Avenue of the Giants 2001

Avenue of the Giants: May 6, 2001

This race is an unusual story all on it's own.  Robert won the grand prize at an Edmonton 5k race, which gave us plane tickets to anywhere this airline would fly.  They didn't fly too far south to get to Disneyland or too far east.  We figured if we won the flight at a race, we should fly to a race and make it a big race.  This was my first marathon, and knowing I would be out there a loooong tme, I thought it should be scenic.  We flew to the Redwood forest.

662 - # OF FINISHERS
370 - # OF FINISHERS - MALES
292 - # OF FINISHERS - FEMALES
21 - # OF DAY OF RACE REGISTRATION

Denise Renman  F 36 5:58:25     46 / 50     608 / 662        247 / 292   

So the real story is the race.  I signed up to be an early bird runner - one who knows they will be slow.  They gave us all little blue signs to pin to our back so everybody else would know our 'intent' of slowness.  All 'blue sign' people start at 6:00 am.  Everybody else at 7:00 am.  The course was 2 out and back legs.  So naturally, at some point the entire group of runners pass the people with little blue signs.  

Being under the huge Redwood trees was absolutely magical.   I ran the first half without stopping and felt very good about it.  Being in California, the day started to heat up fairly well.   If there was space between the trees, the harshness of the heat was staggering on the black roads.  I just kept thinking. "I can do this".  I wanted to know - could I cover this distance?!?  So at about mile 22/23, the entire group of runners have come and gone and it is very peaceful and quiet.  I am used to running by myself so this didn't bother me.  I am enjoying the scenery.  

Suddenly this girl ahead of me, shouts at me, "Hey, stay with this guy, I gave him all my water and I will go find help!"   I realize there is no one else around, so I link arms with this fellow who must be 6 ft something.  ( I am 5'2).   He is walking like a drunk person and I have trouble being the stable support he needs.  He babbles about the terrible loss at not seeing his wife and daughter again.  I later learned they were waiting at the end.   I asked him, "Do you want to finish this race?".   I really find myself torn as to wether he should continue but I also understand the desire to finish.  Since we were alone anyway, walking seemed a logical choice.  So we walk and walk and walk. 

By this time into mile 25, Robert came walking toward me.  He said, "I figured something must be wrong for you to take so long."    Nothing was wrong with me, but I could not leave this guy by the wayside.  Finally his wife finds us and I pass him off to her.  Amazingly he finished the race.   Now I feel fresh and energetic as I speed into the finish line.   My time is 30 minutes longer than I planned.    I saw later they were giving him an IV.  All in all a strange race and circumstances beyond my control affected my permanent race time.  But what an adventure!   It took about 5 days until my legs felt normal again.  But I loved that feeling in the legs while it lasted.  I knew I had worked hard!