As everyone pretty much knows, this was my debut marathon, my very first 26.2 mile race. This past week my mind was literally blocking any detailed thought about the race, and what made me more anxious was looking at the weather.
We got to Indy at 3 PM Friday afternoon, got into the hotel room and slowly unpacked, our room at Springhill Suites was kinda, really tight. Only 4 drawers while the shower was in it's separate room (with a sink, no tub :'( ) and the door to it and the toilet room were sliding doors to help with the tight space. But it is cozy, and I am not complaining. Cameron and I drove to a spot I thought was just after mile 20 but ended up being around 21.5 miles where he would be to see me and also hand me my grape gatorade (which by that point I didn't want anything in my stomach).
It was a sleepless night, but I felt rested. Dorian decided to get up with me at 4 AM while I ate a Cinnamon Raisin English Muffin with some peanut butter, a chocolate fudge pop tart and half a banana. Then we laid back down, though Dorian was pretty much awake. Got up at 6:15 AM, with a little monkey at my feet the whole time lol. Cameron, Preston and Nicole walked down to the start with me while Ethan stayed in the hotel with Dorian. I was freaking nervous, I noticed in the hotel that I was feeling sick to my stomach but that has happened to me before so I didn't think much of it.
I got to my corral area, took my sweat pants off and handed them to Cameron. I kept the throw away sweatshirt over my dri-fit Tee with the Under Armor long sleeves and my gloves. I decided on wearing my capris and warmer socks.
It took about 18 minutes to get to the starting mats, and then we were off. I kept it slow and easy, not focusing on passing or zigzagging around people. The first two miles were right on a good pace, but the first 5-6 miles were a little hectic with constantly running into walkers and stuff... little frustrating but I wasn't focused on speed. It was 30 degrees with a windchill of 16 degrees, with 15 mph winds.
Mile 1 - 10:13
Mile 2 - 10:22
Mile 3 - 9:01 (I was already fucking starving!!??? WTF man!!!)
Mile 4 - 9:46 (I carefully took my throw away sweatshirt off at this point)
Mile 5 - 10:10 (Around this time I was noticing a kind of headache you get from severe cold weather, it was sucking a little.)
I was a little pissed off that I was already hungry, freaking out a little thinking I was going to bonk or hit the wall. Around mile 4's aid station I drank gatorade, I had absolutely no problem slowing to a walk for this, I wanted to cherish and drink every drop from it.
Mile 6 - 9:38
Mile 7 - 9:19 (Between mile 7 and 8 I had my first gu, I was hungry and it was pissing me off damn it, I walked for this and had water to chase it down)
Mile 8 - 10:09
Mile 9 9:34 (gatorade somewhere around here)
Mile 10 - 9:50
Mile 11 - 9:27 (between mile 11 and 12 I had my second gu, with water)
Mile 12 - 10:12
Things were going great, even though the hunger pains were bugging me, my body felt great and I was going at a good easy pace and staying ahead of 4:30 pacer group.
Mile 13 - 9:26
Mile 14 - 9:42 (at this point I started noticing a sick, really sick feeling in my stomach, almost as if it were the stomach bug... wtf)
Mile 15 - 10:49 (I had to walk, the jostling of my stomach from running was making me feel even worse in my stomach)
Mile 16 - 12:09 (I stopped at a bathroom hoping it would help, it didn't)
Mile 17 - 11:46
Mile 18 - 12:17 (I just wanted to get to mile 20, that was my goal marker because I knew I would only have 6.2 miles... even though my garmin was off)
I was freaking pissed off at this point, around this point the 4:30 group had caught up to me, I tried to stay ahead of them while running but when I would walk they would eventually catch up. This stomach issue was draining me emotionally, mentally and physically. My legs felt good, no issues whatsoever, they felt strong but I just could shake the issue with my stomach.
Mile 19 - 10:16
Mile 20 - 10:43 (FINALLY, only 6.2 miles and I didn't are if I had to walk them I just wanted to finish :( Here the port-a-potties were out of toilet paper so I was even more upset )
My original goal had been to finish under 4:30:00, but by this point I just wanted to finish under 5 hours. I was sad, I was pissed and just demoralized. Out of all worst case scenarios, I was not expecting to be taken down by what felt like the 24 hour stomach bug.
Mile 21 - 13:42 (I was walking a lot at this point, just wiped out and upset. I saw Cameron around 21.5 and told him what I was dealing with, he asked if I wanted to stop and I said FUCK NO, I'll finish this if I have to walk most of the rest of the way and finish after 5 hours, but I'll be damned if I give up.
Mile 22 - 15:00 (I was taking a lot of walk breaks, and I was beginning to feel some pain in my groin area... more closely to the female organs but I won't go there)
Mile 23 - 10:44 (I hated it, I had went on forums and stuff stating my hopes of finishing under 4:20:00 and here I was ... lucky if I finished under 5 hours)
Mile 24 - 15:01 (I freaking walked a lot here, and stopped at another bathroom, one last time)
At this point I was repeating to myself only 2.2 miles, not much further and I'd be done. My legs were also beginning to feel heavy as lead, my ankles, feet, knees and quads were hurting. My hands had been numb since the first gu, I can't tell you how scared I was that I would drop them. By the third gu I was saying fuck it, I didn't want to try and drink or eat gu, but I drank as much grape gatorade as I could. I kept trying to run, my garmin was way off at this point, which made thing suck more.
Mile 25 - 12:21
Mile 26 - 12:53
.4 - 9:24
I just knew I had to keep running when I had the last .5 miles, I wanted to finish and I wanted to finish strong and be done with it. I also knew I had finally accomplished this goal, I was almost there and pretty soon I would be able to call myself a marathoner. I knew how many people were keeping track of me on facebook, texts and RA and even though I really wanted to finish under 4:20:00, I knew one's first marathon always usually goes unexpectedly and anything can happen.
I finished my first marathon in 4:48:10 with an average pace of 10:59 min/mile, I got my medal, a weird parka thingy, a sock hat and two bottles of chocolate milk (you damn right). I got my pic taken and made sure to raise both hands during any photog moment and at the finish. I might have finished slower than plan, but I started out smart, keeping a steady easy pace and fueling smart (all while trying to keep my tummy's early hunger calm) and was ALMOST taken out by some nasty bug or whatever. My training paid off, it worked for me and had made me so much stronger mentally than I was starting out and I am so thankful for that. It was an awesome, challenging experience and I am happy with the results and how I handled things.
I am also giving my body many days of rests, at least until the trails begin to call to me because I CANNOT WAIT to get back out on the trails... but I don't want to talk about another marathon for a few days or weeks lol!
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