By now I have explained how I took a month off of running due to a stress fracture in my foot, as well as the week of the race I caught a cold. So spending a pretty horrible night tossing, turning, coughing, and blowing my nose at around 3am in the morning with very little sleep I was beginning to think that running the marathon might not be in the cards. I as tired, sick, and a little bit angry that I had to deal with all of this when I had already gone through so much just to get here. With lots of pressure in my sinuses and ears, I was able to finally get some quality sleep from about 3:30 to 5am. I got up and ate a bowl of oatmeal to get my system ready for the big race. About 5:15 I crawled back into bed hoping to get just a few more precious minutes of sleep. Other than dosing for a few minutes here and there, sleep was no longer in the cards. I guess I can't blame all my sleeplessness on the cold as I was very anxious about the race and what would be in store for me. So around 5:45 I got up to get myself ready. I figured I try to clean out my sinuses with a sinus rinse devise I got years ago. Well, that only caused the pressure in my ears to worsen and didn't clear me up in the slightest. I should have known.
So I took a decongestant and some cough medicine hoping that would help by the start of the race and if I needed more I could get some from my wife along the trail. Laying next to me all night, my wife was concerned that without adequate sleep and being so sick, that maybe I shouldn't run the marathon. Being the wonderful lady that she is, she was worried about my well being. For about half a minute, I agreed with her. After that half a minute all the doubt about running melted away and I knew that I should do it. I might not finish, but at least I should try. I have worked too hard for too long to give up now. I reassured her I would be fine and the medicine would help me during the run.
I spent the next 10-15 minutes stretching and getting myself ready mentally trying to clear out the negative thoughts since I can't seem to clear out all the gunk in my throat and nose. Knowing my buddy and his family would be arriving at 6:30 I helped gather up all the snacks for the kids as well as get them ready so we could be out the door when the time came, which it did. With the kids in the car and everyone ready, we left hoping we would get to the race on time and without getting into too much traffic. We got 50% of what we were hoping.
There was crazy traffic for race in its first year of existence. We knew where we were going thanks to our day before drive through, but apparently over 1000 other people thought the same thing. So, we improvised. We didn't park in the authorized parking for the race, but we found adequate space just across the street. It was much colder at the race location that it was leaving the house. I was hoping to shed my jogging pants, long sleeve shirt, and my hat, but it was just too cold. Since we knew we would see our families throughout the race, I knew I could ditch whatever I needed at those key points along the trail. By now the pressure in my head had lessened and I was feeling well enough to run a few miles. I still had the cough, but I was hoping that the medicine would kick in soon so I wouldn't be hacking the whole race.
It was a nice set up and one thing I really liked better at this race than at the mini-marathon was the lines to the port-a-potties. It only took us 5 minutes instead of 25 it took for the mini. After a few more minutes stretching and downing a last minute gel (see below) we were ready to go.
Last minute preparations
We kissed our families and headed off to the start line. We were shooting for a time under 4 hours. So we nestled into a spot around 3 hours and 40 minutes. The race had thoughtfully placed runners with fake hands on a stick with the projected finishing time on them so we'd know where we are both before and during the race. Then came the countdown. 10 ... 9 ... 8 ... all those months of training had come down to this ...7 ... 6 ... 5... though the situation was not ideal, me coming off an injuring and having a stinking cold ... 4 ... 3 ... now it is here and it is time to get it started ... 2 ...1 ... BANG!
Its hard to see, but I'm in the red circle with the black cap. I just started a marathon!
Just like the mini-marathon, we started jogging only to slam on the brakes before we'd run into the people in front of us. It only took us a little less than 2 minutes to get up to the start line and then we were off with one final wave to our families, we had 26.2 miles in front of us and at the moment we had each other to keep ourselves company. Running on pure adrenaline and excitement the first mile was cool as we were actually running the marathon.The first 3 miles were a blur, but we were running a good pace, probably too fast for me in my condition, but I was hoping my body could keep up at least for the first few miles. These early miles were spent chatting with my buddy and trying to keep up with him. I was also enjoying all the outfits as this marathon was Halloween themed and participants were encouraged to run in costume. My favorite was a guy dressed like one of the Blues Brothers. I mean running in a suit took a lot a guts.
