San Diego Rock 'n Roll Race Report

Let's just say it didn't go as planned.

3:15am - 5:10am: I had Barrett call me so I'd be sure to wake up in time. We chatted and I had my usual 24oz of 7-11 coffee w/vanilla creamer and mini-marshmallows. He started getting ready for work, so I made my wheat wrap w/peanut butter and banana, ate, showered and finished packing. Headed to the start with my dad at 5:10.

5:15am: A conversation I thought I'd never have with my dad:
Me: We need to stop at a grocery store. Now.
Dad: Why?
Me: I forgot I was on my period.
Dad: ...Oh...
We stop at the store and then park near the start. Dad is super great and stands in line with me for a porta potty. The wait was 40min long. While standing in line, I decide to move my [personalized] bib from my singlet to my shorts. Another conversation I thought I'd never have with my dad:
Dad: "Nina No Pants?" What does that mean?
Nina: Oh. Um. It's a drinking story. I'll tell you when you're older.
Dad: Hm.
Finally get into a porta potty and then make my way to the corral.

6:30: Gun goes off. I stand still for another 5 minutes. Finally crossed that start at 6:38.

Miles 1 - 6: It was really easy to keep my pace under control here. I think the first mile was 11:something. Super packed, but lots of good energy. My hips felt tight, but I thought I was just psyching myself out. We ran past the PetCo Ballpark around mile 4, so I blew a kiss to my bro.

Mile 7: See my parents, so that was fun! A TNT coach saw me and ran with me for a bit.

Mile 7.22: My left ITB is really not feeling good. At this point I know it will be a bad day.

Miles 8 -13.1: Left ITB is shot. At one point I thought my knee was going to collapse. I yelled out and then had to walk for a bit. I think this is the first time I cried. Saw my friend Juile at 9.5- she had a backpack full of stuff with her- The Stick, gum, water, Bengay... I rolled with the stick and slapped Bengay on. This is probably what got me through to the 1/2 point. Got to 13.1 at 2:27 (I had been running running sub 2:20 during training runs with ease). It wasn't pretty. The pads of my feet started hurting around mile 11, and I realized then that my shoes were probably way too worn out. I couldn't remember buying a new pair after February. They probably had at least 400mi on them.

Miles 13.1 - 16: Lots of walking through here. Loooots of walking. Saw sister and her boyfriend around 14/15 and totally lost it. Gave them hugs, told them it was horrible and that I was in a lot of pain. She said it was okay to quit. I said I couldn't. She hugged me again and I was off. Saw parents around 15/16 and gave them the thumbs down. They said I looked great. I said they were lying. Got ice wrapped to my knee at 16. The medic didn't wrap it tightly enough, so I ditched the ice half a mile later. Borrowed another runner's cell phone so I could call my dad and tell him I'd be coming in about an hour later than I expected. Saw my friend Tauni and her boyfriend Mark at 16. Cried some more. He got a pic of it. I hope it's a funny one. Kept on keepin' on...

Miles 17 - 19: Got SUPER PISSED when a photog caught me walking. Was able to fake it during an obvious picture point, though. :vain: Another female runner latched onto me at mile 18 and kept offering her IT brace and Motrin. I kept saying no and trying to lose her. This continued, every quarter mile, until 19.

Miles 19 - 22: I pretty much look like a running peg-legged pirate at this point. Can't really bend my left knee. My friend Juile somehow get back on the course. She walked/jogged with me for a looooong time. Kept my spirits up for sure.

Miles: 22-25: Dad joined Juile and I and we jog/walked together. I told my Dad to relish this moment because it would be the only time he could outrun me. Tauni and Mark saw us again at 24, and Julie left with them. From then on, it was me and Pops for a while. I couldn't do any sort of regular timed interval, so I'd run until it hurt too much and then walk until it wasn't painful.

Mile 25 - 26.2: Dad had to peel off as the race entered the Marine base. All of the Marines were super nice and supportive. They'd look you in the eyes and be really encouraging. I tried to jog the rest of it, but couldn't make it the whole way. I walked until I could actually see the finish line, and then start jogging. Around 25.8, a coach from another TNT chapter assumed I needed someone to run me in. For .3 of a mile, she ran next to me saying, "You're almost there! One foot in front of the other! Keep going!" It took all my self control not to tell her to buzz off and leave me alone. Thankfully she let me go at 26.1. I crossed 26.2 and started walking.

Chip time: 5:50:34.

Since I was out there for almost 6 hours, I had a lot of time to think. The entire experience was very humbling. It's frustrating to not be able to make your body do what you want. It's frustrating to train well and have everything go to pieces the one time you actually need them to work.

I know for next time that I need to keep an eye on how many miles are on my shoes. I also need to stretch, foam roll and ice consistently throughout the season.

I am really grateful for the support my friends and family gave me on the course. I never considered quitting, but not having them out there would have made the day that much more painful. I am fortunate that I have an amazing support group around me.

I've already picked out my next marathon (Chicago 2010), and I'll be running San Diego Rock 'n Roll again in 2011, on my 27th birthday. I'm confident that those races will go better, and I look forward to continuing to meet my goals as a runner.