Once a year, for the past 11 years, the city of Akron refreshes a beautiful blue line through our streets. Beginning on Broadway street near the courthouse, and Inventors Hall of Fame Museum and running downtown past Firestone, through the campus of the University of Akron, into the Cuyahoga National Forest, and back UP (and i mean up!!) to Highland Square, then back Downtown to our Minor League Canal Park Stadium. The city lights up with 15,000 runners, and thousands of spectators. I was a freshman in college and didn't even know how far a marathon was in Akron's first year. But 9 years later I would toe the line for what would be one of my fondest running memories. It was incredible to race and win before my hometown crowd that day. Last year as final preparations were underway the flu and a nagging hamstring injury would take me to the line in tears. How could I let down a city that has done so much for me. So I raced with the knowledge that I would have to work harder for a sub par performance than I have ever raced. The race, left me feeling a bit mangled, and at first heartbroken that I would be unable to excite the stadium in Canal Park the way I had the previous year. But the most amazing part was that NO ONE CARED! Not in a bad way, the people involved in the running community here supported me just the same on a "slow" day as they had on my best.
So when I hurt my knee about a month ago my reaction was panic. Then I remembered the love that everyone has shown and the support through good and bad. At first I did not want to race. But then I realized that I don't have to run a PR EVERY TIME I RACE. So, as I am back running and have a decent level of fitness to work with I have decided to toe the line once again. I am not running the full, I am not going for the Olympic Trials B standard in the half, but I am going to race! I feel pretty blessed to be getting out the door and getting in some miles. Knowing how lucky I am to be able to race that morning is going to allow me to race with excitement. I will do all I can to run to my current fitness level and enjoy the race and the city that I love so much!
My City loves me back! haha! Marathon banners throughout the city.
A picture from 2 years ago. Right about 12 miles!
Good luck to everyone racing! I will be cheering!
yay!! I can't wait to cheer you guys on! And let's be real, your "slow" is faster than just about every other person's fast :)
ReplyDeleteI was there there cheering the year you won! The whole race everyone was talking about this girl who was going to win. And I was like how do you know? Anything can happen!
ReplyDeleteBut in the end it was you and everyone was right. Everyone had a lot of faith in you.
I'll be running the half there this year but really the only reason I signed up was because of the pink tech shirts! And maybe because it's a pretty cool race and I haven't ran Akron in a while.
Thank you! I am lucky to have a lot of people here that support me! I appreciate your support as well! Good luck this year!
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