There was a lot of build-up to this race. First, I was excited to do this, as it is my MOST FAVORITE RACE evar – being the one I have done the most – 2006 (5K), 2007 (5K), 2008 (10K), 2011 (5K); and second – This was my first DOUBLE PUMP 15K!!! Woohoo!!
I remember back when I first started racing and saw the runners with the different color bib starting on the 5K side of the bridge [10Kers start on the opposite side, 45 minutes after the start of the 5K], thinking, "Man, those people are running over the bridge 3 times?! They must be hardcore runners!" And now flash forward to today and I am one of those "Hardcore" runners!! By no means would I consider myself a hardcore runner, but compared to back then my running and fitness has improved by leaps and bounds.
I also got my running group - Moms RUN This Town (MRTT) - involved with a fundraiser that took place in conjunction with the Bridge Run. I formed an MRTT group through crowdrise.com to fundraise for the race charity: The Nancy N. and JC Lewis Cancer Research Center and Pavilion here in Savannah. I set a goal for us to raise $500. Posted it to my FB page and everything, but 3 days before the race we were not even close to making the goal. I decided to do something drastic and crazy and pledged to shave my head if we met our goal of $500 by the day of the race. Once I had posted it and shared on FB, the donations came ROLLING in. We actually met the $500 goal only 3 hours after I had posted this photo!
And the donations KEPT coming in! We made a little under $1000 in just 3 days!! On the day of the race expo, I was asked by the PR manager of the Cancer Center to do an interview with one of the local news stations. We also worked with Fleet Feet and the Bridge Run director to make my head shaving a public event a the race after party!
Well, my nerves were all over the place the morning of the race - first to survive running over the bridge 3 times and then getting my head shaved right after!
The race itself was pretty rough. I think it was the most challenging race I've done so far. I had a personal goal of completing the 5K in under 30 minutes (which I have never done on this course's 5K at that point) and then feeling good enough to do it all over again 2 more times after that!
I had to race conservative, yet fast enough to make it in time, and once I rounded the corner before the finish line, I saw the clock and knew I had to sprint. I think it said 30 minutes, but I knew my chip time would be less than that and once I finally crossed the line, I checked my watch and it said: 29:46!! I did it!!!
Next up was the 10K. I felt my hips already getting sore. Stopping for an extended period of time in between hard runs is not ideal for my hips! I met up with fellow MRTT members Shiloh and Emily and I started off with them for the first part until their first walk break and then I kept going. I tried to take it easy since the first 2 miles were flat. I caught up to a lady who had a St Augustine Half Marathon (a race I did in November) shirt on and chatted with her about the St Augustine Half and Savannah's races, then I went ahead and soon met up with Ginger (another fellow MRTT!) and ran with her a bit until her walk break... and then the TOUGH part came... the incline back up onto the bridge. On this side, it is REALLY steep. I kept running, as much as I wanted to stop and walk... albeit slow at some points, but I kept a steady pace on up until the decline. I was super thirsty because I didn't bring my water bottle. There was a water stop on the loop back around to the other side of the bridge. I took a short walk break and began my ascent up the FINAL round of the bridge! Still rough, but I kept the steady pace and caught up with Katie and Ashton (more MRTT!) and stayed with them for the rest of the bridge. We came to the final water stop and at that point I was so PARCHED (it was really sunny on that bridge)... I called out for a water and they had just given out the LAST cup to the person in front of me!!! ARGH!!! I was so pissed! But I used that as motivation to finish up strong and get this race over with! As I made my way to the final straight away, I saw Joel and his dad on the sidelines which made me smile and happy to be finishing my first DOUBLE PUMP!!!
My 10K time was 1:07:08 - a course 10K PR for me (by about a minute), making my total time for the 15K: 1:36:54... a new Double Pump course standard to beat!!
Now that one thing was completed, I had to do the next thing --- get my head shaved! It was a fun and exciting moment for me, I hope everyone in attendance got a good kick out of it. I love doing things for charity, whether it's helping to raise money for a good cause or public humiliation in order to raise said money... I'm all about it!!! I'm glad MRTT was out there to support me/laugh at me... and I am very happy that we were able to raise the funds!
I don't know how I can top this crazy antic, but I am always up for some crazy stuff -- so long as it's for a good cause! Maybe we can come up with something for next year's bridge run!! Actually, MRTT already has something REALLY fun planned for this year's Bridge Run!!! I can't wait!!!
