Aurora's Blog

Picking up from yesterday, I ruined my pants (therefore ruining my life) (hyperbole – but only slightly!).

(Although Jeanette commented with a link that just might be the same pants!)

As sad as I was, it was easier to move without all that extra fabric swishing around my feet. I moved at a snail’s pace for a few miles leading up to mile 13. Then I started moving as though I was in a half marathon again.

The kinesiology tape on my knee had come off by the time I’d woken up that morning. I applied the next round myself, messing it up beyond repair twice before I got it right. I think I know what’s up now, though. (Verdict: It was pretty comfy)

There were some fun spectators (braving the rain!) at this race. There was a funny sign that said ,“You look great. (You, not you.)”

Speaking of rain, remember that waterproof phone case I bought with trepidation at Ragnar? It turned out to be a wonderful decision. It rained in Louisville, I ran through every sprinkler in Indianapolis. It rained for miles here. The case was totally worth it, and it’s totally awesome. (Lifeproof is the brand in case you want one too.)

Rewind back to spectators, there was this adorable little boy with a sign, cheering for his two mommies. In some cities, that might’ve been looked down on by some, or that boy might’ve felt embarrassed. He seemed proud (as he should be of his rocking moms!). Way to go, Portland. And way to go, his parents and friends for encouraging him to be proud of his family.

Speaking of boys supporting their families, there were these two men who held up signs for their mom at 12 different points along the course! Talk about dedication! They were the talk of the race.

There were fun water stop volunteers from American Airlines (I’m guessing, since they were wearing big American Airlines hat contraptions on their heads). (I’m still a Southwest girl for life (or until other airlines start allowing changes without fees)! But they looked fun, nonetheless.)

I noticed “no parking (during the hours of the race)” signs in a neighborhood, which made me think about the people who lived there. I’ve run through neighborhoods before, but never thought about those people being sort of trapped in their houses during the race.

They’re obviously not completely trapped. They have the ability to walk out of their neighborhood, get on the MAX, and go wherever they want. But this was the first time I ever really thought about them, and wondered if they’re annoyed, if they’re warned, and all that jazz.

Back to mile 13, I jogged on through to the finish. Maryalicia – the lovely, positive pacer I’d lost – was on the sidelines of the last .1, cheering for me. She’d warned me that if I went out too quickly, I’d probably fade. She  was right. (I knew she would be.) Someday I might have enough control to stay with her for negative splits. Today wasn’t that day. (Don’t read that as a surprise or disappointment, ’cause I did not work to make today that day.)

My official time: 3:24:49.

Lawrence, my blog follower that I’d met the day before was waiting at the finish! Luckily, he mentioned getting his Rock Star medal. I would’ve completely forgotten to pick mine up!

We found the heavy medal booth, and Garret gave me my big, huge, heavy Rock Star medal. (It’s way cooler than getting it in the mail.) And, they had Gatorades for us! What, what? That’s something that doesn’t come with your heavy metal in the mail!

I clanged clanged clanged over to gear check. I’d heard people clang medals before – coast to coast and a Disney medal, or Beach Cities and the OC half medal. This was my clanging day!

At gear check, I happened to meet the race director standing by the UPS truck. She told me that she thought she recognized my story. “Yeah, I’m pretty sure we put you in the event guide.”

I usually don’t grab the event guide at the expo, being that all the information I ever need is online. But, I happened to grab one this time. The guides were right in front of me as I came in the expo. I’d heard people talk about them before. Why not grab one?

When I got back to the hotel, I checked the guide. Sure enough, there was a little 2 or 3 line blurb about me. It hasn’t increased my blog traffic, so either no one cared, or no one read it. Either way, the Rock ‘n’ Roll series thought of me.

See you tomorrow night. Since that’s Wednesday, it’ll be time for yet another installment of “That Time My Heart Broke. Literally.”