'Tell me something bad about Tulsa'

I love George Strait. I love that song. I love that it was playing on the course around mile 4. I love Tulsa. It will always be a special city to me. You couldn't tell me anything bad about Tulsa. I ran my first marathon there!

Look what I got! I knew my bib would have my name on it, but, didn't know it would say 'my first full marathon'--this was very exciting to me! And it was really fun because most of the other first timers had the blue bibs as well, so, we could kind of cheer each other on.

Shall we discuss the race? We shall.

I cried when the fireworks and gun went off (yes, a real gun--we were in Oklahoma after all). I mean, I was standing in the start line of a marathon--amazing!

Miles 1-4: Stayed with my pace group, we ran through downtown Tulsa, through Utica Square and through some really pretty neighborhoods. It was so much fun. I also tackled some hills. Whoot!

Miles 4-6: Race day adrenaline? Yes. I took the heck off. Charged up hills, hugged corners and hauled booty. Super fun, but super stupid. But, still, fun nonetheless. I don't regret it. It was a learning experience.

Miles 6-7: The Oreo handoff. The husband's directions were to hand me an Oreo at mile 6--and he did. I was getting confused by mile markers at this point because this was a relay handoff location and the 5k finish so I was frantically looking for my family and didn't see them and started freaking out--also, I stepped in a big hole right before mile 6. I saw it, and made a mental note to not step in the hole. What do you think I did? Luckily, I just rolled a bit--several people totally ate it. We ran across a long bridge and ran by a Sonic and McDonalds. Not cool! I really wanted fries at this point. Yes, at 8:30 in the morning.

Miles 7-10: Again with the hauling booty. I just kept goin' and goin'. Rocking out to the music on the course, enjoying the memories and going speedy speederson. Again, stupid move. This part of the course was along old Route 66, so that was fun.

Miles 10-13: The pace leader caught up with me or I slowed down--either way, it was nice to be back with someone pacing me. Because I'm an idiot and cannot pace myself. This part of the course was kind of blah, so, it was nice to be with some other people again. My family also surprised me around mile 11. I had no idea how they got to that point. I heard them yelling my name, but, wasn't expecting to see them until the end, so, it didn't register that it was my name they were yelling until I was about 5 feet from them. It was a nice surprise and good mental boost.

Miles 13-17: From mile 13-26 was also along Route 66--a fun thing to be able to say! However, this is where things started to fall apart. Basically, from mile 12.5-20 it was all into the wind running down the river. Mile 20 was the turn around point. This was sheer torture. Torture. There were very few spectators, little support and by this point, you can see all those speedy people finishing up which is just emotionally sucky. It wasn't really windy, but, it was windy enough to be a pain in the butt. The pace leader said he would walk through all the water stations and he did for the most part, but, at mile 14 there were two water stops really close to each other, so, I walked through the first and then jogged the second--which was just enough time for the leader to get ahead of me and I tried my damndest to catch him, but, was unsuccessful. I kept trying and trying and he was just too far ahead. I could see him, but, I couldn't catch him. By mile 17 I still hadn't caught him and I had been running into the wind for a good bit now, and knew I still had a fair amount of time before the turnaround and I just wanted to die. I didn't expect to hit the wall at mile 17, so that was really surprising. I called my husband in tears telling him I couldn't do it--he reminded me that I could, and my sister in law threatened to kick my ass and take away my present--that was motivation! I really did not except to have such a major breakdown--let alone at mile 17. I figured if I had a breakdown, it would be around mile 21 or something. Sheesh. I blame the wind. The wind really sucked. And those were really long miles.

Miles 17-20: I don't really remember these miles. Honestly. I have no recolection of passing mile marker 18 or 19. I have no idea what was going on. I just knew that if I got to 20 I could turn around. Pretty sure these were slow miles.

Miles 20-23: I felt better once I turned the corner at mile 20. I was pretty spent at this point, but, I felt much better than mile 17. I figured that after I hit 20.3 (the furthest I've ever run before) that some kind of angelic choir would start and I'd be so happy for taking a step further than I ever had before....Yeah, notsomuch. It was just about ticking off the miles at this point. And, I was so close to being finished that the whole 20.3 mile thing just didn't matter--26.2 did! My feet were killing me and I'm not ashamed that I walked a large chunk of mile 21. These miles were challenging. My feet were on fire. I even got asked by a race marshall if I was OK--umm, yeah, how do you think I'm doing?! But, I smiled and kept going. My legs didn't so much hurt, my feet just killed. I actually stopped at one point--never did this before-- to stretch out my feet. I walked through the water stops and if there wasn't a water stop I walked at the mile marker. Not far, just a few seconds or so to get myself calmed down and refocused.

