The memorial run: My armed forces half marathon experience

The memorial weekend was here. As runners, my hubby Amit and I decided to start the Saturday by running the armed forces half marathon organized by the armed forces at Concord. I had run this one last year and it was a beautiful course that took us through the naval weapons station. This was usually closed for civilians. 

Concord was an hour and a half away from Santa Clara where we lived. So, we decided to pick up the bib the next day before the race even if it meant waking up at 3:00 am. It was better than driving 3 hours back and forth the previous day. We reached Todos Santos Plaza by 5:15 am and collected our bibs. Having more than an hour to spare, we walked around inside the park, smiling at fellow runners and scanning the area with interest. The downtown was quaint with plenty of eating options. The vibe was friendly and warm which made up for the cold morning air. 

We assembled near the start line and listened to the national anthem being sung. The crowd let out a loud cheer at the end of it. Great energy to begin with! My husband had decided to race this one while I took it easy as I had just finished my Big sur race last month. Besides it was a good training run to try out my new Hoka running shoes. 

The first 2 miles were inside the downtown until the road paved its way into the naval weapons station. Despite having run the previous year, I looked at it in awe, impressed by the vast open space where war ammunitions had once been stored. 

I was going strong till 5 km until something unexpected happened. The music streaming from my ear pods suddenly stopped. I instantly panicked wondering what had gone wrong-as I always do whenever something goes awry with technology. I stopped in the middle of the run and took out my mobile from my sports belt. Packets of gu gel fell down and I stooped down to pick them up. I lost a good 5-6 minutes when I decided to continue the run without music. I couldn’t figure out what happened. A pacer came and patted me on the shoulder. “You got this one,” he said. 

I ran with him, trying to shake the thoughts out of my head.  I thought I had charged my ear pods the night before. Well never mind! But the damage was done. During a run, it was important to have a clear mind. And my mine was clogged with a smog of anxiety. I took a deep breath just like I did in my yoga exercises and focused on the scenery around, trying to calm myself down. The pacer and a few runners around me smiled in a reassuring manner. The sun had come out by then and was trying to help me get rid of the cloud of panic that swarmed around my head. 

Tufts of dry grass sparkled on both sides of the roads. It seemed like I was in a different world altogether. A world that was of great significance to a country. I was soon absorbed by my surroundings and forgot about my woes. The rhythm of the strides synchronized itself as I braced myself for the hill at the 11^thkm mark. The pacers were encouraging us cheerfully. “Just this hill, come on, you guys can do this.” Up I went on the steep hill taking small steps. The view from the top was just spectacular, making this climb really worthwhile. Posing for the photographers, I flew downhill enjoying the juke box that was placed right at that spot. 

After a while, at the 16^thkm mark, a runner cheered and said that it was just 3 miles to the finish line. Reaching the downtown, we kept going. A couple of people were walking their dogs on the pavement and cheered for us. Race officials clapped for us and the crowd held witty placards. I soon heard the emcees voice and knew it was just a few metres before I would be home to the familiar arch of the finish line. I finished comfortably like how I’d usually do in a training run. The Hoka shoes provided good space and cushioning. Easy to tackle some of those hills.  

My hubby was waiting for me at the finish line. We received the commemorative medal of the armed forces as our finishers medal. 

The words ‘US coast guard’ was engraved on it. What a privilege! I gazed at it in delight, proud of having run for brave hearts who had laid down their lives. After the customary pose with the medal, we got an opportunity to meet one of the marine corps. 

We thanked him for his service and headed back home. 

“So, what happened,” Amit asked.

“Oh, my ear pods just stopped working.”

“Check now.”

I took my phone and the ear pods out of my sports belt. I looked at my phone and the cellular network button was switched off. Weird. How did that happen? I switched it on and plugged my ear pods. Music began to play again.

“Something might have accidently gotten switched off,” Amit remarked.

I shook my head in amazement and thought for a moment. Maybe it was a way for those spirits of the armed forces to compel me to enjoy the run and the camaraderie of fellow runners. Nevertheless, this memorial run had been a memorable one indeed!