A few days ago, I ran the Glass City Marathon in Toledo, Ohio, making it my 9th marathon and 8th state (WI, MN, MA,IN,IL, IA, NV, and OH) in my 50 States Challenge. I registered for the marathon back in 2018 and had planned on making the trip on my own, as it would be a 6 hour drive for a Sunday race. I did not want to put my husband and kids through a long trip like that and then return to work and school the next day. Plans changed a few days before the race, however, as my Dad insisted that it was not a good idea for me to make the trip alone. He asked if he could accompany me and watch me run. So, I cancelled my tiny one room Air BnB reservation near the University of Toledo campus and found a hotel room about 9 miles from the starting line and the expo.
All of the hotels close to the race were booked, so we found one that would work for us. It was nice to have the company for the long car ride, as well as someone to share driving duties with, but there were some snags along the way. The biggest snafu was that neither my Dad nor I remembered that Ohio is in the Eastern Time Zone, not the Central Time Zone. Our departure time had been calculated based on getting to the expo about 30 minutes before packet pickup ended. I did not want to leave early in the morning on Saturday because I wanted to get a good night’s rest (which usually does not happen the night before a race) and to get my last easy run in before the race. Unfortunately, if we had left early we would have made it to the expo in time, even with the time change. Instead, we arrived at the hotel 30 minutes after the expo ended and then did not eat at our preferred restaurant because there was a 90 minute wait. Still, the food was good and I treated my Dad to an early birthday dinner. I was feeling okay overall about doing packet pickup on race morning.
All of that changed the following morning when my alarm went off at 4:35 and I hit Snooze. I NEVER do that on race morning, but I had tossed and turned much of the night on the lumpy mattress with the tiny pillows. I zigged and zagged around the room gathering my things together and making sure to have a proper breakfast and my daily cup of Joe. There was no race shuttle from our hotel, so my Dad had to drive me to the Savage Arena to pick up my packet. When we got to the arena, we did not see signs for where to go and had to walk around more to a couple different exits and up some stairs. I was starting to get very nervous, but we found the check-in area and got my race packet with about 40 minutes until race time. It was cold, windy, and lightly raining, so we hung out at the arena for a while before heading over to the start line. I was starting to prepare myself mentally for the race. When we got to Gear Check, there was a truck with what looked like only two volunteers and a VERY long line of people waiting. My Dad agreed to hold my bag and I made it to my start corral with less than 10 minutes. Less than 5 minutes to go, I realized that in my rush, I had not packed my Hammer Endurolyte pills and my Gatorade Chews in my hydration vest. I was going to have to depend purely on whatever was on the course. NOT GOOD. Muscle cramps have been a major issue for me in several races due to losing too much sodium when I sweat. Luckily, it was not very warm so I figured I would be okay.
I struggled to find a good race strategy this time around because I did not want to tie myself to any particular time goal, but I also wanted to redeem myself after a slower time than I had hoped for at Red Rock Canyon (granted, it was on a hilly course at 4,000 feet elevation). My chest/neck/and shoulder injury was feeling good and, while I am still in physical therapy to gain my strength back, my pain has been well under control. I was feeling good at the beginning and went out faster than I probably should have. I was on pace for a sub 3:20 for almost the first half of the race, but as I continued on and made do with only 3 Honey Stinger Gels and no extra electrolytes, the pace began to wear on me. I slowed down and struggled mentally. During miles 13-17, I really didn’t want to keep going. Still, I pushed through and enjoyed my surroundings, trying to talk to other runners when I could. I chuckled at funny spectator signs like, “That bad Tinder date is behind you, run faster” and “Don’t worry if you hit the wall, Mexico will pay for it.” Seriously, that one made me laugh out loud, despite my labored breathing. The course was mostly flat with some slight inclines, but nothing bad. Spectators and volunteers were all very friendly and encouraging and the finish was in the Toledo Rockets’ Stadium, which was pretty neat. Free pizza, beer, fruit, granola bars, and cookies at the end were a welcome sight. I put on my OOFOS recovery sandals and hobble/jogged to give my Dad a big hug when I saw him. It was nice to have a familiar face at the end, especially my Daddy.
I was a little overcome with emotion as I thought about how my Mom usually says that my Grandma would be proud of me or she could not wait to tell her about my race. My Grandma passed away two weeks before the race. For some reason, this race has brought more emotions out than what I typically experience. I love the whole process of training, racing, and recovery, but this time feels different. My injury has flared up again and I fear that my body is telling me these long races aren’t good for me. I know that is probably illogical, but it crossed my mind. Each race is a unique experience that cannot be compared to any other race and cannot be repeated. With all the loss I have dealt with recently, it somehow feels like just one more loss. I know that loss is a part of life, but there are times when I feel more prepared to deal with all that comes with it. Right now I feel tapped out, like an empty vessel sailing along, waiting to be filled. I will turn to the Word and allow my mind, my body, and my heart to heal from a difficult training cycle. Next up is the Dizzy GOAT Challenge near Omaha, Nebraska. Until then, stay well, friends.
Redefined Runner 