This morning I woke up just before 5 am. Arrive to the busses and got in the long Honey Bucket line. 10 minutes left before start changed shoes and it stormed like crazy! We had rain and hail. So much fun!! But a total blister fest. Got lined up after finally meeting Allie in person. I saw an eye of a tiger when I looked at her and knew great things were going to happen and hoped for it to rub off on me:) Gun went off and about 10ish girls were ahead for the first 5 or so miles. No warm up like I wanted, but does anyone warm up for these? Hummm. Most of this is TMI, but a journal entry for me as well:) Splits were: 1. 6:42- Trying to wake up my body, it felt a little fast. Aprox. 10 girls ahead from the start. 2. 6:48 Found Kam from the blog and had short talk with him for a few miles. 3. 6:41 4. 6:47Lots of rain 5. 6:51 Lots of rain and hail and felt like a wet rat, but a fast rat! 6. 6:53 Passed a girl. 10k was around 41ish. 7. 6:59 Took a decaf GU 8. 6:48 9. 6:51 Passed another girl and ate a banana. 10. 7:00 11. 7:04 Wanted to push ahead but reminded myself to hold back some till later 12. 6:54 Took another decaf GU 13. 6:52 Crazy cramp in my right foot and limped part of the mile but prayed it away. I believe just under 1:30 for half split. 14. 6:46 Passed a girl and a girl passed me. In 6th overall. No fifth girl in sight. Started to compete. 15. 7:01 Out of the canyon and could feel it but knew there was a little down hill left. 16. 7:04 Saw family cheering! 17. 7:09 Took a caffinated GU. My sister ran part with me with words of encouragement. 18. 7:03 slow but feeling energized 19. 7:35 Small ups and downs and turns but energized and mentally tough. 20. 7:44 hill. Despite time, felt really good here. 21. 7:05 . Still mentally tough with the mantra, "You've trained for this!" 22. 7:21 Took a caffinated GU and needed it. Gradual uphill. Expected the wall but it never came. Lungs felt great, legs were tired though. 23. 7:50 hill, I'm making this hill stuff up, not sure where it was but rolling and winding through neighborhoods. This felt like a tough mile but stayed focused. 24. 7:44 Dedicated this mile to my sister who has some serious health issues . Took a small wrong turn in my borderline state of delirum and focus. 25. 7:26 Dedicated this mile to my husband and all his hard work and support, sister ran with me some. 26. 7:33 Dedicated this last mile to my self, my hard work in training and my patients who I always encourage them to do anything they set their mind to. Last .39 I didn't get due to not stopping my watch but I felt like I had a decent kick with horrible form:) Measured .19 over according to Garmin. But Garmin has steered me wrong before. Placed 45th overall male and female, 6th overall females, and 1st in age. I believe my gun time was 3:07:18.6.2. A huge PR for me by 22 minutes from my first and only other marathon in 2008. I received a nice moose trophy and $50 bucks that went straight to my babysitter when I got home. So worth it and so fun! Afterwards got a massage and sat in the cold ditch with Kam while we visited with our families and discussed the race. Thank you to friends and family for all your support. Too bad you all received texts for some reason that I placed 3rd overall. I knew that wasn't possible unless the two ahead of me were Masters and they weren't, they were young, strong women! Congrats to all! I've got to go crawl down the stairs now.
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