L&C Full Marathon Race Report...

...well, the marathon has come and gone and I survived! It was really a very long, emotional and crazy journey. I slept like crap the night before but was up and ready to go by 4:30ish. Angie got to my house and had forgotten her race number so she had to go back home, couldn't find it, finally found it and then must have sped back to the house. As soon as we got there, we parked and got in line for the Port-A-Potties. This sucked. We stood in line for almost 40 minutes!?! We missed the Daily Mile meet-up at 6:45, and it sounds like everyone else did too because of this stupid line. Turns out one Port-A-Potty was totally out of commission because someone shat on the seat. Seriously? I mean we're all nervous but if you poop on the seat-CLEAN IT UP!!! Some great man named John, who was running his first half marathon, cleaned it up for us ladies-what a sweetheart! We all hopped line and got in and out and barely made it to our mile marker.

As we made our way to the 13 minute mile marker, we ran into DM Matt D. and said a brief hello and good luck. Right before the national athem began, DM Patrick recognized me. Gee, my picture on DM must be really honestly what I look like because I got recognized by a lot of people! He was great and encouraging and wished us luck. Then before we knew it, the race was starting but we didn't even know it! Screw pace groups, it was just a mad rush for the starting line!

The first half of the race was awesome and tons of fun! I ran into a lot of people I knew, cheering them on and wishing them good luck. DM Jenn ran with us for a little bit and then we finally found DM Matt B. who ran until mile 11 with us. Apparently at mile 5, DM Teresa recognized Matt from my profile picture and asked how I was doing. When I asked him about this later, he said, "Yeah! I had no idea who she was!" The water stations were great, my waterboy was fabulous and we were just cruising along having a great time. I looked at Matt B. at mile 8 and said, "It doesn't even feel like we've just run 8 miles!" At mile 9 DM Meg and her training partner, Stacey, were there to cheer us on.

Right before mile 11 when Matt B. left us to finish strong for his half, some lady was bent over sick. Sherrie asked if she was okay and her friend turned to her and said, "She's fine. I'll take care of her, I'm a medic!" Easy there! No harm in asking if someone is okay? Geez, get your panties out of a bunch. We kept trucking along and I saw Holly and her hub who did the half cheering for us and Trent barely walking but having completed his first half and cheering me on. The finish line was great for the half finishers, tons of people, lots of music, and cheering. It really motivated me to keep going and I was feeling great! I was at a little slower pace than my half pace in June but we planned on that since we were running twice as far.

As we passed the halfway point, Angie took off so she could finish strong. We went about half a mile and I was suprised to see Matt there with my dad, sister and Haley!!! It was such an awesome surprise! We took a GU break and got on our way. I saw DM Patrick G. almost finishing his marathon. I was so happy to see him on the course because I knew he was on the fence about running or not so I was glad he'd decided to make it out there. We turned and I saw the Fleet Feet guy who totally blew me off in the store one day, major boo on him! Then as we were at mile 16 (I think), we saw Matt D. at mile 23, right on pace for his 4:30 marathon. I was so excited for him and cheered him as we went on.

And then that was it. We no longer saw anyone else we knew running, no crowds, we missed the GU Chomps and all we saw were hills, hills, hills. Physically I felt AWESOME in this race, no shin splints, no knee or hip pain, just the balls of my feet were hurting from all the pounding and my hips just ached. I could tell I was getting some chafing on my inner thigh and was shocked because I couldn't figure out why...oh I found out why when I got home, I had a hole in my shorts!!!

Around mile 18 when we were winding through this neighborhood, I just wanted to cry. Katy Perry was getting on my last damn nerve and I wanted to chuck my Ipod as far as I could but I knew I would regret that decision. Sherrie was trying to make small talk with me and asked wherer Matt and I went on our honeymoon. I answered, "Jama...sob...cia.." She turned around and looked at me and the tears started flowing. I apologized, "I'm sorry...I'm just tired...and I'm getting crabby!" She told me it was okay, I was just hitting my wall. I cried for a bit, we hit mile 19 and some kid told me, "Only 7 more miles lady." Yeah, thanks kid I know. We ran for a bit more and I finally answered Sherrie's question so that she could understand me.

