Delaware Distance Classic* LBRR (Schwag!)

A year ago, I ran this race for the first time. It was an unusual race for me - first of all, it was in Wilmington (I didn't know there was anything in Wilmington other than credit card companies)... secondly, it was a 15k - a strange distance too. And I went down there not knowing a soul... and there were Kenyans. I was intimidated and almost went home without running. But I did it, had a good time, and met a wonderful man.

Flash forward to today - no Kenyans, there were a few now-familiar faces, and from the temperature, you couldn't tell that it was the beginning of October. Even before race time (8:30), the sun was making itself known and it was already in the low 70s. Fine. It was going to be hot. I was just eager to get started so I could get finished and have some delicious muffins.

I think because I was so eager to get this over and done, I went out too fast.... my first mile coming in right around 8 minutes - not far off from my 5k pace from last weekend. Not smart, I know. I'm usually good about not doing that. Around mile 2, I met a woman named Kelly and we chatted for a bit and kept pace together. She's training for a marathon in about a month. She said that her goal for today was to finish under 1:20. That seemed ambitious for me given the heat and my time for last year (1:24), but I thought I'd try to hang with her for as long as I could.

Mile 2 came in around 8:20. Three and four weren't much slower than that - 8:25ish for both, if memory serves correctly. That's about when the heat started to get to me. There are long, long stretches of this course that are not shaded. The sun was brutal. I took water at all of the water stops (except the last) and I walked a bit as I downed and doused myself with some water.

Somewhere around mile six I was thinking that I would have been wise to have brought a Gu or something - though I can't imagine how I would have choked down the thing being as dehydrated as I was. The last three plus miles are kind of a blur. I definitely slowed down. I think there were at least two miles that were 8:45 pace... and I know the last mile was about a 9 minute mile pace. At that point though, I was just glad that it would be over soon.


With Kelly just ahead of me, I finished in 1:19:40. I was really happy to have finished under 1:20. Like I said, it was rough out there, but I felt proud that I did not give up and I kept pushing. Took me a little while to cool down afterwards, but when I did I was rewarded for my efforts with a delicious muffin, some strawberries, and some Mimosas (courtesy of Seebo).

Kelly found me later and told me that I had won 3rd for my age group! (She won second.) I was so excited... that's a first for me. Good thing she told me, otherwise I probably would have left without collecting my plaque! And while it is a nice plaque.... it's not nearly as nice as the schwag I got last year!



*This race was nearly renamed the Amy V. Memorial Run yesterday. Yes, as in the Amy that I run with. Indulge me a brief story.... So I'm all set to meet my super-responsible, conscientious pal Amy for a little Ardmore Farmer's Market breakfast Saturday morning. She texted me the night before: "How about 930 tomorrow?" I confirmed the plans and headed over to her apartment. Granted, I was about five or seven minutes late when I arrived at Amy's apartment. I knocked and waited. Nothing. I knocked again, louder this time. Again, nothing. Hmmm. I call her house phone and leave a message. I call her cell phone and leave a message. Now I'm officially starting to worry. Her car is parked in the lot... she must be here. Hmmm. Now I'm starting to really worry. Nope, no signs of 'forced entry' into her apartment.

The mailman arrives and delivers the mail without ceremony. Do I tell him that I'm worried that she's on the floor, dead? Nah... too crazy. But his delivery of the mail gives me an idea. I peek through the mail slot. In doing so, I have a clear visual shot up the steps that lead directly to Amy's apartment - lights are off... all looks quiet. Hmmmm. I call again. Pressing my ear against the open mail slot, I can hear her apartment phone ring, and ring, and go to voicemail. I try the cell phone again - listening.... the ring tone for Amy's cell plays........"Breathe... just breathe....", sings a lovely lilting voice and all I can think is YES, AMY... BREATHE!!!... because now I'm convinced that she's dead on the floor. I don't know what to do. I leave her crazy, desperate, pathetic messages on her phones.

Amy would never leave her apartment without her cell phone - especially when she's supposed to meet somebody. None of this is adding up. I feel helpless... I don't know what to do. I think about all the horrible possible fates that could have befallen my dear friend, Amy. She's had anaphylaxis before... maybe that's what happened.... maybe she drank too much last night and aspirated in her sleep.... maybe someone (carefully) broke into her apartment, had their way with her and then murdered her... maybe she ... oh who knows!?!?

I decide that I should walk to the Farmer's Market on the off chance she's there. I know she's not though... and the guilt over leaving her alone at the apartment overwhelms me and I can barely force my feet to cross Montgomery Avenue. As I do.. I see an omen... a black squirrel.... don't ask me what that means, but I'm sure it's bad. And then I see a BLUE PARAKEET!!!.... just hanging out. What is a bird like this doing 'in the wild'? It's another omen... an even worse one than the black squirrel.... I don't know why, but it is. I'm beside myself... am I dreaming.... I hope?

Almost as I round the corner, I see a lovely redhead walking with a young man ... with a bakery bag from the market. I have to look at her hard, three times before I can make sure that I can let myself believe that it's Amy. As we greet each other, she realizes that I am not okay... I'm a dork... I start to cry... so overwhelmed with relief that my dear friend is not dead. Phew!!! I think Brian (her beaux) must think I'm insane... but if you know Amy like I know Amy, you know that this type of disappearing act is hugely out of character. I was glad to later learn that I'm not the only crazy friend Amy has.... Her friend Leigh nearly called the cops to report a missing person when Amy was 20 minutes late to work.

So.. the race name will remain the Delaware Distance Classic... and thankfully, Amy is alive!!!