I can now check off “Run Marathon” on my life list.  I ran a marathon.  This was the hardest thing that I have ever done in my life up to this point.  My time was off my goal….but man…..I’m glad I finished when I did. 

Here is a recap of my Marathon Weekend in OBX! 

Arrive Friday to have some free time….and be able to have a few beers for the weekend.  Saturday…go shopping at the outlets and hang out at Jockey’s Ridge.

Saturday night….Watch Spirit of the Marathon.  A great movie to watch prior to a marathon….it’ll freak you out and inspire all at the same time.  Next…prepare fuel belt.  Make sure I have enough Hammer Gels, Peanut Butter Crackers, and Gatorade for the venture.  You would never guess how much stuff you can cram into a fuel belt! Plug in my GPS and my IPOD and then Go to bed….10:30 pm!

Sunday morning….Alarm 5:15 am.  Take Shower  (yes, I was about to run 26.2 miles, but I needed to wake up!).  Lube up…..the most important equipment of the day….Body Glide.  Get dressed……….Shorts, Socks, Shirt (purple…I promised my husband that I wouldn’t wear black!), Addidas Gel Kayanos, IPOD, Visor…..I think that’s it.

Approximately 6:50 am, we arrive at the Kitty Hawk Elementary School and wait a few moments to walk to the start. We all decide to stick in the 9 - 11 minute mile corral…no need to get up front with the Kenyans or get back in the back with the Jeff Galloway folks who might just stop right in front of us.  We are safe in the 9 min mile corral…….After a quick prayer….7:20 comes and we are off.  Crap….I’m about to run 26.2 miles.  What was I thinking? 

The first half was the best half that I’ve run.  2 hours 8 min!  9.40 min/miles!  Through waterfront views, parks, marshlands, Wright Brothers Memorial, Nags Head Forest, etc……Great views and Great Cheerleaders from the communities!  Hey…got to love the folks from the “Parrot Head Crew” who were handing out beer to the runners and had signs….”Keep running there is beer at the end”……”Run like you stole something”……or the folks who had blow up halloween costumes on. 

But, unfortunately, that was the point where my back started giving me problems.  I knew I was going to have back pain…at mile 18….not this early in the game.  I told myself when we started training…I’ve got to keep Angie in my eyesight…..I had her in my site up until mile 10, but after that….she was history  (she finish 4:47!)

Running through the forest was kind of weird….great in the sense of the views, soft surface….but HILLY! From the forest we ran on the main highway and then through wonderful scenic neighborhoods and waterfronts……

My goal was to get to Mile 20 (split time was roughly 11 min/mile)  at 3 hours 30 minutes.  I got to Mile 19 about that time….so I knew my final time was going to be off. 

Mile 21 (split time…roughly 12 min/mile…I was slipping)- I thought I lost a toenail….but luckily it is just a bad blister.

Around Mile 22  - I ask for some BioFreeze from the medical tent for my back….it helped a little, but it still hurt.

Mile 23…..THE BRIDGE (Washington Baum bridge).  Three miles left…but the hardest miles I have or ever will run in my life.  I took a little run/walk all while having a little mental moment with myself.  Don’t give up know…no matter how bad the back hurts…you’ve run this far…it’s only three miles left….holy crap…you just ran 23 miles….you are almost there.  You can only experience this for yourself to understand what your mind goes through.  You’ve trained as much as you can physically, but the mental game is hard! There was this guy with an American Flag shirt…cheering for folks on the middle of the bridge…..Made me smile….I love these folks!

I’m off the bridge…..2 miles……the turn to Manteo was the best feeling in the world!  The mile marker that said 26…..relief….THANK YOU to the lady on the corner right before the road to the finish who had already finished…but stayed to cheer folks on……”the finish is just around the next corner, you can do it!”…….God Bless Her! 

A few minutes later…I see it….FINISH.  I see Mike in the corner with his red NC STATE visor…I just keep running…..I didn’t cry like I thought I would….I waved at Mike….smiled a little and just focused on the few steps left to the finish….Everyone said they said my name over the loud speaker (my IPOD was still rocking)…Jennifer Williams from Raleigh…..5 hours and 5 minutes (30 minutes off my goal time…I don’t care).  Angie came over and gave me a hug…5 months of running long weekend runs….running 8 miles before a 8:30 sales meeting during the week was worth it…….I JUST RAN A MARATHON.  My proudest accomplishment to date.

I got my medal (and my Dr. Pepper)…somehow continued to walk and took off my timing chip….got some food…and the pain started shooting through my legs..We finally cooled off and started the walk to the car.  I did it….it was over….

Sunday dinner - Big “A” cheeseburger, Fries, BEER and Vitamin “I” 

Today….. Still walking a little funny and my back is a little sore, but all the training, money and pain was worth it.  I did it!  Congrats to Joe (4:20 time), Tim (4:51 time), and Angie (4:47 time) and our half-marathoners…Jimmy, Liz and NANCY (2:30)!!

