Yesterday was the perfect day to run 26.2 miles! Not only that, it was the perfect day to celebrate my birthday!
My family came out and lined the path at various points with their hand-made signs and pots-n-pans. I'll never forget at the 3 1/2 mile mark thinking, 'well at the very least, let's pass those walkers' in the distance. Come to find out, it was my in-laws, quickly making their way back up the trail to be ready for me with their signs and noisemakers. So fun!
Around mile 6, I met up with Tracy - a fellow Nashville Marathon t-shirt wearing runner --- a total stranger --- who ran miles 6-8 with me.
Throughout miles 10 through 18, JT and Pookie met me periodically in Kirkwood to refill my Gatorade and check on my progress.
My mom and the other 3 kids found me back on Grant's Trail at about mile 21 - at which point, T valiantly tried to convince me he could run the last 5 miles with me. He made it just over 0.15 miles before I turned his red-faced, side-gripping 8 year-old self back around to find his grammie. Mom told me later he sat along the side of the path for quite some time, crying, after I left him :(
JT and Pookie rode their bikes by my side for the last few miles. I finished the distance in 5 hours and 30 minutes - my initial goal.
I may well try another marathon one day. Hands down, The Karathon will forever be my favorite race, though. After-all, I was The Winner!
