Columbus Marathon - Race Report

I spent most of the morning on Saturday at the expo checking out all the cool stuff and the cute boys. Runners are dead sexy. I didn't want to leave but my dad was itching to get back home and watch the game. "But dad," I wanted to say "these are my people!" It felt so refreshing to be in a room full of other people with the same passions, obsessions and determination that I seem to be so hooked on.

Sunday morning came very early but in no time we were on our way to the starting line. We parked and made our way through the mass of porta potty lines and jittery runners bouncing up and down. 15 minutes before the gun went off, my bladder decided it needed to empty so I tried to get to an empty porta potty but all the lines were at least 10 people deep. I decided to wait until we got going and find one later. I never did find one and ended up just holding it/forgetting about it until I got home at 3 in the afternoon!

The marathoners and the 1/2 marathoners ran the same course for the first 5.5 miles of the race which meant that dad and I got to start off together. The first 3 miles were effortless and crowded with runners, but not too congested. There was overall good cheer and clapping as we passed by bands and family on the side. At the turn off for the 1/2 marathoners, I gave my dad a hi-five and told him to give 'em hell. I kept a pretty steady pace and was dead on track for a 4.55 finish time. I'd even managed to bank a minute or two, which, in retrospect was probably a rookie mistake but I'll get to that!

At the 1/2 point I was feeling great, even had a 1/2 PR. However, the niggling little burning sensation in my right foot that had plagued me since mile 4 was less of a whisper and more of a ROAR. The ball of my foot felt like it was on fire and every time it hit the ground it tingled - and not in a good way. Other than that, my legs still felt fresh and my breathing was controlled and steady. I had no problems with any of the hills and I thought I surely was going to meet my goal.

Miles 12-17 were a slow and steady uphill, one straight 5 mile shot up High Street. While there was still spectator support, the runner field had dropped off considerably with the 1/2 marathoners already finished. I started breaking the marathon down into achievable chunks. Just get to mile 17. I knew I had a friend waiting for me there and I wanted to look good when I passed by. At this point, I was still dead on pace, almost to the second. I saw my friend at the top of that very long and gradual hill and I wanted to do cartwheels I was so happy. Her sign said "Your feet hurt because you're kicking so much @ss!" There was a huge crowd of people at this corner and everyone started cheering my name and giving me hi-fives as I approached.

If the race had ended there, I would be over the moon. But, I've learned, the marathon has a way of bringing you to your knees if you aren't prepared.

The niggling little pain that was screaming from the ball of my foot had now spread to both feet and by mile 18.5 I was walking. I was pissed. I watched the 5 hour pace group pass me by and I just shook my head in frustration. I walked to the next water station and just happened to see the mother of a kid I'd gone to high school with. She recognized me and saw how bad I was hurting. She handed me water and walked with me until I was able to pull myself together and start running again. Her words of encouragement couldn't have come at a better time and for that I praise God. I don't know how I would have continued if it hadn't been for her kind words!

Mile 20.5 and I saw another group of my friends which was a huge boost. By mile 22, I was sure there's got to be rocks in my shoes so I actually sat. down. on. the. curb. and. take. off. my. shoes. and. socks. Nothing there! It's all in my head, or feet or whatever.

Mile 23 and I saw two girls puking on the side of the road.

Mile 24 and I was walking again. The pain in my feet was intense. A girl cheering on the side looked me right in the eye and said "YOU CAN DO THIS. YOU ARE 2 MILES FROM YOUR MARATHON!" I started sobbing then. Running seemed impossible. Two miles. Two miles. I picked up my feet and made them move.

I round the corner to the finish line and saw my family waiting on the side. As soon as I saw the FINISH banner, I'm bawling again. I had been fantasizing about that moment every day for the last year and there it was. Right there in front of me. I gave it everything I had to the finish line. So worth the pain and frustration of the last 8 miles. So worth all the long hard runs in the heat and humidity of the summer. So worth everything for that moment. I crossed the finish line with my hands in the air crying my eyes out thanking God for this gift, a staggering 5 hours and 32 minutes after I started.

While I'm pretty disappointed that I missed my goal time by 33 minutes, I treasure every moment of the experience (well, maybe not my aching feet!) and will most certainly absolutely do this again next year, hopefully closer to my goal! While I was struggling back around mile 23 or so, I said to myself "No regrets." I have absolutely no regrets for how I trained, for how I ate, for how I made it to the starting line. I have no regrets for how I made it to the finish line, even though it was really freakin' tough there at the end. However, now I have the experience of all that to work with, I know first hand what kind of monster I'm dealing with and will put in the work required to make the 2008 Columbus Marathon even better.

Thanks for taking the time to read my rambling report. I'll try and post some fun pictures soon and stay tuned...more races are already in the works!