Big Sur Marathon and 21 Mile walk

                                             (yup, our starting lines actually were AROUND the corner of that point next to the island.  This pic was taken BEFORE the halfway point)

"Go for the beauty --don't try to set any personal records at Big Sur."  That's what everyone told us, whenever we asked people about their experiences with this race.  Heck, that was easy for me.  I don't really set goals.  I find it less disappointing if I don't make them.  Well.. maybe I do set goals.  I get really angry with myself, if I don't meet some expectation.  Maybe they're not official goals, since I don't call them goals... no matter!  On with the subject....

The race WAS beautiful!  There wasn't a cloud in the vicinity, no rain, no fog... just beautiful blue skies with those pretty wispy cloud thingies.  I only snapped off a few pictures.  You know... you just can't capture it all with a camera.

I was making awesome time.  I was so focused on not wimping out on Hurricane Point, that I think I wasted a lot of my energy on that hill (but BOY did I show that hill I could walk it! lol).  About mile... 13 for me, Corey caught up to me.  He had run 18 miles by the time he caught up to me.  He was running so strong and steady.  He could have coasted to the finish.  BUT... he didn't.  I have to brag:  He didn't pass me by.  He walked the last 8 miles with me, to encourage me to finish.  My lame tushy just wasn't happy with all the exertion.  This would be a symptom of NOT PRACTICING ON HILLS!!!!  The last three miles were embarassingly tough for me.  I estimated I'd be crossing the line at 5 hours, mayyybe 5 and a half.  However, we were racing to finish before the 6 hour cutoff.  If Corey didn't encourage me to pick up the pace and work through the pain, I don't think I would have crossed the line at 6 hours and 1 minute.  Hey... what the heck... I still did the 21 miles, and my husband proved for the umpteenth time what a beautiful person he is.  I sure wasn't a loser :o)

Okay -enough about me!  SALLY!  Sally was waiting at the finish, since she finished her 9 miler.  Sal walked with her girlfriend, Dawn.  These two SLAYED it!!!  They practiced for months at 2000 feet elevation in the hills of Sonora, CA.  Sally just had a knee replacement last year.  She was a little apprehensive about walking long distances, when she signed up for the race.  As she and Dawn walked, they were telling each other how sorry they were that they didn't do the half marathon distance, because this 9 miler wasn't much of a challenge!  It was so cool to have Sal and Dawn participate, too.  

So, the race was awesome.  We'll definitely do it again.  I'll train in the hills and on some stairs, if I can't make it to the hills.  Corey will continue training his normal courses, but he's got this new training strategy employing the use of a heart rate monitor, that you'll have to ask him about next time.