Gun went off and here we go. A 26.2 mile adventure with two crazy people in dresses! The first .50 mile I realized my pants were falling down. Had Trixie tie me up and she tried to make my waist her size! Ok, pants are now not going anywhere!! Except my belly ring is now permanently imbedded into my gut, which I didn't realize until post-race when I got into the shower and screamed!

Cool fly-bys by some really sweet, fast planes. Then they played around in the sky for a bit. Awesome stuff to see and hear them up there!!

Sharp left people, lean into it...UP the biggest, longest hill I've ever seen! About then, my legs started cramping. Oh, hell. It's gonna be a LONG marathon! Rick and Trix were a lil askeered at that point I think!! We made it through that climb and ran the downhill, ok. Legs were better, but not great. Continued on with longer intervals trying to make up the time I lost whining on the uphill.

The looks and comments that Trix and Rick got were hilarious! Everyone asked Rick who lost the bet, and the answer became "G8R"! Got the "oh, poor you" look, and lots of laughs!! We stayed on 6:1 or however long I could run:1 intervals for a good long time. Started feeling better. YEAH! Maybe, just maybe I'll make my goal time!

At 13.1 I saw my time 2:22. Holy crap! That's a PR by 4 minutes, then I started doing math. Me doing math in and of itself is a scary thing, but during a marathon...it's REALLY scary!! I was more determined to kick it hard, but I knew those last 5 miles were back up that monstrous hill and I wasn't looking forward to that. I was trying to "bank" up time running longer intervals and staying with my 1 minute walk breaks. Rick was the clock watcher, so he barked off "Flaps down in 30 seconds", "Trim in 15 seconds" "Reverse thrusters", "Bring her down", "RUN!"

A few funnies along the course: Trixie rapped songs from 1965, and Rick hollered at the volunteers that he was prettier than Trixie, then asked if his dress made his butt look big. Trixie's question to all the volunteers were if the dress made her breasts look big. A 12 year old boy told Rick that Trixie's dress was see-thru!! Bless him! Good times!! Every turn was a "HARD" left or right, and anyone in ear shot was encouraged to "lean into it"! We discovered that everyone in Ohio is "nutty" as we ran past the Nutter Center where we met Mrs. Nutting.

At mile 18, I was tired and ready to be finished. I remembered back to my first marathon in Chicago and this was the point where I threw my massive Princess Fit and Jeff Bostic came back to rescue me and walk me into the finish line. I was glad I felt significantly better than I did in Chicago! About then, the pirate aid station appeared, and we decided it was Bostic's Talk Like a Pirate Saturday!!

From 18 on, the miles just kinda merged all together. At 20, Trix and Rick said, "another mile marker, they just keep coming out of nowhere!", that was kinda funny, until we hit about 25. Not funny anymore! We passed the guard stand back into the air force base and up the massive hill, where I begged the guards to shoot me NOW! They declined me request, as well as Trixie's request for a strip search. "Fleet Feet girl" screamed out a curse word and we turned around to make sure she was ok, she was cramping climbing the hill, but would make it she assured us. So, we pushed on. When we finally hit the top the downhill went forever so I promised to run the entire downhill. I wanted to run the rest to the finish, but couldn't quite get it done, so I took a couple more walk breaks before the final turn to the finish line. It was awesome!! Running down a tarmac lined with air force planes thru the balloons at the finish. Shaking hands with air force boys and having them put my medal on, turning around and getting big hugs from two awesome friends!! Realizing that I had a 34 minutes PR!! What a great day!!

Absofreakinlutelynothing! I ran with two of the most awesome friends, and not only did they pull me thru, but they inspired tons of people on the course, I didn't throw up, I didn't get blisters on my feet, I PR'd by 34 minutes, I didn't go to the hospital. I tell you what folks, it was a damn fine day!!

Got our post-race stuff, food, and stood in line for pictures. Hobbled back to the car parked 5 miles away in a grassy field.


My fat tail! Imagine if I were actually at my goal weight what my time would be!!


This was a VERY well run race. There were 26 aid stations with awesome volunteers, super race "stuff", a 50 lb finishers medal, an incredible race!!