The Celebrate Life Half Marathon does just that – celebrates life. The race raises funds to help cancer patients in the local area and also to remember those who lost their lives to cancer.
My coworker and good friend is battling bone cancer at the moment. I felt helpless when I heard her news but did what I do best. I ran. This race was in honor of her and I decided to raise money on my own as well in her honor. In total we raised $695.
This race was also my third half marathon and I really wanted to PR. My last half was 2:16. So I took to Hal’s Intermediate program which incorporated tempo and pace runs and speed training. It was wonderful I was getting faster! But then I pulled my groin muscle. I did 9 of the 12 week program no problem and then had to stop all together. I hadn’t run in about a month when race day approached. I headed to a massage parlor the Friday before the race and the woman pinpointed my problem and worked it out in a minute! She used to be a physical therapist so she is used to helping runners.
Saturday was my grandfather’s 100 birthday party! And it lasted until after midnight. I enjoyed myself but ate sensibly and laid off the alcohol. Got home around 1 a.m. and then taking into account daylight savings. I lost another hour. But I woke up around 7:00 feeling good.
This race is much smaller than some I have been to. I was able to park right next to the starting line and I didn’t even need to get there an hour and a half early like I did.
I opted to run with the slower wave at 9:30 since I wasn’t going to push it after not running for so long. My goal originally was to PR, now my goal was just to finish. As we stood at the starting line it was bitterly cold and the wind was so strong. It started to snow as well. Other runners ran back to their cars to put on extra layers and I contemplated it but am glad I didn’t since a few miles in I was warm.
Once the gun went off on the first turn, runners started going the wrong way. The course wasn’t marked properly at that point. It was a bit amusing. As I got to the first water station the water and Gatorade were both frozen! It was like drinking a squishee! But I got my sustenance and powered on. I didn’t push myself and kept it slow.
Around mile 4, the faster runners who started at 10 a.m. were beginning to pass me. The guy in the lead blew by me so fast! But he was so nice. He turned around and gave me two thumbs up and said “Great job! Keep it up!” I was totally amazed at his speed.
This entire course is in the Catskills so it was ALLLLL hills. I mean up and down and up and up and up and down and up. Constantly it was one hill after another. I didn’t have my music on this race and I could hear runners complaining every time a hill emerged… “Another hill?!!” lol. It was amusing.
I chatted with some of the slower runners and had to walk more times that I liked but I felt great. My body had no pain and felt awesome. I probably could’ve pushed myself more but I was afraid and also mentally I wasn’t there. My mental endurance was my weakness this time. Since I hadn’t run in about a month and the last long run was 10 miles, my mind had lost its mental toughness.
There was a surprise at mile 12. A guy handing out doughnuts and beer. I took a shot of the Coors Lite.. not the best choice but after we crested the LAST hill and a volunteer pointed out it was the last one and only about a half mile to go I sprinted and crossed the finish line with a time of 2:50… my worst ever. Plus there were no medals, that bummed me out. I hadn’t realized that when I signed up.
But despite my time I finished and I finished pain free. I ran for a good cause and I was just so happy my pain was gone. Because in 10 weeks I have a full to run! 🙂
Alexis Tarrazi 