laurensjourneytohappyandhealthy:
I loved marathon day. The weather was perfect, the scenery was perfect and my 12 minute PR was the most perfect!!!!!
Here’s a “little” recap!
Alarm went off at 5:30.. I woke up 2 minutes before that! We gave ourselves plenty of time to get up and dressed and get to the buses. It was super well organized and even thought we got in the back of a VERY long line for the bus, we were on a bus within 5 minutes or so.
I ate a cliff bar on the 30 minute ride…
When we arrived at the start we got in the VERY short bathroom line and then stretched and WAITED.
Once we lined up we didn’t wait long until we began running! This is a very small race at least compared to what i’m used to, there weren’t even corrals!
… and we were off. My watch did something weird in the first few minutes that freaked me out but in the end it all equaled out!
Sarah and I were feeling really good for a while. The first 6 miles we were in stride.
We saw some of our cheerleaders at mile 10 which was a big boost!
Around mile 11 we ended up separating.
I hadn’t listened to any music at this point but when we separated I ended up listened to the last 45 minutes of my audio book and just kept trucking on.
I took in fuel (gu) every 45 minutes.
This course is known for being flat with a net downhill. There were still quite a few uphills but nothing worse then the hills I run daily on my road.
My mom and my sister were waiting for me just past mile 13 which was great!
I hit my first metaphorical bump in the road right after seeing them. I walked up a bigger hill which was the first time I walked in the race, i took in a GU and felt way better within 10 minutes. I hit these medium/large mental hills a few times but it never lasted THANKS GOODNESS!!
I maintained a VERY steady pace throughout the whole race! I kept thinking I was going to slow down a lot in the last 6 miles like I did the first time but I NEVER HIT THAT WALL!!! Yeeeeeeeessssssssssssssssss. Sure my body hurt but it was moving forward and my mind was doing great. In fact somewhere around mile 21 I was thinking about my NEXT MARATHON!!! :) That’s a good sign right?!!!!
There were beautiful mountains, cows, fields, lakes and awesome spectators and I LOVED IT!
Starting at mile 15 I walked through water stations while drinking either water or Gatorade and the second I finished drinking I ran again.I walked up 2 small hills and other then that I RAN RAN RAN!
I was SO HAPPY at mile 22, I knew I had these next 4 miles.
The next thing I knew I was at mile 25 then mile 26, I turned the final corner and saw my husband and Sarah’s fiance! I could see the finish line!
I “sprinted” as in I ran as fast as my body could carry me, that last stretch seemed to take FOREVER!!!!!
BUTTHEN I WAS DONE! I FINISHED!!!! I WAS A 2X MARATHONER!!!! WITH A 12 minute PR!!!
I was seriously on a runners high ALL DAY!
There are SO many pictures that I will probably have to do a second post of MORE pictures!
You’re badass! This is awesome =) I can barely make it through a half!
@laurensjourneytohappyandhealthy 5 years ago I struggled through a half too :)
