Race Report: Mercer Island Half-Marathon

[KnottedYet]

PIGTAIL!!!

I've never been one before! I feel so... honored.

"I'd like to thank the academy, my publicist, my personal trainer, and all the little people who made this possible." "You passed me! You really, really passed me!" :D

Trek420 and I did the whole pre-race expo thing yesterday and only spent $5 for stickers from One More Mile and $5 for memorial flags to put in the star for my dad who died of colon cancer. The Mercer Island Half-Marathon is a big colon cancer event. There is no topic too delicate for this expo!

This morning we got up at 5:00 a.m. to prep for the race by hitting the snooze alarm a few times. Great warm up activity, I highly recommend practicing it several times before the big day.

I ate my customary HUGE breakfast and she ate her dainty bowl of oatmeal. Piled our stuff into the car and roared off to the island shrieking "do you have the map?" "no, I thought you had the map!" "which exit do we take?" "I don't know! Watch out for that car!" Arrived in plenty of time, got coffee, etc.

Race started for the walkers at 7:30. We were passed by the kids. Passed by the old ladies, passed by the two women hula-hooping the whole course. Yes! Finally we obtained the coveted spot of Pigtail, and we defied all challengers! We held that spot for mile after mile! It looked close when the wounded runners started trying to usurp us, but we held strong!

By the time we got near the finish line the course had closed, the course marshals and signs had all disappeared in a puff of smoke, and we were left asking bystanders and innocent folks just trying to walk their dogs for directions. As I got near the finish line the large inflatable FINISH arch was collapsing and being packed into big boxes, the music system was packing up, the post-race food was gone and packed up, and there was no-one to take our timing chips but a nice fellow who was helping direct traffic out of a parking lot.

Poor Trek has a massive ugly blister on one foot. I mean, it's waaaaay gross. The size of a half dollar. She's hurting. Actually, she's asleep on the couch moaning, so I assume she's still hurting.

I'm peachy. Ready to do another one in a couple months. Let's go!

[Trek420]

I'm alive! I felt fine at first. Slow, that's always true of me but strong and fine. Since I've never done a half marathon before my plan if I had one was find my happy pace and just motor on. That worked well on the rolling course then about mile 8-9 the injured toe kicked in, then the blister ... it was all downhill from there. :o Knott kept my spirits up, told jokes "what's the difference between a terrorist and a physical theripist? you can negotiate with a terrorist", sang, danced a bit. It was very exciting when the runners caught us, seeing the women in the front of the field. One blind woman running with a "lead" to a male runner was right up in the front pack.

Will I do another? Maybe :D Now that I've had an ibuprofin, and Kott's fixin' up steak smothered in onions with roasted potatoes with a nice gluten-free beer I'm thinking about it. I have to solve some shoe/sock/insole issues. I need just a little more friction. I thought the socks I got at Fleet Feet in Santa Rosa were perfect for my boo boo toe, more cushion and less "slippery" than cycling socks. Might have to scuff up the insole, we'll see.

I'm sure if I had not lost weight recently (thanks TE weight loss thread) I would not have been able to do this at all. Much less stress on the joints. So the goal is keep that trend going.

[KnottedYet]

This is what I was singing (trying to sing) and dancing to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8gRuDdh06c

The over-all effect was rather amusing... :eek: :D

[spindizzy]

Nice work on holding that coveted position on your half! Btw- my DH is a physio..loved the terrorist/PT joke.

[TsPoet]

Loved the race reports! and I'm be-bopping to Galactic right now.
thanks!

[OakLeaf]

Good job you two! :D:D

Knott, glad you had fun - Trek, did you have fun? :confused: hope so - and hope your foot heals up quick!

[Trek420]

Trek, did you have fun? :confused: hope so - and hope your foot heals up quick!

The last 3 miles were not fun. But I'm glad I did it. This is my first "foot event". I think I know what to do to make it better next time. And now that I'm having mango mochi it's all good. :D :p :D

[OakLeaf]

mmmmmmmm mochi!

