26.2

I did it! Sunday was the big day and I finally accomplished my goal! I am a slow runner. I did not run a stellar time. However, I am unashamed of my 5:10:53 finish.

I FINISHED.

God provided beautiful weather. I couldn't have asked for a better day to run. I felt reasonably well throughout the entire race, all things considered. Reasonably. The race itself was much easier than I expected, most likely due to the 24 mile long-run I completed a couple weeks ago. I think that helped tremendously; I knew to expect that I would feel that bad. But, still, it is not easy.

Pre race: I wake with a start to the sound of my Sunday morning fishing show emanating from the radio, groggy and fatigued from another sub 6 hour sleep. I down my "breakfast of champions", a single Greek yogurt. I leave so late the cops are already blocking off streets in my neighborhood. Crap. On the walk from parking the car to the GRB, I realize that although I successfully remembered to strap on my heart monitor, I forgot the accompanying watch. Oh great. A nice raw mark that will leave without the fabulous results (calories burned) to show for it.

Starting line: I arrive at the starting line 15 minutes early. An old man (~85 y/o) who is also running the marathon stares me down because I am wearing headphones. Yes I am breaking the rules. Yes I know. Please stop staring at me. A couple behind me sucks face until the start of the marathon. Get a room! As my stomach churns with the force of "The Perfect Storm", it dawns on me that I could have refrained from ingesting my Omega-3 fatty acid fish oil supplements just this once. I burp Gatorade-spiced fish oil for the duration of the race. Disgusting.

Miles 1-3: As the starting gun is fired, the first thoughts through my head (in no particular order)- "I hate mornings", "My ears are really cold", "Am I really doing this?", "Too many people! Everywhere! Get out of my way!" It is during mile 2 that I fondly remember the blisters on my feet and the moleskin patches I must have neglected to apply. Fun. As we pass over I-10 on Quitman, I notice a line of men urinating into what appears to be a nature preserve. IT'S MILE 3. I guess they had to assert their manhood or something. Nevertheless, that was a Kodak moment for the ages of which I missed out.

Miles 4-6: Regular. I feel great. I am on my stomping grounds, the streets on which I burned the miles up in training. I see my landlady on the sidewalk near 11th street and she cheers me on. I completely forgot to tell her my dryer is broken. Drat! My stomach is rumbling. Against my better judgment, I give in and grab an orange wedge from a total stranger. Was it poisoned? Doped? Simply a food-borne illness waiting to happen?

Miles 7-9: Hey Angela! It was so fun to see you! Hey, half-marathon suckers! You're almost done and I just started. Why am I doing this? Oh, the turn on Montrose, the proverbial fork in the road: I am tempted to be a total weenie and take the half-marathon turn. Then I notice a sign that reads: "26.2 is way easier than fasting for 40 days in the wilderness." Very clever. Point well-taken. So "I took the one less traveled by...it has made all the difference"

Miles 10-12: I am starving! My aforementioned paranoia over street-side food offerings?...I inhale a banana. Some woman behind me quits at mile 10. Her friend calls out to her "You can always try for Austin". Whaaat? You're only at mile 10! Suck it up!! The 4:45 pace team passes me up and I'm a little chapped. Not chapped enough to run faster to catch up, mind you. I see a man running in a ninja hat, wearing a shirt that says "Off-duty ninja".

Miles 13-15: I call Dad and tell him I made it halfway. Nothing too spectacular about this leg. The Mt. Westpark nightmare was not my personal favorite. On the 59 feeder road there is the clear and present stench of manure from an unspecified source.

Miles 16-17: Galleria. BLAH. Shopping. BLAH. This also happens to be my first of four sightings of wizard woman- a 65 year old woman in a pointy blue hat adorned with glittery suns and moons all over it. She memorizes my name and dutifully cheers me on each time I pass her at progressive stops on the course.

Miles 18-20: Tanglewood. It's supposedly pretty, but nothing is really pretty to me right now. Wizard lady, again. The 5:00 pace team passes me and I couldn't care less.

Mile 21-22: There is nothing healthy about this. I walk. Not for long, but long enough to be unproductive. I then wonder if walking is actually more painful than running? I look up, and there is Wizard Lady, again, cheering me to victory. I accept a packet of Apple Pie "Gu" from another gracious street-"vendor". Nasty. I water-load just to get the horrible taste out of my mouth.

Mile 23-24: I speed up. Let's get this show on the road!! Oh, hi there Wizard Lady! Yes, things are looking up now. I pass the beer stand as a man announces "Last beer stop until the Finish Line. Get it while it's cold." The beer aroma is overwhelming. Somehow, some way, I refrain. I dunno. I spot an advertisement for a free glass of wine at a local establishment for marathon runners. Am I the only runner totally repulsed by any mention, aroma, or sighting of alcohol? I spot the 5:15 pace team creeping up to pass me. OH, NO. THAT will not happen. I begin to haul it.

Mile 25: Dear Jesus, please carry me to the finish line because my legs feel cemented to the ground and I can not continue another step. I was feeling very dramatic at this point. The finish line only yards away, it felt like forever.

Mile 26: I can SEE the finish line! Keep running. Faster. There's all these people everywhere. Don't be the idiot who trips. Some lady behind me starts to cry: "Look at me! I am so awesome. I am so awesome." Barf. So I run faster. There are my parents! Cheering me on! That makes me so happy :)

I cross the finish line. Ahhhhhhhhh...BLISS!

(Not really. Then all I could think about was the excruciating pain and the food waiting inside.) All joking aside, crossing the finish line was a remarkable feeling, it is an accomplishment I will forever savor, and I would and will do it all over again! Praise God!