Tag Archives: Des Moines Marathon

Conference Run

28 October 2011

3 Comments

For the past 3 consecutive years I ran in the Des Moines Marathon, an event held in October every year. Before you faint in amazement, I want to clarify that I did not run the marathon course itself. For in that event, there was also the 5K run, the half marathon (21K), and the full marathon (42K).

During my first year of joining, I ran the 5K. It was actually my first ever road race. Though I run for exercise since I was very young, I never ran long distances before. Maybe 2 to 3 kilometer tops. I was more on doing sprint in my younger days. But after that run, I admit, I got hooked.

So on the following year, I did the half marathon. It took me a few months to train for it, but I did it. And I finished it with a respectable time (that means it did not take the whole day!) too.

Last year, I repeated the feat and ran the half marathon again. This built enough confidence that I wanted more. I felt then that I was ready to try the full marathon next time.

But not this year.

In fact, I did not even join the Des Moines Marathon event at all this time. I learned early this year, as I was planning my year-long schedule that I would not be able to join the run. There is an out-of-state annual physician’s conference this autumn that I just cannot pass, for the reason of where it is being held this year.

So to stay motivated and maintain shape and in good running condition, I did the next best thing. I joined a race in the city where I attended my conference. Though it was not a marathon nor even a half marathon.

I joined a 5K run in Honolulu. Yeah baby, in Hawaii!

Looks like Roxas Blvd, right? But's that's Honolulu harbor.

Here we go! To inhale the salted air. Do you notice the name of the run was “One Breath”? I think “Out of Breath,” at least for me, is more appropriate.

I'm somewhere in the back. I'm giving the other racers the head start.

If running has always this stunning view (I mean the ocean, not the lady doing the stretching), I really can get used to this.

The runner and the ocean.

What’s next? Boston marathon? I don’t think so. How about Boracay marathon (if ever there is such event)? That’s more like it.

I Did It!

17 October 2010

3 Comments

I did it! I finished the Des Moines half marathon today. And yes, I’m still walking, albeit barely. Here’s the mile by mile account of my run.

Starting Line: It was a chilly morning. It was in the low 40′s F, but the sun was shining. The starting line was crowded with people, it was like a street party with a band playing. There were about 5500 people that joined the marathon and the half-marathon. I was happy to know that I am not the only one crazy to run in this cold morning. At exactly 8 AM, we were released to run, however due to the number of people, it took me about 5 minutes after the race had started, before I could cross the starting line. That’s OK, I was giving them a lead start!

1st mile: No sweat at all, in fact I was still feeling cold. I was pacing myself. 12 more miles to go!

2nd mile: I started to warm up. I was feeling good still.

3rd mile: I passed a drinking station and got my first cup of water.

4th mile: I was feeling good about myself as I was maintaining a 10-minute-mile pace. I thought I can finish in 2 hours and 20 minutes which is within my goal of finishing under 2:30. I was barely on my 4th mile when a motorcade going in the other direction passed us by and directed us to stay on the right lane of the road. It was the leading pack of runners for the half marathon, already on their way back of the route! Are you kidding me? This was demoralizing.

5th mile: The lead woman runner of the half marathon passed me by going downstream while I’m still heading upstream. I guess I run like a girl? (I’m not chauvinistic, I’m just stating a fact.) Then I felt an urge. I cannot hold it anymore. I have to take a break. So I did. A restroom break that is.

6th mile: I was working on my 6th mile, when a kid, I don’t think he’s even 12, passed me by, going downstream already. Then shortly thereafter, a grandpa, I believe he’s in his late 60′s or early 70′s, passed me by. My status was deteriorating by the mile! Who’s going to pass me by next? I finally reached the halfway point: the official timer read 1:09.

7th mile: My pace was getting slower. The 2:20 (2 hours 20 minutes) pace runner whom I was trying to follow was getting farther and farther from my view. I let go of my goal of finishing under 2:30. I just want to finish the race at least the same day! The crowd, the singers, the drummers, the mascots on the side of the road, cheered me to go on.

8th mile: I passed the loop of the course and I was now going downstream. I passed by runners who are still going upstream. This infused some morale in me. I’m not the slowest after all. Then I passed a participant who was supported by 2 walking canes as he walked the course. If he is determined to finish despite of his limitations, I should too.

9th mile: I stopped for Gatorade and some Gummy bears. In my head, I can hear my son singing the Gummy Bear song.

10th mile: An ambulance stopped at the side of the road and loaded up a participant into a stretcher. I’m dying here, can you pick me up too?

11th mile: I was reduced into a walk for a few minutes. Now, my goal was just to finish this race, even if it’s not today!

12th mile: Another motorcade came from behind me. Following the motorcade was the lead runner of the Marathon. He already overtook me and he ran twice the distance I covered?!! (I later learned that his name is James Kirwa from Kenya. He finished the marathon in 2:14:20 which is a record time for the Des Moines marathon.) My legs were as heavy as lead, and my feet are aching, but I could smell the finish line, where food (more than just Gummy Bears and Gatorade) were waiting for me.

13th mile: A mile to go! I had renewed determination. There was no train to stop me in my track this time, like what had happened to me last year. The music, the band playing, the cheering crowd was getting louder and louder. I could see the finish line in the distance!

Finish Line: I finally did it! My official time was 2:23:58. (No! It’s not 2 days, 23 hours and 58 minutes! It’s 2 hours and 23 minutes, and 58 seconds.)

 

My Bib and Finisher Medal

 

Was it worth it? Every mile of it! Now, where the heck is the ibuprofen.

Nothing Stops Me. Except a Train.

12 September 2010

2 Comments

My training for the half marathon is now on high gear. Neither the heat, nor rain, nor flood, nor snow (snow? good thing there’s none yet at this time of year) can stop me now. Except maybe, the train. And that’s exactly what happened to me at the race here in Des Moines, last year.

During my first half marathon run last year, as I was rounding the last leg of the course, when I turned the corner for the last 400 meters, I was stopped on my track by a crossing train. I have to wait for about a minute or so before I can continue and finish the race. A minute of delay is nothing to me, but I felt bad for the leading runner for the marathon, an elite athlete, who was finishing the full marathon course at the same time I’m finishing my half marathon. (The full and the half marathon ends at the same finish line). He too was stopped by the train.

Simon Sawe from Kenya, was stopped by a train, but still able to finish first at the 2009 Des Moines Marathon. Photo courtesy of Des Moines Register.

Speaking of elite runners, I just cannot imagine how can they run a dizzying pace of 11-12 miles per hour (twice as fast as my pace) and sustain it for 26 miles. That’s a full pledge sprint speed to me! I tried running at 8 miles per hour and I cannot even sustain it for half a mile. I have so much respect for these amazing athletes.

I may not acquire the athletic prowess of those elite runners, but I can sure have the iron resolve to finish the race. For “The race is not always for the swift, but to those who keep on running” – Anonymous. And this is true in the race we called life. I believe that life is not a sprint, but more of a long distance run. We may falter, fall, or slow down to a crawl. But if we keep on going, we will reach our destination.

long, lonely road ahead

I know there’s only one way I can finish the race: to keep one foot in front of the other at a time. And that’s what I will do.