All I really need to say is Thunderstorm! Yes we ran in a full on thunderstorm Sunday. The first 5 or 6 miles we endured rain pelting us, thunder, and lightening. Great. Because running 13.1 miles dry isn’t fun enough – you add sopping wet to the mix and it is excellent! My shoes are still wet and it’s Tuesday. Even when the rain quit there were the mini lakes along the route and no way to avoid running through them (we even tried to run in the grass which was just muddy water even worse). Seriously we looked like drowned rats at the end.
However, had it not been for the awful weather it would have been a great race. The course was super flat which is a bonus, plenty of water stations, and overall well organized. Had I planned the race I would have avoided the scenic route through the trailer courts. Nothing wrong with trailer courts but not really what I would put front and center for all non Council Bluffers to partake during the run. Just adds to the stereotype Council Bluffs already has. The only negative was no restrooms. We got to the start line and everyone wanted one last potty break before the run and lo and behold no restrooms! The boys were able to due their business in the woods but the rest of us had to lump it. So next year CB we need restrooms.
The after party was good – free beer, Arby’s, and other goodies but it was so rainy and cold we didn’t stay. At that point everyone just wanted a warm shower and dry clothes. I loved our medals – they were dog tags. Clever and different. My time was nothing to write home about. It was actually about 11 minutes slower than my last half in Lincoln (2:15 awful I know). My excuse is that I ran with my cousin Rod - as it was his first half marathon he wanted to take it easy to ensure a strong finish. Truth be told I don’t know how much faster I would have ran without him in tow (and it was much more fun to run and talk than run solo). The rain ruined it for me. Once it started to pour I just wanted to stop. In fact at one point I even stated that “if I had some place to go I would stop, however as it stands I would have to walk back in the rain so might as well keep running.” Nice. I also partake in several alcoholic beverages both Friday (details to come) and Saturday so not the best pre race nutrition plan.
This was the first race in ages where I knew a bunch of people. It was great to hear you name called out as you were chugging along. Ran into a guy I had a major crush on in my early college days. And I saw the girl from Cross Country Squared whose blog (http://crosscountrysquared.blogspot.com/) I stalk for running entertainment.
I am proud of myself for not quitting in the downpour but definitely wish I would have ran faster. Always next time and gives me something to work towards. Oh and the cool green shirts – I put Rod in charge of buying shirts last minute, and in typical guy fashion he just grabbed sizes and didn’t realize some were loose fit and some “skin” fit. Therefore I have a mini dress and Christine has a shirt so tight I don’t know how she was able to breathe. Fun times.
Breakfast at Twisted Fork afterwards was excellent as was the peach Bellini and nap. Now its time to prep for the Des Moines HyVee Triathlon June 29th.
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