The Great Wall Run 2014…a killer half marathon!

17 May 2014 –

Mark came home last night!!!  He rearranged his flights so that he could return from his monster South America whirlwind tour (Peru and Argentina) and North America ONE DAY EARLY.  He was gone for nearly a month!  It's amazing how just that one additional day made such a BIG difference to us (to me for sure!)!!!!

Anyway…several months ago I signed up to run the Great Wall half marathon.  That's 13.1 miles.  Some of it on the Great Wall.  Yikes! What was I thinking???

It's 3:30am and I'm up.  Mark has been up since 1:30am!!!!  He's running his still (he's hoping to make a pear schnapps).  The bus will come pick up the Original County runners at 4:15am.  Eep!  It's so nice having Mark home…he even escorted me to the bus stop.  

We're on a HUGE tour bus.  Heading out the "Tianjin section" of the Great Wall (same location as last year).  

We're here!  Time to find a potty (which translates to waiting in line FOREVER to use a squatty potty).  Lots of busses and expats and foreigners crawling all over the  place.  We've figured out how to check in and drop off our bags.  One last potty stop and the first few waves of runners are out (marathon and half marathon runners).  I'm in Wave 4…and we're off at 8:00am…which happens in ….3, 2, 1!!!

And since there are so many people joining us and we have to go through a narrow-ish opening we're initially walking – not jogging.  Ah!  Now we're jogging.  

First a very long, slow uphill jog up to the entrance of the Great Wall.  Ouch!  Up, up, up we go!  On this part of the jog I met up with a fellow expat wife.  Her name is Joyce and she lives in Beijing.  She says she's a trailing spouse (another name for us expat wives…we're also called tai tais in Chinese).  We're jogging at about the same pace so we're keeping each other company.  

OOOF!  The steps up to the wall are the hardest!  They're the most painful – in my opinion.  I find the jogging on the wall itself to be fun and easy.  Okay.  Not easy.  But definitely a lot more fun!  It's amazing how steep some of the steps are!

Now, it does seem like there are fewer runners this year than last year.  However, you should have seen the bottlenecks!  You had no choice – you had to stop and take a break.  At least those mandatory stops allowed us to catch our breath and take in the scenery!  It was a GORGEOUS day – maybe a tad bit too warm but still lovely. 

And once again…it doesn't seem to matter how many times I've been to this section of the GW I always forget that it keeps going on a little longer than I anticipate it to.  Not sure if that makes sense.  

Running down, down, down the steps…passing by others.  I find this part thriling and fun! (my knees are going to pay for this later!!!!).

Okay…and we've left behind the Fun Runners … our run is continuing on.  And on… And On…. And On…

Yikes.  

I've forgotten how long a half marathon really is!

This part of the run is through what is called The Village.  It's more like a confusing maze that seems to double back on itself and winds this way and that.  Thank goodness for signs with arrows and GWR people stationed at strategic locations to act as guides.  It'd be super easy to get lost here!  Oh, and where the heck are the bathrooms?????  Both Joyce and I REALLY NEED to go!  The guys have it so easy.  Not fair!  We asked a restaurant if they had restrooms and they shook their heads (hey, we did ask in Chinese!  I know they had a toilet…they were just being stinkers. Grr.) Thank goodness a police officer is kind enough to help us!  Whew!  I feel better now.

This part of the jog feels so much harder and more painful than running up and down the steep steps of the wall even though it's considerably flatter.  It's rocky…some of it seems like running/walking on ankle twisters.  Gotta be careful!  

We had to stop and walk a few times during the run.  My feet are killing me!  Hips aren't feeling great either but it's my feet that are soooo tired of this.

And we're nearly there….just a few more steps.  Keep going!  Keep going!  End strong!!!!!

We made it!!!!!

And that…was my half marathon.  I finished it in 3 hours, 1 minute and 28 seconds.  Which is a TERRIBLE time for a regular, "normal" half marathon but not too bad for a first time half-marathon runner on the Great Wall run.  LOL!

Frances and Sam were waiting for me…they've been waiting for quite some time as they did the Fun Run.  I'm snagging a ride with Sam.  

A few photos from the event:

Photos at the finish line ….BEFORE the run.  LOL!!! I can you I didn't look like that when I actually crossed it (after running 13.1 miles!!!!):

more before photos:

My only photo on the wall….I did have my iPhone with me but only once did I get it out (and asked Joyce to take my photo):

Posing while running.  Interesting challenge!  (for the professional GWR photographers):

Amazing how Joyce and I are wearing the same color clothes.  Like we planned it that way.  Funny, huh?  ;-)

Crossing that finishing line (oh, thank goodness!  I'm waaaaay ready to be done with this!):

One final pose with Joyce…Thank you for being such an AWESOME running partner!

And here's one of the BEST parts of today (other than actually completing the run and NOT feeling sick afterwards):  Party at Jen's house!

Jen and several of the non-runners hosted a BBQ for all the runners and their families.  Sooooooo verrrrrrrry niiiiiiiice!  I didn't have to cook.  Just relax!  (that was AFTER I took a nap).  Annika made cookies to bring to the event.  Isn't it awesome that I can ask her to bake for me???

And here's the Victory Cake with…(from left to right): me, Machi,Frances, Sam, Quay and Petra.  Ojas is missing from this photo!!! (and so are the kids and husbands who also participated in the run):I'd like to say a HUGE THANK YOU to my friends – their encouragement kept me going!!!!