“Marathons just like a full moon are circular, radiant, and too grand to comprehend until we learn to run a little slower at the start, steady ourselves during the race, and race it fast at the finish line.” Carmen Micsa

 

 

When I ran my first marathon the California International Marathon in December 2015, I was terrified inside, but did not show anything on the outside. How can anyone run so long? Will I need to stop and catch my breath? Apparently not! I ran non-stop chasing that finish line and barely able to walk afterwards. With Mountains 2 Beach as my fifth marathon, which I finished in 3:30:59, there came a huge 43-minute PR from my first marathon and a 10-minute PR from my fourth marathon. I had run five marathons, since I became a runner and I am happy to say that I PRed in every single one. I am a marathon enthusiast and consider marathons as my very favorite distance due to the fact that I have more margin to beat my previous time.

IT WAS THE DAY BEFORE THE MARATHON – TOO MANY CREATURES AND RUNNERS WERE MOVING, BUT CARMEN WAS GENTLY STIRRING THE LEGS

 

On May 25th, 2018 my husband, our kids, and I drove to Ventura for my fifth marathon. I was happy that the marathon happened over Memorial weekend break, which meant my family could join me in my endeavor and give me their unconditional love and support. Due to the fact that my training cycle has been super busy with two 50K races and my first 50-mile race in April, my left calf muscle had been a little sore, which is why my coach Robert Ressl-Moyer and I have decided to take two days off before my marathon.  I swam and walked around Ventura on Saturday, the day before Mountains 2 Beach, while preparing my mind, heart, and legs. I liked this a lot and will try to apply for most of my future marathons, as I am one of those runners who doesn’t need to shake up the legs. A gentle going is all I need, since running fast from the start comes natural to me, but my favorite marathon strategy that both my coach and I thought was crucial is to start 10 to 12 seconds slower GMP for the first three miles.

 

 

 

After lunch, my husband drove me to the Expo, which was quite small and easy to navigate to pick up my bib and other goodies.

 

 

To match the writing on the podium I stood on with my marathon T-shirt, I was determined and ready to have an extraordinary race the following day.

 

 

In the afternoon, I got to hang out by the pool ( light swimming and the use of the spa is always great for my body allowing it to relax and feel refreshed) with my wonderful friend Karen Clark, whom I met during the Parkway 20-mile race in Sacramento that we both run in preparation for the California International Marathon. We talked and ran at gross marathon pace for more than 10 miles and we became friends instantly.

 

In the evening, my husband found a great family Italian restaurant, where I ordered a plate of spaghetti with mushrooms and red bell peppers. The plate was huge and I could barely eat half with a little bread. My husband joked with me: “I thought you needed to carb load and you have barely eaten half of your spaghetti.” “Well, yeah! This plate is big enough to feed the whole family,” I said already making plans to save my spaghetti for dinner after the marathon. As a vegan runner, I don’t just rely on the day before the marathon to carb load; I typically do it over three days, which I highly recommend whether you are vegan or not. Adding more carbs and cutting out the protein means that you will replenish your glycogen in your muscles and not get slowed down by the protein that is hard to digest and is really needed after the race to repair and recover the muscles. I also ate a lot of beets the week of  the marathon to increase the nitric oxide and improve circulation to the lungs.

After dinner, I arranged my Fleet Feet racing singlet with my bib number, my Copper Fit shorts, and my fast Nike Zoom Vapor 4% Nike shoes, which are supposed to make one 4% faster in races and they delivered. I also organized my energy gels in my belt. We all went to bed at 11 p.m., as we had to wake up at 4 a.m., which was actually not that early in comparison with the runners who had to take the shuttle to the start line.

 

AT THE START LINE – LET THE FUN BEGIN

 

After a good night rest (I always sleep like a baby, or like a lizard, as I like to joke with my friends the night before races), I ate a morning round bread topped with a little honey, banana, dark chocolate, and a quarter glass of beet powder mixed with water for breakfast. After I ate, we left the room to meet with my friend Karen and her boyfriend David for all of us to drive to the start line.

We were able to find parking easily for David and my hubby to come with us to the start line and then meet us on the course. I used the bathroom twice before the marathon and I met with Marina and Joanie, my runner friends from Sacramento while waiting in line. I was calm and felt no excitement, other than the pure joy of running another marathon with some clear goals in mind. My calmness before races sure matched my dear father’s way of being in all situations. As a watchmaker, I felt that my Dad had some magical powers to control time and use every second judiciously, which is I was hoping he would show up and watch over me during this marathon as he had done it in other races. My father passed away at the young age of 53 of a heart attack caused by his type one diabetes, but he sure smiled upon me from Heaven, especially when I needed him the most, so I was hopeful and looking for signs.

 

 

Meeting Laura, Karen’s friend. Three strong women ready to run!

The race was not too crowded. We were able to locate the 3:30 pacers and we positioned ourselves behind them to start a little slower. And then the countdown from 10 seconds to go happened. Off we went!

