Marathon Day #2 started VERY early, like 2:30 am! The only time when someone should be awake at 2:30 is when they're still up! Anyway after some coffee maker oatmeal and applying layers of body glide and sunscreen it was time to meet the team. Unfortunately we hung out by the pool for almost an hour, which didn't make us happy because we all would have rather been sleeping. After the group photos and double checking supplies for the day we were off on the bus to the starting area. Bummer again, we were there at 5! Literally the first ones there, we actually christened some of the brand new porta-potties, that's got to be a marathon first! Cue more sitting around and waiting for the other 21,000+ people to show up and for the sun to come up. During this time I did find my old friend from high school, Becca, who now lives in LA who was also running with Team in Training. We knew that we were both running but had no clue if we could find each other in the craziness of a major marathon. Another minor miracle was that Chad and I found each other before the race too! I seriously almost jumped into his arms, I was so happy to see him right before the race. After one last trip to the porta-potty it was time to line up and start this thing.
Where as Chad was in coral #2 I was way back in #22 with a bunch of the ladies running the half marathon from my team. They were all friends and one of the women had lost her daughter to Lymphoma. She was doing this in her memory with her friends there to support her. We were all very emotional as the race began. It only takes about 13 mins. to start the race officially, it's amazing to see this massive string of people running for miles. For example, by the time I started Chad was probably at mile 2 and there were solid people in between! First we ran through the Hillcrest neighborhood which is the gay pride neighborhood in San Diego. It was hilarious because the first cheerleading squad we came up on was a bunch of guys in full drag cheerleading uniforms, most of which were Team in Training colors! I've loved them! Next was a navy band in full dress whites rocking it out! I'll spare you the play by play and just deliver the highlights and lowlights. We went through Balboa Park and the San Diego Zoo then into downtown San Diego. Right before Petco Park I had to pee really bad, so I actually ran into a Scottish pub call the Twisted Kilt. I don't now if the owner knew what he was getting into but I yelled over that I was moving to Scotland in 3 month, so I should be good, he laughed! I have to say it was nice to not wait and to pee NOT in a porta potty. Around Petco Park and through the Gaslamp District before running on the highway with a 45 degree pitch.
That means that the street was anything but level! Everything seemed to be going really well so far by mile 9 which included a 2 mile uphill stretch on the evil pitched highway. All along it was really nice to have music because it gave you something to look forward to and give a little adrenaline boost. Miles 12-15 weren't exactly happy miles for me. This is when I started walking outside of water stops, which I was stopping at all of them because of the heat anyways. I knew once I passed the 1/2 way mark there was no turning back and I still felt pretty good. I was actually feeling a lot better then I was at this point in the Grandma's Marathon last year. I was walking but I wasn't in too much pain or having problems yet. When I came out of my funk I was able to run again for much longer sections. Although I was cursing the palm trees because there was NO shade! Miles 18-21 weren't real great either, but I was eating a lot of food! This was new for me, I never really eat real food while running, but I had had breakfast too early and I have now burned through it so I had to replenish. This was done with fist fulls of pretzels, sports beans, cliff shots, and Swedish fish. Just like last year I drank beer during the race! There were some 20 somethings out in there front yard offering beers to people and playing Chariots of Fire (a marathon requirement,) so I ran over and shotgunned a beer! It's amazing, normally I don't really like beer but by mile 20 of a marathon it's just what my body needs! Part pain killer, part carbs, part hydration, and part adrenaline shot. Along the course I saw my coaches and staff so that was nice to look forward to seeing familiar faces and all sorts of Team in Training supporters! I'd also being playing tag team with a TNT runner from Iowa, which was fun. My coach caught up to me in mile 24 where I was walking, I was going to run from mile 25 all the way to the finish. I was the last runner from my team on the course so Coach Mike was going to run me all the way in. At first I wasn't real happy about that, but in the end it was just the pick-up I needed. I was hard to hold back the tears as I ran onto the Marine base passed the uniformed Marines. Then the adrenaline really took over, I knew the finish was close but I didn't want to sprint until I could see the finish line. Just after the mile 26 marker I was looking for Chad and then I heard him and saw him, game over, I was going for it! I couldn't believe he'd waited for 3 hours to see my finish! I took off as soon as I could see the finish at full speed. I was passing people left and right and the announcer said, "oh my gosh look at her go!" I finished in a new personal best time by about 8 1/2 mins. Official finish time was 6:42:27.I got my medal and was about ready to pass out since I was having trouble breathing after my amazing finish. My coach was also awarded a medal, which I though was really cool of the race organizers to recognize what these coaches were during that day. Coach Mike actually ran 27 miles according to his watch, so I'd saw he earned it! Got all my stuff, food, and water and then went in search of Chad! It was so nice to see him again I know I had seem him 7 hours earlier but we'd both come so far since then! After a quick sit down, flip-flops on, bus ride, ice bath, shower, call home, and 15 min. nap, then it was time for the victory party!
I figure I ran about 3/4 of this marathon, up from 1/2 last time. I felt a lot better this time as well in muscles, joints, and sun burn factor! It was a fun and changeling run all the same. Is it bad that I'm already thinking ahead to marathon #3???
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