[Trek420]

mango mochi with a chiffonade of local organic free range ibuprofen :D

[XMcShiftersonX]

Good job! Did you happen to see women wearing "West Seattle Runner" Shirts? My sister and her husband are opening a running specific store in West Seattle in the next couple of months. It will be the first of it's kind there. Today was the debut of those shirts at this event. Here's the link to the store's facebook: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=306441942504

They are also sponsors of the upcoming West Seattle 5K!

-Jessica

[Aggie_Ama]

Knott that was a funny race report! Congratulations on finishing with your coveted spot.

Trek- Glad you survived, sounds like your humor stuck through too. :)

[colby]

Congrats, Knot and Trek on surviving your half marathon! And, being so brave as to consider another so quickly proves that you really do fit in here. Awesome race report. ;)

[Duck on Wheels]

I have to solve some shoe/sock/insole issues. I need just a little more friction. I thought the socks I got at Fleet Feet in Santa Rosa were perfect for my boo boo toe, more cushion and less "slippery" than cycling socks. Might have to scuff up the insole, we'll see.

Double socks! Snug sock in lightweight wool or other wicking fiber innermost, cushiony sock over that. The socks rub against each other, not against your foot. Also make sure the shoe grips your heel and arch, but is boxy and loose around the toes -- no slippage at the heel, no sliding forward, but plenty of toe room. I'm pretty sure Fleetfeet did their bit on that, as far as they could see from your little walk around the store. Also, since that's something I learned from our mutual Mom half a century ago, I'm sure you already knew. Still, for other readers of this thread ...

Anyhoooo ... for finishing, for making it in spite of the foot issues, for hanging on to your position in spite of all contenders, and for the weight loss (will I recognize you at the airport Saturday?): CONGRATS! :D :D :D

[Bike Chick]

Knot and Trek, thanks for the amusing race report...........Trek, I hope the foot is better today.

[kacie tri-ing]

Great work ladies! Great race report too!

[Trek420]

since that's something I learned from our mutual Mom half a century ago, I'm sure you already knew. Still, for other readers of this thread ...

Yeah, but a half century ago I was 3 :D or 4 if you count from next weekend. Whereas you were ..... :p ;) :D

[KnottedYet]

I forgot to mention that I got Trek the entry to the half marathon as her birthday present.... "Happy Birthday! You get to suffer for 5 hours!"

Hmmmm. I think I kinda failed the Martha Stewart test on that one! :rolleyes:

(we plan to do some 5k's next. I'll run 'em and she'll walk 'em and we'll meet up for beer and bratwurst at the finish line)

[Trek420]

That's funny because I always wanted to "bike my age" each year around my birthday .... so am I 13.1 now? ;) :p

[e.e.cummings]

Your race report was a great giggle. I am doing my first 5 km (first foot event) on Sunday - your report inspired me to not take this whole thing too seriously and have fun. You go, girls!

[Trek420]

your report inspired me to not take this whole thing too seriously and have fun. You go, girls!

Thanks! :D That's the effect I thought Knott's report would have. :cool: Now go have some serious fun. We can't wait to hear the walk report. :cool:

[OakLeaf]

Trek, how's your foot?

[Trek420]

Bad? :confused: Reminds me to wear the Chaco sandals more often, they put the boo boo toe in place. :rolleyes:

[OakLeaf]

Ouch. :(

Have you tried Compeed pads? (If they even make them big enough for your blister?) They work surprisingly well at cushioning an existing blister.


Whoops, sorry, the inner packaging usually says Compeed but the outer packaging doesn't, in the USA. I first discovered them as a tourist in Spain. Band-Aid Advanced Healing Blister.

[Trek420]

The blister is fine, gone or dried up. On the other hand (or I should say foot :rolleyes:) broken big toe is forever (isn't that a James Bond movie? ;)). It's something I always have to deal with. :o