The gory details of running 26.2

It's official! I complete my first marathon!  I finished 26.2 miles and I can't believe it! So good news first eh. Here's how it all went down.

Well, I woke up and puked. ick.  Well not to worry I was just nervous right? Hmmm well read on and decide for yourself. Anyway, sweet sweet Eric also got up at 3am with me, and he drove me to Abilene. I was pretty keyed up all morning. I am a little nervous right now just reliving the moment!  We got there about an hour early, so there was plenty of time to get my registration packet and do the all important....POOP!  Check and check!  The next thing I know it was time for the race! It wasn't an especially big race, so the crowd thinned out right away, but there were still several runners around me.  The marathon and half marathon runners all started out at the same time. The half marathoners went 6.5 miles and then turned around. Things went great for the first 6.5 miles. I was making pretty good time. Then everyone turned around (they must have all been running that half I guess) then I was all alone! HAHA!  There were only about 50 people running the marathon I guess and by that time we were pretty well spaced out.

Oh one thing I forgot to mention...this race was out and back (kinda sucky BTW) and the first 13 miles were INTO THE WIND! Damn!  I think that drained a lot of my strength. The first 13 miles I did really well! I stayed very positive and I was feeling pretty good. I turned around, got to mile 15, then WHAM! The puking started!  I also forgot to mention that the high that day was around 90. So I am not 100% sure why I was sick, but I just was. Then I was in trouble. Luckily at mile 18 Eric came and we walked for a little while. He wetted a hanky with water and put it on my neck. That helped too. So I muddled on. When I got to mile 22 I was pretty sure I was going to make it, but I was also pretty sure I was in bad shape. The puking continued, it was getting hotter, and I was starting to break down physically and mentally.  I couldn't eat any gels b/c they made me sick. I could just sip sip sip water. So I did that and just did what I could.  LUCKILY Eric came and took the last 2 miles with me. By that time I was veering off the road and crying profusely. :) I must have been a sight!

So more on those last 2 miles! OMG those were the longest 2 miles of my entire life! I thought they would never never end. And the last .2 of the 26.2 were ENDLESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  But I finished! This was by far the toughest physical challenge of my life, and probably up there as one of the toughest mental challenges of my life.  I have never been so happy to sit down in the A/C and drink water in my entire life!

So I didn't get a really good time needless to say. But my goal was to finish and that I did. I am now part of the 1% or less of the world's population that has finished a marathon.  Was it worth it? Yes. I need to elaborate more on this, but maybe not today.  I'll finish with the after race experience.

It was so nice to sit in the car w/ the A/C on. And Eric was nice enough to get me a SQUISHEE! nom nom nom. Just what I needed! We stopped to pick up a notebook at Eric's lab, and I got out to walk and change clothes. Man that was hard!  I could barely get up let alone walk to the bathroom and change clothes. But somehow I did. The rest of the evening I laid on the couch with Buffy.  I was pretty sore and couldn't sit in one position too long, but it also hurt to change positions. Oh did I mention I was also sunburned...burnt to a crisp would be more accurate. Yea add insult to injury for sure!

How am I doing now? Glad you asked! I am physically mostly recovered. The arch of my right foot hurts like a mother and I am limping around but I am otherwise ok. I am very very tired, and from what I read that is normal and may last for a week.  I got hydrated pretty quickly afterwards, so I am sure that helped. I only took 1 dose of aleve, after that I was pretty much ok.

Mentally I seem very emotional. I read that depression is common after a marathon, but I have yet to experience it. I am mostly concerned about what to do next. I am already entertaining the idea of a race in the near future. More on that to come.

So I have done the 26.2. Me, the girl who isn't a runner, who once could not run a mile, has completed a marathon.  I am proof that if you put your mind to it, you can do anything. If you are thinking of running, do it. I did it, and I am glad that I did. Yes it was hard, it was fucking hard. But if it were easy, everyone would do it.  I am glad I took on the challenge. I will blog about that more later, mostly because I am still reflecting on the experience. To be honest, it hasn't really sunk in yet, but I will share my thought later.

So what is "beyond"?  I am not 100% sure. But stay tuned, I AM sure it will be an adventure!

For now, happy trails! Thanks for taking the first part of this journey with me!