(This is a same thing I posted over on the long-necked one’s board . . .)
So I’ve run my first full marathon . . . Wow, what a trip! I’ve spent the whole week decompressing, debriefing, savoring . . . I’m going to just do a chronological data dump here, and then maybe I can get back to real life! Apologies if I repeat myself with regard to anything I may have said/written previously; I can’t remember who I’ve told what anymore! Links to photos and video are at the bottom.
FRIDAY NIGHT
Mr. S drove me up to my mom’s in Appleton. He had to work on Saturday, so his plan was to go back home (60 miles) Friday night, work Saturday, and meet me at the start line Sunday morning. Meanwhile Mom got to play chauffeur for me all weekend.
So Friday Mr. S and I went to the expo and picked up my race packet, then did some shopping. Lots of good deals. We each got a pair of shoes and some other goodies. We also attended the “first-timers” meeting; although I had gone to it the year before when I did my first half, I figured I could use the refresher-slash-pep-talk. It was really something to see a guy who’s done more than 100 marathons still choke up when he talked about what it’s like to cross the finish line, and having his good friend waiting there for him. Then back to Mom’s, and Mr. S went home. I tried to sleep, because I’d been sleep-deprived all week, but I’m the type whose brain never turns off before a big event. Plus I was in a “strange” place, despite having my own pillow and blankets and white noise machine. Oh well.
SATURDAY
Treated my mom and me to a mani/pedi at the mall. Woo-hoo! My first pedicure. The guy got off easy because he couldn’t touch my calluses and I didn’t want polish (I never show my toes, and I have a healed but grody ingrown big toenail). Still, the massage & stuff was nice, and he did a great job of smoothing down my wonky nail. Then a manicure and a coat of blue, and I added the yellow lightning bolts while we hung out at Panera. The important marathon preparation was complete! <g>
In the afternoon I helped out at the PaceSetters (running club) booth at the race expo, doing chip check (verifying that runners’ chips had the correct info on them) and talking up the club to recruit new members. That was easy; the PaceSetters are a fabulous group. Had fun talking with my fellow volunteers as well.
Then dinner at Noodles with my mom. Home to assemble and lay out all my race stuff, then “hurry up and relax.” Watched TV, surfed. Went to bed around 10-ish, but of course did not sleep much. When I was awake, I was thinking about the race, and if I slept, I was dreaming about the race. Clearly I would be running on pretty much adrenaline alone.
SUNDAY
4:45 am comes pretty early . . . and the bod doesn’t like to eat that early. But today it’s not food, it’s fuel. Oatmeal and Greek yogurt with honey. Geared up and ready to go. As we were heading out in the dark, my mom commented that she’d better be careful going down the back steps. I said, “Yeah, because I’ve gotta go! I mean, I’d call 911 for you and tell them where to find you, but I’ve got someplace to be!” She laughed. We made my usual pre-run Starbucks stop, and then Mom dropped me off at the shuttle bus that was taking runners to the start line.
The first thing I noticed when I got to the start was that it was a lot warmer than last year! In 2010 I was freezing in my shorts and T-shirt at 7 am, but this year at 6 am I was happy to drop off my gear bag (with long pants inside) and plenty comfortable in shorts and tank, with my throwaway hoodie.
First order of business, though, was to find my friend Luann, who was taking the early start at 6 am. Luckily she found me! Came running up for a hug and good-luck wishes, and was fretting because her friend Karen hadn’t arrived yet. Luckily I saw Karen next to her as the early runners took off; she must have come in at the last minute. And they’re off!
This year was very different for me compared to last year, when I ran my first half. Last year I did not know a soul in the running community. Hubby had to work, and my mom was recovering from surgery and also could not come. So basically I drove myself to the race, ran, and drove home to an empty house. U rah rah. This year, I saw off my friend at 6 am, then went to the PaceSetters VIP tent for some Gatorade, a massage, and chatter and mutual good wishes with my new running friends. Night and day! Got my picture taken with my wonderful 5:00 pace group leader, Tom. At 7 am I looked for my friend AnnMarie, who was starting in the half marathon, but the throngs were just too large and I couldn’t find her. (But wait . . .) So then the half marathon runners were off and our turn was next, in one hour.
