Having made it to Mile 25, I was really getting excited. Obviously, the end was nigh. I did a little revving up motion with my hand.
Then, it was seriously time to revert back to sprinting days. I really went back ... all the way to crossing my right arm over my chest in track turn style.
I did have a nice surprise ... I heard a voice yelling "Mike Ward!" and I glanced and saw a friend from church on his bike taking in events right at the final turn.
At this point I started to lock on the end. I could see the Mile 26 Marker and the subsequent finish line marker. I felt strong, surprisingly, and I felt I could go for speed, as I hoped; so, I did.
I had dreamed about this more or less ... being able to sprint at the end. Being able to go back to the roots ... Servite track. (It must have been noticeable as a fellow Group 7er said she looked up and saw me start to "book it" and decided she should go faster as well).
I began seeing not runners in front; but, "targets." I automatically started plotting attack angles, just like the 800s and Mile Relays and 2 Miles. It worked. I passed a lot of people (I knew it then and now have it confirmed by RunPix ... over the last 4.5 miles, 56 mean people passed me .... I passed 1,177!!!!)
There were lots more people on the sides now; but, their faces just blurred.
My knee was tender; but, I kept going. Crossed Montana. Idaho. Washington. California Here I Come!
Mile 26 ... now it is coming.
.2 miles should seem like nothing and I was moving well; but, it seemed a lot longer than .2 miles!
Wilshire.
Arizona.
Full speed ahead ... dead sprint.
Santa Monica Boulevard ... We Love It! FINISH!
I had done it. I crossed. Los Angeles Marathon ... check!
Official time ... 5:06 (after a few days!). 26.55 miles according to Garmin.
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You passed 1,177 people?!!! Hijole! I was lucky to have passed 1.
ReplyDeleteDid you use your rugby skills? Did you injured anyone?
You even had a friend cheering for you... My family was not even in the finish line... they were who knows where... :-(
I'm really happy, though, that despite your worries, you had a fantastic marathon!
That's what it said. I gues sit was like rope-a-dope in boxing?
ReplyDeleteNo,. I did track skills though ... figuring out the shortest and fastest way to pass people. We used to practice for mile relay, 800 (2 laps sprinting), 2 miler (amazingly, that was a 2 mile race ...).
It was kind of a fluke as he did not know I would be running ...and I did not know he was there!
Yes, I think it would be very hard to coordinate with people. Plus, weren;t the spectators kept away from the actual finish line?
I believe you!
ReplyDeleteI was the one who almost crashed into someone. :)
At least you had a friend cheering for you...
Yes, they couldn't meet me at the finish line. They never saw me... :-(