**Must make note…..The most important people of the entire weekend were my husband Mike and our friend Nicole (Nicole’s husband, Tim ran the marathon).  They were our SAG vehicle.  Meeting us half way, switching out bottles, dropping us off at the starting line, picking us up at the end, photographers, and being the biggest supporters and cheerleaders at the end…..They also held the prize….for me, a Dr. Pepper, for Angie, a Coke….the rest had a bloody mary waiting…

Until next time or the next race…….goodnight.

I will try an update with my time and any feedback from the race on Sunday….if I am able.  Otherwise, I’ll try to update on Monday during the drive back to Raleigh. 

A video repost for inspiration…

Until next time…..

The OBX Marathon is this Sunday.  I can’t believe the day is almost” here.  After months and months of training….I only have two twenty minute runs this week…yes twenty minutes!   This is the week that we rest our muscles so that our body doesn’t go into complete overload this weekend.

 On Friday, we are headed to the Outer Banks to have a mini-vacation prior to the race on Sunday.  We have a good group going….Mike and me, Angie and Joe, Nicole and Tim as well as our friend Jimmy and his girlfriend.  Angie, Tim, Joe, and me are the ones running the marathon.  Jimmy is running the half-marathon.  Jimmy and Tim actually ran the CIty of Oaks Marathon this past weekend! 

We plan to have a great pasta dinner on Saturday night and maybe watch the spirit of the marathon video which if you haven’t seen….it’s pretty amazing….now that I can almost call myself a marathoner…..it’s even more inspirational!

Since tonight is Halloween (and my nephew’s birthday) we won’t be running our last “long” run until Sunday.  That will be a 10 -mile run.  We have decided that we are going to get up fairly early so we can run and cheer on the runners who are particpating in the City of Oaks Half and Full Marathon that is also Sunday.  Some folks that are running the full marathon next week, are actually running the half-marathon this weekend!  Crazy, huh?  That race is actually a really nice run.  I ran it last year and made pretty good time 2:17 minutes!   Eventhough by the picture below..I look like I’m in pain (that was the timing chip strap digging into my ankle…I still have a scar!)

Not sure what I’m dressing up for halloween.  My sister-in-law is dressing up as a runner….which I just can’t do.  I don’t want to hang out tonight with my fuel belt on……well it could be a good place to keep my beer? 

 Have fun tonight….and be safe!

The first 3 miles, I thought I was going to fall asleep while running.  My body was so tired…but when I stopped I started coughing and couldn’t stop.  It was kind of comical.  Running a slow 11 min/mile pace, a little slower than usual…..and then I stop and basically I’d cough up a lung.  By mile 9-10, I was okay….as long as I didn’t stop.  The Hammer Gels didn’t taste quite the same, but in all honesty…they don’t taste that great (but the apple cinammon does taste like apple pie!).

I made it…13 miles.  On the drive home from my sister-in-law’s house….I cough the entire way.  BUT, the kicker is….I don’t feel that bad today.  Cough is almost gone.   Maybe the 13 miles did shake it up and move it out of my system? 

 (if you are in the neighborhood of Glenwood and Oberlin…If you see my lung….can you pick it up for me.  I think I coughed it up there yesterday)

I don’t care, but as long as I’m feeling better….I’m good with it. 

But tonight, I am toasting a glass of Nyquil…..so my husband can get some sleep too.

Until next time…

 I’ve been told if it’s in your head…you can run…if it’s in your chest…take a rest….oh well. I’m trying to rest.

If you are in this same position, check out this article from Runner’s World.

In 21 days, I will be running the Outer Banks Marathon. Last week I ran a total of 42 miles. Twenty plus miles of that was just on Saturday.  14 was on Sunday.  Man, am I about tired of running! Saturday was both a high and a low. A high - I just ran freakin 20 miles! A low - it hurt. That was the second time that I had run 20 miles.  We actually ran too much last week, not allowing enough time between long runs….

From this point….the mileage goes down until November 9th when I tread through 26.2 miles! I can honestly say today that I can do this. I never thought I could run more than 13 miles, but that has continued to change over the past few months…moving up to 14 miles, 15 miles, 17 miles, 18 miles and now 20 miles.

I will be dedicating the next several weeks of my blog to the countdown to the marathon…..all the ups and the downs, trials and tribulations of getting through this. It’ll be well worth it…crossing that finish line!

I’m on my last pair of running shoes until the race. I think I have purchased at least 3 pairs of shoes in the last 6-7 months…

Stay tuned!

 Click here to read his article!

Last weekend I was out at Neu Romance at Alibi Bar and my husband, Mike, Mr. DJ was playing his tunes which was “house” music but figured a way to slide in Estelle’s American Boy.  A guy came up and completely freaked out on me….stating…I have only been able to hear this on one station on his satellite radio….I told him the entire album was great and he kept going on and on about it (kind of freaking me out a little bit :))

Later that night (1 am!), when we were leaving.  I grabbed our “borrowed” copy of Estelle’s album and handed it to this guy.  He was stoked.  I don’t think I have ever witnessed anyone so happen about a CD before…not sure if was him or the alcohol!

Enjoy…..