sorority sister Ashley for the evening.
Got to the neighborhood about an hour/hour and a half before we where suppose to meet up so I headed to Lafayette Park, which is about a block from her place. This could possibly be the first time I have had true down time in SF, which is completely fine by me. I just enjoyed the sun between the clouds, soaked in the warmth of the sun and made a few last minute pep talk calls to Karen and my mom, did some people watching. Love that City....
Met up with Ashley and her boyfriend Nelson, and headed to Filmore St for some diner carbs and catching up, ate some decadent ghonnci and walked back to her place. Nelson decided it would be great to watch YouTube videos of runners gone bad or something of that sort.... such as this one... Finish line FAIL
which although terrible, provided some pain-inducing laughs for the evening, and a good chuckle the next day when I saw a girl bobbling her head around in similar fashion, although I think she was rocking out to her music....
Woke up about 4:25 am the next morning... tip toed around getting oatmeal, a banana, and coffee in my system...
Contacts in.Shorts on, Jersey on,
Shot blocks cut and in proper pockets,
Garmin on, Ipod set to the right playlist...
hair pined back, headband on...4:50, headed out the front door...up to the bus stop I had scouted out the day before that would take me straight to the start line... bus comes at 5:04... and totally just flies past me... didn't even see me...
Thanks to my over-paranoid sense of planning... I didn't start til 6:22, (bus was about a 1/2 hour ride) and I had plenty of time to catch the next one.. I decided to move down a few blocks to see if there was a better visible bus stop, found one and hung out for a little while, watched the paper boy of SF navigate dropping off papers.. and the next bus stopped and picked me up... still on time.
As we got closer more and more runners got on the bus, some half marathon runners, some full. We get to "the stop"... Off the bus, and it all starts to become real, I try and stay calm, realizing I still have plenty of time I walk slower than most... who either had too much coffee or are just way way too hyped up. I take in the subtle blue glow of the sky as the sun is starting to wake, realizing most of the City is still sleeping, minus all the of the people I am about to join...as we turn a corner and enter the square, where it all begins to settle in.
It's here... The SF Marathon, its time to run. Photographers for the race event snapping pictures left and right of moms and dads, and kids and friends running with one another, like we entering Disneyland or something.
Woke up about 4:25 am the next morning... tip toed around getting oatmeal, a banana, and coffee in my system...
Contacts in.Shorts on, Jersey on,
Shot blocks cut and in proper pockets,
Garmin on, Ipod set to the right playlist...
hair pined back, headband on...4:50, headed out the front door...up to the bus stop I had scouted out the day before that would take me straight to the start line... bus comes at 5:04... and totally just flies past me... didn't even see me...
Thanks to my over-paranoid sense of planning... I didn't start til 6:22, (bus was about a 1/2 hour ride) and I had plenty of time to catch the next one.. I decided to move down a few blocks to see if there was a better visible bus stop, found one and hung out for a little while, watched the paper boy of SF navigate dropping off papers.. and the next bus stopped and picked me up... still on time.
As we got closer more and more runners got on the bus, some half marathon runners, some full. We get to "the stop"... Off the bus, and it all starts to become real, I try and stay calm, realizing I still have plenty of time I walk slower than most... who either had too much coffee or are just way way too hyped up. I take in the subtle blue glow of the sky as the sun is starting to wake, realizing most of the City is still sleeping, minus all the of the people I am about to join...as we turn a corner and enter the square, where it all begins to settle in.
It's here... The SF Marathon, its time to run. Photographers for the race event snapping pictures left and right of moms and dads, and kids and friends running with one another, like we entering Disneyland or something.
I skip this as I am not a fan of touristy things most of the time. I still have my number pinned on my shirt below the sweats and am riding solo, so I was able to dodge them without to much harassment...
I am with a few thousand people and alone, ready to do what I came to do. For me this race was never about running with someone else, beating someone else, or wanting to flaunt that I had done it, it was a personal goal and accomplishment to have, nothing more, nothing less.and just happened to be in a city I enjoy immensely.
I am with a few thousand people and alone, ready to do what I came to do. For me this race was never about running with someone else, beating someone else, or wanting to flaunt that I had done it, it was a personal goal and accomplishment to have, nothing more, nothing less.and just happened to be in a city I enjoy immensely.
