BMW Marathon Journey Final

The time has come. I have finally made to the week of the BMW marathon.

I have all of a sudden, I have come down with a cold. I went out running on Sunday and man I did not feel so good. I was seriously thinking that I should back down to just a half marathon because I did not feel good, and I would not be able to finish the race.

I even asked my friend how to go about doing such a thing. I even emailed the race event people.

Then I called my coach. My coach was so excited for me about this marathon. I told her I was thinking about backing down to just the half. She said “WHY?” I said “I have caught a small cold, like there is any other kind of cold) and I don’t feel like I will be up to finishing the full marathon”. She said “Yes you will do great. You have trained all year and there is no reason why you should not be able to finish the race.”

Boy, I really don’t want to let her down, but I need to think about me too.

I gave myself the rest of the week to really drink up my vitamin C and load me up on my other supplements that I need to take.

The day was getting much closer and I well gosh darn it starting to feel so much better. I was still training, not hard, of course. By Friday I knew that I could do it.

I was doing everything I could to get much needed rest.

Oh, and on Thursday i had my final medical massage and chiropractor adjustment. I felt so much better knowing that everything was as it should have been.

Saturday came and my husband and I made our way down to Dallas. Not a bad drive at all. We got checked in to the hotel.

The really cool thing about the races is of course the race expos where sponsors put on a huge display of vendors relating to the field. I had to go gather my bib and swag bag and of course the high dollar t-shirt. All kinds of great stuff. I even picked up some really cool headbands. Everyone trying to sell you something. All kinds of gu gels for race performance and the main event was the BMW’s themselves. Oh my lord, such really cool cars and SUVs. Took time to take some pictures. This BMW had my name on it. How cool is that?

We had dinner with my friend and her husband who was also participating in the race, he however did the half marathon. He did great.

Ok, i actually slept really well and was up at normal 3:30 to go pee. I could not go back to sleep after that. I had plenty of time. Shoot the race did not start until 9:00am. I just relaxed and watched TV.

Started getting ready for the race, ate my yogurt and got all my gels packed in my little water belt, gathered my salt tablets, made my drink before the race and made my drink for the race. I felt like I was weighted down.

I met my friends in the lobby and off we went to go to our corral.

I daughter showed up to cheer me on and of course keep her daddy company while I was out on the 6 hour course.

I was getting so anxious in the corral, that yes I started tearing up just a tad. I do not know why? I guess of all the thoughts running through my head. Am I going to finish? I hope I don’t cramp up and the big one, I hope I don’t have to go poop. LOL.

We took off and right away there goes my friend. I started off just nice not too fast. I actually was running the pace that I wanted to run and was on track to end my race around 5 and half hours.

Since this was my first time, I did stop and enjoy all the Christmas stuff outside on the lawns and took some pictures. I would text the pictures to my husband and daughter. They replied, great now move your ass. LOL I am and I wanted to really enjoy the experience because who knows if I really want to do this marathon again. 26 miles is a long ways on foot.

We go around the corner and I am already running into runners who are on their way back, they made it look like the lake in which we were supposed to run around look like it was just around the corner. They were on a 3-and-a-half-hour race time. I just cannot believe it. WOW!

I was so grateful of the people who were carrying tissue boxes on the sides. They were life savers for sure. The weather was chilly perfect weather for running. My nose was actually running faster than my feet were but I was doing good. I was doing it.

I realized that wow, I am running with all these runners, and I really won’t be by myself. Shoot after the half marathon turn off there, I was all by myself. I finally reach the lake and it was so nice. A really nice lake that we had to run around. Ok not bad.

I get across the lake, (9 miles around the lake) and I look back and thought OMG I still need to run all the way over there, which I could see the Dallas skyline of builders. I am not going to make it in time.

I get about halfway around the lake and run into a few fellow runners from my hometown. I talked a little with them and then pressed on. I then realized that I needed to go to the bathroom. I had drank too much. I was afraid to because my legs were like really numb at this point. I did not want to be one of those runners that could not hold it and pee all over myself. I stopped and glad I did. Time to press on, I need to really get it in gear if I am going to make the cut off time.

I get to the 20-mile hill up and man it was brutal. I do not know why I did not take a picture of this hill from hell. I make my way up and wanted to be able to feel the downhill. Nope could not feel the downhill, I could even see where the road was going downhill. Then my left hamstring decided it was done. It quick firing when I jogged. I had to walk really fast. I saw a girl up ahead who was walking really fast and decided I would walk with her all the way in whether she wanted me to or not. She didn’t mind and found out she was suffering too. This was her third full marathon.

We managed to get to the finish line, and she asked me if I could run it in across the line and we both did. I saw my husband on the sideline along with my daughter. They were such a great sight.

Yes i did it. I ran a marathon. It took so much for me to get there but I did it. I am so glad I did.

Another high dollar finishing shirt. This one I think I will frame.

Next week, I will start writing about my journey to my Smokey Mountain Relay Journey. Right now I haven’t done anything but strength training. I better get it in gear.