My goal was to run ONE marathon and to run it before I turn 30; which most know that is coming in less than 8 weeks. Not only did I want to run just ONE marathon, I wanted to run Houston so my family and friends could be there to support me. Last summer I entered the lottery, Zeke was only a few months old and I'm pretty sure my husband and parents thought I was out of my mind, but I didn't even know if my name would be chosen. A few weeks later I got the congratulations email and before I knew it I was training. No one ever said it, but I could hear it in their voices and in their faces, I knew they had doubt about me doing this and wondered if I really could/would run/finish the marathon, but I took my training pretty serious, at least the long runs. I tried to not miss any of my long runs. When Kyle was out of town I'd stay in Abernathy with our aunt and uncle and they'd watch Zeke those Saturday mornings so I could go run. I ran in Abernathy, I ran in Dallas, I ran in Houston and I even ran 15 miles on a dreadmill (treadmill). I was serious, I was careful about nutrition and I kept my adult beverage consumption to an all time low. :) I wasn't doing this for anyone or anything other than for myself. I had set a goal and I wasn't giving up. There were times of doubt and times I thought man this is stupid I'm not an elite runner, heck I'm not even a runner, never have been and probably never will be, but I never gave up. Training for a marathon taught me the true definition of determination and will power. It taught me that you can truly accomplish anything you set your mind to, "your body can achieve anything you put your mind to." It showed me how much my husband truly supports and loves me, even when I do crazy things like train for a marathon.
So the marathon weekend came and it was fun, exciting, trying, exhausting and rewarding. Kyle had to help take ag mechanics projects to Ft. Worth so our Aunt Waynette and Uncle Chris drove Zeke and I to Houston on Friday and Kyle drove in Sat. night. I spent Saturday with one of my oldest and closest friends Beth. She took me to the expo so I could pick up my race packet. We walked around, but it was so overwhelming, it was running overload. Again I'm not an elite runner and never plan to run another marathon so we just walked and looked at a few things. The best part of the expo, besides packet pick-up, was being able to have the KT tape people tape my calf for me. It was nice to have it "professionally" taped. I spent the afternoon with my mom, dad, Waynette, Chris and Zeke. I headed to bed about 9 and woke up at 4:30 Sunday morning. I woke up and did everything as I normally did on my long run training days. I got downtown to the George R Brown Convention center, checked my gear check bag, met some people at the pacers area and before I knew it was 6:30 and we were headed to our corral. My bib said corral B, but like misspelling my name I was pretty sure they had that wrong. Corral B is for people who are planning to finish in like under 4 hours and heck no that wasn't me. So I backed all the way up to Corral D and waited with the 5 hour finish pace team, this would put my miles at about 11:30/mile. I knew pre injury I could do that, but I wasn't sure about now. Everyone was super nice and worst case scenario I could always slow to the 5:15, 5:30 or even 5:45 pace team. I had decided to join a pace team just to have some "friends" to run with. The gun went off and there we stood waiting for the other 1,000's of runners to get started and then we started moving heading toward the start line. I couldn't believe it I was about to take off to try and run 26.2 miles. I had chills of excitement, yet my stomach was in knots and I wanted to be sick all at the same time. Things were going great. My parents and Kyle were going to be at every 4 miles, starting at mile 4 and before I knew it we were at mile 4, I waved and kept going, I was feeling good. Then I got to almost mile 6 and my calf was beginning to give out, I was pushing it too hard so I had to tell my new friend Danielle that I was going to have to back off and I wished her luck in finishing in her 5 hour goal! I made it to mile 8, saw my parents and Kyle, stopped at them and just started to cry. Tears just streaming I was in pain. I had no idea if I was going to be able to finish. They had a "goodie" bag I had packed for them to carry with them and we took out the ace bandage and Kyle wrapped my calf, I pulled my compression sock back over it, popped so IB Profuen and kept going. I had some ladies catch up to me at mile 10 and we started talking and one of them asked if she could pray for me. So right there as we were running she put her hand on my shoulder and prayed for me. It was truly an indescribable moment. The feeling of prayer in that moment was overwhelming. They passed me and I'm not sure what happened, but in that moment I forgot about my leg and just kept going. I saw my cheer team again at mile 12 and then at mile 14 and I stopped every time to see them and get some extra water. I then saw my sister-n-law and brother-n-law at mile 15, my "official" cheer team where waiting for me at 18 and that's where things began to hurt and I was becoming drained. That was the farthest I had ever ran, but I focused on running 4 miles 2 more times. I could do it. It also helped that there where random spectators there that chanted for me as I took off. 18-24 where by far the hardest miles for me. I was almost to 20 and I had officially hit the "wall." I texted the girls I work with (we run together and support each other) and they where awesome about texting me back motivational sayings and quotes to get me through, before I knew it I had passed 20 and was on to 21. I just had to make it to 22 and I could see my cheer team for a little lift me up. I don't know how, but I looked up and there were my parents and Kyle and I was so glad to see them! I was hot and thirsty and needed water and a little motivation. All I had left where 4 lousy miles, probably the 4 longest miles of my life. I made it two more miles and at mile 24 I called Kyle. I was done. I had exhausted everything in my body. I was hot and I was tired and I was thirsty, really thirsty, my legs, heck my entire body, was exhausted, but he lovingly reminded me that I only had 2.2 to go to just keep going. So we hung up and I kept going. I made it to 25 and joy began to creep in. I was back in downtown and knew that everyone was waiting for me at mile 26 to watch me finish. Kyle, mom, dad, Waynette, Chris, Zeke, Beth, Kasey and David where all waiting for me. I don't know where it came from, but I dug deep and gave everything I had left in me to get to that finish line. I crossed that finish line with hands in the air, I had done it. I had finished.
Overall it was an amazing experience. There where thousands of people cheering for complete strangers as we ran by. There were bands and cloggers and belly dancers and Elvis and Gumbi and people dressed in crazy costumes all cheering as we ran by. People holding signs that said "hey random stranger you can do this," "hey random stranger just keep going," "hey random stranger I'm praying for you," "Smile if you just farted," "Smile if you're running without panties," "If running a marathon was easy it'd be your mom," "your kicking asphalt," and many many more. People where having parties in their front yards as we ran by, it was just one big celebration through the entire city of Houston!
The marathon was a lot harder than I anticipated it to be. I walked more than I wanted to and I was A LOT slower than I wanted to be, but I finished and to me that was all that mattered. No I will not be doing another one. 1 and done for me! I can check it off my bucket list and I accomplished it before I turn 30, it's all I wanted.
There are so many people I'm forever grateful to. Without the love and support of my family I would never have been able to train like I needed to. Without the love and support of my friends I would of never made it through those stupid crazy training runs and heck I know I couldn't of made it those 26.2 miles without each and every text you sent me.
I did it, I ran 26.2 miles and I have no idea what's next, but for now I enjoy the feeling of accomplishment, excitement and complete soreness. :)
Blessed beyond belief!
Mary
my official cheer team and the signs mom made. Kyle was behind the camera the entire time.
mile 4
mile 8
mile 12
mile 14
mile 18
leaving mile 18 and I show you this, b/c I was so hot that if I would of had the body the tank would of come off and there wasn't even that much to it. I was just that hot!
mile 22
mile 26
finishing the last .2
crossing the finish line
celebration dinner that night
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