I had left on time, but had entered the wrong street to my Google Maps app. I do not have a regular driving GPS, so I was constantly looking down at my IPhone to properly arrive at my destination. After a long while, I found myself at the bottom of a long narrow street. This was surely not the starting location for the event. My spirits sank as the time ticked away. I did NOT want to miss my race, but at that point it seemed likely. After retrieving an e-mail from my phone (after having gotten a signal again) I entered the correct address and arrived at the Marin Headlands Fort Barry location with 15 minutes to spare till start time. I was cutting it close, but at least my bad dreams had not come true. I had made it to the race location and would not miss the start!
Instead of waiting for the shuttle, I briskly walked the 5 or so minutes to the starting location from the designated parking area. I had forgotten to apply my Bodyglide (a wax-based anti-chafing substance) to myself earlier. Darn. I would somehow manage to do that later - or to get some Vaseline at an aid station. My first priority was getting my bag checked in. I planned on carrying my car key with me, but my warm-up pants and extra layer, along with some other personal effects I couldn't just hand off to anybody needed to be checked in for post-race pick up. The line was long. I also needed to attach my bib number to my shirt and get my headlamp out. It all seems surreal when done in the early-morning hours with such excitement in the air and anxiety in the stomach! I also needed (badly) to visit the restroom ("porta poddy"). This last need would need to be dealt with AFTER checking in my bag. For the uninitiated, let me explain that a certain churning of the bowels (I know, it's gross) often comes with pre-race excitement and anxiety. Ample time must be made to deal with this unfortunate physiological concern. I got my bag checked, bib number on, headlamp ready, and had five minutes till the race start. Runners were lining up and congregating at the starting line. Where were the porta poddies? I asked the nearest person I could find as the desperation mounted. "Up the hill" he said. I ran up the hill, did my business, and left the make-shift restroom for the race start with only one minute to spare. My shoes were only hastily laced and needed further tightening. I also had not applied the Bodyglide. It was in my bag - which had been properly checked in only minutes earlier. Oh well. At least I had arrived at the start. Even with a 50-mile run before me, I felt that most of the stress had been dealt with and surmounted. All that remained was the run, and I could do that! Within seconds, 0500 hours came and the race started. I was on my way. The shoes and body lube could be dealt with later.
[Stay tuned for Part 3]
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