running running running

So, yep. I'm going to blog about running. Again. I can't help it! It's been 5 weeks since I've updated this thing. I've been neglectful. Sorry. Well, I know you weren't really anxiously awaiting a new post, but I can pretend you were.

So...I went to Dallas this past weekend. I had a goal in mind. I just didn't know if it was going to happen. It was going to be hot, and I just wasn't feeling it. My goal was to break four hours. I wanted it badly.

So, the marathon starts...let me just say that I felt that the start of this marathon was very smooth AND very festive! I loved it.  I stayed with the four hour pacer for about 2.5 miles, then I REALLY had to pee! I have NEVER EVER had to stop and pee in a race before! So, I went... woo...I felt a lot better after that. My legs weren't feeling great and that was kind of scaring me...but I was hoping it was because I wasn't warmed up maybe?

I wasn't loving the four hour pacer. Her pace kind of seemed to be all over the place and it just was not smooth.  So, when I caught back up with her at mile 4, I just kept going at the pace I wanted. I said I wasn't going to break away from her...but I did. So, that's that.

Around mile 4, I had some friends cheering for me on the course...and that was AWESOME!  Here is me then...

 

I didn't see them again the rest of the race, but that isn't because they didn't try!

So I kept running and running. I started to feel a lot better and my pace was staying very steady. Well, in fact it stayed pretty steady the whole race. Overall, I am super happy with how I felt this race.

So, Vickie was supposed to run the last 6.2 miles with me, but she never could find mile 20. Soooo, I got her the last .2 miles. That's fine enough with me. 

Here we are! Vickie is pulling me across...and I'm freaking ecstatic knowing I just did it!

I am ecstatic that I broke four hours. VERY ECSTATIC! I don't know if I've told you that yet, but I am happy!

So then, the race is over...let me tell you, I feel WAY better than I did at the end of Indy. MAYBE because it wasn't sleeting on me.  So no tears this time! My one complaint I have about the Dallas Marathon is that the food is way way way way too far away from the finish. I had to go a long way for a banana. In fact, I gave up. When we walked into the building and I still didn't see food...I sat down. Vickie hopped to it though and found me a banana, an orange, and some chocolate mile. LOVE HER!

So we left the building to find our car, and a band started playing their next song, and wouldn't you know it???  It's Don't Stop Believing. That's my favorite of all favorite songs I do believe.  I think I did shed a tear...lame huh?  haha. 

Thankfully we had a masterful photographer with us to catch this moment on film.

You want to know what else?????????

BEST POST MARATHON FOOD EVER!

 

and that's that. :)