What Happens In Vegas Is Divulged Here For All to See

First of all, I just have to give the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation's Team Challenge a big, big hand for the amazing job they did in organizing this weekend.  Particularly, Cindie Sharp as our local administrator and our coaches, Dave, Sean and Phillip.  They were just incredible.  I was a part of Team in Training one year, and while that is also a great organization, my experience with TNT was nowhere near as wonderful as TC.

I arrived in Vegas with only an hour or so to spare to get my race packet at the expo.  The expo itself was okay, not huge by any means.  I walked by this guys who seemed to be a "personality", like a C-lister or something.  He had on tons of foundation and was kind of bloated looking.  Turns out it was Mark McGrath from the band Sugar Ray.  So I was right--it was a C-lister.

I bought this cute t-shirt at the expo.

After the expo, I took the TC shuttle over to the Mandalay Bay.  Our shuttle driver obviously had had it up to here with stupid tourist questions, because he was quite surly with one woman who was asking very dumb questions.

I chose not to have a roommate from my team, because I didn't want someone else's rituals and habits to cramp my style.  I won't deny that it was nice to have a little bit of time to myself.  Here's what my room looked like:

Too bad I didn't have my camera with me for the TC pasta party.  I will post pictures that I get from other people.  It was pretty dang cra-mazing.  One thousand TC members from all across the country were there.  Our team was very boisterous as we lined up to go into the dinner, doing cheers and just overall shouting.  The Wisconsin team in front of us started cheering, too.  But the awesomest part was all of our coaches, mentors and a local cheerleading squad lined up as we neared the doors.  They were cheering and high-fiving and hugging all of us.

The dinner included some inspirational speakers, and I can't even describe how neat that was.  They also named the top ten fundraisers.  Get this--#10 raised somewhere just over $15,000, and #1 raised over $37,000!  Crazy and wonderful.  As a group, we raised over $3.5 million for Crohn's and Colitis research and programs.

This morning, we all gathered at 5:15 and got ourselves ready.  The weather was perfect--not as freezing and windy as last year, according to those who were there.  Here's my group, taking some time to stretch before we went out in the cold.  

Erika, Jan Michael and Pat

Me and June

I started out running with June, Lev, Jan Michael and Anthony.  I knew that JM and Anthony would quickly drop us, but June has been my total lucky charm all throughout training.  She is good at talking and keeping my mind off of the running.  We also ran for about four miles next to a group of Elvi (Elvises?) from Minnesota that were quite entertaining.  They would occasionally bust out with snippets of Elvis songs.  It was very appropos as we ran along Fremont street.

Now, I really thought that I was ready.  I really, really did.  The other week when I ran 12 miles in the rain, I really didn't feel that bad and was happy with my time.  I had trained, I had tapered, I had been sleeping and eating properly.  That didn't keep me from bonking majorly at mile 8.  I veered away from Lev and June to pick up a Gu, and I spent the next mile watching them get farther and farther from me.  I had no energy at all, and I even had to walk/run through miles 9, 10 and 11.  I was almost crying in frustration and disappointment.  Just before mile 10, a coach from the St. Louis team was kind enough to run with me for a little ways, just to keep me going.

Our cheer squad was at mile 12.  My amazing mentor, Jessica Bash, ran with me for the last mile, telling me that every step brought us closer to a cure and closer to the finish, that I could do it and I had run a mile over and over again.  Coach Sean and Erika ran with us for a little while, too.  Maybe I could have crossed the finish line without them, but I would not have run the last 1.1 miles.

My final time (by my Garmin) was 2:24, or 11 minute/mile pace.  That actually was a PR for me, and it could have been a lot slower.  And I did finish, but I am much sorer and more tired than I was with other long runs.  I think that it was a function of fuel, and my shoes should have been replaced a couple of weeks ago.

Next year (and there will be a next year, because I want to be a mentor), I know I will be better.