** More pictures to come ** It was a dream that began in August with a trip to a little park known as the PWP. I fell in love with this park - was it the hills, the steeple chase, the monkeys... who knows and who cares the fact is I was smitten. But do to some unplanned time off I pulled out lying to myself and telling myself that it was smarter to train correctly and be well prepared . As time rolled on and people's training fell to shit around me I grew to know that I would forever regret my decision. Finally with a week to go I knew what I had always know - I would run my first marathon at the Harpeth Hills Flying Monkey Marathon on November 23, 2008. I left Friday after work and drove 7 hours to end up somewhere in Virginia. Saturday morning I was on the road by 5 and drove another 6 hours... BY MYSELF! This is the farthest I have ever been away from home alone. I stayed with Candice and Marcus - Candice is an AWESOME host!! When I got there I got changed and headed out to meet up with everyone for a run. Most of them went WAY to fast and Trent and Jeff suggested I hang back and take it easy. My hips were sore so I agreed! I hung out with Dragon, Chenille, and He Who Shall Not Be Named (and family)! It was very cool!! Then we went to dinner - meeting everyone was a blast! Here is 1 picture but there were a TON of RAers there! So after a good nights sleep I woke up at 5am and for the first time thought - what the FUCK am I doing!! Thankfully Marcus was ready with coffee and kind words and convinced me that I should stay! So we ate breakfast got ready and headed to the park! It was cold but there were so many RAers and it was soo great seeing everyone and listening to their big plans! At the race start Dragon and I hung back and started off nice and slow! I had 3 goals for this race: 1) walk early and often, 2) drink at every stop and 3) gu whenever it was offered. We walked up the hills and ran everything else. One of the coolest parts was getting to see the leaders 2-3 times on the course!! We cheered for everyone that passed, all the volunteers, and ourselves!! We smiled, we laughed, we walked, we ran... I HAD SOO MUCH FUN!!! At mile 16 we found out that we were 15 minutes from keg tapping and that made me really happy because it meant we were doing awesome!!! (Neither of us wore garmin's) So we just kept going - taking gu's and gatorade and water and any solid food that was offered. I was having soo much fun!!! Jeff and Jscovill were absolutely correct the magic happened at mile 7, which conveniently was longer than my longest run in this training cycle! I can honestly say I didn't hurt until mile 24... The worst part was the hill at the golf course and after that I realize just how tired my feet were... that was the hurt - my feet were sore and tired. So we walk/ran the last 2 miles and then when we hit the grass hill we let out some loud victory cries which were answered by the RA crowd! As soon as we rounded the corner we sprinted our hearts out determined to leave it all out there!! Especially when we saw what we would finish with!!! We came in at 6:10: xx !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Crossing that finish line was the best! Everyone gave my high fives and when they asked me what I thought I shouted a victorious - WHAT NOW BITCHES!!! I was/am soo pumped up!!! And the rallying from everyone was amazing!! I have you say you guys are the BEST!! A big thanks to Dragon who kept me from blowing my load too soon!!! All I have to say is.... When's the next one??? Harpeth Hills Flying Monkey Marathon - You are officially my bitch! 1st marathon on a 7 mile long run - for that Schneider won in 2:36 - today, I am the biggest winner!! Oh yeah and we were NOT DFL! Now I just have to survive the 800 mile drive home tomorrow!

nice work Shan! Very impressive that you were able to do that. You have to feel good to accomplish this distance. You need to go back and write down the names of the people in the pics. hope the drive home is not too bad.

WTG Shan! What a great run! Congratulations on doing it!

Shan, don't forget to run today. good to stretch out the sore muscles. You're sore right?

Thanks you guys!!! Here are some more pictures: Dragon, Me, Trent - this was sometime during the first half I think. Dragon and I about 5 minutes after we finished. Dave - HECK YES I am in!!! I'm coming after a good PR - for the half that is... I'm thinking fall before another full!! You know take the advice to train more!!

Congrats!!! Your first marathon is an exerience that will stay with you forever!!!!!!

Shan, Those are great pictures. You have a great personality. I'm so glad the marathon worked well for you.