I wanted to share a bit about my race day.
I set my alarm for 4:30am and hoped to sleep well the night before the race. Of course, I didn't sleep well... I was wide awake at 3:30. After trying to go back to sleep, I finally got up around 4am to start my OCD carefully planned out routine. It wasn't the 13.1 miles that had me stressing out. {TMI ALERT!!} My finely tuned routine had one goal in mind: a pre-race poo. For any of you that run, you know how important this can be. For weeks, I took mental notes about my routines and which activities would increased the chances of reaching my goal. My routine was on point and 85% of the time, I could predict success. All I needed was a cup of coffee, a half mile warm up, and indoor plumbing and BOOM! I was in business.
Here's what my morning looked like Believe it or not, I actually took notes on my phone so I would remember the details of the day:
Pre-Race
4:00 - Up and at 'em. Make coffee. Shower and brush my teeth. Goodness it's early. But, it's going to be a great day! I've trained so hard and it's finally here!
4:20 - Get dressed, eat banana.
4:30 - Write prayer list on my arm.
4:40 - Time to get the shit show on the road! I decide to run The Link, the indoor tunnel that connects our hotel to the Crown Center. I run for about a mile and a half, praying my colon body starts to wake-up.
5:24 - I take coffee back to the room for Richard and go hang out on the toilet a bit. As a psych major, I know the effects our environment can have on our behavior. So, I figure it can't hurt to just go sit for awhile. Still nothing.
5:30 - It's got to happen soon, right? I go down to my friend Carrie's room, where we talk about the race. And poop. I'm getting worried this isn't going to happen. 1.57 miles in. Still not happening.
6:15 - We meet our friend Whitney and Whitney's mom in the lobby. We are going to do a quick jog to the WWI Memorial (I'd say it was maybe a half mile away). It was cool and crisp. Union Station was lit up blue for the Royals and Whitney is telling us about her Grandpa, who has a bench named after him at the memorial. We get to the bench, say a prayer, and decide it's time to get back down to the start line.
6:40 - Our hotel is close to the start line, so I run back up to the room to try to go one more time. At this point I'm panicked! The race hadn't even started yet and I've logged 3 miles already and still no dice.
6:45 - I kiss Mase and Richard as they are in bed. Mase is up and we do our family 'handshake' where we put our hands on top of each others and yell 1...2...3...Moss. It puts me in a good headspace to hit the course.
6:50 - Carrie, myself, and 11,000 other runners get in the chute (sort of like a corral for runners). I feel the urge to pee, but don't have time to go because the race is going to start soon. I'm nervous, I've worked so hard to poo, I'm positive it's going to hit me sometime during the race.
The Race
7:10ish - The race starts. The energy and excitement can be felt in the air. Holy cow, this is happening. And I haven't pooped. Just go with it, Julie. It's too late to worry about that now. Enjoy it! You've got this!
Mile 3 - I'm praying for my marriage, per my prayer list. Richard sends me a quick text of encouragement that I can read on my watch. Rascal Flatts's song Won't Let Go starts to play on my Beats. Richard would play this song for me when we were traveling to our doctor appointments. Tears start to flow. Dammit. Stop crying Julie. Suck it up. Crying takes energy. And you need the hydration. Stop it!
...You think you're lost. But you're not lost on your own. You aren't alone. I will stand by you. I will help you through. When you've done all you can do, you can call. I will dry your eyes. I will dry your eyes, I will fight your fight. I will hold you tight and I won't let go. It hurts my heart to see you cry. I know it's dark, this part of life. It finds us all when we're too small to stop the rain, oh, but when it rains, I will stand by you. I will help you through... (Rascal Flatts, Won't Let Go)Mile 5 - I'm praying for my Gillispie family and I quickly text my sister (thank you Apple watch for enabling me to text while I'm in the middle of a race. Apple: Feel free to send me a free one for this endorsement). Jill starts sending me texts of encouragement. She has been following me the entire time using a tracking app. She's encouraging me and telling me about water stations coming up. Even though she was in Florida, it feels like she's running with me. Another boost.
Mile 8 - I'm getting tired. I've done a few hills. The excitement of the start line has worn off. Still a long way to go. I round a corner and hear this familiar voice yelling "Go Julie! Go Julie!" I look around and it is my friend Alicia, who lives about an hour away from KC. We logged a lot of miles about 3 years ago, navigating motherhood. Alicia ran a half marathon (I started training with her, but quit). She knew exactly what I was feeling. I stopped very briefly to give her a hug and a kiss and she told me to keep running and that she was proud of me. She's got tears in her eyes and I'm choking back tears again. She spent a precious morning traveling and fighting the crowds to come cheer me on for all of 3 seconds. It's just the boost I needed to get over that 8 mile slump. As I run away, I look back and can see her cheering me on.
Mile 9 - Richard sends me a quick text letting me know that he will be at Mile 11 (with him are my in-laws and Mason). Another boost... Plus the Sport Beans I ate at mile 5 are starting to hit. I kick it up a notch. The motivation that my family is just a mile ahead keeps me going strong.
Mile 10 - I'm praying for all Survivors, especially those I've come to know in a Surviving Together Facebook group. Praying for those who fought the battle and lost. Praying for those who signed up for clinical trials so that I could get the best treatment possible. Again, another boost to keep me going.
Mile 10.5 - I am running hard, okay as hard as you can after running 10 miles, and I'm looking for my crew. I do this for about 15 minutes, expecting to see them any minute.
Mile 12 - I finally see Richard, Mase on his shoulders and my in-laws. I quickly stop and give them high fives. Mase thinks I'm like a super star athlete. I can hear him ask "Daddy, is mommy winning?" Richard says "Yep, she's winning!" Talk about a major boost! I know I'm close to the end. I've got about 10 minutes of the race left.
Mile 12.5 - I round the home stretch (although a half a mile is still a long ways after you've ran 12) and again, I see Alicia. She's yelling that she's proud of me and tells me to finish strong. I'm humbled.
Mile 13 - I see the finish line. I'm soaking it in. I'm a bit sad the race is coming to an end. I feel so strong in that moment. I'm proud of myself and cannot believe I've done it. Cannot believe all that has transpired over the past year. I quietly whisper "I WIN." And, I'm thankful I didn't have to poop during the race.
After the race, I meet up with Alicia and my family. Mason is so excited about my medal and decides he wants to wear it. Of course, I let him. I know this was a team effort. This entire year has been a team effort.
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| My cheering section! My friend Alicia who was there to cheer me on in the very moment I needed a cheerleader. Carrie, Whitney and I celebrating the finish. My prayer list. 1...2...3...Moss cheer. My race swag. |
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