WOW!!!
That is one word to sum up the experience I had during this relay. What an adventure!! 80 miles were covered in one day by 8 amazing teammates (myself included :) We each ran 3 legs a piece. We had one minor setback but as a team, we made a great decision and we finished the race with pride and determination, never once getting down or giving up just because the hand we were dealt was a bit poor! Talk about spirit!
My personal experience was one of shock, surprise and pride. (All in that order too!) I had the 5th leg of the race. My distances were 3.35 miles, 3.4 miles and 3.45 miles. The first of the 3 was my hardest. It contained the toughest uphill for my part of the run...it was humbling! I thought I had prepared for this but really, it was tougher than it looked. I never stopped moving and I did not give up. I finished strong but slower than I wanted to. I was almost convinced at that point, I was the weak link on the team and that I had really over stepped my capabilities. The next leg came and I was determined not to give up. The weather had shifted (as we were further south) and it was the kind of weather that really feels great to run in. Warm, slight breeze and misty droplets of rain. I popped my earphones in for this leg and just let it rip! I found my pace and actually was faster than I had been the last leg and in my own training! I think I averaged a 9:11 mile that run...not my fastest time ever but faster than the 9:41 I was averaging in practice runs! I finished that leg with strong sprint, my head high and my spirits higher! I can do this! That was all I could think. I was not going to let my team down or let my perfectionism get the best of me. It didn't matter that I wasn't the strongest runner. What mattered is that I gave it my all. And I did.
The last leg was brutal. Not because of the hills, not even because my legs were done (cause they weren't, not yet) but because mid run, around mile two, my stomach began to cramp. Badly. I thought I was either going to vomit or worse! It is at a moment like this where you make the decision to either hang your head and stop and walk it out or push through, knowing that the human body is resilient and that no matter what, your mind is going to win this one! I pushed through. My pace did not slow. I did not give up. Going through my head was a quote from Goethe; 'life without pain has no meaning'. I just kept thinking that. I ran through the pain and thought, if I can do this, run a race that seemed impossible for me to even consider and finish without stopping, then I can do anything. I was not going to let the team down. I was not going to let me down. My body is stronger than I have given it credit for! I may be a perfectionist but I have been selling myself short since I have been back from my year off. I have the resiliency to give more and achieve more. I have what it takes to finish this run. And do more. If I put my mind to it I can do anything. That is something I haven't believed in a while. This relay has brought me, and that thought, back to life!
I finished that last leg just as strong as I did the first two, if not stronger. Again, I averaged about a 9:11. Not fast but consistent. And with a cramp in my gut that felt like some one had sucker-punched me with brass knuckles! The team at the exchange point every time, really makes the difference. They were my rock and my inspiration. I ran with the best group of people a girl could run with. I had the honor of being part of a team that was actually two teams, Psycho Geezers and Psycho Geezers 2, 16 people on the same road. These people are amazing! It is an experience I will draw on for years to come. It is an experience I am looking forward to having again, since we have already reserved rooms for next year at the resort we stayed in following the race! I will be ready to take on a new leg, a new challenge and succeed again at striving to be the best I can be; for my team and for me!
GO PSYCHO GEEZERS!
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