Week 10-Race Day

There are few things in life that I want to spend ten weeks preparing for and then push through intense pain resulting in more pain the following day for the "fun" of it, but running this marathon was one of  them, and boy, am I happy I did!  I have to say 5:30 AM comes very quickly when you are up all night with a sick toddler and I really wanted to "call in sick" this morning instead of running, but I was awake anyway, so I thought, what the hell!

Walking towards downtown Columbus in 40 degree weather when you are sick and exhausted really isn't all that inspiring, but once I arrived at the starting corrals for the race, words cannot express how humbled and excited I was. There were so many people there (15,000+) in the cold, dark, early morning to run this race for the pure pleasure of running, and I have to say it was awesome! In no time at all it was time to start and they herded us into the corrals like sheep out to pasture.  It was 7:37 when I finally hit the starting line and there were so many people that you had to dodge not only people but also their various discarded clothing, which acted like little land mines along the way. My heart was pounding so hard that I would have sworn that the runners near me could hear it.

My adrenaline was pumping so fiercely...and then reality...the first water/Gatorade station. Typically I try not to drink too much water because my tiny pea-sized bladder cannot accommodate anything while I run, but that being said, I do need to stay hydrated, so as I passed the first station I tried to imagine how I would grab my little shot of water while continuing to run and not end up drowning in it as well.  I watched as other runners expertly snag a tiny cup and then took the drink in one shot and tossed the cup to the ground.  OK, I thought...I can do that and when in Rome...  So around mile four I decided to test my run/snag/drink/toss ability.  Suffice it to say that I ended up very wet and still very thirsty, and by the end of the race I was still very thirsty and very wet, but it was all part of the experience.

I am still in shock that I managed to feel so good for the entire run, but I am sure that adrenaline played a pretty big role in it.  Starting out I was passing hundreds of people and feeling really good about it, by around mile 6-7 I had settled in, and by mile 10, I did feel my body start to slow.  Then my competitive drive came out, and let me tell you, it isn't friendly.  Nobody but nobody was going to pass me, so I sped up and before I knew it (after 2 miles straight up a hill) I could see the finish line.  Then I hit a dead sprint to the end...I crossed the finish at 2:04:46 (a number I will never forget)!!  They put a medal around my neck and I pushed through the crowd to find my family.  When I finally find them after what seemed like hours, my baby reached out to kiss me and my husband put his arms around me and said, "YOU DID IT!"  Talk about a sweet ending to a long, exhausting journey.

Even though I am crossing this journey off my bucket list, I don't feel like I am done with this chapter in my life. Will I run again? Without a doubt!

Week 9- Ready to Race

OK, let's be honest I'm not really going to be "racing" next weekend.  The plan is to finish the 13.1 miles in one piece, I'm certainly not going for gold.  Next week marks the last week of training, and I have to say that I have been looking forward to this marathon for a long, long time, but I will be relieved when it is over!  Training is no joke!! I have run a total of 174 miles for this training so far, and by the end (race and all), I will have run 195.1 miles give or take a few extra for good measure.  I feel ready to run these 13.1 miles but also very ready for this training to be over,  but the thing I am looking forward to the most is seeing my sweet little boy's face at the finish line...that will truly be heaven on earth!

Week 8- Lost that lovin' feeling...

OK, I haven't exactly lost my love of running, but I am definitely looking for the proverbial light at the end of the  tunnel at this point.  This is the end of week 8, and while I am enjoying the accomplishment of completing the first 8 weeks without  missing so much as one tenth of a mile, I can't exactly bask in the glow yet, but two weeks from today I will be able to cross this little endeavor off my "bucket list!" I am getting excited and even a little nervous about the official running of the marathon, but it is nice to think about all the miles I have already run.  I am feeling a lot more "can" than "can't" at this point...strangely enough this sentence reminds me of a teacher I had in the eighth grade, so I must digress.

At the height of raging hormones in middle school, we had this lovely little Health teacher, who looked as if she was constantly afraid of something and definitely did not look as if she had any experience whatsoever in sex ed, a topic that she was dead set on focusing 99 % of our class time on. I even recall watching in horror as she displayed the ever-popular banana demonstration for us all to see. Well, now that we all have a disturbing mental picture to carry with us, I can get back to my original point...Ms. Sex Ed had this jar or can rather that had a bunch of eyes glued on it (cut from magazines kidnapper-style), she called it....are you ready for this??? her "I" can!  Nice huh? Anytime some poor unsuspecting student would say " I can't," she would make them write down  what they thought they couldn't do and put it in the can, and when they accomplished it they could take it out.

