The Nike Women's Marathon 2007

Sunday October 21, 2007

Perhaps this entry doesn't really fit in the "travel the world" blog, but it is certainly a journey of sorts. And we did make the trip to San Francisco for the weekend!

The scene: Union Square, San Francisco, 6:15 am on Sunday, 10/21.
The event: Nike Women's Marathon 2007

So I've been training for this marathon off and on for just about a year, but most intensively in the past 3 months. Tallying up the miles on my travel log, I've run 264 miles since mid June!

Here I am stretching out at 6 in the morning in Union Square. I have to say, I've never seen so many women in one place at the same time. There are about 20,000 runners in the marathon this year, an event which benefits the Leukemia Lymphoma Society.



Yes, guys can run it too, but the official scores go to the women. My guy opted to cheer me on instead. The sun was just barely starting to come up, but the air was charged with excitement and adrenaline. I was a little bit overwhelmed and slightly intimidated by all of the Team in Training people and their purple shirts and their coaches; but halfway through the race, I would be so happy to have them cheering me on, even though I'm not a part of their team.

I found my timing group (10-12 minutes per mile) and found a spot at the starting place. At around 6:40am, we heard a roar of cheering as the Elite Women headed out. These are the ladies that look like they could run this marathon, then be showered and back in bed for a nap by 9am.

And then, suddenly it was 7 am, and group by group, we headed to the Start line. The first few miles were so exciting, and even though it was slow because of the crowds, I felt like I was one small leg on a giant millipede, winding it's way through the city. The course for this marathon is exceedingly beautiful, showing off San Francisco in all her glory. We started in Union Square, ran by the TransAmerica Pyramid, headed down to the Embarcardero, which we followed around the Marina and through to the Presidio, complete with breathtaking views of the Golden Gate Bridge in the early morning light. I was pleasantly surprised to see Jack at around mile 5, as we rounded the Marina.


At mile 6, we started a steep climb up Lincoln Blvd. which lasted roughly 1.3 miles. At the crest of the hill, there was a collective scream of joy, as runners reached the top and saw the amazing view of the glittering Bay... and a downhill track for as far as the eyes could see! Somewhere during the climb, I saw Dawn, who had crossed the Golden Gate Bridge to cheer me on. It was a great energy booster to see her during this strenuous climb.

At roughly mile 10, I was enjoying a swift downhill gait and feeling on top of the world, when we rounded the corner, and I was suddenly struck by the most unbelievable view of the Pacific Ocean, luminescent waves crashing infinitely on a misty beach! It was such a surreal union of so many different senses in that one moment; from the physical high that I was feeling, to the incredible vision before my eyes, the fresh smell of the ocean and rocking out on my ipod at that very minute was KT Tunstall singing "Suddenly I see, this is what I wanna be, Suddenly I see, why the hell it means so much to me..." I think that was probably the most glorious moment of the entire marathon for me. To be honest, I even shed a few tears of happiness... until the trail suddenly started to incline, at which point, those tears weren't so happy anymore!

Below, I receive a Haw Gao on a stick from Melissa, when she, Dawn and Jack greeted me as the course wound it's way through Golden Gate Park.

At mile 16, we exited Golden Gate Park and continued on to the Great Highway. I think it was at this point, that I started walking because I could feel myself losing steam. Something in my right knee was starting to burn, and there was also a strange pulling sensation going on in my hip. It was also around this point that the full marathoners caught a glimpse of the half marathoners crossing their finish line and looking happy to be done... I was soooo jealous! Seeing my friends at mile 18 cheering me on was the pick me up that I needed, at least for the next 2 miles.
I was determined to run most of mile 20 as we headed out around Lake Merced, because I had dedicated that mile to Jen, who I knew was praying for me at that very moment. But as soon as I crossed the mile 21 marker, I had to walk, and walked most of that mile, making it the LONGEST MILE EVER! By this point, I had some serious pain in my right leg, but I really felt like I was in the home stretch, especially when I saw a lady at mile 22 holding a sign that said "Only 4.2 more miles till flip flops and beer!" That actually made me laugh out loud, and I continued to limp/jog for the next 2 miles. (I was so loopy at this point that many things were making me laugh out loud.)