Miles 4 and 5 we began settling into the run. The first 3 were a bit hilly, but not so bad. However, I knew my tune would change as we would have to run these hills again on the way back in miles 22-24. But miles 4 and 5 were smooth as it was flat and we got off the main roads and onto a bike path. Physically I was feeling fine, no muscle pains yet and my foot was fine. My cold wasn't much of an issue at this point either, but I was coughing every so often to remove loose phlegm though my breathing was fine.
Mile 5 was the first time we saw our families, which really gave me a big boost for the next 3 miles as I knew I would see them again at the end of a long loop. They were very supportive which helped us struggling runners keep going. We saw them again around mile 8 and I was still amazed that I was keeping pace with my buddy who was blazing quite a trail. The next section was all hills.
Here we are passing by our families. I needed to stay hydrated.
Going into mile 9 I was still side by side with my buddy, but I could tell our pace had slowed and I was the reason for the slowing. We had just started the hilly section and I mean really hilly section. We were close to mile 10 when a group of folks came loudly up behind us and then passed us. A guy in the front of the pack held a stick with a hand on it and a sign that said 4:00:00 meaning we had now gotten behind the 4 hour finishing time, which is what we were aiming for. We were running up a hill and a little distance began to separate me from my buddy. I stopped to walk at the aid station and I was concerned because I started to get lightheaded and knew I couldn't keep up the pace anymore. My buddy turned to look at me and I gave them the sign to keep running. We had a deal that if one of us couldn't keep up with the other, the one who was faster could keep their pace. We made this deal in our first run together, the 10K, but it wasn't until now that we had to use that deal. With all that had happened to me, I knew I would be the one to fall behind. As he kept running I walked a few minutes to get my head back in the right place.
I was tired, my body hurt, my head was full of mucus and I still had 16 miles to go. These 4 miles were very difficult. I walked most of it trying to get my body to cooperate. I was not feeling well and I could only run for a few minutes on these hills before I had to stop. I knew I would see my family after mile 14 and I began to contemplate quitting when I saw them and my wife could drive me back to the finish line so I could turn in my chip. I kept saying that if I started feeling much worse that this is just what I would do. While that would have been a shame, I think with all the factors that I had to go through it was still amazing I was able to make it this far.
Finally I stopped running/walking uphill and started running more downhill. I did feel a little better being out of the hills, but not like I did at mile 5. I turned onto a main road and I knew that my family would be coming up soon. The decision was to be made and soon. I heard them before I saw them and their cheers and shouts of encouragement persuaded me that I could keep going. I must not have looked very good because my wife asked if I wanted Sudafed the next time I see them. I said that would be great. I gave her a kiss and I was off again. However, once I was out of sight of them I started walking again.
You can't tell, but I'm really struggling at this point and its only mile 14.
The next few miles (15-17) were a mixture of running, walking, and coughing, though with the mixture of walking once or twice a mile (usually at aid stations) I began to feel much better. I didn't like having to walk all that time, but there was nothing really I could do about it. Sometimes the coughing was bad enough to wear I would need to stop and get out whatever gunk was in my lungs. After the hacking session I would feel better and continue running. The miles went by slowly, but it was nice to see my family again so soon after seeing that 3 miles before. This was wear my wife gave me some Sudafed hoping that this would help at the end of the race as I still had an hour and a half left (minimum).
I know it looks like I'm barely moving, but I'm going as fast as I can. Also, I just passed my youngest daughter being held by my wife's sister. Seeing the family is always a big boost while running.
Just as I thought that those 3 miles went quickly so too did that 1.5 miles from 17 to 18.5 when I saw them again as I just ran a quick loop. At the turn around point they had an aid station that was blaring the tunes. I never realized Neil Diamond's Sweet Caroline would be so inspiring while running a marathon, but if I ever get an iPod I'll be sure to put that tune on it.
