1,000th post and 26.2 miles!

This happens to be my 1,000th post - I started this blog in 2007, which also happens to be when I first thought about running a marathon.  

I decided back in 2007 that I wanted to do a marathon - 8 years later I finally did it! I had to keep starting from scratch because of 3 pregnancies in those 8 years. I worked my way up to a half marathon in 2011 and 2014. I kept having some knee problems - the 3-4 month training programs weren't cutting it for me. I decided to do a much slower training program - spread out over a year. I also realized I needed to run at a slower pace than I'm used to for the shorter distances. And I changed a few things in my diet that were supposedly inflammatory. It worked! I didn't have problems with my knees this year, and I was on track to run a local marathon the first Saturday in November. Much to my dismay they cancelled it just 3 weeks before. I wasn't about to give up and waste all my training, so I looked for another one. It had to be about the same time, not a trail or hilly run, not on a Sunday, and not at a much different elevation. I was pretty limited in choices, but I was able to find "Beat the Blerch" marathon at the last minute, just a week later in Sacramento.

The whole family loaded up and traveled to Sacramento on November 13th, where we stayed in a motel (Alex and the kids hung out at the motel most of the morning). The race was Saturday morning on the 14th. The weather was perfect - 45-60 degrees. It was chilly at the beginning, but warmed up a bit, and I never had any issues with heat. The first half was right on my target pace - 10 minute mile pace, but I slowed down in the 2nd half. Leg cramps in the last 4-5 miles set me back a little bit. By about the 22nd mile, I had to just keep trying to make it to the next half mile or mile, walk for a minute, and then keep going. By those last few miles, it was a mental and physical battle. I pictured my dad in my mind telling me not to give up, to keep going. Just kept putting one foot in front of the other, and I finished! My goal was to finish in 4 hours and 20 minutes, but finished in 4:41:17. I was happy with it though. I got a little emotional at the end, thinking about finally completing a goal that I had for a while. (and not really knowing if I could finish a marathon). After 746.5 miles of training since January this year, I was finally able to complete 26.2 miles. Slow and steady finishes the race!

So, "What's a blerch?" you might be asking. I was wondering that too. This website explains in detail what it is - basically it is the lazy part of your mind that tells you to NOT to get out and run, but to stay on the couch and eat cake. It's the opposition that keeps you from completing your goals. By getting out there and running, you "beat the blerch." (The blerch is the fat white blob with wings.) The guy that created the blerch races used to be overweight. He then started running and eventually ran an ultra-marathon (50 miles). His races have people in blerch costumes wandering around and cake at the aid stations. They actually had cake at all the aid stations during the race (I never ate any, for fear of puking it up). They also had couches at most of the stations, tempting you to stop and rest. The aid stations were disappointing, with cake, purple juice, and whole wheat sandwiches - all bad for runners. But they did have electrolyte drinks as well, and ONE station had bananas. I've never been so excited to see bananas! I relied on them in my training runs, and my understanding was they would have them for the race. I didn't carry them with me, so I was getting really worried when I kept passing stations without them. Then, about the 15th mile, they had bananas. Luckily I took some extra with me for later, because they didn't have any more later on. I tried a bite of cake at the end of the race, but by then my stomach was all out of whack and I didn't feel like eating anything until later in the evening.

I am grateful for Alex and the kids supporting me in my training and being there at the finish line. I know they sacrificed time and activities so I could train this year. The boys didn't end up doing soccer this fall - I think it was a blessing for me to be able to complete my training runs. Everyone ended up sacrificing a little bit on my behalf. (And I also had friends earlier in the year who watched the kids so I could get my running in when Alex was gone.) I'm thankful for supportive people in my goals.

I now have a lovely "Beat the Blerch" medal and shirt to remember my marathon...

And this is what happened to my toes... black toenails and a huge blister.  

The blister is gone, but my toes are still black.  Long distance runners don't have pretty feet!