I got out of bed, drank some water, and did some stretches for about 10 minutes. A quick jump in the shower fully woke me up then a light breakfast consisting of a whole grain bagel with peanut butter, a banana, water, and some more water. I packed my stuff, grabbed my shoes and headed for Aloha Stadium.
Crowds of people were congregating at the stadium for the run. I remember my buddy Waimea talking about possibly meeting by the box office so I decided to check it out before catching the bus to the starting line downtown. And what do you know, there he was. Kalani and Marlon showed up a few minutes later then the four of us jumped on a bus.
We got to downtown Honolulu at about 6am. The run starts at 7, plenty of time to warm up and stretch out. Kalani and Marlon went their own ways while Waimea and I found a spot alongside the crowded streets to warm up. There we ran into Sheri, who was wearing a trash bag. I thought she was using it as a poncho in case it rained but later on she told me it was to keep her warm until the race starts. Hey, beats having to ditch a jacket.
10 minutes until start time Waimea and I made our way towards the front of the crowd. The National Anthem played and I could feel the energy in the air change to a buzz of calm anticipation.
The start was signaled with three shots from a mortar canon which shook the air, the ground, and my chest. Love that thing, just awesome! The crowd lurched forward to begin the run and then immediately halted. There were lots of people (about 30,000 signed up for the run) so we had to wait a bit and slowly make our way to the start line. From where we were at it took about 3 to 4 minutes to reach it. Then we were off!
Waimea and I got into a steady stride as we gracefully weaved through the crowd. Eventually we got separated. I went left to get around some people, he went right, and when I looked up he was nowhere in sight (hey that rhymes!). Ok, no problem. Just keep running.
I continued to weave and cut through the crowd. Military squads were to the left doing their custom sound offs: left..right...left, right HELL YEAH! Runners' spirits were high and I was enjoying it. 2 miles passed before I knew it. At one point I made my way through a group of runners and found a lane to run in, I looked up and there was Waimea. We stuck together while the road was wide and we had space to run.
We passed by what I thought was a hydration station (a snazzy way to describe people handing out cups of water) but they weren't handing out water. Instead they were handing out roses. Roses? What an odd thing to pass out during a run. I was running next to a girl who took one and I heard, “Oww! It has thorns!” I couldn't help but laugh. Why even pass out roses? Throughout the rest of the run flower stems and rose pedals littered the roads. Anyway, Waimea and I continued to hold a steady pace but I soon lost track of him in the crowd again.
Going into the third mile the course goes along Nimitz Highway directly beneath the H1 Freeway. The freeway overpass creates a cool acoustic effect, the sound offs from the military squads ring out louder, and the shuffling of runners feet almost sounds like drums. It elevates the energy level for sure. It's awesome, made me feel like I was in a Disneyland ride.
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| A purple balloon dragon |
The run was going well. Around mile 3 the military squads dropped back and I became more focused on how I was running. I felt good and I felt like I was holding a pace to finish in under an hour, which is my goal. However, that quickly changed around mile 4.
That familiar burning sensation began to ignite in my legs. My pace slowed a little. I had to settle into my stride and try to get my rhythm back. I grabbed some water at the next hydration station. The water was cool and invigorating. My legs burned but only slightly, my rhythm felt good, and I felt like my speed increased to what it was during the first few miles. I think I just caught my second wind.
Then mile 6 came. It was like slamming head-first into a brick wall. My legs were on fire, lungs burned, breath was heavy, and my pace had slowed noticeably. I continually told myself keep going, you can do it, don't quit, just keep swimming (from Finding Nemo). As I was doing this the song Don't Stop Believing by Journey randomly popped in my head. Fitting.
Soon after the 6 mile mark I reached the first incline. Man that sucked. I was struggling. I pumped the arms to keep the legs moving. Then I heard a familiar voice call to me. It was James. He mentioned if I was still pushing to finish in under an hour. I said something between gasps of air, don't really remember what I said but I think I swore. James said, “ok you can do it. Come on, I'll pace you for a bit.”
James took the lead and sped up. I pushed it to keep up with him. He carried me for the rest of the incline and onto the following decline when he waved me forward and I passed by. His help came at the perfect time. James, if you're reading this, thank you. I was close to cracking and your help kept me going.
Mile 7, just a little over 1 mile left. Thank god! At this point, the fire in my legs raged. My lungs continued to burn, my back was feeling sore, and now my stomach was churning. My running form had almost completely broken down. Miserable, absolutely miserable. I was operating on sheer will power alone. Just end, make it stop, make it over, I don't want to be here any more. I was somewhere between wanting to cry and vomit.
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| Entering Aloha Stadium, trying to hide that I feel like crying or puking |
Good news came into view as I rounded a turn: Aloha Stadium. It's almost over. About half a mile left to go. This is where I would normally open my stride and speed up but I was so worn out, feeling so utterly defeated that all my strength went into just keeping my legs running at whatever pace they were moving at.
As I entered the stadium parking lot I heard another familiar voice call out “Greer!” There was Charlene with her camera. She shouted and cheered me on as I passed by. Much like James, it was another well-timed moment. The motivation gave me a very needed boost to keep going and speed up for the finish. I dug in deep, ordered my legs to move faster, and turned onto the ramp leading into stadium. The final stretch is about a 100 meter decline that flattens out onto Aloha Stadium field, somewhere near the end zone or 10 yard line. I opened my stride and pushed it across the finish line. It's over! Thank god, I'm alive!
Kalani was at the finish line. When I tried to say something to him I immediately broke into a coughing fit (yep, still coughing). A few minutes later Waimea finished. We made our way through the stadium to get our free t-shirt, bottled water, coconut water (very nice), and a banana. I could barely walk or even keep my head up. I lost track of where everybody went. I didn't care much though. I just meandered around in a zombified state hoping my legs wouldn't lock up. Eventually I met up with everybody. After stretching and massaging my legs a few times the fire inside them let up and walking became more manageable. Although I expect them to be sore tomorrow.
I finished the run in 1 hour and 4 mintues. Well off my goal of finishing in under an hour. I could do the positive thing and be all optimistic about it by talking about how despite my training not being what I wanted it to be and possibly having a lung infection I still posted a personal record for the Aloha Run. But honestly, I feel really disappointed. Setbacks or not, I did not reach the goal.
This year's Great Aloha Run was, in a word, brutal. I struggled. There were parts where I wanted to quit. I wanted to give up and just walk the rest of the way. Will power and help from friends is what got me through. So again, thanks. And a well-deserved congrats to all who finished the run.
Up next is the Warrior Dash. A 5K muddy obstacle course. Each finisher is given a viking hat and a beer and the event is followed with a celebration concert. Should be fun!
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| back: Charlie, Marlon, Greer front: Jen, Waimea, Sheri, Ernest aka Waldo, Charlene |
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