Halfway through mile 24, back on the Great Highway, I could feel the energy of the crowd and the draw of the finish line, but I was also feeling desperate... were these miles getting longer, or was it just me?? Suddenly, I saw Jack, jogging towards me, like a fish swimming against the current of many many female fish, and when I saw him I almost started crying. I stopped my limp/jog, and we walked for a while hand in hand. He chatted happily about the day, taking my mind off of the task at hand and then we picked up a slow jog again at 25.5 miles until at mile 26, some officials told him to get off of the course so that I could finish alone. Only .2 miles to go! I saw Nike's "Finish- Just Did It" banner ahead of me, and I felt a determination that I had never felt before in my entire life as I fixed my eyes ahead. Right before the finish line, I heard someone scream my name, and I looked over and saw Melissa frantically taking pictures.

And then it was over! I finished! On the other side of the finish line was a row of young men wearing tuxedos and running shoes, holding blue Tiffany's boxes with white bows, and I planted myself right in front of one of these guys, because yes, I just finished a Marathon, and by God I wanted my Tiffany Finisher's pendant!!!

Ah, the glory. My muscles tightened up almost the moment I stopped running but at the time it didn't matter. Jay and Emily came out to meet us at the Finishers Village and I limped around picking up free stuff. I've got great friends, let me just say. Recognizing my desire to be stationary, Jack and Emily set off to see if they could buy me a pair of flip flops, Jay ran off to find me some ice, and Melissa helped me hobble over to pick up my jacket that I had checked in during the run.


In the end, I have to say it was an awesome experience. It's funny because those who know me would never associate my name with the word "athlete" let alone "long distance runner". Which leads to the question, "So why run a marathon?" To which I answer, "Hmm."

The idea was planted in my head when over a year ago now, I was hanging out with my neighbor Julie and her baby son, and talking about her pregnancy and labor. When I asked her how the actual birthing part of it was, she replied, "Well, it's like, you've run marathons before, right?" I shook my head. "Oh, well it's kind of like a marathon. It's exciting when it starts, you feel moments of joy and pain in between, but the hard part's at the end." Maybe in a way, I ran this marathon to help me tackle the idea having children. Mind you, I'd like to have kids, just without the whole birthing process... which seems like something I so don't want to do. But hey, now I've run a marathon! Not to say that this compares, because I'm sure that having a baby is much much harder.

Over the months that I've been training though, I think that I've also been hoping that this would be a life changing experience for me. Who knows? Maybe I would grow to love an activity that I had once hated with my entire being. Well, that didn't exactly happen. In fact, it seemed that with every step that I ran, I ended up disliking it even more, to the point where one of my great motivators for actually running the marathon was so that when I finished, I would never have to run again! Well, I don't know if that's all together true now, because actually finishing a marathon changes things for me a little bit. Because now, one of my greatest triumphs in life is associated with running. How can I completely give it up? Especially when, including the marathon and training, my white and blue Mizuno running shoes have officially logged 290.2 miles?? So close to 300! Will I ever run another marathon again? To be honest, NO WAY! But I could probably be convinced to run a half marathon, or more likely, a 5k!

So now, in the end, I think that maybe I did this to prove to myself that there really isn't anything I can't do. I ran a frickin marathon! Me! La Verne Sheu Chen, who got a C- in 6th grade PE for who remembers what, but probably something about running the fewest laps in the school jogathon.

Do I recommend running a marathon? I would very carefully say, "Sure, just know what you're getting into." I've got a blister on the side of my big toe that looks like another toe.

For a great book on training for a marathon if you're like me, read "The Non Runner's Marathon Guide for Women: Get Off Your Butt and On With Your Training," by Dawn Dais, c. 2006.

Our Greece Isles Vacation- 3 days in Mykonos, 3 days in Santorini, and 2 days in Athens. This blog begins with the most recent day first, and works backwards from there. All of the April posts are from Greece. Enjoy!

Day 9- Our last day in Greece

The morning began with a bittersweet farewell to Jay and Emily, our fabulous travel companions, as they headed off to Munich and Salzburg for the last leg of their trip.

Finding ourselves with a whole day left in Athens, Jack and I headed out to catch in some sights that we missed yesterday, beginning with the Temple of Zeus, which turned out to be down the street from our hotel. You'd figure that a temple to Zeus, Greek God of all Greek gods, would be more of a draw, but this is pretty much what's left of it. It's only briefly mentioned in my Frommer's guide.

