It's 3 days after finishing the "Flying Pig" marathon and I am still on my high. Before I go into details about the race I need to send out several thank yous:
- First to God - for giving me the ability to run, especially with my injuries to my ankle and knee.
- Second to my family - for not only tolerating all of the hours spent training, the long weekend runs, early mornings, etc. but also for their support.
- Third to all of you - for holding me accountable to my runs, asking how training was going and encouraging me when I doubted.
- Finally to Becki - although you feel that I helped you finish, supporting you kept me from ever doubting we could do it. Thanks!!! I will explain later.
Now for the details: 4:30am came REAL early Sunday morning. I was pretty restless all night and was actually awake when the alarm on my watch went off. I got up, got dressed, packed up my gear and made a bagel with peanut butter and honey. I checked the radar and there was a large dark green blob over Cincinnati. RAIN, and it looked fairly heavy!!! Aaron came to pick me up at 5:00am and we were off in the rain, to do something that seemed insane.
We arrived downtown and parked about 4 blocks from the starting line. We walked down in the rain following the sea of other runners, some wearing garbage bags (which was a great idea) to the starting area at Paul Brown Stadium. After hitting the restrooms and checking my bag we wondered into the starting area. I found the 5:00 pace group and Aaron headed up towards the front of the pack. He was planning on finishing the half in around 2 hours. While I was standing around waiting for the start, I talked with several people who were planning on running with the 5 hour group. I met a nice couple for Baltimore, a college student from Asbury (Becki), and a few others. Some had run marathons before all over the country and others were like me "first timers".
The race started and we were off. Becki and I had been talking when the gun sounded so we ran together trying to catch up with the 5 hour pace runner. She was about 10 yards ahead of us and with all of the people we could not get moving fast enough to catch her. We gradually gained on her and by mile 3 we were back within 15 yards of her. I kept watching my watch and her pace was faster than what I had anticipated (faster than she had on her sign too) so at mile 5 I decided that I needed to set my own pace. I told Becki good luck and I would see her at the finish line. So i slowed down and kept plugging along. I forced myself to follow my plan of walking through each water station. I found that I ran stronger between each station with the added breaks, even if I was not tired.
The first 9 miles was pretty routine. i had run that part of the course last year on the half and knew what to expect. Reality sat in when instead of turning left like I did last year for the half marathon, I turned right and continued out of town. That was where I saw my first cheering section. Laurel, Christa, Tina, and Jake. They were yelling and giving out high fives and Christa ran a short distance with me. Then it was off again, towards O'Bryanville and Hyde Park. I ran past my old apartment on Madison Road. That brought back memories of snowball fights and riding the couch down the hill tot he dumpster repeatedly. The next stop was Hyde Park. I was surprised and excited to see another cheering section, the Miller clan (Kim, Pam, and mom) were there. I felt a burst of energy and when I started into Hyde Park a saw a familiar runner. Becki was ahead of me about 1/4 mile. I was closing in until she past a group of guys (with a bull horn) cheering her on and then she was off again, leaving me in the dust.
The run took us past the Kroger in Hyde Park and then down near Ault Park. We crossed Red Bank Rd. and headed up Bramble into Madisonville. That is where I hit a water station not on the map. It was a "special blend" AKA Bud Light. I typically do not make it a practice to drink that early in the morning, especially on Sunday and definitely not cheap American Beer, but it tasted REALLY good at that point. As I turned off of Bramble and went into Mariemont I again saw Becki. I picked up my pace to catch up to her.
I caught up to Becki just before mile 15. I asked how she was doing and she was doubting that she could finish. I told that we were going to finish and she told me go on. I told her that she was stuck with me until I was sure that she was going to finish. We did interval running/walking through Mariemont and I even took a couple of passes of a football from some kids along the route (I really suck at that sport). It was an unexpected surprise when my brother's mother-in-law met us in Mariemont and cheered us along. Becki and I talked as went along. As we headed out of Mariemont the Miller clan met up with us again and followed us along the bike trail. Once we were back out on the road, Becki's cousin and her boyfriend cheered us along. We left most of our cheering section in the dust (with the exception of Becki's cousin) as we ran up a steep hill. We had now turned the corner and were headed back into Cincinnati.
On the west end of Fairfax we met up with the whole cheering crew (which now included Aaron who had finished the half marathon) again just before the Frisch's Mainliner. Then we headed down route 50. Again, we did interval running/walking. This part of the course was pretty boring. There was not a whole lot to see since we were on a 4 lane state route. Our cheering section did pass us on the road and offered us a ride, but Becki smiled and told me, "Just say no." It was great to see a smile. At mile 20 Lauri, a volleyball buddy, met me and walked/jogged with us for the next 4 miles. During that time, we met up with our cheering section yet again. It became a mobile party. It was REALLY AWESOME. Everyone was talking and the miles just seemed to fly by. At mile 24 Lauri bid us farewell and Aaron, Tina and their son Jake decided to stay with us for the next 2 miles.
When we reached mile 25, I told Becki we were going to run the last 2 tenths in across the finish line - finish strong. Before we reached the mile 26 mark, Becki said let's go and we headed into a strong finish.
The finish was awesome. As we came down the stretch, Aaron was running with us and a runner who had already finished the marathon joined in on the other side. They announced our names as we ran across the finish. Once across it was a double high five and a big hug - we made it. We both got our medals and shiny silver blankets and headed out to park where the party was. We reconnected with our cheering section and traded email addresses (actually names so we could connect on FaceBook).
We parted ways and I headed home by way of McDonald's (for a fillet of fish and large milkshake). Once home I took a quick shower and was off to coach both girl's soccer games. Needless to say, I slept REALLY well Sunday night.
On a final note. Becki said told me that she w would have not finished had it not been for me. While I am flattered that she would say that, I do not know if I would have finished without her. From everyone that I have talked to that runs marathons, there comes a time in the race when you "hit the wall" and the race becomes a case of mind over matter. Spending time with Becki and all of the people that were supporting us kept me from doubting myself. Just being with Becki did not allow me the opportunity to focus on my doubts. I knew that just my running the marathon was a long shot itself since I had injured my ankle and my knee pretty significantly in the last few weeks leading up tot he race. I commented to Becki as we were talking after we finished, "Just think, you did this after being sick and me after my ankle and knee injuries, just imagine what we could do if we were 100%!"
So Becki, if you ever read this blog - Thank you for putting up with me for the last 11 miles. As much as you feel I supported you, you did the same for me. We are both "Official Marathoners". And in the words of a runner I talked to along the way who was in his 70's, "Remember, your medal is just as big as the guy who finishes first." Enjoy the high, keep running, and I hope we get to run together again someday.
In Him,
Philippians 4:13
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