It's a been a long time since I wrote a race report, but I was just dying to tell "ya'll" what it was like out here in Oklahoma on race day. In fact, it may surprise you.
Let me start with yesterday. Even though I am living here, I'm still not sure about the downtown area as far as getting around. I was very nervous to find parking on race day, as I heard they are hard to come by. So, Saturday, Jacob and I head out, with my GPS thingy and found a parking area. Picked up my race packet and walked through the expo. I didn't really get to shop, because of Jacob. The expo was set up a lot like the ones we've all seen in Canada. So, I pick up my bag, and let me describe what I had. All the t-shirts are cotton generic size, white with a stamped logo which in my opinion, is not very nice. I don't wear t-shirts so that is something that I will put in my collection of cotton tee's. No technical shirts to be seen, no goodies in the bag, just my bib and chip. I was a little disappointed. I suggest to Jacob that we walk up to the start line so I can have a good feel of how far it was from where we parked. Well, on our back, we somehow get lost! Oklahoma City is layed out like a grid, so how is it that I can't find our parking building?? We wandered for over an hour and finally Jacob says he sees it, and he was right. Here on my map, I circled the wrong parking lot, we were parked at a different one. Gosh I felt dumb, why didn't I bring my GPS with me, and now I'm even more nervous than before, plus I was really far from the start line.
So, when we got home our friends invited us over for pizza and I volunteered to pick it up because it was close to the downtown section. So I did more research and discovered a free parking garage really close, but the thing was, I would have to get there early in order to get parking. I drove by 3 times, and was confident for tomorrows run. So last night, I get all my stuff in order and notice my Garmin was frozen. Small panic but looked up on the website and figured out how to reset it. Then the NOAA weather radio (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) started spitting out warnings not just any warnings. The Tornado watch kind. Oh my gosh, I got up twice to shut it off and at that point I didn't care if a tornado came and lifted me out of my bed. I was tired. (On a side note: The city of Enid got hit last night, that is 87 miles north of me) So I get up at 4:30am and was out the door by 4:50. Arrive at the parking lot by 5:10am. I had the 3rd parking spot. Premium parking! Oh I was way too early. My start time wasn't until 6:30, and I only had to walk 3 blocks to get there. Wish I had a crossword puzzle. I slowly make my way to the start, followed the sea of other "way early" people. I tried taking pictures but it was so dark out. It just didn't work. At 5:30 there was a prayer at the "survivor tree" (it was the only tree standing when the bombing occurred).
At 6:am I witnessed something pretty amazing. When the bombing occurred in 1995, a 168 people lost their lives. At 6:am, everyone went silent for 168 seconds. That was over 2 and a half minutes of complete silence for all to reflect what had happened to those people. 20,000 people were there and not a sound was heard except for the wind blowing between the buildings. It was eerie, it was incredible, I was brought to tears because I never witnessed anything so astounding in my life. It made me realize that this wasn't about a race to finish, it was about a run to remember.
By 6:30 the horn went off and I was at a standstill for 8 minutes. My goal was to finish the half at about the 2:30 - 2:40 range, but after that moment of silence I no longer had a time in my mind. I did have a cold that I was getting over, but it didn't hold me back. (Not like that time at Around the Bay). What got to me was the heat. It was muggy and already 78 degrees out. I drank at every water station. Gatorade and water. Sometimes I doubled up. I drank all of my own bottles and took my salt tablets twice. I could see from the swelling, that this was gonna be a toughy, but I would have to get through this. I walked several times, mostly on the up hills (where did these hills come from?) and at the water stations too. I also lost some time at the port-a-potty. Dang line ups. But that was okay. I had a camera and I was bound to take pictures and thank everyone who cheered us on and all the volunteers. I saw cheerleaders, clowns, belly dancers, Dorothy and the gang from the Wizard of Oz and even a cardboard cutout of John Wayne and Paris Hilton. Oh ya, Instead of people yelling my name which was on the bib, they called me Canada. "Go Canada", "Looking good Canada", "Almost there Canada" stuff like that. It was funny. Thank goodness for my Tri and Run shirt eh!
So, somewhere I'm guessing around mile 8 or 10, I'm really not sure, I see two police on their motorcycles with the sirens, lights the whole nine yards, the guy behind him in a van is yelling at us to move aside, the lead runner is coming. I was so excited!!! I Couldn't get my camera out fast enough, he flew by so fast, all I remember is that he was a white dude wearing yellow runners. Man he was fast!!! I think he finished somewhere around 2:20, not sure.
You know that dreaded part of the run, when you can see the finish sign, and it seems like I'm not getting any closer, well, that's what it was like, for 3/4 of a mile.....oh it felt like they were moving it on me! I really wanted to finish strong and with a smile. My clock time was 2:59, my chip time was 2:49, I did it!
The finish line was a little confusing, a lot of the spectators and runners where standing inside the corral area, so it made it real difficult to navigate. I had to ask where to get my medal, where to I exit. I managed to make my way out and towards the food. Burger King was handing out free hamburgers, oh I wish I could have one of those, but I knew I had something very special for me when I got home. Our friends, Rodney and Tanya bought beautiful rib-eye steaks and he was gonna cook it on the "Big Green Egg" charcoal grill. Tanya was making me these cheesy hash browns (I've never had anything so good). So I knew I should wait. I did grab a banana and extra fluids for the ride home. The walk was short and I had someone take a picture of me at the memorial, holding my medal.
It was a tough run, the heat may have slowed me down, but that was all it did. In my opinion, if you are ever going to come here and do the Memorial full, half or relay, expect to be moved by the people and what this race is all about. The medal is not majestic, or shiny or even on a special lanyard, it's actually quite plain, but it doesn't matter to me. It wasn't about the medal anymore, it was the experience it left in my heart. I will definitely sign up for next year. It will be the 10th annual and I'm sure it will be even more moving and amazing, if that is even possible. I hope you enjoyed the report and consider coming down next year. I offer free accommodations, transportation and I know the perfect place to park (may have to get up real early though! lol) Miss you all my Tri and Run Family!
Shannon Bell (Kraska)
Pictures will be up on my facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/profile.php?id=805165713&ref=name
