3 Bridges Marathon: Little Rock, Arkansas, December 10, 2022 – Marathon #5
Well, I’m not sure where to begin with this race. It was a last-minute addition to my schedule, part of my plan to stay prepared for the big race year ahead in 2023. And let me tell you, it was packed with moments I won’t ever forget.
The weather was a bit… dramatic. Storms were threatening to cancel the marathon, and while that’s always a possibility, it was never something I’d planned for. I was determined to get all my marathons done within a certain timeframe, and I didn’t want Mother Nature or anything else to get in the way. But as I arrived at the start line, things were looking rough. It wasn’t just raining—it was pouring, and the humidity was so thick that I could barely see in front of me. And then came the thunder and lightning. The race director came on the loudspeaker, announcing that the start would be delayed, and we were all welcome to take shelter under the tent and pray for the storm to pass. So, I did what anyone would do in that situation: I prayed.
And, by some miracle, the storm passed through quickly. The pouring rain slowed to a mist, and the lightning faded away. The race director gave the green light for the race to proceed. I was thrilled, but also nervous—this would be my first time running in the rain, and I’d been warned about slick spots and muddy trails along the course.
The race itself was beautiful. But, of course, I started the marathon thinking I could avoid the mud puddles and keep my shoes and feet dry. That lasted all of a quarter mile. I misjudged the size of a puddle, and before I knew it, both feet were soaked. Instead of getting frustrated, I just laughed and decided to embrace it. From that point on, I stomped through every puddle I could find. After all, what’s a little mud between friends?
The conditions throughout the race were humid, with spotty rain here and there. Now, I know rain doesn’t hurt anyone, but on this particular day, it nearly broke me—but not for the reasons you might think.
Here’s where the story takes an unexpected turn. I have hair extensions and, being a runner, I always wear my hair in braids. At the time, I’d only had the extensions for about six months, and I’d never had a problem with tangling—until this race. The rain in Arkansas that day was, well, something else. Let’s just say that by the time I finished the marathon, my hair was in such a state of disaster that I spent nearly 15 hours trying to get the tangles out. After hours of struggling, I had to give up and get the extensions completely removed and replaced. Unfortunately, the tangles were so bad that they caused a scalp hematoma, which had to heal before I could get the extensions replaced. It was by far the most painful post-race experience I’ve had, and to this day, I swear that the rain in Arkansas that day must’ve been some form of acid rain.
But, despite the hair nightmare, there was a bright spot. I finished the marathon and was shocked to hear the race director announce that I had won 2nd place in my age group! I couldn’t believe it. The award was huge and beautiful, and I was on top of the world. Honestly, I never expected to place in my age group in a marathon, so it was a great feeling. But I’ll admit, I didn’t really get to celebrate at the time, because I was so consumed by the hair disaster.
Looking back, Arkansas will go down as one of the most painful races of all my marathons—but not for the reasons you’d think. It wasn’t the race itself that caused the most pain—it was the battle with my hair. That said, I’ll definitely get extensions again, but I don’t plan to have the same problems next time!
Despite everything, I’m proud of completing my 5th state and crossing the finish line in Arkansas. I won’t forget this one anytime soon.