Huntersville Half Marathon Blues

Although I signed up and paid the $50 to run the first Huntersville Half Marathon this past Saturday, I was unable to do it.  My calf injury did not heal in time, and as a result I missed too much of the training.  However I did go out and cheer on the runners, since the race went right through my neighborhood.  My two girls and I bundled up, stood on the curb, and clapped and cheered for the runners as they went by.  Some waved back, and said thanks, others smiled.  When I have run in other races, I have noticed people clapping and cheering on the sidelines, and I always appreciated it.  But I always wondered, why are they on the sidelines and not in the race?  Who are they really there to support?  If I stop and walk, will they stop clapping?

My sister, Ec, and me last year before
the Kiawah Half Marathon. Ec does triathalons
too and is super fast!

I saw my former Team in Training Coach, Kenny, and we clapped and cheered for him.  Last year I ran the Kiawah, SC half marathon with Team in Training and raised money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  Unfortunately Kenny had his headphones in and didn't hear or see us.  I saw lots of my Fleet Feet training group friends, including Bernadette, who I used to run with during the Saturday training runs.  We both ran with around a 12 min/mile pace, so we usually ran together and kept tabs on each other.  We were the slowest runners in our training group.  I usually don't like to run with other people, since I am so slow, but "Bern" and I really matched up well.  When I saw her running she came over to me and gave me a big hug.  She did great, finishing the half in 2:44. 

After all the runners went by we went back home, and my husband decided to trek out to the grocery store.  On his way home, he passed a lady sitting on the curb, wearing a half marathon race number, and crying.  He stopped and asked her if she needed help.  She said that she had gotten lost in one of the neighborhoods, and kept running in circles. She couldn't figure out how to get back on the half marathon route. I thought that this route was really complicated and hilly, and the traffic was not blocked off for it.  My husband said that she reminded him of me.  He told the lady that his wife was supposed to run in this race, but hurt her leg.  He offered her a ride, which she cautiously accepted, and he got her back on track.   I am glad that he stopped to help her.  When I hurt my calf I sat on the side of Birkdale Commons Parkway and cried for about 5 minutes because I knew that I had really hurt myself.  I always run with my iPhone, and debated calling my husband when my running coach Christina came along and found me. 

Whenever I register for a race, my girls ask me if I am going to win. I try to explain that no, Mommy just wants to finish, I'm not trying to win.  Then they look at me like I have three heads, shrug their shoulders, and then go back to whatever they were doing.  Congratulations to all the finishers of the Huntersville Half Marathon.  Y'all did great!