HOLY MOTHER I’M A MOTHER EFFING MARATHONER!!!!!
Obviously this will be a long post……….
Wow. Lets get the stats out there right away and then I’ll recap it!
3 hours and 49 minutes (and some change- I don’t know official times, and places or anything yet).
2 times my dang shoe came untied.
2 bananas and a bagel nom-ed immediately after.
Yesterday I arrived in Ottawa at around 1:30 and immediately hit up the worlds smallest expo. Haha seriously- it was pretty lame considering the other ones I’ve seen from you super cool bloggies. Anyways, got my shirts, number (73 what whaat), random ish- and bounced. It was a windy 12 degrees with a wind chill of something (honestly I tried to avoid the weather channel). Went back to the hotel and we got stuck with a crappy room that smelt like a mix of old lady and cigarettes. Annnnd cue the headache. With a mix of this and the massive weather changes we’ve been having (60 to 16 within 12 hours…not cool). Therefore, this chica had an unpleasantly painful head ache for most of the day/ evening. Alright almost done with the non-marathon it self business, but last night we tried to go out to dinner and was told we’d have a 45 minute wait, wellll 2 hours..YES 2 HOURS, later we were still not seated and left the restaurant to find another place at 9 a night. (Let’s review, Caitlin without food for more than 2 hours= not a happy camper and I had already eaten all the apples in our car.) Anyways- went to a buffet style restaurant (holy bad place for people struggling with weight issues). Kept it cool and had some ziti, made a bomb salad and naturally hit up the ice cream bar.
Now onto the goods. I woke up at 6am and completely avoided the tv, computer, even our car, haha legit everything that could possibly hint at the temperature outside. I had my go-to prerun breakfast- oatmeal with banana, blue berries and a scoop of peanut butter. NOM.
Then we were off to the races! No but seriously. We got a spot easily- score, and posted up in the War Museum for the next hour waiting for it to start. There were 1,500 people participating in the events today! There was a 3km walk, 5km run/walk, 10km, half marathon, full marathon and a relay for the marathon. I got a decent place at the start not too close but def not far back at all. I had a weird encounter which I’m glad I didn’t let it effect me. As I was standing there this man came up to me and asked if I was from America, I said yes and he kept touching me. Like he kept trying to grab my hand and touch my shoulder. I politely gave him a “get the eff away from me look” and he walked away, and not even 2 minutes later came up to me and tried to touch me again. NOW WHY NO ONE AROUND ME DIDNT SAY ANYTHING I DONT KNOW. But he then kept asking me “Why are you here” and kept asking me about New York. Seriously it was very annoying. I know he was slower but still very awkward. He then left again and turned around to come back to me and started talking to me again and I firmly said “Sir I’d really like it if you would stop talking to me”. FINALLY the man in front of me turned around and gave him a death glare and then told me I handled that appropriately. Well gee thanks sir. Anyways bleah, that was interesting to say the least.
The gun went off! POW. The first loop- oh yeah for the marathon we did a 5k loop 8 times and then there was a 2.2km turn around to finish.
So the first loop was crowded but pretty awesome- as some of you suggested I kept a close eye on my garmin to make sure I wasn’t going too fast. First time around the loop flew by and the second loop as well. At each loop it was great because I was able to see my parents each time I came around! Now I am slightly embarrassed to admit this but I’m going to anyways because I feel like this is a total judgement free zone. Anyways right after crossing loop 3 (so about 10miles in?) I REALLLLY HAD TO PEE. But the porta johns were still 2 miles away annnd I couldn’t hold it baha. I tried to squeeze in real bad but nope- just was not havin it. Soo…yahhh I may have peed my pants a tinsy bit….Anyways….(awkward silence)….But then I felt SUPER refreshed and speedy! And I looked down at my garmin and I was ahead of where I thought I’d be for 13.1 miles! I ended up my half marathon time at 1 hr 43 minutes I believe!
The next loops and miles are really a blur- From 13-17 miles I got really in the zone and was just focusing on not getting too fast, or too slow. The course had about 4 different times where there were inclines/ hills. So each time it was a hill I really tried to focus on keeping the same pace up the hills because I didn’t want to slow down there, then get speedy on the down hill.