I have to give a shout out to my buddy's family who stayed and waited with my family for me to pass by both times before they left all for the finish line. I wasn't expecting them to do that and it was extremely uplifting for me to know that they wanted to stay to see me pass by many minutes later.
After mile 18 I begin to count down the miles I have left. At mile 19 I said to myself that I only have 7 more miles. I would run that no problem during training. Mile 20 meant I only had 6 miles left. I ran that the Monday before the marathon and I did it in 55 minutes. Mile 21, only 5 miles left. At this point I really began to believe that I was going to finish this and I was just hoping that I would break the 5 hour mark. It was around this time that my buddy was crossing the finish line. I didn't know it at the time, but he had accomplished his goal by finishing with 11 seconds to spare (3 hours, 59 minutes, 49 seconds).
Here's my buddy finishing his first marathon at 3:59:49. Great Job buddy!
The last 4 miles I was back on the street retracing my steps from about 4 hours before. It was hillier than I remembered, but I would simply walk up the hills and try to pick it up a little bit on the way down. On what happened to be the last big downhill run I saw an aid station and a sign that said mile 25. This is it, only 1 mile left (well 1.2 miles left). At this point I was around the same group of people that would pass me when I needed to walk and then I would pass them when I started to run and they were walking. There was a girl dressed as Wonder Woman ahead of me and I vowed I would pass her, because if I could finish before Wonder Woman that would be an amazing accomplishment (like just running and finishing a marathon wasn't accomplishment enough ... all I can say is that after running 25 miles, your brain isn't thinking clearly anymore).
I had a half mile left. I was ahead of Wonder Woman and it looked like I was going to pass a guy further up who was walking. I had said I wasn't going to walk the rest of the way. I heard someone shout from a car I had barely noticed say, "GO MORONI!" I had no idea who that was. I looked and it was a lady with brown hair. That's all I knew. I waved, but at the time I had no clue who that was. I knew they knew me because they pronounced my name correctly (as it turns out it was my neighbor who's husband had ran the same marathon only ran it much, much faster than I did).
There was a slight hill at the sign that said mile 26 (I was almost there!!!!) and I see my buddy sitting with his sons waiting for me. He said its just down there and I looked to the left and I saw the finish line. At this point I had taken off my cap and long-sleeved shirt so they could see my number as I crossed the line. This was where I picked up the pace and sprinted as fast as I could for the finish line. I couldn't see my family yet, but I was just focused on crossing that line. I heard the MC announce "And here is Moronie Mills finishing strong!" (Not too many people pronounce my name right, but this time it was a beautiful sound)
I crossed the finish line and exhaled. I had ran a marathon and I finished. I didn't care what the time was. I look to my left because I heard people shouting and I saw my beautiful family. I went over and hugged my wife who had teared up, which caused me to get a little misty. She said, "You did it! I'm so proud of you." I did do it. I continued down the line and they gave me my medal and a neat silver shiny ... blanketey .... wrap of some sort. I'm not sure what it is, but it was supposed to keep you warm after running, but it was as thin as tin foil. My legs ached as did my feet, but it was done. I had ran a marathon.
I am now a marathon runner! I got the medal to prove it!
2 good lookin' guys who ran a marathon and are in desperate need of a nap.
My wonderful family who ran back and forth from place to place for 5 hours to see me and give me encouragement, which I so desperately needed. They are so great!
I can't believe it is over. 8 months of work came down to 5 hours. As it turned out I finished my first marathon in 4 hours and 40 minutes. Not what I was shooting for, but an amazing feat and proof that I can do anything. I'll post again on my feelings in retrospect as it seems like it has been a marathon just to post this story. I'm just grateful for my buddy who invited me to join him on this journey. Thanks, buddy. Lastly, I have to say thank to my family for supporting me for 8 months and thank you to my wife who has had to deal with me gone most Saturday mornings as I was running my long distances and was always supportive. It is because I her I was able to finish this goal so thanks baby!
Well, you know by now my usual closing, but it will not be true as I'm taking some time off to rest my legs, feet and body. However, this isn't the end of my running so I'll see you all again sometime soon. Done running for now ... but not for long.
