The Marathon

Its taken me over a month to get pictures to post, thus my writing of the marathon has been delayed.  But no more!  Here they are...

It was nearly light when the "W wave" crossed the start line at 7:30am.  We kicked off and headed down through China town, then back South towards the hospital, then North again towards the the start.  I had to pee so bad, that my sister and I stopped just after the first mile.  There were bands and groups every couple of miles to cheer us on.  We passed my mom at mile 5, and then headed out along the water front.  The four of us kept playing an odd game of leap frog, with us catching up and then passing each other as we all kept our own run/walk tempos.  But the youngest among us was not seen (until the finish) after mile 8.  At mile 10 I had to pee yet again!  Mile 11 found the marathoners headed out to the rest of the course and the 1/2 marathoners headed to the finish line.  Mile 11 was also the last time I saw my 3rd sister as she sprinted out in front.  I felt great after I peed and was really feeling strong miles 12, 13, 14, and 15.  Mile 16 is the most challenging part of the course with a mile long uphill trek, but I was still feeling good.  I was making really good time, maintaining a 14 minute mile.  As a jogged across the market in the middle of the St. John's bridge for mile 17, I felt the un mistakable pain of shin splints in my right leg.  My sister and I sorta walk ran for the next mile, but at 18 I knew I would be walking the rest of the way (as fast as I could) and thus my sister went on jogging ahead.  I was walking hard, but every change in terrain had me balling my fists.  Mile 21 was meant to be a relief for runners with a nice downhill stretch, but my shins were just in more pain.  From mile 22 on down I was just chanting the distance left to go.  4.2 to go, 4.2  to go, 4.2 to go...  Mile 24 finally found me crossing back across the water and to the finish line side of things.  But just before mile 25, I found myself, and many other runners, stuck at a railroad crossing as a freight train, slooooowly passed.  I wouldn't let myself sit down for those 10 or 15 minutes for fear of not getting up again.  Once the train was gone and the guardrails raised, we continued on.

Here I am with tears in my eyes at mile 26 or so, hobbling towards the finish line.  I'm wearing a shin splints sleeve on my right leg and it did help, just enough.   I'm sad to say that I didn't even celebrate crossing the finish line.  The professional pictures taken along the course only show me grimacing in pain, so needless to say I did not purchase any of them.  

Our reward for completing the 40th Portland Marathon: a coin, medal, race shirt, finisher shirt, heat blanket, and a chance to sit down.

 Wrapped in a heat blanket, with my leg laid out and my fat butt on the curb.  It felt so good not to have to be moving anymore.  My sister got this cool shot of her feet and my body in the background.

We all made it.  With the medals to prove it!  We were all so tired and after a shower and a bit of food, totally sacked out, sleeping from 10-12 hours a piece.  The drive back to California felt so long and our muscles were so sore.  All I know is that next time there will be more training.

And by next time, I mean, an 1/2 marathon.

I'm just not crazy enough to do the whole thing again!