I had signed up for the Honolulu Marathon (HM) at the beginning of the year when it was only $26.20 for Hawaii residents. I figured even if I didn't do it, I'd only be out that $26.20. It's also the cheapest marathon to sign up for (as a Hawaii resident) and still is to this day, even though prices have slightly increased in the past year. Anyway, I signed up and didn't really think much of it until the race got closer.
And by closer, I mean, like, the week before the race. HA, sooooo... my job is VERY flexible (thank goodness), and I had sent out an email asking if anyone was able to take my Sunday so I could run. (For the few that don't know, or may have found this blog by chance, I am a flight attendant.) On the Thursday before the marathon, somebody responded, and I ended up heading to the convention center with my cousin Richard, who was also running his first marathon, to pick up my bib.
I was SUPER nervous to say the least. Just picking up my bib was nerve-racking. I had done races before, but just little 5ks or 10ks, nothing like this. Mind you, I had never even done a half before doing this full. I basically had the thought in my head that I should do the whole first, because well... in Hawaii there was this saying... "RUN 'EM HAAD" the equivalent to "Go big or go home" so I just went for it.
The night before the race, I could hardly sleep. Honolulu Marathon always has a 5 am start. I tried to sleep around 7pm, but most of it was spent tossing, turning, and thinking about what I just got myself into. I woke up at 3am, and headed to Richard's house, as the agreement was that he would drive us over, and he had the hook up for a parking space at a hotel near the buses that would take us to the start. He knew a bunch of people that were part of a running group and so we met up with them when we got to the start area, and we even secured a spot right up in front for the start of the race. Pretty prime, if you ask me, especially to experience it for my FIRST EVER marathon. The fireworks after the gun shot, and the amazing rush of of people. It was absolutely amazing.
My only goal was to finish. Being my first marathon, I did not have a goal time, because I had no idea what to expect. Prior to this HM, the most I had ever run "for fun" was 8 miles on the bike path across the way from my house. I made sure to head out at a comfortable pace, and not get too excited and gun it at the start like some of the people around me did. I made an effort to take in my surroundings and be extra careful about my footfalls, taking extra precautions not to step on potholes (which Hawaii is notorious for), reflectors, or trash. I made sure to high-five anyone with their hand out, spectators and volunteers alike, and thank them all for being out there and cheering. When I got around to the more residential parts of Diamond Head and closer to the finish area, there were even people outside of their own houses handing out their own versions of race refreshments -- pretzels, slices of fresh fruit, mini smoothies from Banan along with a water hose on mist setting to run through... and closer to the finish, at the top of Diamond Head, a small group with a fold out table had "shots" of beer! The community involvement is spectacular. I forgot to mention how well the race was organized! For such a large number of participants, there was no shortage of water, Gatorade, GU, Vaseline, ice, sponges, aid stations, or course officials. The city of Honolulu really has done a great job making this marathon what it is.
Side note: The HM is the 4th largest marathon in the US, and the allure of it is not only the price, or the fact that it is in Honolulu, but that there is NO limit for participants OR time!! That means that EVERYONE gets to run and they'll wait for you to cross the finish line, even keeping up the sign until the very last one crosses! If I'm not mistaken, they waited for an older man for 16+ hrs to cross the line! This was in 2016, I believe, the last HM I did. THAT'S ALOHA.
Now, many people talk about "a wall," and I remember reading about many runners hitting the wall somewhere during mile 20-21 of the marathon distance. During my first marathon, I never hit it. I never even thought of it. I think I did a pretty great job at keeping my mind off all the miles I was running, by watching everything else. My body became a machine. I was moving without thinking. I wasn't concerned with breathing, cadence, or pace. I just ran at a comfortable pace, made sure I hydrated at every station, and stayed relaxed.
Now, being that I had no prior experience running this sort of distance, I was tired at the end of it, to say the least. I made sure to grab my post-race goodies -- a banana, lots of water, Amino Vital, and a few Hawaii staples, malassadas, and shave ice!! I ended up taking a seat near the water station and bathroom area, because it seemed like a good spot to rest, in the middle of two important post-race amenities. As soon as I sat, an older man looked at me and said "You don't wanna do that." I smiled and began to stretch. I soon had to refill my water, and that's when the horror struck. I couldn't get up. I COULDN'T MOVE MY LEGS. I had to scoot my butt back toward the bathroom wall and use all my upper body strength to get my self up and standing. Once I was standing, walking was a nightmare. I looked like I had no oil in my joints, I couldn't bend my knees to take a step, I was practically waddling. I successfully got my water, and understood why that guy told me it was a bad idea to sit.
So once I got the walking bit down, I had to go to the bathroom. As a girl, using public restrooms is already a terrible thought. I became used to squatting to use the public restroom, but after the marathon that was NOT happening. To say the least, I have a fine appreciation for those metal hand rails on the sides of the handicap stalls, and deeply thank all management that cares to provide toilet seat covers for their patrons in all their facilities. Unfortunately, for me, that first experience at the public restroom in Kapiolani Park, which had NONE of the aforementioned items in the stall I visited, could have resulted in me catching another sort of disease, but I was able to make it out alive... I waddled out alive.
At the time, I was living in an apartment complex, on the second floor. STAIRS. OH GOD. STAIRS. Walking on a level surface was a task in itself. Now, add steps upward... -phew- I swear I thought I was going sustain an(other) injury. But, again, I made it.
Silly me, I had gotten that day off, but did not account for the days after, so, of course, I had to work the next day. Wearing heels was so out of the question, so I opted to wear my flats all day. I can't remember what route I was working that day, but I do remember I was working the cart with my co-worker Gabby, and she got to see my struggle with "bending" down to grab a beer any time someone ordered one. I even saw some fellow marathoners on the flight wearing their finisher's shirts proudly, and who, coincidentally, had the same marathon waddle-walk that I had. I wasn't alone! We talked briefly about our experiences and reveled in our accomplishments. It was then that I realized that not every runner is a marathoner. I was now able to categorize myself as both!
Now, I know all my descriptions of the aftermath and etc. sound horrible, and I might be dramatizing a bit (although, I don't believe I am) but, to be completely honest, it was the best, most life-changing experience I've ever had. To this day, running that 2014 Honolulu Marathon was the best decision I made in my running "career" and it re-inspired me to run. It gave me a completely different, but still satisfying, runner's high. I now realized I could do more than I ever imagined, and it was such an exhilarating, liberating feeling. We are all capable of so much more than we think. This experience solidified that for me.
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| That's me at mile 25, at my first marathon. (Found on IG, with hashtag #HonoluluMarathon, by chance) I edited the color/b&w Honolulu Marathon 2014 |
Since that marathon, I have run seven more marathons (I'll list them below, with times that I can remember), and even achieved Marathon Maniac status -- which I'll write about another day.
I plan on trying to get into different types of races soon. Haven't decided whether I'll go the trail route or even attempt an Ultra (anything over 26.2 miles/42 km is considered an ultra), I don't see myself stopping anytime soon. As long as I still can run, I will.
HUGE thanks to my cousin Richard for driving to the convention to pick up my packet, and also getting us out there in the wee hours of the night, and also lessening my anxiety by just being there as a familiar face during the craziness of it all. If it weren't for you, I would have never made it to the start line!
Honolulu Marathon (2015 - 4:28, 2016 - 4:15)
Portland Marathon (2016)
Las Vegas Rock n Roll (2016, 2017)
San Diego Rock n Roll (2016 - 4:02)
The SF Marathon (2017)
