Hey friends! It is hard to believe that yesterday I completed my very first
marathon. Well, until I try to move my legs, and then I definitely remember!
Ouch!
Winter started early in Oklahoma this year, so I was really worried about cold conditions. But yesterday morning it was gorgeous, around 45, slightly breezy, and I knew once we started running it would be perfect.
When I had originally signed up to run they asked me my estimated finish time, I think I put something like, 12 hours, since I had absolutely NO IDEA and the farthest I had run at that point was 5 miles, and the whole idea of 26 seemed a little ludicrous. This put me in corral D, and we didn't get to start until 20 minutes after the original gun time.
The first 13 miles were a blur. They had music acts about every half mile, lots of fans cheering and hollering, and I got to see several of my girlfriends who were running in the half. I am positive I had a grin on my face the whole time. After the split and the half marathoners were gone, I got the surprise of my husband, mother in law, and little girls cheering me on the side of the road with signs. I ran up to give both of my ladies a big hug, and I also got to shed my gloves and hat with them, so it was a definite win-win! I still felt great, and had zero pain in my foot, which is amazing since even the day before it was hurting me. (praise God!)
We knew some real bathrooms were coming up instead of the porta-potties with lines a mile long, so we made a quick stop and hit the road again. The next four miles started to get a little tougher, but I was all for it. We did the Center of the Universe Detour at mile 17, and that was really neat, even if it was uphill. I received this coin that is officially my new paperweight for work.
Mile 18 started to get a whole lot tougher. I think it was a mental thing, That was when we officially left downtown for the second time (and downtown being where the finish line is) and headed up to the TU campus. I really didn't like the thought of running in the opposite direction of the finish line. I toughed it out, ate some more fuel, and got hydrated. My pace slowed from around 12 to 13.5, but I made it to TU.
At TU I started alternating between running and walking with a purpose. There are so many hills in that area, that even though I knew about them, i really didn't realize how hard they would be when you are over 20 miles. When I got out of TU and into the neighborhoods, I knew that I was heading south, and would eventually hit 21st in a couple miles, and then it would be a straight shot home. At that point, I think this was mile 21, my whole body was on fire. I never doubted that I wouldn't finish, not for a single second. But I suddenly realized it might take me 7 hours instead of 6.
I pulled out my phone, and read some extremely encouraging texts from my step mom, my husband, and my friend Ann. They were all talking about how they were so proud and excited for me, and how they loved watching me on the "Tracking" app that the marathon provided. (really it was amazing, they could see where I was on the course at any given time) Those words gave me renewed energy, and I was able to speed up a little, but still I wasn't back to the 12 minute pace of pre-18.
When I finally hit 21st street I felt immense relief. There were no more turns, no more back tracking, no more detours. It was a straight shot, that I had run several times in the past, and it was just 3 miles left! I suddenly got renewed energy! And since I had been keeping myself perfectly fueled and hydrated (really i am very proud of myself for this, that was the most important part I think) I suddenly was able to put on a burst of speed and get back to around a 12.5 minute pace. I think this proves that a marathon really is completely mental. That energy was there, I just had to believe in it.
The last 2 miles was very hilly, and since my legs were mostly dead, I walked with a purpose up the hills, and then ran down them. When I saw the sign that said 25, it was just amazing. I mean what's a mile anyway? It's nothing! When I hit mile 26 I had a burst of speed left in me. So yep, i sprinted to the end. That was very important to me. I didn't want to be so depleted that I walked over the finish line. I wanted to finish strong.
All of my Crazy Running Chicks group had stayed after the half for 3 hours to watch me finish. I got to give them high fives down the line and their smiling faces were so beautiful! My step moms tears in her eyes gave me affirmation that I had done something amazing, and I should be proud of it. My husbands encouraging words and lovingly holding my water belt meant so much to me. He became my pack mule, without complaint, standing to the side while I got enveloped in hugs from other people. He is my rock, and I couldn't have spent all those hours of training away from him and my ladies, without his support.
I learned a lot about myself during this entire 5 month journey. I am a strong, determined woman, who goes after what she wants, and achieves it. And after Christmas, I am sure I will start training again for the OKC Marathon in April, and then it's Tough Mudder in October. Life goes forward, and if you let it, it can be amazing.