 

THE FIRST 13 MILES OF SMILES AND DISCLIPLINED, STEADY RUNNING

 

My legs felt great and wanted to run fast, but I held them back with the dexterity of a horse trainer taming a wild horse. I kept a close eye on my watch and did not allow myself to run under 8:10 pace for the first three miles of the race. Both my friends Karen and Laura took off from me, but I was not ready to chase a faster pace this early in the race. I needed to run smartly and stick to the master plan.  I relished the fresh cooler air (this marathon starts at 6 a.m.), the mountains that encircled the runners with warmth, the small wineries we ran by, the horses grazing with purpose and intent to make the best of their food, and the soft sound of my feet against the road.

 

 

 

And then mile 12 arrived. A younger woman caught up with me.  I greeted  her, after which she said: “I have been watching you! You are as steady as a rock,” said Rozy, a woman in her 30s who used to live in Vancouver, Canada, but now lived in Southern California with her husband and their beautiful baby girl. I thought to myself: “Is she talking about me? Steadiness in pace did not use to be my strength. I was even told one time that I ran like a kid, doing fartleks, running slower, then faster. Yet, consistency is definitely key to the running economy and to hitting faster times. We started chatting and I realized that we were running at a 7:18 min pace, which was much faster than what I needed to run, so I told her. She said that it was great running with me and that she felt good, so she took off. I smiled and said good-bye. I kept on running and smiling. I passed the half marathon mark in about 1:43 minutes and stayed focused, while hydrating well, as it was getting a little warmer. I even took the homeopathic cramp little pills that they passed out at the Expo, as I did not want to take any chances.

 

THE MIDDLE MILES OF CLIMBING HILLS MORE THAN DESCENDING THEM

 

I felt great and kept on running till I hit mile 16 when I started to cry softly. It suddenly dawned on me that my father sent Rozy my way to tell me that I was as steady as a rock. Her kind words have become my mantra and I smiled big to the skies, realizing that my dear father had sent such a powerful message my way. How come I needed four miles to realize that my father was talking to me through Rozy? At least, I got it and my soul filled with joy and confidence that I would keep running strong and steady especially through the middle miles that were hillier and tougher to conquer, but I kept my pace. When things got a little tough, I kept reminding myself that I was as steady as a rock. These words will become my Mountains 2 Beach marathon mantra that I kept chanting to myself every single mile till the finish. My daddy was there! He did not forget me and showed me that patience, perseverance, and perspiration were key in life. Moreover, my dad  believed in me as always.

 

THE FINISH LINE WITH THE PACIFIC WAVES CRASHING AGAINST THE SHORE

 

Around mile 22, our Fleet Feet racing team mate Greg Anderson wan on the side of the bike path cheering. I was so happy to see him and immediately picked up my pace, especially because the 3:30 pacers were next to me, even though I ran ahead of them all this time. I kept going strong, but my gluteus felt the miles at this point in the game, so it was not as easy to keep the pace. Soon I came around downtown Ventura and the hills were steep this time, but I was resolute to keep pushing forward with a little over a mile to go and 9 minutes left on my watch to hit the magic number. A few runners walked the steep hills, but I kept going until to my left I could see the waves of the Pacific Ocean crashing against the sandy and rocky beach. I picked up my pace, smelling and feeling the finish line. This time it tasted salty, but not from crying. It was the ocean smell that reminded me of all the beautiful places I get to run.

I saw David first and he took this great picture of me.

 

 

And then there was my sweet husband cheering on me and telling me that the kids were at the finish line. I kept pumping my arms and felt the lightness in my step. I knew I picked up my pace. Shortly I just crossed the finish line with the clock showing 3:32 minutes, which was not the correct time, since I started in the second wave. Alex and Sophia hugged me and took pictures of me. Soon I got a text message from my friend Mark showing that I finished in 3:30:59. I did it! How freaking awesome I felt that moment! My coach Robert Ressl-Moyer texted me and said that he was super proud of me! I could not have done it without his guidance, training, and all the progressive 10 to 14-mile long runs that turned me into the steady runner who had just run her best marathon with better ones to come.

 

 

 

To my great joy, as I was looking for my family, I came across my new friend Rozy at the finish line who finished in about 3:24 minutes and felt great.

 

 

I expected to be hungry, thirsty, or needing to use the restroom, but I felt amazing and not needing anything other than to bask in the sun and my amazing race, while surrounded with the love and support of my family.

 

 

 

Needless to say, my body never felt so strong after running a marathon due to my amazing training or running up and down the hills back home. This marathon stole my heart and I highly recommend it with the caveat that there are uphill portions, too. Happy feet! To more running adventures.

Please share your amazing marathon stories and the wonderful friends you met during the race.

For more info on running and real estate, whether buying or selling, please e-mail me at carmenmicsa@yahoo.com, or call me at 916-342-2446. Running for real estate with joy!