From the temple, we took a 15 minute walk to Kolonaki, the trendy neighborhood you go to see and be seen. It's a super posh shopping district filled with expensive stores and many things that were way out of our price budget, and since it was noontime on a Saturday, it was jammed with wealthy Athenians, sporting their leather jackets, stylish sunglasses and ritzy cars. We were able to find a nice cafe for lunch (we were only able to get seats because we sat inside, whereas everyone else was sitting in the jam packed sidewalk patio) and ordered our last (sniff sniff) Greek salad, this one loaded with rusk, a crispy bread from Crete and tons of Feta.


After lunch, we hiked a steep street and caught a funicular ride up to Lykavvitos Hill, a vantage point from where we were awed by panoramic views of the entire city.


On our way down, we stopped by the flea market, a few long streets crammed with small vendors selling pretty much everything.


And also made our last loukoumades stop, this time at a cafe called Doris. The place was on a desolate side street and the name was written in Greek letters (thank goodness we took Calculus in high school!) and the entire menu was Greek to me, but all we had to say were 2 words- "Loukoumades please!" and a broad grin spread across our waiter's face. They made them fresh for us, 5 to a plate, and since it was our last day, we each ordered 1! They were definitely the lightest and crispiest ones we've eaten so far, but also by far the oiliest, and who would have guessed, beer washes down an oily loukoumadi really well! Forget the coffee!

We stopped by Fantasy Travel to see if Dina, the terrific agent who worked with us for this trip was in, but she had the weekend off. All we can say is, if you go to Greece, book your trip with these guys! It beats the hassle of trying to figure out the mysterious and everchanging ferry schedules on your own, and Dina was super friendly, organized and patient with all of my questions. And no, I'm not being paid to advertise. They were super!

On our way back to our hotel, we stopped by the Olympic stadium, where the games were held just a few years ago. From the street, it doesn't look that big, but when you actually look inside, holy cow! It's like an Olympic stadium!

We took a short rest back at our hotel, and then headed out for our last night on the town. For this occasion, Jack had done some research and booked us a dinner at Spondi, which earned a Michelin star last year. We were seated in a beautiful stone cellar with vaulted ceilings, accented by some interesting chandeliers. And at 8:30pm, we were the first diners for the evening. Most people didn't show up for dinner until after 10:30pm, which is true for most of Europe.

A 7 course eating extravaganza ensued... below is a picture of our amuse bouche, which doesn't count in the 7 courses, as, apparently, neither did 3 other small plates of food that appeared before us!
We rolled out of Spondi just after midnight, slightly drunk, much too full, and joyfully delirious with the memories and experiences of the past week and a half. Greece was like a dream.

When I tell my students where I went over spring break, I find myself trying my hardest to convey the beauty of the white washed houses, the turquoise blue roofs, the magical sunsets, the warmth of the people... but inevitably someone will say, "Isn't that where that movie '300' took place," or, "Hercules is from Greece, right?" And so, instead, my 2nd graders walked out of my room today, remembering most of all, that in Greece, there is a magical food called loukoumades, and that Mrs. Chen ate a whole bunch of them over spring break.

Day 8- The Birthplace of Democracy

Our day in Athens... for some reason, I heard from several sources that Athens was boring, dirty and congested, and that it really wasn't worth a visit of more than 1 or 2 days. We actually found it to be quite the contrary. It was pretty tough packing in all of the sites into a single day. Instead of finding it boring and dirty, the skies were blue, the birds were chirping, and the air was perfumed by the fragrance of orange blossoms! We found several cool neighborhoods and districts that were quaint and festive, and everywhere we turned, we saw ancient ruins. What's not to like? It's the Parthenon!

And the Theatre of Dionysus...
And this ancient temple, held up by the Caryatids, these lovely women with the roof on their heads, a sacred place of worship to Athena and Poseidon...

And the Ancient Agora, where Socrates drank his hemlock, and St. Peter witnessed to the Greeks, and the idea of democracy was debated and founded...


All that in one morning... time for lunch at a cafe in Syntagma Square, and a moment to figure out what's next!


Just in time for the changing of the guards in front of Parliament!

Emily and I with the Greek guard, trying to look just as stern.

