Shiprock race report-

 

Shiprock Marathon Report

 

So remember Shiprock last year?

Hot and bare

The beauty of a culture

Seeing mile upon mile

The quiet calm

Waiting

The first time mileage scared me

Read that report here

 

When this year's race popped up as a black Friday discount-

I hit send

And entered the full

But 20 weeks later

Found myself reconsidering that impulse buy, and exchanged it for the 1/2

 

Glad I did

--------------------------------

 

This year

I knew where to go for packet pick-up

But hitched a ride offered by Violinrunning

 

This year 

I remembered to take a pic of the bloodsausage stand

 

She and I had a good laugh

When she said: "It's probably the best bloodsausage from the back of a blue Taurus you'll ever have"

Too bad we didn't get any, 

On account of: 

Her being vegetarian, 

And

Me being... Well...

Chicken. 

 

 

 

We got to the expo

 

Oh my!!!!

They put the tents up on the pavement this year!

I knew this was a sign of good things to come

 

Violinrunning and her puppy Sentry at packet pickup

 

Packet pickup was a breeze

Almost too easy

 

We wandered the tents for a minute or two,

Then headed back to our car

 

It was a little anti-climactic for me...

 

I needed something to make it more of a deal.

Selfie?

 

Sure-

So we did- nice expo tent for a party hat (can you see Shiprock?)

Here's a better shot

I never tire of it.

 

If you haven't been out this way

Put it on your bucket list

Take a drive

Sign up for a race 

It's amazing

 

 

 

Friday night had me laying out gear for an early start

 

I was to pick up my brother-in-law (aka Marathon Mike) to run his 30th marathon 

And violinrunning to run the first leg of the relay by 4:30am to get them to the start on time.

 

I loved my number -
I joked that 7to11 had sponsored me,
(and there would be free shlushies after the race)

 

Alarms worked

We made it with plenty of time to spare

It's so fun carpooling out

Lots of energy

Running banter

Just look at us- giddy with excitement

 

Marathon Mike is not allowed next to me in anymore selfies--
until he learns how to put on the crazed grin of a true runner---
never mind the bit about this being his 30th marathon...
 

 

I look waaaaayyyyy too happy

You'd think it's because I had and hour and a half to nap in the car, while these guys did their  thing

But actually it was because we'd just epic failed our selfie shot

Violinrunning was looking dreamily at mike phone/makeshift flashlight -

Instead of the camera, 

And marathon Mike's head was dangerously close to being cut off

 

 

That silly selfie was the perfect send off for those two

And

After a little snooze in the car

It was my turn

 

The busses filled

And we were off

It was weird getting on alone

 

I sat in silence

Listening in on conversations

Friends talking shop on which race they'd run before

Which race they'd planned to run next

 

And then we stopped

 

Last year I remember mile 13 and on being a bit boring

Or plain

 

But here it was

Mile 13

My mile 1

Right next to the rock

 

It was beautiful

 

For 45 minutes

I wandered

Looking at it

It was wonderful

 

Then I heard the race volunteers yell out

"Runner!!!"

"Runner! Clear the road! A runner's coming!"

  

The first of our marathoners were hitting mile 13

It was so exciting

As a slow runner, I don't get to see much of this

We clapped and cheered

 

Then went on about our gawking at the rock, and fidgeting with our race gear

 

A few more runners came

 

I felt bad,

We were like cattle in the road, 

Big, doe eyed, staring

Moving slowly out of the way

I cringed

Surely this had to hamper them

But no

They flew passed us

A smattering of claps

A cheer from the few that noticed

 

 

 

 

Then I saw a relay runner

I knew it had to be from Violinrunning's team

She was kicking it!

 

I got so excited- barely snapped a shot-

Finger's crossed it was part of her team

If it was- I knew they were on fire

 

Then it was my turn

The start to the half was a bit nonchalant

I kind of liked it

Most of the runners seemed like me

In it for the experience

Rather than the kill

 

It was nice

 

One guy I tagged behind

Had his music out

Meaning- 

He had earphones on,

But had forgotten to plug them in

His music and some kind of siri sounding pace instructor blaring

It amused me

 

Then I see a power walker ahead

She's fast 

I hear her cheer to a marathoner as he passed her

"Go honey!"

"You're looking so good!"

She jumped up and down

Thrilled to see him pass

He high fived her

And said

"See you at the finish!"

