IT HAPPENED: On Sunday, January 12, 2014, I, Victoria Scotia Crowley, ran a marathon. Let it be known: I RAN the whole marathon. I didn’t walk an inch of that beast.
So here’s what happened.
I.
The Seafood Marathon (海鮮馬拉松) was the first of its kind this year and was held in Nan Fang Ao (南方澳), a hardcore fishing town in Yilan (宜蘭), a lovely spot full of fishing boats, seafood, a beach and extremely friendly locals. I had been to this place twice before and was now here for my first marathon. We (me, Amy & Sweetie) took a bus from Taipei to Nan Fang Ao Saturday afternoon, a two-hour affair. Upon arriving, we spent the late afternoon settling into the hostel, checking out the start and end point of the race which was right next to Neipi Beach (內埤沙灘), and getting dinner. We got noodles at the a place right next to our hostel, and the boss told us he would treat us to a drink if we finished the marathon. (Sweetie had also signed up for it.)
Amy, Sweetie, me
The perfect spot for pre-race day meditation, right there on Neipi Beach.
I had literally never felt more prepared for anything in my life. I was at that point of readiness when you’re so ready there’s nothing else to do but your nails, a face mask and sleep. So that’s what I did. We were in bed by 8 o’clock.
II.
The Race Day’s events were scheduled as thus:
Translation: 05:00 Runners begin arriving at starting point and storing their bags. 06:30-06:50 Runners begin to gather for the opening ceremony and announcements. 07:00 Take off. 09:00-13:00 Runners begin to arrive back at the finish line. 11:00 Award ceremonies begin. 14:00 The last runners finally reach the finish line, as the 7 hour time limit it up. Closing ceremonies. 13:00-16:00 A buffet is served for the runners.
The morning started at 4am; the crickets on my phone began chirping and my body began to stir. I had already prepared my breakfast the night before, my yoga mat was already laid out, and my chip was already laced up on my right shoe; so I changed into my race clothes, stretched and had my breakfast. Once my pain pills were popped, the bib securely pinned to my shirt, shoes tied, and my race bag full of everything I would want right after the race, it was 5:15am. We headed out to the starting point. (The only thing I forgot were my flip-flops so I simply ended up barefoot after the race.)
The Seafood Marathon was a smaller race event, which was nice. Under 2,000 people had registered, and there was only one race: the marathon. So everyone there was signed up for the big one – no halfs or 5k fun runs. All 42.195 kilometers of the marathon. We got there before 6, so it wasn’t crowded at all; and there was plenty of space to watch the sunrise from the beach. It was the perfect most relaxing way to start Race Day.
Soon the crowds began to gather, and the noise grew with the morning light. I got in line early for the toilets while they were still clean and stocked with toilet paper. I definitely had my own TP stash just in case, though. I went to the bathroom two or three times before 7. I wasn’t worried about water, because I had been hydrating for a whole week. I looked around at all the faces and started getting really intimidated. They all looked so hardcore. What was I thinking? As it got closer to 7, I was totally nervous. Suddenly I couldn’t believe I was actually doing this.
And then they started the count down. At 7am, we were off. I could see the sun begin to establish herself as a glowing ball in the sky above the sea. Contrary to the weather forecast, we weren’t gonna see a bit of cloud or condensation during this race. There was nothing I could do now; the race had begun. I had started running a marathon.
III.
The route of this race was an experience in itself. First, let me just say this: Yilan is made up of rice fields, a river, and the beach. It’s cut off from Northern Taiwan (where Taipei is) by mountains so you get to it by driving through a 13-kilometer long tunnel. Yilan itself is fairly flat, simply hemmed in by mountains on one side and ocean on the other.
The first big land mark was the Nan Fang Ao bridge, which we crossed twice, because the route looped around the harbor two times.
Then we were sent north of Nan Fang Ao on the highway to Suao, another harbor town in Yilan. We went through a tunnel (I know I should have taken a picture of that, but I didn’t) and then ran through neighborhood and rice fields and then a nature path that took us right to the ocean. A whole kilometer was run right along the beach. That was inspiring.
That it wasn’t an entirely paved route was actually a rather surprising and unique feature of the Race.
After running along the ocean, it was more rice fields and neighborhoods and then what I like to call THE PURGATORIAL HALFWAY POINT OF HELL. It was the worst half-way point and by far the crappiest part of the Race. It was the only part of the race where I actually considered quitting.
