My first Marathon

We left for St.George on Friday and met up with my best friends from High School Jen and Missy at the little Expo that they held. We later went to the Olive Garden for some good ole carb loading. I didn't sleep that much that night...only 4 hours. I wasn't nervous so much as I just kept thinking about it. At 3:30 a.m. I got up and got ready.
We loaded the bus at 4:00 a.m. and the ride up seemed to take forever. Missy and I laughed knowing that we'd have to run all the way back. I wasn't prepared for the bitter cold we stepped off the bus into. Luckily the fires were up and going but if you stepped away from the fires for even a few seconds you would freeze
The few hour wait went by fairly fast and I had a lot of fun catching up with Missy. Jen and I talk every few weeks but Missy and I only keep up on facebook. And we share something in common...We've both kissed Adam...but that is a whole other story and we didn't talk about that! We were in line for the potty's when the gun went off so we started about 10 minutes later.
It was still so cold I felt like my muscles were already so sore...and we hadn't even started yet! The first six miles or so went great. Then I saw the hill. Nobody told me about this hill. That hill did me in. The rest of the run was a challenge. My knees hurt...my muscles hurt...I was winded. But I pressed on. At mile eight I noticed I couldn't bend my wrists. My hands were so swollen.
This is also about the time I could feel the blister on my toe pop. It hurt like crazy. It continued to fill and pop throughout the run.
Mile 13.1...halfway there but I felt done. This is when I first noticed the shuttles taking people off the mountain. Boy was I tempted. (not really).
The rest of the run was hard, long and lonely. Adam started calling and texting around mile 19 which was a great support to me.
This sign made me laugh...
This one too!

Mile 26
This is when I first saw Adam. I was so happy to see him I gave him a kiss and then let him run to the finish line so he could get a picture of me crossing the finish line.

Official time...6:06:34...I'm not complaining.

I am proud of myself and here is why you should be too...
1. I ran this thing 35lbs overweight. That number could be debatable because it's probably more like 45 but I am 35 lbs heavier than I was last year.
2. I trained during the worst summer of my life. Seriously. It started in April and didn't end until September (well, if if really has indeed ended). I didn't want to get out of bed those months let alone run.
3. I am not the best at following through on things. I wanted to quit soooo many times but I didn't... that alone is worth celebrating.

Things that didn't happen during the marathon that I thought would
1. I didn't die
2. I didn't puke
3. Didn't get the dreaded runner's diareha
4. I didn't cry

Things that I didn't expect
1. The bitter cold at the start
2. No toliet paper in the porta potties (really people!)
3. How immodest runners could be. I don't know how many men (and some women) who I saw peeing off the side of the road.
4. My feet to hurt. I expected my knees, my muscles and my back but not my feet. I'm pretty sure I have a stress fracture in my foot.

Would I do it again??? Maybe. But not alone. I would only ever do it again if I had someone running right along side of me.

But, I'm a marathoner now...I read somewhere that only 1% of people will ever run a marathon.
I ran the St. George marathon and I have the medal to prove it!