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Noley
AZhat
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Joined: 16 Aug 2003
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 Posted: 01/14/04 - 20:16 Post subject: Member #343 AZ RnR Official Report
Ok gang.
Here are my OFFICIAL RESULTS! I have been waiting for them over the past few days and they are now in. I'm happy to say that they are consistant with the ones I reported to you on Sunday.
Cliffnotes:
Time: 2:01:06
10K: 54:56
Pace: 9:14
Place: 3235/13,926
Gender: 1249
Division: 263/1509
My Tale:
My day started at 4am in the morning where I got up right away, took my shower and headed downstairs to check the weather forecast (ok and RF too  ). It was 57 degrees and I was second guessing what I had decided to wear for the race continuously until we left. However, I stayed with my initial plan and decided to go with the tights, thermal shirt and long-sleeved shirt over that. The rest of my time at home went smooth. I made a quick call to kobyj at 5:30am to make sure he was up and got the kids up/ready to walk out the door at 6am.
6:10am we made it to kobyj's hotel parking lot and quickly loaded him into the truck to drive into the city. That drive into the city was one of the most unnerving moments of my life. As soon as we got onto the Interstate, we noticed that there was traffic everywhere. It seemed like every exit we passed was packed with cars and that we were in for a huge mess. That turned out to be right. As we approached the exit we needed to get off at...traffic was at a dead standstill. Cars were completely stopped and the only movement going on was done in inches. We inched...and inched...and inched some more. It was a horrible. I began to become unglued at that point and looked at kobyj like I was going to kill someone. I also did all I could to cover the clock up in the truck. "Tick...tick...tick..." went the time and we were going nowhere! The clock was my enemy!  Around 7am...45 minutes to start...kobyj and I made an executive decision to take matters in our own hands. We decided then to get out of the truck, grab what we needed for the race and walk to the start. You should have seen the two of us get out and walk along the side of the Interstate. Come "hell or high water" we were not going to miss the start. 2 miles later...we were there. I'm glad we made that walk.
7:30am kobyj and I made it to the start, said our goodbyes and went our own way to the different race starting lines. I spent a good 30 minutes in line at a porta-john...took care of things... and headed to corral #5.
I stood outside of my corral for just a few minutes and tried to absorb all the things going on around me. It was a nice morning. A little hazy and not too warm. People around me were chatting and smiling. We could hear an announcer in the distance saying something. Then it was the Star Spangled Banner putting everyone in the right frame of mind. When all of a sudden...the race began. I could see the crowd ahead of me moving. As soon as people started moving next to me, I jumped into my corral and walked slowly to The Start. A good thing happened when I got there. I found that I was situated right behind the 2:00:00 pacer group and to the left of everyone.
4:28 seconds after people started to move...I crossed The Starting Line...and I was off!
Mile 1: This was a fun mile really. Everyone was laughing, cheering and having fun starting the race. There was a lot of stopping and going during that mile. I figured that I wouldn't have that great of a time for I was having to stop and go so much. I was pleasantly surprised to see that I had hit at 10:02 mile.
Mile 2/3: These miles seemed to be much like the first one. There were a lot of people and I spent a great deal of time dodging between racers. I had a few slow downs but noticed that I was starting to get a pace going. It was so crowded that I totally missed the markers for both these miles and therefore missed my splits. That turned out to be a good thing really, for it was the only time that I didn't worry about my pace. I was just having fun. As I approached the next mile marker..marker 4...I was in for a pleasant surprise.
Mile 4: I had been running a nice pace by then when I approached this marker and immediately was amazed with my time. I looked at my watch and it read 35:07. I wasn't expecting to hit that mile so fast and was absolutely amazed. It was then that I realized that this was going to be "my race". I realized that I had a shot at doing better than I had originally planned.
Miles 5, 6, 7, 8: These miles all seemed to flow into one another. I was doing about the same throughout each one. I made sure I hit every water station that was there. I felt fine. My pace was fine. I enjoyed the people around me. I was starting to get a little hot, but all was ok. 1:11 into it and all was well. I was still right behind the 2:00:00 pace group.
