On April 24th I ran one of my bucket list marathons. Big Sur Marathon. I have been patiently waiting for this 2 years now. Hard to believe that my running buddy put our name into the lottery and actually got chosen to run this marathon. Then, COVID hit in 2020 and had to defer it not once, but twice! I almost didn't get to participate due to an ankle avulsion stress fracture back in December 2021.
However, I got lucky and didn't require surgery got released to run again! However, I really had to take it easy and not run as fast in order to fully recover. I only had about 11 weeks to train for this marathon. I took Dash with me on all my runs and she really motivated me to keep going. We were both so happy to just run again about almost 60 days of no running.
Eddie and I took off Thursday - Monday and flew into San Francisco and rented a car to drive up to Carmel where we are staying. California is so beautiful and has the best weather. It's not humid and you have the ocean and mountains with breathtaking view! As soon as we got there, we drove up Highway 1 to see what I would be running. And...wow. Just wow! It is super hilly, but the it's the most scenic drive in the nation. All the houses there are super cute and all are different. There is no cookie cutter homes over there. The flowers are so pretty and saw so many I have never seen before. I had great hair every day because it's not humid. I had to dress warm at night because temps were in the 50s and highs in the 80s. Eddie said that we would have to hit the lottery in order to afford to live there...LOL! It's true, it's so freaking expensive over there.
We also went to the Expo. and it wasn't huge at all. I just bought me some gu blocks and head sweatband. We ran into a nice restaurant up in the mountains with beautiful views. I ate my pasta to carb load. Other sight seeing things we did while there was to run to Peeble Beach for my shake off 3 mile run with Eddie. It was crazy hilly, but we even ran into some deer in the back yard of million dollar home on golf course. We also did the 17 mile drive on Peeble Beach and saw the most beautiful golf tee at par 3 right off the ocean between rocks. The most beautiful golf course in the world.
The marathon was by far the toughest marathon I have ever ran, but it was worth the hurt! I had to wake up at 3:00 and get ready to walk to catch the bus two blocks from our hotel. I lucked out when I picked that hotel, I had no idea we would be that close. I have never started at marathon at 6:45 a.m. before to wake up that early. However, it would be an hour to get to the starting line in Big Sur. It's kinda like Boston where they bus us and we run one way all the way to Carmel. The good thing is that we were very close to the finish line too.
Mile 2-4 isn't that bad as you go down hill, but was told to not go fast because you will regret it for the later hills.
Mile 5-7: we start to go uphill on and hit another water station. They only have 11 water stations and porta potties along the way. I ran with a run belt with attached water bottles, so I didn't stop at the water stations. Although I did drink ever y tine I would run through one.
Mile 8: we are still on a soft uphill and start to see the ocean and by the time I hit mile 9 we go downhill to Little Sur Bridge. There are drummers and more spectators to keep me moving.
Mile 9-13: we hit a huge climb up to Hurricane Point and Bixby Bridge. I keep looking at the ocean and hear the waves crashing against the rocks and try not to think of this tough hill. The views distract me from the pain in my hamstrings. I really take it all in and even take some pics along the way here and even video. I just want it to not end. I mean, it's like something you see on a postcard. The wind is somewhat crazy, but I don't stop and just keep going. I hear a piano playing in a distance and he is playing, "We are the Champions" and wow! It is echoing through the mountains and the pain somehow disappears and I feel peace! I reach half marathon and know I'm half way there.
Mile 14-20: we starting going downhill and then get some smaller rolling hills. It's not bad, but my legs are can't seem to go faster.
Mile 21-26: I start to see rolling hills again and but know the end is near and just don't stop. Continue to enjoy and take pictures. Once I see that finish line, I pick up my pace and run a little faster and realize I have some extra energy as the crowd cheers us on. I then hear the announcer call my name and pushes me to even run faster crossing that finish line. I then hear Eddie yell my name and I head over to give him a kiss. I raised my arms up and he takes the picture.
Yes, my official time has me coming in at 4:16:53. My slowest marathon thus far, but I don't care. Out of 3,251 marathons who finished in the 6 hour time limit, I can in #1039 and #364 in my gender ranking. After recovering from my injury and having shorter time to train, I'll take it! Just happy to be able to run it injury free.
Till next time, keep on running!
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