I kept watching for Mr. S, who had said he would do his best to arrive at the start line at 8 am with his bike . . . but he’d gotten home from work at 11 pm the night before, and home was 60 miles away! So if nothing else, he’d catch me along the course, but I still hoped he could see me off.
As it turns out, he showed up about 2 minutes before the gun! I’d been in place with my pace group (near the back of the pack, natch) and continually glancing toward the lot where I thought he was likely to park. Finally I spotted him in his yellow hat and lime green shirt and vest, with bike. Tom wondered where I was going as I ran back for a quick good-luck smooch (Mr. S never would have found me in the crowd!) and then back to my place. National anthem, countdown, and we were off!
First few miles were fairly uneventful, just getting into the groove. We passed a church where the choir was standing out by the road singing to us; very nice! Around mile 2 we met up with the oncoming half-marathoners, heading back along the same route toward their finish. I scanned for AnnMarie and finally saw her just before we turned off. What timing! I shouted to her and we waved at each other.
Tom’s strategy for us was to maintain a steady pace and walk through the water stations, which was pretty much what I’d planned for myself. So the jaunt up Telulah Avenue was pretty uneventful. Lots of people watching from their porches, driveways, and yards. One little old lady in her bathrobe watching through the screen door; I waved and she waved back. Later, someone had chalked on the road:
DIE!
DON’T
IDIOT?
AN
YOU
ARE
MILES
Finally at Telulah Park, around mile 4, there was Mr. S and his camera. I saw that he’d hung the cowbell on a lanyard around his neck; clever! After that he pretty much rode along with my group, always within sight, sometimes going ahead to get in position for pictures. The runners near me were calling him “our fan” or “Cowbell Guy.” A few happened to mention to me the dude in green who seemed to be following us, and I reassured them that he was with me.
It sure helped a lot to have already run most of the course, in bits and pieces, during the Saturday training runs. It made it seem like just another run, ho hum. But of course with bands and cheer groups and DJs along the way! And with our names on our bibs, the spectators could cheer us personally, which was great. Little kids lined up along the curbs with their hands out for a high five, and we obliged. So cute! I petted as many dogs as I could along the way, and finally found a springer spaniel (puppy!) to pet around mile 14 or so for extra luck! Many of the volunteers had giant purple “foam fingers” to point the way and cheer us on. I started asking them to “give me the finger!” and made them laugh. One family had a sign that said something like, “You’re doing great, total stranger!” I called to them, “Thanks for your support, total strangers!”
Quite a few people came up behind me and congratulated me on my weight loss (as advertised on my back bib). I told them it would have been better if I hadn’t gained it in the first place, but then again I never would have become a runner if I hadn’t needed to lose it. So there’s something good in that.
Just after we crossed the tunnel under College Avenue, we emerged to a “MASH” tableau with people in costume, camo duck blinds, the theme music, and even a “Swamp” (a screen tent with a bunk inside). Hilarious and a great pick-me-up!
I kept up pretty well with my pace group up until about the halfway point . . . but then things started getting sore and I started losing speed. Tom pulled ahead of me, though I could still read his numbers and hear him when he called back to us. Then I could see him but not read his numbers . . . and then he was gone. Oh well. I knew that 5:00 was unlikely. Still, it was good to have had Tom’s encouragement, and I did keep up for quite a while. More thoughts on this later. At this point, I adjusted my goal to just do my best, run as much as was comfortable, and finish in an upright position.
At mile 16 I got another pick-me-up when I saw my mom, sister, and “niblings” (nephew and niece) with their signs and balloons! Look Ma, I’m still on my feet! And then I was off again.
The next few miles were a long, lonely stretch. This was the section where I’d gotten “lost” on one of the training runs . . . I took the wrong exit from a roundabout, and so instead of taking the diagonal on the last few miles of a 16-mile run, I went at right angles and probably added another mile. That day was awful, but now it helped me as that stretch was now part of the official course! Lots of walkers along here. I pulled out my phone and went on Facebook (!) to downgrade my speed from “Greased Lightning” to “Greased Static.” Mr. S moseyed along back and forth, and our friend Ruth showed up on her bike as well.
