Race Report: San Francisco Marathon - July 25, 2010

Alternative title: All I want for my birthday is a course PR.

SF Marathon 2009:

Total Time: 5:54:16
Total Misery: Abject after mile 13

SF Marathon 2010:

Total Time: 5:26:33
Total Misery: Very Limited, and mostly alleviated by porta potty stops 2 and 3

Yeah baby, 27:33 course PR

Pre-race:

On Friday, hubby and I went to his radiation appointment and then came home and did an easy 12 mile bike ride together. After that, I went to the San Fran-land of fucked up traffic-isco for packet pick up. (Then I went to the store and picked up some milk... why do I feel compelled to include such uninteresting details?)

I had thought I would miss everyone, but I was lucky enough to meet up with my buddy Katie A. who had just picked up her Boston Marathon partner in crime Jill, and Jill's buddy (who I cannot remember the name of, and yes, I am aware that makes me an asshole. My bad.)

Then as I was leaving I got a text (because I am so TOTALLY a 17 year old girl and that is my main mode of conversation these days) from Ron, and I got to meet up with him and RoadBunner. (who is on a marathon rampage of epic proportions these days.)

Sappy side note:

Ron, you absolutely rock and thank you for being a good friend. It was really, really good to see you again. You never fail to make me smile.

Sappy side note over.

RoadBunner, Ron, and moi.
(Yes, I look stoned. No, I am not)

Race Morning

Truly dedicated athletes such as myself know that appropriate gear is integral to race day success.

Don we now our gay apparel! (Yes G, that was just for you)

I had made plans to meet up with my two oldest and dearest creepy internet friends, Penny and Willie, and meet for the first time another long time creepy internet friend, aka Alice.

Penny's niece, Penny, and Crazy Eyes

RBR and her brutha from another mutha

I was a little excited about meeting aka Alice. This is me being cool and reserved.

We migrated to our corrals, we were all in different ones except Willie and I. Now, Willie claimed to ALL that would listen that he was going to run this marathon with me.

Uh huh. Riiiiiight.

If you remember last year, Willie said the same thing and did not last 25 yards before he turned, waved to me, and said "Have a good race. Kiss my ass!" (Ok, I ad libbed the 'kiss my ass' part, but it was implied ;) )

The Race

Miles 0-5

This year, I will give Willie this, he started with me and he even ran with me for quite a while. He ran with me for a little over 4 miles to be exact, before he dropped my ass AGAIN!

To be honest, I could not hang. He is a sub four hour marathoner, he was running with a 4:15 marathoner from his hometown running group, and me, a 'barely can be called a' marathoner. I was huffing and puffing next to him and he was probably calculating just how old his children would be when he finished this godforsaken marathon if he stayed with me.

At about mile 3, Willie (aka Eagle Eye. If you need to find someone in a sea of people, you seriously need this dude with you) spots aka Alice in front of us. He says, "If I knew her better I would go smack her ass." Well, you don't have to tell me twice, and off I went to "say hello."

Once Willie saw me running with aka Alice, he tasted sweet freedom and off he went. I don't blame him, and he did make it farther at RBR pace than many other fast runners, but I will tease him about it for the rest of his days, 'cuz that is the kind of sweetheart I am. *gleaming, slightly sadistic, smile*

This is the only semi decent picture I got of Alice on the bridge. Pathetic, I know. My camera mojo was off for this race.

Miles 5-9: The Bridge

I have to say again, the bridge was not as fogged in as last year and still, I do not think running over it is nearly as cool as it sounds. I LOVE running over foot bridges, but when you run over a 6 lane bridge, it just feels like a road. *shrugs* You do not get the sense of being suspended over anything. It is pretty, though.

Me and the GGB from the North Tower Vista Point (taken by a sweet gal that had already waited half an hour for her buddy, that "did not train for this and started hurting at mile 2." I bet her buddy was a TON of fun at mile 10)

My tummy was getting a little wonky at this point. I stopped and waited in the line for Port-a-Potties figuring it was best handled now. Little did I know that this was only the beginning, Stage 1 if you will, of my San Franciscan Tour du Honey Bucket.

Miles 10-19

After crossing back over the bridge, we go up the biggest hill of the course. I was surprised how good I was feeling. My joints were feeling the stress of the pavement, but I was moving along at a pretty good clip.

At about mile 11, a young guy passed me and said I was "looking fabulous" I told him it was my birthday because, yes, I am an attention whore. Why else would I wear a hot pink boa and a tiara to run a marathon? to blend in?

He rallied the runners around us to sing me Happy Birthday. It was very , very cool! He said, "Have a great birthday, Birthday Princess!" as he headed off to finish the half marathon.

And the Birthday Princess was born.

Ok, she is not aging as well as one would hope. She does happen to have a certain fondness for the sun that is causing a map to the lost city of Atlantis to form on her face.... but she is the birthday Princess, nonetheless!

I was blown away by how many people cheered for me, said Happy Birthday, and would say "Hey! There is the Birthday Princess again!" In a marathon of over 10,000 people I felt like a bit of a rockstar.

Sadly, during this stretch was also when the Tour du Honey Bucket would hit it's toughest stages. I do not want to get too graphic, but my writing last masters thesis did not take me as long as Stage 2 of Tour du Honey Bucket. 'Nuff said.

Miles 20-26

My return to THE Haight. I can not believe how much better I felt during this stretch than last year. I was even joking with the locals (i.e a group of gacked out 20-somethings, that told me my boa was both "foxy" and "totally boss" Thanks, boys. You sweet talkers.)

Tired RBR and some street art. I do have to admit, the graffiti on THE Haight is pretty cool.

Then I ran up on a local aid station. I had to ask if I could take a picture for Ms. Alice. They were offering runners free Mimosas at Mile 21.

The young man of questionable sobriety asked if I wanted to get his ass in the photo. It would have been unladylike of me to refuse.

I kept running past runners that had dropped me when was competing in Stages 2 and 3 of "the Tour", and I got fresh cheers and birthday wishes. There was one more Stage of "the Tour." I was pretty damn ready to be done by time we hit the Embarcadero again. As expected my feet, ankles, and knees were totally OVER the pavement, but I was still running unlike the run 3 strides/walk 3 minutes plan I was rocking last year at that point of the race.

I came into the finish feeling strong, but ready to be done. Then the woman right in front of me stops to take a picture of the finish line before crossing it.

Seriously? What the fuck?

Since fine motor skills and quick reaction time had left the building about 10 miles ago I ran smack into her, causing her to give me a dirty look and raise her hands in the universal "what the fuck?" sign and me to say 'Dude!' (Eloquent, I know, but I HAD just run a marathon)

I am certain that both of our finisher pictures will be a thing of beauty!

Marathon 1o: DONE!

Afterwards, my tummy troubles continued and I kind of split early. Sadly, that meant I missed an opportunity to meet Ann. I am hoping that we will meet up at a PCTR trail race soon. I am sorry, girl!

Birthday Night

Hubby took me out to dinner and like any good husband he asked me where I wanted to go and like any good girl of fine white trash heritage I told him

RED LOBSTER, baby!

Tired, but very happy at the 'Lobsta. We were in the minority of patrons at the 'Lobsta that were 1. Under 80 and 2. Under 300 pounds. (although, I have not weighed in at JC yet this week. I may have to amend that second statement)

To be honest, it was the best birthday I have had in a long time. Thank you all!