The Mecedes Marathon (or Half - Marathon if you're me).

Let me start by saying this was my first time. I thought that this one would go so well that I would be ready to do the full marathon next year. Well...the half was much tougher than I planned on, so I think I will master this before moving on to the full. Not to be a "Negative-Nancy", but as the full marathoners kept passing me, I was pretty sure that I needed A LOT more training, and I'm only human. :)

The day started very early and COLD. My friend M.S. picked me up and we carpooled to the race together. We got free parking on the street in front of the bus station, and went to the Boutwell Auditorium to use the bathroom and check our bags in the "sweat check", and stretch and drink more water, and eat a few more calories, and drink more water... you know, regular pre-race stuff. Well, M.S. decided that she didn't want to wear her sweat shirt through the race and she didn't want to leave it in the street, so we walked back to her car to leave it there. It was a good thing we parked so close to the bus station, we were able to go in there to use the restroom one more time, and it was so warm in there, very nice. :) We then jogged to the starting area, inside that crowd which is normally very uncomfortable to me, but it felt nice and warm inside that crowd. We just listened to our iPods and waited for the gun to go off. BLAST! I was off! walking...walking...walking...seeing others jump up to hit the starting banner...walking...pass the starting banner and I was off to a nice slow jog. Bye, M.S., she was off and I was going at my slower more comfortable pace, lip-syncing the songs I was listening to and seeing the crowd in front and behind and to all sides of me. By the time I got to about the 20-30 minute mark I had to pee really bad, so I started walking until I got to the next pit stop where I was able to relieve myself and then started running again. I couldn't believe that I was only at about 3 miles, it felt like much longer, but I pressed on. I eventually heard, "Mommy!", and there was husband with kids offering me a hug.

This really made me smile and feel good. Husband asked, "How's it going?" I said (iPod was on, so I was probably talking pretty loudly), "I really have to pee!" He said that there were some port-a-potties just beyond the next water stop, that was great, I was going to go and then start running again... I got out of the potty, said good-bye to the husband who wanted to get my picture leaving the "bathroom", and went off running again.

My head said, "run" but my body said, "oh no you didn't!" So, I was able to go to a power-walk kind of pace. My knee was starting to hurt, but I was okay, I was half-way there. Just as I was passing Ruby Tuesday on Highland Avenue, I was being lapped by that famous Kenyan guy that wins all marathons, David Cheruiyot. He finished in 2 hours and 23 minutes! That was about mile 9 when he passed me, and I eventually passed a police officer who was calling a medic for a woman that was hurt, and I felt safe in case I couldn't go on with my knee hurting. I got to almost mile 11 when I thought that I couldn't go anymore and sat on the curb. A woman passed me and said, "if you sit, you won't finish!" I knew she was right, and told her that I was just stretching because my knee hurt. I got back up and continued walking, and a woman walked up to me (one of the many spectators) and handed me some gel packs, which is jelly-type stuff to rub on injured muscles. I thanked her, sure she was an angel and pulled my pants up and rubbed it on my knees and shins and continued, and it worked! I was able to push on to the finish line and I finished the half marathon in 3 hours and 45 minutes.

I'll be back next year. :)

My favorite signs:

Run like you stole something
The pain you feel is just weakness leaving the body
If you think running a marathon is bad, try Chemo
Cancer Sucks