Chasing Denver

Eleven months ago, I had just gotten back from my sister's wedding and something was seriously wrong with my stomach. I couldn't eat or drink and was in immense pain, so I figured I'd cut my long run short and just run ten miles. Totally logical.

Ten miles later, I downed some whey isolate in Gatorade because that wasn't real food and I'd be fine, and I found myself on the floor of my bathroom screaming. I went to the ER.

One week later, I found myself racing a 10K. Slowly, miserably, I dragged my sorry ass to a 39:49. I wobbled over to my coach and told him "THAT FELT TERRIBLE!" He said "I thought it would." I regretted showing up.

Anyways, I didn't know it, but the qualifying time for USATF Club Nationals was 39:50. I also didn't know it, but USATF Club Nationals was going to be in Tacoma, WA for 2014, which meant I could go without being one of the top runners in our club. I'd just secured my spot to run twenty-five laps around a little oval against really fast people because apparently that's fun in my twisted little head.

Training was going very well this time around, and I knew I was in shape to run under 39. Also, I didn't end up in the hospital, which is always nice. Everything was perfect! Well, except for this:

"AN EXCESSIVE HEAT WATCH MEANS THAT A PROLONGED PERIOD OF HOT TEMPERATURES IS EXPECTED. THE COMBINATION OF HOT TEMPERATURES AND HIGH HUMIDITY WILL COMBINE TO CREATE A DANGEROUS SITUATION IN WHICH HEAT ILLNESSES ARE POSSIBLE. DRINK PLENTY OF FLUIDS... STAY IN AN AIR-CONDITIONED ROOM... STAY OUT OF THE SUN... AND CHECK UP ON RELATIVES AND NEIGHBORS."

Tom's advice was not quite as dramatic:

"I think it would be wise ice your head during the longer races. The best way to do this is to have a baseball cap or visor to hold an ice-filled sandwich bag with crushed ice in it. We will have sandwich bags and ice available but are asking you to bring your own ballcap. We puncture several holes in the sandwich bag if you want to squeeze cold water on your head during the race."

So I bought the dorkiest-looking bright orange hat I could find.

I threw out my preconceptions about how fast I should be running and decided to start conservatively. If running a fast time didn't turn out to be realistic, I still had two goals: Beat the girl from Denver Track Club. And score.

When the gun went off, I lost her. I figured she was behind me, but really she was out with the lead pack at a near-suicidal pace. Alone, I stayed focused. 95, 95, 95, 94, 96, 95. About three miles in, being alone got to me, and I started to fade a little. 97, 98. That wouldn't do. But I was feeling sorry for myself.

Then I realized that one of our girls had dropped out and one hadn't shown up, which left nine of us, Adrienne already behind me. So I had to get that last point. I had to beat Denver. And that's around when Mark yelled something like "8th place is 200 meters up and fading!" I didn't want to hear it. 200 meters is far. But god did I need that point.

200 became 150. "There's a point 150 meters up, go get that point!" And then Tom told me I'd gained 16 seconds on her in one lap. That's when it lit up. The fire. It had been subdued by months of setbacks. I'd been serious about my running, but I hadn't been hungry. And boy was I hungry. Denver was mine. I was chasing Denver.

Before I knew it, with about a mile to go, she was with me. I made a decisive move and left her behind. For about 200 meters, I felt scared. I felt like she was going to catch me. So I ran as fast as I could to make sure I broke her and she stayed back. She did.

And that's how I completed the top eight sweep in the 10000. With my single point out of 161 total for the club's women. And it's probably the point that has the most value to any single runner. 

We got second overall!

PS: Denver, if you ever read this, nice race. You were bold.