The Big One

Let me just say straight off that I didn't run the half.

Two weeks before the marathon I was running with a good friend of mine who was training to run the marathon relay. She was telling me that they lost one of their 10k leg runners and wanted to know if I would consider running that leg.

They were running for her little 4 year old cousin who had recently passed from Wilm's Disease. How could I say no?

Race day came and I was honored to run the last leg of the marathon. I never got nervous but I was so anxious to begin my leg. It felt like an eternity waiting to start.

I finally took off around 10. I felt good the entire race. The end was a little grueling with the hills but every time I felt tired I would think about little Sicily and that gave me a boost of energy. About 500 feet before the finish my two oldest children shot out of the crowd and finished the race with me. I still tear up thinking about it. That will always be a cherished memory.

I finished in an hour  and ten minutes. It was such an amazing experience. The Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon is really something to be a part of and I will run in it as long as my legs allow me to!

Next year I will definitely be running the half since my registration was deferred to next year and who knows...maybe in 2012 I will run the full!

Running hurts

I am getting old. Well not really. I am only 30. How is that saying? "It's not the years honey, it's the mileage". Yeah, that sounds about right. Running isn't always easy. Some days it down right hurts. The first few months of training went smoothly. I felt better and better the more I ran. Slowly, however, things began to creak and groan. My husband says I am not built for running and he is right. But...I keep plugging along.

After the Frigid Five, I decided I would run in the Redbud Classic. 6.2 miles in the beautiful Nichols Hills. I was excited to run in warmer weather and on the plus side it starts at two in the afternoon! I really was geared up for what I thought would be a pleasant run.  Yeah! Not so much.

By the time we got out of church the temperature had reached a balmy 80 degrees. I made the mistake of running to Subway to grab a 3 inch sandwich with the family before the race. That critical error set off a chain of events that nearly killed me. ( I exaggerate)

There was a huge line at Subway so I had to wolf down my little sandwich and make it back to the church so I could change into my running clothes. By the time I got that done, I was racing toward Nichols Hills to try and park and make it to the starting line on time. I ended up parking 2 miles away with 30 minutes to the start. I had no idea which way I should go but I followed the crowd and soon met a sweet woman by the name of Barbara who walked with me and explained I had plenty of time. We were a little more than half way there when she announced that she was going to stop by a shopping center and use the restroom. (she is a very wise woman you see) 
I declined to accompany her because I was anxious to get to the start.

I make it and feel relieved until they announce we have 2 minutes to gun time and I realize I haven't stretched and... I need to pee. Great.

A little calf stretch, hammeys, quads, BAM!!!  Gun goes off and the crowd starts moving. For the first two miles every stride is reminding me that my bladder is full. The sandwich that I ate an hour and a half before is sitting in my stomach like a rock, oh and did I mention it was 80 degrees? I was miserable nearly the entire race but I kept pushing myself to keep going.

I finished in 1:24:01. I had been hoping for and hour or just over but hey, I finished.
After being so on fire for another race just a couple of months ago, I was now wondering if I had any business running a half marathon.

I decided not to worry about it just then.

As I choked down the urge to throw up, I made my way slowly back to my truck two miles away and lived to see another race...the big one.