Foot Locker Nationals, Kathryn Foreman's Blog, Raceday
Saturday was an intense day! I wasn't too nervous about the race, more excited! I was slightly nervous about a small injury that had flared up Thursday night. I have been dealing with an adductor injury off and on since last track season. It was almost completely better before we left for Footlocker thanks to my great physical and massage therapists, but for some reason it flared up Thursday night to where I could not walk without limping, but I iced it down, rolled it out and just kept on praying it would be okay and be better for Saturday. It felt much better Friday morning, and praise God it gave me no trouble Saturday!
Saturday morning we woke up, ate breakfast and drove to Balboa Park for the race! There were photographers everywhere! They put a camera in your face when you were tying your shoes, putting your number on, and just about everything else we did! When it was time to head to the start line, they announced us each individually, announcing a list of our accomplishments as runners. When the race started I got out very well and hit my mile split goal (5:20) and was in about 10-15th place. This was right where I wanted to be. Then on the second mile, my legs began to ache worse than they ever have. Based on my training workouts back at home I thought I could hit split times of 5:20-1st mile, 5:40-2nd, 5:40-3rd. It seemed reasonable until I crossed the two mile in about 11:26 and I felt like I was about to die! ( This course is the most difficult course I have ever run on, by far. So my time and place were not quite what I was hoping for, but just being able to make it to nationals and take part in the experience was AMAZING! I'm definitely hoping and praying that I can make it back to San Diego next year! Now that I have seen and run the course, I think it will help me to prepare mentally and physically for next year if I can make it back to nationals!
For the rest of the day the South girls ate ice cream, hung out at the beach, pool, and hot tub, and then got ready for the banquet! At the banquet they served us four delicious courses, then they started the awards ceremony. They gave us a plaque, a patch, and a flash drive containing all of the race day videos! After the banquet we went out to the beach for a while, and then hung out in the hotel for the rest of the evening. The day was so much fun and such a learning experience! I want to thank Footlocker/Asics, my parents, my coaches, my physical therapist, my massage therapist, friends and family, and especially Jesus Christ for bringing me through so much this year and helping me to achieve my goal of making it to Footlocker Nationals! I know I could not have done it without you all!
