Kentucky Derby Mini Marathon

So we left for Louisville on Friday. I woke up Friday morning and knew I was nervous. I had 3 chin zits. We dropped the pups off at the kennel, and about a mile later I had to stop at Burger King to relieve myself. Luckily this was not the way the rest of the drive is. 7 hours later we get to the Hampton Inn. We meet V and off to the race expo and then to get some beers and dinner. We went to the expo. Picking up the numbers and shirts were fine but the rest was odd. The room was pretty big, and they had the expo roped off in a tiny area that was all zigzaggy. It probably only used half the room. Also there was pretty much no way to go back to a booth, and all payable schwag was on top of each other. We quickly left. We stopped at Red Star and had a beer, and then went to Sicilian. V had lasagna and D and I had pizza. It was odd pizza being as it was thin crust and we were at a place called Sicilian.

V's Cider, My Bell's 2-Hearted Ale, and D's Guinness

We walked home, and were in bed pretty early. Unfortunately I had a blister on my foot from walking around. Ugh.

445AM D and I got up. I ate a Clif Bar and 2 bottles of water. I waited for my intestines to work, but they didn't so I forced them (probably TMI). We met V at 530 and walked 3 blocks to the shuttles. There were so many school busses. We hadn't known what to expect so we were surprised we may have waited 5 minutes to get on a bus. It was raining. We got to the start at 610. The spot-a-pots were crowded on the right side, but no line on the left. Finished with that and then waited at the Speedway under the roof to not get wet. D and I were joking. V looked miserable. She went and got coffee and was much better. At 710 we got in our corrals. They were in C; I was in D. I talked to 2 ladies while waiting. They both said the course was hilly. One didn't know if she was doing the 1/2 or the whole. Said she would decide at mile 11. Allrighty then. Finally at 730 we started moving. It took over 15 minutes to cross the start.

D, me and V before the race

Mile 1 started. Ran. Mostly ran around walkers. Passed the 6hour pacer for the marathoner (and if you were doing the half in 3 or the whole in 6+, according to the mike man you had no business to be in a race like this...F him). The rain let up. I was happy I run looking down. Lots of trash bags to step over. Ran around people and through them. I always said excuse me, but some people thought I was rude. Eh. At 10 minutes, I walked 1 minute.
Mile 1: 13:38.

We ran into Iroquois Park. There were 4 spot-a-pots, and about a line 60 deep going out into the course. I had to cut behind the pots. I really was confused that many people had to pee all ready. Iroquois Park was rolling hills. Nothing bad but I always hit the 10 minute mark going down a hill and after a minute resumed running starting up. The hills were nothing though compared to what I run in Atlanta. At Mile 2 was the first station. Water in bottles. I had half a bottle (8 oz bottle) and threw the rest out.
Mile 2: 13:44

Mile 3 and 4 were more of the same. During that time there was an ambulance. V had seen a woman who was hobbling with no ambulance, sobbing. I saw her on the stretcher hysterical. Felt bad. She probably slipped on a trash bag. Mile 4 we finally came down a hill out of the park. This station had water on the left and powerade on the right. A little annoying crossing a road to get some Powerade, but I am versatile.
Mile 3: 14:49
Mile 4 14:11

We came out of the park and there were about 100 people in line for 2 spot-a-pots. There was a ton of spectators. Everyone was cheering. There was an orange team that was drinking. They had shirts that said I will keep drinking as long as you keep running. I felt pretty strong. Running 5 miles didn't feel like the dread mill. It felt fast. I knew I was running a bit faster but I couldn't seem to slow down. I hit MM5 (not Garmin) at 5.2. My times are based on Garmin.
Mile 5 13:55

Mile 6 was fun. Bands and some of them weren't sponsored. Just random people playing. I hit Garmin 6.2 at 87+ minutes (PR). Unfortunately, the mats were at 6.44, so no PR.
Mile 6: 14:42

So the next mile I guess faster runners got oranges, because there were orange peels all over the road. But no oranges. I had a piece of a Promax bar while walking. The course was still flat so I was wondering where the hills were.
Mile 7: 14:48

Entering Churchill Downs (lousy cellphone camera)

