Marathon Accomplished!

So it is done…I finally did the marathon! (This pic is from after the finish line!) It was seriously cold out – in the 20’s – when we started. Although we had bought clothes from goodwill to put over us and then discard, it still was cold. My toes were as frozen as they had been the week before in Telluride

If you check out my time, you will notice a significant gap between mile 20 and mile 26.2. I have already had several people ask me, do you wish you had pushed yourself more? About mile 16 I decided I was going to do this at my pace – and forget time this first go around. Training for a marathon takes a team – those who run with you, or ask how your training is going, give suggestions or just encouragement. The last 6 miles for me really was a group effort. Starting at mile 20, for the rest of the race I almost always had someone there to talk and walk with me. My parents came out to go with me part of the way, friends came by to take pictures and go with me the last few miles, and we were all on radios giving stat updates and cheers. It became enjoyable! Afterwards, we went to Four Peaks for some much deserved food, and I was still smiling.

So although my time was certainly not the fastest, I think years from now I will remember most the support that was give – the text messages and voicemails of “you can do it!”, those that walked with me, and the high fives that all of us girls gave before the race began. And……I was able to get up today and still think of doing it again! Being that my legs were not useless as I have heard some others are, went out on errands today - bought my tennis racket since I start that Thursday, and got craft supplies for volunteering tomorrow at the center. To finish off today and celebrate, I went to one of my favorite chill places with the marathon gang, Postinos. They drink the wine, and I eat the food.