My First FULL Marathon

I did it :O)

( AND you could too !! )

Not only did I do it -- I also finished it even though there were major cramps. I was NOT going to come up short on this one!! And in order to do that, I had to work through oodles of cramps, many pains and use all the motivation I could grab at times.

Here's how it went down:

Took it pretty easy for the first 10K, ran with the 4:00 pacer group for a while and then took off -- this is what I believe added to the cramping.

I was feeling soo awesome around mile 12 - 13 that I didn't realize how hard the cramps would hit. Mile 14 I had to walk some, yet, since I did OK in the first half, the last half wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.

There was an awesome biker that  continued to help me through with water. I ended up running alot of what I thought I would have to walk and I am pretty sure that I looked completely silly and also sounded pretty funny. For around mile 22, I was sharing all my thoughts with the outside world. For I knew I needed to run it in and I also knew that the cramps would become stronger at times, yet, if I kept on running through them, I would make it close to my goal time.

I ran through all of that I could and felt strong at times.

I did not seem to hit a 'wall' yet, it could have been that I was soo focused on finishing and walking/working through the cramps that I didn't notice it.

There was oodles of tears -- from pain an in the end from the JOY that I was about to finish a full marathon. This is nothing that I EVER figured that I would ever imagined I would want to achieve or accomplish.

Then when I got home an looked at the actual time, I was all in tears again. Tears of joy, for I never ever imagined coming in under 4:20!!!!

What an experience!!! One I do hope that I will never ever forget !!

* Oh BTW: NEVER EVER Try to get a massage AFTER cramping on a full marathon course -- YEOW'zers...I sat on the table and I screamed from pain!! Holy Hannah it hurt !!!! And I ended up walking alot !!










I was also able to experience this with a fellow Team RED Member, Adam Walters!! This was also his first marathon!! Team RED was all over the place on this one -- and that I thoroughly enjoyed!!! What a GREAT Team to be a part of !!


Now to bed I go and I am pretty sure that I will be super sore tomorrow. Today I was able to get up off the toilet AND Walk down the stairs, tomorrow, let's see ... H A. I am thinking a night in bed, my legs are going to be feeling it tomorrow.

I shall share more later this week.

For now - DREAM YOUR DREAMS!! Follow through, do the work and BE AMAZED!!!!

Thank you to Paul Melby - for inspiring me and for always allowing the fun times and oodles of laughs!! This race was dedicated to you to my friend. Godspeed in the heavens to you !!!