Julie Kingdom - Toronto, Canada

I started the run well.  I was a little off my pace by the half way marker by about ten minutes but that didn’t bother me because I was trying to be sensible due to the extreme heat.  Since it was so hot I was drinking way more than usual than on our usual long runs resulting in running out of my own liquid by the halfway marker and having to use what the course was providing on route. 

I hadn’t intended on using what they were offering until the last 10k but had no choice after the half marker.  They had Gatorade endurance on route which is not sold in Canada and is extremely potent (strong & disgusting).  I was guzzling it at every water station and couldn’t seem to quench my thirst. The Gatorade just sat in my chest and wouldn’t digest so it made my running uncomfortable.  I tried to belch it out but nothing worked.  That and the heat forced me to resort to a run for 5 minutes, walk for 5 minutes routine. 

About the 23 mile marker a helicopter came out of no where announcing that the race was cancelled and race officials and police officers were telling people to start walking to the finish line and to stop running.  If you were a slower runner by this point (slower than even me) you were re-routed to the finish line some time ago and I had no idea that this was going on.  Ambulance sirens were going on for majority of the race non stop.  At one point I red a sign that read the temperature which was at 97 degrees with 100% humidity making it at least 100 degrees out.  I felt sick at the end and was very nauseous. At mile 25 I pulled over and threw up all of the Gatorade (Lemon-Lime in case you were wondering) that was causing my discomfort.  After that I felt better and ran to the finish line where I celebrated being one of the few thousand that actually finished with a Michelob Lite!

Yes, they were so worried for our lives that they continued to hand out free beer at the finish line :)

Otherwise I had a great time. 

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*Pictured left, Team VDF member and Julie's mom Olga Korobij and Julie Kingdom. Olga Korobij was one of many runners forced to turn back at mile 17 due to the heat. Olga and Julie both have plans to run other marathons this fall. You go girls!