A Very Busy Weekend

As I write this, I am still in DC, and memories are still fresh-ish in my head (I suffered from heat exhaustion during and after the half marathon, but hopefully I'll remember everything).

My trip to Washington DC/Virginia Beach began Friday. I planned on not checking a bag (since I had a 25 minute layover in Memphis and wasn't sure that my luggage was going to make it). My plans, however, were thwarted. I packed my rolling stick (in case of extreme muscle soreness) and discovered at the bag search that it's considered a "club-like" object, and is therefore prohibitted in carry-on luggage. Geez. So I had to go back and check my small suitcase (which meant I could've brought shampoo and lotion, etc., but whatever). I put my running shoes into my backpack and left the suitcase with the airline.

When I got back to the metal detector, I informed them that I had running shoes with me and that they did have gel in the heels (as the FAA website told me to do). They pulled me aside, took my shoes for inspection, patted me down, etc. Finally, I got my shoes back and went on my way.

While on the first leg of the journey, I looked at the Chronicle and discovered that Ernesto was headed right towards Virginia Beach and DC. Wonderful.

Once I landed in Memphis, I had 20 minutes to run from gate B1 to B30. I literally ran. I made it to the plane in time and off we went. When we got near DC, the weather was horrible and the turbulance was so bad that when I got off the plane, I immediately saught a receptical in which to vomit. Afterwards, I happily discovered that my luggage did make it (hurray!).

Once in DC, I met up with April and we walked all around DC to shop. We were shopping, however, in the middle of Ernesto. The temperature dropped quickly (I in my t-shirt and flip-flops was freezing!) and the rain and wind pelted us the whole evening. We went home, went to sleep.

Early yesterday morning we drove to VA Beach. 3 hours and a bit of rain later, we arrived. VA Beach looked relatively untouched by Ernesto (we discovered that Norfolk and other parts of VA Beach really got it, but our part was fine) and the weather was still awefully chilly. After going to the expo to get our race gear and shop at the expo (yay!), we walked the four blocks to the beach and just walked up and down the cold beach, quite aware of the thick clouds still on the horizon. We were looking forward to a nice, chilly run this morning (more on that later).

When we tired of the beach, we checked into our VIP Executive Suite at the Crown Plaza (there was a jacuzzi next to the bed!) and ran some errands (mostly for stuff for the Sailor, who was stationed there when he was in the Navy). VA Beach is home to the Naval Air Base, as well as a Navy Base, with a National Guard Base and an Air Force Base not that far away. My history side was very intrigued by this section of the country.

Anyway, on to today's race!

April and I arrived at the start early, and met up with Coach Bill and his wife Beverly, who are running all of the Elite Races to earn the "Rock Star" medal. While we waited for everything to begin, April and I were interviewed by a local tv news crew (fun!) and we got to see the wheelchair division begin (including Team Hoyt, which is so inspiring) and the Elite runners (wow).

When it was our time to line up, the weather was not as nice as we had originally hoped for. I was warm almost from the start. Our first mile was an 11:27, and it all went downhill from there (for me). At mile 3 I told April to go on ahead since I knew the heat was already getting to me and my left Achilles tendon started to tighten.

I was ok until around mile 6. I was actually contemplating quitting the race. I was that hot. There was NO shade and the sun was beating down on us (the temperature got up to 85 later in the day). By mile 9, I stopped running and just concentrated on not passing out. My Achilles became tighter and I was not a happy camper.

By mile 11, I was plain miserable and getting naseaus. April finished while I was almost to mile 12, and Beverly and Bill caught up with me soon after that so we speedwalked most of the rest of the way in. With .10 left, I started sprinting (as is my custom). When I finished, that's when the heat hit me hard. After gathering my gear, I became dizzy and wanted to vomit. I found a medical station, where they sat me down and gave me salt and water (while I listened to a man, cramping up, screaming as though he was being stabbed). The heat affected LOTS of people. I got up, walked a couple of feet, and sat down on the ground for 5 minutes or so. Bill, Beverly and April met up with me and we walked to the beach, where I promptly got into the cold water to cool off. 5 minutes later, I was feeling much better. Good enough to go back to the hotel, shower, drive back to the beach, eat and then walk on the beach some more.

Now we're back in DC. Both of us are extremely sunburnt (me more than her since I didn't use any sunscreen). My face hurts and I have the funkiest tan line on my legs - they're tanned between a sock line and where my capri pants ended mid-calf. Oh, and I, as usual, wrote my name in black marker on my arms. The sun burned/tanned my arms, except for my name. So my arms are darker, with a pale ERICA visible on each arm.

My overall time was 3:12, which is 20 minutes slower than I wanted. I'm not upset with myself at all because, considering the lack of training to to an injury 6 weeks ago and the extreme heat in Houston, I finished. This is just the first race of the season. There'll be more. And lots of running in the cool weather.

Now if you'll excuse me, I must put lotion on my painful face.

Cheers!