This year I turned 40. I still can't really believe that I am 40. And I don't even feel like a grown up yet. I knew that with this milestone birthday I wanted to do something momentous. I wasn't sure what that would be until I watched the film, Spirit of the Marathon. I found myself crying as I saw total strangers cross the finish line of the Chicago Marathon. And that's when I decided I wanted to complete a full marathon the year I turned 40.
Shortly after my actual birthday I got busy researching. If I was going to run 26.2 miles, it couldn't be just any race. I wanted it to be worthy of this momentous moment in my life!
My home town of Atlanta is pretty hilly and after some challenges with achilles tendinitis, a flat race course was appealing. When I came across 26.2 with Donna, the National Marathon to Finish Breast Cancer, I knew I had found the race for me. It was far enough out that I had plenty of time to train, the course was flat and running on the beach sounded pretty awesome. Plus, the funds all go to breast cancer research, a cause close to my heart. I convinced myself that I could always downgrade to the half marathon if the longer distance proved to be too much for me. I was a bundle of nerves as I completed my online registration. In fact, after I submitted my registration, I distinctly recall feeling like I would throw up. What had I just done?!?
February 2015 finally arrived. My family drove down to Jacksonville Beach, arriving late Friday night. I wanted to have plenty of time to relax, check out the course and to hit the expo in downtown Jacksonville. The expo was great and I was thrilled to meet Jeff Galloway and speak to him in person. What a kind and thoughtful man! I was grateful to meet someone who has inspired and resourced so many- including me- to get out there and go for their fitness goals.
Early Sunday morning, my family dropped me off at the race start in Ponte Vedra Beach. Crowds of people dressed in coordinating outfits gathered together excitedly around the ports-potties and outdoor heaters. Although I had done all of my long run training over 14 miles by myself, I suddenly felt very alone. I walked around and tried to relax. Soon, encouraging texts started coming in on my phone... and one from my mom, the 11 year breast cancer survivor I was running for.
I started out pretty far back in the corrals- with the 5:30 pace group- so we listened from to the announcer from afar. And before I knew it, the first corral was off. As we made our way closer and closer to the start line, it just seemed so surreal. Was I really about to do this? Then it happened. Just ten feet from crossing the start line, someone stepped on the back of my shoe and it came off. Yikes! Thankfully I wasn't injured, but I was a little panicked about getting it back on and tied properly in time to catch up to my pace group. My worries were unwarranted and I managed to get it on and
get started with no problems.
The first few miles were through beachfront neighborhoods that were full of amazing support. I was just so overwhelmed by the way the community got behind this race! Yards were covered in signs, pink balloons, banners, flags, bubble machines and more. People were out playing music, cheering, providing water, juice, donuts, cookies and more. One guy was even cooking bacon!
The best part of the beach for me was running past my hotel where my husband and little boy were waiting to cheer for me. I had also planned to drop my jacket with them which was perfect timing. The swell of emotion I felt as I saw them ahead of me was great. The realization that my boy was wet and sandy and still in the only pair of pajamas I had packed for him didn't even phase me. He ran along with me and the pace group on the beach for quite awhile... moments I will treasure forever!
This sign came up sooner than I was expecting. Although I don't really know what I was expecting because I never paid one bit of attention to the half marathon course. But, seeing this neon green sign in a sea of pink was jarring. After this course split there would be no turning back!
A mile or so later we left the beach and began to wind through some other beachside neighborhoods- so beautiful and peaceful. And I just couldn't stop smiling. This race was amazing and I was on top of the world and feeling great.
I was soaking in the beauty of the God's amazing creation. And starting to get hot so I took off my hat. But after a few miles in the sun I started to feel sunburned. Being the brainiac that I am, not only did I not put on any sunscreen, I did not even pack any. Oops! I put my hat back on but started to slow down a little around mile 16 and fell behind my pace group. I was feeling badly and beating myself up a little until a friend from a Facebook running group hollered out to me. She recognized me from the "flat" pic of my outfit I had posted the night before. Just the encouragement I needed and we ran together for a few miles. These neighborhoods were quietly beautiful with sunlight squeezing through the hanging Spanish moss.
Before I knew it, we had turned around and were heading back towards the finish. I was thrilled to run past my hotel again- this time past the front and got to see my sweet husband and son at the water stop. I felt bad for not stopping, but this was mile 19 and I was afraid if I stopped at all it would be too difficult to keep going. Asher ran with me to the end of the block. What a sweet boy he is!
Everywhere we ran there were people encouraging us- front porches, balconies, cafe's. And always there was a word or cheer at just the right moment.
This particular sign was so meaningful that I had to stop and take a selfie and send out a tweet. Based on the advice of my more experienced running friends, I had adjusted my training plan to include several 20 mile runs- but that was my longest. The first of which had been horrible and resulted in me totally hitting the wall and crying on the side of the road while contemplating calling my husband to come rescue me. The second one had been better, but ended in me being a complete vegetable for the rest of the day. Ever since I had been second guessing my decision. How would I ever do SIX MORE miles?!?
I continued along feeling ok, until I reached the final few miles on the highway overpass. The torture began on the winding on ramp. The angle was just enough to make me painfully aware of my IT bands. This final stretch was lonely. The runners were few and far between and most of them looked about as good as I was feeling at this point. Outside of the water stops, there were no spectators or people cheering. It was just me and this horrible road... and it wasn't even pretty. Thankfully this crazy guy passed by and gave me a laugh and even posed for a picture. I asked myself why I was wasting time taking pictures but figured it was definitely too late to worry about that!
I managed to trudge along just trying to focus on putting one foot in front of the other. Soon, the 5:45 pace group caught up with me. Initially, I was horrified and depressed. Then I decided to run with them. It was just the oomph I needed to get back with the program and I was able to pull away from them a bit as we got to the exit ramp.
As I made the final turn off the exit ramp, the road was gloriously flat and I could see the 26 mile marker and the finish line in the distance. I immediately began to be overcome by emotion. I took out my earbuds and put them away so I could totally focus on the finish. This is also when I realized my husband had texted to tell me that he and my son were still stuck on the shuttle bus and hadn't made it to the finish line yet. I was so ready to be done that I didn't even care.
Crossing the finish line was amazing. Six months of planning and training were complete. I may have been slow, but I completed my goal, and I enjoyed (almost) every step of the way!
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| The most proud moment of my life |
Dear people of Jacksonville, thank you for welcoming and supporting the runners of 26.2 with Donna. I would be hard-pressed to find another race that was so inspiring, so well organized and so well-supported by the community.
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