I pulled out the ol' bucket list yesterday and checked off one of those little suckers. I ran a marathon.
I ran for 26.2 miles and let me tell you, it was hard. It was so much harder than I could have ever even expected which is probably a good thing because if I knew what it was really going to have been like, I probably would have skipped out on it. It got to a point at approximately mile 17/18 and I realized I still had another 8/9 miles to go which is another hour and a half of running that I started to crumble. Luckily, I came upon my cheerleaders around mile 19 and they really pushed me and gave me those last bits of energy that I could pull out from the depths of me that I didn't even know I had. I came around a bend of the Connecticut River and there was Rory, Keith, and Phil in NEON yellow shirt (special thanks to Whip's Sporting Goods) and they were ready to cheer. Rory ran with me for a couple hundred yards and just told me how proud he was of me. When I came around another corner, there was Jen, ready to go with my bag full of emergency stuff - chapstick, tissues, and advil. She ran with me to the rest of the group and they went wild. It was the most amazing moment of my life. I know that I have the world's greatest friends and family, but to have them screaming for me and jumping up and down and just going nuts - brings tears to my eyes right now thinking about it.
The last 6 miles are throughout the city of Hartford, so I was lucky to be able to keep running in to them because that is when I needed them the most. My brother ran with me for a good 4-5 miles and just kept pushing me. He knew I could do it when I didn't have the energy. He paced me when my calves started to cramp up. He let me go on the emotional rollercoaster that was pouring out of me but stoppped me when I started hyperventilating because he knew it would mess with my breathing.
With about a half mile to go, everyone was there to really really push me. They were there to show me that the finish line was right around the corner. I could do this. I could finish a marathon.
After I passed them, I came across this guy who said to me (yes I was running slow enough at this point to hear all this guy had to say) - "I don't know who you are, but these people have been waiting for you all morning. They are so proud of you and so excited for you. This says a lot about you to have this kind of support. You must be a pretty special person."
I am special. I am lucky enough to have the most wonderful family and friends that a girl could possibly ask for. And I have to tell everyone from around the WORLD that sent words of support, I thought of all of you while I was running and felt you push me, even if you couldn't have been there that day. I don't know what I did to deserve all this love, but please know that I am forever grateful to have each and every one of you in my life.
And now next on the bucket list - who wants to rent an RV and go across the country with me??
