Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Vancouver Marathon

I ran a marathon.

....

Silence.

....

Tap Tap

....

Anybody there?

You're probably all rolling on the floor with laughter right about now, because I am the farthest thing from a runner.

I can't run.
I don't like to run.
I might actually loathe running.
But, that doesn't mean that I don't like other people running! {one of my good friends in middle and high school was an all star athlete and went on to run the steeplechase in college and just competed in the 2008 Olympics! I loved her meets!}

So, when 3 of our friends from work told us they were going to run in the Vancouver half marathon, I knew I wanted to be there to cheer them on and experience a NW running event!

It started pretty early, so I caught the {literal} first train at 5:38 am and I was the only one on it...
For three whole stops!
Which was just crazy.

(just to prove there really was no one else on the train in the other cars!)


I met up with our friends as they nervously stretched and got ready.

Our director from our Virginia training flew in to run with these guys! It was so encouraging to see him!

It took almost 15 minutes to get everyone over the starting line! 20,000 ish runners and all, it was an intense day!

We tried to spot our friends after the first turn, and we saw two of the guys!

They went into the city, up a ramp, over a bypass, down into a giant park, around a bay, and back again!

I, meanwhile, avoided the 38 degree weather and the chilling rain while stashing up on some freebies in the expo tent!

Oooh, ahhhh, a giant frozen shoe.

Something you should ALL see at sometime in your life.

Add it to your bucket list please.

not.

After the race. They were frozen, but excited to have all beaten their personal records!

Me (on the end in my rain jacket,) with the runners!

We hit up IHOP afterwards and tried to regain feeling in our hands. Cold day but what an accomplishment by these guys!

It almost made me want to take up running.
But then I realized I wasn't thinking straight.
It must have been the cold.

3 comments:

Rae Nolt said...

I can't run...I'd rather walk. I could WALK forever. Can't run two feet.
Congrats to your friends. It looks like fun!

Lauren said...

I'm almost positive it was the cold. It's not normal to want to run that far at all! However, I'm sure they were thrilled to have you as their cheerleader!

Emily said...

The only way you could possibly motivate me to run is....have someone running in front of me with a giant dark chocolate Godiva bar on a fishing pole...just out of my reach! I just don't get it! They say it releases endorphins in the brain that motivate you after a while...I've never felt anything but agony when I run!