Marathon Report, Part 2
*Continued from yesterday*
So I left off yesterday at the halfway point, right? Shortly after we hit that, we had a ratchet up in the difficulty. Not because we started heading uphill again (we were done with even the unplanned-for inclines by then, thank goodness) but because we had 2 miles of running south with the sun beating against our faces. You would think it would only make a minor difference, but no, I swear it felt 10 degrees hotter every time we had to face that direction. Ugh. The water bottle that I had faithfully carried (it was Amy's originally but I adopted it) had long since run out. If I'd had any sense, I'd have gotten it filled up at the aid station, but I really didn't know how bad these stretches ahead without aid stations were going to be. According to the race course description we were expecting an aid station at miles 15, 17, 19, and 21 (and after that they were supposed to be at every mile).
There was no aid station at mile 15.
Keep in my mind that we had no water and we were sweating like crazy people.
Here's where we hit the first sign that finishing a marathon is at least as much mental effort as physical. Amy cracked a bit. I think it's a good thing that there were no course officials anywhere around us because she would probably have let loose against them and it wouldn't have been pretty.
Luckily, the aid station was at mile 15.5. Of course, to someone marking out a course in their car, half a mile probably seemed like no big deal at all. To us, laboring until the blazing sun without water, it was a huge blow.
Things just went downhill from there. Amy and I had made an agreement that we would stay together barring an injury (like a sprained ankle), where the other one would go on. This was supposed to be a team effort!! But I don't think Amy was prepared for how hard it was going to be that far in, how much pressure she would feel not to let me down or hold me back from getting my medal, and I definitely wasn't prepared for how hard it would be to try to motivate someone else as well as myself. We kept trudging forward though, and eventually we hit a brand-new milestone. We passed the 18 mile mark, which was the farthest either of us had ever run before. We had never had a training session longer than that. It should have felt like an accomplishment, but by then all I could think of was the remaining 8 miles, and how it felt like 50.
I'm not going to tell Amy's side of the marathon experience-- I probably couldn't describe what it was like for her anyway-- but we got to the point where I was begging her to run for just 3 minutes and then we would walk for one. That got us to the 20 mile point, where we clocked in at 4 hours 10 minutes. Shortly after that, we met up with Amy's husband and kids, and at that point, I left her and went on my own. She insisted that it would be less stressful for her (since she wouldn't be worried about holding me back) and I finally agreed, though I felt like I was betraying my sister. It was hard to go on alone.
In one way it was easier though. I only had to worry about motivating myself at that point, which was a good thing.
I was a basket case there at the end. I didn't even want to go check out the food or get a massage. I couldn't stop crying. My legs hurt so badly I didn't think I could manage to sit, but it was excruciating to stand up too. Finally I got myself under control enough to text Terence (he had gotten his automated text letting him know my finish time, and had sent one back to congratulate me) and then I got a phone call from my mom letting me know that Amy was on her way, that she hadn't given up.
At noon they have a kids' race, and both my nieces were participating, so I waited for them at the finish line. The younger one wasn't happy so my brother-in-law took her and I kept the older one to wait for her mother to cross the finish line. We didn't have to wait too long.
Overall, the marathon wasn't the hardest thing I've ever done. (Childbirth, especially #1, was worse). But it was probably next in line. We both achieved our goal and finished the marathon within the time limit to earn our medals. Major accomplishment achieved!!!! Now I don't need to do it ever again :)
So I left off yesterday at the halfway point, right? Shortly after we hit that, we had a ratchet up in the difficulty. Not because we started heading uphill again (we were done with even the unplanned-for inclines by then, thank goodness) but because we had 2 miles of running south with the sun beating against our faces. You would think it would only make a minor difference, but no, I swear it felt 10 degrees hotter every time we had to face that direction. Ugh. The water bottle that I had faithfully carried (it was Amy's originally but I adopted it) had long since run out. If I'd had any sense, I'd have gotten it filled up at the aid station, but I really didn't know how bad these stretches ahead without aid stations were going to be. According to the race course description we were expecting an aid station at miles 15, 17, 19, and 21 (and after that they were supposed to be at every mile).
