The Race

So, after months of training, raising money and talking about Crohns and Colitis with everyone I know, it was time to get on the plane and head to California. I was calmed when my mom arrived safely the night before we left and as I lay in bed that night I vowed that I was going to have fun...no stressing about anything, it would be what it would be.

In the morning, Jackie's friend Brennan came over to ride with us to the airport. I know it made her happy and put a spring in her step. Dylan was pretty fired up to get on a plane and get out of town! He and I had a ball acting like complete juveniles in the airport at Denver. I have to tell you, it was really fun to let loose and not worry about anything..we tried to stay out of people's way and be respectful of property..and I think we were though Gramma and Jackie eventually had to confiscate our "ball". I loved laughing with him...letting loose.

When we got to San Fran everything seemed to be working beautifully. We got on the bus to Rhonert Part and our hotel without any trouble. We met a couple other gals who were with CCFA and that made it SO real! They were pretty excited too! The bus ended up getting caught in traffic and it took us 3 1/2 hours to finish a 45 mile or so trip...ugh. But nonetheless, the enthusiasm wasn't dampened much! We hit the pool quickly and then went to the "packet-pick up" and team meeting. THis was my first chance to meet the rest of the National Team. They were from all over the country and basically loners like me...in other words they were in an area where they were the only participant in this race so we trained via telephone and online. I knew right away that I was in good company. The CCFA staff was exceptional. It was really fun to meet Carly and Melissa who had been our main contacts, in person. They were just as energetic and positive as I thought they would be and I could tell Carly by her outgoing, friendly voice before I actually ever met her.

Getting my jersey and my little packet of race stuff was very exciting for me and once again made the whole thing so real. Even with all the training and hours of work raising money, it all kind of seemed like a dream. Having my race number in my hand, with my name on it, made it pretty hard to deny that I was really going to be running a half marathon whether I liked it or not! THe only thing that slightly dampened my glow was that my official certificate said that I had made at least $38XX...rather than my goal amount of $5,000. Being the goal hound I am, that didn't set well with me, but I knew in my heart that when it was said and done...I'd be there. I met another lady whose daughter was only 18 months when diagnosed with Colitis. The poor little thing lost most of her colon before her second birthday. This woman had raised nearly $20,000 on her own!!!! All while taking care of a 3 year old who had suffered way more than it is fair for any child to have to suffer. I was humbled and excited to be part of such a team.

The next day we went into Sonoma and had a great time visiting some shops and walking around the beautiful area. WE had breakfast at a great "local" spot that our cab driver recommended and saw lots of Charles Shultz's characters in statue form everywhere. That was pretty fun. We had lunch at a nice little out-door Mexican place but I didn't have much appetite at this point. We went back to the hotel and mom and the kids went for a swim while I took some time to put my race stuff together and get all organized for the morning...our bus would leave the hotel at 5:00 am to take us to the race start.

That evening there was a Pasta Party at a beautiful vineyard in the Russian River Valley. It was gorgeous. When we got off the bus we were met by a huge welcoming line of CCFA volunteers whistling and cheering and giving high fives and encourgament. It was pretty incredible and loud and crazy! Talk about rolling out the red carpet! Dinner was great and the company was even better. Tracy, Fred, Joy and Joe became lifetime friends that evening. Fred, from New York City, had Crohns and was about to begin Remicade after having some trouble. Tracy has had Colitis for years and like myself has a couple of kids and a family and her story was so similar. Joe had Colitis for a number of years and had mostly done well though he had struggled with some injuries during training and Joy was running and had raised tons of money in support of Joe and others with IBD. They were all great and we heard some inspiring stories throughout the program. THe most exciting news came when we learned that the 506 Team Challenge participants together had raised more than $2 million. It is just stunning to think what can be done with that kind of money. Kids who suffer from IBD would be attending a summer camp, because of us! New treatments would be tested and put forward sooner, because of us! A CURE is more possible now because of US!! AND because of all of you who helped all of us. It was pretty amazing to think about all the ramifications.

I was able to eat better than I thought...believe it or not I had actually practiced eating pasta before my long training runs to be sure I could stomach it and that helped alot because I told myself - "self, I know you don't feel hungry and it is possible you may throw up, but you should eat this and get the energy you need for tomorrow, it will help you ROCK THE RACE. You KNOW you can handle it" I actually listened! I was even more excited that I was able to sleep pretty well. I really thought I'd lay awake the entire night, but I got at least four hours of sleep and woke a little before the alarm feeling pretty awake and ready to go. Mom came down to the lobby with me and got some photos and gave me a farewell and off I went! I had a banana and some oatmeal to go bars and a luna supplement that, once again, I had practiced eating so I felt comfortable it would work. ON the bus I visited with Tracy about life and family and felt pretty at ease. The one thing that went wrong was that my head band broke. I ended up putting in a second pony tail which did the trick. I'm actually a little glad it happened because it was like - problem, solution.... I can do this!

