LAST THE BEST OF ALL THE GAME!

I did it!!! I ran 26.2 miles and finished!!!! AND>>>> drumroll please... I feel great! No injuries, no major aches and pains. Hooray! I have not sworn off running forever, like last time! I was REALLY slow, but I finished and that is all that matters (or at least, that's what I keep telling myself!) Here is the run down (no pun attended):

• When I got off the Trax train to arrive at the starting line, Andy was there waiting for me! He took lots of pictures (I'll post a slide show later - if you promise not to laugh!) He helped me get ready and took my coat and the warming gel that I coated my legs with.
• Before the start, the lines were WAY too long for the porta-potties! EVERYONE wanted to go one last time before the race. In fact, I was still standing in line for the bathroom when the race STARTED! My friends and I decided to just try to hit the first bathroom we saw along the race. So we ran to get in with all of the runners and begin.
• Now as I have said in the past, the first 30 minutes of all of my runs the past month (since my muscle tear) have been REALLY difficult, slow and painful. Yesterday was no exception. I started really slow, had to stop and stretch a few times, even walk a bit... this was all even before mile 2! Andy popped up at this point to take more pictures, and encourage me. Everyone was passing me! Soon I saw the porta-potty and my friends were already in line, a long line. I waited in line and I'm glad I did. Also, at this point Danae and Jenny were there with a cute "Superhero" sign for me. They took pictures of me in line and coming out (swell). I was really glad to see them, because I already needed some encouragement!
• The next couple of miles were great, and although I was again alone, I was surrounded by other runners. This was a downhill stretch, awesome! I saw a girl from bible study on the sidelines cheering, and then I saw a teacher I used to work with. I stopped to give her a quick hug. Andy popped up again to take more pictures!
• When I arrived at Sugarhouse Park the half-marathoners went one way and the full-marathoners went another... that is when I got my first real clue. Not only was I slow, but I was actually REALLY slow and there were only a handful of runners in the park! OMG, I'm not even to mile 6 and I already can see that I am going to come in LAST!Z Where were all the slow people? Why weren't there more chubs? Maybe they all did the "early start" which started almost an hour before. Oh, man, what have I gotten myself into? I was suddenly really tired. That's when I decided that I better catch up to one of these other "slow" (Sorry Amie) people and make a friend. So I did, and she was really inspiring! This was her 8th marathon, and she was running for her father who is dying from lung cancer. Just listening to her story gave me strength. Throughout the entire rest of the marathon we leap frogged each other, passing each other after long stretches of time had gone by. I was just really happy to know that someone else was out there with me, either a little ways ahead or a little ways behind.
• Coming out of Sugarhouse I saw Danae and Jenny and their kids again!! They cheered me on, and I picked up my pace a bit. Andy called me a few times because he had lost me, but then he realized that he was on the half-marathon course... so he found me after a long while. I was really glad to see him because I'd been alone trying to gain inspiration and strength from my Ipod.
• Then there was a long stretch of oncoming high winds blowing all kinds of stuff and it was difficult to breathe and difficult to run. I tried to keep tabs on an old guy and leap frogged him for awhile because he kept skirting off into the trees to pee. Soon I came to the half-way point, expecting to see my parents and Fisch. They weren't there. I kept running and then I started to feel really tired and REALLY hungry. I stopped at the next water station to go to the bathroom again. While I was in there a few more people passed me, so when I came out, I saw NO ONE! I called Andy and told him to find me some pretzels and tootsie rolls. About a mile later I came upon my parent s and Fisch and Andy, with snacks. I grabbed a handful of pretzels, shoved a couple tootsies in my belt and kept on trucking... alone.
• As I passed mile 16 I had to remind myself, that even though I was slow and seemed to be in DEAD LAST, I wasn't really feeling all that bad! Nothing was injured (last time by mile 16 I had severe shin splints), my stomach wasn't too upset - the pretzels really helped, and I was doing OK. So I just kept running. Soon I came upon a teammate of mine who seemed to be in pretty bad shape. She was in a lot of pain and was feeling really low. I gave her my last pretzel and a few tootsies, and walked with her for a few minutes. Then I started running.
• Up pops Andy again , and I tell him to run to the truck and grab some pretzels for my friend back there. This seems to help her too and she catches up to me.
• For the next 7 miles, the two of us ran together and helped each other get through. My parents and Fisch popped up again somewhere during that time and Fisch came running out to me and gave me a big hug. He totally lifted my spirits and gave me a push to continue.
• By the time we hit mile 23, Liberty Park, I was COMPLETELY exhausted and was starting to feel a little nauseous and dizzy. That's when my coach popped up. I was soooo glad to see him. My teammate started running on, but by this time I needed to walk a little more, so Coach stayed with me. We ran and walked the next mile together.
• By this time it was 1:00 and the police were yelling that the race was over and that we needed to get onto the sidewalk and obey all traffic laws. By now, I didn't care that the race was technically over, I just wanted to get to the finish!
• Then we (Coach and I) ran into my new friend, I hadn't seen her for awhile and she wasn't doing too well at this point. The three of us walked and ran together and made our way to the finish chute. As soon as we got to gateway, I put all of my effort into running as hard as I could (which was probably turtle speed by his point) all the way to the finish line. My Dad jumped in and tried to run me in (but only lasted a few steps - probably because of his flip flops ;). I kept running, then Fisch came running out to "run me in" How cute! Can you just picture it? Me dead tired running as fast as my body would go, scooping up my darling boy so he could cross the finish line with Mommy?? How beautiful. WELL THAT IS NOT WHAT HAPPENED! I took one look at him and tried to skirt around him (some say I shoved him out of my way, not true) I just needed to get to that finish line! Ooops, totally missed out on a cute mommy-son moment!
• I finished!!!! It took me a long time but there were still people there waiting for me (even though the race was supposedly closed). Andy was there to give me a big hug and tell me how proud he was, my mom and dad and Fisch were there. Some of my teammates and their families were there to cheer for me. Emily and her kids and her friend were there with a cute sign. TNT was there with cold water, PB&Js, fruit and a chair! It was a great finish to one of THE longest days of my life.
• SO the picture above is of a tired, sweaty, salty, sore, hungry, wind-blown MARATHONER!

Three Cheers!

1. One for you for supporting me through donations to LLS, thoughts, prayers, cheers, signs, emails, running with me, listening to me, babysitting for me... encouragement of all kinds. I could not have done it without you! Really, I mean that - it is true. You made this possible.
2. One for Team in Training and The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society for making this possible. For helping me and teaching me and showing me how giving can really change a person's life!
3. And the last cheer is for me. I completed my goal, even though I didn't lose any weight, even though I was the slowest person out there, even though my body was just way to big for this kind of endurance event. I did it. I'm not going to be disappointed that I came in 30 minutes later than my first marathon. I am just going to be proud of myself for doing it anyway. Thank you all for helping me to feel good about myself.
4. OH, and one more really big cheer for my extraordinary husband who loves me so much! He had to endure quite a bit over the last four months, and has encouraged me all of the way. He even gave me flowers before I ran my 20 miler! He has been my rock and he was with me either with the camera or in spirit all 26.2 miles. Thank you, Andy, I love you!

And now..... I think I'll REALLY try to get in shape!!! :)