As you may know I’m not a runner, have never been a runner, and even got a doctor to say I should never run. But, my spouse is a runner, so we tend to plan our weekends around running and races. So, I started doing any 5K or 10K that was associated with Kate’s Half Marathon races mostly because it's her way of making sure I get some exercise.
Well, Kate decided to do the ½ Marathon of the inaugural Big Bear Marathon / Half Marathon / 5K / 26.2 Bike ride. For some reason (I plead temporary insanity) I decided I could do the bike ride. Of course, I haven’t really even gotten on my bike in over 10 years, but I had plenty of time to prepare.
What was I thinking? Obviously, I wasn’t. I never even thought about the fact that this was in the mountains, so I would have to deal with elevation (6,700 feet), and hills (it’s in the mountains, duh). And, I hadn’t really gotten in enough practice rides. I hadn’t gone more than 14 miles on the bike. So there I was standing in the Snow Summit parking lot, in the dark, at 5 AM debating on whether to just put the bike back in the car and do the 5K instead, or ride down to Big Bear Village to the start line. After making plans with Kate to pick me up wherever I ran out of steam on the course after her race, I got on the bike and rode, in total darkness without any lights on my bike, to the start line. I don’t think I’ll ever forget my bike light again. That was very scary not being able to even see the street in front of me.
Once the race started, I got to the first hill, which was about a mile into it. As I kept downshifting, I noticed some people had already gotten off their bikes and started walking up the hill. It was at that point that I decided my goal for the ride was to not walk my bike up any portion of the course.
You’re probably wondering what this has to do with runners. I’m getting there. My thighs and back were pretty shot by the time I reached the bottom of Moonridge at mile 17, but I had yet to walk my bike. Unfortunately, the Moonridge portion of the ride was a 400 foot elevation gain in three miles. By this time, runners were already passing me on the hills, but so many of them took the time to offer me words of encouragement as I struggled to keep going. Every time I thought I had run out of power to keep peddling someone else would run by cheering me on.
Then, at the very top of Moonridge, just when I thought I couldn’t go any further, and why was I doing this, I felt a hand on my back pushing me. The guy was walking the hill and he kept telling me to keep peddling, don’t get off. He was my savior. He, and his two buddies, stayed with me till the top, pushing the entire time, and gave me enough encouragement to keep on going.
I finished the race, even though it took me 3 hours, because of all the good support and encouragement from the runners, and, of course, my good Samaritan. As fate would have it, when we got on the bus to take us from the finish to the parking lot, the guys sitting in the seats next to me turned out to be those three guys who got me over the mountain, and they recognized me. I was so glad to be able to thank them all again.
Now the Long Beach Marathon bike ride will feel like a stroll in the park.
P.S. For an inaugural race, this was a well organized event. The water stations were well manned and stocked. They had plenty of volunteers who were all extremely energetic and supportive, and we really had no complaints about the races. All races did start late, but that was due to it being too dark at 6 AM to start the bike race, which then put all other races behind 15 minutes.