VA Beach Shamrock 8K

3/21/09

VA Beach Shamrock 8K
Bib: 5749 Time:54:56 Pace:11.03

As Josh and I make our way down to the start I’m nervous. It’s a cool but bright sunny March morning and I hope I’m wearing the right amount of layers. We both have on our Team Robert shirts on for our 4 race of the year. There are people every where. It’s the biggest race I have every seen. We can see the start banner hanging a few blocks away but there was no point of moving forward towards it, as the crowd around us are all people lined up to start the race. As we looked around there are many different characters about us. Many people are in costumes and there are all different kinds of clothing. There are kids to seniors, and twigs to clydesdales. There sure won’t be any lack of stuff to look at while running.

The single to start goes off and we sprint off down the road…. at a slow walk. The crowd is way too big and there is a bottle neck to threw the electric timer at the start line. We cross the start line and finally manage to break into slow trot as we weave our way threw the crowds trying to find room to run down Atlantic Ave. It’s great to be passing people this early in a race!

Josh is eager to run and weaves off faster then me. I keep loosing him and can’t run fast enough to keep up. I have my big race tomorrow, the Shamrock ½ marathon. It will be my longest run since September when I first hurt my leg. Speaking of… is it in my head or is my leg really starting to act up? It kind of feels like it... It’s been fine for awhile leading up to March. But these last few days I swear I could feel dull ache in that area. But I blamed it on my nervousness of doing these races.

I’m frustrated that I have lost sight Josh. Is he going to leave me behind? I breathe. Just relax. I’m still passing a lot of people and I love that, even if a lot of the people I pass are just walkers. I go back to people watching. It’s so much fun and my mood lightens again. Josh is back now to! He mentions something about pace not being good, to slow, as we pass a mile maker clock. ‘Dude! A 11 to 12 minute mile is a great pace for me!” I think in my head.

As we round the corner onto the boardwalk and my heart jumps a little. I can see ocean now and that makes me even happier. But it has become clear that my leg is acting up, it isn’t just in my head. I tell Josh, I don’t want to whine but I want him to try to understand why I’m not trying my best. I try to focus and relax, don’t get frazzled. Breath in, breath out, left foot, right foot.

As we run up the boardwalk the crowd is starting to thin finally, if you can call it that. Josh is enjoying the people watching too. And is pointing out and reading out people’s t-shirts. One of my favorites is “I’m part of a drinking club with a running problem” It’s a good reminder that there is sweet delicious free beer at the end of the race! We run pass a few kids holding out their hands for high fives. We slap their hands as we run by making everyone smile even more. As we turn off the board walk back onto Atlantic Ave for a bit, some girls yell out “Go Loni!’ It is kind of exciting have someone cheer me on like they know me, who cares if they are just reading my number bib.

As we go up Atlantic Ave it feels like we going up a hill. I try to pick up the pace despite my leg, I know the end it near. We turn back onto the board walk and I can see the finish up a head. I try to kick it the best I can for this last stretch. Josh suggests finishing holding hands, I agree in a heart beat. We hold hands as we run towards the end. We have to let go at least once as we run around people. But we cross hand in hand. I’m thrilled and out of breath. We share a kiss and hug as we make our way down the finish shoot. We get our awesome metals and other race goodies. Another great race for Team Robert! Now what will tomorrow bring??