Crossing the start line was pretty cool... I felt great and wanted to remember that moment so I soaked it in. It was crowded but the atmosphere was so energetic with cheers and cowbells and music and signs. It reminded me why I LOVE TO RUN and I was just so happy to start this race.

Amber and I were doing a run/walk of run 1 mile/walk 1 minute and the Garmin told us when to do this. We felt a little silly walking at the 1-mile mark of an Ultra Marathon, but OBEY THE BEEPER was our motto and who cares what the crowd thinks of us, right?

The first 10 miles really flew by. We were happy and chatty and taking it all in. I was trying so hard to ignore my IT Band, which had started talking to me at mile 3. It got worse and worse, and I took 2 Tylenol at mile 7 or 8 - did not help! Pain got worse and after much deliberation I caved and took 2 more at mile 11. Wow, 4 Tylenol in 4 miles seems alarming, but I felt like I had to in order to continue. This time the pain eased.

We got to split from the Half Marathoners around mile 11 (?) and I clearly remembered last year being so sad I wasn't going LEFT because last year I'd started out training for the Ultra but had to drop to the Half due to injury. But this year it was MY YEAR, and I proudly veered left and did a "WOOT WOOT" with my hands in the air.

A few miles later I started to fade mentally. My IT Band pain was less (but still there), my feet ached like crazy, and everything was just getting tired. I quickly became cranky and irritable, every little thing was annoying me to no end. I felt bad, because I'm sure I was whiny and snippy - poor Amber. She is such a good sport though, reminding me to STAY IN THE MOMENT and just keep trucking along.

I don't remember much till mile 18, where I took 2 Ibuprofen. Amber though I should switch from Tylenol. These actually helped the most, or maybe my body just got used to all of the pain, I don't know. But after that my legs were at some strange feeling between super achy, and numb. It was weird.

Walk breaks were coming more frequently now, maybe every half mile, or up a hill. I was okay with that. At mile 24/25 (?) the Ultra people turned off for a ~5mile out and back section. Here we go - now I'm REALLY an ultra runner! :)

We ran on a super nice sidewalk/path, and got to see others coming back in from the turnaround. Lots of people would say "way to go" or "great job" as they passed, but my body was breaking down so fast I just didn't have the energy to return the encouragement (luckily Amber did). Then I noticed some people would simply look at us and give a thumbs up - so I started doing that, too. Thumbs up! Thumbs up! It was like a secret little code for the Ultra Runners, with a deep understanding that even if I didn't make eye contact or smile, the Thumbs up! let them know I understood, and that we would all eventually make it.

This section went on forever and ever. I commented probably 10 times to Amber that it just never ended! For as far as your eye could see, there were little runners in the distance on that sidewalk. It was very discouraging to know I still had that far to go before the turnaround. Pretty dark place here, I just wanted to stop moving so badly.

At the turnaround I thought would never come, there was an "ultra" aid station. It had Coke. OMG. Sweet, sweet Coke. I took 2 cups and gulped them down, and literally within 10 seconds I felt like a completely different person. I've taken Coke in Ironmans before, but never had it affect me like it did at mile 28. I started running faster. I was laughing, singing, talking again. "Don't Stop Believing" came on my iPod and I sang/yelled it out loud to Amber and the people going the other way on the path. We sang the whole song and ran almost that whole mile. It was CRAY-CRAY.

I faded a tiny bit after that, but my Coke high got me through to where we met back up with the main course, and then we were in the last mile. OMG ONE MORE MILE! Amber took a picture of me, I was so happy here. I decided to pull out the inspirational cards I'd brought with me - these were cards my friends/family had wrote for my past 2 Ironmans. I went through them before leaving for the race and picked out my favorite 6. Bible verses from my Dad, funny stuff from Linda and Amber, one from my Brother (in law) that made me cry. Time to run it in!!!

We wound around and around in the last mile, and finally made the right veer to see the finish line. By this time it was pretty scarce, but LINDA was right there and after passing her I set my sights on that balloon arch and took it all in. The announcer said both of our names, our home towns, and commented on Amber's cow-print top - we both high fived him in the finish chute. I crossed the finish line and was finally able to stop.

I was done. I was an ultra runner. :)

Fix my IT Band. I didn't go to ART because the guy my coach recommended doesn't take my insurance. But another doctor in town does, so I'll be heading his way in the next few weeks.

Other than the IT Band pain, feet pain, and intense aching... I felt I did a really good job. Especially with nutrition. I ate every 45 minutes whether I wanted to or not. Carried my hand-held water bottle and was SO GLAD I DID! It was very warm at points and I was drinking lots of water - the aid stations were 1.5 miles apart and I would have been crazy parched and probably dehydrated if I hadn't carried my own. Took PowerAid at almost every opportunity, and of course the Coke at the end.

Nutrition: 3 packs Honey Stinger chews, 2 GUs, 1 tootsie roll, PowerAid, Coke.

I immediately gave Amber a huge hug - I was so grateful for her support and encouragement not only for the race but in the months leading up to it. We did all of my long runs together and it really made the difference in my consistency. Thanks, girl.

We got our medals (#4 of the 5-year medal series that makes a sweet Texas Star when you put them all together) and when mine was put over my head I looked at it and actually cried. I'd been dreaming about this day for literally years, and to actually get the medal that proves I finished was overwhelming.

Linda found us, then we went to get runners food (which kind of sucked for me) and finishers shirts and drop bags. Linda brought the car around, thank goodness, and we piled our nasty stinky selves in and headed to an delicious Mexican lunch, then on the road back to Kansas.


IT Band pain, all-over intense ache.