OKC Memorial Marathon 2013

Today marked the second time I participated in the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon on a relay team. Last year I ran a 5k (3.1 miles) this year, I ran a 10k. This was my first 10k (6.2 miles) race, and I really enjoyed it.

To be honest, I haven't run in about 8 weeks (at all). While I know I wasn't/am not in tip-top shape, there was something nice about not having the pressure of a desired time looming over my head. I just ran to run, to be a part of something really important in my city, to be part of a team, to remember the tragedy and rebirth that happened in a city (this year for Boston as well as OKC). I loved it, and I want to be a part of this race in some form every year.

My training was thwarted when I started taking medication for anxiety earlier this year. The first few weeks were a hard adjustment on my body. I was so tired and nauseous. Things got better when I started taking a half dose, but I also started really trying to prioritize (omit anything I could to avoid feeling overwhelmed). If I didn't get to the gym, no biggie. Something like having a race in five weeks that I hadn't trained for would have made me anxious before. It was nice that there was no worry this time.

There was a malfunction with our timing chip at my relay exchange. I ran the fifth (final) leg, but our time doesn't show when the fourth runner passed off to me, so from some time calculations, I've estimated my time to be somewhere between 1:05 and 1:09. How did I do this? I used the time that the third runner finished and added the time I think I started running for that. I was standing right next to the official marathon clock that started at 6:30. The four hour marathon pace group ran by at 3:07. The 4:09 pace group also ran by, and I got my chip a minute or two after that (I think). So I started running between 9:46 and 9:50. And we finished at 10:55. After the marathon, Vaughn and Tracey came over with lunch. Tracey (Jake's mom) walked the half marathon for the second year in a row. They brought a thoughtful lunch of three different refreshing salads and yummy cookies.

Team Runnin' it and Lovin' it did awesome! We finished at 4:18:48, and we were 28/120 in our relay division. I'm almost always flirting with the idea of a half marathon, and this new no pressure approach to running might just be my ticket to sticking it out, but right now, I am completely consumed by yoga. I want to dig deeper into my practice. You should see all of the yoga books on my dresser. It has been really good for me in the last few months.

I'll leave you with some pictures from the day.

Before leaving to catch the shuttle to my relay exchange.

Runnin' it and Lovin' it [minus one (5k)]. L-R: Me (10k), Maria (5k), Annie (10k), Jessica (12k).

Part of the OKC bombing Memorial

In front of one of the memorial entrances with my medal

A quick meet up with my family right before mile 25 (my mile 5).

Cora cheering for the 1/2 marathoners that run right in front of Dot.

3 comments:

  1. Great job- that's so incredible! I want to run a 5K and then a 10K, a half marathon in all honesty doesn't apeal to me. I think I get too bored while I run.
    I have been having all kinds of issues with crazy mood swings for years, and it just keeps getting worse. I finally went to my doctor about it and he diagnosed me with PMDD- I'm basically one of those crazy PMS ladies you hear stories about on the news. Mine is only 14 days of the month, but those days seem to last forever. The medication they gave me is an antidepressant that I take for those 14 days. THe medication works because it keeps me from having such extreme mood swings, but it also has other side effects. The anti deppressant is the quick fix, but I think I'm going to start that long testing process to find out exactly what and why this is happening. I think our bodies are amazing but I sure wish they were a little easier to understand!:)

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  2. Alissa - My anxiety is very hormonally driven. It started when I was finished nursing Magnolia. It would get REALLY bad between ovulation and mensturation. I was always super relieved when my period would come because it meant I wouldn't feel like a super crazy. When the anxiety attacks started happening is when I finally decided it wasn't something I should just deal with. I'm happy that the medication has helped (you and me), but I really want to be able to leave the meds behind. I have lots of books right now on yoga and depression/anxiety. Have you ever done yoga? I also read a book called Feeling Good. I didn't love some of the smaller points, but as a whole it was really helpful.

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  3. I'll have to take a look at that book. I too want to leave the medicine behind, I'm in the process of seeing an endochinologist to see if I can get my levels of like everything tested. I've had issues for years, I noticed it when I had the two miscarriages in a row, but it has slowly gotten worse. This past year has been awful for 14 days a month- I feel so bad for my family! I've only done p90X yoga;) I'm such a chicken to really give it a try because I'm not a little person, nor very coordinated so if I fall it's gonna be a loud bang!:)
    A friend of mine has also talked to me briefly about this MD in Fayetteville who specializes in women helath. She takes a more holistic aproach, but is an MD so it's a happy middle ground.
    I am not a granola crunchy type, but i find myself leaning more and more to more natural ways to take care of things.
    I hear you on happiness when "Aunt Flow" comes to visit- I'm back to my normal self for two weeks and it feels great!
    Ugh, I really dislike not knowing what's wrong and how to fix it!

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