26.2

I completed the 2007 Twin Cities Marathon!!! It was the warmest TCM in history, with 74 degrees and 87% humidity at the start rising to 85 degrees and 65% humidity late in the morning. Here's how it went down:

Meg dropped me off at the Metrodome at 7am Sunday morning. We listened to "Defying Gravity" from Wicked on the way. I was wearing all black: shorts, tank, visor. I stretched a bit, went to the bathroom, and walked in and around the dome. It was neat being inside the Metrodome - it was completely empty and the lights were off, but I could see the yard lines on the field and the press boxes, etc. Not sure why, but that kind of thing gives me goose bumps.

At about 7:45am, I moved down towards the start. I was in Wave 2. (Wave 1 consists of those who have completed a sub 3:45 marathon OR sub 1:45 half marathon, OR have a Boston qualifying time within the last two years. Wave 2 is everyone else.)
I felt like a sardine. Meg had written my name down my arm in eye black, and I got pushed into some dude who then had JEAN on his arm, too! (It was backwards, of course, but it made me laugh.) Someone sang the National Anthem, then the wheelchairs were off at 7:50. Wave 1 started at 8am, and Wave 2 about 5 minutes later. I crossed the starting gate at 8:07 on my watch.

I was not a bit nervous - just really excited to run! Running through Minneapolis was fun. At one point I was running up an incline, and there were thousands of heads bobbing in front of me. So cool.

In the first mile I saw Alan Page (former MN Viking, speaker at Meg's college graduation, and the first active NFL player to finish a marathon) playing the tuba. I yelled out his name and he winked at me from behind his huge brass instrument.
I saw my parents at mile 8.5. Mom was trying to take my picture and dad was holding up an "I'm Bloated" sign (inside joke) and a paper-mâché mermaid I made in 3rd(?) grade. Bizarre. I saw Ellen & Eric at mile 11, my friend Donna at mile 12, then my parents again just after that, holding up more signs. Meg and our friend Chelsie rode bikes along the way, and I saw them first around mile 13? Meg had her huge gold pom-pons flailing away. She gave me a shot block and my chapstick then. Good.

I started to hit the wall around miles 16-18. It was very sunny and warm at that point, and I was going a bit uphill. I saw Ellen & Eric again around mile 17, and El said something about how there were going to be people spread out along the rest of the way cheering for me. All I could think of was that if I walked, someone I knew would see me, and I couldn't have that, so I had to keep running.

Miles 20-23 were the worst. It was a pretty steep incline through that area, and I was tired. I didn't walk, though, and at one point I looked up and realized that I was actually the only one running. (Meg can attest to this - she noticed it too!) Thank goodness she and Chelsie were there for most of that part. They were riding on the path next to the street yelling at me to pick up my feet, use my arms, etc. Meg tried to sing, but her voice was so scratchy (she's been sick the last couple days) and not only was it making me laugh, but it sounded painful. I cut her off.

I walked through each water station to make sure the liquids actually made it down. I grabbed one blue Powerade and 2 waters. The second water I always poured over my head. (Except at mile 20 when the guy in front of me dumped his full cup on his head, but it missed and landed on my face. So I drank my second water instead.) I also ran through the sprinklers and hoses people had set up outside their houses. That really helped keep me cool.

At mile 22, I saw a guy who works at my hospital sitting on the curb stretching. He had been ahead of me from the start, and I yelled out "Hey! United Hospital!" (I didn't know his name) "Let's go!" He popped up and ran with me for the next mile. His name was Jason, and I lost him after the water station at mile 23. I was glad, too. I really wanted to finish it off on my own.
Summit Avenue was beautiful, and there were thousands of people on both sides yelling and cheering. Once I got to the top of Summit (mile 25), I knew I had made it. The final 1/2 mile stretch was awesome. I could see the finish line with the Capitol behind it. My family was on the right screaming and clapping and jumping up and down.

I crossed the finish line with an official time of 4 hours: 55 minutes: 12 seconds. My chip time= 4:48:03. My pace= 10:59, just under 11 minute-miles.

I still can't believe I did it. My toes and calves are a little sore, but otherwise I feel great. My family threw me a post-marathon party at Meg & Joel's house. They had chili, pickle wraps, fruit, veggies, a cereal buffet, mimosas, and lots more. Yum.

Thanks to everyone for your support. I totally needed it, and it worked! I love you all!

On that note, this is the end of my Blog. Maybe I'll start another one for my next challenge, once I figure out what that's going to be!