Ready, Set, Go?

My St. George Marathon Experience:

On Saturday, October 4th my alarm sounded at 4:29 a.m. and I turned it off.  I laid in bed with the thought that I would get up in just a couple minutes.  Next thing I knew I was opening my eyes again and my alarm was broadcasting the time of 6:47 a.m.  Oh no!  The last bus to the starting line left at 5:30 a.m.!  Not only did I miss the bus, but now I realized that my Marathon race had already started . . . and I missed it!  Deep disappointment had just set in . . .

. . . And then I woke up for real!  My alarm clock glowed the time of 4:21 and I felt a great rush of relief.  It was a bad dream, and I still had my race ahead of me!

After catching an early bus and going for a LONG ride, the realities of my race set in:

An untimely fever (the day before), a persistent rain shower, and a constant headwind made up my first Marathon experience, not to mention that 26.2 miles is a LONG, LONG way to run.  It was tough and my final time was not what I had hoped . . . but I finished the biggest run of my life . . . so far.

Of course, on the one hand, just completing a race of that distance is an accomplishment, but I had hoped that my training had made a reachable goal of qualifying for the Boston Marathon.  I was off my goal by over 20 minutes, but I'd like to think that my Friday fever and lousy Saturday weather had much to do with that.

I guess my next Marathon will tell just how much!  But that is a goal for a time in the future!

This picture was taken at the 25 mile mark and I was completely drenched . . . but I was almost to the Finish Line, where I would receive a "Marathon Finisher" medallion and the best ice cream sandwich I'd ever tasted!

Besides my own family, I should also mention that my parents and my youngest sister were there near the Finish to cheer me on.   My Dad's brilliant comment about Marathons after I finished running was, "Marathons really are not much of a spectator sport."  And you know, I would have to agree with him . . . but I appreciated their support in being there all the same.