Digging Deep

Published: April 12, 2011  ~   1
By Laura Edwards
I managed this self-portrait before dawn
the morning of the race.

As promised, following are my results from the 2011 Tar Heel 10 Miler, run on the campus of UNC and the streets of Chapel Hill on a misty Saturday morning before the sun ever broke through the clouds.

Time: 1:25:27
Pace: 8:35/mile
Laurel Hill time: 7:35
Place: 734 out of 2,189 overall; 267 out of 1,252 females; 60 out of 200 females ages 25-29

I began the race on Stadium Drive with a nasty head cold, an injured Achilles (pulled in a soccer game two days prior), and maybe an hour of sleep (worried I’d sleep through my 5 a.m. alarm, I never quite made it to dreamland).

Around mile marker two, I felt a burning sensation in the ball of my left foot. It never went away, forcing me to change the way I run (more naturally a sprinter than a distance runner, I run entire road races on my toes). Hours later, I’d discover the source of the pain – an enormous blood blister.

Near mile marker five, the pain in my Achilles relented, blissfully replaced by a runner’s high.

A few miles later, I called my parents from the course just to check in. Their voices gave me the boost I’d need just moments later.

Soon after we said goodbye, I reached Laurel Hill – the most difficult part of the race, featuring a 200-foot vertical climb over the course of a mile. By then, my lack of sleep had caught up with me. But when I crossed the first timing mat, I pushed myself, getting as close to a sprint as my body permitted. Each time my ruined feet hit the pavement, I heard my little sister’s laugh, and I dug deeper. I crossed the second timing mat at the top of Laurel Hill seven minutes and 35 seconds after crossing the first – meaning I’d run the most challenging mile a minute faster than my average mile pace.

Soon afterward, I heard the music at the finish line as I rounded a bend. And when I reached the final straightaway, as in every race, I pulled out one more sprint for “T.”

I ran the 2011 Tar Heel 10 Miler 12 minutes faster than in 2010, so tonight, true to my word, I’ll make a $60 donation to our Miles to a Miracle campaign. But more importantly, I’ll never stop running. In fact, I got back out on the track tonight, ready to tackle the next race for Taylor. Laurel Hill has nothing on the mountain we have yet to climb. But I believe.

Please consider making a gift of your own to help Taylor’s Tale cross the finish line of the ultimate race: the race to save the lives of children like my little sister. Give Now

Laurel Hill

Published: March 22, 2011  ~   0
By Laura Edwards

Two weeks from Saturday, I’ll run my favorite race, the Tar Heel 10 Miler, on the streets of Chapel Hill, NC and the gorgeous campus of the University of North Carolina.

I’ll pass mile marker one on the L-shaped road I used to take to UNC basketball games at the “Dean Dome” and soccer practice before they turned our old field into a parking lot.

Around mile marker five, I’ll run past the Forest Theatre, where I got initiated into the co-ed honor fraternity the same night a student proposed to his girlfriend with a candlelit dinner on the stone amphitheater’s grass-carpeted floor.

Near the very end of the race, I’ll climb Laurel Hill, which earned its famous rep due to the fact that it climbs more than 200 vertical feet over about a mile. It’s the most difficult part of the race – so much so that race organizers place separate timing mats at the bottom and top for the simple fact that any runner who notches a killer split on Laurel Hill earns automatic bragging rights.

Laurel Hill isn’t easy, but my playlist, my Asics and my love for my little sister will carry me to the top. And soon after I reach that pinnacle, I’ll cross the finish line.

This will be the third race I’ve run for Taylor since Thanksgiving, but this time, I’ll have additional motivation. In 2010, I ran a slow 1:39 in the Tar Heel 10 Miler. Just two days ago in Charlotte, I ran 10 miles and beat that time by almost 20 minutes. Granted, south Charlotte doesn’t have a Laurel Hill. But I’m almost a sure bet to improve on my 2010 tortoise pace this Saturday, April 9.

To honor my little sister’s valiant fight against Batten disease, I’m pledging $5 for every minute under my 2010 time. I’m also asking friends to give anything they can in support of my run. I’ll post my race result here on Sunday, April 10.

To donate, visit www.taylorstale.com/miles and click on the ‘Donate’ button in the sidebar.

I’m incredibly grateful for the support of all of our angels. Though we have many Laurel Hills ahead of us in the fight to save Taylor, we’ll never stop fighting – or running.