So this happened this Monday……
Remember how I was ALL worried about the humidity? Worry is wasted energy. Much to my surprise I woke up on a holiday AT dark thirty no less, turned on the local news to learn the forecast had changed…..a Monday big rain storm was headed our way.
SO I loaded up on Ziplocs and the hat (must have for a rainy run)..thinking, “its been this way all summer, you never know where the heavy stuff is gonna hit and looking outside right now its OK”.
I put my #run3rd race dedications in my zippered pocket thinking surely I can handle a little rain as I read the names aloud.
I taped up the ankle and tendinitis with KT Tape, popped my Energy bits and got in the car. On the short drive over I deluded myself…”see nothing”….until I saw lightening in the distance – the direction of the race.
Parked at the Chamblee Marta and flashed back to my very first half marathon, the Atlanta Half back in ’99 – yeah, not even this century! Let me tell you, that was a rainy crazy experience too…POURED for like 6 of the 13 miles. History was about to repeat itself….remind me of this when I say I am running a race from Chamblee please.
Ran into my ATL Princess Running friends Elyn, Wendy and Bonnie. Its a beautiful thing to see your friends at races. So festive in our running skirts too!
We started to a VERY light drizzle. I would say about a quarter mile in; as we turned onto Peachtree Road….GORGEOUS RAINBOW. It was huge. And considering my race dedications of the babies lost too soon, it reminded me of God’s Promise and literally warmed my heart.
The course at this point is not flat, but you know I was doing pretty well. My goal had been to just keep it at 13 minute miles which when I am in shape, is VERY comfortable. Truth be told my training is spotty lately, BUT while this wasn’t a stroll down Peachtree it was not hard to maintain.
I put my phone away in double zip lock bags as it started to POUR. Not even one mile in.
But I will say, even the few hills we had, I felt great in my pace going up. I was doing 1 minute run/walk intervals and the crowd had thinned out, so it was super easy to move to the right when I walked…I am polite that way you know!
There was a lady in a super cute Wild One Sparkle Skirt who was pretty much on pace…I would pass her, then when walking she would pass me. I decided she would be the one to keep me going. Found out later, she is in like 3 of my FB running groups and her name is Kim. THANK YOU SO MUCH KIM…you kept me going.
Around mile 3 the downpour got harder…and Crazy Train came on my Ipod Shuffle. I laughed thinking we were all indeed crazy running in this and thought of that scene in Cadddyshack where the golfer in the rain had the game of his life in the thunder storm. This was NOT the run of my life though and my music wasn’t motivating me. Heard a little thunder too. Ain’t we lucky we got em….GOOD TIMES!
Mile 4 came; my shoes and socks were SOAKED. Puddles in the gutter, windy and I was quite miserable. My shoes felt like they weighed a ton and I couldn’t decide if my sunglasses were helping the rain keep out of my eyes or not. The hat helped keep the rain out of my face, plus despite the rain I could feel my hot red face so a few times took off the hat to wipe my face – really cooled me down.
God Bless All the Kids at the water stops! Its pouring and they were all like “Doing Great!” “Way to Go!” “You look great!”. Big Peach…..bring them back loved the energy. I even got a couple of high fives. Amazed they were just out in the rain and I did see more than one umbrella get blown inside out.
By this point I was MISERABLE. No REALLY. I had like wet lead feed and just wanted to quit. I think had I had a buddy would have helped. I walked more in mile 4 and 5….despite this is the FLAT part of the course. I was so ready to be done. Totally mental to get me into my run intervals from walking. At some point in mile 5; I let my Wild One Sparkle Skirt pacer go “Go ahead and beat me, I don’t care” I said to myself. “This sucks”. “Will we ever be done”. “I am going to have huge blisters”. But I trudged on reminding myself not to push it because things were a tad tight in the legs and foot.
I was SO happy to see mile 6….only point two to go. And them the IPOD delivered…. I had on Rock My Run – some Rock Mix…and “I’m Free ” from the Who’s Rock Opera Tommy came on. As I heard the lyrics “I’m Free…I’m Free….and I’m Waiting For You to Follow Me”. I thought about my race dedications, specifically Caleb and Jake and Chris and Carsten and Finn and Michelle…..babies who left their mommies too soon. Its like I received a message they were fine and with me and we moms would see them again, so just suck it up and just finish up. With this and remembering the rainbow at the start, well I had to stop a second – I got a little verklempt.
I pulled it together just to laugh at a loud speaker recording blaring …”Attention Runners, Cameras are around the corner and ready to take your race picture….GET READY TO SMILE”. Um yeah, I laughed thinking I look fab. Somehow in my misery, I was able to pull it together for the paparazzi….not a bad finisher photo for being soaked. Its like I was winning the race!
I finished and OMG was I happy to be done. And walked around in the rain it was POURING still; which at this point was funny. I discovered something new and amazing Zico Chocolate Coconut water. And you coconut water naysayers, do not be afraid, it has pure cane sugar as one of the ingredients. Give it a try if its at a race near you!
Since this was a point to point, I had to take a shuttle back to start. Sadly waited like 20 minutes for the bus back to the start IN THE POURING RAIN. This was worse than the race. A bus showed up and despite the sign “Atlanta Motor Speedway to Philips Arena” I got on…luckily made it back to Chamblee Marta and not to Nascar or a Hawks game.
Got back to my van and drove to get my REAL post race treat. Oh yes its fall and I wanted something Pumpkin. Thanks Dunkin Donuts for delivering!
Results showed I was RIGHT ON TARGET WITH MY PACE GOAL! Sure slow time, but you know considering my lack of consistent running lately – am so proud. Got up early, ran in the pouring rain and met my goal – well close, average mile pace…..13.06 minute miles!
OH and per the Big Peach Sizzler Web site, 1800 people registered…I beat all the sleep in afraid of the rain people too… BOOYAH!
In hindsight, ANY time there is a threat of rain and I am doing a race, I must remember to put clean dry clothes and shoes in the car. Driving home soaking wet was not fun. Thankfully there was a towel in my car which helped a little. And while some might think those of us who braved the elements are crazy….I say to them….
Finally, a huge shout out to my Feetures socks….seriously, there is only so much moisture wicking a sock can do in the rain. I had NO blisters, which shocked me! Love my Feetures!
So have you every run a race in the pouring rain? How did it go for you?
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WTG Julie! Um, you know I would have slept in. 😉 Thanks for #run3rd in memory of Jacob.
I have not run in the rain. There was one recently that was pouring up until the race started and then it miraculously stopped. I’m a wimp. Any kind of bad weather and I’m indoors. lol
What a great race racap! I love it and hope to get to run with you soon!
Thanks Kat….are you doing Wine and Dine? That is my next Disney race.
Awesome job Julie for getting out there in the rain and not quitting!! I haven’t run a race in the rain but I have done a few training runs in it. Not fun I know.
Really messed with my head and I was so afraid I was going to slip! But I finished….very slow 10k for me.