what's in you wednesday (part 2)

Forewarning: This marathon post is just about as long as the marathon that we ran on Sunday. You might want to be well rested and have a sufficient amount of food available to replenish your energy stores as you read it. At a minimum, consume 2-4 ounces of fluid at least once every 45 minutes.

*****

Charlie and I sprang out of bed at 4:00 on Sunday morning, got dressed, scarfed down a bagel and banana and while my husband drank two cups of coffee from the miniature pot in our hotel room, I guzzled down a bottle of Gatorade and popped two Tylenol.

Just before we walked out of our room to check out, I remembered that I needed to pump.

Twenty minutes later, when Charlie ran to drop our stuff off in the car, I hailed a taxicab which would take us - as close as possible - to the start line.

Once we were dropped off at the race, Charlie went to a Starbucks where he had his third cup of coffee, while thinking that this was quite possibly the first time in his entire life he's had three cups of coffee before 5:30 AM.

We then made our way over to the start where we were reunited with Margaret, who had taken a Team-In-Training bus to the start line. People that actually live in San Diego aren't allowed on the Team-In-Training bus. So we either have to ride our bike to the start, take a taxi, walk, or have someone drop us off at 5:15 AM. Sadly, no one that we know likes us well enough to do that.

(Notice Margaret settled on the hat. I think it looked better than the visor.)

Once reunited with Margaret, we stood with at least 1,000 other people, while waiting our turn for a port-a-potty.

While we waited, I convinced Margaret to peel off her warm jacket and expose her body to the 50 degree temperatures and drizzle so she could show me the shirt that she had made up with all of the names of the people that she was running in honor - or memory - of.

Look closely, you can actually see goosebumps and the hairs on her arms standing on end.

We finally had our turn in the port-a-potty and then, we all set about stretching.

We dropped off our gear to be picked up at the end of the race, and suddenly - it was time to start. We made our way to the race corrals and we heard the gun signal the start of the race.

But instead of charging out of the gate, we all decided that we had to use the port-a-potty.

Again.

I suppose that's what will happen when you have a case of the nerves.

And you consume three cups of coffee and 24 oz of Gatorade.

Even though we didn't start running until several minutes after the gun went off, there was still a large number of people waiting to cross the start line. While we made our way to the start, the Master of Ceremonies was telling everyone that THIS was the earliest party in all of San Diego.

We crossed the start and we took off RUNNING.

Almost immediately, we could hear the first band playing.

We marveled at all the athletes who were running this race alongside us - and all of the purple Leukemia & Lymphoma Society shirts that were being worn by people who had flown in from all over North America.

I ran for about a mile and a half before telling Margaret and Charlie that it was important for me to "pace" myself. So, I slowed down to a walk while Margaret charged ahead. Charlie - being the devoted husband that he is - slowed down to walk pace himself with me.

Now, I think it's very important to add here that I really could have kept running if I wanted to. Or, if I was being chased by a hungry bear. But, I wanted to soak up the experience and I didn't want to rush my way through it. And since my feet were falling asleep, I didn't want to face plant on the asphalt before I reached mile two.

AND, the primary reason Charlie slowed down is because he genuinely loves me and not just because I had all of the food that we'd need during the day.

As we wound our way around San Diego, we saw some amazing people. Like this woman who is blind and yet, has run 12 marathons with her white cane.

(I think she beat me.)

We saw this couple who had been married the day before and were celebrating their honeymoon by running a marathon. Notice how it says "Just Married" on the back of their shirts?

(I think they beat me, too.)

We saw a pod of superheroes including Superman, Wonder Woman, Spiderman, Batman and Robin, Mr. America, The Incredible Hulk and Catwoman.

(Most of them beat me. Although I'm fairly certain Superman didn't because he is carrying beer in that bag and was three sheets to the wind by Mile 17.)

We saw these guys who looked to be dressed up as rodents. I don't think they were actually in the race. Although if they had been, I'm pretty sure I would have beat them.

(Especially if they kept their costumes on.)

I saw people who wore leg braces and arm braces and ankle braces.

I saw people who were running on behalf of education, stroke and diabetes.

I saw this couple who was running on behalf of the Children's Tumor Foundation.

(I'm pretty sure they beat me.)

We saw a lot of bands. But this was one of my favorites. I stopped running long enough to dance a little jig and take some pictures.

How could you possibly resist dancing when some one is playing a stand up bass and some one else is playing the washboard?! Besides, when you're running your first marathon, it's not like you have a personal best time to beat.

We ran through a ton of hydration stations. I made a concerted effort to search out the nearest trash can because it is against EVERYTHING in my nature to throw trash on the ground.

(I'm sure that my desire to be environmentally conscious cost me quite a bit of time.)

And then ... OH LOOK!!!

We made it to 10K!!!