I pass by my friend Andrew who is running this as his first full too (the only other person I know out of the 6,000 running the full) say hello, note what he is starting in wave 5 or 6, so he'll be ahead of me, let him know if he sees me, we should keep each other company... note that he is wearing plain navy blue (the race shirts where navy blue that soo many choose to wear [I think its just cliche to wear the event shirt for the event, that me though]) and I show him I am wearing bright yellow.. chances are we won't see each other, but if we would, it would probably mean he could use a familiar face and support. Wish each other good luck, and continue on in our pre-race moods.
I find drop bag drop off... time to shed the sweats... and it becomes real, I am not just a supporter of a runner now, I am a racer (I think I got past all the photographers at this point)... Garmin gets turned on, locating satellites, Ipod on the arm, sunglasses in pocket, and the rest goes over the fence in the guarded area...Now to the bathroom line... notice I have about 10 minutes and they seem to be a little behind schedule.. for the most part everyone is calm and happy but mellow. I think it was the roughly 6 am start times, but it was exactly how I like it, no high strung energy, just the voice over the microphone counting down the wave starts, asking how many first timers there was, and sending them off.
Into the mass that was Wave 7 I went. I enjoy rolling starts, they are less stressful for me, you start in a mob, there is a bit of a hoot and hollar when they count down the start of the wave, otherwise. I like to run and not know anyone is watching me specifically. I had issues in high school knowing my parents where there, it added some uncontrolable notition of pressure throwing me in to a sort of panic attack (although there was no pressure from my parents, they thought I was crazy just to do it to begin with). I like the invisibility running in a group gives you for some reason.
The announcer continues to gab on as I wonder how long he has been up and how much caffeine must be in his system. They play "When in San Francisco" by Scott McKenzie as they start moving us up to the start line.
Cross the official start line and "beep" on goes Garmin... and I am off... the group gets moving, people begin to thin out and settle, as we run down the 4 lanes of embarcadero, past fisherman's wharf... smell of bacon in the air, very funny someone, very funny...
I find drop bag drop off... time to shed the sweats... and it becomes real, I am not just a supporter of a runner now, I am a racer (I think I got past all the photographers at this point)... Garmin gets turned on, locating satellites, Ipod on the arm, sunglasses in pocket, and the rest goes over the fence in the guarded area...Now to the bathroom line... notice I have about 10 minutes and they seem to be a little behind schedule.. for the most part everyone is calm and happy but mellow. I think it was the roughly 6 am start times, but it was exactly how I like it, no high strung energy, just the voice over the microphone counting down the wave starts, asking how many first timers there was, and sending them off.
Into the mass that was Wave 7 I went. I enjoy rolling starts, they are less stressful for me, you start in a mob, there is a bit of a hoot and hollar when they count down the start of the wave, otherwise. I like to run and not know anyone is watching me specifically. I had issues in high school knowing my parents where there, it added some uncontrolable notition of pressure throwing me in to a sort of panic attack (although there was no pressure from my parents, they thought I was crazy just to do it to begin with). I like the invisibility running in a group gives you for some reason.
The announcer continues to gab on as I wonder how long he has been up and how much caffeine must be in his system. They play "When in San Francisco" by Scott McKenzie as they start moving us up to the start line.
Cross the official start line and "beep" on goes Garmin... and I am off... the group gets moving, people begin to thin out and settle, as we run down the 4 lanes of embarcadero, past fisherman's wharf... smell of bacon in the air, very funny someone, very funny...
Past mile 1, 2, seeing a guy infront of me sporting western states gu pack around his waist. I pull up next to him and chat with him for til we get to the aid station. His brother had run WS1oo a few years back, and he spoke about it the same way Karen did, crewing for his sibling, a wonderful experience, we bid farewell as we approach the ciaos of aid station 1...
In go 3 shot bloks, and I figure out water is second at aid stations... momentary ciaos... and I am off again, up the steepest incline of the course, short, and it was like a speed bump to me. I maintain 10:15-20 minute miles at least point, having to slow my self down at some points, reminding myself to follow the game plan, i've got plenty of time, we are finishing vertically, and we (talking to myself) know how to do that...
