Doing something for someone else - STWM Sept 27th 2009

WOO HOOO.. finally the STWM - I had only planned running this race for the last year. It fell on my birthday and it was my birthday present to me.
It was going to be a great day. It was going to be the best day of the week and truly a fantastic running day, slightly over cast 18 degrees. A far out day!

I had only planned to run the race as a training run, and as Keith L said in one of our clinic classes "No you won't" . Ahhhh what does he know. I can just ' run ' a race. I needed to get my distance in, my last two long runs S-U-X-D. Big time. In fact I don't think I finished them. What a palvar.

Then I was emailed and requested to run with another club member who was a first timer. Sure no problem. I've got so much experience under my belt with the first Marathon in Ottawa in May. I'm completely qualified to be someone's run partner. Never mind that I hit the wall at 37K. GREAT CHOICE CATHERINE. *sighs* but since I had no goal time & I figured it's time to pay it forward. I have been supported through races.

So the Scotiabank runners met at the Spirit Catcher at 0500 on Sunday morning. Got into our perspective car pooling cars and headed off. Our first stop on route was, yep, Timmies on the 400 in King. I ran into my running buddy who wanted to do the Marathon in 4:30. I winced a tad - I hadn't done a 4:30, I just wanted to have a LSR, but a promise was a promise so I pulled my shoulders back and took a sip of my tea. Okay 4:30 it was.

Found parking and Nathan Philips Square and The Running Room Tent. The Barrie Runners had assembled - we gave a big WWWHHHOOOAAA BARRIE and headed for the starting line. Jenny & I got into our corral. Trish and Natalie as well. It was going to be the four musketeers. I was oddly relaxed - by the 2nd kilometre I knew I was going to have a great run. 4:30 was on the books. It was doable.
So off we trotted. We were on pace.
Trish and Natalie fell back by about 10 K because Natalie wasn't feeling well. She had been feeling unwell for a few days.
Jenny and I hit the turn around point at Windermere - I saw my 5 yr old neice there waiting for me ( her Daddy already had gone by - these "elite" runners... argh) so after giving her a big kiss and a raspberry on her cheek we were off again.
We took our turn off at the 18 K mark. We were running near the 4:45 Bunny. YIKES... 4:45 that's NEVER going to do. Note to self - pass the Pace Bunny.
As we ran by the Westin I looked around as I hear my name. Who the ??? It was Barrie's own Scott Whynott!!! Oh that was just the boost I needed. Come on Jenny & as we headed under the motor way - we edged by the bunny. Ohhh I could feel the air under my brand new Saucony Hurricanes.

By the half way mark we were making up time and a couple of k's later Trish caught up to us. Natalie perked up at 14 and was able to finish the half in a great time. As the three of us continued, Jenny was slowing down considerably. She had convinced herself that couldn't do this. The 4:45 pace bunny had long deserted us. And thusly I shelved any desire to finish in any other time than what Jenny was able to do.

I was constantly talking to her. I'd run in front of her and run backwards telling her that she was really doing well. That she WOULD complete this marathon RUNNING. She needed to stop listening to her brain and focus on me. I was going to drive her nuts, she'd hate me, but she'd thank me later.

The desire to walk was written all over her face. I saw a lot of me in Ottawa. The tears forming in your eyes when you have to start running again. The urge just to stop. I was so proud of Jenny. She didn't hit me once, even when I told her she had to run to the next Kilometre marker. We had a 2 minute walk break. Then we would run to the next Km marker, then a walk break. We did this from the 36K marker all the way to the finish. I'd run ahead and yell ' JENNY LOOK LOOK --- THERE IS THE NEXT MARKER - CAN YOU SEE IT???' Focus on that Jenny. Then we get a WALK BREAK!!!.. The volunteers at the 39 K marker thought I was loopy. I was jumping up and down that it was a walk break. I was singing and dancing to the entertainment - just to try and inspire my partner. I really think she'd rather have choked me with the microphone wire... but restrained herself.

Then there was 800 metres left. Then 500, 400... LOOK JENNY --- there are the Barrie Runners cheering us! 300 metres and a rousing chorus of Happy Birthday to you for me. 200 metres. 100 metres. LOOK JENNY !! THE FINISH LINE...

YOU DID IT JENNY !!!!!!! WE DID IT!!!!!!!!! Gun Time 5:11 Chip time 5:03.
I got my LSR in & Jenny got her first and hopefully not her only Marathon in.

I'm so grateful for the lesson I learned. It's always better to give. I thank Jenny for the opportunity presented to me & I want to thank her for being my STWM running partner. With out her I wouldn't have learned that lesson.

Now on to the Toronto Goodlife Marathon and I'm looking forward to a 4:30 finish time.

JvH