After my sisters and I got done looking at the parks along the route they were going to go to we went back to my parents house and had dinner, steak, and I set up all my stuff for the race. I never did get really, really nervous. It was nothing like my first marathon two years ago. I wasn't running around looking for missing things, nor did I bring nearly as much stuff, especially food stuff. Two years ago I had bananas, peanut butter, hard boiled eggs, and Snickers bars, this year, I had my chews and my Nuun.
With so many people in my parents house (8) with 5 beds, but also we had to keep Damian and Callie (gf) separated, there was not enough room, so my parents hooked up their 5th wheel for us to sleep in. The first night Damian was in there by himself, however, that put Maddox in a double bed with Chris and I, which doesn't work. So Saturday night Chris, Maddox and I went to the trailer. Well, Maddox still has trouble going to sleep without me laying with him, so I just went to bed with him in a pull out bed. I had originally been in the main bed in the trailer, but moved when he wouldn't go to sleep, but left my phone. I woke up in the middle of the night and Maddox's kindle was close, so I looked at the time 2am. Then a few hours later I woke up again and looked at the clock on the kindle again. 5:46am! I was late! Like an hour later than I intended to be. I jumped out of bed, yelled "Oh, sh*t!" and ran to the bed to get my phone. Chris asked me what was wrong and I said it was 5:45 and I was late. He laughed and said it was only 2:45am.
I forgot that Maddox's kindle was set to eastern time (I don't know why). So I laid back down and fell back asleep (thankfully). I woke up at 4:30 and got out of bed. I ate my steak and eggs, drank my coffee, drank a lot of water and read a book for a couple hours.
With the number of people going to the race (11 including me), we needed to take 4 people in my sister's car, so Chris, both my parents, and me all left about 6:30am to get to the race on time.
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| The sunrise on the way to town. |
On Saturday my sister asked me if I remembered gloves, I said I had some, but wasn't sure why she was curious. She said two years ago she remembers me saying I wished I had my gloves because my hands were so cold. I didn't remember that at all, and debated whether or not I wanted to wear them. I had pretty much decided against it, because I had my running jacket that has flaps that go over the knuckles of my hands but Chris said he thought I should wear them. The first park is at 4 miles and it'd be easy to give them to someone.
It was super foggy when we got to the Tri-Cities. I was kinda disappointed because the drive there was so nice, but I was glad I brought my gloves because it was really cold. We all hung out in the lobby of the hotel until the start of the race.
The day before while I was picking up my packet there was a guy that was sitting in a chair chatting with people in line. He said that he was running his first marathon, and was a little "off." Then while we were in the lobby waiting, my dad happened to sit next to him on a couch. He talked to my dad a little bit, told him that his Nike shoes were from the gods and that the Nike check was his wings and when he got tired they would carry him through the rest of the race. Then when I was walking to the start line, he was talking to another person. He asked the other guy if he had a drink to help with the nerves, the other guy said no, and he said that he drank a "40" to calm down before he got there.
If the marathon had been one of those pictures with different objects that asks "what doesn't fit" he would have been the obvious pick. He was wearing kaki pants tied up with a shoe lace and his shoes were so old they were being held together by tape. I honestly was worried for him, thinking there was no way he'd finish.
Anyway, they started the race and I, of course, started too fast. I kept telling myself to slow down, but in the first half of the race I never quite reached 10 min/mile, I was faster. I know that is bad, my goal was to do the entire race at a 10 min/mile but I felt good with my pace all through the first half and thought I'd have no problem keeping it. After the halfway mark I added about 10 sec (or more) every mile, until mile 21 where I added 20, then 15, then 30, then 40. I was able to speed up in mile 26 (speed up to 11:32). =)
I ditched my gloves at the first park even though it was still foggy, but I didn't want to be stuck with them and my hands were pretty warm. I debated ditching my jacket but kept it on because there was another park 2 miles away. At the second park I didn't know if I wanted to take the jacket off yet or not, it was still foggy, but I was worried it would burn off and I'd be really warm. I ended up giving it to my sister and was glad because it got sunny right after I left the park.
The marathon 2 years ago, I didn't take any pictures. I didn't want to slow my time, and I had my phone in an armband that was hard to get in and out. I regretted not having any pictures of my family or of the beautiful weather. This year I decided I didn't care about my time that much and I had a flipbelt that held my phone, so it was much easier to get in and out.
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| Fog |
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| "Think Chocolate" |
So back to the "crazy guy," he was behind me most of the first half. I could hear him yelling a lot, so I knew he was back there close. I had to use the bathroom in mile 11 so stopped at a portapotty and he got in front of me. So then I was following him, and he was all over, he was waving his arms, and yelling, and swerving, it was very strange. My sister and Chris were at the turn around point to give me more Nuun and afterwards they told me that right before the turn around he was jumping on rocks. He slipped on the last one and landed on his crotch on the rock. I guess he got up and said something like "nothing there!" and kept running. =)
At mile 22 Damian joined me again. I think he is why I finished. I was really, really tired, and felt like I was barely moving.
Damian was my cheerleader again this year. I was more dead this year than 2 years ago, and stopped a couple times and he really cheered me on (yelled at me to get my ass moving). =) He also pushed me up the last hill to go over the last bridge, which there is no way I would have gotten up that hill without him. He was pointing out the walkers and kept saying, "See, you're stronger than that! You can run up it!" At less than a mile left of the race I told him I was going to give him my bib and he could finish for me, I just thought the grass looked very comfortable, and again, he pushed me and kept me going. He is a truly amazing kid.
This year the finish line did not have massages, which I was pretty bummed about. They didn't even have chairs, which I thought was not okay. The chairs we found belonged to The Arc, which is a agency that helps disabled people, they had people racing in wheelchairs (being pushed). We stuck around for the awards, I was 5th out of 5 in my age group. ; )
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| Can I sit down? |
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| Ouch! |
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| He was holding my legs up because they hurt. |
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| Chris's brother playing with my kids |
And we all came home on Monday. Damian had a hard time getting out of the car for lunch. He's not in the same shape he was in 2 years ago and his calves tightened up.
I did attempt a run on Wednesday and only made it 2 miles before my knee started hurting. I ended up walking most of the 2 miles home. It was hurting pretty badly in the last 2 miles of the marathon, especially going down the hill from the bridge, but it felt fine after Sunday night. I guess the running on it is too much for now. I will have to take a little break so I don't hurt myself badly. I still have to run the Last Chance Half Marathon on December 31st to get my Washington Full/Half Marathon Series medal. =)
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| Wednesday's run. |
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Your son is turkey an amazing kid!!! I about cried reading about him!!!!
ReplyDeleteYay!!! As hard as this marathon was, you were victorious!!!
That first fog picture is absolutely fabulous!!!!