My first Marathon: 26.2 miles in 5:32!

 Well, 26.2 miles are complete!

I received lots of congratulations and many people said how proud they were, as a marathon is an amazing accomplishment.  For some reason I don't look at a marathon as an unattainable goal, like most others do.  I never ran, until 5 years ago at 23.  I played sports growing up, but that was it.  If i can train and run 26.2 miles I truly believe everyone else can, too.  Obviously health concerns do outweigh this option, for some.  I've never been one to sit on the sidelines as life passes me by.  Go live your dreams because nobody else will!!!! :)

So here's my marathon recap in pictures, blurbs, and thoughts..

 The week of the marathon I ran very little and saw friends (what's better than that)?!  One of my friends asked to see my marathon attire, i was too lazy to find my clothes, so I put on the rest.  And this was the result:

After resting and force feeding myself carbs, it was the day before.  I was honestly more nervous driving into Philly to pick up my packet than I was to run.  I am directionally challenged (even with two gps')!  I picked up my pack and holy moly no turning back.  I was "too legit to quit" at this point.  Total side note: having run numerous 5k's, 10 milers, and a half I have a general idea of the people at the expo's- marathoners are a whole other breed, just sayin.

I then ate more carbs.  Can I tell you how much I despised carbs by the end of this training?  The day before I opted for buttered noodles, rolls, and rice.  I didn't want an angry stomach during 26 miles.

Race morning had arrived.  My mom agreed to drive into Philly with me in the morning (even though she had a cold)!  Love you, Mom!  I woke up at 4, or if you ask my mom "3:53am", because I woke her too!  We were on the road by 4:30, because I needed to be there by 6, and well I'm kinda anal and like to be on time,  if not early.  We were parked by 5:45 in Philly, and I wanted my bed.  

We followed all of the other runners out to Eakin's Oval by the Philadelphia Art Museum, what an amazing site.  I found a porta potty in the dark without lines and snuck in (thinking if others hadn't used it, they didn't see it, if only).  I then got some stretches in, or in my mind just an attempt to keep warm.

After stretching commenced I wandered back to the blue corral, in other words, the slow corral.  I have no problem being slow, but when I have to wait an additional 45 minutes to start a run in 30 degree weather, I'm wishing I was fast.  My mom hung around the corral until we started running, so it was a nice distraction. At this point I also got a text from my friends to look for them at 16th street with my face, this in itself made me laugh.   I found the 5:00 pacer and kept my eye on her.  

I did see some funny signs throughout the course.  These are the few I remember:

"all the cute ones run away"

"if a marathon were easy, it'd be called your mom"

"if you were Paul Ryan, you would've been here 2 hours ago"

"free beer"

Throughout the first 13 miles I saw my friends I think twice and my Mom at 13.  As I saw her and told her I was doing it, I heard the announcer say "we've already had a lot of Boston qualifiers".  Great, just what I want to hear 2.5 hours into a marathon- as I have the option to run right and finish 13.1 or turn left and run 26.2.  So I did it, and turned left to run into Manayunk.

My objective was to run as long as I could.  Once I start to add in walk breaks, it mentally screws me up.  I ran 18 miles straight, no bathroom breaks, no water stops, no stops for gels.  My Camelbak, and clif shot bloks really helped.  I had really done a lot of research and was so proud of myself when I ran by lines of people at the porta potties, because I knew when and how much to drink.

Around mile 18 I took a very brief 30 second walk break because a muscle or tendon behind my knee was aggravated.  This happened after my 20 miler, so I knew a walk break could help, and I refused to hurt myself- since I obviously wasn't going to win.

I'm not sure where it happened, but somewhere in the last 6.2 miles my body just said "done"!  I knew if I walked the last 6.2 miles it would be another couple hours for my family and friends and I had the potential to be over 7 hours (aka disqualified) and I refused to let that happen.

My highest training run was one 20 miler, anything beyond that was new territory.  I had created a new mental game to finish this thing.  I would walk 1-2 minutes to rejuvenate and force myself to run 7.  Now during training when I did this it was on hilly, hilly roads and if I had to walk it would be a minute walk after a mile.  

Each footstep was pain radiating throughout my entire body.  I could feel myself cringe with each step, my carboloading had failed me...

Now to all those marathoners who say anything over a certain time isn't a marathoner.  Let me tell you, I guarantee whoever the last person of that marathon was had more heart that day than anyone else out there.  To see people running to the finish when you aren't even halfway through and having hours ahead of you, really messes with you.  You have every opportunity to quit, and most non-runners would've given up hours ago.  We slower runners typically are out there twice as long, and while others may be twice as fast, we aren't in it to win it.  If you think I'm not a marathoner, try running with these hips and butt- then we'll talk.  

