Yesterday was the BIG 2012 Cooper River Bridge Run!
I know you’re excited because it means I can change my training and stop talking about running!
But it’s not quite over yet…
This was filmed when I was excited to run and get started… at around 20 minutes before the official start time. Except that at 8:05 the start gun had yet to fire!
In fact, the race was crazy, and because of poor planning and the huge record setting crowd, the race didn’t get started until 9am (an hour later). Let’s just say I wasn’t so cheery… I was hungry (my 6:00 oatmeal breakfast was telling me I should have had something extra) and I was no longer excited but just ready to get started and get it over.
Sarah (running partner) and I before the race... sun just coming up, around 7:00am!
Once the race started though, it was awesome. There were bands placed about every mile which helped to raise spirits. There was even a Black Eyed Peas cover band on the very top of the bridge! Just what I needed to keep energized over the incline.
The start of the biggest suspension bridge in America! Along with some of the 40,000 other runners!
I got a pretty bad side stitch around mile 2, but by mile 3 I had gotten it under control and I refused to let it stop me. I felt great actually, my breathing was in control and my legs felt strong with every stride…
That is until I started going down the incline.
About a week ago, I had taken Zoe out for a walk, out of no where it started to pour down rain, so in my efforts to get us back to the house quickly, I twisted my leg funny off the curb. My knee has been bothering me off and on but for the most part seemed to be healing well.
Until that decline came on and my knee started to kill me. I pushed on and with about 1.2 miles left to go, I decided I needed to walk. I was limbing like crazy, my knee was screaming with pain and I just knew I was done for. When I stopped though, my knee felt even worst,you can imagine how upset I was! Almost in tears, a random runner went past me and told me not to give up, I was too close!
It was just what I needed, I figured I was too close to let this pain win. So I dug for a bit of edrinalin and ran on, I actually was pain free (I think it was all excitement to make it through) and when I saw the finish line, I even managed to sprint full out.
I made it! 6.2 Miles Completed! Time for a mimosa (thats what was in my mind)
It was the highlight of the run!
My final time: 57.50 minutes. A bit of a disappointment but all the obsticles I had to go through I am actually proud.
It also helped me to realize my passion for running, and while I don’t consider myself a runner I have decided to let me knee heal up and start training for a 1/2 marathon! First, I have some researching to do though.
The rest of the day was spent celebrating with my running partner Sarah and Dan. We bar hopped, had lunch at a quaint little cafe and even acted like tourist in Charleston… it was a great day!
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