I Did IT!!! Marathon Woman I am!

Lets just start with.....

I am the woman!!!!!!!!!!!! I DID it!!!!!!!!!!!

P.S. I really did scream that at the top of my lungs as I came in. So now that you know I finished it here is the long version for those who care... warning it is long. Special Shout out goes to Kristen Muierhead - without you this wouldn't have happened!

Now that we have that out of the way it was one heck of an experience!
3:50am Hit alarm, get dressed, get tag and chip secured, bathroom, grab banana
4:18am Load bussed, laugh at woman who wakes up early to shave legs before the race, eat banana, wake up slowly
4:50am Get to starting line, grab a garbage bag to use as a rain jacket becasue it is raining, go potty in the port of potty (not to bad yet... I got there early), stand around fire, take off extra clothes and get them into the U-haul truck- it is going to stop raining, right?
6:45am Race starts
7:00am See Mom and Randy Neilson pass me... have a great race... mom don't worry about me!
Now it changes from time to miles I don't know what time it is...
Mile 5... I feel great especially considering the furthest I've run this whole year is 7-8ish miles
Mile 7 I see the big hill.... I can do just don't push too hard... you have run this far walk the hill then keep running.
Mile 8 I'm still on the hill, lots of people are flying past me.
Mile 9 I really have to go to the bathroom but don't want to stop, it's probably just becasue I'm cold and completely wet ( running, walking, running, walking a lot!!! )
Mile 11 Stop to go potty ( gross!!!- I have wet hands and so has everyone else- imagine the toilet paper... I have no choice... maybe the bushes are a better idea)
Mile 13 This is a half marathon... I should just quite- I've never gone this far in my life... where is the next cop car? and if doesn't stop raining I will freeze, yes freeze probably to death.
Mile 15 I-pod shuffle dies...SAD!!! I will probably not make it and running is no longer an option without music.
Mile 17 Thank heavens for cliff bars... I love cliff for sponsoring the race! I have never seen more cups, GU wrappers and banana peels on the road.... EVER! this is not my first race just my first marathon ( later I realized the poor volenteers gave us all there garbage bags so they got to pick up by hand... normally they have people holding bags for you to dump in
Mile 18 Take of Garbabge Bag (its starting to chaff my arms) Meet lindsey... she let me stay with her untill mile 24-she wanted to run in... I did not :)
Mile 19 It stopps raining... don't worry the wind is still blowing just like the previous 18 miles. I love Icy Hot... shoulders please! ( I have this horrible habit of tightening my shoulders when I run
Mile 21 I've gotten this far I'm finishing even if I'm on all fours crossing that linel!!!
Mile 22 ran the whole mile
Mile 23 bless these Aid Station people for wating for me for so long It's not 5+ hours after the race started
Mile 25 are you sure we aren't there yet?
Mile 26 See Family .... still have .2 miles to go, they cheer! I start to run the last part
Finish Line: priceless... okay not very eventfull except for the lady who gives me the medal gives me a awequardly long hug... thanks- i think?!?

After a marathon... the real story:

What nobody ever talks about it how you can't move... sitting is a problem, moving is a problem. I was so tired I almost started to cry, you know when kids get real tired and are fighting it they cry then they sleep thats what I wanted to do. Naucious, Yea... so I didn't eat anything for the last few miles and I should have becasue I finished and wanted to throw up/ I did start blacking out. Eat... you'll feel better- not just a little better a LOT better! Please whatever you do don't touch me- I just ran/ walked 26.2 mile... that is really far!

Would I do it again: for the first 12 hours after I said no. Now I say yes! I want to beet my more than pathetic time that isn't gettting posted on this blog... at leased not yet ( still to proud) I am also still sick and the rain/wind/bitterly cold thing really does a number on your muscles- I think just getting rid of that alone would've made for a better time. Over all thrilled that I did it- If I can do it you can do it.

Sorry so long.... this is one of those life events that I will tell people about and becasue this is my journal... you got all of it!