When we started the race it was raining. This meant our penguin onesies got wet pretty quickly. We had a really fun first two laps together. Everyone loved cheering on the penguins! Our original strategy was run 10 minutes then walk 1 minute, but this quickly changed to walk the up hills and run the the rest.
As a runner, you know that some days you have fantastic runs and others days not so much. This was a not so much day for Stacey. She accidentally took her sea legs onto land and could see the whole land rocking up and down like a boat rocking on the waves. She was also feeling a bit nauseous. This she was willing to run through. Once her knee started acting up on the second lap she started to question whether or not the full was a good idea. When she was heading out for the third lap it became too much. She encouraged Rachel to continue on ahead and dropped down to the half marathon. Stacey walked most of the lap which left her so cold that it took 4 people to help change her into her dry clothes and zodiac boots and outerwear to get back to the boat. She can’t remember who they were so if you were one of them she is so grateful to you!! Stacey is disappointed that she did not complete the full but overa ll happy with her choice to drop down.
Rachel continued on! And she did so until the weather got SO bad they had to call the race early. She was 3km short of completing the full. By the time that she was done the snow and hail weren’t even falling down, it was all just going horizontal in the crazy strong wind. She was at the front of the zodiac boat on the way back. Being at the front of the zodiac on rough water means that you get drenched! If you know Rachel at all, you know that she was laughing the whole way back at how ridiculous the situation was. Once back on the boat Rachel got warmed up and had a meal. She was then convinced to join the other people who got pulled from the race in the ship’s gym and finished off the FULL marathon!! Three cheers for Rachel!
The winner of the full marathon (on our boat) was an 18 year old from Florida . It was his first marathon!! How exciting! We did not see that coming at all! Tomorrow night we meet up with our sister boat who ran yesterday for our awards ceremony. We are hoping that our boat carries the official race winner, especially because they had fantastic race day weather! Overall everyone on our boat seems to be healthy and happy now. We are all looking forward to happy hour at 5:30! There will be many stories of the day shared at that time.