Bloomsday

Alright, so for those that don't know, there is a race, a walk or a challange that awaits anyone who chooses to accept it called Bloomsday. It is a 7.5mile course that proves to challange even the most skilled runners. The hillarious part is that you are doing this with about 47,000 of your closest friends. And when I say 47,000 I mean it. This year there were 47,000 people that registered for the race, that is A LOT of people trying to prove something to someone, themselves or just to say that they did it. Ya see, the first time that I did this was 2004. I was in horrible shape, but I did it just becuase I said that I would do it at least one time in my life. 2 hours and 53 minutes later, I was at the finish line......thank goodness. Needless to say I did it again the next year. I was in no better shape, but I took 10 minutes off my time, so that was an accomplishment. Both of those 2 years, I walked the course with my friend Amber, this year, I decided to take on Bloomsday once again........alone. Wow, what a differance.....I mean when you are doing the course with someone else, you can talk about anything and everything. You are not thinking about the first hill that you are going down, wanting to run but knowing that it is going to take a toll on your legs if you do. When you are walking the course with someone else, you are not thinking, as you get to the first hill, "wow, why can't this be Doomsday hill?" What is Doomsday hill? Well, unless you have been through the course, or at least driven up the road, you can't truly understand what it is about. Let's just say, I wish it was at mile 2 instead of mile 5.
So, back to me trying to complete this solo. I woke up Sunday morning, almost excited......it was like I was waiting for this day. I guess that I was, it was a huge challange that I was putting upon myself, and I wanted to see if I could really do it. So, there I am (and you have to try and picture this) I am standing, almost alone in my color group (I was lilac the 2nd slowest of the whole stupid thing) at the front, waiting.....and it was then at that moment.....I thought to myself, (and I did text this to Christina) "I think that I have lost my mind." Anywho, a couple hours went by and it was time. I turned on my music, and got into the "zone" and boy did I need that "zone." So, off we were, I jogged a little, walked very very quickly and checked my watch a lot. You see, before I even got down there, I told myself (and just about anyone that asked) that I was going to do this thing in 2 hours. 40 minutes faster than last time! I knew that I absolutely had to make 15 minute miles, there was no other way around it.
Mile 1, 15 minutes on the dot, perrrrrrfect! Mile 2, still going at 30 minutes......oh crap there was a sign that said there was still 5.5 miles to go....it was again at that moment that I briefly thought that there was no way that I was going to accomplish this. Mile 3, at the top of a hill, a big hill, a hill that I kind of jogged most of the way up.....only becuase I was determined to make that 15 minute mark and the short moment of doubt that I had cost me about a minute while I was trying to convince myself that this was going to be a peice of cake. Mile 4, right in front of the College, a water station (of which I skipped becuase I didn't want to lose even more time) and yet another downward hill. This time I gave in and decided to jog down the hill. LOL!!! That was a pretty big mistake....but HA! Oh well! So, rounding the corner, there it was.........Doomsday Hill. Hmmm, I looked up, down, around and thought, well I have come too far to turn around or quit now so here we go. A LOT of things went through my mind. I am telling you EVERYTHING went through my mind. No, I didn't have that much that I was trying to think about. No, there isn't anything really wrong with me, my life or the people in it but PLEASE this hill, it consumes you if you don't think about anything and everything in the world BUT that thing............ So, I began the upward treck, all the time thinking, oh crap, I am going to be a lot slower than 15 minutes, but I literally could not move any faster. I tried watching all the people, I tried watching all the spectators that cheer everyone on up the hill. I tried keeping my eye on this rediculious giant bird that is always at the top of the hill. I realized that none of that was helping, perhaps only making it worse, so I took one final look toward the top, put my head down and just went for it. I think (and yes, I can't really remember) that nothing was going through my mind at that point. Zero, nothing, zilch, empty.....just keep walking.........
Finally mile 6, yea, oh hell, there is still a mile and a half.......it was at that point that my phone started to ring......I answered, it helped hide the pain.....for the brief moments that I was talking to someone. Christina called (to make sure I was still alive, my mom called (to make sure that I was still alive), John called (yes, to make sure that I was still alive)....thankfully, I was able to answer the phone.....because I was still alive.
Finally, mile 7, we rounded the corner, I forgot about my 15 minute mile goal, all I could see was the finish line (and the little spots that had formed in my mind from being so exhausted). I looked up at the time as I crossed the line and there it was 2 hours, 2 minutes and 19 seconds....not bad......40 minutes faster than my best, I have nothing to complain about. Well, except maybe the mile and a half I had to walk to get back to my ride, but hey after the past 7 1/2 what's another mile and a half, the legs were numb and the sunburn had set in.......can't get much better than that.
Oh yea, and yes, I am very sore