Mile 9...ah Mile 9...that was where I started to get a mental thing going in the race. I had been doing just fine and running well, when I noticed that my right toes were starting to hurt. Not only that, but my quads as well. I had hardly done any outside work and the pounding was beginning to wear on me. I trudged through it, but I was oblivious to the things around me. At some point we went over a sceneic bridge into Tempe and I could care less. I didn't take a single moment to look up and enjoy anything with the view. I just focused in on my race. Focus is what I needed too...for the hardest part was yet to come with the race.
As we reach Tempe we started to wind through it's beautiful streets. There are people everywhere and I was thrilled to know that we were getting closer to the finish. Just as I get to mile marker 10, I notice that I'm going to be making a right turn. That's fine...however I look to my left and I notice that there is mile marker 12 (ok...I'll be running back to this at some point is what I thought). As I make the right turn I see what's in store for me...  the hardest part of the race.
I turn and find the race going DOWNHILL. DOWNHILL is fine...however...I look across a small median and I see other racers running in the opposite direction. And when I look...I see them all running UPHILL. Right then and there it all became mental for me. I no longer worried about my aches and pains...I worried whether I was going to lose it. I nearly did too. I just kept telling myself to go for it. Not to think about it. Just run. I hit one last water station before I started DOWNHILL...walked a bit...and then trudged on.
Note: The twisted thought of jumping that median crossed my mind at one point. 
Miles 10, 11, 12 Down...down...down...(where's the turn?)...down...more down...even more down...(that freakin' turn should be coming up!) down...down...FINALLY! THERE'S THE TURN! Up...up...up...up (OMG!) up...up...up (when is this going to end???) up...up...FINALLY! I CAN SEE MILE MARKER 12!!! Yay! Whew! I had made it through the hardest part of the race by far.
Mile 13: At this time...I took off my headphones and just tried to enjoy the race. I skipped the last water station to look at the sights, listen to the bands and cheering crowd...savor it all. I cannot tell you how awesome it was to hear the crowds cheering everyone on and yell that we were almost done. I kept trudging along when finally the road took a turn to the left. At that turn I noticed marker 13! After seeing that I kicked in the rest of the energy I had, rounded the corner and ran down a small hill to finish out the .2 2:01:06 later and I was done!
I crossed the finish line and just cried. I cried like a baby!  I couldn't believe that all the months of training and hard work had paid off.
I was greeted then by two very nice people. They both gave me two wonderful things. One...bottled water. Two...my medal.
I was so happy to receive them both, that I cried even more.
As I sit here and type this today, I'm just amazed. You see, this Nole Girl has never followed through with doing anything in competition due to lack of confidence. I have spent years regretting all the times that I could have done something to "show what I've got" and never followed through. This was something I had to do to prove to myself that it was never to late to do so...to try and not be afraid of the outcome. I'm glad I have done it and I've battled some of my 36 year old demons this past Sunday. It's never too late.
So, this is my tale of my first race. It was a big one for me and a huge accomplishment. I thank everyone who has ever supported me and helped me get through this time. It has made me a stronger person and taught me a lot about myself. Again, I've learned that it's never too late.
That's it. Thanks for reading. I hope I didn't bore you!
Member #343 tale of the AZ RnR is now officially over!
Last edited by Noley on 01/14/04 - 21:15; edited 1 time in total
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AlaninTX
Member
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Joined: 14 May 2002
Posts: 6582
Location: Austin, Texas
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Posted: 01/14/04 - 20:34 Post subject:
Boring? Are you kidding? Great report, but also quite inspiring. Congrats on the race and sending all those demons packing.
 
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rolling rock
The Pinball
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Joined: 15 May 2002
Posts: 16218
Location: unknown zone
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Posted: 01/14/04 - 21:49 Post subject: Re: Member #343 AZ RnR Official Report
| nolefan85 wrote: |
Again, I've learned that it's never too late. |
OH YEAH!!! THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKIN' ABOUT.
great report. great race.
you're on your way woman.
