Half Marathon

Pre-race smiles.

Go, Bug, Go!

Focused and in control.

Done and done!

GO! BUG! GO!

6:00 AM, the alarm sounds and Linda rolls out of bed. I pull the covers up and roll over. It's the morning of the annual 10k that Linda runs in and she busies herself getting prepared. It's been raining steadily since yesterday morning and it doesn't look like it will let up at all.

Getting to this point for Linda to have a number and run as a participant in this 10k was somewhat of an ordeal. When she went in to register and pay her entrance fee, she was told that the run was full and they had stopped taking any more runners. The gentleman (Gilberto) she talked to knew Linda from past years and he could tell she was disappointed. This was the 6th annual running of this event and she had run in all five previous races.

In classic Mexican fashion, the fellow did not want to disappoint Linda. He took her name and phone number and told her that he would see what he could do to get her registered.

Two days later Linda was running and she heard her name called from the other side of the street. She looked and there he was waving his hands, smiling a big smile. He told her that he had found a number (someone had canceled) and that she was in the run. He asked if she could go and get everything into the computer right then and she said of course.

He tried to explain where she had to go but with his broken English and Linda's broken-er Spanish, he finally took her by the hand and loaded her up in his car and drove her to the business that was taking care of race entrances. All this happened right in the middle of Linda's daily run, so there she was dripping with sweat and smiling. In the end, she got registered but had to run home and gather her entrance fee, which she ran back and paid.

Last night, the night before the run, it was pouring out. Larry from next door had told Linda that he would drive her into town to pick up her packet so she would not get soaked.  It took Linda about two hours to pick up her packet. Half way through the process she sent Larry home because it was taking so long. Her description of the organization was "pure chaos".

 Linda left the house at about 7:30 AM today, I rolled out of bed about ten minutes later. The race started at 8:00 AM and it was pouring.  I waited about ten minutes, found an umbrella, and then went out onto the playa to watch the runners go by.  Within about two minutes the first lead runners came onto the beach and headed my way.  I was joined by Maggie as the race progressed. We scanned the runners and Linda appeared, she was wet but looked determined to conquer the beach. As she went by I took some pictures and yelled my traditional "GO! BUG! GO!"

As she moved on down the beach I returned to the house and waited for her arrival. The rain subsided and soon I heard her at the door. She was wet, she was tired, but she had finished her 6th Costalegre, Jalisco, Mexico 10k!

Linda's Windermere Marathon

Getting into her run gear.

About three years ago Linda ran the Coeur d'Alene Half Marathon and said she wanted to continue training and then run a marathon.  So she set a goal and signed up to run the Windermere Marathon. For the next two years she trained, but both years she got injured and was unable to run the race.

Today Linda competed in the marathon, she was injury free and has trained since the first of February. I was appointed as chief marathon support and took my job very seriously.

4:30 AM - The alarm went off and I struggled out of bed. Linda had been up getting ready since 3:45 AM. I kept my head down and got everything we needed ready to go. You know I hate early mornings, don't you? Everything went very smoothly and we were out of the house on time.

6:00 AM - We reach the marathon start area and Linda gets into her morning run groove.  It was a slow groove, we realized everyone running was just sitting around waiting for the start. In a marathon there isn't a lot of pre-race warming up because you have 26.2 miles to do that. We sat and talked, texted and waited.

6:50 AM - Race start 7:00 AM, we are on hold due to some buses and vans getting lost. I guess we have to start with everyone here.

And they're off!

7:20 AM - Race starts, FINALLY!

From this point I spend my time moving from one spot on the course to another cheering, taking photos, eating donuts, answering txts, and  posting to facebook, and refilling Linda's supplies.

Race Mile 8 - I pull into Krispy Kreme Donuts and pick up one of their coffee and glazed donuts specials.  This should hold me to the end of the race.

Marathon support necessities.

Race Mile 10 - Linda started getting foot cramps.

Race Mile 13 - Linda started getting calf cramps.

When Linda was training she ran up to 19 miles without getting cramps of any type.  However, today the temperatures were way above the numbers she had faced on her longer training runs and thus the cramping. She had been very careful to drink water and eat correctly but in hindsight we should have had some bananas to add to the pre race and also during the race regiment.

Near Mirabeau Park.

Race Mile 16 - Linda feels her toe nail pull up. She is now running on a torn toe nail. From this point to mile 18 she runs, but has to start walking every few blocks.

Race Mile 19 -  With the pain of the toe and the cramps Linda starts walking and finished the rest of the race at a fast walk.  I think that is pretty gutsy and I was very proud of her!

Linda finished in 5 hours and 5 minutes. That was a great first marathon time.  I know that if we were to go again she would definitely hit the goal that she set of finishing under five hours. Heck she was five minutes off as it was and she was running with a bad wheel and cramps and walked the last 7.5 miles!

Once we picked up her rose and medal, I helped her into the Jeep and we drove home. She can still move (barely) and she took an ice bath and is now resting.  I am so proud of her I can't explain it.  So I will smile and take a nap. Race support is hard business!

About mile 16 ish, she told me about her toe.

Close to the finish line and still smiling.

You did it Bug! Yahoo!

Linda knocked another item off her bucket list!

4th Annual Carrera Costalegre 10 K

Linda got up this morning and ran in the 10 K road race. She has run in all four of the events that they have held and each time they provide a different course.  This year they cut down the amount of beach running so Linda was happy about that.  Dale, Judy and I watched the start and then went over and had breakfast a local restaurant.  When we were finished we were able to watch Linda finish the run.  The town does a great job of making everyone who runs feel good about their performance. 

Linda and Jennifer McLeod, a friend from Cd'A. 

On your mark!

Vamos!

"Waat ttil I don't hav foud im ma moff!"

See, I told you I was the good looking one!

Dale and Judy, by the way, Judy had French fries for breakfast.

Almost to the finish line, go Bug!

Melaque 10K

This morning we got up relatively early so that Linda could get ready for the Festival del Mar 10 K Fun Run.  She has run in this event every year since it was established.  If you look back in the blog three years you will see a post called A Mexican 10K.  The first year of this event the 10K was quite a bit farther then an actual 10K so we just wrote it off to being Mexican in nature and that means you never know what you are going to get.

Maggie joined us for the warm up walk down to Centro where the start line was set.  There were quite a few runners entered in the event and the whole town was out and about either running or helping as volunteers.  Linda joined the running crowd and was joined by her favorite jewelery vendor from the tianga. Maggie and I  found Jeff, one of the volleyballers, and wished him luck.  Before long the gun sounded and they were off.

Maggie and I walked up the street and watched the runners go by and after Linda passed we went to a coffee shop and sat and talked.  When all the runners returned and headed down main street to the finish line we got up and joined the crowd cheering everyone across the line.  Jeff did very well in his age group and we even think he may have gotten an award.  Linda did real well too!  She is still injured and has not been training for races.  She jogged the course and felt very good after she had finished.

Bloomsday 2012

Up Cemetery Hill with all our friends!

Doomsday Hill in the background.

Linda walked with me instead of running this year.

Festival de Melaque 10K

This 10K was 6.58 miles, still a bit long.

Lind hitting her stride on the main street.

Breakfast with the Burchs.

Huevos rancheros with bacon, $3.20.

This ain't no Kentucky Fried.

Linda heading to the finish line.

Mickey Mouse, I don't think he ran the entire race.

Best runner in the entire race.