Feeling great, moving past people left and right, barely noticing I am one of the only ones still running, and not walking, up this hill and the one at mile 5 1/2 (and really every steepish hill) up to the bridge... legs still felt great.
In go 3 shot bloks, and I figure out water is second at aid stations... momentary ciaos... and I am off again, up the steepest incline of the course, short, and it was like a speed bump to me. I maintain 10:15-20 minute miles at least point, having to slow my self down at some points, reminding myself to follow the game plan, i've got plenty of time, we are finishing vertically, and we (talking to myself) know how to do that...
Feeling great, moving past people left and right, barely noticing I am one of the only ones still running, and not walking, up this hill and the one at mile 5 1/2 (and really every steepish hill) up to the bridge... legs still felt great.
The bridge is halfway visible as the marin layer hugs the top still, half way up the hill to the bridge, a gong and many cow bells are ringing and banging to cheer runs up the incline.Before I realized it I was on the bridge, runners swishing by returning from their trip across and back, on our left...
Besides having to zig zag through the friends running 3 abreast at a 13 minute mile pace (incosiderate or oblivious.. take your pick), the bridge was wonderful, a smooth long rolling hill, turn around at mile 7.5, in go more shot bloks... run with a SF native for a little while, chatting about running past his parents house, and work, and the temptation to stop, and then back across the bridge we go. Half way back they had moved the on coming runners to the sidewalk, opening up the whole half fo the bridge for returning runners... excellent... had to remind myself to look up, and around myselfand see where I was, what I was doing... I was standing on the road bed of the golden gate bridge for peets sake and there was a cargo barge rolling beneath us!
Off the bridge and I hear someone say, "Great job heather, you are looking great"... I look up sorta boggled thinking whos here that knows me? I see the person that had said my name, smile, and it takes me about 5 more seconds to remember my name is on my bib... haha... great work SF Marathon, very good.
We take a right and head up the hill through the preisido, which I guess is the long killer hill, I really wasn't thinking about it and I nearly run past the 9.5 aid station because I am enjoy the run and just chugging up this hill...
throw 2 shot bloks in my mouth, grab a water cup, pinch the top of it and keep going, trying to get down 3 shot bloks and not loose any time thanks to my moment of absence. It worked out fine, and then a long beautiful downhill over baker beach and up 19th street we went, nice rolling uphill.. and before you know it BAM, we are at the 13 mile mark and dropping off the half marathon runners...Honestly I thought I would at least feel restless and slightly jealous to not be done at this point, seeing people nearing their finish.. but I think I had mentally prepared that I was there to do the full marathon, there was never the option or thought to run the half, so it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it might be...
Although as an after thought I would be interested to run the half marathon course... b/c I hit 13 at 2:16...holding back to run the full, and my half marathon personal best is 2:03.. I think I could have shattered it, even with the hills...Anyhow, out past the buffalo, and we start to run into the 2nd half marathoners that had started right before I got there... and then there is the next aid station, as normal Cytomax, Water, and then...
Besides having to zig zag through the friends running 3 abreast at a 13 minute mile pace (incosiderate or oblivious.. take your pick), the bridge was wonderful, a smooth long rolling hill, turn around at mile 7.5, in go more shot bloks... run with a SF native for a little while, chatting about running past his parents house, and work, and the temptation to stop, and then back across the bridge we go. Half way back they had moved the on coming runners to the sidewalk, opening up the whole half fo the bridge for returning runners... excellent... had to remind myself to look up, and around myselfand see where I was, what I was doing... I was standing on the road bed of the golden gate bridge for peets sake and there was a cargo barge rolling beneath us!
Off the bridge and I hear someone say, "Great job heather, you are looking great"... I look up sorta boggled thinking whos here that knows me? I see the person that had said my name, smile, and it takes me about 5 more seconds to remember my name is on my bib... haha... great work SF Marathon, very good.
