April 18, 2009 found us headed for Chesapeake, VA for a Half Marathon called "The Dismal Swamp Stomp". Selected this one for several reasons: not too far away (about 3 hour drive); flat course; met our friend Alice Till's need for an April event (she is doing a Half per month in honor of her 65th); interesting name & website outlook on doing a Half; and gave me a chance to visit "The Great Dismal Swamp", home of Francis Marion, aka "The Swamp Fox" during the Revolutionary War.
TCF notes - the times from the Kale Running system confirm the times on my Garmin, and it’s clear all was going exactly according to plan through mile 6, then began “coming apart” from there. Not sure what caused my back to “spasm”, but one of our group was told after the event that when seen just after mile 6 it was clear I was in trouble, with spine at about a 15-20 angle to the left. Will have to check photos from web site when posted, they may help identify when and why. When Alice and I passed Naomi after “turn around” (about mile 6.75 or so) she called out “you are leaning”, so it was obvious by then.By mile 9 it was clear simply finishing was going to be a challenge, with at least one of the medical units offering help between there and mile 10.5. Just past mile 11 we came to a complete stop. (Alice had very kindly slowed down and stayed with me, and shortly before that Naomi had caught up to us). Someone suggested calling Mike Goode (who was at the finish line) and having him send the medics down course for me, which we did. Medics took me to finish area, told me to walk across finish line unless I wanted them to carry me in. Don’t deserve it, but was given a “finisher’s medal”. Feels very strange, first time to ever DNF an endurance event.
Why? Not sure yet, suspect part was result of 5+ hour drive to event in cramped seating position in back seat (spine kept in unnatural position due to being unable to sit up straight). Other contributing factors may have been insufficient warmup and stretch before event. Know I must focus on a 4 letter word in order to avoid this problem and improve performance. CORE
Virtually no elevation changes on the course, and most of it shady with trees leafing out, some blooming plants, overall a lovely "country side" setting for this event. The organizers also include some walkers, so for those registered as "1/2 Marathon Walk", there was a special "W" bib to be pinned on so you could be recognized by the "judges". They weren't judging for perfect form, but if you wore a "W" and were seen running, your time would be included with the runners, not the walkers.
If nothing else my experience at this event taught me some lessons (CORE), and gave me a reminder of my appreciation for friends and TNT. The best short description is my email report from the event:
TCF notes - the times from the Kale Running system confirm the times on my Garmin, and it’s clear all was going exactly according to plan through mile 6, then began “coming apart” from there. Not sure what caused my back to “spasm”, but one of our group was told after the event that when seen just after mile 6 it was clear I was in trouble, with spine at about a 15-20 angle to the left. Will have to check photos from web site when posted, they may help identify when and why. When Alice and I passed Naomi after “turn around” (about mile 6.75 or so) she called out “you are leaning”, so it was obvious by then.By mile 9 it was clear simply finishing was going to be a challenge, with at least one of the medical units offering help between there and mile 10.5. Just past mile 11 we came to a complete stop. (Alice had very kindly slowed down and stayed with me, and shortly before that Naomi had caught up to us). Someone suggested calling Mike Goode (who was at the finish line) and having him send the medics down course for me, which we did. Medics took me to finish area, told me to walk across finish line unless I wanted them to carry me in. Don’t deserve it, but was given a “finisher’s medal”. Feels very strange, first time to ever DNF an endurance event.
Why? Not sure yet, suspect part was result of 5+ hour drive to event in cramped seating position in back seat (spine kept in unnatural position due to being unable to sit up straight). Other contributing factors may have been insufficient warmup and stretch before event. Know I must focus on a 4 letter word in order to avoid this problem and improve performance. CORE
The event itself had about 1000 entrants, of which 75 or so were signed up as walkers, plus another 100 or so doing a 1/2 mile "Cub Run". Neat course, going out and back along the Dismal Swamp Canal along a two-lane road which was closed for the event, with farms on one side and the canal and swamp on the other. Almost perfect weather, mid-50s to start going up to mid-70s by the finish.
