Ahh...the Tulsa Run

Well...this post is going to be rather short. I really had no interest in doing the Tulsa Run. However, I am going to miss the Route 66 Half Marathon with my training group "The Optimists," so I signed up for the Tulsa Run. My running seems to be getting worse rather than better, but I am still pretty consistent. So Tulsa Run 15K here I come....

Woke up this morning, with a pretty bad headache. I have been going to a new doctor trying to figure out why I am having such severe migraines lately. He put me on new medicine and it has really seemed to help, but this morning it was like times of ol'. I took 2 of my less intense prescribed medication and headed downtown so that I wouldn't have to fight for parking. Once I got to downtown, I knew I had to get out of my car and had to walk around or I was going to get really sick. Since I was going to be parking downtown, I only took my driver's license and $5. I didn't have my purse with me with all my medication in it. I definitely went downhill from there. I felt horrible. I was so nauseous. I visited the porta-potty 3 times. This was so much more than nerves. I couldn't regulate my temperature. It was chilly out, but parts of me were burning up, it was not a good scene. After the 5K started at 8:30 I knew we had 30 minutes til the 15K time. I had seen some of the other Optimists roaming around, but I was telling myself that I wasn't even going to start running this race. I felt horrible. The back of my head was splitting. I was so nauseous I had no food in my stomach...it was not a good scene.

Some of my graduate students were at the event to participate in the fun run. It was so awesome to see them, I just wish I had been feeling better. I was so hoping to get a great picture of all the optimists...perhaps at the Mock 1/2 marathon next weekend. I decided I would start the run and if I felt horrible at the 1K marker I would DNF. I haven't ever DNF'd, but I was at about 15% health wise and I didn't care. I started with some Optimists that I run with most Saturdays. I think they lost me in the first 5 minutes...I was moving though and wasn't throwing up so I figured that was good.

I kept moving...and didn't really watch my time...I was just about getting it done. I was so excited when I turned the corner at Utica to head down 21st and saw Pat. I thought I'm gonna catch him and he and I are gonna conquer this together. It was going to be his longest distance to date and I was just going to be grateful if I could get all of the distance in.

We completed the last 11K together. He claims to hate me because I pushed his comfort zone a bit, but I'm okay with that. Because I know that deep down he has earned more respect for himself for allowing me to push him a little. We finished the run in 2 hours 8 minutes. I have heard through the grapevine that Pat just wanted to finish in under 2 hours and 30 minutes....GO PAT!!! Without Pat, I seriously might have DNF'd at Veterans' Park (around the 6K maker). Fortunately, at around the 8K marker the throbbing in my head lessened and I wasn't nearly as nauseous...So the run is in the books.

I was not a great run leader for the Optimists, however...they were taught well and were successful entirely on their own!!!