Long Beach Half Marathon

I did it!

It was a hard race, and a trip that could have gone better in a lot of ways, but I did it.

I arrived in Long Beach at around 4:30 PM on Saturday, checked into the Renaissance Hotel, threw my stuff down and headed out to pick up my race packet at the Expo. Despite knowing that packet pickup would stay open until 6 PM, I was frazzled and stressed and in a hurry to get it. Took a turn around the Expo, but having rushed out of the hotel into the 93 F heat without stopping to change into cooler clothes or even to drink a glass of water, I didn't stay long. Just wanted to relax in my hotel room and rest up for the race.

I brought a vegan meal from home, not wanting to have to go out in search of food in the evening, and risk getting something that would upset my stomach, and that turned out to be a good idea. I had scrambled tofu with vegetables and rice and it was yummy. Watched TV and went to bed early, with my alarm set for 5:30 AM, to give me plenty of time to wake up and get ready for the half marathon start at 7:30 AM.

Had a shower in the morning, drank coffee and a protein drink (also brought from home), got dressed and pinned on my bib, and sorted my running pack. I'd brought both the pack with the water bottle and the one without, switched back and forth several times, then finally decided to take the water bottle, for two reasons: one, so I'd have water to drink with my GU and not have to wait for a water station; and two, because it would be easier to get my phone in and out of the pocket on the larger pack.

Headed out a little after 7 AM to find my starting corral. It was already hot, humid and cloudless, not a good sign. I was in the last wave and crossed the starting line around 7:40 AM. I started out strong and was making good time for the first eight miles or so. Ate a GU at around mile 5, which turned out to be my only one. Stomach was wonky from stress and drinking a Nuun by mistake (electrolyte drink they were handing out — I meant to grab water but got the Nuun, and drank it anyway) and I don't think it agreed with me, plus the heat killed my appetite, so I didn't really want anything more to eat. Probably should have forced down another one anyway.

Started slowing down a bit in the ninth mile. Skipped a run interval or two, but was still keeping on, but by mile ten, I was really dragging, and pretty much stopped running. Dear heaven, it was hot! I think it had already hit 90 F by 10 AM, or close to it, and the humidity made it worse. I wet my handkerchief and put it around my neck, and poured a glass of water over my head at every water station (one time, one of the volunteers threw a glass of water over me, heh, I was soaked but I didn't mind!), which helped, but not enough. By mile twelve, I was feeling very weak and exhausted, and starting to see sparkles, like I did near the end of my 22-mile run in Monterey. I really, really wanted to stop and rest a bit, but I knew if I did, I wouldn't be able to get going again, so I just kept pushing on. The last mile was torture, but I crossed the finish line still upright and moving! Got my finisher's medal, picked up a bottle of water, a big can of coconut water, and a bag of snacks, then got through to the fenced-off area where the finisher's photos were being taken. Found a patch of shade and sat down in the grass to rest.

I drank the whole can of coconut water and rested for 10 minutes or so. Tried to get up once to toss the empty can, managed to get to the trash can but was still pretty dizzy and wobbly so went back to the shade and sat down again. Another 10 minutes or so and I felt ready to get up. Still a little wobbly but got my picture taken and headed out to try to figure out how to get back to my hotel. Stopped along the way when I went through a grassy area to rest under a tree and eat a protein bar that was in my bag of snacks. That helped perk me up a bit (but then I read the ingredients and saw that it had both sucralose and stevia — fortunately it didn't bother me too much, but I could have used some sugar instead), and then I walked back to my hotel. Plopped down with my computer to rest some more, ate the rest of my snacks (blue potato chips, pistachios, and a flax seed bar of some kind?) and drank more water.

Couple of hours later, I was finally revived enough to take a shower and go out for something to eat. I would have just gotten something at the hotel, but their restaurant was breakfast-only and already closed, so I went out and started walking up Pine Street, hoping to find something appealing nearby. Didn't really find anything, so I ended up searching vegan restaurants on my phone and finding one that wasn't too far away. Ate lunch at Ahimsa Vegan Cafe, and it was wonderful! I had the Thai Temple Bowl (delicious tofu and vegetables over brown rice with peanut sauce) and lemonade, and ordered a Tempeh Reuben to go, so I could have it for dinner and not have to go out again. Before I left, I also picked up a slice of cherry pie and a coconut water with aloe drink. Really yummy food, so satisfying and delicious! Wish we had a restaurant like that around here.

I was half inclined to just get up this morning and head home, but decided that as long as I was in Long Beach, I really should visit the Aquarium of the Pacific, at least for a short time. They opened at 9 AM, so I figured I could stay for an hour and a half and still have time to get back to the hotel and check out by 11 AM. And I had a coupon for a $5 ticket if I showed them my race bib. Saw lots of wonderful fishes, big and small, jellies and seahorses, dragonfish, tangs and turbots, sharks and rays and clownfish and one triggerfish! Also puffins and seals and sea lions. Took lots of pictures and petted some sharks and rays and jellies. And also found out from the jelly guy that they decided after all to let the half marathoners have an early start, along with the full marathoners. So I could have started at 6 AM if I'd known, sigh. Would have made such a big difference. But I didn't know, so oh well.

My official time was 3:39:15. Slow, but not as bad as it could have been, and at least I finished!