Started just between the 4:30 and 5:00 pace teams. Assorted chattering/shivering at the beginning, started slowwww and just tried to rein in the nerves (suprised and amazingly relieved to find my leg does not hurt AT ALL). Thank God!!!
Very crowded start, so i just tried to keep my pace and not step on anything/anyone. There was definitely a dude speed walking faster than me. People were staring at him, like, how are you able to walk that fast and do you really intend to do that for 26 miles???...
impressive.
The 5:00 pace leader is just behind me, and i hear her tell some people that she just completed a Hawaii marathon last weekend, finishing her goal of a marathon in all 50 states in two years. Needless to saw, she is in awesome shape, chattering on about how five minutes had passed, and aren't we all having SO MUCH FUN! I decide i need to leave them asap, and not look back.
Catch up with a group ahead, led by a dude named Mario in a full-on cow costume, with udders and a hat and gloves (i mean hooves). He is crazy animated, and is running circles around everyone, yelling at the crowds, and generally being v amusing. I run with him and his 'group' for about the next five miles or so, which is great, cause the crowd loves him!
Oh, i forgot, around mile 3, some work friends make their first appearance on the course. Thanks guys, you're awesome!
Nutrition side-bar: Gel at mile 5, 9, 13, 17 and 21. Gatorade or water at each water station. Felt good!
At this point, I am right on track for a 4:40 finish! Feeling good, and getting into a rhythm. Speaking of rhythm, my iPod headphones had major problems throughout the whole race, which wasn't so bad. There was so much other stuff going on, i hardly noticed. I did rig them up to work pretty well for the last half of the race.
Since my name was on my bib and it was a different color since I'm a first time marathoner, lots of people along the route (runners and spectators) were cheering me along. that was great! hearing encouragment (and the go emily!'s) kept me going strong! the volunteers and spectators were the best!
Around mile 7, Laurie and John caught up with me again (on bikes)! So good to see familiar faces out there! And at 7.5, my mom, work friends, and spin class buddies were all there, cheering me on (and Helen, the spin den-mother, handed me a bottle of Hammer Perpetuem, my secret weapon :)). Still feeling good.
Then, around mile 10 or so, I noticed I slowed down considerably. Lost about a minute off my pace band at each mile marker. Not sure what happened, but I just felt stiff, and started having some mild cramping at mile 13. Then, I ran into Steve, just before the half. He was my running partner up until about a month ago. He has a knee injury, and had to drop out of doing the marathon. But, we're a team, so he showed up to cheer me on anyway. He ran with me for a few yards, and, at that point, i realized i was going to finish! i could do this! Shook the cramps off, and got serious about keeping my form and just concentrating on running relaxed.
The next few miles are a bit of a blur. At mile 19, my Rice advisor, Andrew, ran with me for a little bit. He was so excited, but the 'you're almost there' was a bit premature!
Oh, i almost forgot about the hills--ran into John and Laurie again just before the Dolly Parton hills. There were guys, in drag, with HUGE balloons (two each) in their dresses. At the water station. Thank you v much, for the water, and the laughs! Then, it get's even better, there is a BEER STATION. with small 2oz cups of BEER. And people are DRINKING it. :) wonderful. i pass, it's not even close to time for that!
Mile 19, 20, i anticipate rough hills. secret: they aren't that bad. i had myself psyched for something brutal, so i was pleasantly surprised. Then, just past the hills, I see my support team! Mom, work kids (plus Lynn!) and Steve all there, taking pictures and acting crazy! Thanks guys, I needed it at that point! Then, just past the end of the hills, John and Laurie sidle up next to me on their bikes. they gave me the scoop on how the other BT'ers were doing and let me know the worst was over! I was feeling a little nauseous (thanks for the offers of water, but no thanks :)) but hanging on.
Then, downhill to the finish. Downhills are where i feel most comfortable (and relatively fastest), but i was taking it slower than i could have, since my legs and knees were feeling v sore by this point.
Mile 22, it starts to rain. I can see downtown, but it's just an illusion that it looks so close. Sprinkling feels great, i love running in the rain. Everything is coming together--great weather, great song on the iPod and mentally I am settling in, confident that i will finish, and finish strong. The rain picks up and it happens--that wonderful euphoric feeling i get while running sometimes. The crowd is cheering, I am smiling like an IDIOT. I am going to finish a MARATHON! It might have been the great soundtrack, but at one point i thought i was going to cry i was so happy. remind myself to get it together, still have three (hard) miles to go.
Starts to rain harder. This is not so great. Harder rain equals being wet, and cold. Now i'm wishing i hadn't ditched my gloves at mile 4. And, my bib is starting to disintegrate. And, i turn the corner and i can SEE the 5:00 pace team behind me! oh no! i promised myself i left them in the dust at mile 1! Pick it up!
Last two miles are hard--feeling cold and just trying to put one foot in front of the other, focusing on the music. Crowds are dwindling with the rain coming down in sheets. And it's windy.
Almost home, I take my tattered bib and hold it in place. The rain is making the sweat drip into my eyes. SO, my finish line photo is me holding my bib to my shirt, trying not to squint from the sweat in my eyes. Wonderful. But. I MADE IT!!!


Not worry so much and enjoy every minute of it!

Running through the finish shute, I see Steve and Erica and Joaquin, but not my mom. Worried about her not being there, I know she wanted to see the finish! So, I wonder around (more like hobble hobble shiver...chatter) looking for her. Stretch a little, but mostly shiver under my space blanket and try to stay warm. Eventually find mom, and say goodbye to everyone and head home for a long shower. I was bad and didn't eat anything, but i was just too cold.


This race was incredibly well organized. Lots of great(!) aid stations with entertainment. Volunteers were wonderful! For my first race, I couldn't have asked for anything better (except the weather).