I did it!

Greg and I woke up at 5:50 and were on the train at 6:15AM to the race. It was still dark out and it was great that we got to watch the sun rise together on the train. My leg was still sore but I figured that if I could give birth twice, I can at least try to run. The pain in my right leg starts around the inside ball joint in my ankle and runs half way up my calf and a little bit across the top of my foot. We actually got there on time and were so excited with all of the action happening around us. We checked in our bags and headed to the port-o-potty's. We stood in a long line to finally get into a disgusting toilet. I guess 40,000 runners using 100 port-o-potty's with a nervous stomach can make for a disgusting toilet experience.

We then ran down the fence line together and jumped the fence to get closer to the starting line. While we were there we were packed like cattle waiting to be released. We couldn't stretch because we were so packed. A girl fainted and was rushed out by her friend past me. It was so nerve wrecking. Besides the fact I was running a marathon this was the first race I ever participated in. LOL! AND, I am claustrophobic. I am so nuts. I never ran in a race EVER before. And then I was standing there looking at Greg with a bum leg and thought, WHAT THE HELL AM I DOING?! Greg said don't look at her. She will be OK. We started moving forward, arm to arm with everyone toward the start line. Greg then asked me if I wanted him to run with me. I thought that was absolutely sweet since he wanted to run it in 3:55 (3hours 55minutes). I told him to run ahead and have fun that I didn't want to hold him back if I had to drop out because of my leg. He was worried about me but I told him I would either be right behind him at the finish line or I would be welcoming him at the finish line by getting a ride with the med crew at any of the water stations. We kissed and we were off.

It was amazing the amount of people that are cheering you on. It was a blur but I remember seeing people all around me. It was awesome. For the first five miles I was very concerned about my leg but the crowd helped me relax a little and keep going. I wore my name on my shirt so the crowd could cheer me on. It was a godsend. It felt good for people to yell my name out and tell me to "keep going", "looking great", "you can do it" and so on and so forth. I finally got to my old neighborhood which is the most Northern part of the race. I remember watching the first Chicago Marathon with Julian two weeks home from the hospital at the corner where we lived. Just thinking about those memories got me through mile 6 up to 8. And then mile 8 was boys town. Yes, the largest gay neighborhood had cheerleaders on bleachers doing a gun twirling routine to Raul Paul's "Work it Girl". It was awesome. I was so entertained and loved it. It pushed me into the next two miles when I was looking for Greg's supervisor who was having a party outside his house where we run past. I never did see them but I guess they were there.

So now, I was getting overly hot. My time was awesome. I was running a little faster then 5 miles an hour. If I could continue that pace I would have finished in 5 hours but it was getting hot. The race alerted the runners that they changed the alert from yellow to red. It was advised to slow down, drink lots of fluids and be safe. If they raised the warning again, they would close the race down. I decided to take a quick potty break around mile 13 (half way) and felt a burst of energy afterward. However, people were starting to walk more. A man in a wheel chair flipped his chair next to me and almost took out two people to my right and me. It was so scary. People ran to his aide and helped him and I stood there like, what do I do. When I saw a lot of men helping him up I kept running. I really hope he is OK.

The city opened up fire hydrants on the race course and neighborhoods set up sprinklers to run through. They were awesome. It started to get dangerous to run around people who were walking. I ran through the middle of the course to bypass many walkers and felt great until I hit a terrible long stretch. There were no trees, no shade, no breeze and no spectators to cheer you on, just hot sun which seemed to last forever. Then, a bank clock registered the time and the temperature. It read 92 degrees out. The pavement was hot and I was so wet, I could ring my shorts out. My shoes were so wet that I could feel water squishing between my toes. But I pushed on alternating between walking and running. I felt bad for not running more at that point but when I hit the next water station that was supposed to have the first nutrition for us (banana's) they were out. No banana's and I was pissed. I was hungry, tired, sore and hot and now I had to run over banana peals.