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Cappy
Excelent
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Joined: 16 May 2002
Posts: 27368
Location: Spreadsheetylvania
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Posted: 01/14/04 - 21:52 Post subject:
Great report Noley. Well done
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elkid
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Joined: 18 Nov 2002
Posts: 8353
Location: hiding out in Philly
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Posted: 01/14/04 - 23:07 Post subject:
Most excellent, vivid reporting! I know what you mean about your "mile 12" experience. Imagine mile 14, and looking across and seeing 25 ...
You are well on your way to seriously huge things, noley. Next one being Vegas!
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robp
Pyromaniac
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Joined: 26 Jul 2002
Posts: 16242
Location: Waiting in line at the beer store...
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Posted: 01/15/04 - 08:42 Post subject:
Awesome report Noley.
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akern
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Joined: 31 May 2002
Posts: 17149
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Posted: 01/15/04 - 09:08 Post subject:
Reading that I felt like I was there. Excellent job Marcie!
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MastrBrewr
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
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Joined: 24 Sep 2003
Posts: 6974
Location: outside
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Posted: 01/15/04 - 09:52 Post subject:
w00t!
Great report!
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Sahara
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Posted: 01/15/04 - 10:17 Post subject:
WOW... great report! Great race! Great accomplishment! Congrats!
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pokychick
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Joined: 02 Oct 2002
Posts: 5640
Location: City of Dis
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Posted: 01/15/04 - 12:18 Post subject: Re: Member #343 AZ RnR Official Report
| rolling rock wrote: | | nolefan85 wrote: |
Again, I've learned that it's never too late. |
OH YEAH!!! THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKIN' ABOUT.
great report. great race.
you're on your way woman. |
Amen sistah!
Congratulations Nolefan! You done good!
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kobyj
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Joined: 24 Jul 2002
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Posted: 01/15/04 - 12:35 Post subject:
Congrats. Are you getting your medal engraved?
I wondered a few times what the other drivers thought when we hopped out on the interstate and started walking. Just so everyone knows, it was not a simple, jump out and go. Nole's husband had to turn off the truck, get out to unlock the bed, get our stuff out, lock the bed, get back in, and start the truck again.
Just for future reference, don't ever be running late when you deal with Nolefan. She about flipped out when we were running late for the race and when the results were not posted by the time they said they would be.
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copteacher
Adjunct
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Joined: 08 Jun 2002
Posts: 20588
Location: Teaching in the Halls of Justice
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Posted: 01/15/04 - 13:30 Post subject:
nice report and nicely done.
Now double the distance
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VampMiztress
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Joined: 21 Dec 2003
Posts: 34
Location: Marathon training hell
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Posted: 01/15/04 - 17:41 Post subject:
yahoo, yippee! thanks for the story of your race. i had the same thoughts as i ran my first half. part of our course you had to doubleback through, and as i was passing mile markers 4 - 7, i was watching people already heading back and had to start mentally picking myself back up. it was a bit of a dent in the ego as i watched them already heading back and knowing how many more miles i had to go.
but i made it through. was ecstatic to cross the finish line and know i was done. and i didn't have to run anymore.
congratulations once again!! nice job!
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Happy2tri
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Joined: 02 May 2003
Posts: 1003
Location: Boston, MA
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Posted: 01/15/04 - 19:16 Post subject:
GREAT Race report!!! and good work out there
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genie
Master of Prissface
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Joined: 14 May 2002
Posts: 16194
Location: Finding serenity one day at a time
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Posted: 01/16/04 - 13:55 Post subject:
Marcie, you are awesome! That was a great report!!! Congratulations on not only finishing your first half but beginning the journey to see who and what you are really made of! I know you won't be disappointed at what you find.
YOU ROCK BABY!!!
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