The half way point of the race brought a few things; Becca was taking over on the tether and another opportunity to run through a crowd. The nice thing about doing marathons that also have a marathon-relay going on is that every 10k there's a crowd gathered at the exchange area. The relay teams have one ankle bracelet for a timing chip and it has to be passed from relay member to relay member. The first half of the course did have a number of spectators who braved the weather to still come out and cheer, but the crowds always pick me up. The only downside to marathon relays is that it messes with your mind a little; fresh runners coming on the course have a tendency to fly by you. The race was thinning out but each marathon relay check point brought more runners near by.
When Richard Hunter asked if was available to guide he said how he prefers to have two guides for each marathoner in order to let the athlete run their best race without worry of a guide not being able to maintain. My only question I had after his proposal was if I could keep running with Rachel to the end.
With Becca tethered up we proceeded on. I could see that it lifted Rachel's spirits, she was running very strong coming to the half way point and I kept telling her that the real half way point wasn't for another 5 miles. With me off the tether I was able to move about and shuffle people out of the way. As we would approach a water station I'd take requests on what Rachel and Becca wanted and run ahead, grab it and deliver as needed. This allowed them to stay as far away from the crowds of runners that tend to gather at a stand still at the water stations as the race wears on.
Becca was chatty, which helped keep Rachel calm and added a lighter feel to our run. Becca was commenting on the rain that was coming down which we quickly threw back in her face and updated her on the side ways rain, stream crossing and garbage bag dodging. The three of us got along great from our initial meeting so it seemed appropriate that the three of us would be crossing the finish together.
This was only the second time that I was a co-guide in a race with the other time being my first attempt guiding with Kathy. Since that first co-guiding I've gotten a feel for how I like to guide and how I want to control the situation. Different people have different ways of doing things and I could feel myself getting very anxious when Becca was or wasn't doing something I would or wouldn't have. She wasn't wrong and I wasn't right but it was interesting to me to feel that. I later spoke with Rachel about that and she said she could tell. I knew that it would be counter-productive for me to try and guide and influence where Rachel was if I wasn't on the tether so the three of us continued on, joker to the left, clown to right.
As the miles wore on I could tell that Rachel's injured hip was hurting more and more. I was trying to "remind" her to keep some running form tips in mind that we discussed on the previous day's run. Hips forward, shoulders relaxed and keep looking ahead. I gave her the opportunity to hit me at one point because the only thing louder than my reminders was her sigh of annoyance after each reminder. After a while I would simply turn to look at her as a reminder which she would reply with a roll of her eyes or a shake of her head. Somewhere around mile 20 as we were getting closer to Sacramento there was a nice crowd gathered and through it all I managed to hear someone say "Free Beer!!" My ears perked and I began to seek out where this offer was coming from. I found the source and happily accepted two small dixie cups of beer. Can't tell you what brand or type, but it was good. I was trying to play the role of pseudo coach, comic and motivator. My main goal was to keep Rachel's mind off of the pain in her leg and keep her progressing towards her goal. I could hear her feet getting heavier as she tired.
The sun was coming out and we were greeted with the weather that I took for granted that I would have traveling to California. The crowds were getting more frequent as we continued to close in on the Sacramento and the Capitol building. There was one group on the sidewalk all dressed in pink tu tu's, continuing to add humor to the run I went and asked if they had an extra? They didn't as they looked at me a little perplexed answering the question. As we neared downtown things were picking up, crowds were cheering and people were hanging out on the sidewalk seating at bars. It was a lot like running Ironman on State Street in Madison. All the bars got me thinking about football and how all the people were out watching the games, of course it was about noon so the games were starting. . . . or the first set of Sunday games were already done! I forgot about the time difference and then I said out loud "CRAP!". . . I didn't think I had updated my fantasy football team. Rachel didn't either as we discussed our fantasy football woes. At about mile 25 we heard a live band playing outside a bar on the sidewalk. I think it was a polka-folk type beat. I looked over at Rachel and asked if she wanted to dance. . . She smiled and we stopped in front of the band and did an abbreviated polka jam. We were laughing and circling before realizing that Becca was still attached to Rachel, so she was forced to run around us to avoid getting tangled. Rachel and I finished with a twirl completing the intertwining of the sisters in the tether. They untangled, we all laughed and continued on for the last mile.
One of the dead giveaways that you're approaching a finish line is the number of people in running gear with medals around their necks cheering you on. We could hear the announcer and the music as we got closer and closer. The California International Marathon did offer a unique finish experience. One chute for women, one for men. As we approached the woman directing the segregation between male and female, she yelled at me saying "Men to the right" I responded with a "I'm with her" and her final response of "You'll get DQ'd" I just laughed and kept my post by Rachel's side.
Rachel was the second VI female to cross the line, she completed her first marathon and did so with only a few stops for stretching. She fought through the discomfort from her injury and ran even splits through the entire race. She was smart from the beginning by choosing to back off from what her original goal was to a pace that was manageable given the fact she was coming off from sickness and injury. I know she's faster, she knows she's faster but that doesn't matter, she put together a great race and made it through that first marathon, which is what I believe to be the hardest.
Rachel is training for her first Ironman, she will be competing in Ironman Texas in May. While training she continues on in a fight with other VI athletes, that I knew very little about prior to meeting her last week. There are rules in place for blind and VI athletes in triathlons that require a VI athlete to wear black out glasses as a means to put them on an equal playing field with the blind athletes they compete against. It is looked at as an advantage for a VI athlete to use what little vision they have during the run portion of a triathlon. If an athlete like Rachel wishes to qualify and compete at a national level she must comply with the black out glasses rule or be disqualified. Much of the ground work has been laid out by Aaron Scheidies, a world record VI athlete who has brought a lawsuit against the organizations who created the black out glasses rule, you can see his filing here. Rachel and Aaron are teaming up in hopes to make change. I hope to help in that fight and may be calling out to you USAT members for your support.