So we turned and all of a sudden there was Churchill Downs. To get to the infield, you went in a tunnel. Garmin read the same on both sides. Apparently for D, CD was a cluster and he hated it. When I got there, everyone ran to the bathrooms so I only had about 10 people around me. It was so awe-ing. And horses were warming up, running around you. It was so neat. Around the infield, and through another tunnel where Garmin stopped. Then we were out of Churchill Downs. Grabbed some water and Powerade.
Mile 8: 15:24

Churchill Downs

More flat. Was feeling great. I so had this. More people cheering. I was really impressed with the supporters.
Mile 9: 15:50

I texted D at 9.6 miles to let him know where I was. Right after that, something happened. I was running. All of a sudden, I thought I was going to puke. I had to pee. I had to poop. I started walking. I was looking around. Now there were NO SPECTATORS. All houses were locked up. No gas station. No White Castle. Nada. I saw 4 men, but they looked shady and I didn't think I could use their restroom safely. I didn't know what to do.
Mile 10 16:37

At mile 10.1 I found a church stoop with a wall. By now it had stopped raining but everything was wet. I sat down in a puddle and leaned my head against the wall. I thought about quitting. I tried to get up and thought I would pass out. My lower regions hurt. I was tearing up that I got this far and wouldn't finish. I thought about vomiting, but I didn't want the taste in my mouth. I couldn't figure out how to poop with out removing it from my shorts. So sitting on this wet stoop I just sat and peed. I felt better. One of the women that I had met in the corral saw me. She told me to get up. She gave me some water. And told me we had 2.5 miles to the next stop and regardless of how slow my legs moved I was to move. Then she took off. I walked and someone passed with a shirt that said, "DFL is way beter than DNF and WAY better than DNS." That's all I needed.
Mile 11: 19:44

I did 4 min/1 min intervals for awhile. We finally turned and seemed to be on a major road. Maybe 6th street. A Church Lady gave me a milky way, that I sucked on. I was still thirsty but knew I had this. I was bummed I had wasted 5 minutes with a physical/mental setback, but oh well. I was still passing people. Of course they were walking but I was passing them.
Mile 12 16:46

So I knew I had 1.1 miles left. We were on Main (I think). I really wasn't paying attention. All of a sudden I recognized 4th Stree Live. So I was recognized where we were for the expo. I was getting close. At 12.6 I texted D again. A UPS man gave me water. I held onto it. We ran down to the waterfront. I could see the Festival. All of a sudden there were all these fast runners. Then I realized they had realligned the marathon and the half. Oh if I were at 25 miles and now I had to avoid walkers and slow runners I would have been pissed. I was annoyed I had to finagle around walkers. The festival was on the left of me, and the course took us right at 12.8 miles. WTF? If I heard one more person tell me one more turn, I swear to God someone was going to die. We ran up a hill and took a left. I was now at 13 miles and saw no finish line. WTF?
Mile 13 16:11

So I ran and saw the 26 mile sign at 13.1 miles. Still no finish. Turned left again and there was the finish. I crossed. Garmin said 13.32 (and remember the CD tunnels).

Clock Time: 3:41:27
Chip Time: 3:24:46 (beat my expected time 3:40)
D's Chip Time 2:10:37

Garmin's end

Medal

D and V immediately saw me and D said we had to go. I snapped at him that I'm sorry that he had to wait over and hour, but I'll be damned if I'm going to cross a finish line and not get a water. He and V backed off. After I got my medal and some water and Powerade, then I could talk. D had been sick and in the First Aid tent, so he did want to go. What I didn't realize it was about .25 mile to get out of the chute area. So we got to the end, and V wanted the free beer. So D went to the hotel, and V and I went and got Mich Ultra. It had a lot of flavor at that time. We walked the .75miles to the hotel. The beer lost some flavor. By the time we got there, D was feeling better. 

V and me with our Michelob Ultra

I took an ice bath and then a shower and we met V downstairs. We then went and drank for the next 2 days. Good times!

Beer (Dark Star Porter)

So I would do this one again. However, from what it seemed and what I read, I would never do this as the 26.2 race. There was no love for them. Really...26.2 miles and at mile 25 you have to dodge walkers (who held hands) and slow runners. Gah!