Virtually no elevation changes on the course, and most of it shady with trees leafing out, some blooming plants, overall a lovely "country side" setting for this event. The organizers also include some walkers, so for those registered as "1/2 Marathon Walk", there was a special "W" bib to be pinned on so you could be recognized by the "judges". They weren't judging for perfect form, but if you wore a "W" and were seen running, your time would be included with the runners, not the walkers. More important than those details is the effect of friends and team mates. First, there were five of
us doing the Dismal Swamp Stomp, which is a lovely smaller event. We all have gotten to know one another through TNT, and this event looked like (and was) one which would be relatively easy to get to and fun to share. We followed our usual practice of wearing TNT gear (singlet for me, green hat for Alice, etc.) and enjoyed all the "Go Team" greetings from other TNTers on the course. Some were in TNT shirts/hats, many were not but still greeted us with "Go Team". Another part of the team aspect was the pure joy of being out for the day with others who we have come to know.
us doing the Dismal Swamp Stomp, which is a lovely smaller event. We all have gotten to know one another through TNT, and this event looked like (and was) one which would be relatively easy to get to and fun to share. We followed our usual practice of wearing TNT gear (singlet for me, green hat for Alice, etc.) and enjoyed all the "Go Team" greetings from other TNTers on the course. Some were in TNT shirts/hats, many were not but still greeted us with "Go Team". Another part of the team aspect was the pure joy of being out for the day with others who we have come to know.I'd been training fairly rigorously for this event, and Alice was ready to serve as my mentor, cheering and prodding me on to my target finish of 3:00. We started out right on pace, not too fast but not too slow, and began bringing our average down to the desired level for the desired overall time. Everything seemed to be working well, but for reasons which I can't fully explain, my back started "acting up" and by mile 7 was in "spasm", causing me to be unable to stand up straight. Between the turn around and mile 7 we had seen Naomi going the other way, so knew she was not far behind, and a bit behind her we saw Peggy Goode, who told us Mike had problems at the start and turned back about mile 2.
Here's where the Team part appears in an even more direct and personal way. Despite my urging her to go ahead and do her own race, Alice slowed down and stayed with me as I kept going slower and slower, barely able to keep my feet moving. Soon Naomi caught up with us, and she too slowed down so the three of us were walking at my increasingly slower pace. By mile 10 my speed was down to about 20 min/mile, and getting slower. Finally about mile 11.3 I could not go any more, and tried to tell Naomi and Alice to go ahead. Instead they stayed with me, and one of them finally said "you have Michael's cell phone number, call and ask him to send out the medics for you?".
Got Michael on the phone, he was within a few feet of the medics, went over and I could hear them telling him they were on the way. About that time Peggy caught up with Naomi, Alice and me, which I reported to Michael and he said "good, she's having blister problems, glad the other ladies are there with her". Paramedics load me into the SUV (sitting, thank you) and the ladies resume while I get a ride to the finish line. The paramedics tell me my choice is to walk across the line to the medical tent, or they will carry me. I walk, get handed a "finisher's medal" I don't deserve, and go straight to medical tent with one of the paramedics at my side.
Tell the med staff I need an ice pack and some ibuprofen, they give me both and a cot to lie down
on. Within about 20 minutes I'm able to get up and move around, and wind up catching photos of our three ladies coming across the finish line. As Michael put it "thank goodness for team mates, it all worked out fine in the end". We are all ready to go back for this event next year, for me personally just to prove I can manage it. By the way, the accommodations were great in a five month old Hyatt Place with a couple of nice places to eat within easy walking distance and very friendly folks.
on. Within about 20 minutes I'm able to get up and move around, and wind up catching photos of our three ladies coming across the finish line. As Michael put it "thank goodness for team mates, it all worked out fine in the end". We are all ready to go back for this event next year, for me personally just to prove I can manage it. By the way, the accommodations were great in a five month old Hyatt Place with a couple of nice places to eat within easy walking distance and very friendly folks. You should put this event on your personal calendar to join us next year - think the date is Saturday, April 17th. Naomi, Alice and I talked on the way home about how much fun it would have been to share this weekend with other friends, and the hotel was nice enough to warrant staying another night. 24 hours later I was a bit sore, but overall not too bad. Peggy reported blister problem was a function of wrong socks, and Michael and I are about to start a "biggest loser" contest of our own.
Alice is off to another event next month (Zooma, if memory serves). Naomi, Alice and I are now planning another "out of the country" event, the Quebec City Half Marathon on August 30, 2009. Then of course we'll all three be on hand for Nike in Nov., and we'll plan on following that up with "the usual" MCM 10K for a recovery walk.Now for those core exercises - have to get ready for the Marine Corps Half Marathon on May 17th, then Zooma 10K on May 31st, not to mention Fall Season and the Nike Marathon.
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