Country Music Marathon Part III

As the race began the ran came down harder. It rather burned my frail legs but hey, what can you do? The first 3 miles you went up Nashville Music Row. You really felt like a rock star. There were spectators everywhere and the scenery was amazing.

I even saw a Priest and we totally bumped it.

Right after that I saw a photag.

 Since I didn't bring a camera along I wanted to get as many photos of me as possible to remember the experience.

At this point I was still cold and I remember thinking he wont see my bibb because of the swag so I flashed him some belly.

Throughout the half marathon I just zoned out. I didn't psych myself out and think "OMG you running a marathon" I kept thinking youre just on a run. The half was a really nice route you ran through Belmont, Vanderbilt and some nice neighborhoods. People were everywhere.

Then came the half way point.

Half marathoners went right and marathoners went left. This is the only time I did got pumped up, big time.

Hundreds of people were turning to finish the race but as far as marathoners I was solo.

And then there was the lady standing at the fork.

She looked at me, picked her arms up and waved and screamed.

Oh My God Your Going To Run A Marathon, You're Going To Do It!!

And that's where I got a little emotional and I may or may not have teared up and screamed back i'm going to do it! Im going to do it!

haha.

I will always remember her.

 Here is a picture of me around the halfway point as you can see it started raining, hard again.

But I was still happy though.

 

After the split it got really boring.

 I think Rock N Roll just randomly picked some streets for us to run through.

Around mile 15 I started seeing runners again. But not many. And spectators none.

 

I have no idea what my time at that point was  as Rock N Roll did not supply course clocks.

(or at least I don't remember any)

 

Around mile 16 volunteers were giving out oranges and around mile 18 someone had crackers and cheese wiz on a silver platter. Ha. Now I am not a cheese wiz kinda girl but damn, that stuff hit the spot.

 

I wont lie I was looking forward to seeing some hashers out there.

I heard beer is unbelievably good when running a marathon but I didn't see any.

Although I did see someone giving out bacon... I passed.

 

Now, I never hit the "wall."

But around mile 19 it stopped raining and got sunny and this is where things got weird. 

I lost my concentration, I lost that zone where you don't think about anything and just run.

All of a sudden I felt the bottoms of my feet really hurting, my legs got tight and I had to take my head phones off because it was to much.

I tried stretching but at that point stretching my legs did nothing.

 My legs were bearable though.

But the bottoms of my feet pounding wet pavement really started to bother me once it stopped raining.

 

I remember thinking your just getting tired and your bored.

Go ahead and take ibuprofen since your feet hurt and just relax.

 

When I went to take out my ziplock bag of salt sticks and ibuprofen they were just a powdery mess. At that point I had only taken one salt stick and no ibuprofen.

 

In this picture you can see my clinging to my zip lock back thinking damn it!

 

 I actually like this picture for several reasons

 1. I love the American Flag behind me

2. You can see a 360 change in weather from just a few miles back

3. You can see my legs literally starting to tighten up. (Yes, I think that's cool)

 

 

 

I just kept going.

 Around mile 20 you saw the race end.

You heard music, you saw a huge coliseum and you wished you were on the other side finishing!

 

The last 6 miles sucked.

Not because of a "wall" but because it was so boring.

It was an out and back and there was course support but again no spectators, nothing to  look at.

And here is where I walked.

I must have walked the last 4 miles.

I remember thinking you're going to kick yourself for this later but at that time I told my self its not a race!

Its just a run.

Enjoy it.

So I walked.

I actually talked with two other runners one, a muscle man that was a Fitness Director at a University and the other a former marathon all star. I loved talking with them, just what I needed!

Around mile 25 I started jogging again but I didn't hear any music as I neared the finish line.

At that point it started pouring again.

And then...

 I saw Michael in the distance.

It was straight out of a movie

he was right ahead of me waiting behind the fence.

  I ran as fast as I could in the rain right to him

 threw my arms around him with exictment.

 And finished my first marathon.

 

 

 

  

 

 

 Stay tuned for the last post...The Bad