This is not going to be the average race recap. You won’t find me talking about time, pace, heart rate, elevation, etc. My marathon journey and experience was never about any of that. My journey started 4 ½ years ago when I first started running. It took me that long to get my body, mind and my cardio ready enough to take on that distance.
First I must send a huge debt of gratitude to my crew and those that were with me on the course during this special time. My hubby (and coach), my 20yo son “Z”, my 17yo daughter “M”, my 7yo daughter “T”, Monique (@FitInMyHeart), Kevin (@El_lunchbx_runs), Wendy and her son Jason, Lex, @AthleteComeBack and her husband. Experiencing this even surrounded by my family and friends was a dream come true. I knew their love and strength would carry me through.
I had three goals for my marathon and 1 stretch goal:
1. Finish
2. Have a strong run
3. Have fun!
4. Run the entire 26.2 (stretch goal)
Today I write this having accomplished all of my goals including my stretch goal. I ran 26.2 miles – yes every step! I had the most amazing marathon experience. It was everything I dreamed it would be. I’m not going to lie, I am a bit sad that it is over and I think that is one of the reasons it has taken me so long to write about it. I will never be able to express in this post the true magnitude of how my marathon experience affected me, my family, and friends that were all there that day. Given that, I will try to keep it short.
It was a day of perseverance, determination, and triumph. A day of proving to myself, my children, and my friends that ANYTHING can be done! I knew going in that I wanted to make this marathon special and unforgettable. I wanted to have fun and resolved that no matter how long it took me, I would not have one single regret that day. I would run with all the heart I had. A person only has one “first” marathon experience. Even if I run subsequent marathons it will never be like the first and it was just simply perfect!
It rained all during the race. For the most part it was a misty rain which was excellent and perfect for me, but harsh for my crew. The night prior my hubby drove the course with Monique and I while we listened to all his advice regarding how I should handle the elevation in the beginning, what my pace should be for the first half, where I should position myself over the bridges to protect myself from any headwinds, how I should hydrate and fuel. Each water stop I alternated water and powerade, but he was adamant that I take only 3 swallows each stop and pitch the rest. I listened. I also listened to his fueling instructions and at mile 8 I had half a Clif shot gel and pitched the rest. Another half a Clif shot gel at mile 17. I had one full Clif shot gel at mile 23. So for the full marathon I consumed a total of two full Clif shot gels. I realized how much of a mistake I had made on my training long runs by over drinking and over doing the gels which gave me nausea on my training runs.
When the half marathoners split off at about mile 12ish it was like a huge Exodus! There were only about five of us at the time that I could see veering right for the full. That is when I knew I was truly on my own. I was thankful at that moment that I have always been a solo runner. Instinctively I knew it would be a scarce course after that. I had told my crew I didn’t need to see anyone until I got to the halfway mark. I saw them all about 12.5 miles and I was feeling just awesome. There were cheers, smiles, high fives all around and hubby yelled “we’ll see you at 16!” Seeing them all just rejuvenated me to my soul. This was the point that the real race began for me. I then saw @AthleteComeBack and her hubby at about 14 and 15.5 miles which helped me immensely on that stretch. Their excitement and enthusiasm carried me on.
On my 18 and 20 mile training run I hit my wall between 16-18 miles. Those times had been so ugly that I honestly did not know what would happen out there on the course. I kept reminding myself I would see my crew again at 16 and if I hit a wall they would be there to get me through it. Mile 16 – no crew. Ok, keep on chugging don’t stop. I thought maybe hubby wanted to wait until 17 to help push me through the wall – which had not hit. Mile 17 – no crew and time to turn up Martin Luther King Blvd for a long 3 mile stretch. I knew that they were having problems getting to me on the course. I’ve been to enough marathons to know that sometimes it is impossible with road closings to get where you need to go. The brilliant minds behind the Cleveland marathon chose to block off the entire 3 mile stretch between miles 17-20 of the course to cars, thereby making it impossible for spectators to get up in there when runners need them the most.