When we got to the start at Cuvasion, there was a sea of people - more than 2500 runners! BUt it was most exciting and motivating to see the massive number of CCFA runners in their bright orange singlets. There were tall people, short people, skinny people, heavy people, young people and older people....all there for the same reason. I felt a part of something really big. Everyone was smiling and saying encouraging words. I remembered the best advice I've ever been given about getting through a race - THANK EVERY volunteer along the way and encourage every person who passes you or who you pass (within reason of course, this could be exhausting wiht 2500 people in the race!). I also decided right then in there in the beauty of a sea of vineyards that I was going to keep my head up and enjoy the scenery. I took my phone out of the bag that would be carried to the finish line for me and put it in my race belt...who knew I may need to stop and take a picture along the way! I was here..I'd done the training and I was going to enjoy it. I couldn't help but smile.

And then I couldn't help but need to pee! Again! SO off to the porta potty line I went. I got in line with 45 minutes to spare before the start of the race at 7:00. At 7:00, I was IN the porta potty! YES IN THE POTTY!!! I couldn't believe it! Talk about taking the jitters out of getting a GOOD start, I was just hoping to get TO the start!! Luckily the race hadn't started yet when I made my way out of the potty and toward the crowd. I was feeling a little out of sorts when I spotted Joe, Joy and Fred! What a relief! I caught up to them and before I knew it, we were off. we sputtered along in the crowd and it seemed like forever before I got to the START line..but I knew my official time wouldn't start until my chip crossed the pads so I didn't worry too much.

Shortly after the start was "the BIG hill" the one they warned us about. I had trained on hills and truthfully, it wasn't that daunting to me - I wanted to attack it. There was this little welling up of emotion in me and for a second I thought I might cry...and then the adrenaline kicked in I said to myself, leave it all out on the course - don't wish you would have done more. I got in my zone and took off. There was admittedly a little bit of me that thought maybe I was shooting myself in the foot...but mostly I was excited to devour the hill. WHen I hit the 1 mile marker I was at 10:30 on my watch...which was under my goal time of 11 minute miles, but slower than I wanted in my "dream" scenario. I acknowledged and accepted that it had to have more to do with the crowd I was weaving around than my conditioning...that first mile was pretty packed and I had started way at the back. I decided to get right to the edge of the pack and see what I could do.

At the second mile mark there was a water station and I had decided ahead of time that I was going to walk through each station (they were every other mile) and actually drink the little cup of gatorade they give you. At four miles and eight miles I was going to have a GU. I wasn't going to lollygag about by any means, but in my training I learned that having a couple sips and swallowing them carefully upset my stomach way less than trying to swallow while I was running - beside I spilled most of the cup on myself when I ran vs actually getting some fluid when I walked. Anyway, I grabbed the dixie cup, thanked all the volunteers and then started running again. When I looked at my watch I was at 19: 20...I had smoked that mile! BUt I was not winded and did not feel out of whack at all at this pace.

When I hit the four mile mark, I had the GU and a good drink and checked my watch again. I was at 38:40...still under a 10 minute pace...Cool! I decided to get out my phone and take some pictures while I ran...they didn't really turn out, but I'm glad I have them. You can see they're action photos and it helped to divert my attention from running. In training, I always seemed to bog down a little in the fourth and fifth mile. THis turned out to be good strategy!

At the half way point there was supposed to be a main road where we might get stopped while they let traffic through. When I thought I must be at about half way, there was only a line of people on both sides of a paved (but didn't seem main) road cheering wildly so I thought I must not be there yet. I was concerned that I had fallen off my pace and decided to pick it up a bit. Before I knew it I was at the 7 mile mark...so the people had indeed marked the halfway, I was relieved! At 7 miles I was still under a 10 minute pace...I couldn't believe it!

At 8 miles I had my last gu and was feeling pretty good. It was starting to get warmer and the sky was really clearing. There was far less of a crowd and it was easy to settle into a groove. At 10 miles I was stunned that I was still under a 10 minutes pace. I kept thinking that maybe I should slow down a little so I didn't die at the end. My next mile was my slowest of the race...but I was still under 10 minute miles and I only had 2 miles to go. I thought, heck with this, I'm going to go however fast I feel like going! I started doing math in my head. I was thinking if I did 15 minute miles I would still beat my goal and then all the sudden, I was at 12 miles! THen I started thinking, oh crap! I told my mom and my kids that they didn't need to be at the finish line until at least 2:15 cause I wouldn't be there until AT LEAST then! I got out my phone again and called Jackie (who as a teenager, always has her phone!) but she didn't answer. I was like, hey guys, I'm kicking ass!!! Better get to the finish line cause I'm going to be there in less than ten minutes! I hung up the phone and thought, oh my dear and loving God! I am going to be there in less than 1o minutes! I had to swallow the urge to cry again...tears of joy and gratitude for the incredible blessings which I had recieved.... As I got into town and could see the park ahead of me I knew that I was going to finish, and finish strong. I could feel someone behind me and said, NO WAY, I sprinted as much as I could and let myself hear the people in the crowd...who I didn't know yelling, GO JODIE, YOU ARE ALMOST THERE! KEEP IT UP! Then I hear the announcer say, and from MONTANA, CCFA runner JODIE DeLAY crosses the finish line. I could see my mom and my kids smiling at me and the pride in my mom's eyes was exploding....my kids....I just completely fell apart. The tears of joy and triumph and victory started falling and I couldn't stop them at all. It was just a feeling beyond words. I think this is long enough for now. THanks for reading...even after waiting all this time to put it down. I feel like I'm right there again...and its a feeling I'm glad to relive. Thank you all so much for everything you have done for me and for the CCFA and for my family. I am forever indebted.
jd