GAR 2

Ok, where were we? After the potty stop the trudging really began. It's those last 3 miles that are the killer I think! After the 7th mile I stopped and stabbed my blisters with a safety pin from my runners number. That helped some. Again the thoughts of WHY ON EARTH DID I SIGN UP FOR THIS ?!!? become the focus. I must have the worst feet on the planet! Seriously, why must I get blisters the size of dinner plates every time I wear sneakers?! Sheesh! We eventually made it to the finish line in 2 hours and 40 minutes. At that point I was happy to be done, later I was pretty bummed with that time. Faster than last year (with a raging kidney infection) but still, I was thinking it would be closer to 2 hours than 3. =(  

We crossed the finish line and then it started pouring rain! It didn't last long, but it felt great! People were standing by to pass out water, bananas, sweet bread, and sprite.  Our prized finishers t-shirts were waiting to be claimed and then we found Dave... who had been resting for more than an hour waiting on us. (I think I hate him.) A nice stranger snapped a picture for us and we all hobbled off to the far reaches of the parking lot to the van. 

Here is the route. I don't think my pace thingie was accurate but close enough. 

My FitBit says that I put in more than 8.15 miles that day... I guess the walk from the car to the bus, from the bus to the start line, from the finish line back to the car...gracious! That's a lot of steps! AND the hills show up as flights of stairs... 15 flights is equivalent of climbing to the top of the Statue of Liberty! 

After we made it out of the traffic jam... while watching people still coming around the corner to the finish line... breakfast was the next order of business. Koa Pancake House was pretty full of sweaty runners! We got a table and I knew that I had made a bad choice eating that bread, banana and water so soon after the race!! My stomach was churning. The guys were in line to order and I was in line for the restroom. The person in there was in no rush even after I repeatedly jiggled the door knob (to convey the urgent need...) and as I stood there feeling the clammy-get-ready-to-barf signals all I could do was grab a plastic bag (for to-go orders) from behind the counter area (an employee looked at me like I was crazy!) and get OUT now. Thankfully, there is a side door to the outside seating area... and a path around the backside of the building!! I felt bad for the people who might hear me as they ate their meal. It was awful. However, I felt so much better! 

It's all fun and games till someone barfs their guts up. I did go back inside and sit through breakfast, feeling SO much better! Back at home I took a shower and climbed into bed till about 7pm. Good thing Dave was able to take care of the kiddos! It sounded like they had a good day downstairs. I guess we will remember our final Great Aloha Run as the Barfing Year. Which was better than the Blister Year (2010) and WAAAAAY better than the Kidney Infection Year (2011) so I guess this makes it the best year yet! ;) 

Comments

[Marsha]

Ha! I was gonna say TMI! :) I enjoyed the story though! Could you not wear your foot shoe thingys?
Do they cause blisters?

[TF]

TMI Little Girl. We didn't need to see the barf bag to know it was real.