26.2 Rockin 'n Rollin miles! (Read 652 times)

Sorry this is long! What a day! [b]THE RACE:[/b] I went to bed at 9pm last night and woke up completely rested at 4AM. I sat up and drank a 16oz glass of water before I got out of bed. That would be all I would drink until my first aid station. I had all of my stuff out and ready. Got dressed, put on my race number, timing chip, braided my hair, grabbed my visor, put on my Garmin. We left the house at 5AM to travel 10 minutes away and at 6:15AM I ended up jumping out of the car halfway up Laurel and running to the corrals. No time to do a double porta potty routine, YIKES! I made my way to corral 4 and found Lynn. We hooked up and little 3:40 pacer man was about 30ft in front of me. He looked to be about 60+ and I immediately thought, I can't trust this guy. The gun goes off...it sounded like a cap gun, LOL! Lynn and I were together the first 9miles and going entirely too fast as we talked and joked. Our 10k split was 51 min. I lost her somewhere on Highway 163. About that same time, I was feeling bad. My hip had been hurting since mile 3 but I was trying to ignore it. Couldn't find the sweet spot on the slanted freeway and my hip and quad were hurting. I was wishing mile 11 was the halfway point. I think that was the beginning of the longest WALL ever to be hit, and dragged behind a person. My 13.1 split was 1:48 something. It was where I wanted to be when I crunched numbers but it didn't feel right. I didn't feel right. By mile 14 I was thinking that Boston really wasn't such a big deal and maybe I would just stick to half marathons. So, I pulled over at mile 15 and used the porta potty. That was my longest mile at a 9:11 pace. Saw the kids ringing their cow bells right where we planned and gave them high 5's and started crying. It was up and over the bridge and I would be on my regular running route, I thought this would make me feel better. It didn't. Starting at mile 17 I started this game with my brain telling myself that if I hit the next mile by such and such a time, I would let myself walk. I did that until I saw mile 26 and never let myself walk. In between, I kept saying, "I'm waiting on You Lord! Help me! I need to run and not be weary...keep going and not feel faint" over and over and over again. Guess who I saw walking over the last freeway overpass at mile 23? Little 3:40 pacer man. Walking. Limping. 3:40 sign crumpled in his hand, stick tossed aside and telling someone he couldn't keep the pace. WHEW!!! I had hoped I would pass him under better circumstances. Poor guy. The next 3.2 miles were pure torture. My calves and feet were seriously cramping. I kept looking for women in my division to pass, just to kill time. I felt a huge balloon like feeling on my toe...for a couple miles, then it was gone. Gee, what could that be!? I came upon Mike at about 25 1/2 miles. I could barely call out his name and he took the awfullest picture of me grinding out those last few minutes. (picture is awful but it's on my blog) I wanted to sprint to the finish but I couldn't. I started shivering and I was having a hard time focusing. I ran through the finish, happy beyond my wildest dreams!!! I did it! I tried to slow down and my knees were buckling. I couldn't see straight...felt like my eyes were rolling in the back of my head all by themselves. I was so embarrassed! Medical team came and hoisted me on a table and stuck ice all over me. They asked if I knew what day it was, I said, "yeah, it's the marathon!" They laughed and said but what day? I said, "June 3rd...I Boston qualified!!" I was sobbing. Apologizing. Promising to be up in just a minute. They were SO nice with me. I finally hobbled away to get my real trophy...my medal! [b]POST RACE:[/b] I found Lynn and we were both crying. She needed a 3:50 and came in at 3:48 so we were both thrilled for each other. I found Mike and laid down in the grass for a very long, gentle stretching session that was more like torture. Everything was cramping...over and over again. OUCH. I finally decided I had enough and beer would only help. Boy, that was the best tasting beer EVER! [b]RESULTS:[/b] BIB# 4206 NAME: Jennifer AGE: 37 GENDER: F CHIP TIME: 3:42:44 GUN TIME: 3:44:01 OVERALL PLACEMENT: 1470 out of 15948 GENDER PLACEMENT: 298 out of 8229 AGE DIVISION PLACEMENT: 39 of out 1283 AGE GRADING 62.4% AVERAGE PACE: 8:30 My Boston Qualifying time was 3:45:59 Last years time was 3:48:54 Today's time: 3:42:44 6:10 faster than last year and enough for me to get a golden ticket to the Super Bowl of marathons...the 2008 Boston Marathon! Thanks to all of you who cheered me on, listened to me blabber about everything running related, and the real warriors...you who prayed for me. God is Faithful and incredibly good to me by blessing me with my heart's desire! [b]NEXT?[/b] San Francisco Marathon July 29, 2007

Wow... congratulations!

Congrats Jen, I am SO happy for you on BQing despite the way you felt during the race.

Oh, Jen, that's such great news! I was thinking about you this morning! Congrats!

You got guts, Jen! Loved your report - thanks for sharing

Wow, what a great accomplishment!!! Congrats!!! I loved your report too!

That is so very AWESOME, Jen! Congrats!

I got goosebumps too. I can literally say there were a few tears going over here! WOW. Just awesome! Congratulations!!!