Today was the start of my 2013 race season. I wish it started out on a better foot, but it didn't and nothing I can really do to change that. Last night was our yearly Wolves Game Outing, which ended after a loss in the shoot out, so that meant going to bed early to get some rest was out of the question. Once we finally did get home and I go into bed, I had to deal with fighting puppies and wanting to play instead of going to bed. Finally when they did fall asleep, one on each side of me I woke up to the rain and hearing the subpump going off. My knees were starting to kill me, and figured it was probably because of them sleeping so close to me. But anything I did any position I laid in I ached... My joints have been so bad this winter season I just don't know what is going on here. During the last snow storm and this rain storm, I just want to die from the pain. :(
Anyways, alarm finally goes off and I'm ready to get this going. It's pouring out so I'm already dreading it. I think with the pain in my knees and the rain, I already checked out when it came down to the race. I decided that getting a PR was going to be out of the question.
We had a good turnout at the race, Wendy, Joan, Dan, Lou, Nancy, Helen, Carla, Trish and Erica, plus Dave and Stephanie B were there to pace with us and Judy had the cowbells and camera. It felt so great to be ready for a race. The nerves I feel are awesome. I wanted to get this thing going. But during the warm-up I almost doubled over in pain in my knees. I never felt this bad or wanted to cry so much like I did in a 10 minute warm-up. But I sucked it up and then waited for the start.
Off we go! I started in the back of the pack and it wasn't too bad. I was with Joan keeping her company since I knew I wasn't going to be pushing it that hard. Once we turned from the streets to the path we found that this was race was going to be more and more of a challenge. All the rains started to melt the snow and with no were to go it flooded the path. We had to detour on to the sides of the path thru mud and muck and hanging to trees to make the passing. That still didn't stop us from getting soaked, I was so glad I brought my old shoes to get trashed, but regardless it was not fun at all.
After the first loop and contemplating ditching the second loop, I managed to talk Joan into just finishing this and we'll have her first 10k under her belt. A good idea, but turned out not to be not a good one in the end. Just before the 4 mile marker, as we trekked behind the baseball diamonds, Joan slipped on an icy spot and that was it. She hear a crack and there was no way I was going to leave her there. Luckily, about what seemed like forever, I finally spotted a course marshal on his golf cart, waved him down and he called in medical. I stayed with her because there was no way I could finish knowing she was hurt. Stephanie called me back and figured out where we were and her and Dan came out to us. In the end, Joan and I DNF (did not finish), Joan had a sprain, luckily no break and was home resting up. I'm glad I was there for her, even if it costed my race, but with my lack of heart due to pain I didn't care... at that time.
Now that I sit back and think about it, I know what I did was what I had to do, but I'm a little bummed I didn't finish the race. I know it wouldn't have been the best time for me, but I think the fact that I got a DNF kind of scares me that I will be easy to give up on other races.
There will be other races, many more races this year, so I need to try to forget about this, be happy that I was there for Joan and that I will over come this and finish all my other races.
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