reflections on 26.2

it has now been exactly two weeks since i completed the LeSalle Bank Chicago Marathon!! it took me a while, but i've finally accepted the fact that i really did run a marathon. if you read the previous post, you'll see that was pretty anxious during the week before the event... pretty NEGATIVE anxious to be more precise. true is, with all my ITBS problems, i really didn' t think i had a shot in hell of running the whole distance. and frankly, that PISSED ME OFF, a lot.

but i have to give some credit to my sister and her housemates. i know they were all pretty worried for me but none of them showed it. they were nothing but positive and supportive. i knew that i had to participate in one capacity or another. i knew that the start would be just as exhilarating as the finish. i knew that if i could run the first 10 and walk the rest, i'd still make it before the course closed. on the morning of oct 22, i don't know if it was their prayers, my adrenaline, the extra support straps on my IT band, or the gram of aleve running through my veins, but i made it! i ran every single one of those 26.2 miles!!!! and had a blast doing it!!!

running this marathon has easily become the one of the greatest things i've ever done. it was truly one of those big life accomplishments. i spent 4:51:50 just strolling around chicago with my sister and 34,ooo other crazy people to the sound of constant support from 1.5 million spectators!!! the first 22 miles really went fast! between the live bands, crazy spectators, friends we met along the way and all the other people, there are plenty of things to distract you from your throbbing legs! the last four however, were hell. by that point i started to realize how close we were to the finish. and so instead of just having fun in the moment, i started to think about the finish line, and it seemed like those last few miles took an eternity, literally!

despite the fact i could hardly walk for 2-3 days afterward, it really did take a few days to fully realize what i had done. and honestly it feels pretty good! i think i've shown EVERYONE my finisher's medal because damnit, i'm proud of my accomplishment. everyone asks me 'will you do another one?' sure, i think i'd like to run more marathons. knowing that i've made it once, really makes it more attainable. the marathon is no longer this lofty, insurmountable obstacle. there is, however, always room for improvement. my training was wrought with injury and i'm curious how much better i could have done with the training plan i had hoped to complete. but it will be a few years before i have another try at it and i'd like to pick a location a little warmer than chicago. but i plan on telling my grandkids that "i ran my FIRST marathon in chicago when i was 25."