Made my day

On I ran

 

 

Band played a few miles ahead

 

I made sure to stick to my planned pace 

Waiting for mile 5 

I don't know why mile 5

But that's what I told myself I'd do

Mile 5 came

It had me had me so happy

I felt great

I was running sloppily to a really bad rendition of Footloose I'd found on itunes

It was the right pace

So I had it on repeat 

And that was that

Slow and steady

------------------------

If you're a slow runner and you want to run Shiprock

Run the half

 

You're never alone

Panic over pace doesn't even factor into your stride

 

And as faster marathoners pass, you have little time to get bogged down in your own

It stays fresh

 

no mile upon mile of nothing

Let me rephrase

The marathon is honestly a prettier run

Shiprock is ahead of you pulling you the first 13 miles

But

If you are a slow runner- you will be alone the last half

Scenery for the half has your start right at the rock,

Race scenery is pretty dry and barren

But you are never alone 

 

___________________________

Then mile 6 hit,

And I got tired

 

(I actually thought it was around mile 8-

But I just did the math--- and it was mile 6----

sigh)

 

Stupid

I told myself that was dumb

How could I be tired? 

 

Time for some mind games

1/2 off mileage was up first

It cracks me up

When I get tired I start cutting miles in half

Only 5 left turns into only 2.5 of an out and back training run

How bad can that be?

 

That kept me going for awhile

Til I saw a crowd up ahead 

I realized it was mile 20

I don't know why I kept using marathon mileage

For me it was only mile 7

When I realized that

It made it worse

Only mile 7?!??

But there they all were

A tunnel of people cheering us through

Waiting for their relay partners to shuttle through

I knew once I hit that- I'd be turning on to the highway

The dreaded 

Mile 21

Marathon Mike had passed out one year here

It's like a ghost of a mile

Haunting

But today was ok

I passed it

People around me

Tired but not scared

Then I heard my name

It was Mike- 

He'd caught up to pass me

"Did you see what we just passed?!"

He said with a look of victory

Pointing to mile 21

I congratulated him

And snapped a pic to commemorate

His first time back 

He passed with a wave

And I slowed my pace a bit

The road was starting to get hot

The fumes from the cars and semi

Were getting to me

I strained to see how far down the road til the finish turn

But couldn't see it

I ran from billboard to billboard

Getting sick at the sights:

McDonald's with a plastic looking picture of breakfast

Burger King

KFC

Why so many fast food billboards Shiprock?

Nauseating 

Then I saw my power walking gal

Still going strong

She's in front of the purple gal in the blue shorts with white trim

Still smiling too

I need to try that

Both the smiling and power walking

 

But I was fading

 

I saw a little family up ahead 

Cute little red haired toddler 

Watching the big rigs go by,

While his mom cheered runners on

Then I realized 

That's B!!!!

It was a Kindermusik kiddo of mine

I was giddy

Oh I had to stop and say hi!

So I did

 

I was way too happy 

And chatted too long

But I couldn't help it

The heat was setting in

And seeing their kind faces made things better

And that's all the pics I took

---------

I did finish

It wasn't pretty

 

 

The last leg into the finish shoot was more paved this year than last

There was that

I was feeling weird

I felt like I was going into a tunnel

I wanted to panic

But couldn't

No heaving chest

No adrenaline rush

Just this slow shallow

Nothing-

I had to walk-

I knew something was off

As I rounded the corner to the finish 

I picked up my pace to a shuffle

And ducked through

Marathon Mike's wife snapped a pic

(She's texted and emailed it to me three times, 

But for some reason it won't come through

I'm glad though- I was rough)

I sat and ate an orange-

Why were they cut in half and not in quarters? 

I could merely squeeze the juice out

And then I got up and hurled

 

My first thought was

Wow! I must be a real runner!

 

Then I hurled 3 more times

And realized the heat got me

All I'd wanted was to

See the awards ceremony

I could hear it going on in the next tent over, but couldn't will myself to get up 

Turned out I was right

 

ViolinRunning's team took first!

I love knowing a winner

 

Read her race report here. (OK- so she hasn't posted one yet--- let's all hound her!)

First place relay team
 Violinrunning is in the middle

their group with Miss Navajo

It's been a crazy week since the race

 

I feel great

 

I have one more race in my in-basket

 

I'm learning so much about life through the past few races

They've been rough

But good for me

 

You see

I'm beginning to understand

There's nothing more impacting

Than the day-in and day-out commitment to a thing.

 

That's true in every area of life

 

No short cuts

No last minute fixes

 

No time like the present

To put in the effort that pays off down the road

 

That's what I needed

 

Thanks Shiprock......