My First Marathon!

Wow, my first marathon is already over... Crazy to think that 3 months of training is already done! I ran 340 miles to get ready for 26......I finished! Yeah! Just not where I wanted to be.. 4 hrs. 4 min... Oh, well, next time I'll get it done... Yes, next time! Well, we left for Phoenix on Friday afternoon after the kids were out of school. Made for a late night but when you are off on an adventure you seem to be up for anything! And the kids had a blast.. We spent Saturday picking up my race packet and doing what needed to be done at the race expo..( like finding the missing cow duck! There is a story for you.. Aidan was a hero for a cute little guy!) Let me tell you this place was crazy! There were over 6000 finishers in the marathon and over 21,000 finishers in the half marathon.. That is a lot of people to be at one place.. Then we went and drove the course so I could have a visual of where I would be running. Matt always does this before any race, Ironman or marathon, I totally get it now. It was very helpful during the race. I loved knowing what was coming around the next corner, when I would finally stop going uphill and get a little break.. Just good things that help you out mentally..
With this many people in the race we worried about parking.. So we got everyone up at 5:00 so we could be at the race by 6:00. (I had been up since 2:00.. Nerves!) Turns out there were not too many people as crazy as us.. That was okay, the kids just slept until it was time to head over..

My crew, minus Matt.. He was the photographer of the day... New role for him.. But he did it great!

Waiting with mommy patiently until it is time to get lined up… Love these little ones to pieces.. And it was cold, and with my nerves, I was shaking…

We went and found my corral. I know it sounds like we were a bunch of cattle. But that is seriously what they called them.. They would put you in with a group that was with your estimated finishing time… This is where I made one of my first mistakes of the day.. In my corral the had from 3:00 hr. finishers to 4:00. Well if you look close at the picture 2 down you can see a guy holding up a little green sign that says 3:10. He was a pacer. You could run with your pacer to help you maintain the speed you needed. Well, when that gun was shot everyone just took off! And if you didn't keep up you would be squashed. And I would have been, look how little I look in there. Anyway, I was pulled into the 3:10 group and couldn't slow back from them until mile 5. A little fast for me. It didn't feel too bad but I could not have maintained that pace for 21 more miles. Eeeks!

Okay this picture is really funny of me, but you have to look at my face in this picture. I was so nervous. I look like a little kid who just lost their mom in a crowd and let me tell you that is exactly the way I felt..

This picture is a view looking back from my corral.. I think there were at least 6 more corrals.. So many people!!!!

Okay this was definitely a highlight to the race start. Senator McCain started the race and I was pretty close to him. The kids were pretty excited because he walked right by them. And you know what big McCain fans we are in this house! Too fun!

The kids playing in the monster shovel after the race start…

This video is around 15K somewhere by mile 9. I felt great…

But unfortunately five more miles and I was hurting… I had taken in a drink that I was not used to, why it upset my stomach I don't know but it did. I took a road side detour and me and the bushes became very acquainted. I started to vomit. So I had to stop twice and then I came up to Matt and the kids. I don't really like putting these pictures on but if I am being honest they need to be on here. This was no walk in the park and the hardship of it was part of the experience. So I admit when I saw them I cried.. And not just a little bit either. But they gave me the encouragement and the strength to keep going. I guess that is just how it is in life… Sometimes you think you can not go on doing things and you have to turn to those who can lift you up and carry you for a while or give you some of their strength to help you on your way… I found the strength from my sweet family and not just from them but I felt a comfort come to me when I was scared and felt alone. I knew I could do it. So after a good cry I was on my way….

The last 5 miles seem to be the hardest for me.. Maybe more mentally than physically.. I don't know. But I found myself walking through the water stations and then running to the next one. What I didn't know was that Matt had come back at Mile 23 to run on the sidewalk beside me.. The sad part is I probably didn't notice he was there until 24 or so. But when I did… I felt relief.. I knew I could finish it… And I felt that strength again! My goodness, Families are wonderful that way aren't they?

Finishing the race…. I was able to give it my best the last mile or so in.. It felt so good to almost be done! And then to see my family at the end, well, that almost did me in! I just love them to pieces!

It was a great experience! I am so glad I did it! Thanks for training me, Matt. And thanks for hanging out with me through those long runs! It was a blast and I can't wait to do it again!