Marathon Time!

Not sure why it has taken me so long to tell you about the marathon. I think that really I needed to just recover from it both physically and mentally. It was really tough and quite possibly the hardest thing that I have ever done and I don't say that lightly. I cannot tell you how hard it was both physically and mentally. I was so lucky to have Andy with me almost every step of the way. I could not have finished without him.

So the story, here we (Jeffy, Emily, me and Andy) at an Italian restaurant in Cincinnati. We ate at this same place last year. I thought the food was good, but really it was just nice to go out for a nice dinner with friends and try not to be nervous. I would like to note that it is probably not the best idea to eat spicy sausage the night before you run a half marathon *ahem* Jeff.

The forecast for the weekend was not looking good and the news that was on the TV in the area that we were sitting was not helping the situation. If you will remember the race was the same day that Nashville was hit with all of the flooding and the day before the Kentucky Derby was rained on hard. We were hoping (read that praying really hard) that the weather would move to the south-east of us and we would maybe just get sprinkled on.
Dinner was wonderful and we headed back to our room. We paid $250 for our room and if you know Andy and I that was a lot of money for us to spend for one night. We split the room with Jeff and Emily and me being the nervous crazy woman that I become the night before a race told Jeff and Emily that we had to be in bed by 10pm. I did not expect them to go to sleep and they could watch TV but that I wanted to be moving towards falling asleep by then. I knew that I would not get much sleep that night because I usually don't before a race, but I at least wanted to be able to close my eyes and rest for a couple of hours. That is not exactly what happened.

Our hotel was downtown and in a perfect location for the race. We could walk to the start and walk back at the finish of the race. This meant we did not have to get in the car or wake up extra early to make sure that we would get there in time. The bad news, there was a Cinco de Mayo festival going on that day/night right in front of our hotel on the side of the hotel that we were on. Bummer. The music went on loudly until about 11pm. Oh, but don't worry that is when the fun started.

When the music finally stopped I guess our neighbors decided it was time to come home. They were staying in the room right next to us that had, if we wanted I guess, adjoining rooms. To say that these people were loud was an understatement. They entered the room slamming the door, and burping as loudly as they could. At some point they went to visit a friend down the hall because and alarm went off at about 12:30am with no one to turn it off. After what seemed like hours I finally called down to the front desk and asked them to send someone to turn it off. They didn't, they just called the room and no one answered. A few minutes later one of them came back to the room and turned it off. So we thought it would now be quiet. We were wrong. We could hear them take their shower (it really sounded like they were in our shower) and I guess they were getting ready for bed. We then heard more talking and more burping. Then out of nowhere they opened their adjoining door and started to pound on ours. I think that I almost jumped out of my skin. I know I jumped out of bed and so did Andy. We looked out the peep hole to see if they were in the hall because in the confusion we could not tell where the pounding was coming from. At this point it is probably 1:00 in the morning. We climbed back into bed thinking that this was the end. You guessed it, we were wrong. At about 1:30 they pounded on the door again and cursed as loud as they could. Andy and I were both fuming, but just stayed put in our bed. Our neighbors kindly quieted down at around 2am and we were able to sleep for a couple of hours because we had to be up at 4:45 because the race was at 6:30. I almost thought that I dreamed the whole thing. What a night to have the night before a big race!

As a side note, when I am tired I am not nice. I think that was louder at 5am then they ever were. I talked as loudly as I could and slammed our door a few times. I felt bad for other people down the hall, but I have never be so mad at them I could not give myself time to care . I just could not figure out who would act like that at such a nice hotel...

Anyway, when we did wake up it was to the saddest scene ever. Andy went to go check the weather outside and it was pouring. Not sprinkling or misting but pouring, and harder than I have ever seen. That is when I got nervous. I tried to stay calm and Jeff went downstairs to get us some trash bags. Unfortunately all they had were the small ones that go in your room trash can and we all know how flimsy those are.

By the time that we left the hotel I was a mental mess. As we stepped out onto the sidewalk Andy asked me if I was okay. Now, one of my goals for this race was to qualify for Boston, the other, not to cry before the race. I just looked up at Andy and said as the tears started, "I think this is going to be the worst birthday ever!" I said it because running a marathon in perfect conditions is really hard. I am super competitive and had set my goal to qualify for Boston, and under the circumstances we were facing I just thought it was impossible. I was miserable and we had not even made it to the start of the race. When we got to the start we elbowed our way to the spot that we wanted and had to wait. The rain was coming down in sheets and we were completely soaked and the gun had not gone off yet. With the thunder and lightning as our backdrop the woman on the microphone said for us not to worry. The worst of the storm was to our south and that we would be okay. With a lump in my throat I just hoped that she was right.

