Elizabeth LeenhoutsA First-Time Marathoner's Diary: The Colorado Colfax Marathon "Whoa! That's a long way to run!" My husband made this comment as we drove down Colfax to check out the route of the inaugural Colorado Colfax Marathon. I would be running it the next morning and was checking out every incline and decline on the route; mentally preparing for every mile of the 26.2 mile run. I knew when I got to City Park that the elite runners would be finishing the race, but my husband made the comment that they did not have a set of 10 month old twins at home and a C-section scar across their abdomen. My goal was simple: finish it. That morning: I covered my feet with lubricant and prayed to Phidipides (the ancient runner of 490BC, who traversed 26 mostly hilly miles from Marathon [hence the race's name] to Athens to give word that the Greeks had defeated the Persians) that my recurring blister would not rear its ugly head. My husband and the twins dropped me off at the starting area at 5:30am and I met up with my teammates from my training team, Runner's Edge of the Rockies, while standing in line at the porto-potties. My nervous stomach quickly calmed when I met up with these folks. Everything would be all right. My team was with me. Mile One: Why in the world do they play the music from Chariots of Fire at the beginning of every race? What a dumb tradition...those guys are running slow motion. Of course, that is my speed, so maybe they are just playing it just for me. Okay, it's mile one.. only 25.2 more to go. Barb, my faithful running buddy, is beside me. We'll try and stick close. Mile Three: I know they said to hydrate before the race, but how many times am I going to need to stop. This is getting ridiculous. But I feel good. I can keep going. Mile Six: We just passed through Fitzsimmons and the music playing was "Life in the Fast Lane" by the Eagles. At my speed, that was an ironic choice of music. Barb and I tried to sing along but were soon out of breath from laughing. Mile Nine: I just passed Michele Wheeler from Northeast Park Hill Coalition. She was volunteering and I was feeling good. Soon I would be passing through my Hill. Mile Ten: Monaco! I just passed Roberta and gave her a high-five as I passed. Then came Bob Homiak who clapped like a maniac. I kept running by spectators and said, "Hey, how about some love for the fellow Park Hillian!" The cheers would get louder. This section was easy! Albion: Hey Barb! I see them...the red stroller, see? There they are: my family. I kiss my husband on the cheek and my little twins' feet. This works better than Gatorade! Then I keep running. Mile 13: A detour into City Park and then back to Colfax. There's Gary yelling something that's both sacred and profane (and really funny). Hey! There's my coach, Julie, and some of my teammates. They all line up to high-five me. Yay! I see Gary and his better half, Judy, on the way out of the Park. He tells me that there's a Gatorade stop just ahead. Good. Mile 16: Well, we're getting into the hilly part of the course and it's getting pretty |
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