So in a very roundabout what I am trying to say is that I can finally take running a marathon out of my "I can."

Week 7- Hell Week

This is the week that I have been dreading since day one, and to be quite honest, I was pretty fearful about not making it through this week.  I had to run 4 miles Monday and Thursday, 6 miles Wednesday and then 12 miles Saturday (that is 26 miles for you Math majors out there, which is nearly the distance of a full length marathon), which seemed pretty insurmountable to me...but I MADE IT!  I have no funny observations or snarky comments about this week, I am just happy to have survived it.  I do feel confident now in making it across the finish line in three short weeks and finally making one of my dreams a reality.

Week 6-Feelin' like a bad ass!

I have to admit that after 10 miles last week, I was really not looking forward to this week's 11 miles, but after hitting the snooze button several times I talked myself into hitting the pavement.  I was pretty disappointed when I didn't feel all that great for the first 4 1/2 miles but after that I really got into the zone and at 5 1/2 miles was elated to do my "halfway there" victory dance.  Running today really got me thinking, partially because there isn't that  much else to do while running 11 miles and partially because running has become a rather reflective active for me. Here are some of my more memorable observations from today:

1. The sun coming up behind the trees is intensely beautiful and awe-inspiring.

2. Early in the morning the dew on the grass looks like glitter.

3. I apparently love the smell of petunias.

4. Men only get up early on the weekends for a few things: golf, football and the occasional fishing trip.

5. There is such a thing as a "second wind."  There are also "third," "fourth" and "fifth" winds.  The human body is truly an amazing thing!

6. While running one really good song can make you feel like a total bad ass.

7. Once the pain begins, it is not likely the pain will retreat until you stop running.

8. After 10 miles I get tunnel vision.

9.  To train for a marathon you must either be completely insane or completely stubborn...I am the latter.

Week 5-Running on trash day stinks...

After another night without sleep, because my little guy decided to make my morning 10 mile run just that much more challenging, I woke up...um, a little late to start my run.  Once I finally got going I have to admit I couldn't for the life of me remember what I was dreading about my run. The sun was coming up, the ground was covered in dew, and the smell of the air...was NASTY... oh yes, it was trash day in our little neighborhood and everyone had certainly put out their finest smelling garbage this lovely Saturday morning. Instead of fresh, crisp Fall air that happens to be one of my favorite smells, I got a whiff of dirty diapers and rotten food every 30 feet or so.

As disgusting as trash day on my run was I will admit that the smells permeating from the trash bins did help me forget about how far I had to go and how far I had already gone.  I did have one moment where my body really wanted to stop, my joints were aching and I didn't feel like I had anything left around 9 miles but I thought...ONE MORE MILE...I can deal with anything for one mile!  After it was over I felt surprisingly energized and actually had a very productive day, but a little later when my best friend asked me if I could feel my legs all I could respond with was, yes, I could feel them but I really wished I couldn't because I was pretty sore...

*Mental status remains positive and my head is still in the game, but unfortunately I think I'm going to be a little sore tomorrow.*

Song of week is cheesy but appropriate: Don't Stop Believin'

Week 4-Victory Dance

This post is clearly a little late but after my "long" Saturday, I had to take some time to gather my thoughts and assess my current status.  Due to the holiday weekend and plans to leave town, I woke bright and early to go for my 8 mile run, which is saying a lot because I never, ever get up before my son, it is kind of an unwritten law that you sleep when they sleep.  It was a nice, cool morning and I took a new route to try to add a couple more miles to my current routine.  I was feeling really good and I even did my "victory dance" at the halfway point that I have started doing while on my run.  Yes, a victory dance at the halfway point helps me gear up for the second half., anyway I did my victory dance and went on my merry way.  About 7 miles into my 8 mile run, I had lost my mojo for sure, instead of dancing I was mentally repeating "just put one foot in front of the other" and "come on, keep going!"  I knew that I could make it but mentally I was slowing down and needed a pep talk for sure.  Next time I need to take some reinforcements and definitely some more music because if I have to listen to anymore Lady Gaga, I was going to throw myself in front of the next cyclist that passed by me.


*Mental status is good, but feeling challenged and physically I am doing well, a little stiff Sunday morning but still good.*

Song of the week: I enjoyed Monster by Lady Gaga this week, although I am pretty sure there is something seriously wrong with that girl.