If you are a runner and have never done a marathon relay, you should...they are a blast.
My "Sole Sisters" and me : (from L to R - Me, Jamie, Hollie, Amy, and Dani)Yesterday, I had the privilege of running the Quad Cities Marathon Relay with four of my running friends. We ran as the "Sole Sisters" and my friend Jamie made up some awesome shirts. Not only was is nice being a part of a team, but the distance was nice too. The race was broken down in to 5 legs. The distances being : 6.6, 5.6, 5.7, 3.5, and 4.8 miles. I took the third leg of the race.
The weather was absolutely perfect racing weather. The energy of everyone running the relay was really great. After getting the slap bracelet passed off, I took off. I wanted to keep a pace of about 9:15/mile. I didn't want to start off too fast and burn out so I spent a lot of time looking at my watch for the first mile, making sure I stayed right around 9:15. After I settled in, I was able to enjoy the scenery (which was gorgeous running on Arsenel Island) and be thankful to be there. I had watched a few runners take off before me in my leg and remembered what they were wearing and kept sight of a few of them, determined to pick them off. One by one, I did...up until the very last seconds of my leg. There was this one girl in a darker blue shirt and she was the last one that I wanted to pass. I kept gaining on her the whole way. At my last mile, I finally caught her. She sped up about the last half of a mile and I just kept saying in my head, "Not on my watch, not on my watch". I checked the history of my laps in my Garmin and I think that's when I started running at a 7:48/mile pace. I passed her with a little bit to spare and handed off the slap bracelet to my teammate, pretty happy with how I ran my leg of the race. I checked my average pace and it ended up being 9:18/mile...right around what my goal was. I felt redeemed after the way I did at The CRIM.
My team with our medals!!
This race was very well organized, the volunteers were great, and the course was beautiful. The water and Gatorade was well stocked, they had plenty of Gu along the way, and there was even a few fruit and candy stations along the course. The after race party was great too...variety and plenty of it. I give the Quad Cities and A plus...probably the best race I have run in so far.
It quite inspiring to see the full marathoners along the course and especially close to the finish line. A few times, I just wanted to cry for them. What an accomplishment! It also lit a fire within me. I need to run another marathon...as many as I can...and I will...
