(#32) The Tahoe Nevada Half Marathon (Tahoe Trifecta Day 2) – Part 1 (Recognized By A Stranger (Famous Much? ;)) And Running On A Highway Shoulder)

September 29, 2012

On the shuttle to the race, I was talking to the people around me. Someone said, “You’re Aurora?” I said, “Yes. Did I say that already?” (I didn’t remember introducing myself yet (which I suppose was a little on the rude side for me to just launch into conversation without even saying my name).)

He said, “No, I recognized you from your blog.” What?! Whoa. He said he found it through Google Reader or something. He asked me some questions about some races I’d done. He really had, in real life, read my blog.

In fact, he told me that he signed up for these races because he saw them on my blog and thought they looked fun. Wow, right? I really hope he had a great, fun weekend overall. And Paul, if you happen to be reading, feel free to chime in in the comments (or email me) with how the weekend ended for you.

I found today’s race funny because they said, “You’re gonna run 10 miles along the highway, but we didn’t close it down, so be careful.” I love that we were just a big pack of people going along the highway. From all accounts I heard, there weren’t even any signs put up before the 10-mile stretch warning drivers, “Hey, watch out for a fair number of runners in the middle of a half marathon.”

I can’t say for certain there were no signs, but I talked to some peoples’ relatives who drove that stretch who said they didn’t see any warning signs.

Best of all, not only we were trying to stay in the small shoulder area, there was a bike ride at the same time (run by the same half marathon people) using the same shoulder! So, the runners and cyclists were trying to use the same tiny piece of road, while going in opposite directions, and they were doing it while trying to avoid cars in the lane we were trying our best to stay out of.

The thing about going along the shoulder in that part of Lake Tahoe is that there were numerous areas where, if you went too far away from the road, you didn’t just end up in the woods, you fell off a cliff. Sometimes we were sandwiched between guard rails and the road. It was interesting to say the least.

I walked this race as well (as yesterday’s). I’d never done a triple before, so I felt that saving up energy making sure I could get through the final race was the best strategy that I could take this weekend. Today I did walk faster, though. I kept up with other walkers, because being with people is far more interesting than being without them.

I gabbed for a while with a woman named Jackie. She was a treasure for listening to me ramble on about pretty much nothing as we passed the time. We traded off at different points – visiting groups of other walkers – her passing me sometimes, me passing her sometimes.

In the last few miles, we were off the highway and into a neighborhood. I hit a quicker speed-walking type stride. Let’s get real, I was ready for this race to be over. Not that it wasn’t enjoyable. It was just my second one of the weekend. And the nature was beautiful, but a little repetitive.

I ended up passing Jackie with my new rocking strides. I walked out a good deal ahead of her and her walking buddy (to where I couldn’t even see them anymore). I was ready beat somebody after coming in dead last the day before.

This is where I’ll pick up tomorrow.

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