We take a right and head up the hill through the preisido, which I guess is the long killer hill, I really wasn't thinking about it and I nearly run past the 9.5 aid station because I am enjoy the run and just chugging up this hill...
throw 2 shot bloks in my mouth, grab a water cup, pinch the top of it and keep going, trying to get down 3 shot bloks and not loose any time thanks to my moment of absence. It worked out fine, and then a long beautiful downhill over baker beach and up 19th street we went, nice rolling uphill.. and before you know it BAM, we are at the 13 mile mark and dropping off the half marathon runners...Honestly I thought I would at least feel restless and slightly jealous to not be done at this point, seeing people nearing their finish.. but I think I had mentally prepared that I was there to do the full marathon, there was never the option or thought to run the half, so it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it might be...
Although as an after thought I would be interested to run the half marathon course... b/c I hit 13 at 2:16...holding back to run the full, and my half marathon personal best is 2:03.. I think I could have shattered it, even with the hills...Anyhow, out past the buffalo, and we start to run into the 2nd half marathoners that had started right before I got there... and then there is the next aid station, as normal Cytomax, Water, and then...
BEER... haha, I had heard about this exisiting in the past, and so I had to grab a cup, I went to Cal Poly after all... I took about 2 sips and was done, but I mean, you have to, just to say you did...Feeling great as we get to mile 16 which lines up back where the half marathon ends, past the flower conservatory.. and before I know it I am getting ready to leave the park, mile 19! I think about the fact that I have only ran 18 miles at once, one time prior to this... and I only have 7 to go... seriously... amazed myself by my positive thought process. I think to myself, I have alot left in the tank at this point.
Out onto Height street, rolling downhill, at this point I began to feel my quads, not painfully, but definitely acknowledging that we where no longer climbing, but going down hill, a long downhill, and possibly that we had run 19 miles already... still picking off people, and still holding about a 10:20 mile...
I stop really paying attention to pace time, as at this point I am "theoretical according to the plan" free to run how I feel and pick it up. I enjoy looking around, rather than ahead of me, I really was in a great place, if I had any pain, I would have dreaded seeing the length of height we still had to run... but I was enjoy it, and feeling great.
The only "downfall" ("" because, really there wasn't a downfall at all) was that I had not driven this part of the course prior and didn't really have an idea of how far I had to go visually, I didn't know what the small incline around mile 22 really looked like (I can't really remember any big hill around 22), and wasn't sure how my legs where goin go to hold up, I felt good, and like I could maintain what I was doing, but was afraid to pick it up and burn out and then have to slow down much more later...so I waited til there was about 2.5 miles to go... and then started really moving, making myself slightly uncomfortable, the knees started to scream a little bit, but I was surprisingly in a great mood and was going to pick it up... around AT&T park we went, I jump in front of the 3hr 2nd marathon pace group (having no idea when they really started) and start moving, I hear the pacer behind me say there is a .5 mile to go, and I am off... its time to move and move and move...
I start sizing up the people in front of me for age, although I have no idea when they started and how long they have been running, but begin figuring out how many I am going to pass, and I go at it.As I pass under the Bay Bridge the race path splits the half marathoner and the full marathoners (noting someone say, seeing the sign that reads half runners <-- full runners -->, "we are only half runners today apparently and have to run on the left, not full runners" and chuckled).
I start to hear the crowd growing, more cheering, more cow bell, more signs, and the chills run through all parts of my body as I realize I am at the end, I made it, I just ran a marathon, I can't help my smile as I cross the finish line and hit the stop button on my Garmin....
4:31:41 is the official finish time... I just ran my first Marathon, I just ran SF... and I feel great, I did it, my body is still strong and holding me up... I did it (pat on the back for heather)
The hand me my medal (they must have gotten really over trying to loop peoples heads as they swayed I think) On goes the hunk of medal saying marathon finisher : ) through the food shoots, bananas, cookies, granola.. heat blanket on, and the guy I had been running to the end anticipating...Banana suit man from Jamba Juice with my strawberry whirl smoothie... that was the end encouragement, a strawberry banana apple juice smoothie kids.... I am a tough one to please...
Kristen found me eventually, and my friend Matt happened to snap a few pictures of me finishing, so those will come soon.... Matt, his coworker Ariel, who both had run the first half, and their friend Jessie where waiting for Andrew to come across the line, and I had come across before him... thank goodness for wearing yellow, I was easy to see...
