St. George Marathon

Sorry it has taken me awhile to write this post... here it is! And yes, I finished!

Well, it all began around March when we signed up for the marathon and found out that we all made it! I figured it would be a great way for me to lose that pregnancy fat and get back into shape. Yep, that was wishful thinking. Unfortunately, with motherhood comes a lot of sacrifices and a lot of time and thus, my training went out the window.

So I ran a little here and a little there. I did the Hobblecreak 1/2 marathon about two months before and that was the longest I had run before the big day. I was about to drop but I really wanted to do this, for me. (Call me crazy)!

So October 1 came and we all drove down, adrenaline starting to kick in. The four of us came down together and talked about the do's and don'ts of the marathon, what to eat, what to drink, what to wear, what we had read about it, what times we were shooting for, Michelle's extra boost from her MD, and Niels' elite running career.

Then we went to the expo to pick up our bib numbers and check out the vendors of all the intense runners. We even went to a clinic where a guy talked about the marathon. The excitement of it all was starting to kick in.

Not to mention that carb building dinner. Mmm... got to love an excuse to eat extra carbs.

The next morning, we woke up around 4:00am to catch the bus to the beginning of the race. I'll tell you, that bus ride is pretty sobering considering you are going to be running that entire length back. But then again, everyone around you is talking about their training and their other marathons and the excitement is really starting to acclimate.

This is us at the beginning of the race. Looking good eh? (Notice Niels has a different color on his bib #. You can refer to him as Elite Niels if you would like.)

The beginning is so much fun! There are fires and gatorades, oranges, bananas, water, and porta potties as far as the eye can see. Plus there is music and DJs and people already cheering you on. It's like a dance party, but with a bunch of under dressed runners that really have to use the bathroom.

And then the race begins. At least if your number is 334. If you have a number like 7796, than you wait for about 15 minutes for everyone to pass the start line before you actually get there.

And you run, and you run,

And you run some more. I decided to take it really slow (considering my lack of training). I felt fine, however at about mile 3, I started getting some sharp pains in my knee. I thought the worst and worried that if it continued, there would be no way that I could finish. So I pushed on and hoped for the best. About mile 9 I stopped to have them wrap my ankles, I was getting blisters already, so while I was there I had them wrap my knee too. And I didn't have any problem after that. Wooh! This is also where my sister-in-law, Michelle and I split. She had trained far too much for me to hold her back.

However, though I was "alone" I was able to meet a lot of really neat people. I met a man named Lyle who had just turned 80 years old a month earlier and had run a marathon in every state. He had also run a marathon around the coast of the Sea of Galilee, the coast of Australia, through Paris, etc. He was so inspiring and was so kind. In fact, even though I felt pretty good, I decided to walk from mile 13 to 15 with him and we just walked and enjoyed the scenery.

I also met a girl named Hannah who had just come home from her mission in Taiwan and never ran a marathon. She told me that I "was her inspiration." She had seen me running by Lyle and had been trying to keep up with me ever since. Needless to say, she passed me at the end and did great!

I also met a 79-year old who had flown in from Tokyo and had run the St. George Marathon several times.

I met a mother and daughter who were running together for their first marathon. We kept passing each other towards the end and each time would cheer each other on.

Since all of us were running at such different paces, it was hard for our family to catch all of us and cheer us on. As I came onto mile 16 I was hoping that I would see my family. When I ran the St. George marathon in 2007, that is where I first saw them. However, they had moved on and I had missed them. But, to my great surprise I saw our good friends, Dani and Jared and their family. If you guys read this, I just want to say, you guys helped me so much. Thank you so much for cheering me on and for being there. I really needed someone there.

Preston had told me the night before that he was going to wait for me at mile 21. So as mile 21 came up, I looked and looked and no one was there. I was so distraught. I don't want to say that it's harder without seeing your family, but it's harder without seeing your family.

But, to our miscommunication, Preston was waiting for me at mile 23 (thinking it was 21) with my little boy and some of his family. This picture means a lot to me....

