I DID IT!!! I ran my 1st Marathon . . . and probably my last!

My goal of the past five months has finally been achieved. I would have posted sooner, but I've just been too sore, I've barely moved around for the past two days. This past Friday afternoon, Joe and I dropped the kids off at my parents house and headed to Leavenworth. I had been literally sick to my stomach all week long, the anxiety of just the thought of what was to come was just too overwhelming . . . was I ready to actually run 26.2 miles??? We made it up there, picked up my race packet which included my race number, t-shirt and running chip (this was going to give me my actual race time). I also picked up Shaela's packet, she was driving up in the morning. She injured herself earlier in our training and had already accepted the fact that she wasn't going to be able to run. It was already getting late by the time we checked into our Bed and Breakfast. As soon as we walked into our room, we were surprised by this . . .


Joe's boss who had got us this room beat us up there and left us this little care package. We headed back into town to get some dinner, I had my mind set on pasta knowing that I needed those carbohydrates. Leavenworth has an awesome Italian restaurant, Visconti's - spendy but so worth it! Eating still didn't help calm my nerves any.

Saturday morning I was up by six, ate a little something, but those nerves were still there. I was so ready to get this race on it's way. We arrived at the Fish Hatchery, I had been on the phone with my sister, my parents and Shaela, they all were arriving close to the same time. As I walked to their cars I watched as everyone got out. I walked towards them and it took me several seconds to realize who I was looking at, my sister flew in from New Jersey to support and cheer me on. OMG was I ever so shocked to see her! So after that emotional hello it was time to get ready . . . Shaela arrived and at the last minute she decided that she was going to run the half marathon for her Grandfather who had just passed away on Thursday. So, in his memory we were off at the sound of the horn. My nerves had subsided a little once I knew that Shaela was going to start this with me. We ran together for about 3/4 of a mile then we were on our own.

The first 2-miles of the race had a 4% grade uphill and it was raining. I got through the first half with my family cheering me on at various spots throughout the course. I think the first time that I saw all of them, I was already close to mile #5. I saw my Dad up the way, he ran across the road as I approached him and ran along side me. Everyone else seemed to miss me pass by them since I had already taken off my black shirt and that's what they were still looking for me to be wearing. I didn't see them again until mile #9. As I neared Mile #13 realizing that the majority of the runners were just about done I agonized over the fact of having to do the course all over again. I reached the half at 2 hours and 20 minutes, I was trying to keep a slow steady pace so that I wouldn't hit the wall before I crossed that finish line.

Starting on the 2nd half, I had to do that 4% grade all over again and let me tell you . . . this time it wasn't so easy. By the time I reached mile #16 I was getting tired. I met Joe along side the road coming down the hill, told him that I was tired and that I felt sick, but I kept going. I wasn't going to give up! As I got to the bottom of the hill my sister showed back up from behind me and ran along side me, even though she's wearing an air cast she was right there to keep me going. I met back up with Shaela and she ended up riding her bike along side me for the rest of my marathon. There were certain points throughout the course where the rain literally poured down, soaking wet and being exhausted still didn't stop me.

I can remember about mile #18 when I told Shaela that by the time I got to the finish line I was going to pass the two ladies that were in front of me. Several miles later they both were out of site. Around mile #23 my parents were driving along the course, they would stop and then go up a ways then stop and wait for me again . . . at one point my Dad said that one of the ladies was just up ahead about 1/4 of a mile, gave me some strategy pointers and said that I could catch up with her. Once she came into site I tried to focus on catching up with her, but I was soooo tired. But with only about 1.5 miles to go I did . . . I stayed right along side her and then started talking to her (I don't think she liked that very much though) as we rounded the corner and got close to where I thought was our last turn, she said that wasn't it so we kept running until a car told us that we had missed the turn. I don't know exactly how far we had run out of our way (I'm thinking about a 1/4 of a mile), but it took everything I had to stay going and not let her pull ahead of me . . . knowing at this point if we hadn't missed our turn we'd be done by now. We rounded the corner and came down the little hill . . . I could see all the kids, they cheered me on to the finish line running along side me. I thought that seeing the finish line was going to be emotional but I don't think I had the energy left in me to be. I had accomplished this and I was done! I crossed that finish line at 5 hours 22 minutes, only 22 minutes longer than I wanted to finish in. It averages out to 12 1/2 minute miles for 26.2 miles . . . so that's really not too bad for a first time marathoner.

I want to thank my family from the bottom of my heart for being there to support me, encourage me and keep me going . . . if it wasn't for my Dad, I would have stopped and walked and I would have never caught up with that lady. Dad, you holding back kept me going . . . Thank you! Joe, I'm so glad you were there even if you did only want to wait at the finish line (just joking) LOL!!! I know that I made you proud! Renee', thanks for all the moral support and occasional companionship along the way, all your hoops and hollers really did help! Mom, I'm just so glad you were able to make it through the day and be waiting for me at that finish line, you were the first person I saw as I was coming to it. Mona, it meant so much to me for you to be there . . . what a surprise! And Shaela, you were Awesome! Thanks for riding along with me and being a part of this with me. You yourself did an amazing job and I know that your Grandpa was watching down on you and you made him very PROUD! Thanks to Kaitie, Jakob, Ben, Camryn and Mason for making me smile along the way too! LOVE YOU GUYS!!!