Create Your Eugene Half Marathon!

I know. I know. I can’t run the Eugene Half Marathon this year.

But who’s to say I can't imagine what it would be like to be a part of that amazing race! To feel those butterflies as I take off with thousands of other runners. To wonder how I’ll feel when I hit that midpoint in the race. To again face that challenging hill at Mile 10. And to savor those final strides down that incredible track at Hayward Field.

Hey, I’ve got an even better idea!

Why don’t all of you join me as we experience the Eugene Half Marathon? This will sort of like those “Chose Your Own Adventure” stories. Where we hit a key decision, you hit the link and it will take you to that next section of the story. And just so you know, there will be challenges along the way!

The rules are simple. When it's time to make a decision, you'll see two green hyper-links. Each will take you to a different path. Let me add that each option presents it's own challenges just as you may encounter in any race.

What do you say? Let’s give it a go!

It's a gorgeous Sunday morning in Eugene! The thermometer's reading fifty-one degrees with low clouds and fog already starting to burn off, revealing clear, blue skies. You're standing just outside Hayward Field with thousands of other runners awaiting the start of this incredible race!

You don’t so much hear the gun as you instead start when the runners in front of you begin moving. Everyone's packed closely together for those first turns along a residential neighborhood with a few small hills that help to start separating runners.

The strategy you’ve devised is simple. Maintain a comfortable pace for the first four miles. Bump it up just a tad after that for the next six miles. Then see if you’re able to nudge up it from there for the final three miles. And if the Running Gods smile upon you, then you’ll have enough for a good kick as you finish on the near mythical track at Hayward Field!

That game plan has worked smoothly as your Garmin beeps out your time at the fourth mile. But before you pick up your pace even a notch, you suddenly hear a familiar “trill” sound that delivers the sad news that your earbuds have shut down.

You have an immediate choice to make. Either pause quickly to turn them back on again so that you can continue hearing Dua Lipa's "Don't Start Now" or tough it out the remaining seven miles without your beloved music.

Tough call, but you’ve opted to stop so that you can reconnect to your racing playlist. You’re going to lose some time, but you didn’t download Madonna’s “Like a Prayer” to not hear for that final mile!

This ends up costing you just under two minutes. Still, it’s nice to get back to your music.

And you do pick up your pace a bit, still feeling comfortable for the next three miles, passing a number of participants along the way. You actually start to believe you will be able to make up most of that time.

Then you see a water stop. With the sun out, the mercury feels like it's climbing into the low sixties. You now wonder if you should stop for a quick drink or simply keep going so as to maintain your pace and not lose any more time.

********

Much as you like Dua Lipa's "Don't Start Now," it’s not worth losing time over. Particularly as you pick up your pace, easing your way through a pack of runners. Indeed, the only interruption to your pace in the next three miles is a quick swallow of water before getting back to it. To show that things are going well, you succeed in tossing your cup right into that plastic garage container.

Even with the temps starting to warm up, you’re still feeling comfortable. Locked into that zone, the next couple more miles go nicely. Even better, you see that you’re coming up on that telltale Hayward Field Tower just before the ninth mile. As beautiful and as welcoming to a runner as the clouds of Heaven to anyone else!

Nothing could be better, you say to yourself before you feel an elbow slam into your right side. Turning, you see another runner moving past you. What the hell? It's not that crowded a race! You immediately feel your heart start to pound that much harder as you wonder how to respond. You’re either going to explode with some sharp words or ignore the person and concentrate on your race.

You make that water stop a short one. Just a quick swallow with the rest spilling onto your blue long-sleeved racing top. But that water actually feels good. Particularly as the miles accumulate. Having picked up your pace to make up for lost time, it’s not much past the Hayward Field Tower when you start to really feel it in your lungs and legs. But The Clash's "Rock the Casbah" gives you the needed push.

Fighting up that hill at mile ten has your legs feeling like lead weights. Still, you’re close to Pre’s Trail. What better place to kick it up another gear - if you chose to do so. Decision time. Pick up the pace for the final two miles or maintain what’s already tough?

No time to waste stopping for water! You’ve got to pick up that pace! Besides, they have another water stop along the way somewhere, right?

With the last wisps of the clouds dissipating, you start wishing you’d worn your white top. But it’s still not that warm. Besides, you're in good shape, you tell yourself. You're clearly making up that lost time.

