2011 Dodge Rock'n'Roll San Diego Marathon

(before race)


4 months of training + 1 day = IT'S ALL OVER!!!!!

Saturday morning I flew to San Diego and took a cab to our resort. We walked to the expo center where we received our bibs, tracking device, t-shirts, plastic water bottles, etc. It was like most expo centers where you just walk around and try out products, taste disgusting 'health' drinks and power bars (which tasted like sidewalk chalk). After a while, we walked through the Gas Lamp district and ate some lunch. Amanda and I went up to the top floor of our resort and lounged by the pool soaking up some rays. My heartbeat was so loud that it would wake me up. No joke. We walked some more and had dinner at an excellent Italian restaurant (where we all basically carb-loaded). At this point I am silent. I am running a marathon tomorrow morning with 12,000 other runners, and I am scared to death!

Sunday morning we wake up at 4:30 in the morning. I'm all set to go! Let's get this thing over with! I cram a power bar down and have a few swigs of gatorade. We walk in the dark for 1.5 miles to the starting line-up. People are EVERYWHERE! I can't even stretch because there are so many people. So I don't stretch. Outhouses are everywhere. You have to wait a minimum of 15 minutes just to get in one, and when you finally do get in one, you wished so badly that you hadn't eaten or drank anything that morning. (carb-loading from the night before + nervousness = something you never want to smell again in your entire life!)

When you're all set to go you find your corral number. We were corral 17. There were over 40 corrals with the smaller numbers being the faster runners and the bigger the number, the slower). I feel like a caged animal. We are literally body to body ready to be released. 16 gunshots go off before we are next. On your marks, get set, GO!...... and we're off.

Mile 1-4 I almost burned out. I trained with a 10min/mile. I was running 9:20/miles. Cramps already set in. Great! So I just slowed it down. I don't care who is passing me. I will be sure to pass them later on in the race. Mile 7-11 were uphill. Yeah, so I wasn't prepared for that either. No shade. Bright sun. Hot freeway asphalt. Cramps. I'm so dumb to do this! I should be in bed still if I was half way normal. I'm slightly dizzy, but I make it up the hill. At mile 12, there was a transition gate so if you wanted to switch, you can go to the other side and run the half marathon and be done. I was going to do it, but something told me I would arrive home disappointed. After the 13.2 mile mark, I knew I had to finish because there was no turning around. I couldn't just hail a cab with no money! Mile 16-18 were ok. Bryan gave me 2 salt capsules which really seemed to help. From mile 19-26, I told myself just to focus on small goals. If I run all the way to the water station then I will walk a bit. If I run to the blue trash can then I can walk a second. That's exactly what I did. Before I knew it, we were closer to Sea World. I saw the big tower and got excited.

I was never so happy to see the finish line AND to cross it!!! 4 hours and 53 minutes of running. People were cheering the entire way!! People handed me containers of hummus, crackers, bagels, bananas, popsicles, and water bottles... I got my metal! Got pictures taken! And then........................ we had to walk 2 miles to the trolley. I walked like a robot. You know, don't you dare bend the knees kind of walk. I don't care who's watching me either! After the trolley ride we walked another mile to our resort. I took a lovely ice bath! Got ready to go out to eat right away and downed the biggest and best burger I have ever had before in my life!! Hailed another cab to the airport and I was off! I was to cheap to order more food at the airport so I placed an order for Cody to pick up. Grilled chicken salad, Chocolate banana milk shake and a teriyaki rice bowl. They say after a marathon you've burned 3,000 calories. I believe it because when I got home at 11pm I was completely famished.

Today after work I got a back massage. I am so sore that when we grocery shopped, I had to stand on the end of the cart and Cody pushed me up and down aisles. Sitting down on the toilet is NOT an option either! And my poor, poor toenails! 1 toenail is black and has been black for a month. I know it's just a matter of time before it falls off and thank goodness they grow back! My other toe looks like a hammer head shark with a blister on each side of the nail. Once again, lovely.

I wanted to get this up before the meaning became less to me so here is a link to a short video clip. There are also some pictures.
( the timer on the finish line says 5:13. They start the time from when corral 1 was released. Just so you know :) )
**on the video, I am on the far left. Jen (who I also ran with from Kentucky & her first marathon too** Other pictures if you scroll down.

http://www.asiorders.com/view_user_event_video.asp?EVENTID=75623&BIB=3321&LNSEARCH=1

THANKS FOR ALL THE SUPPORT FRIENDS AND FAMILY!!!!!!!