I finished what I previously said would be my first and last marathon. As I got into the longer training runs, I decided I was more happy with maybe the half-marathon distance. I was starting to have more nagging aches and pains, training was taking up a lot of time, and my Saturdays were all shot because I was too tired to do anything. So I said I think this will be my first and last; I'll be able to check Marathon off of my to-do list. And then of course I said I was done right after the marathon. However, there's something addicting about it. A week later I said to Nate, ummm, I'm kind of thinking I would maybe want to do Boston. His reply... "I didn't think it would take you very long." I'm still not sure. It is a huge time/energy/focus committment for my little family. I don't know if we could afford to go to Boston. And a marathon definitely is really hard. BUT, I'm missing training already. I recovered quickly. Everyone I talk to can't say enough about how neat it would be to do Boston. And it's awewome to feel that sense of achievement. So, I'm thinking about it.I felt so grateful to be able to finish with no injuries, no stomach problems, just totally wiped out, tight, and sore from running 26 miles. I finished in 3:22:27, averaging 7:43 per mile. My sister-in-law Lisa let me borrow her watch, which was awesome so I can look back and see just how I did every mile. So, for my own record here's the data:
Mile 1-7:50, 2-7:16, 3-6:58, 4-7:00, 5-7:12, 6-7:13, 7-7:16, 8-7:02, 9-7:10, 10-7:11, 11-7:16, 12-7:05, 13-7:01, 14-7:14, 15-7:04, 15-7:10, 16-7:18, 17-7:19, 18-7:17, 19-7:32, 20-9:49, 21-7:59, 22-8:28, 23-9:10, 24-8:50, 25-8:35, 26-8:41.
Here's the long story:
For the first 18 1/2 miles of the race, I felt great. I averaged 7:13 for the first 19 miles. Then suddenly at mile 19, I was totally spent, and the last 7 miles were soooo hard! I would tell myself to make it to the next aid station and then I could walk for a minute, but I would only make it half a mile before the urge to walk overwhelmed me. My sister Caitlin is my running hero though and was waiting at mile 24 for me. I had thought my family would be around mile 20 to cheer me on, but they had missed me, and I didn't see anyone until Cait at mile 24. I was sooo happy to see her! She ran the last 2.2 miles with me and kept me going. I owe so much to Cait for my successful marathon, both in helping me finish the race, and in helping me train.
I've always run for fun and for exercise, but I never knew I could be good at it. When I first started training in June, I ran my 8 miler with Cait. She is on the cross country and track team at Davis and is good, so I didn't want to slow her down. We ran that first 8 miler in close to 8 minute miles, and I was amazed to find it wasn't bad! Over the next month and a half, Cait watched my kids a number of times for me to run, or we ran together if Nate was home to watch kids. Mid-July I ran my first half-marathon. Cait's coach only wanted her doing 10 miles that day, so she met me 3 miles in and ran the last 10 with me. It was so fun running it with my sister; We talked and laughed the whole way. I got 1:42, averaging 7:47, and I felt great! I didn't have a watch, and had no idea I was going that fast. I was thinking I would be somewhere between 1:45 (8 minute miles) and 2:00 (9 minute miles). It was so fun to find out I did better than expected!
After that race, my friend Jami invited me to train at the track one day a week with her and some others training for marathons. So for a month, my parents brought my brothers down on Tuesday nights to sleep over so I could train early in the morning, and they would stay with my kids. It was so helpful and fun to do speed training with other runners more experienced than me. It made me regret a little bit not having done track or cross country in high school. I was really greatful for my family's help to make it happen. Nate leaves for work early in the morning, so weekdays I'm always trying to figure out how to get a run in. Do I push the girls and make Sam ride his bike today, ask somewhere to babysit, or fit it in in the evening? Saturdays Nate is able to be with the kids for my long runs. Running is great when Nate is able to be with kids and when I have someone to run with. Both of which are not the case most of the time.
So, I finished out the training schedule, peaking at mile 20. I was excited to do my first marathon, but nervous! The night before the marathon, I slept at my uncle and aunt's house, and they were so sweet, taking me to pick up my packet, making breakfast for me, driving me to the bus-loading area, and hooking me up with a girl close to my age that works for my uncle, who happens to be named Anna (pronounced differently than mine though). Anna and I sat together on the bus ride up and hung out until the race started, and it was so nice to not be all on my own! I started out running on my own, but ran sections with different random people along the way, until mile 19 when I started struggling. Then I was on my own for 5 killer miles, and then with Cait for the last 2 killer miles. I was so tired when I finished! Nate was waiting at the end with the kids, as well as a couple of nephews he was watching. My parents were also there with my siblings, and my sister Bek and her family, and Brent and Kevon whom I had stayed with the night before. It was so fun to have so much support at the end of the race! Thanks so much to everyone who helped me and supported me in running my first marathon!
