Friday.... We left early in the morning (thankfully we were able to drop our kids off Thursday night to my friend Monica's house - who took all 4 kiddos for the weekend - she's AMAZING!) and headed to Chicago. We went right to the Expo and I picked up my race bib, train passes for the family, and found my name on the "wall".
After that, we went and got checked in at the hotel. We hadn't even been at the hotel 10 minutes and Mom and Dad arrived there. We got ready and Jeff and I headed out to the Team World Vision Dinner.
At the dinner, they just gave us some tips for the morning so things would run a bit smoother, and then they also announced that they were acknowledging the TOP 100 Fundraisers! I could not believe my name was on the list! Now, I just want to point out... my name is the one that is on the paper - but it is those that donated and supported me that put it there. In recognition, back at the tent after the marathon they were giving the Top 100 a medal that said "Impact Award". AWESOME.
After the event was over, we walked for like 20 - 30 minutes trying to find a cab to get back to the hotel. Not. Fun.
Saturday Morning.... The Marathon starts at 7:30... I had to be at the Team World Vision tent by 5:45. What? I was only used to getting up about an hour before I would run. So much more time now! I ate a little more than usual, and tried to space it out some. A group of us met in the hotel lobby at 4:55AM and walked to the tent. Probably not the best idea... it was literally like a 2 Mile walk. We get to the tent... we all get ready, check our bags and then we walk to the Corral where we were to start... no lie, almost another mile walk. I would definitely redo that whole morning thing, if given the opportunity!
And we start....
It started off good. SO MANY PEOPLE! Crazy ridiculous! Jeff and my parents were planning to see me at the TWV (Team World Vision) booth at mile 3. Jeff realized that we would be running right by the hotel soon after the start and I was able to see him at about Mile 1. Before he left the hotel he got this awesome shot from our hotel room.
After that I saw them all at Mile 3. Here is one of the best shots my mom got of me. I am in the middle with the black headband if you can't tell.
Our group kept on trucking along. It "seemed" to be going so fast. One of my favorite moments was we were running right past a senior citizen home and all the residents were sitting in the windows watching and waving and giving thumbs-ups. Seriously one of the clearest memories I have was seeing them. Team World Vision had a group of people cheering and they got a pretty good shot of me too. (with the exception that my chin and my neck look like one)
I saw Jeff, Mom and Dad again at 11.5. At just about the half-way point (13.1) I really started dealing with some pain in my left hip and knee. I had experienced on again/off again pain in my knee during my training... but really hadn't had much recently. While talking with Bev, basically our Mentor Runner who has run like 7 marathons, she said she was feeling a little something too and was attributing it to the slant in the road. Our training runs were on a paved trail, and here we were running on the side of the road that was pretty slanted. The pain was hurting and I had to slow it down some. It really crushed me to not be able to stay with my group. Thankfully, right after I backed away from them I saw my parents, and Jeff again. As soon as I saw Jeff I went over and started to cry. He hugged me, told me I had this, and sent me on my way. He was not entertaining any pity party and I am thankful! I did just need that affirmation that I could still do it even though I wasn't with my group. I think this shot was taken and it is basically when I first saw them.
I was able to keep going with a slower run, but the pain kept getting worse even though I was trying to be intentional about running in the middle of the road. I saw Jeff again at 21.5 in China Town, however he and my parents had split and I missed seeing my parents even though they were in China Town too. A little past mile 22, I just couldn't run anymore. I would walk and my knee would start to feel OK, so I would try and run again and the pain just got worse. Thankfully, I could walk pretty comfortably with no pain. Then I even thought "well, I can power walk and it's not hurting too bad." It was really the impact from running that was causing the pain. So I decided to just power walk it. Even though most of the people around me were walking at this point, it did feel pretty good to finally pass people! : ) My times from the check in points even report that I had a faster mileage at the end when I was power walking, than when I was running slow!
Right after I passed the 26 Mile marker and rounded the corner to the finish line I picked it up and started to run. I saw Jeff and my parents in the stands and they were screaming like crazy. I saw the FINISH line and as I got to it I raised my hands in the air and crossed it. 26.2 Miles. I did it! I finished it!!! I will not bother you with the craziness of getting back to the tent and then trying to find a cab because I was not walking one more step, mainly because I do not want to recall it. Crazy, just crazy! Here is a picture my friend Angie got of me when I got back to the tent.
I have to be honest, I do not think I could have done it by myself. Only because I was doing this to bring clean water to those in need got me across the finish line. There were many mornings when I just did not want to run, but knew I had to, to stick with my training. Knowing that I had people who not only believed in me, but also believed in the purpose for which I was running kept me going.
The days after the marathon up until about Friday night, I do admit were very confusing for me for some reason. I really struggled with feeling like I accomplished something...that I did it. I knew I never really cared about my time, I just wanted to finish, but I was really just feeling down in the dumps about the whole thing. I asked Jeff if it happened... if we went to Chicago and I ran the marathon. It just didnt' seem like it happened. I did a little "googling" and found that there is actually a thing called Post-Race Blues. You can read an article here about it if you'd like, and also, two blogs I found which made me realize it is just normal... here and here . Whew!
My great support team in Chicago
Another thing I need to mention is that Jeff put two playlists on my phone. He did it like a week before, but I never listened to them, I wanted them to be fresh. One playlist was songs, and the other was scripture. When he told me he downloaded 26 scriptures, I just assumed it was from an audio Bible. No! When I played it for the first time, I heard his voice. It sent chills through me and I about lost it. Then, a couple different times, the kids were on there yelling, "go Mommy!" Is he the best or what? At one point when I was feeling really defeated because I was having to walk, the scripture playlist kept playing the same verse. Kid You Not. God was all over my iPhone and wanted to drive a scripture home to me...
2 Corinthians 12:9-10
New International Version (NIV)
9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
I am So thankful for the opportunity I had to do this. I am thankful for the many people that supported me. I am thankful that we are bringing life change to 51 people and for generations to come!!
Thank You!!! Thank You!!! Thank You!!!
