Marathon weekend...

The trip was fantastic. I left on the 31st, lived through the flight, got to the hotel that the team would also be staying at, and then headed off to the San Diego Zoo. I took lots of pictures but not all of them came out. I'll upload them soon. I was in bed that night by 7:00..which would translate to 10:00 my time, and try as I might, I couldn't stay up past 7:30. So of course I woke up the next morning around 3:30 and had force myself back to sleep a couple times so I could adjust to the time a little better.

Next day woke up, checked out, checked back in and waited for my team..and waited..and waited. Finally I saw a couple familiar faces and after I realized they hadn't flown in with the team, I checked the airline website and found out the team flight had been delayed almost 3 hours. So the three of us headed off to the expo alone and picked up our packets and stuff. I didn't do much shopping that day...but I did kinda make a list in case I went back the next. :) Hung out with friends that night and met my roommate sometime around 11:00 at night when I woke her up (sorry Janie!). ;)

Saturday was fun, had breakfast and went back to the expo with my roomie and spent lots of money. She was having as much fun as I was I think. :) I bought new shoes, a running skirt, a couple John Bingham penguin items, some Nuun tablets (great for electrolyte replacement and $1.50 cheaper than at the running store!), and a headband to keep my hair from driving me insane during the race. After that we came back, waited for the pasta party and hung out relaxing for the night. Surprisingly we were both asleep by about 9:30. I think it took me longer but I made it. Woke up about 3 times during the night and finally started getting ready at 2:30. No need for the alarm. Everything had been laid out the night before so we just got dressed and headed over to the bus pickup where we met the team and took some pictures and all looked like deer in the headlights. ;) Janie was keeping me pretty calm and laughing, and when we got off the bus we managed to stick together until the potty station. :) Everyone headed for the first available, and noone got out at the same time, so that was the last I saw of anyone on my team until Janie found me at the Accelerade station. I was trying to shove a bagel down my throat but I can't eat that early or when I'm nervous so I ended up just drinking a lot of water and a couple cups of Accelerade. I lost Janie when I went to throw out a Gu packet..never saw her again until the end of the race.

Okay, so now that all the mundane details have been covered... :) I started out at the back of the pack. I was glad to be back there because it did make me start out slower, but it was hard getting around the REALLY slow people. I managed about 13-14 minute miles for the first 8 miles, which was what I wanted..slow to start so I could push it at the end...and then started to feel pain in my foot again. We were on the freeway by this point, and it had a horrible lean to the left..which of course is the bad foot. I was putting so much pressure on the foot running on that angle that I aggravated it and my ankle, and by mile 9 I was really feeling it. My times kept getting slower but I knew that I would still make the first cutoff, so I just took it easy on the freeway until we were back on level ground. I was still managing about 16 minute miles with the walking.

Once I got to the halfway point things really started to go downhill. I was really feeling the foot, it was starting to feel like someone had taken a hot poker and just shoved it in my arch with every step I took. It was nearly impossible to run, but I managed to walk as fast as I could. By mile 18 I had to stop at the med station. At that point the pain had gotten so bad I was crying while I walked. Thank God for sunglasses. :) I had actually stopped because I thought my toes were rubbing on my right foot, but when I sat down I just started this flood of emotion that wouldn't stop, and the doc asked me what was going on and I told her how my foot had been hurting. She whipped out the tape and taped up my arch so well that I was able to pick up the pace a little bit. I tried to run as much as possible but I think at that point I had decided that it was better that I just finished rather than risk pushing too hard. In hindsight, I wish I had pushed myself, but I know that I can do it next time. I made it to the 25 mile point where my team's coach was waiting for me. I hadn't been crying but when I saw her and saw how close I was I just started bawling. :) She walked with me to the 1/2 mile point and I decided to jog the rest of the way in. I finished in 7:28:04, which I was horrified with, but I finished. I FINISHED a marathon! I also got about a 3rd degree sunburn. I can barely wear a shirt right now without wincing in pain. Hopefully it heals soon!

So before I left I was already signed up for Disney half in January and a local half in September. And now I'm seriously considering signing up for next year's San Diego Rock 'n Roll just so I can prove to myself that I can do it on that same course in a better time. Well, and because it was freaking beautiful there and I'd love to run that course again with a healthy foot and a healthier body than I had this year. I've lost my mind, I know, but it's fun. :)