How I kept my pace whenever I started feeling blah was I would find a guy and literally run in back of him. I don’t know if this is a runner fopa or anything? I mean I wasnt on his butt I gave some space but staying with someone else kept me from slowing down on hills. This man and woman I stayed with for most of 13-17 were great. The woman (who was wearing a boston marathon 2007 jacket AHH) and the guy looked bad ass, well they were running together, chattin it up, and I stuck with them for seriously that whole time. Actually at the end of the race when I was in the building she came up to me and said Congrats and that I ran a good race!!!! AHH I was so pumped because she was pretty bad ass. Oh also during miles 13-17 since I was pretty zoned out- some of the things I was thinking about were like “yumm I can’t wait until I can finish and then I’m going to have a hugeee glass of milk mmmm” and then I think from maybe 15-17 my thoughts were on “Hmm what do I want for lunch? ooo and for dinner mmm”. My decision was that I wanted Pita Pit for lunch and a McDonalds McFlurry on the way back to school hahahaha. Yup- I seriously thought hard for those miles, my other options were a big juicy hamburger or mexican. But then I figured I don’t normally like greasy things after I run- so Pita Pit won. And lemme just say- I did get Pita Pit and it was thebomb.com. Oh and I OBVIOUSLLLLY got a big ol’ glass of chocolate milk.
Also guys- you should all know that my playlist was awesome sauce- obvs big thanks to you fools! Another thing I wanted to say thank you for- and seriously I can’t say thank you enough- is for all your encouragement. Whenever I started doubting myself or getting negative thoughts I would seriously think about every one of your messages or comments to me supporting me and wishing me luck. I kept thinking “I can’t let these guys down!” and it was really motivating and reassuring knowing that you guys had faith in me. So seriously THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU. Also- side note- Christine, or Short Mom, I swear to God I saw a woman who reminded me of you so bad- I saw her and immediately had the hummus farts as jet packs speed me forward ; )
At mile 19 I was coming around the loop and my parents, who had been texting my best friend Britty!, screamed out “BCO SAYS HI!!!!” And I IMMMMEDDDIATELY got super happy and thats when it hit me. Holy smack I was almost on mile 20- meaning holy smack I’m almost to unknown territory!!!! I booked it along for the next 2 miles and when I got to mile 21 I just wanted it to be mile 26! NOT because of the pain or anything but because I was so friggen excited knowing I was going to finish!!!! and be a marathon runner!!!
But then at mile 23 at the water station…life began to suck. I was attempting to do this walk/jog while drinking and I ended up choking on my water (you know? like when it goes down the wrong pipe). Well yeah that kinda sucked because then almost immediately after I got a wicked cramp in my lung. This combined with me emotionally realizing I was 3 miles away from finishing, I started sobbing. From pain, emotion, but mostly pain. My abs started cramping up and I seriously could not catch my breath. My pace went from 8:23 to 9:56 and then to 10:24 in no time. With the pain from the crampage (prob didn’t help that I was sobbing), my time slowed way down, thus begin me being able to feel the pain in my legs. But then after the loop, which was hilarious looking back on because I was legit sobbing when I passed my parents and my dad screamed out “How much more” and I whimpered back “2 miles wahh”. So at this point all I had left was 2.2miles. Seriously longest 2.2 miles of my life. Before the crampage I was head on for having a Boston Qualifying time- like I was golden. Crampage slowed me down but it was still in reach. However, I still had 2 hills to go… I can’t even explain what was going through my head, I was seriously contemplating my sainty and then some spectator screamed out “YOUR LEGS HAVE DONE THE WORK NOW YOU FINISH WITH YOUR HEART” Seriously. best thing this man could have ever said. I kicked my bum into gear (um that sounds like I actually sped up- I did not, yet at least, I still had 2 miles to go). I did however turn my frown upside down and I was realizing completely that this was it. That I was 2 miles from the freakin finish line! I WAS GOING TO GET MY FREAKIN MEDAL AHHH! This being said I had to focus and dig deep. I pumped my pass up with 1.2 left and I think I was running around an 8:46 (I’ll look at my garmin later and post the splits then- with the official deets and what not).
And then POW. It was done. I crossed the finish line and as the announcer said my name I burst into tears and practically fell into my dads arm. I was physically and emotionally exhausted. I can tell you right now- my finishing picture is going to be straight up awful hahahaha like I’m not kidding you…no one looks good when they cry…and booooy was I cryin’. Immediately got my medal, a bagel and 2 bananas. I was freaking freezing. I’ll have to see if the pictures show it but there was snow literally frozen on my face and hair. My eye lashes and brows were covered in ice. I couldn’t feel my hands and my legs were like jellloooo.
Well that’s all I got for you right now. I loved every second (okay lets not lie, 23-25 was awful), of it. After I finished all I could think of was holy crap I missed BQ by 4 minutes. WHICH was my secret goal (obvs). But that being said- I accomplished my goal of finishing! and my goal of under 4 hours! And hell- 4 minutes off from BQ I’LL TAKE IT (esp considering the crampage). I can’t wait to train for Buffalo and I am publicly going to say- my goal is to get under 3:35. I really think I can do it.
Ahhh So again- THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT YOU SERIOUSLY ARE THE GREATEST PEOPLE EVER!
Now off to shower… because I just got home and have still not showered… Photos and official times to come later!