Well, the gun did finally go off. I don't think that Andy or I said much. I think that the first thing I said to Andy was when I had to tell him that my shoe came untied. I don't think I have ever had this happen to me and it happened in the 2nd mile. Arrrgh, so annoying. We made it though the climb and to the 9 mile mark when the half and the full split. Right after Andy and I split from the half marathoners, I thought that I had made a mistake. It was not until then 11 mile mark that I verbalized it. I told Andy that I just didn't want to run anymore. He got this look like, oh no we have a long way to go. I was mentally beat, soaking wet, and miserable, but my body kept moving for a little while at least. At the 13 mile mark I had to stop to use the bathroom which is like my nightmare. Andy was great and just waited for me. We were still on pace but I knew that we still had 13+ miles ahead of us. Things were okay, until we got to 20. By okay I mean that my body was still moving. At 20 my body was done. I hit the wall. People say that a marathon doesn't really start until the 20th mile and in this case they were spot on. Finally at 22 there was nothing more that could be done for me. Andy was not hurting the way I was and there was nothing else that he could say that would keep me moving. He was wonderful the whole way telling me that I was okay and just to relax, but I just wanted him to finish and not have to deal with me anymore or deal with the disappointment of running the whole way with me and me still not qualifying for Boston. I told him that he could go on. As I watched him run on I wanted nothing more than to walk off the course and disappear. I just thought that it would be a miracle if I could even finish this thing. I turned to look over my shoulder to see what was coming behind me and in the distance I saw the dreaded pink balloons.

The balloons that I was seeing were the pace balloons. They have people running that will stay close to the pace that you want to run and they will talk to you and encourage you the whole way if you stay with them. It is really awesome, but honestly the last thing that I wanted to see at that moment. I knew that I could not let them pass me. At that point I was having to stop and walk a little and then I would start running. When I made it to 24 miles they were right behind me. My body was telling me to quit that it could not take much more. My calves were on fire and my hips felt like they were going to detach from my body, but I told myself that I had to suck it up and just run. So I did, I don't know how I did it but I did not stop that entire 2.2 miles. When you get to the 25th mile there are people lining the streets, so you really can't stop there. I don't think that I have ever pushed myself harder. I remember hearing the announcer call out my name and say that I was a Boston qualifier and seeing the numbers of 3:40.30 on the clock, but something that I will never forget is seeing Andy. He was waiting for me just past the finish and he just walked to me in the middle of all of the madness. He said, "Babe you did it. I didn't think you were going to make it, but you did it, you qualified for Boston. I am so proud of you." We hugged and then tried to make our way though the finish area. There were people everywhere and I could hardly move. It is amazing that you can run 26.2 miles and then when you stop you feel like you cannot possibly take another step. I know that I looked like I was about 100 years old because my legs were not moving very well. I got my silver blanket, had the chip removed from my shoe, got some water and then headed towards the food. I wanted to get my picture taken at the end but the line was too long and I did not think that I could stand up that long. We would walk about 10-15 feet and I would have to sit down. Andy was wonderful, he got me chips and those Little Debbie rolls and then we looked for Jeff and Emily who had already finished the half marathon. We met up with them outside the finisher area. They had time to run or walk rather back to the hotel and get some dry clothes on as well as get some coffee. Here we all are after the race.

Andy and me. I honestly can say that I would not have made it without him. He was amazing and I am so lucky to have him as my husband.

After the above picture was taken I hobbled back to the hotel. My legs were tired, my hips hurt and my feet were pruned. I was so ready for a hot shower. We all took showers and packed out things and then went for lunch. Luckily for us there was a restaurant across from the hotel so we just walked or in my case limped over and ate. Here is Jeff and Emily at the restaurant. They both did awesome in their race as well. Emily was able to improve her time from her last race and if only Jeff had not made her stop because he needed a potty break - Emily tried to tell you not to eat those spicy sausages the night before- it would have been even better. Great job you two!!!

And here we are. You can tell Andy is not as tired as I am. I was exhausted! The best thing was that right after this we walked next door to Graters Ice Cream Shop (you HAVE to go there if you are ever in Cincinnati) for an after race birthday treat. It was so good!

Then we got in the car and Jeff drove us the 4 hours home. It was so good to be home, but I was so sore. The next 2 days were brutal. I am better now and have even run 3 times! Next up, Boston here I come!! My official time was 3:39.27. I cut it close and I can't believe I did it, but I did.

If you want to see some more pictures and see me having the time of my life (that is a joke and is to be read with total sarcasm) you can follow the link below to the marathon pictures. My bib was 519 and Andy was 518. Make sure that you have the selected race as: Flying Pig Marathon & Half 2010.

http://www.runphotos.com/

Love always,