May 4, 2008

Pigs have flown, and I have run a marathon (the Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinatti, Ohio, to be exact!). That’s right, in just over a year of taking up running, Bethie has completed her very first marathon!

Now, this marathon had the potential to be the worst marathon ever. First of all, the marathon started late. Turns out that there was an extra alarm fire at mile 22 and the race course had to be re-routed, adding an extra quarter mile to it (No problem, after 26.2, why not make it 26 and a half!). I guess technincally speaking it makes my first marathon an Ultra (solely by definition...and that's what I'm going to tell myself!!)

Then this awful woman yelled at me around mile 6. Now, I know I’m not the fastest runner in the world, so I run to the side of the course (this is a pretty common practice). This woman screamed at me and told me to get out of her way and that I didn’t belong on the course! I was so surprised, I couldn’t even move!! I’ve never seen a runner be that rude in my entire life!! Other runners started yelling at her because of her rudeness. Ugh. If this had been my first race, I would have been crushed! Fortunately I know that runners are a jolly bunch and that she was just an anomaly. But seriously, if she was that worried about her time, she wouldn’t have been passing me at mile 6, she would have been a head of me already. Second, it wasn’t as if there wasn’t an ENTIRE road blocked off for runners. Finally if she was that serious of an athlete, she would have been running Boston a few weeks ago. Besides, she was wearing head phones that were banned on the course. I think the running gods or karma are going to bite her in the ass later. Really, that kind of behavior is just bad juju.

Other technical problems included me loosing ALL the Cliff Shots that were pinned to my race belt. (Note to self, don’t pin them like that again!!) I’m used to taking one every hour/every five or six miles…so that put me a slight mental disadvantage. My inhaler ran out at about Mile 8 or 9; and on that hilly course that wasn’t fun. There was also some very really chafeage issues. I was walking funny more from the skin that was ripped off my body, than from muscle soreness.

Barb and I came upon this guy who fell out on the side of the road. The dude was seriously purple. It wasn’t good. Chest compressions were given and the paramedics came. I don’t know if the guy made it or not, but it sure was scary.

In spite of these negatives, I really did have a blast! First of all, it was an all new distance for me…I had never run over 20 miles before. Second, I wore a shirt that said “Bethie’s First Marathon”. It was great to have people cheering for me! So motivating! Barb and I also got the crowd into our singing…we started singing the chorus from Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ on a Prayer” at mile 13… (“Oh, we’re half way there! Oh-O! Livin’ on a prayer!! Take my hand, we’ll make it I swear…) Many of the water stops had themes…parrot heads, pirates, and assorted bands. Girls on the Run gave me a balloon to wear. And of course, Barb and I spent the race entertaining ourselves through stupid comments and songs.

There was also several unsanctioned beer stops along the way. Mile 21 was run just like a regular water stop. Just grab a beer and run. J The one at mile 14 was awesome! They had the “Runner’s Lounge”. I sat on the couch and had a beer. It was great!

I did dedicate some of the miles to people as I was running…it made the race much more meaningful. But the last mile, was just for me. I hit my wall just after mile between 25 and 26. I kept telling myself that “Someday, I would not be able to do this, but today was not that day.” So, I kept repeating to myself “Today is not that day. Today is not that day.” I had so much crap on my sun glasses I couldn’t see the finish line. I thought I was going to kill Barb when she pointed out the finish line, and I couldn’t actually see it. But, lo and be hold, I took my glasses off and there it was! I finished strong…You would have thought I won the damn thing. I ran across the finish line with my arms up, Kenyan style. It was awesome!

It turns out that the total distance for the marathon was 26.47 miles and my adjusted pace was 13:32. Not too shabby...I think I can do better in Chicago...home course here I come!! I can't wait!!