Monday, November 16, 2015

Wing and a prayer

American Family Fitness Half Marathon AKA Richmond half marathon 

On November 14, 2015 I participated in half marathon #7 in Richmond, Virginia. I went into this race un properly trained. I have no real excuse for not training except I just didn't train. This was my first time doing this race. Since the beginning of 2015 I've been traveling with a few of my TRI sisters for race weekends. We started off with Charleston in January and finished off the year with Richmond. We drove up Friday afternoon and immediately hit the expo. I LOVE race expos. It's like Christmas morning as a kid except you are your own Santa Claus. I didn't get too caught up. I only bought 4 pairs of Balega socks (they were buy 3 get 1 free) and a pair of 13.1 earrings. I did score a free race shirt from the All-American marathon which is held down in Fayetteville. I remember some of my Fit-Tastic peeps ran it last year.

I'm often told that I know a lot of people. People fail to realize I've been around this running community since 2008. I'm an alumni of a few running groups, i.e. NCRC Women's beginner running group, Fit-Tastic, Raleigh Galloway, a one time appearance at lifetime run and of course last but certainly not least Tri It For Life.

We check into the hotel. We decide to find some food at the hotel. The reality of race day is starting to hit me emotionally. I have a slight breakdown at dinner. What can I say I'm an emotional chick. Our hotel is 5 blocks from the start. We decide to sleep in until 6am and head over to the start around 7am.

Saturday morning shows up in like 5 minutes. Seriously it was just that fast. It's about 39 degrees outside. I'm from Alabama and that's cold to this southern gal. I'm pretty glad I packed my jacket and almost thought about rolling with my hoodie but my clothing is not disposable so I left the hoodie in the suitcase. 

We pick up a quick bite from the hotel. We make our way to the rave start. Lord have mercy nobody mentioned the HILLS we had to climb from the hotel to the rave start. By the time we made it to the rave start I'm already sweating. Mary asked me "jo you sweating already" I'm like I was born sweating. That was the pre race workout. We see the start line. There are people everywhere. Race day excitement is in the air. All 4 of us are in corral K but we pull a "sharon" and line up with corral H. I don't know why because all the corrals are going to pass me by anyway. I'm a team player, sometimes. I see a few familiar faces from Raleigh. Carolyn Quarterman is in our coral. She tells me she has done the full before but not the half. Larry Stroud from Galloway finds me and we take a pre race picture. I met Larry at a Galloway training run at Capital RunWalk in 2014. He came up to me after the run and told me you kept going out there and that's all that matters. I'm going to tell you how small Raleigh is and how I have a theory that all the brown people know the brown people. People tell me it's just me that knows everybody. Larry's daughter signed me up for a personal trainer at my old gym. She's a runner as well. I've run into her at Diva myrtle and city of oaks in 2012.

They are making the race announcements. Then the race starts and we move up as the various corrals head out. Once our corral hits the timing mat I start my Garmin. We are off. Since I have not been running, I opt to walk. Garmin is running, I hit the play button on my playlist. I'm off and moving. Folks are passing me by as they are running down the street. I spy with my little eye the marathon has started on my left. As I head towards mile 1 I see my friend Natasha who is doing her first marathon and I yell her name. She waves back. I'm so excited for her, first full. I'm only 1/2 half crazy.

The pack is thinning out and it's just me and my personal stalker, Richmond police cruiser. The first 3 miles are the hardest and they ain't never lied. As I hit mile 3, I see a stadium and I realize this is where the expo was held the night before. I'm like holy moley we are all the way over here. As we head to mile 4, I see folks coming up the road from where I'm headed and I see Sharon and Claudia. They ask me if I'm ok, I'm like yeah I'm good. As I head out of the neighborhood I see a few cops on motorcycles and I realize the lead marathoners are headed my way. There they are 2 Kenyans flying down the street like its nothing. I'm headed to mile 5, my personal escort has pulled closer and is in the left lane. A race volunteer heads towards me and tells me she needs me to get over in the left lane and head into the Park. Once I come out there is an aid station available with whatever I need to help me get to the finish.

