This weekend our sights were only set on the Taroko Gorge Marathon. We signed up for the half marathon - 21 km through one of the prettiest places in the Country. The prettiest place in the country.
Aside from the months of training that need no explanation (we, um, ran a lot) the only story here is the day of the race. The schedule was supposed to be this:
Wake @ 3:45am, Take Train @ 4:35am, Sign in @ 5:30am, Store stuff/prepare/stretch until 6:30am, Race @ 7:00am
We, however, did not wake up until 5:45am.
I guess two alarms were not enough...next race, four alarms!
So, whipping ourselves out of bed and cramming cereal and coffee down our throats we rushed around the apartment gathering our things, got dressed and lunged down the stairs to the street below. Totally empty, as it should be at 6am on a saturday morning I guess.
Think. Think. We missed the train....totally missed it. We could scooter there....that would take about 45 minutes and leave us chilled and cramped and not in the mood for a good race. Taxi. Taxi. Get a taxi. Our only hope...our only choice.
We paced around in that momentary stasis of inaction that follows a situation like this - where do we get a freaking taxi on an empty street at this time of day?
Hotel....
Running down the street to the (luckily, close by) WuZhou hotel we burst through the doors and asked the clerk to call us a taxi. Perfect. Done. Calm. We walked to the street, paced around some more and waited for loving yellow car to take us north to Taroko Gorge.
Moments later it arrived, we got in and were able, finally, to breath, relax and take in the unpolished beginning to the day. Half an hour later, a thermos of coffee and two pairs of re-laced shoes later we arrived at the shuttle bus stop. This was good...people were still getting the shuttle from the Taroko train station to the race starting point (National Park HQ). So, we payed our $30 cab fare (ouch!!) and tossed our things, and ourselves, on the shuttle. What felt like an eternity, but was really only 5 minutes or so later, we were let off at a bustling HQ. Register, store our stuff, rush to the bathroom and......wait. Everybody, it seemed, had waited until this moment to use the facilities and while the girls line was moving like a well-oiled machine, the male line was tinkering along like rusted garden tool. It........took.......FOREVER!!
Crystal was able to get to the race on time, while I, still in line as the starting bell sounded, started the race 8 minutes late (at 10 minutes late they make you forfeit...so, I was literally 2 minutes away from defeat!). I started alone.....paced myself and caught up with the mass by the 1km mark or so. After that....we ran.
It does no good to go into the details of the race - it was beautiful, perfect weather and we ran a really good race. Crystal finished 3rd in her class, which was awesome. A nice prize and a certificate to remind her always!
We are now looking forward....one in November and one in June. Maybe.
