Runners- what's your most memorable run?

My first 24hour race (in my case a 50 miler).

A friend has lost his young son to cancer the month before. Another friend of his, who has run for the USA in the 24 hour world championship, decided to get a group together to do a 24 hour race with our friend as a way to support him and honor his son.

Original plan was to do a 24 hour relay as part of the race, but in the end we all decided to run as individuals and see what would happen. I wasn't in shape to do an ultra, but wound up doing 50 miles before deciding I had enough. Then stayed up and watched the rest of the race. It was nuts as two guys were essentially neck and neck at the end. I still feel a bond with those I ran with, and run almost every race in the singlet that honors the son. My friend now runs a thriving foundation to fight neuroblastoma.

Went back the next year as well, in much better shape, but the first was more memorable because of the circumstances.

2004 Twin Cities Marathon. I'd started running two years previous to that, and that was the first organized race I entered. My parents came up from Florida to watch, and it was such a great sense of accomplishment to make it to the finish line with my parents, wife and kids all there to cheer me on.

2009 Chicago Marathon. It was my first marathon. I injured my groin about 2 weeks before the race and wasn't able to run at all. The Thursday before the race I came down with some nasty stomach bug (nausea, vomiting and fever) and I wasn't able to eat until Friday night. I lost 6 pounds in those 2 days. I figured there was no way I could finish. Luckily it was a cold day - it started around 37 degrees and when I finished it was about 42. If you look at my pictures, you can see I had a strange gate, kind of leaning to one side. My groin didn't bother me much during the race but it had obviously changed my gait. A month after the race I was still limping from the groin pain and I was unable to run. I finally went to the doctor, had an MRI, and was diagnosed with a stress fracture at the top of my femur. I had been disappointed in my time because my training group all finished about 20 minutes before me but considering I ran after being sick and with a bad injury, I am very proud of that finish.

My first half marathon in April 2010. It was the MORE/Fitness half in Central Park and rained the entire time! Before I even started I was soaked. I was so nervous and almost talked myself out of it, it felt like an even larger accomplishment for me when I finished!

Last year's Komen Race for the Cure because my little girl was there to cheer me on. And also because i finished in 29 mins which was a new PR
What, we cant post pics?

I lost a bet and had to run naked around campus...
...it was snowing outside.

I an a 10K which started at Crissy Field, went stright uphill to the Golden Gate Bridge, back and forth across the bridge, and then back down to Crissy Field to the finish line.

It was the most beautiful day imaginable, the sun was shining, it was warm (in SF, the coldest place on earth!!!!) and the race almost killed me. That bridge was endless.

I started referring to the Golden Gate as "the longest bridge on earth":laugh:

My first practice run for my 15km race. It was my first time running 15km, it was so hot out & I wanted to stop and walk so bad, but kept going. When I got back my boyfriend was sitting on the front deck with a cooler full of beer and I took one and drank it in about 45 seconds. It was the best beer I ever had.

my first marathon was the Fall Colours in Ottawa (well, outside Ottawa), never heard of it? not surprised, it is one b!tch of a course. I hadn't trained nearly enough for it, was carrying a lot more weight than I want to admit and I got an inkling that this was going to be incredibly hard when I realized that there were only 120 people signed up for the marathon. Compare that to Ottawa Race Weekend where you are likely to see at least 2000. I knew it was touted as being a "hilly" course, but that is the understatement of the century! The first 5k was essentially straight up, at least a 30-40% incline, and then the rollers start. The best part, of course, is that once you finish the loop you are...half way done. So you have to do it all over again! I ran the first half straight and managed a respectable time, but when I hit km 25 and was only half way up the hill again I realized that I essentially had two choices. Quit, or slow to a walk. I'm too stubborn to quit. A friend met up with me at km 26 and decided to be my sherpa for the rest of the race. It took me so long (not by normal marathon standards but by this race's standard- they had a 6 hour cut off and I came in after that) that every time I passed a water station they took it down immediately afterward. We had the race patrol swing by every 20 minutes asking if I wanted a ride in yet. We walked to the end and I was the very last person to cross the finish line. But as the number of finishers was less than 100 I'm pretty ok with that! (one friend who attempted it with me dropped out before km 30). When we approached the finish line the volunteers who were taking down all the stuff at the end formed a line for me and cheered me in. I even got an official time! I have never been more proud of a finisher medal.

Happy to report that I completed my second full marathon more than an hour and a half faster. This year I'm hoping to shave off at least another 15-20 minutes!

My first long distance run - 10 miles - over 7 years ago
and
my first Half which I did last Sept.