Nike Women’s Marathon 2009
“The day you’ve been training for is finally here”
It was a great moment of excitement, camaraderie, & collaboration of almost 20,000 participants along with the commitment that Nike has put through to come and organize an event as memorable as the Nike Women’s Marathon 2009 – A Race to Benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
I was so ecstatic to find out that my shot in registering for the half marathon was chosen out of a “lottery system” back in March of 2009. The entry process is tough as many participants all over the world await this event’s return every year in San Francisco & make an effort to be selected despite the unpredictable nature of its process. My training for the half marathon began in June of 2009. It was very challenging but, worth the hard work. I loved every moment I spent on my runs & workouts. I felt the good changes in my body as soon as I became more consistent with the training. In my life, I have never felt so in-control of what I can do with my body, & make the necessary changes to get the most achieved results. The best result was my developed ability to focus which, for me is very important with every aspect of my life… I owe it a lot to running, yoga, & working-out consistently. Few weeks before the marathon, my friend had indicated, that because of her injury, she would not be able to fully complete a full course. For that reason, we decided to switch our race bibs - She would do the half, & I will be completing the full marathon – which we did on good faith. She has bad injuries, & I wanted to help her out as much as she wanted for me to fulfill my dream of finishing a full marathon. We thought it would be a win/win scenario.The race day brought so many uncertainties... It was very exciting for me to be surrounded with people with the same passion & desire for running. I started really strong with the same expectations I had when training for a half marathon. My pace was good along with some girlfriends that helped me through. However, on the 15th mile, my legs started to lock & cramp so badly. That’s when I had to try to take it slow & not cause further injuries to my body along the way. The pain was so excruciating! I had to use every possible way to make my legs work again. My survival instincts kicked-in. Good heavens a training coach - I found standing along course - sprayed some numbing lotion on my legs & gave me a packet of salt to intake with water. Apparently, the salt will help minimize the cramps by retaining more water in the body… Well, now I know. The obstacle is not over yet…On the 21st mile my blister ruptured (ouch!) & caused more pain. I was hoping that I can at least try to focus somewhere else by listening to the music in my Ipod which, I realized on the 1st mile of the race was not even working at all! To quit, was the only possible way to end the physical pain. I thought it was the end of it but, I had to revert & focus on the purpose of why I was there. I had to ignore all the pain & distract myself to stay in the game: to envision the emancipation that this race will bestow upon me after I accomplish. And YES, with few never-ending miles passed, & pain endured, finally the 26.2nd mile approached, & I did arrive at the finish line!I can say that this is one of the most challenging moments that I have ever experienced in my entire life yet, the most fulfilling & cherished one. The aches & pains in my body, & blisters on my feet are going to heal. They are just there temporary but, the motivation; persistence; focus; & friendships developed along the way with completing a marathon will last a lifetime, & I trust to carve a path to a greater ME.