As the infamous 20-mile “wall” approached, I was still not too far off my goal time, but I knew I’d get slower the closer I got. So at this point I was just running when I could and walking when I needed to.
And then just before mile 20, I saw a woman holding a sign that said “Go Amy!” Hey wow, another Amy has a fan! Then I looked closer . . . it was my friend Diane! She and her hubby Chris had come out to surprise me. I was so happy to get a cheer and a hug from them. What a boost! I sailed through the wall . . .
Then a long slog of walk/run. Got sprinkled on a little bit. At one point I noticed an ambulance crawling along behind me, and I thought, “Geez, I don’t look THAT bad . . .” Turns out they were just waiting for a traffic break on the narrow road. I started telling the people at the water and medic stations that if anyone found a pelvis back there, it was probably mine, because it had fallen off a few miles ago. <g>
Saw Jeremy of Fleet Feet Sports at their water/gel station at Mile 22 in Jefferson Park. Familiar faces were very important at this point! Most of the familiar runners who’d been near me earlier were nowhere in sight. But Cowbell Guy stayed close, and we chatted and joked as I trudged along. (“What do we love?” “PAIN!”)
Over the bridge onto Doty Island. Then over another bridge past Theda Clark Medical Center (oh good, a hospital) and off the island, and down the home stretch of the last few miles. Miles 20–24 had taken me 14–15 minutes each, but the last 2 miles took me about 20 minutes each. REALLY sore. It took serious effort to get back into jogging pace after a walk. But by now I was just looking to come in under 5:45.
This stretch had the heaviest concentration of supporters, costumed groups, and water. And we needed it! Just before mile 25, I came up behind a fellow whose back bib read, “67 Years Old ~ My First Marathon.” Wow!
Then along the lake and around the corner. Saw a band packing up their gear; two girls stood talking and did not acknowledge me. OK . . . Turned the final corner and saw the Mile 26 flag and, down the blocks, the lovely Finish line. Time for another Facebook update! (I merely took a photo, no text required!) I dug down for the energy I’d been saving and sprinted past Cowbell Guy to the finish. Final time 5:38:55. I am a marathon runner! (Well, runner/walker, but we won’t quibble.)
A medic put her arm around me, quite obviously making sure that (1) I wasn’t going to collapse and (2) I was going to keep moving to keep the blood flowing. She was right on both counts, and finally released me to collect my medal and finisher shirt, and a congratulatory smooch from Cowbell Guy. I did not cry or anything like that; I was just happy to be done and have met my goal. I guess I’d been visualizing it for so long, that I wasn’t terribly surprised. I just expected it!
Oh, and the other highlight of my finish was a hug from my pace leader, Tom, who’d hung around 40 minutes to make sure I came in! Wow.
So anyway, it was Miller Time! Or, in this case, Chocolate Milk Time. I drank the bottle of whole milk with no WW guilt whatsoever! (For the WW peeps, I earned about 50 points during the marathon.) I also had a bit of food, then collected my (un)official time and got my medal engraved. Mr. S left me with the bike and took the shuttle to go pick up the van and then retrieve me and the bike. I was somewhat disappointed to find that the massage therapists had already packed up and left (hey, don’t us folks who take forever get sore too?). So I changed into comfy shoes and pants, then collected a few high fives from my PaceSetters friends. After stuffing my bag onto the bike rack, I climbed on with some trepidation, and was surprised to find that (1) I could actually get on it and (2) being on the bike felt great because I could ambulate without actually being on my feet! So I rolled through the park, heading for the main intersection where I would watch for Mr. S and the van. Not long after that he showed up, and we loaded the bike. And I slapped my 26.2 sticker on the van to make it official.
