Today I caught the red line metro from my office to Union Station.  I was running a bit late and so was the metro.  When it finally arrived I squeezed into the car with my case of files and held on tight to the bar.  Off we went! At the next stop a bunch of people squeezed into my already crowded car.  In the words of a fellow runner, we were assholes to belly buttons.  Anyway, people started making the "wow, it's really crowded today" comments.  

This lady said, "we ran here from the car next door." 

"Why?" a gentleman asked.

"Someone threw up in the  next car."  EEwwww!  She went on, "it sounded like a waterfall.  We all ran out of that car as soon as the doors opened." 

Then the other man asked, "did he get it on anyone." 

The lady sadly replied, "yes, he sprayed a few people."  EEEEWWWW! 

We all exited the train when it arrived at Union Station.  We all saw the puke splatter in the next car as we made our way out of the red line station.  Usually the trains go away to be cleaned or serviced after making it to the end of the run, but since it was rush hour, this train was heading back out to Wilshire/Western immediately.  The doors  closed on the puke car and away it went.  People are going to be disgusted all evening. 

I know this movie has been around for what, 20 years?, but I finally watched sex, lies and videotape.  It was an ok movie.  For those who don't know what the movie is about (spoiler alert!): a husband, Peter Gallagher, and wife, Andie McDowell, invite the husband's old college friend (that guy from Boston Legal) , to stay with them while he finds an apartment in town, the husband is cheating on the wife with her sister (Maya from "Just Shoot Me"), and the wife thinks the friend is weird but then finds out through him (or was it her sister) that her husband it cheating on her with her sister.  I already forgot everyone's character names and some of their real names - sorry! Anyway, the friend has some project going where he interviews women on videotape talking about their sexual experiences. 

What I can't get out of my head is this one scene in the movie where Peter Gallagher and Andie McDowell are discussing the friend.  Peter explains that the friend has changed alot since their college days, and thinks he is a little weird now.  They both comment on how he wears black, and thinks it's weird because it's not like he is going to a funeral.  Whaaat?  I wear black and dark colors a majority of the time and no one has ever accused me of being weird for doing that (at least not to my face).  Was it really oddball behavior 20 years ago to wear black shirts without an express reason for doing so?  I don't know.  I don't know why this stuck in my head.   

Surf City Marathon 2009 - done! 

It was a great day to be out on the course.  We ran hard, and left it up to God.  We did our best and left it all out on the course. 

Well, well, well.  My marathon training for 2009 is over.  I don't plan on running another full marathon for a long, long time (maybe 2010).  I think it could have been better if I had been more disciplined in my training, and had better shoes.  I thought the shoes I bought were great, but they turned on me in mile 2.  I started feeling some pain on the top of my foot.  I told the other people running with me and they said keep running (no pain, no gain).  Well, I gained ugly bruises on the top of my feet!  The sharp, jabbing pain I felt off and on for miles 2-26 was probably caused by my foot and shoe rubbing each other the wrong way.  Oh well, live and learn.  I still shaved and hour (almost) off my time from when I ran the L.A. Marathon in 2008.  So, 2010, better shoes, better training, more scenic course (Honolulu anyone?). 

As you may know, I was not particularly excited about the Surf City Marathon.  However, when I arrived at the expo on Saturday to pick up my race bib and packet, the excitement grew from 1 to 10.  It was an absolutely beautiful day at Huntington Beach with the warm bright sun shining on the waves.  When people approached the tent where the expo was held, all the mile marker signs were set up in the parking lot - 1 to 26!  I train, and train and train, and it doesn't really hit me until that moment that I am about to run/walk 26.2 freakin' miles.  WTF is wrong with me?!  It's that nervous/excitement feeling all wrapped into one.  I picked up my number (2177 which boils down to 8 which is my favorite number), and who do I see? Saeed!  We were both excited that the marathon was finally here.  We agreed to meet up at 6am the next morning, and said good-bye.  I stuck around a little while longer to buy some GU gels which I think are better than the other brand.  There was a runner there signing copies of his book called 52 Weeks (or something like that).  He ran one marathon a week for one year -- 52 marathons in one year!  Suddenly, I felt a lot less crazy. 

Marathon morning I woke up at 4:45 am.  I arrived at the meeting place at about 6 am.  Saeed, Jimmy, Raj and Olga and I met up.  We all trained with the 26ers.  Saeed and I run at about the same pace but the rest are all much faster.  After starting at the race they all took off and we didn't see them again until about mile 20 and 23.  Anyway, runners need to use the bathroom immediately prior to starting the race.  Since the race started on PCH, we could use the restrooms at the beach.  No dark, smelly porta-potties!  Instead, I used a well-lit, smelly public restroom, but it had toilet paper and a flushing toilet so I was happy.  Once we were all situated, we headed to the start line.  There were only 3000 people running the full marathon (and like 10,000 running the 1/2 marathon).  We started in 2 waves: people running 4 hours or less, and people running 4 hours or more.  I fell into the latter category.  Olga, who was thinking of trying to run fast enough to qualify for the Boston Marathon, headed to the first group of runners.  Damn she's good!  The horn blew and we were off!  When starting in a crowd of runners you have to kind of shuffle along until you go past the start line and then people break away and you're free to run.  At the start line, and at certain parts along the route, there are sensors on the ground that track your tag that is affixed to your shoe.  When you cross the sensor it beeps.  Imagine 3000 people crossing the sensors - beep,beep, beep...and on and on. 