As we got to mile 20.5, I saw my family and the tears started again. I gave my dad a big hug with tears rolling down my cheeks then kept moving forward. I didn't want to stop, I just wanted to finish. I even turned down a cookie so you know something was up! Matt ran down the trail with us some telling me he was proud of me and that I could do it. Saturday night before the race he told me, "Babe, just think about it, when you finish, you can eat all the ice cream that you want!" He really knows the way to my heart! I gave him a quick kiss and we continued chugging along.

I tried to run but Sherrie told me that our pace was better at a walk rather than a run. Bummer but oh well, I just wanted to finish whether I was running, walking, crawling or being drug across the finish line. I was getting frustrated and a little panicky because I had no idea where we were on the Katy Trail, which in my mind meant we had a LONG ways to go, but then we finally made it to the Page Bridge where they handed out more GU. I was super excited about all the GU they handed out and it was all caffeine free too, even better! At mile 23, we FINALLY found the GU chomps just in a box so we picked up quite a few. They were delish I must say. Haley, my six year old neice, and Matt walked part of mile 23 with us. We made a quick pit stop and then got on our way. At this point, I was so done, it wasn't even funny. I had to keep asking Sherrie, what mile marker are we looking for? I mean, I was so close to being down and I couldn't even remember what mile marker we were looking for!?!

Right after mile 25, we saw another water station which I passed up, I was ready to be DONE. When we reached the end of the Katy Trail and got back on the main road, we ran the last .5 to the finish. I saw Ang on this homestretch and she cheered us on and ran part ways. Then we made the first turn and I saw my family and 4 friends from college holding up signs for me and I started tearing up. We went up the stretch and I saw my three awesome bloggy friends taking pictures and cheering me on (even after two of them had already finished the half!). We made the last turn and hauled it as fast as I could down to the finish line. I had just finished my first marathon!!!!!!!!

I was so freakin' emotional, it wasn't even funny. Seriously, running a marathon is more emotional than PMS! I had so much support throughout the race and at the finish line. I was crying like a little baby and hugging everyone. My dad even teared up as I hugged him. Matt put my medal on me and I went to visit all my friends. He took Sherrie and Angie home as it was late in the afternoon so I said a few quick good-byes to them. Really...without Sherrie, I would have NEVER finished! I love her so much! Thank you Sherrie!

I didn't see any underwear and every body of water we did a body check but never saw any. Some people running the race were really mean while others were really great! I was very disappointed in the finish. I mean I had an awesome support team there for me and I can't thank them enough for being there for me but Fleet Feet was already taking everything down, no music playing, no excitement, nothing. I mean I had my own excitement from finishing but it was just not a very thrilling finish line. I said it before and I'll say it again, never again will I do a marathon. It really pushed me further than I could. A 10 mile training run for a half isn't nearly as intimidating as a 20 miler for a full.

I felt okay yesterday, super sore, feet super swollen and I think I even got a little sun on my cheeks! I haven't even attempted to put my wedding ring back on. I took Monday off work so I just lounged around the house with the pups and blogged and uploaded pics, geez-I needed a day not only to recover but to post about this! My running season is officially over for 2010. I'm moving on to a new adventure and endeavor in my life now. I'm going to take a nice long break from running and hope to pick it up again in January. Thanks for all the support and encouragement. I love each and everyone of you and can't thank you enough for all your support. FYI-Matt brought me home an XL Elvis Pretzely on Sunday night!!!

"There will be days that you don't think you can run a marathon. Then there will be a lifetime knowing you did." Lifetime, Lyssa, lifetime! I RAN A FULL MARATHON!!!