We crossed the street to another elevated path along a dry riverbed. It was somewhere around the 19-20 kilometer mark. I noticed people running back on the opposite side of the path, so realized there was a turn around point somewhere at the end. The path was rather long and went all the way to the railroad. There was a water station serving food and beer and fruit in addition to the essentials in the middle of it. I was so happy to be finished running up and down it and receive my wrist band to assure completion that it was quite the mental blow to be told I needed to do it all over again. I went past that freaking water station 4 TIMES and past all those faces on the opposite side of the path 4 TIMES and stared at this dry river bed 4 TIMES – it was 6 kilometers of hell! That wasn’t running! That was torture. If that man didn’t let me cross the street and told me to go back and do it again, I would have quit. That trail was getting to me and not in a good way. I was so happy to be running through rice fields again.
After that awful halfway point of hell that wasn’t really a half way point, even though at some point during that torturous back-and-forth I hit the 21k mark and I also took my one and only potty break, the route back-tracked all the way back to Nan Fang Ao. That was a mental relief, because everything was familiar and I could actually gauge my progress as I got closer and closer the finish line.
There were 13 kilometers left when I stopped at another water station. This water station was serving rolls. I needed one. I also needed a mental boost. The whole race was beginning to take its toll. My phone was dying, and with 29% battery left I knew it wasn’t gonna make it to the finish line. With the phone would go my music and extra voice in my head and the cheering that I heard every time sometime hit the cheer button on my facebook status.* I was feeling my feet, I was feeling the heat, but I wasn’t feeling beat and I needed to tell myself that. So I grabbed an energy drink and a roll and found some shade to stand in while I mentally geared up for the final stretch. I was only 13k from finishing. After a couple minutes, I was off.
*I used the “Get cheers” function on my Nike+ app for the first time. It connected to my facebook and told everyone I had gone on a run. I posted a picture of my face and told everyone I WAS OFF! During the run, my music would fade out for a few seconds and be replaced by the sound of people cheering and making noise. It was the coolest and most encouraging thing.
In training, the farthest I had run was 32 kilometers (20 miles). I did this 3 different times and then started my three weeks of tapering. The final 10k of the marathon would be the unknown territory, the place I had never run before, the place for which I had spent 13 weeks preparing my body and my mind. For me, this marathon was two races: a 32k & and 10k. The 32k I had in the bag; I had done it before – 3 times before! The 10k was the race that counted, the one that brought me to the goal.
Something incredible happened as I entered the “un-run” 10k ( the final 6 miles of the race). Two little boys and (probably) their dad were welcoming every runner into this final stretch with a cell phone and a piece of red string. As I approached, the two boys got into position, holding up the red “barrier” for me to break through into the unknown, into the place where victory was mine. The dad took my picture as I ran through, with my arms in the air. “還有十公里!” the dad shouted. (“10 more kilometers!”) “十公里!” I called back, my arms still in the air. I couldn’t believe it. Those three have no idea how much that did for me, what a profound marker they were for me in the race. I also couldn’t believe how I felt. I WAS STILL RUNNING. I wasn’t running fast, but I was running strong.
Those final 6 miles were where all my training and preparation saved me. This was it.
The first time I had run through the tunnel, there had been so many people. This final time, it was me and the light at the end. I started picking people off one by one to pass, and pass them I did. At this point, people were intermittently walking and running. Clearing the tunnel and running the 3-kilometer stretch of highway was the loneliest part of the race. Cars whizzed by. The morning sun was burning my face. (All my training in the hot sun had seriously paid off.) I could see two other runners in front of me. The one closest started to walk. I passed him. The one farther up ahead was steady. I kept him in my sight, wondering if I would pass him but wasn’t going to try.
There was a man standing at the corner where the route turned left and went over the Nan Fang Ao bridge one final time. “三公里!” he told me after I asked how much longer. 3 more kilometers! That’s just under 2 miles! I didn’t show myself any mercy. I gave that bridge everything else I had. I let the slope back down propel my body right into the next water station where an adorable boy was ready to pour Super Supao into my cup that I didn’t have. “I need a cup!” I yelled out in Chinese. I didn’t stop running as I eagerly grabbed the cups of water that were offered to me. Some of the water made it into my mouth the rest I dumped all over my face and head. I made a dramatic grunt as I hastily handed back the cups and kept running.