I finally got to mile 26 and could see ambulance lights- knowing the finish was ahead I picked up my pace.  And then I saw them, my awesome group of family and friends with signs jumping and screaming, then running part of my last leg of the marathon with me!  I "sprinted" the last .2 of the marathon, or so I thought.  I looked back at my garmin and ran the last .2 at a 10 minute pace.

And I did it!

During the last 6 miles I questioned myself, I prayed, I thought of all those people who can't run, or even walk- and was thankful.  I then questioned why I did this.  When I finished one of my friends asked if I'd do it again, and I said yes.  Knowing what I now know, I need to beat that wall or at least post-pone it!!

Might I add, the warm chicken broth at the end was the best food I have had in life, ever, hands down!

We then went out to eat.  I had a beer and a burger and fries mmmmmm.  Here are most of my supporters minus the photag.  And my large sign with my face....ah hahah.  I now have my marathon signs at home: one with my face, one with all the details of the run, and one that says "run mermaid run"!  

I had no stomach issues before, during or after; zero blisters; zero chafing.  I'd say it was a success.

After 18 weeks I did it, and was so excited and thrilled to say I joined the 1%!  In the days following the marathon I had very minimal tightness.  I am starting to feel the post marathon burn out that people sometimes experience.

I tried to run 5 days post marathon and shouldn't have, the knee pain returned, and I think it may be hamstring tendonitis.  May have to do some cross training for awhile.

Now onto the next thing...

Week 17 of 18: 8 miles in 1:30

ohhh emmm geee!! The Philadelphia Marathon is a week from today.  One week from today: I will have left at 4:30am to head to Philly; started, ran and completed 26.2 miles;  celebrated with family and friends; soaked in a bath full of ice; And...joined the 1%.  Yes, I will be a marathoner- and just thinking about next week gets me more excited than a kid on Christmas morn.

My long run this week was 8 miles, which I took nice and slow.  I finished in 1:30 and that was just fine.  Now on to week 18 of 18- :)!!!

This week I am eating, lightly exercising, and resting.  In theory this sounds delightful, it reality it's not going to be fun.  I have to carb load this week, which in terms of a marathon is a bigger beast than any track meet, or soccer game carbo load I would do in high school.

I need to eat 3-5 carbs per pound of body weight for an entire week.  So I need 405-675 grams of carbs per day, if you're calculating I weigh 135.  This is a lot of carbs, and for a girl who loves carbs to death that's saying a lot.  According to my "research" I should gain 1-3 pounds if I properly taper.  I've never willingly become a glutton and gained weight, this should be funny.

Now that I've divulged my weight, let me discuss marathon training and weight gain and loss.  Prior to this adventure I'd read and heard a lot of women gain weight during marathon training, and men typically lose.  I've spoken to a few people who knew someone who lost 4 dress sizes, or went on to train for a triathlon.

My marathon training weight began at 135, and 17 weeks later is still 135.  Everyone always says you'll lose inches.  I started taking my measurements early on to see if this theory was legit.  My neck, chest, biceps, abdomen, and calves are all the exact same as they were on day one.  My hips and thighs decreased slightly between 1/4-1/2 inch in total.  This is just where my body gains and loses, so with or without marathon training this constantly occurs.

So here I am- the beginning of the end..  Week 18 of 18 is upon me.  So i'll eat like a pig, take airborne to prevent any last minute colds, run a total of 6 miles this week, and prep for the most awesome experience next weekend.

My next post will be post-marathon. WOHOOOOOO!!!!!!! :)

Week 16 of 18: 12 miles in 2:14

I realized i'm almost a week behind on posting again, so today's lunch break is dedicated to keeping this thing on track.

My first week of taper went well.  I've read time and time again that during taper random injuries appear, and you are tired and eat a lot.  I luckily haven't had any issues arise, knock on wood.  I have however become ravenous and with my decrease in running, feel like a blob. 

I did fit yoga in one day I think, or was it two last week?  I also only ran two of my 4 scheduled runs.  I was just tired after running 20, and decided listening to my body would be best.

My 12 on Saturday went well, aside from wearing my full on cold weather running gear- running tights and all it was fine.  I've noticed as the weather went from summer straight into winter, "winter" weather appears to involve more wind, thus making it colder when you run.  I couldn't find my gloves or ear warmers so i just went.  I finished in 2:14 which was a 11.16 minute mile. 

At this point I couldnt care less about time I just want to run my marathon under 5.  As long as my longs runs are under what I need to be at for the marathon I'm not concerned.

I clearly have no recollection of what happened last week.

Week 16 of 18 complete!  It's so close, I now have a bib number. :)