I should probably add here that the first woman to cross the finish line, was more than half way through the race by the time I had completed six miles.

But I'll bet she didn't stop and dance.

Charlie stuck with me throughout the entire race.

This was very nice of him to do although I felt like the old gray mare slowing down the feisty stallion. At several points along the course, I would encourage him to run to the next mile marker and see how long it would take for me to arrive.

When I'd finally catch up - huffing and puffing - he'd say, "That wasn't so bad. I've only been here for five or six minutes."
If you were to deduct that time across a distance of 26 miles, Charlie could have easily shaved at least two hours off his finish. Of course, if he was in this race strictly for time, he'd never take a moment to enjoy standing in the middle of a freeway with his hands over his head.

I'm all about life's simple pleasures.

(And photographic opportunities.)


This was my absolutely favorite music stop on the course.

I loved their drumming and I kept the tempo of the beat they were playing in my head for the rest of the race while imagining that I was part of some African tribe running through the brush.

Remember Superman? Here he is replenishing his on-course-carry bag with beer from his running companion. The guy in the yellow shorts was RUNNING with a cooler on wheels behind him for at least the first 15 miles.

By the time I saw these guys, I was really missing Henry.

It had been at least 20 hours since I'd last nursed, the pain was starting to settle in and I'd begun to think that perhaps bringing my hand held pump on the course might not have been such a bad idea, after all.

But then - just a short while later - my mind was distracted when I realized that we were already half way finished with the marathon. And what I'd later realize is that by the time I had arrived at this midway point, the woman who had come in first had already been finished for 45 minutes. I'm guessing she didn't stop and pose for any pictures or thank the cheerleaders who were lining the sides of the road, though.

Nor did she stop and use the port-a-potty five separate times like I did.

During the second part of the race, we saw a whole lot of inspirational signs.

Like this one, telling everyone that they are powerful.

We are powerful, you know. Even you, the person who is eating a bag of Hershey Kisses and pondering the last time you exercised ... YOU ARE POWERFUL.

I saw this sign, which made me smile because this sign was actually made by the group of women who got me started running (or briskly walking) in the first place.

Way to go Moms In Motion!!

Let's hear it for Flower Power!!

There was this sign which I'm fairly certain was for me.

Even though the girl on the sign looks absolutely nothing like me.

And then there was this sign - which was very similar to numerous other signs along the route being held by cancer survivors - which made me stop and tell the people how fortunate I felt to be completing this race for THEM.

And then I saw this sign, which was a cruel joke because there were no margaritas at the next exit. Believe me. I looked.

AND LOOKED.

Then I saw Superman again. During this particular stretch of the marathon, there were no bands lining the road, so Superman - who had been drinking beer for the past four and a half hours - was taking requests from nearby walkers and runners and belting out whatever songs they suggested through his hip-mounted megaphone.

Here he is his singing "You're The One That I Want."

(Punctuated with a lot of hiccups.)

I passed a group of running Elvises.

Or Elvi, as they so often refer to themselves.




I've heard that a lot of runners say that they "hit a wall" at 20 miles and I can so easily see now, why that happens. In large part - because 20 miles during this particular race was at the top of a hill. And even though you might feel like you're getting close to the end, you still have SIX POINT TWO MILES to go.

The next six miles were really a blur. I tried to block out the pain in my legs and just stay focused on getting to the end. And then, we were there.

Twenty six miles loomed before me and we had just a mere two tenths of a mile left to go.

So we ran and oddly enough, I had more energy during this last stretch of the race than I'd had for the prior six hours and fifty some odd minutes.

We arrived at the finish line and were greeted by Margaret - who had arrived an hour earlier - and her two sons, Alexander and Brian. We were also greeted by my Aunt Grace and Uncle Bill, who had flown in to California from South Carolina, the day prior.

My Uncle Bill was right there waiting for us - just like he said he would be - and I don't think I've ever seen him look so happy or proud. He said that he was having one of the best experiences of his life, watching everyone run across that finish line.

(Particularly the 84-year old man who ran across a few moments before we did.)
As I've written before, my Uncle Bill is currently battling stage four cancer. He has endured numerous rounds of chemotherapy. He has been told that he only has months, if not weeks, left to live. But that was years ago.

Today, he believes that the reason he has survived - and is surviving - is because he has always tried to maintain a healthy lifestyle and because he will not give up. This man wants to live. He wants to be a part of life. He wants to set goals for himself - and see those goals through.

So when my Uncle Bill told me that he wants to run the next marathon with me, I tend to believe that he means it.

And ... based on my finish time, there's a fairly good chance he'll beat me.

*****

How are you doing with your goals?

Have you set any - and if not, what is stopping you?

Do you not realize that YOU ARE POWERFUL and you can do just about anything that you put your mind to?

I, for one, have had to keep reminding myself of this the past few days because it seems my legs have forgotten how to walk.