my Syttende Mai Run - 2012 - 10 Mile Run results

my Syttende Mai Run - 2012 - 10 Mile Run results

Yes I did it!!!!  2hr 14mins..  My time was not the best... But the heat was incredible...  It was causing me all kinds of issues.  I got about half way and the heat started to take its toll on me.  I was starting to really miss-step - which we know leads to falls.  So I would at those points start walking...  I thought it was more important to keep upright - otherwise I may not finish.  Then the other REALLY wierd difficulty was I had a huge tremor with my right arm.  I know that it was due to everything being SO stressed and I was getting SO dehydrated due to the heat.  So it started just shortly after I got into town and then my right arm just started shaking uncontrollably.  I still kept running.  I thought - damn MS - my arm no big deal - I CAN keep running with that... So I did...  I even crossed an intersection in town where a police officer was directing traffic. He saw me with that arm going CRAZY and ran up to me and asked "are you OK, are you OK????"  I told him "Yes, I have MS... I will be fine..."  and was STILL running.....  It did stop after about a 1/4 mile... So at least I did not cross the finish line with my arm flayling like some weirdo.....    At the finish area (Mandt Park), my husband, Brian, had told them of my story.  How I have been working ever since my diagnosis with the dream to be able to come back to Syttendi Mai to run.  Well, I did that...  I found out on Sunday, from the race director, that they were all very touched by my story.  She said that, you did not know but you had a whole community cheering you on the WHOLE WAY!!!  I was just so overwhelmed by that statement.  She said that, she hoped that I return next year for the race.  I told her, it is not hope I will.....  it is that I AM COMING BACK NEXT YEAR...  in fact you can sign me up RIGHT NOW....  I know from my past years, not only is the mileage very challenging BUT it is the elements that is the real contender....  That is something that you can not train for... All you do is try to work through it.  I understand there were MANY runners that had serious issues due to the heat.  It was REALLY bad... We did not go through ANY shadey areas.  It was tough!!!!  But I did it....  I know my results ... I KNOW I can do better.....  Let's think - I was not even able to run a full 5K till mid-July....  So I know that next May with more run time under my belt - I will blow my time and do GREAT!!!!  Whether I place - I don't know...  There are way too many lifelong devoted runners involved in this....  But then again - I really NEVER thought I would be doing the Syttendi Mai run.....  I really did not think it was remotely possible for me --- and I did it!!!!!!  I did accomplish most of my goals - I stayed upright, I did not finish last (overall or even in my division), but - I did not accomplish the 100% run of the course.  That does upset me but, I know the heat was horrible.  I also know that when I did walk (as fast as I could) I was started to mis-step alot.  So in order to avoid a fall - I chose to walk - just damn fast....  When I got to the finish line there was a volunteer waiting for me...  I said right away, "I have MS and I cannot stop moving...  so she has to take the chip off me (it was velcoed to my ankle).  She said, not a problem they knew about me and I could walk as much as I wanted.  She helped to steady me and we walked for about 10 mins till the nerves calmed down.  You see - since the wiring in my body is all weird due to the damage from the MS....  I have been in a movement for so long that I cannot just come to a full stop.  I have to slowly stop the movement.....  So after an intense run - I have to walk sometimes for about 10 mins or more....  So it is kind of like -- you are driving on the freeway at 90 miles an hour - you cannot come to a 100% in one second... You have to slow down to the stop otherwise you will shout yourself through the windshield.....  I am the same way - I have to slowly come to a stop... So I walk it and slow everything down.  Then I can literally sit down or stop movement...  I know that it sounds truly weird - but this is the way it is....  Like I have said, one of the wonderful things through this journey of my running is that I have learned so much of my "new normal".  Which may be 100% opposite the general population or even me not that many years ago....  But that is OK - also by learning to LISTEN to what my body is telling me it has helped not only with my running (which is has - no major injuries so far!!!) but also with my daily life.  My staminia is SO MUCH better... do I still get horrible fatigue is - damn straight -- but it is MUCH BETTER!!!  The neuropathy which can be horrible - is more tolerable and has lightened up a few degrees.  The MS hug which feels like it is squeezing you SO hard that you can barely breath - has released some of its hold.  Do I still have these issues - HELL YES!!!!!  But it is better and more tolerable.  Just like toward the end of that run... It was like the MS was saying to me... "well we did not get her to stop with the foot drop and heavy leg from running and the heat... so we will do the tremor thing and see what that does to her....  but I still kept going and told the MS to go to Hell....  then it did try the MS hug and was squeezing my midriff and left leg with all its might -- but I did continue and told the MS to go to Hell where it came from and belongs.....  I WILL NOT let IT overtake me....  I WILL ALWAYS RISE ABOVE MY MS!!!  I HAVE CONTROL OF MY BODY --- NOT MS.....  Now - I have to get ready for my 5K race in Pecatonica for our Memorial Day celebration.  I plan to knock that race out of the park.......  Then I did buy lefse at the bakery in Stoughton, it is in my frig as I write this.... So I will come home after the race and YES -- my favorite.... lefse and coffee.... Hopefully it is a nice day and I can sit outside and just enjoy!!!!!!!!