After having some crazy dreams...(where I SMOKED the whole race and finished in 3:05, haha)... I woke up at 4:50am and walked straight downstairs to consume my breakfast.
Protein Shake and PB, banana and honey 1/2 sandwich.
I checked the weather one more time. It was sprinkling outside but it looked like it was clearing up, so I finally made a wardrobe selection, put all my warm-ups on over it and headed out the door!
It was nice not to have to ride a bus up a canyon to a start line because usually you end up waiting for at LEAST an hour, usually more like 1 1/2 hours. This time Ben could drive me right to the start line and I only had about 30 minutes before the gun went off. PERFECTION.
The crowd support was great throughout the race and it was great that a lot of people took it upon themselves to set up their own little water stations and things along the way! There was also oranges and at one place even a full on soft serve ice cream and cotton candy machine set up!
It only rained for about 1 1/2 miles or so around mile 11-12 ish and even then, it only sprinkled.
Ben caught a picture soon after at mile 14.
Coming down the finishing shoot.
The course was a fun change of pace. I LOVED that we had driven it before so that I had a general idea of the layout. It also left me just unfamiliar enough though that I could zone out and focus on the run instead of thinking about running landmark to landmark and how much farther I had to go.
I honestly LOVED every mile of it!
The course had good variety and flew by!
No matter how many marathons I complete, I think I will always get a TEENSY bit emotional right at the finish. I don't know where it even comes from! Some races you go through EVERY emotion possible. From wanting to sing for joy to bust out crying.
That wasn't the case this time, I felt great the whole time. There is just something about coming down that finishing shoot with people cheering for you, seeing your family waiting for you and when they call out your name as you finish....!!! It just GETS me!
I think that is the whole beauty of a marathon though. No matter how many you have done, or how many crazy long runs you did to prepare for the race, every time you finish it is a HUGE accomplishment! Every race is so different. Each has it's own unique challenges with course, weather, your personal preparation, etc. It makes each one of them a celebration. Every time, you PUSH yourself to see what YOUR best is and what you can accomplish!
That is my favorite thing about running. You are competing against yourself. No one else.You, that day, that course, those circumstances... how will you come out? You run the race with thousands of other people and no matter when you finish or what place you receive, each runner can be just as happy as the other with what they accomplished. And they should be! Everyone comes from a different place with their unique abilities and running brings us all together.
I.LOVE.THAT.
It can't go unsaid how AMAZING Ben was, once again!
He sat through some CRAZY traffic during the race but was all smiles and super supportive. :)
Afterwards we headed over to Red Robin for eats.
I apologize for the 1/2 eaten photos of all the food. Just imagine how pretty it looked when it arrived.
I guess I was a little preoccupied with the food.
I had a Bacon Burger with LOTS of avocado.
It didn't stand a chance.
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Everything was fabulous!
Thank you for ALL for your sweet comments and encouraging thoughts!
I loved each one and they meant A LOT!
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Do you get emotional at the end of a race!?!
What do you eat after a marathon???
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