My 50th year was the setting for my first Half Marathon. I’ve talked about my most disciplined companion Deb. She got herself in such awesome shape when she turned 50 and is always looking for new challenges to keep her edge. One day last spring Deb approached our other workout companion, Patti about walking in the Des Moines Half Marathon set for October 19th.
Patti dragged her feet a little bit. After all, she hadn’t ever done anything like that. It sounded too professional for her. But she said she would train with Deb when convenient.
Then Deb asked the person who is really at heart, a couch potato - yours truly, about training. She said we would be training for several weeks, working up from the current 3 miles 3 times a week to being prepared to walk over 13 miles. “I’m in!” I declared, feeling especially perky that day.
When we started talking about it, there were other chicks (insert mature women) in town up for training for this challenge. I decided to start an email group to inform our loosely knit group about what the training plan was for the week. Some of us would meet to walk together and others would train on their own. We walked 3 or 4 miles early in the mornings 3 days a week, and did the longer training routes on weekends.
That first Saturday we walked 5 miles or so. I noticed I had a hard time keeping up with the others. Why so? I’m still not sure (it could be my inner couch potato holding me back), but for whatever reason I couldn’t stay up to the pack. Deb used MapMyRun to set up the routes. As we started doing longer training walks, I began to map my own route since I would lag and lose contact with the group after a couple miles.
Thank God for my iPod – the kids gave it to me for Mother’s Day. Dave Matthews and various other artists kept me company on walks eventually reaching 12 miles in September. Then we tapered our distances back to rest up for the big day. Each of us had hurdles in the way – sore feet and hamstrings, toenail issues, and blisters of course. In order to help us have the inner strength to continue the rigorous schedule we began to meet for breakfast a couple Wednesdays each month. Bonding over food cemented our resolve! Patti, who had dragged her feet about taking part in the actual Marathon, was most enthusiastic by now.
Finally it was the morning of the Big Race. Des Moines seems to run a first class event. We met in Nollen Plaza near the starting spot while it was still dark. We got awesome wick-dry long sleeve shirts that we all donned, along with other layers as it was only in the 40’s when we got started. The group consisted of Susan, Bobbie, Patti, Diana, Pat, and Deb along with some of their out of town relatives. I started farther back in the pack, knowing I would keep up with them – so I didn’t see them the whole time.
It turned out to be a beautiful perfect day. Local bands, loudspeakers pumping music and cheering crowds lined the streets. Adrenaline blocked any feelings of pain until late in the race. There were water/Powerade and potty stops all along the route. I chewed the sports gum for energy. We walked through downtown Des Moines, Waterworks Park and Grey’s Lake. In Waterworks, Paul and Donnie were there to cheer me on – it was so nice to see familiar faces.
As I got towards the end, that last mile stretched out like 10 miles! Finally I neared the finish line, cheered on by strangers but then…there were my buddies who had finished several minutes before, cheering me on. I got to the finish mat, choked with emotion. I set a goal and accomplished it. It felt damn good!
Paul was there to greet me along with daughter Amy (she hates it when I do that - label her daughter Amy). We all soaked up the atmosphere and let our accomplishment sink in. It just goes to show - at this advanced age, I still have some new frontiers to face and goals to accomplish. What’s next?
Patti dragged her feet a little bit. After all, she hadn’t ever done anything like that. It sounded too professional for her. But she said she would train with Deb when convenient.
Then Deb asked the person who is really at heart, a couch potato - yours truly, about training. She said we would be training for several weeks, working up from the current 3 miles 3 times a week to being prepared to walk over 13 miles. “I’m in!” I declared, feeling especially perky that day.
When we started talking about it, there were other chicks (insert mature women) in town up for training for this challenge. I decided to start an email group to inform our loosely knit group about what the training plan was for the week. Some of us would meet to walk together and others would train on their own. We walked 3 or 4 miles early in the mornings 3 days a week, and did the longer training routes on weekends.
That first Saturday we walked 5 miles or so. I noticed I had a hard time keeping up with the others. Why so? I’m still not sure (it could be my inner couch potato holding me back), but for whatever reason I couldn’t stay up to the pack. Deb used MapMyRun to set up the routes. As we started doing longer training walks, I began to map my own route since I would lag and lose contact with the group after a couple miles.
Thank God for my iPod – the kids gave it to me for Mother’s Day. Dave Matthews and various other artists kept me company on walks eventually reaching 12 miles in September. Then we tapered our distances back to rest up for the big day. Each of us had hurdles in the way – sore feet and hamstrings, toenail issues, and blisters of course. In order to help us have the inner strength to continue the rigorous schedule we began to meet for breakfast a couple Wednesdays each month. Bonding over food cemented our resolve! Patti, who had dragged her feet about taking part in the actual Marathon, was most enthusiastic by now.
Finally it was the morning of the Big Race. Des Moines seems to run a first class event. We met in Nollen Plaza near the starting spot while it was still dark. We got awesome wick-dry long sleeve shirts that we all donned, along with other layers as it was only in the 40’s when we got started. The group consisted of Susan, Bobbie, Patti, Diana, Pat, and Deb along with some of their out of town relatives. I started farther back in the pack, knowing I would keep up with them – so I didn’t see them the whole time.
It turned out to be a beautiful perfect day. Local bands, loudspeakers pumping music and cheering crowds lined the streets. Adrenaline blocked any feelings of pain until late in the race. There were water/Powerade and potty stops all along the route. I chewed the sports gum for energy. We walked through downtown Des Moines, Waterworks Park and Grey’s Lake. In Waterworks, Paul and Donnie were there to cheer me on – it was so nice to see familiar faces.
As I got towards the end, that last mile stretched out like 10 miles! Finally I neared the finish line, cheered on by strangers but then…there were my buddies who had finished several minutes before, cheering me on. I got to the finish mat, choked with emotion. I set a goal and accomplished it. It felt damn good!
Paul was there to greet me along with daughter Amy (she hates it when I do that - label her daughter Amy). We all soaked up the atmosphere and let our accomplishment sink in. It just goes to show - at this advanced age, I still have some new frontiers to face and goals to accomplish. What’s next?
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