30th Annual Cooper River Bridge Run

Saturday morning was my second Cooper River Bridge Run. It was a much different experience than last year... the excitement and nervousness in the days before the race weren't there like last year. After my half marathon, I had planned on working on my pace so I could run the bridge much faster than last year. However, one of my IT bands (my knee) started acting up (ITBS), and that stopped my speed training. I was a little unsure as to whether I should run the bridge and even considered giving up my number to someone else, but I figured that I could run as much as my knee allowed and walk the rest.

My running partner this year was Tracey (Miss T), a great friend of mine from grad school and Jackson & Harris' favorite babysitter. I have admired how fit she is for a long time (she does triathalons, too!), and I am always bombarding her with training questions. To finally run with her was like a milestone for me!! Dad was here for the race again this year, and he was a huge help in getting us to and from the race and being our cheering section.

There was definitely the pre-race excitement the morning of the run... up at 5:45, at the start at 6:45, waiting around watching all of the people. We saw lots of craziness like last year... people dressed like bananas, the UPS man with a package, brides, lots of Forrest Gump followers, bowling pins, men in speedos, etc. Again, I wish I had my camera!!

I think there were over 28,000 people running this year, down from last year, but it didn't seem like any less. As we started up over the bridge, the body heat from all of the people around us was amazing! Five lanes of people "traffic" converged into two, and Tracey and I thought we were going to melt!! We were dodging people left and right the entire 6 miles of the race.
We were doing really well for about 4 miles, running strong and getting faster with each mile (including the one going up the bridge). At about 4.5 miles, my knee decided it was finished. However, my mind and the rest of my body didn't think so. I knew that I really needed to walk, and I did for a minute here and there, but my pride and my competitive spirit would not let me walk across the finish line. So, in a ton of pain, I hobbled the last mile or so, slow as all get out, hoping not to see my dad. I knew if I saw him I would have started crying and would have quit right there on the spot!

I did finish the race (running), and I finished it in 1:05:00, a little over a minute faster than last year (my goal was to finish in under an hour). Tracey did great and finished in just over an hour. I think I am finished running for the next two weeks as I let my knee begin to heal again. If I take good care of it, I should be back in business in 2-4 weeks. It is really hard not to get out and run, but after how I felt on Saturday, I know it is the best thing. Soooooooo, I guess I have a goal for next year's race: to run healthy and to finish in under an hour!!
Thanks Dad, for all of the support, getting up before the sun, the sweet flowers, and for being there... I appreciate all of it!

Thanks Tracey, for running with me and pushing me to do more than I think I can. You are a great motivator, and I look forward to running with you more and eventually finishing a tri with you!!

I missed you tons this year, Caroline, but I know that you will be up there with me next year!!