The marathon

Pre-race smiles.

Look how dark it is!! And I think most of you know how I feel about being up while it is still dark!

We tried to talk them out of it, but Paula and Joe insisted on coming and they brought these cute little cheerleaders with them.
Thank goodness they came--it is a long way to go without seeing any familiar faces!

This is either mile 5 or 11--and that's my running buddy Michele in the blue top. Michele has run several marathons and had wanted to break 4:30 and she did it! Yay Michele!

It's a very surreal experience to start a run in the dark and watch the miles tick by and the sun come up and the hours tick by and just keep on running. You (hopefully) get into a very weird groove and it is unreal to check your watch and realize you have been running for four hours and your body just keeps going because the faster you get there, the sooner you can stop. Our training program had a long run of 20 miles and then the theory goes that the adrenaline will get you through the last 6 miles but 6 miles is a long ways so I was really nervous that it wouldn't actually work--I seriously imagined that I would hit mile 20 and just stop and keel over. But I passed the mile 20 sign and I did a quick check and thought my legs still work, my brain still works and I feel pretty good (relatively speaking, of course) and then I thought hey I might actually make it! I even tried to actually enjoy mile 26 since I don't plan on running that far ever again and when I finally crossed the finish line and people are just so excited for you and handing you all kinds of food and drinks and roses and medals and it was really just a great experience.

There's Ed, in black and gray, going strong (and waving to the kids) at mile 11.

The whole time we were training we both kept saying we would never do this again together--it's one thing when one person is doing 3 hour training runs on Saturday mornings, it's a whole different thing when you both have to squeeze them in! But I have to say that I am so glad we did this together--who else would understand what crazy things we did (and sacrificed) over the last three months? Plus we spent the entire 6 hours coming home talking about each different point in the race and who and what we saw and although we didn't actually run it together, we both noticed (and thought) exactly the same things. And we got to see and high-five each other one time on an out and back part of the course. The only bummer was that I didn't get to see him cross the line but I was watching my clock and I knew when he should finish and I was so excited for him even though I was still out there trucking along!

He got an awesome time and I am so proud of him!

All tuckered out. That marathon watching is hard work.

So I'm pretty sure that I won't run another marathon (I'd say 90% or maybe like 85...80?)--I finished, I'm happy with my time (especially if you minus the 8 minutes--yes, I timed it--that I spent waiting in line at the port-a-potties midrace--talk about frustrating!), and I had a good experience so why do it all over?

However, I am already talking Ed into doing it again next year! I would love to spend the weekend in Portland shopping (without worrying about getting tired), eating yummy food (without worrying about its protein levels), drinking alcohol and staying up late (all things I like to do on vacation!) and then cheering for Ed now that I know the course because, frankly, spectating looks like a lot more fun than actually running!