Five more miles to run. By this time, the sun was blistering hot. Shuttles were constantly driving past me packed with runners that had quit. I counted three ambulances that had driven past too. It was ridiculous...and hard. The temperature was in the mid-90s and you could feel it. Every aid station I would douse myself with water and I would get another burst of energy. I even could feel myself getting a little dizzy and delirious. But I kept going.

At mile 23, I saw Dani and Jared again. Again, you guys made my day. Thank you, thank you, thank you for being there.

By the end, I was burnt up mentally, emotionally, and obviously physically. I walked a lot at the end and tried to run from shadows to shadows. My brother, Jon is one of my inspirations. He and I had run the marathon in 2007 with my brother, Chad and sister-in-law, Carrie. He always finishes earlier than I do and usually comes back for me to help me finish the race. However, I never saw him. The marathon took such a toll on him, he couldn't make it out. In fact, besides Preston at 21 and Dani and Jared, I hadn't seen any of my family yet.

So when I got to mile 25.5 and saw my mom waiting for me, I burst into tears. Bless her heart, she ran with me until I got to the last stretch and let me go and as the movie shows below, I had a pretty ridiculous run by the end. And it was incredible. My whole family was there and Preston's family was all there and they all cheered me on at the end. And....

I did it! I finished the marathon. I ran/walked 26.2 miles in a grueling 6 hours and 11 minutes.

Now I know you don't want to watch an invalid trying to run across a marathon line, but it might be worth your time. My brother took this video and in the background you can hear my nephew say, "Look, she's the last one!" And then right after he turned off the camera, he said, "Oh wait, there's another one!" Priceless!

Why run a marathon? Why put yourself through the misery? I'll tell you why.

For me, it is the only time in my life that I have felt like I have been to the very end of my rope, physically, emotionally, and mentally. I've given everything I've got and I am asked to give a little bit more. And even though it's painful and it's one of the hardest experiences I have ever had, it is a time where everything is put into perspective.

At the first I feel great and enjoy the scenery and my surroundings. As I get going, I come across bumps like a sore knees or blistered ankles and I have to fight through them. There are hills here and there that you have to put all your energy just to make it to the top, but then there are downhills that are easier.

And then comes that infamous "wall" around mile 20. The wall where you don't feel like you can take another step. And yet you do, and another one, and another one, because you have to. You have to if you are going to finish the race and see your family at the end. And everyone around you, is going through the exact same feelings and emotions as you. So you cheer each other on. You push each other onward because you have a common goal. People you don't even know are cheering you on and pushing you forward because you came here to run a race. And no one came to this race to quit early.

And then comes the last three miles. At this point, let's be honest, you just want to quit. You can't stand the heat any longer, your feet are on fire, and you just don't have any more motivation to keep going. But then come the people on the streets, cheering on complete strangers. Not because they enjoy looking at invalids who are sweaty and about to burst into tears, but because they know that you are almost there and that their encouragement may be that little bit of inspiration you need to get you around the next block.

And then comes mile 25.5, and you see your mom. And she's there, just like you knew she would be. Waiting for you to come so she can hand you a bottle of water and tell you how proud she is of you. And right behind her, is your husband and your baby and the rest of your family, who, the moment they see you start yelling your name and helping to push those last few steps out of you. Those steps that you didn't think you had left at mile 23. Yes, you may be "the last one," but you did what you came there to do.

Once you cross that finish line, relief hits you (and so does the medic). And even though the ice cream and the warm, fresh bread is great, seeing my family and these fellow runners is even better. We all did something pretty incredible.

Yes, it's a pretty spiritual experience. That's why I love running a marathon.

These are my fellow comrades: Niels Wankier (3:34:48), Jon Cox (4:29:08), Caytee Wankier (6:11:38), Michelle Cox (5:41:20). You are all incredible! Good job guys! Next time, I'm shooting for 3:00:00. Ü