MARATHONER

So, of course I always start the posts with "I have so much to blog about..." and that still rings true. Unfortunately, I will unlikely ever get the TX/OU or Mexico pics up here. Sorry.

My training coach made a big deal today about journaling your marathon experience. I didn't think much about it. Then, I talked with Kimberly this afternoon and we were trying to recall different parts of the race and realized it's already becoming a blur. So, I need to get this down on paper. Why not the blog?

My marathon. I trained for 6 long months. Felt guilty about missing those weeknight runs on multiple occasions, but felt very prepared going into it. The 22 miler felt good; I could have definitely gone 4 more miles. Watching the news on Saturday and realizing the temperature was going to be in the 60s and 70s was 1 of 2 "worries" I had when I arrived at the AAC Sunday morning. The 2nd was that in all my training runs I ate 3o minutes before running, and still got hungry. I didn't know how to handle 2.5 hours before running....but, I had a plan. (I think it worked--cereal and banana at home, 1/2 cliff bar on drive to Shannon's, gatorade, 1 cliff bar ~30 minutes before race, 2 advil ~30 minutes before race). Shannon was worried if she had eaten enough (I don't think she did). Kimberly was worried about having to stop at the port-a-pottys (only had to go once! I'm so proud of her!). Chelsea was feeling pretty good, noticeably a little nervous, and Dane had a great supportive attitude for it being that early. There was a little pre-race stressor at the port-a-potty line, but that was quickly over once we all found our way to corral B. Butterflies in my stomach as I saw the flyover. It was finally here. This is MY marathon.

Gun goes off...don't hear it. Naked man flashing the crowd on the 10th floor of the Cirque apartments helps with the nerves. Start walking....hit the mat 8+ minutes after the gun goes off. DON'T RUN UNTIL YOU HIT THE MAT. Got it. Feeling good. Hear "Go Julie!" at mile 1....look over, Sterling and Caleb on their bikes. Little did I know how often I would see them and how needed they would become. Pass the handbell choir....very strategically placed early in the race :). It's still very crowded. Miles 2-6 were filled with lots of fans, bands, and excitement. Slapping hands. Making sure to run the tangents. Never had the ipod on, just chatting it up and soaking it all in. We hit the lake at mile 8. No more fans....wondering where my Dad is, as he doesn't know the lake. 1 minute later, Jolie comes out of nowhere, running beside me and handing me 2 Gu's. Hi-5 Dad, nice boost of energy.

Then comes the ipod. Less talking. It's getting windy. It's getting hot. Mile 11ish, my ankle hurts. Shannon's shins hurt. Kimberly's knees hurt. We have to stop and stretch. Keep going. Shannon hits a wall....I don't know how to handle it. She's my running buddy. We ran the half marathon together perfectly. The Tour de Fleurs together perfectly. She's hurting. I can't talk her through it, she's in pain. She says "go on". I go on.....then hate it, as I know she hates running by herself. Mental dilemma. Finally tell Kimberly to go on, I need to talk it out with Shannon. She insists. This happened once in training and later told me she was glad she ran by herself. I trust her and go on. I'm feeling good....pick it up to catch back up with Kimberly.

Those next 5-6 miles are pretty much a blur. Mom was around mile 15 in her burnt orange sweatshirt and ran with me about 2-3 minutes. Nice to have some fresh legs, even if it was my Mom :). The blue mile marker flags were well-welcomed. Kept me going, just a mile at a time. Waterstops were lifesavers--not only did my mouth feel dry, but those waterstations gave me an excuse to tone it down a bit and walk. The Clif Bar/Hooters waterstation at around mile 19 was a very fun, energetic station that gave me a little bit of energy. However, it was at that point that Kimberly and I went from "walking the water stops" to "walking to the trashcan after the water stop" ....and sometimes even 2 or 3 trash cans.

Then the Dolly Partons. We had trained for these. I knew that they were coming at mile 19-20. Winstead repeats, Big Thicket repeats, all helped me train for the Dolly Partons. I had run them once....and they weren't too bad....at mile FOUR. Seeing Caleb and Sterling at the bottom of those hills probably got me through them. I couldn't let Caleb see me WALK up the hill, like about 80% of the other people. Kristina ran them with us. "I did this last year. After the Dolly's it's all downhill". Those could quite possibly be some of the best words I heard all day.

