Comox 1/2 marathon!

This is me crossing the finish line at the Comox Valley 1/2 marathon. It took me just over 2 hours to run 21 km. A lot of people did it faster, but I'll bet they have a little trouble walking tomorrow, and I won't. I enjoyed the race, despite the fact that it was really, really long. Now multiply that by 2 and you'll have the Vancouver marathon. I have 1 1/2 months left to prepare. It's not going to be pretty.

As you can almost tell by the picture, I carried my own Powerade for the run. They had Gatorade and water stations, but they apparently get the volunteers to mix it from powder, and well, I really didn't want to take the chance of getting a bad cup. They were also handing out the gel packs about 1/3 of the way along. For those of you that haven't experienced the gel packs before, let me describe them to you. It's a foil-type packet that averages about 130 mL, and is supposedly filled with magical energy-giving goop, electrolytes, and other good things your body would need on an extended run. They like to flavor these gels with everything from mocha to bananas and peaches. The other marathon runner in my clinic swears by them, but they frighten me a little. First, that particular texture is not really something I think was ever supposed to come in contact with the human mouth. Second, they're wicked sweet, since they're filled with sugar. And third, they really don't agree with my stomach. Last weekend I decided to try one on my long run. I was supposed to be going about 20 km. About 1/2 way through I decided to try this gel pack I'd brought along with me. Banana Peach flavored. There was my first problem. Since a very young age I have had a problem with bananas. My mom can explain why. I was fine for the next few km, until my stomach started to cramp. But I managed to get through it and keep going. Then, about 2 km from home and 18 km into my run, my stomach started cramping so bad I had to stop running and walk. So bad I thought I might pass out right on the side of the road. But I kept it together and made it home with a pained look on my face. I got home and spent about 15 min sitting on the porcelain throne, then 20 sitting on the bottom of the bathtub, trying not to hurl. I called in sick to work, where I was supposed to be in an hour. Then I spent a good hour and a half curled in the fetal position lying on the bathroom floor. My stomach didn't feel right until three days later. I don't know if I just ran too hard that day, didn't have enough fuel, or it was the gel. But now just the sight of the gel makes my toes curl. So as I ran along the route it was all I could do to keep from tossing up the Powerade in my stomach when I saw all the gel wrappers lying on the ground.

It's interesting how on extended runs the little things start to get to you. Like the number bib you're wearing crinkling. Or the underwear lines you see through the spandex of the girl in front of you. Or all the bobbing ponytails. The bib thing was fine, I just turned up my music. And the shiny pants with the underwear lines, all I had to do was pass her and I didn't have to stare at them any longer. But the bobbing ponytails. I followed this one girl with really long hair for about 3 km, and I swear if I 'd had a pair of scissors I'd have chopped it off right then and there. It was so heavy it was wrenching her head around every time it swung. All she needed to do was double it back and she'd have been fine. But no. Bob, bob, bob. Finally I just had to pass her to save my self from going insane. But then there was a shorter ponytail to contend with. There was no escaping the bobbing ponytails. So I just kept running, knowing at least my hair wasn't annoying others, and that it would be all over in a few more kilometers.

In the end I managed to finish the race with my sanity intact. Barely. Now on to Vancouver. And over 4 hours of bobbing ponytails. Yay.