05 November 2007

yesterday's nyc marathon

so yesterday's new york city marathon was mostly fun. while i did improve my nyc time from last year, i did not live up to my potential.

the race started out well. i started about 24 or 26 seconds after the official start, and began running steady sub-eight minute miles. i was feeling really great, and wouldn't let myself push b/c i knew i needed all the energy i could get. brooklyn was beautiful; my favorite borough cheered their hearts out and i loved them for it. it got tougher, but i didn't let my pace go and felt great.

until

until the bronx. i started getting dizzy in the bronx, and fell off pace. instead of running sub-eight minute miles, on target (for so long!) for a 3:25, i got incredibly dizzy. nothing would help. i felt as if i were in a fog and i only wanted the race to end. i ended up running an extra twenty minutes slower. my parents were screaming my name but i couldn't even hear them; i just wanted to die. i was happy cara and crista did not make it to the end; i didn't want to see anyone.

immediately after crossing the finish line, i collapsed from dizziness. i never felt so dizzy. volunteers pulled me up and dragged me along. they put me on a stretcher and took me to the medical tent where i rested for a while.

and now, i'm so sad i didn't fulfill my potential--i could taste victory for oh-so-long--but i know i have it in me. next time...next time...

overall, my time wasn't terrible. i was in the top 1200 women, top 350 for my age, and top 7200 overall. still, i know i could do so much more.

but now, i'm so sore, tired...and drinking and eating way more than imaginable.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Congrats on finishing and remaining healthy ... you are healthy, right? I do hope the dizziness is something benign.

V said...

you still beat last year's time, so that's good. as you wrote in your latest letter, you never know what will happen in a marathon....

i'm still super proud of you :)

(a little worried, too, but i'll not go there now. it's just because i care....)

Anonymous said...

Well done, Cheryl! You finished. I am in awe of that very fact. Hope your body and spirit are recovered. Go find a nice big fat cream cake.

Steve Edwards said...

congrats, cherie,

way to hang in there in adverse conditions. if you think it was your nutrition, and not just a weird day (as we all have those), let me know and i'll help you improve that.

cheers,
steve