It wasn't downhill. Don Lucas said Monday night that "the marathon is 2 races. It's a 20 miler and a 10K. The 10K will be a lot harder than the 20 miler. It's all mental, you've got to stay strong mentally and you'll get through it". Cue the Kanye song perfectly on the ipod...."that that don't kill me, can only make me stronger...". My legs are really hurting. My feet are hurting. I'm starting to have trouble breathing. Don't think about the pain. Push through it.

Thinking back, I was definitely playing the mental game those last 6 miles. Visually picturing rocking my grandkids someday and telling them about THIS MOMENT.....did I want to tell them that I walked in the last few miles because I was hurting so bad? NO! Keep going. Bible study girls on the corner...Aimee, Laura, and Heather jumping like a crazy woman. I felt her energy vibes. Keep going. See Alison at mile 23....barely get her name out to have her turn around, then keep going. Hear her yelling at me, I can't stop--she's watching. I lose Kimberly at this point, she's cramping and we lose one another. I spend some sweet time asking for the Lord's strength at this point, as I know that's the only way I'll go on. I have no more strength of my own left.

Wearing the blue bib with my name printed on it, the fans know I'm a first timer. "You've got this, Julie". "Julie, only 3 miles left...this is what you trained for". Or, for those of you out there wondering what not to say--"Julie, you're looking great!". That's not motivating because I KNOW you're lying! I appreciate the strangers cheering me on. Pass the Shig Shag "toast"...keep going, just keep going. Swiss Avenue turns into downtown and I KNOW I'm almost there. See Stephen out of the corner of my right eye "Go Julie" and clapping. I appreciated him so much, but I don't think I could even acknowledge he was there. 1 more mile. Visually I was picturing my "easy run" around the block....that's all that's left, and I feel good.

That last mile I didn't stop at the water station. I was in a groove, I was almost done accomplishing this lifetime goal. See the 26 mile flag, .2 more to go. The gates come up on the sides. Balloon arch. Tons of yelling and cheering. The pain for just a nanosecond goes away. See my Bible study girls to my right, my sweet hubby, Chelsea, and Dane to my left, my Dad, Jolie, and brother to my right, outstretch my arms and cross that mat. A marathoner.

Shannon brought this statistic to my attention....I guess I was feeling better than I thought:


From 20mi to Finish
You passed200runners
And 7 passed you
?

I thought I would feel extreme accomplishment and joy.....I really felt relief to be done and lots of pain. I had tears---think they were tears of pain, but possibly a little of joy and accomplishment. Chelsea finished her half almost 3 hours before I finished and she stayed to watch me finish. It meant so much to have her there, as we did all of our training "separate", yet talked about training every week.

I now have a new meaning to the verse in 1 corinthians about running like you're running a race, running for the prize. Finishing was my prize. It was the hardest thing I've ever done in my life, but I am so glad I did it. It's bittersweet that's it's done. I'm now heading out to the Luke's training party that will officially mark the end.

I feel like this should now be an Oscar speech....I couldn't have done it without the Lord, keeping me injury-free, healthy, and truly running every step with me...Shannon, my running buddy--I'm sure going to miss those long 2-4 hour chats every week, Caleb-who put up with me being "no fun" on Friday nights, taking naps on Saturdays, and going to bed early Saturday night for 6 months, and cheering me on, making it about me even though he broke his wrist (I'll get to this...) at mile 1; Luke's Locker training program was phenomenal and I couldn't have done it without their encouragement, expertise, and Coach Keri's weekly email encouragements; all my sweet friends and family who asked me on a regular basis how training was going, even though I probably gave you a much longer answer than you anticipated; all the people who came out on race day and waited over an hour, just to see me for a few seconds, it meant so much.

And to my faithful fans, who made race day even more of an adventure....Mom, who wasn't able to make it to the finish line, as she was picked up in an ambulance and in the ER for 8 hoursafter our 2 minute run together, after falling and dislocating her elbow......and Caleb, who fell and broke his wrist at mile 1, but didn't say a word, rode 30+ more miles with a broken wrist, a strong supporter and such an encouragement even 10 minutes after the finish before he even mentioned he hurt his wrist.

What a day. December 14, 2008. Won't forget the day I could finally call myself a marathoner.