Country Music Marathon Part 1

Well its about damn time I wrote about my first marathon. I wish I wrote it back in April so I would remember everything but girlfriends been busy so here. I honestly didn't train much for the marathon. Back in the fall I was had took part in a 14 week training program for a half marathon and I took part in a lot of my running clubs group runs. I was high on life thanks to running and signed up for a marathon.

 

Then winter hit and I decided running sucked. I want to say I ran under 50 miles in December and January combined but I don't remember. However, I signed up for the marathon when I was in love with running and I told myself regardless come February I was hitting the pavement and I did.

 

It wasn't the easiest thing and I didn't follow any training plan I just...ran. Although, I did get a 20 miler in at 4 hours 2 weeks before the marathon with the Bird aka Miranda in Motion.

Thank Goodness.

That run made me feel really confident about the race.

 

Yep, I had a photo take of us after the 20 miler and you know what for two chicks that got up at like 4am and ran 20 miles I think we look pretty damn good. Just sayin'

 

Anyway, I was thankful for her company. I don't think I could have ran a 20 on my own. Actually, my husband and I had a back up plan just in case something happened and she couldn't run. We were going to go to the silver comet trail (boo) and he was going to ride a bike beside me. It would have worked but 1. the silver comet is flat and you overuse the same muscles 2. its much more fun running around town (literally) with a friend.

 

Fast foward two weeks later we headed to Nashville and went straight to the expo. It was well organized and there weren't any lines. It was a-wesome. I didn't see any "new" vendors but I did test out nuun and that was cool and I also bought my 26.2 sticker

(I was holding off just in case...)

Of course I took photos. It was funny all the runners just stood there holding their bibs like they were holding a diploma for a graduation picture.

Um, hello the "clock" says 2:03 and the finish line says marathon.

Is that what you would do if this happened to be real?

Hell no!

 So I struck a pose.

 

 

 

We explored the city a little and headed to dinner. I really wasn't hungry thanks to nerves but knowing I wasn't going to eat much in the morning I tried to suck it up and ate dinner.

As we sat there it started to drizzle.

Sigh.

I didn't really care.

The husband and I took off from work, drove 4 hours and well, we were invested in this run.

 So I didn't really let the "light rain bother me."

 

We headed in and I passed out around 8 that night.

 

I woke up like it was my wedding day happy, exhilarated and full of energy expect it was 3:30am.

(we didn't want to repeat Disney and miss the race!)

 

I actually wasn't nervous at all. I think, no, I know I annoyed my husband because he told me.

I was bouncing off the walls with excitement. I did my hair, makeup, put my chafing lotion on, and got buttered up with sunscreen.

I couldn't wait.

 

Around 4:30 we headed to the lobby to hop on the shuttle.

 

 

We waited awhile.

We were the first ones down there and soon as we saw the shuttle we hopped in and sat there for about 30 minutes before anyone else showed up.

As we sat in the shuttle I talked to fellow runners around us.

There was only one other person running the full and he was hoping to BQ.

It was pretty exciting to hear and I fed off his awesome vibe.

Not long after the shuttle took us to race.

The gentleman I talked to on the bus warned me that he thought it was going to rain and offered Michael and I a garbage bag. True fellowship right there.

 Mike said he didn't need one but I grabbed it.

 I figured the guy new what he was talking about.

 

As we walked towards the start the start line Rock N Roll was still setting up coffee and fruit stations.

Maybe this is the norm but I wish I had known they did that type of thing in advance.

Either way I thought that was really nice but since they weren't set up we decided to find a place we could sit and relax.

 

About 200 feet from the starting line we found a McDonolds.

We sat in the booth for some time just the two of us.

Mike kept checking the weather for rain and according to the news it wouldn't rain until 10ish.

 Sigh.

I thought that's great as I will easily knock out half the race when it does start to rain.

Wrong.

Dead wrong.

Not long after it started pouring and all the runners seeked refuge in McDonlads.

We had around 4 other people ask to sit with us and of course we said yes!

It was so much fun!

The guys that sat with us were so interesting!

One of the was from Europe and the week before he ran a full there.

 He was on a business trip in Tennessee so he decided to run the half.

How cool is that?

No lie, runners have a certain bond like no other. Its so easy to talk to complete strangers and instantly connect with them.

 

Before you knew it, it was time to line up at the corral.

 

 

 

Stay tuned for a 4 post series.

You won't want to miss out on #4 especially if you are thinking of running this race.