WOW where to start this has been one tough week! Along with not being able to run much because of my nagging shin my grandfather got sick. For years he’s been suffering with heart problems and now he’s been diagnosed with Congestive heart failure. I spent Thursday and Friday with him at the hospital I was trying to help him throughout the night so I didn’t sleep much. But hey sleeping is highly overrated right? Thursday night I snuck out of the hospital for an hour to knock back a few miles and it felt really good; as a stress reliever and how my shin was feeling. I was hoping to catch a nap on Sat. but Max was feeling neglected from me being gone all week so we went to a park and chased Rex around. Then we went to the Runners Expo to pick up my race packet and check all of the cool stuff they were slinging. We all went and had a good time. Speaking of time it kind of got away from me and the next thing I knew it was almost 8pm. We rushed home and I wandered around trying to find all of my running crap. After nearly snapping a few times (sorry Becky) I got into bed around 10 and set my alarm for a bright and early 4:00am. I was exhausted. No sooner had I fallen asleep and my alarm was going off, weird how that happens. So off I go, Dave drove me to the race finish area to catch my school bus ride to the starting line. In the Smart Car no less. Met some cool people on the ride one a retired Phoenix Police officer another a 65 year old man running his umpteenth marathon.
Once at the start I headed for my starting coral and actually began stretching a bit. I figured everyone else was doing it so I would to just to look like I knew what I was doing. Right before the start I ripped of my very cool pants, they were a cross between 80’s pro basket ball player and gay Chippendale’s dancer. I didn’t mess around either they had snaps down both sides so I bent down gave a quick tug and Shazam. I was feeling really cool with myself as I threw my special clothes to the side. The race started and I was off I started with the 4:00 hour group but I only stayed with them for about 5 miles. My legs were feeling great so I cranked up my pace. After a few miles I caught up to the 3:45 runners and hung out with them for most of the race.
About mile 10 I started noticing 2 rather portly gentlemen with some creative signs , the signs weren’t the thing that was catching my attention but it was the fact that they kept showing up. Throughout the race I think I saw them 6 times at different places along the course. It was kind of creepy though they both looked like the old me; fat, Mexican, tight clothes, eating snacks. At first I thought I was imagining them but nope I went and gave them high 5’s the last few time that I saw them they were real. I was still running a good pace mile 15 brought some tingles and tightness but luckily it was just a bad case of the running farts. Sorry to all who were around me! Mile 17 I saw the police tasering some French dude on the course right in front of me that was pretty wild. He was screaming in English and in French Awesome.
After winding through Scottsdale I was getting a little tired but mile 20,21,22,23 came with no major issues but half way to mile 24 just as I was crossing the Salt River a Sniper showed up and took me out! I don’t know WTF happened but my Knee/IT band issue showed up with a vengeance. I got to the top of bridge and started heading down I limped and crawled to the side of the road. I tried stretching out for about 20 min when a 70 year old man walks up and says "Son its time to go you can't quit now.". He stuck out his hand helping me up and getting me on my way. Sorry I didn’t get your name but wow thanks for the push.
Just as I was getting up I saw the 4:30 group go jogging by I for damn sure was not going to let them get away. I slowly got on horse chanting inspirational mantras in my head. I caught the 4:30 group and began to fly past them I was charging hard now less than 2 miles to go. I kicked my horse in the ass forgot about pain soon I could see the final couple of turns then came the finish line. I was done 4:26 not as fast as I had hoped for but OH WELL. Becky, the kids and Mish and Dave met me as I walked out of the ice tent. I got some snacks and went into Sun Angle stadium to sit down and relax for a few min. Then we caught the light rail back into Mesa then to the Evans’ house to have a nice frigid soak in their pool. All in all it was a great time!