Still no wall. Just keep running, running, running. At about 18.5 miles suddenly I felt a shadow come up upon my right side and there popped up Kevin saying “How you doing?” with a big old smile on his face. Wow did we laugh. Then up popped my daughter “M” beside him saying “I am so proud of you mommy”. As we were laughing I heard the van my hubby was driving to my left and people piled out of the mini van. I think at one time they had 9 people in a 7 seat van. Quick hugs and laughs were shared and I was on the road again. Monique and Wendy had tried to catch me at a different point and I learned later they were cabbing it around Cleveland trying to get to me. I was told later that at the 17 mile mark at the entrance up Martin Luther King Blvd, the police told my hubby he could go left or he could go right and he told him “No, I’m going THAT way!” and that is how they got up to find me. Thank goodness no one was ticketed or arrested that day.
I told them I would see them at the 21 mile mark. From mile 20-21 they had us run on a bike path right next to the water so it was not accessible by cars. That was rough in there because the wind was whipping off the water making the rain feel like it was stinging. I was thinking if I could make it along that strip, I can finish the race. Water was actually dripping off my cap. When I turned off the bike path at mile 21 I was feeling a little breathless. I knew my crew would be up ahead soon and I just focused on that. All that wind and rain and I was feeling like I might be hitting a mini wall. I could see them at the 21.5 mile mark up ahead and I was singularly focused on staring at my husband. I could see no one else at that moment other than him. I knew I just had to keep running and staring into his eyes until I got to him and I would be ok. I flew straight into his arms and just melted into him. I remember I kept saying “I just need a breath….I just need to catch my breath!” He held me and I could feel his strength, heat, and power flow into me. Then my beautiful daughter “M” was ready and waiting to jump in and run me to the finish and off we went. Almost done!
Half a mile down the road we see Wendy and Monique standing in the road and cheering! I hugged them both and we squealed a bit because holy hell I am actually DOING THIS! My spirit had been revived and I told them all “Get to the finish now and don’t be late!”
Here is a picture of my daughter and I running to Wendy (I guess it was a little dark and nasty that day):
Those last five miles I ran with my daughter were very special to me. I knew it was hard for her because she has not really been running much over the past two years and even the week before the race she struggled to complete a two mile run. But that girl was there for me every step and I know and appreciate what she did to be there for me…to share in this moment with me. Over and over she told me “I am so proud of you mommy, you are going to do this!” I remember telling her at the 24 mile mark “I think I want to walk but I don’t want to do it right now.” That didn’t even make any sense did it? Then I told her that I can’t come this far and start walking now or I would regret it forever. So we plodded on slowly but surely.
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| Around 23 miles, going strong! |
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| At the finish line |
And it is DONE! Right at the finish line surrounded by hubby, and my three wonderful kids. Strong family = Strong will = Strong belief. This was a collective effort and WE CONQUERED! See the benefits of being a slower runner? Your family and friends can be right on the finish line with you.
I had always envisioned that when I crossed that finish line I would be sobbing in my husband’s arms but I had the opposite. I jumped up and down and fist pumped the air because I DID IT! 26.2 miles – she is a formidable opponent but I was tougher! 4 ½ years ago I dared to dream and that moment I lived the dream. There were hugs and kisses with all my crew and some of it seems like a blur now. I will always remember though how it felt to see my 20yr old son tear up and tell me how proud he is of me.
All the miles I’ve ran, all the tears I’ve shed, all the frustrations I felt when it didn’t seem I was improving fast enough, and all the times I felt like giving up….was it worth it all? I will let this picture of my son and I answer that question.
The one who never let me give up on my dream…
The one who always told me “you can do anything!”
My Coach and hubby…who helped turn an overweight and sedentary woman into a woman who believed in herself, worked hard, ditched the weight, ran determinedly 4 1/2 years to turn herself into a MARATHONER!
Me and Monique @FitInMyHeart – the joy of her friendship is something I will never take for granted. We met on Twitter and have a bond for life. She came from Florida to experience this moment with me. This woman loves me just as I am and I adore her just as she is.
Yep! The coveted finisher medal. 26.2 pride does indeed last forever.
You want me to do something… tell me I can’t do it. - Maya Angelou