Oh, and my time? 6 hours 5 minutes to complete 26.5 miles. I rocked it!
Winter started early in Oklahoma this year, so I was really worried about cold conditions. But yesterday morning it was gorgeous, around 45, slightly breezy, and I knew once we started running it would be perfect.
When I had originally signed up to run they asked me my estimated finish time, I think I put something like, 12 hours, since I had absolutely NO IDEA and the farthest I had run at that point was 5 miles, and the whole idea of 26 seemed a little ludicrous. This put me in corral D, and we didn't get to start until 20 minutes after the original gun time.
The first 13 miles were a blur. They had music acts about every half mile, lots of fans cheering and hollering, and I got to see several of my girlfriends who were running in the half. I am positive I had a grin on my face the whole time. After the split and the half marathoners were gone, I got the surprise of my husband, mother in law, and little girls cheering me on the side of the road with signs. I ran up to give both of my ladies a big hug, and I also got to shed my gloves and hat with them, so it was a definite win-win! I still felt great, and had zero pain in my foot, which is amazing since even the day before it was hurting me. (praise God!)
We knew some real bathrooms were coming up instead of the porta-potties with lines a mile long, so we made a quick stop and hit the road again. The next four miles started to get a little tougher, but I was all for it. We did the Center of the Universe Detour at mile 17, and that was really neat, even if it was uphill. I received this coin that is officially my new paperweight for work.
Mile 18 started to get a whole lot tougher. I think it was a mental thing, That was when we officially left downtown for the second time (and downtown being where the finish line is) and headed up to the TU campus. I really didn't like the thought of running in the opposite direction of the finish line. I toughed it out, ate some more fuel, and got hydrated. My pace slowed from around 12 to 13.5, but I made it to TU.
At TU I started alternating between running and walking with a purpose. There are so many hills in that area, that even though I knew about them, i really didn't realize how hard they would be when you are over 20 miles. When I got out of TU and into the neighborhoods, I knew that I was heading south, and would eventually hit 21st in a couple miles, and then it would be a straight shot home. At that point, I think this was mile 21, my whole body was on fire. I never doubted that I wouldn't finish, not for a single second. But I suddenly realized it might take me 7 hours instead of 6.
I pulled out my phone, and read some extremely encouraging texts from my step mom, my husband, and my friend Ann. They were all talking about how they were so proud and excited for me, and how they loved watching me on the "Tracking" app that the marathon provided. (really it was amazing, they could see where I was on the course at any given time) Those words gave me renewed energy, and I was able to speed up a little, but still I wasn't back to the 12 minute pace of pre-18.
When I finally hit 21st street I felt immense relief. There were no more turns, no more back tracking, no more detours. It was a straight shot, that I had run several times in the past, and it was just 3 miles left! I suddenly got renewed energy! And since I had been keeping myself perfectly fueled and hydrated (really i am very proud of myself for this, that was the most important part I think) I suddenly was able to put on a burst of speed and get back to around a 12.5 minute pace. I think this proves that a marathon really is completely mental. That energy was there, I just had to believe in it.
The last 2 miles was very hilly, and since my legs were mostly dead, I walked with a purpose up the hills, and then ran down them. When I saw the sign that said 25, it was just amazing. I mean what's a mile anyway? It's nothing! When I hit mile 26 I had a burst of speed left in me. So yep, i sprinted to the end. That was very important to me. I didn't want to be so depleted that I walked over the finish line. I wanted to finish strong.
All of my Crazy Running Chicks group had stayed after the half for 3 hours to watch me finish. I got to give them high fives down the line and their smiling faces were so beautiful! My step moms tears in her eyes gave me affirmation that I had done something amazing, and I should be proud of it. My husbands encouraging words and lovingly holding my water belt meant so much to me. He became my pack mule, without complaint, standing to the side while I got enveloped in hugs from other people. He is my rock, and I couldn't have spent all those hours of training away from him and my ladies, without his support.
I learned a lot about myself during this entire 5 month journey. I am a strong, determined woman, who goes after what she wants, and achieves it. And after Christmas, I am sure I will start training again for the OKC Marathon in April, and then it's Tough Mudder in October. Life goes forward, and if you let it, it can be amazing.
Oh, and my time? 6 hours 5 minutes to complete 26.5 miles. I rocked it!
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