I have NEVER looked this happy to be up at 5:00am
Our team was scheduled to meet at 6:45am at the Falmouth Jr. High, from which all runners are shuttled to the starting line in Woods Hole. My original plan was to walk the roughly 1.2 mile route from the house as a warm-up, given we thought our road would be closed to traffic starting at 6:00am. However it turned out the road was still open so Dave braved the crowds (pre-coffee I might add) and dropped me off near the school. Thanks again babe!
I quickly found my team (as you can see our jerseys are hard to miss) and excitedly headed over. It was so wonderful getting to finally meet the other Falmouth runners and many had decked out their jerseys and limbs with ribbons and names of those they were honoring with their run. Since I had raised more than $2500 I received a special Pacesetter patch to put on the back of my jersey (which I had been freaking out about how to apply on race day only to find out they are backed with adhesive like a big sticker- clearly these guys have done this before!).
Soon it was time for announcements from our fearless leader Emily who coordinated this year's Falmouth team and sent us weekly updates and motivating emails throughout the season. Emily welcomed me and my 270 teammates (woah!) and thanked us for all our hard work, and then informed us that we had set a record for the highest amount raised by race day with a total of over $550,000 (update- since the race our final total is more than $600,000)! I got chills while listening to Emily talk about all the programs the money raised helps to support and as she highlighted our team's biggest and most inspiring members, such as Team Lanzoni. After announcements we took some team photos.
Dana-Farber 2014 Falmouth Team
Thumbs up from the Pacesetters!
After pictures we dispersed into the throng of runners arriving for the shuttles, our bright jerseys polka dotting the crowd like seeds scattered in the wind. I jogged around for 10 minutes to get my blood moving and did some gentle stretching before deciding to take advantage of the rows of porta potties, figuring the lines would be shorter than over by the starting line. I had been in line for all of 30 seconds chatting with a fellow team member when I heard someone call my name. It was my childhood neighbor Nicole who, along with other family members, were running the race for CCALS in honor of her Dad. Nicole and I had been chatting on Facebook about the race but I knew better than to try and plan on meeting up given the size of the crowd. So what are the odds that out of 11,000+ runners we were in those lines at the same time?! Crazy. Growing up Nicole and her family always inspired me as I would see them run around the neighborhood or pack up their car headed for a biking or other adventure. While it is hard knowing that they were running the race for such a personal cause, I am so glad CCALS has offered them a way to continue enjoying cherished time together as a family in one of their favorite places.
Next it was time to get in line for the shuttles over to the starting line. Approaching one of two corrals, it seemed like the lines had started to get pretty long (it was about 7:20am at this point). In all my pre-race research and convos with veteran runners, I had heard that not only is Falmouth one of the most beautiful races but also one of the most organized. And they were right. In a matter of ten minutes flat we went from the back of the line to awaiting the next shuttle. The volunteers were AMAZING and kept the lines moving while also wishing everyone luck. Our shuttle arrived and I quickly found a seat and chit-chatted with some runners around me as we headed off towards Woods Hole. Someone was giving me advice about the final hill when my phone buzzed. I looked down to see my friend Mary had texted me to say good luck and that she would see me at the finish line...ummm what???? Yup, she is amazing. And she drove down to Falmouth from New Hampshire just to see me finish the race. I couldn't believe she was on her way down and between that news and realizing we were almost to the starting line, well let's just say I was wishing I could bottle that energy in case I needed it at mile six! Oh and I took a selfie.
On the bus to Woods Hole...
trying not to show how nervous I am!!!
trying not to show how nervous I am!!!
a.k.a. Crazy Eyes
The bus turned up a windy road and a few minutes later came to a stop. Looking to the right, all I could see was a ribbon of runners headed towards the water. We headed off the shuttles and past a checkpoint, as from this point on it was officially "runners only" (as were the shuttles, but there are still homes, etc. in the area). I headed down the path and it was about a fifteen minute walk until we wrapped around a corner and I found my "pulse" area. This was the first year that Falmouth used a pulse system to start and personally, I loved it. You simply stood in the section closest to your anticipated pace per mile and then as the race started they released waves of people from each pace every two minutes. The signs were funny too - the 8:00 minute sign said "don't lie!" and the 9:00 minute pace said "that's more like it." Once I knew what the starting area looked like, I threw on my headphones and jogged for a bit to calm down my nerves and really get myself warmed up, followed by some more stretching. By this time (8:15am) it was starting to get really warm as there were barely any clouds in the sky. There was a nice breeze but you could feel the sun coming down for sure. Unfortunately between nerves and the sun, I sipped on a bit more water than I should have which caused me to spend the rest of my pre-race time visiting the porta potty three more times, haha. Luckily, there were porta potties, water, and volunteers everywhere you looked. Three things I consider very important for a good race! Finally it was time to line up and I found a nice spot mid-way between the 9:00 and 10:00 minute pace signs.
Waiting to start!
