(in my journal/self portrait)
Sunday was the Eugene Marathon! It was time to see how well the 16 week training program worked.
Through the week leading up Katy (a running partner and my graphic designer) gave me little gifts with encouraging notes and quotes like:
"You must do that which you THINK you cannot do" -Eleanor Roosevelt
"Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how FAR they can go." -T.S. Eliot
We drove down the day before to pick up the race packet and drive a bit of the course. These Honey Buckets were just getting loaded into the Start/Finish area. A marathon MUST!!! Plenty of potties!
At this point I'm getting a little nervous. Tapering (not running but a few miles) this past week I don't even feel like a runner, let alone being able to run a 3:45:00/8:36 per mile average to qualify for the Boston Marathon. I'm regretting not doing the speedwork portion of the training program, bumming that my friend Stacey got sick and had to drop out, kicking myself for not losing that 8-10 extra lbs. and trying not to stress myself out and be the headcase that my husband is saying that I am! :)
Oh, and let's not forget about the fact that it's POURING down rain!
Praise God it stopped raining just in time for the start. A little rain during but not bad at all.
I'm in the starting corral, telling myself that I'll be happy if I can just break 4 hours. I gotta have those back up goals JIC. BUT, I'm going to go out and give it everything I got.
I started with the 3:40 group (there was no 3:45) and figured I could always drop back a bit if it felt too hard. I felt great, stayed with the group till Mile 14 and even started pulling away from them a little. Much to my surprise!
Here I am at Mile 17 still feeling quite good....
Then came Mile 18/19.
Katy had just joined me to run the last 8.2 miles with me. And WHAM, I really hit the wall. Those last 7 miles I had to just keep telling myself to "keep running, one mile at a time". I was hurting so bad, but at this point I had already switched my goal from a 3:45 to a sub 3:40. WHAT was I thinking!!! Not to mention that Katy and Brandon had driven all the way down for her to run with me. It really took EVERYTHING in me to keep running.
I slowed down from a 8:15-ish pace to a 8:45 pace the last couple miles. I didn't even tell Katy that I had switched my goal, she knew, she kept looking back to see if the 3:40 pace group was catching us. .2 miles to the finish she told me they were right behind us.
When I crossed the finish line the clock read 3:40:18. I was a little disappointed. Katy high fived me and said something to the effect that I broke 3:40... I had totally forgotten the fact that I didn't cross the start line until after the clock had started!
I finished in a time of 3:39:09! 8:22 average pace for 26.2 miles!
Here is the best part of it all! My unbelievable support group! My parents, my friends-Amy, Stacey, Tammy, Dave, Brandon and Katy. My friend September who ran her first 1/2 marathon! Let's not forget about my AMAZING husband and kids who have been UBER supportive and encouraging over the past 4 months. Thank you! You all make my heart so warm!
Boston or Bust!
YOU are stinking AMAZING!!!
I can't even begin to fathom doing what you just did. Way to go!!!
Posted by: shannon | May 04, 2009 at 11:24 PM
Wow! Congratulations! You are just SOOO good! It is a task beyond my imagination. The best thing is almost that you are both super-sporty AND super-creative. That should be food for thought for a indoorsy person like me. You won your goal! Yay!!
Posted by: Janne Robberstad | May 05, 2009 at 01:22 AM
Wow! Congratulations! All your training has definitely paid off.
Posted by: Jennifer Williams | May 05, 2009 at 04:49 AM
oh my goodness! that's amazing. you go, girl!
Posted by: mystele | May 05, 2009 at 05:30 AM
Your heart had wings ! How could it not with all that love around it !
Congrats ! Boston, here you come !
Posted by: kim mailhot | May 05, 2009 at 05:46 AM
Congratulations! You go girl! (In more ways than one!) :D
Posted by: Snap | May 05, 2009 at 06:17 AM
WOOOHOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh my gosh! Congratulations Michelle!! You're a total rock star!! What an incredible accomplishment girl! You have no idea how amazing you are to us non-runners!! HIGH FIVE!!!!!!!!!!! :D
Posted by: brenis thompson | May 05, 2009 at 06:27 AM
3:39:09! 8:22 average pace for 26.2 miles!
Wow! Wow! Wow! You are incredible! That is freaking awesome!!!!!!
Posted by: Carmen Torbus | May 05, 2009 at 06:38 AM
Is it wierd that I'm totally crying? That was awesome. Reading about those last miles...wow. Way to go! Can you believe you are going to be a 3x marathoner, including boston?!! all in like, what?...2 years? holy cow. Go Boston!
Posted by: julie | May 05, 2009 at 07:03 AM
Thanks a lot. I was there and I still cried when I read the blog.
Posted by: gary allen | May 05, 2009 at 07:24 AM
I'm so jealous that you are a fabulous artist AND a runner... while I sit on my couch thinking about what to create instead of DOING it! Yay for being a DOER!
Come to Boston!!
Posted by: Julie-Ann | May 05, 2009 at 10:17 AM
YAY!! Boston here we come!! I think that pic i was holding back the tears! you did SOOO good! what an incredible and amazing accomplishment!! I think Eleanor Roosevelt was right! cause you proved that!! wooohooo!
Posted by: Katy | May 05, 2009 at 10:29 AM
You Do Totally ROCK! So impressive. That was great that Katy came and finished with you. I bet that was a big help!
Posted by: Molly | May 05, 2009 at 10:29 AM
Thanks Michele. You did that race as promised for all of us who could not have. Thanks so much and congratulations. You made us all proud by going past the wall!
trisha
Posted by: Miccosukee | May 05, 2009 at 11:17 AM
Test from Godaddy.com
Posted by: Mike | May 05, 2009 at 12:52 PM
What that run had, was MORE COWBELL!
Congrats!
Posted by: Travis | May 05, 2009 at 01:46 PM
Amazing! COngrats!! You should be very proud of yourself!!!
=D
Posted by: melanie | May 05, 2009 at 03:32 PM
Congratulations! Sweet triumph- that time has got to make you feel so good! I knew you'd do it :)
Geez...Boston??? Hmmmm! maybe?! :)
Posted by: BabyLuxDesign | May 05, 2009 at 04:38 PM
Congratulations Speedy Gonzolas! Hmmmm... I foresee a cute running girl clock with legs moving back & forth as the pendulum coming soon:)
Posted by: april mccrumb | May 06, 2009 at 06:13 AM
Congrats! I love the self-portrait!
God Bless You and Yours!!!
Posted by: Flassie | May 06, 2009 at 07:30 AM
CONGRATULATIONS!!! You did great!
Posted by: Apple | May 06, 2009 at 08:02 AM
You're me hero! Way to go girl!!!!!! I was praying for you and I am so proud of you for giving it all you had. There is no stopping you now :)
Posted by: Teri Leigh | May 06, 2009 at 09:10 AM
Love you my girl... couldn't be prouder! I was glad we were there to watch you cross that finish line!!!
Posted by: Mom | May 06, 2009 at 10:32 AM
you've got so much integrity and courage - WAY TO GO!! congratulations on sticking with it, and running through the wall!!
Posted by: Kimberly Kelly Santini | May 07, 2009 at 07:13 AM
WoW!!! YOU ROCK!!! Super Super Super congrats :)
I cant believe I missed this post before...!
Posted by: Valentina | May 07, 2009 at 08:00 AM