Thanks to everyone, Tim and I just got back from a GREAT trip to Portland. We arrived on Friday evening, just in time to check in, grab a quick bite and go to sleep. Saturday morning, we got in line at race registration, picked up our packet and zoomed out of the expo as quickly as possible. We made it to Ben's soccer game on a wonderful sunny day and got to see some great plays:
We holed up for the evening and had a nice Japanese dinner, with an omusubi and pickles packed 'to go' for race day breakfast. The next morning started at around 3 or 3:30, can't remember which. Tim helped me to prepare for the day and walk out to the starting corrals around 6:30 or so. We listened to the groups ahead of us start, and after a few stops and gos, we were on our way! I started so slowly that people passed me in droves and by about the 1.5 mile mark, stopped passing me, probably because I was in the back of my starting corral. I thought "This will be the slowest race I ever had- but that's okay!", and decided to stick to my plan to start slowly. The first 2.5 miles were uphill, and on the way back down, who should I see but Tim! He joined me briefly and I was able to tell him that I was starting slow but felt good. The next gang I saw were Kimie, Irene and Peter at the 6.5 mile area- meeting me with gatorade, pretzels and Peter's company for the next 6 miles or so. Peter ran me down the industrial stretch of road and back, then around to the area preceding St. Helen's road. It was great- Peter was smooth and quick and helped me ease into a good pace. Tim joined me briefly again and we checked in about fuel and form. The next stretch of road started the path to the St. John's bridge. I started getting the notion that I might be doing okay time-wise, as I saw the pace sign for the 4:00 group (who had started a bit ahead of me) ahead, and then behind me. I decided that if I could, I'd try to stay in front of them, because it was a large bloc of people who were hanging on to the pace with more than determination and I felt it might be hard to pass them in a pinch if it were needed. Tim came in AGAIN before the bridge, probably at around 15-16 miles and helped me to relax- and he told me that I could get in front of the pacing team if I felt like it. The hill up to the bridge, amazingly, felt just fine at around 17 miles. Before I knew it, I was over the crest of the bridge, congratulating runners around me for getting into the single digits, and on the lookout for Ken and Zia. Ken yelled out for me, jumped on the course, and helped me from mile 18 to past 20. By this point, I wasn't doing great at drinking or eating, but I did have a few sips of the gatorade and a pretzel (? did I?). That part of the race was getting tough, but Julie and crew AND Kimie met me along the course. Julie yelled out "That's my sister!" and gave me a nice hug, and Kimie made sure I was doing okay. Tim came back on the course somewhere, but I can't remember where- it was definitely getting harder. At some point, the pitch of the course started DOWN and I was able to pick up some steam. I missed Debra and Sherrod, and a second attempt by Kimie and Julie to meet me, but managed to keep going as people started falling by the wayside, as happens at the end of a race.Up and over the Broadway bridge, the last stretch of the race along Naito parkway seemed to last forever, but I heard people around me saying 'just 8 more blocks' and I tried to keep it up. All told, a GREAT race- finished in 3:58:10 and felt pretty good afterwards! According to Tim, I ran my last 5 miles at an 8:20 pace and according to the website, I passed 417 runners in the last 6.2 miles. I don't think any of this would have been possible without all the family support I had- what a lucky woman! Thanks to you guys, I have finally officially qualified for Boston. I hear there are no more numbers, so I'll find out what that might mean in case I don't want to retire from marathoning yet.
So far, my fundraising has raised about 2,000 dollars for ParkArts. The folks over at the Parks Department say these funds will be used to support local programming in my neighborhood parks. Thanks to everyone for helping me!
The rest of the vacation was GREAT- Tim had a fun time fishing with Peter, Ken, and Zia on Monday and Tuesday, and the rest of us got to spend a lot of time together. I really had fun playing with the girls at Julie's house, and getting to see Paul's baseball game and listening to his piano lessons. Tim and I ended the stay at Kimie and Peter's and had fun playing with Irene, and we had a few meals out with the Fukudas as well as some time over at Tim's brother's house with Genevieve and Sherrod. Check out
the photos we took, and enjoy the ones from the final evening as we played in the living room with Naomi and Irene. Unfortunately, Ben was sick, and I hope he is feeling better, and that the stomach bug that bothered Irene has gone away. We miss you guys already!
The rest of the vacation was GREAT- Tim had a fun time fishing with Peter, Ken, and Zia on Monday and Tuesday, and the rest of us got to spend a lot of time together. I really had fun playing with the girls at Julie's house, and getting to see Paul's baseball game and listening to his piano lessons. Tim and I ended the stay at Kimie and Peter's and had fun playing with Irene, and we had a few meals out with the Fukudas as well as some time over at Tim's brother's house with Genevieve and Sherrod. Check out the photos we took, and enjoy the ones from the final evening as we played in the living room with Naomi and Irene. Unfortunately, Ben was sick, and I hope he is feeling better, and that the stomach bug that bothered Irene has gone away. We miss you guys already!
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