26.2

the blog that has been requested is finally here...what better way for me to start than with a race recap...make that a marathon recap-

I woke up thinking it was my husbands alarm going off and I almost told him to shut it off. When I realized it was mine, I dashed out of bed. I got dressed  and went to the kitchen to toast an English muffin. ( & a baby aspirin safety first
 I was feeling good and ready. I looked outside and saw the rain still coming down. It rained pretty much all day the day before. I was hoping it would stop. I still knew I was committed to this so I didn't let it bother me.
My coach picked me up around 5 am and we headed to the race site.

We got rock star parking and it gave us plenty of down time before the race. We both thought we might take a nap pre race but due to my jitters that didn't happen. Speaking of jitters I had to take 3 shadoobies (shadoobie=taking a dump) before the race! I was hoping that would be the end of that so no roadies. I have NO shame everyone does it.

Race time crept up so it was time to go check out bags and head to the start line.
I was still feeling really good and ready to start. It took us 30 minutes to get to the start line from our corral. So we actually started at 8:30 not 8 am when the race began.

I have to say I started off with Wu Tang in my ear (not familair with them look them up) and I was feeling good. I splashed in my first puddle around mile 2. It was an awful feeling  having water squish through my toes but I didn't let it bother me.

Mile 8. I was feeling on top of the world and I had not stopped running.I thought this is the best thing EVER.

Mile 11. Ran into my friend, Ashley by accident. I had stopped briefly to open up my clif shots and I couldn't get my package open because my hands were frozen. She was hunched over with a leg cramp and I asked for help. She looked at me and we freaked out. I told her I was pretending the rain was glitter. Obviously, the adrenaline was in full force.

Mile 13. I hit the wall. I was at that point I had wished I did a half. Running under the balloon canopy, I was hoping I would feel this is 1/2 over instead I was wishing for the end. I had to quickly change my thoughts but I will admit thoughts still weren't good. Ouch. Leg Cramp. Oh crap there was blood on my shoe. I didn't focus on it so that I could continue. Sting. this was my first stop to walk for a minute.

Mile 14. good bye itouch. dang it. it shorted out because of rain and battery and I will have to go see the Apple store this week. SUPER kudos to those who run without music because I had to finish this race without it. I actually didn't hate it. I just would have preferred not listen to other peeps conversations.

Mile 17. My first stop to urinate. I totally wanted to stay in the Porto potty. Yep, first time for everything. Ouch. Leg cramp.

Mile 19.5. Hooters. I could of done without the guy on the microphone and the smell of chicken wings. I wanted a bagel or donut or something. I was HUNGRY.  I drank Gatorade at almost every station to stay hydrated.

Mile 20. Dolly Parton Hills. I should not have to explain those. Bitches. Complete Bitches.

Mile 22. Chariots of Fire playing in the front of an old ladies house. Was there light of the end of the tunnel ahead? Ouch. Leg cramp.

Mile 24. Surprise! my buddy from college, Dave was there to cheer me on with a sign his daughter made for me.  In my mind, I just wanted to finish, I kept telling myself only 2 more miles...2 more -I needed to stop to pee first

Mile 24. Dang Swiss Avenue never ends. Either does this mile.
Yes, I did mention the same mile 2x because that's how long it felt.

Mile 26. What...the finish line. 26.2 FINISH LINE. My sister yelling my name. Tears falling down. I did it. Holy crap.

I stumbled to the building to collect my medal. But really I forgot about it was more interested in my dry clothes. I was soaked. My heel bleeding all over my shoe. My hair was all matted up. I was hungry. I was sore. I was done.

they put the medal around my neck. tears.
I stumbled over to collect my bag, on the way one of the guys from the finish pictures asked me if I wanted my pic taken. I feel bad now but I said "hell no"
oops.
I got my bag. They lady saw me shivering and my teeth chattering and offered a volunteer shirt. I told her I had dry clothes. I saw pizza sitting there, I think it was theirs, I didn't care. I grabbed a piece.
She reminded me to go pick up my finisher shirt. Suggested I grab a beer. I thought about it but a beer sounded horrible. I needed something WARM.
Mind you the place to grab your shirt was all the way at the other side of the building. Buttheads.
Had we not ran far enough?
I collected my shirt and then went to head to the bathroom to change.

There was my buddy Ashley...again! We both had choice words to say about our race. I had no energy to laugh. But was so thankful to see her.
I surprised she didn't slap me for saying earlier the rain was glitter. I was crazy.

She followed me to the bathroom. It took me like 10 minutes to get just my shirt off. Maybe longer. Maybe less. I felt dead.

We both left to figure out how we could get home. Our rides were not with us. She had to borrow my phone to call her hubs, thank goodness she ran into me. I can not imagine what she would have done. Anyway, we plopped down in the middle of the room in the only chairs we saw. When I say plopped down, we really had to carefully maneuver ourselves down.

People kept stopping to ask if I was ok. I couldn't really talk, my teeth were shattering. I was so cold. So very cold.

Finally, we realized we had to get up and leave the building to go home. Smart cookies we are.
I met my sister, husband, Lil girl and friend outside. I was scared to hold my little girl afraid I didn't have the strength. I am glad I did because her body warmth was heavenly. She rested her head on me and kept saying momma. I wanted to cry and didn't know why.

We started walking to the car. I was dreading this. My husband kept saying," Em you cannot carry her all the way to the car."
He was right.

Apparently, someone else agreed because a guy in a golf cart saw me and offered us a ride. THANK GOODNESS!!! God Bless that man.

I got home. I went straight to the bathroom to run a HOT bath. I got in. OUCH. My skinless heel burned. I had to suck it up.
I almost fell asleep in there. It got cold.
I got up and turn the shower on.
I took two hot showers  and a bath in the matter of an hour.

I mentioned earlier I had matted hair. My hoodie that covered my ponytail apparently made my ponytail in to one big massive knot. I left conditioner in my hair to hopefully loosen it. Didn't work.
I then poured olive oil all over it (it was a tip from someone) and tried to comb it out. I think it pained my husband to watch and he came over.
It was hilarious. He was combing my hair trying to help. I asked him why he was helping and he said he was afraid the condition I was in that I would cut it out. haha he was right. Tangle got fixed with a comb, olive oil and detangler. And I didn't have to cut my hair. Although, I did lose some.

Overall, I am thankful. I am thankful for the opportunity to run. I am thankful to be healthy to run. I am thankful I didn't fall and hurt myself during my run. I am thankful I didn't have to take a shadoobie during my run. I am thankful for my play list I made-yep giving myself kudos (for the time it worked), I am thankful for the spectators and their cheers, I am thankful my heart cooperating, I am thankful for the support I received from so many people throughout my training and race day and  I am thankful I FINISHED.

I finished with 5:31. This is NOT what I had wanted or planned for. I am now comfortable with accepting that I finished. That is after all what I originally hoped for.

I am very sore. I am barely able to get around today. Its hard taking care of my child today because I can't do much. I know it will get better and I wouldn't change a thing...ok maybe I would...my time...but there is always room for improvement in  life and I FINISHED.