I have done several endurance events, three mini-marathons to be exact, over the past three years. The first event I had completed was done with a team called Team in Training (TNT). I have posted about what the team does in a previous post that you can find here.
This year I decided to participate in the San Diego Rock 'n' Roll Marathon. Yes, you read that right. Marathon. Not a Half or Mini Marathon but a Marathon! Y'all must be thinking I'm crazy, and you would be right. This is the craziest thing I have attempted. I mean, who in their right mind would want to run 26.2 miles? Um, I guess this girl. Because I am clearly out of my mind.
The night before our endurance event, TNT hosts an insperational pasta party so the participants and their family/guests can load up on carbs and insperation for race day. I have included some pictures from our way to the pasta party as well as a video of what it like going into one, and of course pictures from the race (well, what I could get before my silly camera died!).
Elise and Sydney
Dan and Erika
Us girls up early and ready to go!
The Fort Wayne Team
Waiting in our corral ready to start the 26.2 mile adventure! I don't even think you can see the start line in this picture!
The sun joined us in the morning. It was welcomed so we could warm up!
We were running this race in honor of our beloved Ed. We wrote his name on our hands to keep us motivated when our bodies were tired and we just wanted to quit and to remind us of the reason we were out there : to kick blood cancer in the butt!
We met this guy on the course. He saw our hands and decided to dedicate his pectorals to our friends Ed and Greg.
He also dedicated his scapulas to the two children that we know that are battling blood cancer. His girlfriend, Brittany, is the reason he was running. She was in remission when we met him. AND, if you dare to look closely, he was a bit on the crazy side. He had PINNED his number to his back! OUCH!
Almost time to Rock 'n' Roll!
Random picture snapped along the course.
I thought this was really pretty. If you look closely you can see that there is an organ filling the arch of this building.
The San Diego Metropolitan Transit System
The outside of the San Diego Padres stadium, major league baseball that calls up from my hometowns minor league : Fort Wayne Tin Caps.
The inside of their stadium.
Yes, you are seeing clearly. We are running on a HIGHWAY. I would like to know who had this bright idea!
Yay! We made it to mile 10! Only 16.2 left to go!
I may not look like it because I'm upright and have somewhat of a smile on my face, but I'm about to die here. This was taken somewhere around mile 22-24 on the brutal island with no shade. Once again, who had this bright idea?
Oh, thank God! The finish line at 7:10:35!! I sprinted to the end, from about a few hundred feet back. But I did manage to run it in from the 25 mile marker with the help of our wonderful coaches on the course!
Proud and happy to be DONE!
All of us girls together! Dan is way fast for us, he finished like 3 hours before we did. Ya, he rocks.
While I was running in, I was looking along the sidelines for my friends that live in Cali that said they were going to come see me. I didn't see them and I got a little sad. I thought maybe they had left because I was taking so long and she had three children with her. After taking the above picture, you go around a corner into the parking lot where they had tents set up for you to refuel on food and fluids. I could barely walk (I did just complete 26.2 miles) around the corner but the minute I saw my friends sitting behind the fence waiting for me, I ran. I don't know where that came from but it was in me. It made my day to see them and I finally broke down in tears. I was elated. I think it just took me a while for it to all sink in. I did it. I really completed a marathon. Granted, I didn't run the whole thing nor get the time I was shooting for, but it was more important for me to stay with my friends and make some memories. And boy did we make some memories along our sunshiny, 7+ hour, 26.2 mile day. I may not have been able to say this at the time, but I loved every minute of it. All the pain, laughs, and tears. Not only did I complete the event, but I did it for Ed, Greg, Gavin, Saige, and everyone else battling blood cancer and for those that have lost their battles.
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