More people were walking and I decided to walk a little. I speed walked as much as possible but I started to feel nauseous. I wasn't sure if it was all the Gatorade in my stomach or the heat. So, I took another bathroom break and wrestled with my running shorts that were stuck to my legs due to the many water baths from sprinklers, hydrants or bottles of water poured over my head. I finally got out and felt a little better but think I just needed something other then GU and Blocks to eat.

I continued on and it was cool to run through the arches of the Chinatown and see the dragons dancing to the drums. After that I knew I was on the last stretch to the end. I struggled up to mile 25 and decided I HAD to run. I was looking for my parents with the kids and finally saw them .2 miles to the end. They didn't see me, so I yelled HEY at them. My mom jumped up to take my picture but I just wanted to finish. I waved for the picture and head up the hill of hell.





There is a small bridge that we had to run up to get to the finish line. I sprinted to the end. I couldn't believe some of the people sprinting looked like wooden puppets with their tired legs trying to run. Then there were other people who were walking or stopping as they got through the finish line. I had to break through two people to make it through the line as they walked. Oh well. I was so happy to finish.

I wanted to break down and cry. I wanted to see Greg and hug him and cry but it was chaos. I got a foil wrap put on me. I then received a medal around my neck. Then I received, water, banana, bagel and apple. I went to the bag check and didn't' see Greg there. Then I walked toward the family reunite area that was way in the hell at the opposite end of the finish line and found him. By that time, it was at least 30 minutes after I finished, so the tears were gone. LOL! Greg was so worried about me. He forgot to confirm the text message to receive my progress so he thought I never made it through the race. He contacted my parents on my cell phone and my mom told him that they just saw me and I looked great. So, we called my parents and we had to walk all the way back to the finish line to see them. So many people were passing out and I still couldn't believe how many people were STILL finishing the race. We finally found my family and were so happy. The kids were bored but happy to see us again.





I am a little disappointed that I walked as much as I did at the end but honestly, it was not safe to run with that heat for that long. I am happy that I did make my two goals. One was to finish and the second was to finish before 5hours and 30 minutes. My final time was 5:24:31 (5 hours 24 minutes and 31 seconds). I am proud of myself, and am in disbelief that I accomplished this.

I have a few more war wounds that I am dealing with right now. I am so SORE! I can barely walk straight and made sure to walk with the kids this afternoon to loosen up my muscles. I have chaffing injuries on my chest. A two inch rub on my chest from where the elastic on my sports bra rubbed against the water and my chest. Also two separate marks from where the safety pins holding my number rubbed. Of course while I was running I didn't feel it until after the race. I have a blister on the top of my right second toe that is almost the size of my pinky toe (from all the water in my shoes). And last but not least, sunburn. Holy cow, I took about 15 bathes while running so any sunblock that was on was gone. My leg injury never got worse during the race but it still is nagging. If it doesn't clear up by next week, I will see my doctor.

So in the end, it was a success. I had fun, I got to do it, I fulfilled my goal and I finished. But there is no reason anyone should ever run 26.2 miles. That is just ridiculous. Each time I look at the running course I think, did I really do that. That is insane. Would I ever do this again? I don't think so. It is almost like having a baby. You remember the pain at the time and think that you will never do this again. And then, you do it and think, "Hey I survived, I could do that again." So, I won't completely rule it out but I am not planning on doing it again for a long time. I would however, do a half marathon.

And finally, I never knew you could feel so much pain the day after the race. I have been trying to move and do stuff. I took the kids the park about a mile away and to the library and back home. I an so stiff and sore I can't even begin to tell you each spot that aches. I have a feeling tomorrow will be worse.

Here are my stats from the race:

5K:	0:32:40
10K:	1:07:35
15K:	1:43:49
20K:	2:20:30
HALF:	2:28:31
25K:	3:00:57
30K:	3:39:27
35K:	4:21:04
40K:	5:06:43
FINISH:	5:24:31
Pace / mile:	12:22