And you do. Until you feel a cramp in your left calf.

Damn thing hurts enough that you have to stop, both walking and rubbing it out. From there, you return to running, but with an even slower pace until the cramp eases out just before you reach the Hayward Field Tower. When you reach the hill about a mile later, you’re wondering if you should push that calf by challenging that hill or maintaining the pace you have.

Okay, the calf most definitely did not like that option. That damn cramp nearly came back before you grudgingly eased back on your pace. Still, your problems are not over yet. Just one measly mile later, while you try to take in the experience of Pre’s Trail, you feel the IT band in that same leg begin to bark.

Sigh. Just a nick under two miles left and you've got another tough decision. Push through the IT band or stop and stretch it out as needed.

Hate to admit it, but it feels damn nice to cut loose with that chain of expletives. Unfortunately, they cause that runner to turn around, getting their feet caught up with another runner. This causes a nasty tumble for several racers - including yourself. Aside from everyone being thoroughly pissed off with both of you, your knee comes down hard on the pavement. Spots of blood appear, but not enough to flow. More troubling is how much the kneecap hurts.

Still, this is a race. No choice but to keep pushing it. Particularly now that you've left that pushy guy behind. Just four miles left. With any luck, the pain either lessens or at least doesn’t worsen.

The steep hill the following mile is no picnic. But you manage to reach the top without having to walk. Still, there’s a decline on the other side. And your knee is throbbing worse now. Should you stop to rest it for a moment or keep pushing through?

Pounding away on that knee and ignoring the pain proved another bad decision. It hurts bad enough that by the time you reach the hallowed ground of Pre’s Trail, you have to start walking. Even that's tough with the throbbing forcing several more stops. But you finally limp your way to the finish line at Hayward Field with a knee that is going to require some attention.

Taking a very deep breath, you ignore the person only to have them apologize as you both start through the pack of other runners. They say they were just trying to get around someone and didn’t see you. No problem, you respond. Now your focus can return to the race.

With the hill at the tenth mile looming ahead, your body takes that moment to inform you that you've officially reached “the pain cave." Question becomes how should approach that hill? Use it to move head of some other runners by picking up your pace or maintain what’s already a solid pace?

Turns out that trying to go faster was not your brightest move. Not when you hit a wall hard with about a mile and a half to go. Not even Madonna belting out “Like a Prayer” can ease one iota of exhaustion in your legs. You’re not only on the “Struggle Bus.” You’re it's damned driver!

To your shame, several runners race past you as you trudge your way to that finish line.

Although not the race you wanted, you realize it would have gone worse. Much worse.

Maintaining your pace ends up being the right call. Not that it’s easy. But you’ve enough left in the tank to hold your own for the final two miles. And hey, you actually pass a couple people once your feet touch that sacred track.

End result, not your best finishing time, but the actual pace was one of your better ones. And you have some sweet memories to tie into the songs on that playlist.

Keeping the pace works out because given your fatigue, you realize you’re going to need all the energy you can find before this race is over. Besides, you still pass several runners with your strongest pace in at least a year.

It proves enough to keep you going on Pre’s Trail and during the final two miles. Indeed, although you know you’re going to feel it afterwards, you still have enough to gut it out that final stretch on the track at Hayward Field.

Final results are your best half marathon in over two years! You’re exhausted. But it’s all worth it!

Although a truly frustrating choice, maintaining your pace is one that your calf greatly appreciates, allowing you to hold your own against the other runners for the remaining distance. The final outcome isn't what you'd envisioned, but a reminder of the value of hydration.

This is not your day! Running through that IT band has it screaming by the end of the race. Sure, you finish. But not at a good pace. Worse, you know that you now have an injury to deal with for the next few weeks. This will not go down as a banner day.

Not what you wanted to do, but the right call. Your IT band appreciates the attention by behaving enough to let you finish the race at a slightly slower pace. The overall time isn’t near what you’d hoped for on this gorgeous day. But it’s just one race. Now to focus on the next one!

You did it! This day may not have gone as you initially planned. But bottom line, you just completed a 13.1-mile race! That counts for something. And if your outcome wasn't what you'd hoped, then try another option. I promise that there are good outcomes!

What do you think? How many times did you try to re-do this race? Let me know your thoughts on this post. And my thanks for participating! I'm hoping that this time next year, I can report on the real thing!