Since high school I have had this little fascination with marathons and in college I once said (in my head) that I wanted to run one. After the Monument 10k last year I started toying with the idea of training for a marathon, but since my husband and exercises buddy, Kim, had just bought bikes I decided on triathlons instead. Well triathlons are a seasonal thing and in November I ran a half-marathon and as I came across the finish line I thought, "I could keep going. If I ran at this pace, I really could run a marathon!" That feeling kept festering in me and on New Year's Eve before midnight I signed up for the National Marathon in DC. Well little did I know that this year Richmond would transform in to a snowland rending long Saturday runs either impossible or very difficult. I managed to squeeze in a long run. I continued to do my morning runs with crazy girls (Kim, Brityn, Darci and Katie) who like to get up at 5:45 AM in 10 degree weather to run. There were rough runs:
Top 3 worst runs
1. 20 miles at 5 AM after 4 hours of sleep courtesy of the MCV ball (not to mention sore feet from ridiculous heels the night before)
2. 15 miles in the rain with a cold and ear infection
3. 16 miles for my first run of the year. Outside temp 18 degrees. My water bottle froze and I had tried to go with a local running group and wound up running with a girl who refused to talk. It made me miss my normal running buddies (at least if you are by yourself you can put your ipod on)
I made it through the runs and as race day approached I was imagining all kinds of crazy scenarios where I would sprain my ankle at work or get severe gastroenteritis right before the race or it would snow 2 feet in DC again. Luckily, none of those things happened. I had tons of support in the way of good luck wishes and texts. My cute friend Marci even decorated my house with candy and decorations to congratulate me. I got up nice an early on race day and headed down town. The Petersons let us crash at their house and got up a 5:45 to drop us off at the race. I brought my trusty pack mule, photographer and personal cheerleader (Richard). I met up with my old roommate Mary who was running the half with her dad and uncle. We ran the first 3 miles together. I made 3 portapotty stops "just in case" because I was petrified of browning my legs (if you know what I mean). Luckily, I didn't! I ran the last 23.2 miles without talking much, despite my plans to wear my BYU shirt to lure other cougars into having a conversation with me, nobody engaged in much running conversation.
I loved the amazing views of the capital and the monuments. I loved running in the warm sun along the river front. I loved seeing people cheering me on along the way.
Top 5 favorite posters along the run
1. Toenails are for sissies
2. Warning: serious chaffing ahead
3. After today you won't just be a runner you will be a marathoner (I think I got misty eyed at that one)
4. Hey stranger! You don't know me, but you're my hero.
5. If you can do natural child birth you can do this (don't ask me why, I just liked it)
I pretty much had a smile on my face all the way to mile 21! Mile 22 I focused on my music. THEN came mile 23 and 24...UGHHH. It was AWFUL! My legs hurt, I was so tired and there were all these rolling hills for the the last 3 miles. I walked a lot and I kept trying to remind myself that three miles is NOTHING compared to what I had done so far, but my legs didn't believe me. Then I resorted to reminding myself how much I wanted it, that didn't help much either. Fellow runners would encourage me and that helped, as did the powerade at mile 25. So I ponied up and ran the last 1.2 miles and would have cried tears of joy as I came across the finish line, but I didn't have any water left in my body. My face didn't have sweat marks on it, just salt streaks. I still felt a little bit like a wanted to die or just amputate my legs to stop the pain, but as I ate my cookies and drank my juice I realized I had accomplished my goal!! That's one more off the bucket list and I am so glad I did it. Now I will proudly display my 26.2 bumper sticker.
I think you should get a Long post bumper sticker for making it through this long post!!