First stop: Starbucks! One venti (LARGE!) chai frappuccino, and heck yes, I WILL have whipped cream on that. And oops, I was still wearing my medal, silly me! Then we had to stop at Pizza Hut for a delivery menu. Finally, Mom’s and a hot shower and change of clothes. It took some doing, but I managed to boot my nephew out of the recliner so I could Put. My. Feet. Up. (With two pillows besides!) I joked that I would offer chances to massage my magic feet for $10, and my nephew jumped up and gave me a nice foot rub. Then he wanted his ten dollars! He was disappointed to learn that (1) I was joking and (2) you had to PAY for the “privilege” of touching my (clean but aching) feet. Poor kid!
My friend Elizabeth arrived soon after that, with congratulations and a lovely card, and pizza and bubbly followed. The unwinding was great, but too soon it was time to pack up and head home. (With stops at Barnes & Noble, Starbucks – a different one – and Festival Foods, all while wearing my medal of course. Hey, you only get one day!) Needless to say, after a hot soak at home, everybody pretty much conked out – Phyllis & Dottie (our springer spaniels) too, even though they’d just stayed home in the kennel!
MONDAY AND BEYOND: THE AFTERMATH
Next day, I was surprised that I wasn’t very sore at all. I’d felt worse after a day of yard work, and certainly worse after my first half marathon a year ago. I guess there’s something to this physical conditioning thing after all!
So anyway, I will definitely do that again. It’s not like running a marathon was a lifelong goal or anything like that; more like a natural extension of my increasing fitness level, from walking to “running between the poles” to running 5Ks, 10Ks, and halves. Don’t think I’ll ever do more than 26.2, though I think it would be fun to be on an ultra relay team (such as the Fall 50). In the meantime, I’ve put the Cellcom Green Bay Marathon on my calendar for May 2012. I’ll have to train for that pretty much on my own, but now I know how!
I attended my regular WW meeting tonight, and although our regular leader, Mary Jo (who is a “Marathon Maniac” with more than 100 marathons to her credit) wasn’t there (she’s on her way to Germany for . . . a marathon), the substitute leader invited me up front to speak to the group. I told a bit about the run and showed off my medal, and then I shared two things that I thought were important for WW members to know:
(1) All during the week before the race, as I became increasingly insufferable in talking and thinking about the marathon, and hanging out on the marathon Web site, and planning for the weekend, and receiving all kinds of lovely notes of congratulation and “I’m taping your e-mail to my treadmill” messages, I was pretty much on a total high. Just completely jazzed about the event as well as life in general. And I remembered back to my first WW meeting, where someone trotted out that old line about how “Nothing tastes as good as being thin feels.” And I leaned over to my friend Cathy and said, “I dunno, some stuff tastes pretty good.” But you know, I never got the feelings that I’ve had over the past weeks from a piece of French silk pie.
(2) Fred, one of my fellow volunteers at the expo, said to me that he hates it when he tells people about his running and they say, “Oh, I could never run a marathon.” His point was, why start with a negative attitude? Never say never. If you had told me 2½ years ago that I would be running a marathon in 2011, I would have laughed in your face. Back then, I couldn’t manage a minute of running on the treadmill. Nobody wakes up one morning and says, “I think I’ll run a marathon today!” (Well, they might, but they’d be pretty stupid. You work up to it. It took me 2½ years, and I didn’t even have it as a goal back then. First it was walking, then more walking, then short jogs during my walks, then short walks during my jogs, then a 5K, then another, and another, and then a 10K, and so on and on. It’s all just one foot in front of the other, no matter what your goal.
There, I guess I’m out of steam, as far as the writing goes. I’m taking a week off from running, and then I’ll do a few fun runs, and in October we’re signed up for some fun little 5Ks and a 10K, and even the Wisconsin Dells half marathon on October 23. My next marathon will be the Cellcom Green Bay Marathon in May. It’ll be interesting training over the winter. Last winter our running was sporadic; I’ll have to be more rigorous with my schedule if I want to improve on Sunday’s 5:38 (and there’s plenty of room for improvement!).
So thanks for reading! It’s long, but it’s all in one place. Thanks so much to everyone for your well-wishes, support, and congratulations. You got me across the finish line as much as my legs did.
I’ve uploaded a photo album here:
And my official pics and finish video are here:
http://www2.brightroom.com/email/81407/742/113154646