Running in Circles

Monday morning I was up at 6:45. I had laid everything out the night before so it was easy to get ready and out the door. Brice walked with me to Boston Commons, where all runners we're loading buses to the Athlete's Village.

The anxiety and excitement was so real and surrounded by thousands of people that had worked hard to get here was emotional. I said goodbye to Brice and got myself on a bus. It took about 40 minutes to get the Athlete's Village in Hopkinton. Basically we took up all the grass yard of a school. I was running in Wave 2 which started at 10:25 so I had about an hour to just kill. Some people were asleep on blankets and others waited in long lines for the potties. It actually went by pretty quickly and then it was time to line up and head towards the starting line.

Fighter jets flew over and the Elites started and then my wave started twenty minutes later. The first 3 miles went by so quickly, there's lots of weaving among runners and trying to find a pace, but by mile 5 my quads were already burning. I started drinking water at every other station hoping it would help. Miles 5-13 were so mental. I honestly was so taken back by how tired my legs already felt, I really wasn't sure if I could run the whole 26 miles. I knew I couldn't just quit but 26 miles felt impossible. I decided I needed to just take it one mile at a time, drink more, and slow down my pace.

I got to mile 13 and didn't feel much better but knew these miles would start ticking away and then I'd be left with only single digit miles. Honestly, my legs felt terrible the whole race. I made it up most of the hills without stopping to walk. Heartbreak Hill at mile 20 was not nearly as scary as I had built up in my head and when you're legs are already dead, what's one more hill...

Miles 21-26 were literally just getting one foot in front of the other. I probably walked for 8-10 minutes during these last miles (only 30 second intervals) but I was just so done. Finally I saw the Citgo sign at mile 25 and then turned onto Boylston Street and could see the finish line.That seemed to take forever to get closer to but I saw Brice and my parents and then finally crossed that finish line. 

I have to say even though my personal race was rough the spectators and the atmosphere of running the Boston Marathon is unreal! Between the Wellsley Girls, the fire station in Newton, thousands of families ringing cowbells, and people just begging for high fives- it was an experience I won't ever forget. 

I was exhausted but knew we were short on time to catch the metro to the airport for our flight and I wasn't sure how much slower I had been so as soon as I felt stable enough I just walked towards the hotel. I was so happy to see my family and to shower and be done. Honestly, I felt a little more frustrated and disappointed that it had felt so hard and miserable but it's ok! 

Sometimes we train and plan for things and expect them to work out easily and they don't- but things still must go on and we can still accomplish those hard things. Today I feel part of an elite club and although I never want to run hills again I am so grateful for the experience.