does 26.2

Really, what I should be posting are pictures of my fabulous BRIGHT ORANGE shirt that I got for running the marathon. Seriously, bright orange?! Why? I already have an orange shirt from the St. George marathon a few years ago. I thought that one was bad until this one came around. Someone needs to inform the "shirt designers" that we aren't hunting, we are running.

Good thing I had my pInk tank to run in -- saved the day.

So here is a run down of the race (all times are approximate).

4:40 AM -- wake up, wonder why in the world I am doing this again. Get dressed, lather myself in glide, so as to not get unnecessary chaffed, put on deodorant (it was probably futile, but I felt better about wearing it than not wearing it). Once again wonder. . . why I am up this early to run?

4:45 AM -- go to pick up other girls.

5:10 AM -- Arrive with Ramie and Heather (two other girls who were running) and try to squeeze our way onto a school bus. Finish choking down disgusting banana so I can take some ibuprofen.

5:25 AM -- Make friends with the boy I am sitting by on the drive up the canyon. I figured it was better to talk to him than to pay attention to the fact that I was going to have to haul myself back through all the roads we were driving on back to the finish line, using just my own two feet. He tells me he runs a 6:30 mile....crazy. And, I learn that he is opening his mission call when he finishes the marathon.

6:05ish AM -- Get off the bus and step into the freezing cold. Get made fun of for putting on every article of clothing I have in my possession. Squeeze into the "tent" and sit on the hard ground. I thought about stretching, but didn't really want to.

7:00ish AM -- Hear a gunshot. . . know that the pain has begun. Sometimes I wish that the gunshot was meant for me, not just for me to hear. If you die at the top of the marathon route you at least would have a really great excuse for not running.

7:03 AM - Officially start across and activate timing chip. Start the Garmin watch. Run.

7:31 AM -- People watch for a few miles. Feeling good.

8:05 -- 7 miles in. Less than 20 to go. Easy right?

8:29 -- Choke down a GU pack. I almost threw up. Had to stop and walk for a minute. Energy kicks in and I run again.

8:38 -- Still keeping good time. Almost to mile 12. Knee starts to revolt. Pray hard.

8:50 -- After walking to save knee arrive at mile 13. Only one more mile until I can see some friendly faces as I exit the canyon.

9ish -- Realize that I am probably not going to make my Boston Goal, but still wonder. Finally see people. Cheers keep me going. . . .look for Mike, but can't see him. Matt informs me that Mike thought I already passed so he went to mile 17. Now I have motivation to get to mile 17. Start counting down the miles to Mike, since counting down to the end is to far away.

9:28 - One minute away from 17 and a friendly face.

9:29 -- See Mike at mile 17! By this point my knee is ready to crack, but I am determined to finish. I give mike my pack, eat another GU pack (this one tasted better). Get sniffed by a really happy to see me dog. Look like I am going to cry out of pain and frustration. Get Mike's I-pod and hit the road running.....yep, running again. (Mike told me after that he almost made me get in the car at mile 17. . . I must have looked horrible)



10:05 -- Mile 21 -- See my parents and Mike again. Run right past them. I think if I had stopped I might have not run again. I should have at least paused and had Mike run with me. Wasn't really thinking straight at this point.



10:15 - Mile 22 - Water stop. and plain old stop. I have to walk for a minute.

10:19 - Walk again. Whimpy.

10:20 - Run!

10:23 - Wonder why people have to have kneEs anyway.

10:24 -- Keep running, see mile 23. half smile.

10:28 -- Think that all I have left if a 5k. Should be speedy fast at this point. A 5k is nothing right? Oh ya, I just ran 23 miles. . . . a 5k is a lot when you just ran 23 miles.

10:33 -- WaLK again. . . Run again. . . . WaLK again. . . . Run again. . . . WaLK

10:36 - Spot the girl in pink that it looks I can pace with.

10:40 -- Realize that people who qualify for Boston (like real runners) are finished with their race. Cry.

10:48 -- Almost to Mile 25. I should be able to finish in under 4 hours right? Talk positive to my knee. . . . talk outloud to myself. Keep listening to music that Mike put on the I-pod for me.

10:54 - Weave in and out of all the stupid streets in downtown Logan. Run straight UP main street. Serious, uphill at the end? WaLK.

10: 58- See Mile 26 in the distance. Know that I am not even going to finish in under 4 hours. Try to run harder, impossible.

11:02 - .2 to go.


11:04 - Run the homestretch. See my mom and dad cheering me through. They point out Mike on the other side. SMILe to give the illusion that I am having fun.



11:05 -- Finish
4 hours and 8 minutes later.
Get Medal.
Take Picture.

11:07 -- Try to decide if I want to eat anything -- not really.

11:08 -- See my Aunt. Breakdown and tell her I didn't make my goal.



11:15 -- Exit the runners coral take pictures with all my cute "family supporters" (you can kind of see the tears in my eyes, mixed with the sweat covering my body).


11:20 -- Go find Mike (and the dogs). Take off my shoes and promptly put on sandals.



11:20 - "A little bit later" -- Cheer in other runners. . . . Ramie and Heather finish!



Later in the Day -- Shower, Eat, Drive home, Watch BYU game, Sleep, Be sore.

Sunday -- Have a hard time walking up and down stairs. Wear high-heels (like really high heels) to church and regret my choice. . . just wanted to look cute.

Today -- Think about running St. George in 2 weeks. . . . .

CRAZY!