Miles 23-26: I don't know what happened, but, I found something inside me to keep going. My pace picked up, I felt better and was just so happy to be so close to being done. At mile 23ish there was the cutest little kid at one of the water stops. He was probably no older than 7 and had 4 cups of Gatorade and water--I wanted water and it was so cute to see how excited he was to get me some water. Put a huge smile on my face. My dad jumped in with me around mile 25 for about .25 mile. I don't know where he came from, but, it was fun. I wish I had a picture of that. My husband was around mile 25.5 or so, and then I was almost done! These were good miles--I felt like I was back on my game. Plus, it helped that I was passing people at this point.

Miles 26-26.2: Once I rounded the corner to mile 26.2 I was so excited. I was blasting Queen on my iPod (heck yes!) and haulin' booty to the finish. My sister in law and mother in law where there cheering me on and the second I saw the finish line, the tears started. I was so happy. It was an awesome moment.

I crossed the finish line, got my medal, my thermal blankie and my finishers shirt--which was hilarious because I had no motor skills at this point and could not give the volunteer my voucher. Luckily, someone assisted me in getting it off.

I lined up to get my finishers photo and before I knew it, my father in law was in the finishers area giving me a big hug, followed by the rest of my family. It was just a great moment.

Yes, it had it's ups and downs, yes I didn't finish as well as I wanted, yes I walked more than I wanted, but, I had a great experience--I can't wait to do it again--really, I can't. And that's all I think I could have asked for my first marathon.

Great way to start Birthday Week if I do say so myself....Even if we are heading to AZ today--bleh. But! There is totally In-N-Out in my future for bday lunch tomorrow :) Yesssss!

Of course, today my ITband is swollen the size of Mt. Kilimanjaro, but, I guess that's to be expected. Ice, foam rolling--good times.

I did it! March 13, 2010--Catalina, here I come!

Thank you so much to everyone for your support and encouragement through this journey! To all my running blog friends for their advice and their kind words--I couldn't have done it without all of you.

Ya ready for some pictures?

Of course you are!

Good morning! I did not want to take that jacket off. I did and my teeth stated chattering! But, it ended up being perfect weather.

Us, first thing in the morning. We got to the race site and the sun wasn't even up yet. The pros to getting there really freaking early? No waiting for the potty!
My dad and me--who was fighting a terrible cold--getting ready for me to line up with my pace group.


The Oreo handoff at mile 6. My dad gave the husband specific instructions to give me 4 Oreos. I only wanted 1--so the husband gave me 3. I wasn't really sure what to do with 3 Oreos, but, dang it, I was not tossing Oreos on the side of the road. Who tosses Oreos? I'm pretty sure I have a race photo of me holding Oreos coming my way soon.

Prior to the Oreo handoff. Can you find me?


Why hello there! Mile 25ish. This was about .3 seconds before I told the husband "I hate this sh*t!"--and apparently yelled this really loudly and got a lot of dirty looks. I mean, come on, really people, none of us are really having a blast at this point. Y'all are thinking it, I'm the only one who was sayin' it. Don't judge.

Rounding the corner into the finishing chute. I might have teared up here.


Why are all my finisher photos in front of a portapotty? Why don't we plan better? (cause it's not like I'm aware enough to know what's going on) Also, why were these nowhere to be found after mile 19? These are the big questions people.

Me and my daddy--pretty sure I gave him a serious scare when I called the husband at mile 17 having a breakdown.

My fabulous in laws who drove all the freaking way from California to cheer me on. Although, Rach (sis in law) was being camera shy :)

The husband and I. Who said he was more proud of me than the day I graduated college. Which was really sweet--because, um, honestly, me too!

All good lil runners should get a present..... It's pretty. I promise.
Annnnd, this is how a marathon finisher goes home--4 long hours in a car. Yes, I look like a hobo. No, I don't care. And if I had any idea what was going on with the double chin, I'd tell ya, but, I really don't. I was slightly out of it at this point. (can't believe I'm posting this picture!)
Finis!

I've got a half in a few weeks which is really exciting for me because I've never run a half that is part of a full marathon as well--every half I've done has had a 5k or a 10k with it and I'm always cursing those lucky people who get to be done early--and I did this during the marathon--I'm kind of wildly excited to finally be one of those people who gets to finish early. Hee hee.