Soldier Field 10

The Soldier Field 10 was a very interesting experience. All I can say is ouch. So when I woke up this morning, my left knee was really bothering me. On top of that I was getting over a major hang over from yesterday. So we got up around 6am and had some breakfast and iced my knee. I had many sayings thoughout the entire day and one of them was "I don't want to do this." That phrase was going through my head from when I got up in the morning till the end of the race. But I couldn't tell barb I was thinking that.

Once barb and I got to the race, we picked up our chips and wondered around for awhile. Barb the entire time was trying to convince me to do the 2 mile walk. I should of listened to her, but I'm way to pig headed. So the race began and things were going pretty well. Barb and I decided that we were going to take our time. But unfortunetly that wouldn't last for long. A little after mile 2, I realized that I really do have a somewhat competitive side and I told barb that I wanted to go ahead. I also saw our time at that point and thought oh shit I not gonna finish on time. I felt a little bad leaving her, but we were going way to slow, mainly because of a hip problem she was currently having.

Well I went along and was doing pretty well up until mile 6 when my right foot went numb and my show felt extremely tight. I had to stop a few times to retie my show, but it only worked for a few minutes. Then from about mile 8 till the end of the race my right ankle started to kill me right below my right posterior lateral malleolus. It felt as if someone was just twisting my foot around. I was extremely unpleasant. So that forced me to slow it down and take the last few miles and a walking/ jogging pace. Well actually more of a walking pace.

People have always told me that around the 2nd half of longer runs, many people get really pissed and just want it to end. From about mile 6 to the end besides thinking "I don't wanna do this", I also kept saying:
"When the hell is this going to be over"
"Dear God, If you get me through this I promise I will never again get drunk the night before another race."
"I'm only at mile 6, come on"
"Ouch my ankle"
"I'm only at mile 7 !@#$%"
"S!@# F%^& D!@#"
"Wow Chicago is a very pretty city"
"I'm only at mile 8 !@#$%"I wonder how barb is doing"
"When is shakira 'my hips don't lie' going to be on"
"When the hell is this going to be over?"
"I'm only at mile 9!@#$"

These were only some of the comments, I was making to myself during the last half of the race. Once, I hit mile 9, I saw Soldier field and thought to myself this is going to be the longest mile of my life. It was pretty cool to see many of the runners who finished way before me standing on the sides cheering for those of us who were just finishing.

The end of the race felt like a giant tease. Once I got to Soldier field, I thought I was so close to being done and the finish line was going to be right around the corner. But no, they basically made us run around the building, into an underground path and then onto the field. Oh yeah the finish line was on the other side of the field, which was still a pretty good distance away. But on the other had it was still pretty freakin cool. When else will I be able to say I finished a race on soldier field.

Even though I hurt now, I am pretty damn glad I did the whole 10 miles. The race basically kicked my ass, but I know that once chicago comes in october, I am definetly going to be ready for it. I still know that after chicago I will hurt, but this race definelty gave me a wake up call.

Once I handed in my chip and got something to drink, I booked it into the stands to see barb finish. Around 2:12:00 I saw a women who I was so convinced was my wife. They were both basically wearing the same thing. I was cheering and taking photos of her as she crossed the finished line. But then I realized something, WAIT, that ain't my wife. Opps. The people who I met while sitting there thought it was pretty hilarious.

Well, I must need to get my eyes checked because it wasn't barb. Opps. My bad. But after a stupid mistake like that I sat back and waited. Around 2:19:00 I began to get scared and started to ask those around me when the course was going to close and they said within the next 15 minutes. But right when they told me that, barb emerged through the tunnel and I saw her on the field. So this time I got up, and took even better pictures, then I did the 1st time. Check out running jayhawks blog at http://runningjayhawk.blogspot.com/ for pictures of her finishing once she wakes up from her nap. But after the race, barb went to the med unit to have her thigh checked out, and they told her to go to the national university of health sciences table to get stretched etc. Thank God, I go to that school, because they just stopped taking new people. Those docs were working there asses off since way early in the morning. But she got stretched and now we are on the couch relaxing preparing for tonight. We are going to our friend heathers 25th birthday party. I think once we sit down, we are going to be down for the count. Well this novel is now complete and I am off to take another nap. The following photos were taken after the race. Don't we look amazing.

Oh the Results are in and here they are:

Place: 2519/2712
Time: 1:56:10
Pace: 11:37