26.2

Our route

I love how a blog is your public diary and a remembrance of how you were feeling when big stuff happened in your life, and then go back and read it to see where you have came from since then. I'm so glad that I recorded my thoughts after my first 5K race and then a half marathon -- to then compare it to a marathon. It seems crazy to me that Raef and I both did it.  I did one single, one engaged and then the Lord must have known that I needed a life partner to do a marathon.

The entire weekend was fun -- and beautiful at that.  We started off Friday with a classroom visit by my parents and then a homemade spaghetti dinner at my in-laws with both sets of parents. I love a reason to eat lots of spaghetti, 26.2 miles is a VERY good reason. We laughed, and chatted and its fun for us to see our parents enjoy one another.

Saturday was consumed by the event of going down to the marathon expo to pick up our bibs and t-shirts. Who would have thought from door to door it would take 4 hours! My parents were troopers and came with us, it was amazing to see all of the different ages, sizes and shapes of the people running and to show my family a bit more of the city.

That evening we met up with our other friends, whose parents were also in town for the big race. There were 25 of us total, and we consumed lots of pizza & pasta. Again, loving the fact that we worked so hard to get to eat this much, that was half the fun of training. We finished the evening with dessert at our house plus an iron-on party to put our names on our running shirts. I cannot tell you how much it helped having random strangers cheer you on.

Sunday morning started off with a 4:45 alarm, to take the El to downtown. We picked up the rest of our group along the way, and popped out so then could jump in the same car.  There was lots of laughs of amazement that we were actually going to do this. It was also pretty neat to be on a full train at 5:45am with all these other runners that were joining you on the journey.

Mile 6, the first time I saw my parents.

We watched the sun rise over Buckingham fountain as we stretched and waited for the start to happen. About 2 minutes before the corrals closed, Raef was no where in sight, but luckily as a fire of anger started creeping up in me, in fear that I would be running alone, He came sprinting from far off porta-potties. I was SO thankful to find him.

We smooshed our way in the start corrals, and 23 minutes later actually passed the start line and we were off. It was AMAZING to see the streets of chicago PACKED with runners and cheerers.  Bells and horns, music -- it made me want to cry as we started as here we were, months of training it was HERE.

We finished!!

I was so proud of my parents who were there to cheer us on at mile 6, they were excited and I figured that we'd only see them once along the trip -- much to my surprise they ventured out around the city and found us 5 times to cheer us on at mile 6, 9, 16, 21 and 25. Miles 16 and 25 were a huge surprise and  a much needed encouragement to get through the run.

A blister the size of a quarter

Miles 1-13 were fun... people cheering live music, feeling great, shady paths neat streets through Chicago. Then miles 14-18 hit. THEY WERE AWEFUL. No shade, no cheerers and quiet empty boring streets past the united center. Blahh. Fortunately, Raef ran by my side and pushed me through those miles. Once mile 20 hit a new wave of energy came through me and the end was in sight for me. That's when Raef started falling a part and it was my turn to pull him through the end.

As we got closer and watched the miles 23, 24, 25 slip pass us tears started coming to my eyes. WE were going to do this, this was the end! I can't express what it was like to take the last little turn past mile 26 to be greeted by loud cheers and to see the finish line. It took both Raef and mine's breath away. We ran hand in hand the last .2 miles and finished together. According to our times though, I finished 2 people behind him, even though we had the same times. So, I guess he really won.

We did it, but couldn't of without the grace of the Lord. Not sure if we'll do it again, I think I'm up for the pain of childbirth before I put myself through that kind of pain again.