There was no aid station at mile 15.
Keep in my mind that we had no water and we were sweating like crazy people.
Here's where we hit the first sign that finishing a marathon is at least as much mental effort as physical. Amy cracked a bit. I think it's a good thing that there were no course officials anywhere around us because she would probably have let loose against them and it wouldn't have been pretty.
Luckily, the aid station was at mile 15.5. Of course, to someone marking out a course in their car, half a mile probably seemed like no big deal at all. To us, laboring until the blazing sun without water, it was a huge blow.
Things just went downhill from there. Amy and I had made an agreement that we would stay together barring an injury (like a sprained ankle), where the other one would go on. This was supposed to be a team effort!! But I don't think Amy was prepared for how hard it was going to be that far in, how much pressure she would feel not to let me down or hold me back from getting my medal, and I definitely wasn't prepared for how hard it would be to try to motivate someone else as well as myself. We kept trudging forward though, and eventually we hit a brand-new milestone. We passed the 18 mile mark, which was the farthest either of us had ever run before. We had never had a training session longer than that. It should have felt like an accomplishment, but by then all I could think of was the remaining 8 miles, and how it felt like 50.
I'm not going to tell Amy's side of the marathon experience-- I probably couldn't describe what it was like for her anyway-- but we got to the point where I was begging her to run for just 3 minutes and then we would walk for one. That got us to the 20 mile point, where we clocked in at 4 hours 10 minutes. Shortly after that, we met up with Amy's husband and kids, and at that point, I left her and went on my own. She insisted that it would be less stressful for her (since she wouldn't be worried about holding me back) and I finally agreed, though I felt like I was betraying my sister. It was hard to go on alone.
In one way it was easier though. I only had to worry about motivating myself at that point, which was a good thing.
 |
| I don't know if that is a smile or a grimace. |
I got a mental boost at mile 22 from some friends whose daughters were volunteering at the aid station. Brandi had finished the half marathon earlier and then they had backtracked. It lifted my spirits immeasurably! (Although when she called "Only 4 miles to go!" I almost croaked right there. It's not like I didn't know it, but at that point 4 miles was agonizing to contemplate.) My next boost came from my mom, who was somewhere around mile 23. She cheered me on, leaving me with more enthusiasm to keep going (then she went to walk for awhile with Amy, who had not given up but was still pressing forward in a true act of courage). My final boost came when I spotted my seven year old niece on the side of the road holding out a water bottle. I could have kissed her!!! (And my brother-in-law for bringing the water, but I don't think he would have appreciated that.)
However, then I hit the wall. Not physically. Not as I've heard it described, anyway, where you literally have no energy to keep moving. But somewhere between mile 24 and mile 25, my brain rebelled. I didn't want to keep going. It was too hard. All my toes were numb and my legs alternating between spasms of pain and feeling like deadened logs. But I dredged up my determination and pushed forward. I wasn't going to give up. I told myself the same thing I'd told Amy earlier-- just jog for 3 minutes, and then I could walk for one. When three minutes passed, I told myself to keep jogging for just one more minute. . . and I ended up making it for five minutes. That's how the two miles went. Jog for five, walk for one. My pace slowed considerably, but I was still moving forward.
When the finish line came into view, I started to cry. I didn't mean to (and they weren't tears of joy, though they may have been tears of relief) and luckily I had sunglasses on so you can't quite tell in my finish line photo.
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| Finished!! (I have no idea who those other two girls are.) |
At noon they have a kids' race, and both my nieces were participating, so I waited for them at the finish line. The younger one wasn't happy so my brother-in-law took her and I kept the older one to wait for her mother to cross the finish line. We didn't have to wait too long.
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| If you look closely you can see Amy. She made it!! |
Overall, the marathon wasn't the hardest thing I've ever done. (Childbirth, especially #1, was worse). But it was probably next in line. We both achieved our goal and finished the marathon within the time limit to earn our medals. Major accomplishment achieved!!!! Now I don't need to do it ever again :)
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| No glamour shot, but I'm a winner! |
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