Andrew finished in 4:51, I must have missed him running through SOMA, the only think I can think of how I missed him at this point was that b/c they switch off between running different ways around blocks to ease traffic during the race, he must have gone one way and I another...
We all celebrate with our finishers beer, take a few pictures and saying our last congrats...
All in all, a great great race, beautiful views, a beautiful city. A great race, wonderfully ran by me. ( net paces at miles 7, 13, 20, and the finish where 10:27, 10:26, 10:27, 10:22 respectively) and with this elevation change over the course, thats pretty amazing, even to me..
Finishing Results... which are really meaningless, b/c just finishing my first marathon is enough, but here they are:
3182 of 5873 Marathon finishers
864th of 2000 Female finishers
98th of 218 Female 20-24 year old finishers...
not to shabby eh??
It hasn't really sunk in.. I do not know why... I felt too good to make it seem hard, I obviously trained well for this.. but its weird that I can still say it was fun, it wasn't really hard, is that sick? or just contorted?
anyhow I have to laugh as this video pretty much sums up Monday (although I was moving a little bit better then most of them) still picture perfect
I start sizing up the people in front of me for age, although I have no idea when they started and how long they have been running, but begin figuring out how many I am going to pass, and I go at it.As I pass under the Bay Bridge the race path splits the half marathoner and the full marathoners (noting someone say, seeing the sign that reads half runners <-- full runners -->, "we are only half runners today apparently and have to run on the left, not full runners" and chuckled).
I start to hear the crowd growing, more cheering, more cow bell, more signs, and the chills run through all parts of my body as I realize I am at the end, I made it, I just ran a marathon, I can't help my smile as I cross the finish line and hit the stop button on my Garmin....
4:31:41 is the official finish time... I just ran my first Marathon, I just ran SF... and I feel great, I did it, my body is still strong and holding me up... I did it (pat on the back for heather)
The hand me my medal (they must have gotten really over trying to loop peoples heads as they swayed I think) On goes the hunk of medal saying marathon finisher : ) through the food shoots, bananas, cookies, granola.. heat blanket on, and the guy I had been running to the end anticipating...Banana suit man from Jamba Juice with my strawberry whirl smoothie... that was the end encouragement, a strawberry banana apple juice smoothie kids.... I am a tough one to please...
Kristen found me eventually, and my friend Matt happened to snap a few pictures of me finishing, so those will come soon.... Matt, his coworker Ariel, who both had run the first half, and their friend Jessie where waiting for Andrew to come across the line, and I had come across before him... thank goodness for wearing yellow, I was easy to see...Andrew finished in 4:51, I must have missed him running through SOMA, the only think I can think of how I missed him at this point was that b/c they switch off between running different ways around blocks to ease traffic during the race, he must have gone one way and I another...
We all celebrate with our finishers beer, take a few pictures and saying our last congrats... and then Kristen and I where off to get on BART to head back to Arcata... Kristen directing me, and we both laughed as I walk in the slowest stroll known to man kind, down market street and down the stairs to BART, up the escalator once we get off... made the calls to mom, and Karen, and then we where to are stop, and in the car and north bound before we knew it... We made a stop at In-and-out, where I made some figure 8 laps around the restaurant as we wait for our order. I took my burger down in about 2seconds , and back in the car north bound we go.
All in all, a great great race, beautiful views, a beautiful city. A great race, wonderfully ran by me. ( net paces at miles 7, 13, 20, and the finish where 10:27, 10:26, 10:27, 10:22 respectively) and with this elevation change over the course, thats pretty amazing, even to me..
Finishing Results... which are really meaningless, b/c just finishing my first marathon is enough, but here they are:
3182 of 5873 Marathon finishers
864th of 2000 Female finishers
98th of 218 Female 20-24 year old finishers...
not to shabby eh??
It hasn't really sunk in.. I do not know why... I felt too good to make it seem hard, I obviously trained well for this.. but its weird that I can still say it was fun, it wasn't really hard, is that sick? or just contorted?
anyhow I have to laugh as this video pretty much sums up Monday (although I was moving a little bit better then most of them) still picture perfect
