A Tough Break at the 2016 Austin Marathon

On Valentine's Day last Sunday, I placed 2nd overall female in the 2016 Austin Marathon and ran my fastest 26.2 miles by about 20 seconds. Considering that Austin's marathon course has a reputation for being challenging with long stretches of rolling hills, I wasn't at all expecting a PR (Personal Record) over my 2015 Portland Marathon finishing time.

In fact, I started out with the 3:15 pace group in consideration of the warm, humid conditions. However, my adrenaline kicked in early and I found myself hanging with the 3:05 pace group. To my knowledge, I was the only female in the pack, but I knew others who began closer to the starting line were ahead an unknown distance. 

It wasn't until I caught up with the current third place female around mile 17 that I realized I had a chance at placing in the top three. At that point, I had broken away from the pace group and was being trailed by a designated pacer on a bike. By mile 19, I saw another bike pacer with a familiar face - a fantastic personality from my training group who had left a teaser out on Facebook a week earlier about her pacing the second place female, "This could be you, Emily!"

I couldn't believe it, and neither could my body. I was starting to have some pain in my left ankle, which I largely ignored through mile 25. As I was passing the University of Texas football stadium, I felt my ankle turn and shrieked out in pain. My stubborn self didn't stop, as a podium finish was calling me.

I crossed the finish line with a 3:04:18 chip time in utter disbelief and with a throbbing lower leg. An official whisked me off to the Stephen F. Austin Hotel after a brief stop for an ice pack. It was at the hotel that the top three male and female half and full marathon winners were introduced to the race directors and mayor of Austin. I took home an art piece as a trophy along with my limp. 

That's me sandwiched between third place 2016 Austin Marathon winner, Julia Vegas, and first place winner, Chandi Moore. On the far left is the race director and on the far right stands Steve Adler, Mayor of Austin.

Now here comes a bit of modesty; several of Texas' elite runners were participating in the Olympic Trials in Los Angeles the same weekend as Austin's marathon (including my former public speaking teacher and huge inspiration, Andrea Duke). Usually a handful of elite female runners who run sub-3 marathons (think 6:30 minute miles!) participate, so I caught the race on a good year. However, this in no way overshadows the first place winner's amazing story; last Sunday marked only the second full marathon that Chandi Moore (1st Place) had ever raced. What an amazing achievement!

Now here comes the real kicker. That pain I felt in my ankle? Turns out it is a fractured fibula. Needless to say, I'm not going to be running again for quite some time. Instead, I'm going to use the down time to come back to some old passions -- writing and art -- and buckle down on my career.

My trophy: "So that one time I won a marathon podium spot on a broken leg..."

Here's to a speedy recovery!