Then on to the National Archeological Museum, which we pose in front of... this picture was funnier when we were actually taking it... it's hard to see the statues that we're imitating in the background. But they're there! Really!

Ancient figurines made out of bronze...

Marble Statue of Aprhodite swatting away an amorous Pan with her sandal.

Another loukomades run, this time at Krina's, a cafe which supposedly sets the standard for all loukamades... check out the giant honey stick! Delicious! Light, crispy and airy, with a slightly doughy center.

Roaming through Omonia Square, we stumble upon the Central market, which is a giant meat market, in every sense of the phrase.

But they also sell some beautiful produce... Greek olives really are to die for.

Jack and I headed out for a pre-dinner drink at a cafe near our hotel, as Jay and Emily took their siesta.

For dinner, we headed to the Gazi district, still somewhat of a transitional neighborhood, but with some cool new restaurants, bars and galleries filling in the holes. A fabulous dinner at Mamacas, sitting on this beautiful patio beneath the flickering lights.

And enjoying some last moments together before catching a taxi back to our hotel.

Day 7- Farewell to Santorini

Our last day in Santorini was bittersweet- we woke up to a cloudy morning, and being depressed already at the prospect of leaving the island only seemed to make the day a bit chillier. Alas, we decided to check out something indoors for a change, and headed to the Museum of Prehistoric Thera, and then to the Archeology Museum. Both were pretty small, housing ancient artifacts found in the islands of Greece.

Since we finished touring the museums so quickly, we wandered through the streets of Fira, stopping to admire a lovely pastry shop which claimed that it had been making a special pastry there since the 1800's! We decided to try this Greek specialty, called a Kalafati- it tasted to me like pan fried egg noodles drizzled in honey and topped with nuts!

For lunch, we tried out the "best gyro in town," according to our host Nikko. This is Lucky (yes, that's actually his name) shaving off the crispy bits of the largest wheel of pork rotisserie I've seen to date.

So was it actually the best gyro? Maybe in this town. We actually preferred the gyro in Mykonos, though I liked the crispy pieces of meat and the thick tatziki.


After lunch (which included another run to Loukamodoupolis for our favorite Greek treat), we spotted a stone staircase path that led from the top of the cliffs down to the port, and decided to work off all of the meals we had consumed so far on our trip. Over 580 steps later, we found ourselves down by the port, gazing up at the amazing rocky cliffs, with the traditional cave houses built into them.

On our way back up, we were charmed by a cafe owner who enticed us onto his patio with promises of cold drinks and a very delicious (but expensive!) cactus juice. Of course, we didn't know how much that drink cost until after we paid for it, at which point, Emily and I had both already ordered a second round! Tricky...

We spent hours on the patio that afternoon enjoying the glorious view (and savoring every last drop of that cactus juice... I even licked the straw), and then, suddenly it was time to go! Nikko, our beloved host, dropped us off at the airport to catch our evening flight back to Athens.


Back in the city with the islands behind us, we caught a late dinner at a taverna in Plaka, the old town part of Athens, near the Acropolis by our hotel. Tomorrow, the Parthenon!

Day 6- Ancient Thera and an afternoon at the Villa

Ancient Thera is a classical city from the 9th century BC, set up in the headlands high above the black sand beaches of Kamari town. The city was inhabited until the Byzantine period, and you can see evidence of buildings from this era, along with Hellenistic, and Roman styles. From the top of the ancient city, you get an amazing view of the coast and the southern end of the island.

We arrived at Thera at 9:30 AM, making sure to have plenty of time to wander through the ruins before the area closed at 2pm. Once again, our little put put car made it up the steep, narrow, switchback road, this time encountering some cars that were coming down the opposite way, which was interesting to say the least. We were greeted by a beautiful day and the aroma of wild thyme, growing between the rocky paths.




For lunch, we headed down to Kamari, and ate a pleasent meal at Cafe Classico cafe, situated on the promenade that stretches along the black sand beaches. In the summertime, the beaches are packed with sunbathers and sun umbrellas run for miles down the sand... on this day, just a few European tourists attempting to lie out in the cool wind.


After lunch, we headed back to the Villa and spent the rest of the afternoon napping, reading and playing card games. The place definitely induces the relaxation instinct.



A picture of our trusty little car...


And a gorgeous view of the Santorini sunset, with our villa in the foreground. What a day!