The Boston Marathon

I left Tulsa in the rain on the Friday before and it was dark when we got there.  There was about a half a day of sunshine on Saturday and then the rest of our trip was filled with clouds, wind, rain and lots of it. 

Weather conditions for the race itself by the time I started were drier than expected.  I did run a little in the rain for a few miles and then more than half of the race I spent in no rain.  I had wind, but nothing unusual to what I had pretty much been training in all winter over here.  Really, other than the wind, the weather was optimal for me because it meant I wouldn't be getting too hot while running.  Under my wind/rain jacket, I had on a shirt that read "Baby's First Boston" on the front and on the back it read "Baby Marathoner On Board".  I actually had my jacket off for about 5 or 6 miles before I put it back on again.  I flipped the front of it over my head the last two miles so that when I crossed the finish, my race number would be seen. 

When I began the race, and actually for almost the first half, I really wasn't sure about how it would end up for me.  I had been having doubts about it for the past few months and even had experienced some opposition in my family.  After all, it's not every day that a pregnant woman goes out and runs a marathon, least of all, THE marathon of marathons in our country.  So, I guess it really didn't hit me that I could do it and be just fine until sometime during the second half.  It's unreal what people's words can do to dampen someone's motivation.  I was glad that I didn't tell more people than I had, because it could have ended up worse.  It was doubly frustrating that I kept having to stop at the porta toilets.  I totaled nearly 8 minutes of stops that had I not needed to take them, I would have finished in under 4 hours.  A couple of places I had to wait in line to go, but I would have been miserable if I skipped the potty stop. 

My time of 4:04 and some change is probably my second slowest time ever, but considering I was running with a passenger, it isn't bad at all.  If you take my marathon time and divide it equally by 2, then what do you get?  :-)  I have to remember that I was working twice as hard as most of the other people out there just because I really was running for two--a few pounds gain can make a difference, plus I was loaded with hormones!  I had promised everyone back home that I wouldn't "push" myself.  My doctor wouldn't have been the only one upset if I did something stupid to hurt myself or the baby on board.  So, I ran it as easy as I could trying to resist the tempting allure of going all out on the downhill stretches.   

I had picked up my pace somewhere along the last 3-4 miles because I knew I was almost finished.  I also didn't want to actually stop because by then my legs were so fried that I wouldn't have been able to get started again.  I was going along at a pretty good clip when I saw the giant Citgo sign and knew that I was almost there and  I started to have an emotional moment but stopped myself because I do not have the ability to cry and run at the same time because I can't breathe when I try!  I think my absolute favorite part was when I was entering the last 400 yards or so before the finish and I experienced this exhilaration as the masses of spectators were cheering loudly as I was approaching that finish. 

I was happy to have finished, walked (or actually hobbled) away with all the hardware and count it as my 11th successful marathon, and definitely one of the most meaningful.  Along the course there were so many spectators, many of them being little kids that would have their hands out for the marathoners to touch them while running by.  Of course, every little one that looked pre-school age reminded me of my two at home and I had wished they could have been there too.  Some of the kids were handing out fruit and pretzels to the runners.  The rain didn't appear to hold anyone back, this marathon seems to be quite an ingrained tradition in that part of the country that nothing would stop them from being out there.  Even all the ladies from Wellesley College at the halfway point were all out there, you could hear them from at least a half a mile back.

A brief note about Heartbreak Hill:   Wasn't scary, it was non-threatening.  I wasn't heartbroken.  It was a welcome break from all the downhills.  We have similar hills on the Creek Turnpike trail. 

My Boston experience was definitely surreal.  I look back and think "was I really THERE????"  It was amazing.  I know that had the weather been a bit more on the favorable side, I would have spent more time touring all the rest of the outdoor things I had wanted to see.  We did, at least, get to tour Fenway Park, that was awesome.  I was tempted to get a little newborn outfit for the baby  at the Red Sox store since he (or she--we are going to try to find out in a couple days) experienced Boston with me, but it was a bit on the costly side and I still had other shopping I had to do. 

So, thanks to all that had been out there praying for me and supporting me and giving me encouraging words, I hung on to every one of them.  Although I didn't join TATUR until the end of my training, I still had support from people in this awesome group. 

Because I didn't have access to a digital camera, I don't have anything to post on the TATUR site.  I guess I can have my hubby photo me in my jacket and my "Baby's First Boston" shirt with my medal on as proof that I had been there if you want.

Peace Out,

Mandy