Miles 1-3: Pacific Coast Highway
We ran along PCH in the pre-dawn cold.  Although the sun had technically risen, it was still gray outside and foggy.  It seemed like we were running into a fog and would not know where we would end up.  It was quiet out, and aside from the occasional conversation and the beeping of the interval timer on my watch, we heard the patter, patter, patter of 3000 pairs of feet hitting the pavement.  It's an amazing sound.  I wish I could record it. 

Miles 4-5:  Some street off PCH
We turned onto some residential street and headed up a mildly sloping hill.  At this point in the course, it doubles back on itself so while we did miles 4-5 going east (let's just assume we went east), then others were doing miles 9-10 going west.  We saw a wheelchair racer go by and everyone cheered and clapped.  Then we saw 2 elite men go by and everyone cheered and clapped.  Ok - they started like 5 minutes before the rest of us and they were already at miles 9-10 and we were just at miles 4-5.  And we all turned to each other and agreed they weren't running that fast.  The even more elite runners would have already been at mile 13, at least.  I did not see any Kenyans at the race.  It's probably not a big enough race to attract international runners. 

Miles 6-8:  park area and library
After the neighborhood, we entered a park and ran on a really nice little path that wound it's way through rolling, grassy hills and duck filled ponds.  There were all these kids on the route cheering us on and pointing us in the right direction because one could easily turn down the wrong path and end up who knows where.  They kept saying "keep going, you look awesome"  and, my favorite at mile 7 "you're almost there!"  They have no idea what they are saying but they meant well. 

Miles 9-10:  back on some street
We left the park and went back to the street that would take us back to PCH.  The park area of the route was just for the full marathoners.  When we went back to the streets, the 1/2 marathoners had started and we joined up with them.  OMG it was a sea of people crashing into our little group of marathoners.  At this point I started noticing the two mile markers: mile 4 for the 1/2 marathoners and mile 10 for the full marathoners. 

Miles 11-16: PCH again
Then we all turned onto PCH and ran north (let's just say it was north) for about 3 miles. We ran almost to Warner Ave (I think).  By this time the sun was out and it was nice and warm.  The volunteers handing out water cheered us on and on and on.  Then we made a u-turn and headed south again.  This time, the sun was in our faces.  I didn't have a hat or sunglasses or anything so this was particularly miserable.  Luckily, a lady we were running with had brought sunblock.  I slathered more on my face and shoulders and it seemed to do the trick because I am not horribly sunburned today.  That would be awful to be stiff and sore from the waist down and blistered and burned from the waist up.  Yeah for SPF 55!

Miles 17-24: Huntington Beach bike path
At about mile 16 (10 for the 1/2 marathoners) the 1/2 marathoners headed to their finish line and the full marathoners headed north again but this time along the bike path.  Here is where Surf City won my heart.  These are difficult miles because you are beginning to really feel the pain and tiredness, and the initial excitement has worn off, and you sometimes want to quit.  At this point in the race, the runners were given water, vitamin water, gatorade, gels, Larabars, sandwiches and candy.  Re-fueling can really lift your spirits.  When Saeed and I were at like mile 18-19, we saw our other group members heading the other way (miles 20-22).  They all looked great and we high-fived each other.  Also, along the path, they put signs up that had quotes from famous marathoners (I didn't know who any of them were).  The signs were meant to inspire and keep you going.  This is why I like doing a full marathon:  even though I will never, ever be as fast as any of the elite runners, I feel like an athlete running a course that professionals ran, and we are all somehow bonded together, professionals an amateurs, by conquering 26.2 miles.  At the end of the bike path, almost to Warner Ave again, we turned around and headed "home."  At this point, my feet were really hurting and I had to walk more and more often. 

Miles 24-25:  What?! Back to the bike path?  You have got to be kidding me!
I think it was mile 23 we ran up the hill from the bike path and we thought we were going back to PCH and to the finish line.  At about mile 24, there were signs and volunteers saying, "no, you have to go back down to the bike path for another mile."  Argh! We headed north toward the pier.  There was a "race official" sitting on his bicycle at the turn around point.  He was there to make sure no one cheated.  As we headed back, there were still some runners trickling in and they all said the same thing, either out loud or with their eyes, "how much more?  why are they torturing us?"  Saeed told them, just another mile.  Just a little bit more.

Mile 26 to the finish: FINALLY!  PCH!
Once we were back on PCH we kept telling each other this has to be the end.  We could barely make out the Finish sign across PCH.  Hidden among the people and various road signs was MILE 26.  Now just 200 more yards.  Do you all know why it's 26.2 and not just 26?  If you really want to know I can tell you later.  We felt our last bit of energy come out and jolt our legs into motion.  We ran at what I thought was top speed but probably more like a hobble toward the finish line.  The announcer called out our names, "Ann Ramirez is crossing the finish line!" and then it was over! Oh thank god it was over.  They put the medal on me and told me to keep walking.  They had bags of food and water for the runners.  Aaron and my Mom were there to greet me and my mom lifted Aaron over the fence so he could walk with me.  Then Marie and my Dad were at the end of the runner area.  It was so great to be done.  I told them - that's it, no more marathons!  (until next time...)