On November 10, 2012 I ran the
Anthem Richmond Marathon with 6,000 people. The days leading up to the race I was eager
with anticipation! From Carb loading and
hydrating to nervous energy and positive thoughts, the days passed slowly. The morning of the race I woke up around 5am
and rode to the city with friends. After
meeting up with the Marathon Training Team I headed to the start. The plan for my
race was to have fun, finish injury free and a time goal of less than 5 hours. I ran
the first 5 miles with one of my MTT coaches, Brigetta. She was great at keeping me on a slow pace
thus conserving energy for later in the run. Mile 5, I was greeted by my sparkly friend Jenn A.to run a
mile with me. It was the perfect day for
a run with friends at my side and the sun at my back.
Miles 6-18 were great! I enjoyed listening to music and all the
spectators on the course. The Lee Bridge
was no problem to cross. Around mile
18ish my quads started to cramp and I had another salt packet (my 3rd
of the run) and trotted off to meet my cheering squad (aka my family) at mile
19. It was wonderful to see my family
and felt like I had a bit of home along the side of the route. After a few quick hugs I headed off to rock
the rest of the race! At mile 20 (termed
the midpoint) I met up with another of my MTT coaches, Francis who ran with me
for about 2 miles. At this point I was
having pretty severe cramps in my quads and tried to run in between each water
stop which were only one mile apart.
This was a struggle thus I took a 4th salt packet. Per my coach Brigetta's advice I said to myself "Pain, you are coming with me". Miles 22-24 I was alone again, jamming out to
some good tunes and focused on the finish.
The race was going by fast and I could hardly believe I was close to the
end. At Mile 24 my sweet friend Jenn S. thankfully
appeared to run a glorious mile with me. Then at mile 25 sparkly Jenn A. cheerfully joined me again for a mile. The last bit of the race was tough but I
still had a smile on my face.
The finish was down hill and as I
turned the corner not only were my quads cramped but my left calf decided to
join in on the fun. I told myself again “pain
you are coming with me” and I raced to the finish line. I felt the pain until about 30 feet before
crossing the finish line. At that point
a calm came over my body realizing that I not only ran a marathon but I had accomplished all of my goals along the way.
It was a great experience that not only challenged me but also rewarded
me on many levels. My heart surged with
pride as the finishers medal was placed around my neck.
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| Ready to start the race! |
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| Found my family at mile 19 |
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| Me and my littlest cheerleader |
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| Loving the support from my family! |
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| Mile 24 with Jenn S. |
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| Mile 25 with Jenn A. |
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| Mile 26 |
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Made top 200 for my age group
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My friend Jenn S. refers to marathon training as a six month pregnancy. It's a very good comparison, not only for the runner but also for their support system of family and friends. The six month marathon training required dedication, perseverance, focus, strength, making healthy decisions, and willpower. There was pain to struggle though and a growing excitement from pushing myself to a new limit. Leading up to the race my excitement grew with anticipation of the unknown during the last stretch of the race. I crossed the finish line a changed person. I received a gift that I nurtured and that no one can take from me...I am a marathoner! My mind said yes and thankfully my body agreed. I feel very thankful to have my health to be able to run a marathon.
I am grateful and humbled by my journey to the marathon. I remember those who can’t run and what they would give to have this simple gift that I take for granted. I ran this race for my grandmother who is unable to move on her own. I ran this race for myself to grow as a person, to be the athlete that I want to be and to overcome the unknown. I ran this race for my children to see that anything is possible if you work hard to achieve it. I ran and ran and ran till I hit 26.2 miles!!!
I completed the race in the top 200 for my age group. I was #176 in my age group with a finish time of 4:38! Not too shabby for my first marathon
10k split 1:05
Half spilt 2:15
20 mile split 3:29
Net time 4:38
Place 3036
Division Place 176
Best Mile #14; pace 9:22
Worst Mile #22; pace 12:06
Average Pace 10:30 per mile
"The journey is the reward. The marathon is the victory lap"
.JPG)