That final kilometer I was a crazy woman. I was getting angry at the people I ran past who simply stared at me in silence, so I started yelling 加油! at them. I was yelling 加油 at everybody and I pumped my fists if they responded. I was yelling 加油 at myself. I was a 加油 machine! A guy was standing at the base of the final hill I needed to climb to the finish line, directing the runners up to victory. I yelled 加油 at him. Amy had strategically positioned herself at the top of the hill (the steepest part of the race, by the way!) and successfully captured the moment immediately following my ascent.
I screamed/yelled as I crossed the finish line.
IV.
Things got really crazy after I crossed the finish line.
There was a female and a male announcer who were both faithfully greeting runners as they crossed the finish line and received their medals. I was getting the same encouraging and congratulatory greetings until the male saw my face.
“你是哪一國的?” (What country are you from?)
“美國” (America)
“哇! 你要跟大家講!” (Oh! You should say something!)
“好” (Ok)
“大家好，有一個美國的朋友要跟大家感謝!” (Hello! A friend from America wants to say thank you!)
He hands me the microphone he’s been talking into this whole time. You know I’m ready for this. I’m freaking Victoria Crowley! I get to make a speech in Chinese at my very first marathon. WWWHHHHAAAAAT!??
“大家好! 這是我第一次去馬! 成功了! 我來這邊四年多了，我愛台灣！謝謝！” (Hi, everyone! This is my first marathon! It was a success! I’ve been here for over 4 years and I love Taiwan! Thank you!)
I handed back the mike. What else was I supposed to say?
After that, everything happened really quickly. A man ran over to make sure I remembered to turn in my chip. I responded my unlacing and removing my right shoe. With the chip in hand, I was then directed to the tent that housed all the technology efficiently printing off everyone’s certificates right as they crossed the finish line. As I walked over, the female announcer greeted me (saying everything into the microphone) in English: “Congratulations, Victoria! Welcome to Taiwan!” And the in Chinese: “恭喜美國來的Victoria!” I gave her a hug. What else was I supposed to do? I was the only foreigner in this race! I was a celebrity.
I got my certificate and returned my chip and picked up my bag. I wanted to sit down and stare at the ocean and take off my other sock and shoe. I looked over my certificate and noticed that I was first place in my division of females 29 years and younger. 1/22. I pointed this out to Amy, not sure what to make of it, but it sounded cool. I was also pretty happy about having kept my time just under 5 hours.
Amy and I were sitting under the buffet tent and I was attempting to nibble some food when this guy named Ben came up to me. He could speak English and greeted me by name, which was surprising. He basically let me know that they were calling me up on stage.
“What? They’re calling my name?”
“Yeah. Where is your certificate? Let me see. Yeah, right here, you’re 第一名 [first place]. They’re going to give you the prize.”
“Oh…!
I went up to confirm what all the commotion was about and ended up hurrying back to tell Amy to come take pictures of me on stage. I was getting a freaking trophy! I was first place in my division! It was my first marathon and I won something!!! Like I said, things got super crazy after I crossed finished line.
Sure enough, I got introduced and congratulated by that same lady who welcomed me to Taiwan. And she told everyone in both English AND Chinese that I was from America and this was my first marathon. And she mentioned me twice because I was first place. She called me “Our Winner, Victoria.” I was a winner!
Receiving my award
Me and Peggy
I ended up meeting Peggy while I was standing next to the stage, the second place winner of our division, who ended up being one of the “pink” girls I had kept my eye on and used as a pacer during the race.
On the way back to our place under the buffet tent, I was getting all kinds of attention because of the first place trophy I was now carrying with me. And I ended up exchanging words with my other “pink” girl, who had also used me as her pacer! I also talked to this guy who had a purple running bag because he had run a 100k. The purple was for the super runners. It took him 14 hours. He also informed me that the man who had ran in a red tutu ran 88 marathons in 2013. Another guy with tattoos all over his arms told me I was awesome for having run the whole thing.
Sweetie finished 15 minutes before the the 7-hour limit, exhausted. She made it.
The two of us got a free ride back to our hostel from a really nice lady while Amy continued to wander and take pictures. After showering and checking out of the hostel, we enjoyed a superb free meal meal of soup, noodles, green vegetables and SUSHI from the restaurant next door.
Life was good, and I had run a marathon.
CYCLES 