I head into Bryant park. I see other half racers coming out. I get a few high fives from folks telling me to keep it up, you go this. In my mind, I'm thinking why am I out here and not back at the hotel chilling watching HBO. I'm in the park and I'm like good gracious where are we going, Maryland. This feels like the longest part of the course. I pass mile 6. Then I pass the 10K spot. The volunteer walks up to me and tells me to walk over near the timing mat so my time is recorded. I hear it beep and I think I've made it to 6.2 miles. Only 6.9 more to go. The sun is out and kicking my tail. I'm guzzling down water and I still have my Powerade in my jacket which I sip on. I stop for a minute to get it together. My escort pulls up and ask me if I'm ok or if I need medic. I tell him I'm ok. I knew it was going to be a struggle and that's exactly what it was. I keep on walking and pass mile 7. I come to a turn and there is nothing to indicate what direction to go in. I turn around and ask the cop. He has no idea either. He drives up on the right and comes back and tells me he doesn't know where the course goes. He tells me to hop in with him. You think I didn't. We ride left and we see nothing with course directions. We come out the park out of a totally differ the entrance than we started. We turn onto a major road that is open so it's not part of the course and BAM we hit the course. He asks me what I want to do. I told him Im finishing. I get out and head towards the course. The race volunteer from early heads to me. She tells me "I've been waiting for you" I tell her we lost the course. She apologizes and tells me they must have pulled up the course. I'm thinking to myself "no shit Sherlock". She directs me to the aid station and packs of runners are out now on the marathon course. I'm back on the course and I pass mile 8. At this point, we are going through neighborhoods, folks are partying all up and down the street. I see a house that is grilling. There's a beer station. Lady offers me a cup. I politely decline as i am that non beer runner. I keep looking out for the infamous junk food station that's supposed to be at mile 9. I assumed I've found it as a volunteer comes over and tells me what they have and I tell her I'll take the gummy bears. I know the chewing will help me to keep moving, that's a tip I remember from Jeff Galloway training manual. My body is really starting to run down as I have just passed mile 10 and I stop in front of the medic aid station. One of the volunteers ask me if I'm ok. I tell her I need to sit for a minute. She offers me water and Powerade, which I take. I'm feeling slightly better, I head back out. She tells me you only have 3 miles left. Only 3 miles, hmm. I tell myself I have a 5K left and that DNF is not an option. I keep thin,ing about the fleece blanket that finishers receive. That is my true motivation. One foot in front of the other. I hit mile 11, I decide to use my lifeline and call a really good friend of mine who I call tall drink but his government name is Greg. I tell him to talk to me because I'm dead on energy. He is motivating me and all of a sudden I hear someone call my name and I turn around and its Kat from Charlotte. We hug. She tells me she's so glad to see me. Kat says jo I'll see you at the finish I have to knock out these 2 miles to get my medal. A little over 2 miles to go, I think I can I think I can. I see Virginian Union university. I'm thinking didn't
my cousin Reggie go here and isn't this a HBCU and aren't they in CIAA. Tall drink is still on the life line and he says yeah jo they are. The course is FINALLY headed into downtown. I pass mile 11. I'm like 2.1 miles left to go. So close but it feels so far. I'm walking through downtown. I pass through buildings that have VCU. I see 2 ladies pass me. I yell out "Priscilla is that you" she yells back hey Johanna. The other lady says yes it's Priscilla and she's headed to a PR. how cool is that. I pass mile 12. Guess who passes me as she heads to becoming a marathoner, Koren. She's looking great. Seeing Raleigh peeps heading to the finish line gives me extra energy. I'm getting real close. Folks are telling me you have 3 turns left and then it's a downhill finish. This totally random lady walks up to me. She asks me how I'm doing. I'm ok just ready to be done. She's a local race coach. I mention how I didn't properly train. She chastises me. I tell her but I've made it this far. She asks me if this is my first half. I tell her no it's my 5th. She replies really with the FACE. I'm pretty use to getting the face so smart ass Johanna comes out. I tell her that I did shamrock back in March, 8K on Saturday and half on Sunday. Her face hit the floor. Don't judge a book by it's cover. I may be 3 dollars and 6 dimes but these hips do get it in on the pavement. I didn't tell her that but I was thinking it. We get to the downhill finish. She tells me she came go any further. At this point I'm filled with every emotion known to man because I know I'm almost done. As I head down the hill, folks are cheering me on. I hear someone yell my name and its Angela griffin from Raleigh. I see the finish line. I hear the announcer call my name. All I can think is thank god this thing is over with. As I cross the finish line I see a familiar face waiting for me, my TRI sister Intisar is there. She gives me a hug and I hold on for dear life. I am a half marathon finisher again. I don't care that it took me over 6 hours. No I do not.

Special shout outs go to my TIFL sister, Mary Hicks, Sharon Johnson, Claudia Gunter,  Kat Collier and Intistar Hamidullah, my NCRC buddy Carolyn Quarterman  and my tall drink Gregory Clanton. They all played a part in this journey. For that I say thank you.