Chronicles of Marathon #2!

I went back and read last years marathon of a post after I became a "marathoner". Although it probably bores my readers, I really enjoy remembering the details of the day. Now, will I do another one? Probably not. 26.2 miles is brutal on the body and that last 10K is by far the most painful experience I've ever felt in my life (reminder: I have not endured labor). I would consider New York or Chicago...but I think my time at White Rock Marathon is complete. Onto the day...

Caleb decided about a month ago that he, too, would run the marathon. Not too much training, but to his credit, he did bust out the 18 miler and 22 miler in training and did really well. It was fun to anticipate the day together, go to the expo, rest the legs, set out our clothes, etc and discuss expectations and strategies as we lay in bed not able to sleep on Saturday night. When he decided to run the marathon, I told him I did not want to run together, as he really messed with my mental psyche (and running a marathon is so mental). He then decided instead of a goal of finishing, he would have a goal of a sub 4 hour marathon (he made it, by the way!). He went with some other friends the morning of and I picked up Shannon.

Here's what the floor of our room looked like when we went to bed Sat night:

Morning of the marathon around the AAC brought back many memories. We did use the inside bathrooms this year which went really fast and eliminated the stress of missing the start from waiting in line for the outside johns. Went to the Luke's tent, sat and rested the legs as I ate my cereal and banana. Then over the speaker "runners, get in your corrals, the gun will go off in 15 minutes". The knots started in the stomach....but completed relaxed when I saw Caleb amongst the 20,000 runners in his mustard fleece he bought specifically for race day for shedding. Big hug. "Good luck". And he went back to his start..and I went to mine. I do remember thinking "I sure hope that's not our last goodbye"! Looking back, that's so morbid, but I've heard of too many marathon "death" stories the past few months!

Here's our starting line picture, I was so glad to see him before the race (and made him shed that ugly fleece off so it would be a cute pic!):

The gun goes off....we see it on the big screen and the Kenyans take off. We don't move for atleast 3-4 minutes, then start walking to the start. Cross the start line at 8:08 gun time , start my watch, and it's here. I'm no longer nervous, but excited. About 2 minutes into the race, I feel a familiar pat on my back and "see you in 5 hours". Caleb's passing me and running his race. I'm running mine. See you in 4 and a HALF!

I start the ipod early this year. Focused. Manage the water stops well. Only take Gu when I need it. My favorite sign I see about mile 7 and then again at 23 when it was really needed "You all have Kenyan legs. Find yours". Go through Highland Park, Turtle Creek, run the tangents. Hit the lake at mile 9 and still feel strong and focused. My running buddies Shannon, Danna, and Brian--we're all still together. Hit the half marathon marker at 2:17. Rockin' it. Feeling strong. The lake is familiar territory, pass the bath house, I own this route. Finish the lake about mile 18. Go around the curve, look to my left and see Stephen, Diana, and my Mom cheering. Boost of energy! See the 19 mile Cliff waterstop and see the Latimer's to my left. Perfect timing, another boost when I need it, don't even stop at the waterstop. Up the Dolly Parton's, still rockin' it. Up Tokalon, tired but strong. Realized we lost Danna and Brian, but Shannon and I are still together!

Around mile 18, still smiling :)!

Then...it hits. I was thinking up to this point I was not going to hit a wall. The infamous 18 mile wall was over and I'm strong. Wrong. I hit the wall and I can't climb it. Thankfully, Kimberly comes at just the right point around mile 20 and runs with me for 5 MILES. I can't talk to her. Can't say thank you. Just nod as she encourages me all along the way. Reminding me of the course. Swiss is downhill, then downtown and the finish. I lose Shannon somewhere around mile 21. Kimberly goes back and forth between us, encouraging us both (we end up finishing about 30 seconds apart). When she's with me, she tells the supporters "cheer for Julie!" and they start cheering "Go Julie!". I wish I could say it helped, it didn't. I was in pain--not leg pain, but just my body saying "please stop, I can't get oxygen and I don't want to move any more". This was my BIG mistake this year: from mile 22 to finish, I never stopped for water or gatorade. I ran through the water stops, as I felt like if I slowed down or stopped, I could not start back up. Now, I did this in training...but only for the last 3 miles. Marathon day was different. The sun was coming out, temps were heating up. I didn't listen to my body, but tried to mentally get through it.

I think I became a little delirious. I was literally moaning with breathing. Closing my eyes. Get into downtown thinking I'm almost there. Those last 2 miles were the longest 2 miles of my life. My 4:40 prize is a night at the Ritz. I never thought I would get it, but now I know I'm close and visualize in my mind what I think the beds at the Ritz look like...fluffy, comfy, me in a soft robe---if I can make it 20 more minutes, I can spend 20 hours in that bed. It gets me through. I thought they forgot to put out the 25 mile marker, insistent I had run over a mile from 24...and the flag came what felt like an hour later (it wasn't really, I actually maintained my pace that last stretch). Every turn downtown I expect to see balloons, the finish...nope, just people running in front and turning again. And again. And again. Hit 26 and those last .2 are also brutal. Just have to finish.

See the ballooons. The gates with the cheering. Think I hear Caleb to my left, some lady voice to my right yelling "Go Julie!". I just want to finish. I cross the mat. Stop. Cross the 2nd mat. Faint I just remember people in red shirts catching me and saying "stay with us". I can't talk. They put me in a wheelchair. I have no head control, remember thinking...if I lean forward, I'm going to fall out,but I can't keep my head up. Lean back. They pick me up to put me in another wheelchair and I have no control of my legs, my head, my body, I'm literally a limp noodle totally dependent on them. The weirdest feeling of my life. They place me in a wheelchair and wheel me around what feels like forever. I can't talk, they're trying to get me to say my name and count. I'm gesturing for water. I know all I need is water. They finally get me to a tent and give me water. I'm getting better. See Shannon, but can't talk--feel like a 1 year old communicating with gestures, wanting someone to get Shannon (I can tell she's looking for me) and I'm pointing, nobody gets her. She walks away. Someone will come get me. I wait. Drink my water.

Finally feel like I can walk, the man with me holds my arm to make sure and I'm okay. I walk, get my finisher shirt, then see Caleb. Grab his arm and he takes me to the curb. My first words: "I got all my prizes". Ask him how his race was, he says "good" and looks GREAT! My Mom, Stephen, and Diana see us and my Mom was a little freaked as she saw all the finish line drama, but relieved I'm okay. We attempt to get food, I feel nauseous the whole time, just want to go home.

Here's us on the curb, the official "finisher" picture. I really wanted one that showed us holding our medals and standing UP, but that just didn't happen! This is more realistic, and ended up being our Christmas card pic this year!

Made it home and I've felt great since! Just a little dehydration and body shock I think :). We showered and then watched the 2.5 hour marathon special we had recorded while we sipped gatorade and laid on the couches. Caleb and I were both hobbling around on Monday but getting less sore each day. I'm so proud of him, I hung our medals with our stockings :). I do hope our children get his athleticism! It takes me 26 weeks and him 4, but like I always say, I do the marathon for the training. I still stick by it, I love the training, the marathon itself...it's okay. We're recovering this week...so we can go skiing next week! Woo hoo!

Official times:

Caleb: 3:58:25 : I love this pic of him finishing. Doesn't he look awesome!! So proud!

Julie: 4:36:21 (a good 29 minutes faster than last year!)
No finish line picture yet. I'm curious to see what the professional pic looks like this year!

We're both MARATHONERS!

Here's us the night of the marathon at a celebration party with our fabulous sign the Basden's made for us: