Sunday, February 26, 2012

Hypothermic Half Marathon 2012 Race Report

Another hypo, number 4 or is it 5... no matter, it was a good one, a hypo-pb fo me and that feels smart.  This makes up for the disappointing dnf in 2009. In life there is balance and it's a good thing. It was the wind from the north east that brought the temperature down to -22... yup, cut-like-a-knife nasty wind, but only outbound, homebound the wind was mostly at our backs.  The wind also brought fresh snow that made the footing slippery and unpredictable, but we've run in worse, way worse. 

As we looped the parking lot outbound I considered pulling out. It just didn't feel right. I was thinking of walking back to my car, still warm, and heading home to bed.  I felt heavy and my normal race-spirit was missing. My right quad was plank-ish from yesterday's massage. It came down to a split second decision ... turn left to the course or right to the car. Left won but it was close. Mind over matter as Melissa says... the mind runs the race, the body is just the vessel that we use to dance forward toward the line.

I fell into stride resisting the urge to pull ahead, I tried to lock into a 9:30 pace thinking a negative split was needed for a sub 2. My legs wanted to go faster, it would have preferred an 8:00 - 8:30 pace, but my mind slowed the body whenever it drifted away from the 9-mark. I found my stride and my spirit lifted and I felt the strength returning to my heart and bones. I was confident in my stride and my pace was sustainable, head up, core strong, arms pumping "hi ho" style as Connie would say with a smile (she has such a lovely smile don't you think?). 

David was volunteering about 1k from the finish line.  As I approached him, he said to me calmly "I think you're going to get your sub-2 Mike. Keep it up."   It was all that I needed to push forward and soar to the line, that beautiful line, the line in the sand as George Carlin said.  I owe my gratitude to David for he was there when I really needed him and he said just the right words in just the right tone.  Thank you David.

So friends, another race to prove we can, another slow dance to show we have heart and bones, and another line that we cross gracefully and with purpose... the line in the sand that we cross with heart pumping and face glowing.

Oh my, oh my oh my... it's a beautiful day to be alive.

Mike

Go here for race results. 

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