I visualized the course at Mile 8, when the other half-marathoners and I would make a right turn away from Lake Washington, cutting west into Seattle’s Rainier Vista neighborhood, while the marathoners continued south along Lake Washington Boulevard into Seward Park. When that moment came on Sunday morning I knew I would be overcome with the jealous urge to shout at the marathoners’ backs running away from me, Wait! Wait! Don’t leave me! I’m one of you!
After picking up my half marathon bib, I made my way to the Expo’s Guest Services line, the place racers go to solve their problems, and I solved mine: “I’d like to switch to the full please.”
Trading in my custom “J-POW” half-marathon bib for a full marathon bib, less than 18 hours before the race.
20,000 runners descended on Seattle for the Alaska Airlines Rock & Roll Marathon and Half Marathon for the race’s first ever “stadium to stadium” tour of the city. Beginning at the University of Washington’s Husky Stadium and ending at Centurylink Field, home of the Seattle Seahawks and Sounders, the race marked not only number 27 in my quest to run 40 races in 2017 for my 40th birthday, but also my 30th marathon and ultra-marathon in just 3 years. I commemorated this milestone with a congratulatory note to myself on the Expo’s graffiti wall, a map of Seattle, precisely at the spot where I live.
I had nothing to prove in this race; my training plan still believed I was running the half. But I wound my way comfortably through my hometown, stopping at the Mile 4 “Selfie Station” and mugging for the cameras.
There was no rain in the forecast, but Selfie Station “actresses” still played the part in their rain gear.
I completed the race without fan fair. Despite racing in my hometown, my husband was traveling, and I’d had only one friend on the course to cheer me on when I passed through her neighborhood within the first 5k.
I crossed the finish line in a forgettable time, collected my Rock & Roll Marathon Finisher’s jacket, and walked the 1 mile from the finish line to a favorite brunch spot for a breakfast and cocktail worthy of 30 marathons and ultras. The race upgrade was worth it.
