From early 2000 to mid 2001 I ran very little, if at all. Initially, while ignoring my pelvic pain, I ran a few more races after the Mardi Gras marathon, including a leg of the Hood to Coast Relay in Oregon. Finally, once the fracture was confirmed, I stopped running entirely, and immersed myself into cycling and more importantly, swimming. I was such a triathlete "wanna-be", but not only did I not know how to swim, I was also afraid of water. Initially I took individual swim lessons, then moved on to Dallas Aquatic Masters (DAM). I kept myself busy with weekday rides with the Carrollton cyclists and swimming with DAM. On the week-ends I did bike rallies or long bike rides, and sometimes swam at the SMU pool. I also spent a lot of time at the gym, lifting weights and doing the elliptical. So this was my new normal. The day before my 40th birthday I swam in a triathlon as part of a relay team. Life was good, but I'd see a runner and get a sick feeling in my gut. There were many days when I would wonder if I'd ever run again. The pain in my pelvis was with me for so long I thought there would never be a day when it would be gone.
Finally, July 2001 I had another MRI to confirm my fracture had healed, so I started PT to break up the scar tissue and get my hips back in alignment. For the first few months I had to shift my hips back into alignment every single day. The pain started subsiding and I actually started back to running! The irony of that first week of running was that it was the week of the 9/11 terrorist attack. I went out to run in the dark and the sky was eerily silent, as there were no planes in the sky for the greater part of that week. I wanted to be ecstatic about running, but it was such a horrible week. All I allowed myself was gratitude.
I was truly so grateful to be running again! After every run I would say "Thank you God", no matter how slow or how ugly. (A lot of times I still do). Running a marathon wasn't even on my mind until I heard about the Oklahoma City Memorial marathon. The survivors and families affected by the Murrah Federal building bombing had put together the race to remember those they lost.The second annual race was coming up. I ramped up my mileage to see how it would go, and all was going well, but I would waver at times, and say I didn't think I could do another marathon. Marathon training meant I had to back off on my swimming and cycling, which was hard, as these activities had become a big part of my life! I had become a cyclist. I had become a swimmer. I did one triathlon, a sprint, but that was it. The marathon taunted me. The marathon won.
Less than two weeks before the marathon I went out on a morning run in the dark; tripped over something, fell, and broke my finger. That Wednesday I had surgery on it, which left me with a pin sticking out of my finger! So other than stressing about how I was going to grab water, etc with this pin in my finger I was pretty calm because I was just SO HAPPY to be able to run a marathon again!
I wish I could find the pictures I took of that week-end, but they are lost somewhere with all the others in those years prior to digital! I traveled with Deanna and Tina, my Hood to Coast Texas Roadkill team-mates. They ran a 2 person relay. I ran into Shelly McClintick at the start line. I had just recently met her when I resumed my training runs with Kathy. So funny to think back on that now, because eventually she became a member of our relay team, hence "family".
The start of the marathon was an emotional one. Arriving at the memorial before sunrise was really somber, as all the chairs were illuminated. (Each chair represents someone who died in the bombing). Then the moment of silence, which lasts 168 seconds; one second for each person lost. So much emotion welled up inside of me as we toed the start line!
Details of the course have faded a bit, but I do remember the banners along the course. They had the names of all the victims on them, reminding us why we were there. We battled a head wind for the first half of the race as we headed north, but this was ok, as we would have mostly tailwind once we turned. I was right on pace to qualify for Boston, but I told myself to let it go if I had to, so that I would enjoy the day for what it was. Once I got into the 20's I told myself to check my watch at each water stop, and if I had fallen off pace I could afford myself a walk break through the stop. But I'd get to the next stop--right on pace! Keep going! Next stop--right on pace! I started thinking, this is crazy! I am RIGHT ON IT! Finally, as we turned to run the long downhill stretch to the finish I looked at my watch and realized I was CLOSE, VERY CLOSE. In reality, my qualifying time was 3:50:59. I knew it had taken me 12 seconds to get across the start line, hence my chip time, and the clock already said 3:50! So I had to do one of those crazy mad hatter sprints that makes the spectators start cheering louder. It was nuts! My chip time: 3:50:56. I qualified for Boston by 4 SECONDS! I remember immediately calling Kathy, who was running a marathon in Nashville that same week-end and telling her she had to go to Boston for the third time.
Jamie and I just went up to run Oklahoma City this past week-end. She ran the full, and I ran the half. I can't believe it has taken me this long to return! I was very happy to see that the banners are still put out along the course, and that the message is still strong. This race is very much a "run to remember". Another thing I was happy to see was the Survivor Tree. It seemed so much bigger and prettier! This time I took pictures that will never be lost. If I come across the lost pictures of 2002 I will come back and add them here.
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| The marathon medal from 2002 |
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| Alive and Well 2015! |
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