At 8:40am they sang God Bless America and then the wheelchair division started off the race. Next at 8:50am it was time for the elite women to take off. Then came the national anthem followed by race director Dave McGillivray sharing some inspiring words about Boston and reclaiming the marathon earlier in the year (Mr. McGillivray is also the race director for the marathon) and introducing Boston marathon winner Meb Keflezighi. I was a bit confused at hearing Meb speak given he was slated to run with the elite men (I learned after the race that while he still ran, he ran for fun as he was nursing a sore muscle and his training is focused on the New York marathon in November), but it was great getting to hear him welcome the crowd none-the-less. And then the elite men were off followed by the pulses which started moving us forward slowly. We drew closer and closer to the red starting line banner and the crowds on either side were awesome, already cheering us on. And then it was our turn!
Off we went and I was pleasantly surprised (after everything I had read about previous years) that I had plenty of room around me and was able to settle right into a comfortable pace. I purposely left my headphones off and soaked in the sounds of the crowd. Thanks to Falmouth printing personalized bibs, spectators can cheer you on by name - which is AWESOME. In my first few footsteps of the race I heard "Go Erin!" and "Yeah Dana-Farber," and it continued throughout the race. Very cool.
The first mile wrapped through Woods Hole and beautiful shade until suddenly the woods clear and you see the beautiful Nobska Lighthouse ahead of you. Even though I had read about it and seen it in pictures, coming out of the woods and seeing the lighthouse and water straight ahead was breathtaking and I could not resist but say "wow" - to which several other runners agreed! Of course if there was ever a time to take a picture it would have been then, but alas I did not. Though a quick google search will show you an array of beautiful images.
Throughout much of my training I had envisioned the hill leading up to the lighthouse but I had little trouble as my legs were still fresh and we had ran most of the first mile in the shade. As I approached the top I heard the Rocky theme song blasting away (a spectator sets up a speaker and plays it every year) so I started doing the Rocky victory arms to match, and soon a few other runners were doing it too. We shared a little laugh and kept on moving along the course. The next few miles snaked back into the woods and glorious shade with some more gentle hills. Despite this being the more "remote" part of the course, there were still plenty of spectators cheering us on in front of the houses on the course - Falmouth truly has the BEST fans!
I made pretty good time for the first three miles, running roughly nine minute splits despite the temps heating up (I know, maybe not "good" for some runners but that was good for me!). Just past the three mile mark we headed onto Surf Drive and into the open sun. My legs felt great and my breathing (always a concern in extreme hot/cold given my asthma) was fine - but the sun really started getting to me as I worked through mile four. The crowds on this part helped push me through though as this is undoubtedly the "beach stretch" and both sides were lined with encouraging fans, musicians playing music, and people spraying hoses which was a welcome relief.
Knowing my family was waiting at mile five pushed me on and seeing them in the distance was the best. They had made made awesome signs and even my beautiful one year old niece Leila was cheering me on!
Dave handed me my water bottle and after a few chugs I was back on my way. Dana-Farber had a cheering section set up at the 5.5 mile mark and that gave me another boost as people clapped and thanked us for running. Heading into mile 6 there were glorious patches of shade as we wrapped around the far side of Falmouth Harbor and headed towards Falmouth Heights. I slowed down a lot at this point as the heat was really starting to take a toll. With the final hill and push to the finish line still awaiting me, and wanting to be able to finish strong, I let myself take it easy and allow my body to cool down a bit in the shade. Just after passing St.Thomas Chapel (where my sister-in-law got married- so beautiful!), the final hill came into view. As I came out of the shade I started speeding back up and rounded the corner towards the hill. The crowds also got very thick at this point and I could feel their energy as I worked my way up the hill in the homestretch to the finish line.
Many Falmouth race recaps focus on the final part of the course for a reason. After cresting the large final hill you still have a bit more to run before you see the large American Flag waving over the course just prior to the finish line, and then you still have a bit more to run past the flag until you actually finish. Given many people casually refer to the finish line being just after the hill, this is a small but important misnomer. Mentally I was prepared for it, but it was still tough after pushing up the hill at full speed. And then finally there was the flag waving in the breeze and I knew I was almost there. I could see the finish line and was so focused on pushing towards it that I almost didn't hear my friend Mary as she started calling out my name! She had found a spot on top of the hill near the last stretch and had made a huge sign- so sweet! Seeing her cheer me on gave me the final burst I needed and I speeded ahead through the finish! It was an amazing feeling to know I had finished the race and that I was NOT the last person to cross!
After walking a little bit past the Elite athletes tent, we rounded a corner and were rewarded with bottles of cold Poland Springs water (one of the presenting sponsors) and I swear water has never tasted so good! I started walking on the path to the finish area/refreshments when I saw Dave on the side of the fences separating finishers from the crowd - he had walked over to surprise me! We found Mary in the crowd and I decided to pass on the refreshments and we headed back to the house and our awesome family. After a nice long shower, the rest of the day was spent relaxing with our wonderful family and letting it sink in that I had just ran my first Falmouth road race!
So who wants to enter the lottery and meet me in Falmouth on August 16, 2015? : )