I Ran A Marathon!

 

It was 3:53 in the morning on October 5, 2013. As is usual for me, I was awake a few minutes before my alarm started to chime. I could already feel the excitement and nervousness in my body. I was going to run a marathon and I was apprehensive before I ever got out of bed. It was something I never thought I would do in my life. I never did like running. And who in their right mind would subject themselves to 26.2 miles of it?? Nonetheless, there I was-running gear on, lacing up my running shoes to take on a challenge for which I wasn’t totally sure I was ready. My training had been severely disrupted by river season and my longest run to that point was about 5 miles…Yikes!  As I drove to the Recreation Center I noted all the traffic on the road. Far more than is usual for 5:00 am in St. George. I thought for sure I would have been better off to just walk from my house, but it was cold outside, and I didn’t want to. I decided to risk finding parking at the recreation center and I was successful. It was a small and simple triumph, but it was the first one of my day.

As I walked into the building I felt the warmth inside. Part of it was simply the temperature difference from the cold outside, part of it was the familiarity of the building (I have had an office inside for the past 2 years now), but mostly it was the friendly faces of the people inside. My coworkers, who have become my friends over the past two years, were there, sleep deprived and dead on their feet, to greet me and offer words of encouragement. Brianna hugged me and said, “By the end of the day, you will be a marathoner!”

Because I work for the city (with races and events, in particular) I was afforded a few special privileges at the marathon. Of note was the ride to the start line. Rather than ride a bus to the start, I piled into the lead vehicle with 8 other people and we drove to the start. On the way up, Aaron talked about his running strategy and commented how far the drive was. It took all my self control not to reach over and smack him for that! I was doing everything I could to hold back my panic about the distance and the most seasoned marathon runner I know, the guy who is responsible for this act of lunacy in my life is saying it’s a long way!?! If it’s a long way for him, I know it’s going to be considerably longer for me! I find the nerves weighing in again.

Finally, we arrive at the start line. It’s a crisp 38 degrees but the runners don’t seem to feel it. The atmosphere is charged with energy and pumping with music. The excitement is contagious! My nerves are still there, but I am finally starting to feel like this is something I will be able to do. At the last second, my friend who had considered running with me decides she isn’t prepared for the run, and she is going to ride back to the finish line with Kami. I take off my warm pants and hand them to her before she leaves and wander off into the mass of runners. From out of nowhere a pair of arms is around me. It is my friend Amy! I didn’t know she was running, but seeing her there bolsters my spirits and helps give me strength to do this! We talk and laugh and sing along with the music until it is time to start. As we crowd into the start line chute I think about my boss Aaron, starting with the leaders. He is the reason I am doing this. He is an incredible runner and will be finishing the race as I cross the halfway point.

As the sky begins to glow on the eastern horizon, the race starts and a crush of crazy people make their way across the starting line and head down Highway 18 toward St. George. I settle into an easy pace, knowing I have a long way to go, and not wanting to kill myself before I ever get started. The first miles go by easily. I have run this far plenty of times. I am prepared for it and it feels good. I find myself enjoying the run. As I make my way down the course my thoughts are everywhere! “It is such a beautiful day!” “St. George has such incredible scenery!” “I am probably insane for doing this!” “I wonder how Aaron is feeling (he was out of training with an injury for 6 weeks but made a remarkable comeback just in time to run)?” “How many of my friends are doing this?” “Will I ever do something like this again???” On and on it went!

At mile seven, the course goes through Veyo. It’s a small town but EVERYONE who lives there comes out to cheer on the runners! There is music and food and fun. People make signs and I find myself laughing as I read them. One sign reads, “If it was easy, I would have done it!” and I think about how true that statement is about to become. Just south of Veyo is the first major challenge in the marathon- Veyo hill! It is a steep climb for the first mile, but that’s not what makes it hard. It’s hard because for 2 miles after the steep climb, there is a more gradual, but steady continuation of uphill to overcome. I haven’t run this stretch often, but I have run it recently. During the Red Rock Relay, just a couple weeks before, I was lucky to run this stretch at 2:30 in the morning. Knowing what I was in for, I began my climb. It was tough-at the top of the steep incline, the wind was crossways and biting cold. For the first time in 9 miles I found myself wanting out. But I had made it 9 miles already! I was on a good pace, I felt good and I was determined to keep going.

So go I did. The next several miles passed in a blur. At 13 I was starting to really feel the ache in my muscles and stopped for some Icy Hot on my quads. Then, at 15, it happened. I was running along when the muscles in my calves started to ripple and cramp. I couldn’t run! I could barely walk, but I knew I had to walk. Ahead of me I saw a tall figure I thought I recognized. I fought through the cramping until I caught him, and sure enough, it was Will! As soon as we were close enough he threw his arms around me and asked how I was doing? He could tell I was hurting and passed me some salt pills. Turd’l also passed me a piece of “magic gum” that was going to help with the cramping. I knew it was all in my head, but it helped! Here was the support system I would need to get me to the end of the race. Will said that as long as I could keep with the group he was pacing I would be able to make the cutoff in time and I would finish the race! He told Turd’l to keep me moving, no matter what!

At 19, there is another hill to climb. Not as steep as the one in Veyo, but by 19 you are way more tired than you were at 7! I wasn’t sure I could do it, but Turd’l stayed with me and kept me moving. I ran through 20, but at 21 the pain in my ankles was almost more than I could take. I wanted in the shuttle van more than anything in that moment. In my moment of pain and suffering, just when I thought I couldn’t take another step, 2 of the women with Will’s group came up on either side of me. I was limping some and they could see that I was in pain. They passed me some Advil and one put her arm around me and walked with me (who are we kidding? She basically carried me…) for the next half mile. When the shuttle stopped briefly to see how we were doing, the whole crowd yelled at him to continue on because I wouldn’t be needing a ride- I was going to finish!

As I passed the cutoff point at 23 the Advil was kicking in and I realized I really was going to make it. I still didn’t feel good, and I still started to cramp every time I tried to run, but the finish was in sight. The mental game was over and I knew I could finish. I turned the corner off the highway and onto Diagonal Street to hear a very distinct whistle. It was my family! They were down the road waiting for me with signs and support. Seeing them there, cheering me on and supporting me through this brought me to tears! My sister walked the last 2 miles with me and as we walked she told me about how they had all decided to train and run the marathon next year! It was a very exciting and proud moment for me. I couldn’t believe that my insanity had rubbed off onto them, but it had! As we neared the finish line, Camellia told me to pick it up and run it in. So I did. Cramping calves forced from my mind, I pushed myself into a run to cross the finish line. As I drew near, Aaron was there waiting for me and ran in with me. My name was called over the loud speaker and I knew I had made it! Smiling wide, tears in my eyes, I crossed the finish line to a waiting group of coworkers- Kami, Dawn, Melea, Brianna, Michelle, Nikelle, Hollis, Jess, Aaron- all there to support me, most of us in tears! I suppose that is the other advantage of working where I do. Every person involved with the marathon is someone I know. Someone I work with. Someone from whom I drew support. Once the hugs and tears were under control there, I found my family for another round of hug and tears!

Later that day as I talked with my family, my sister, Belinda, asked me about my experience. “What do you take away from this?” she asked. I’ve thought about it a lot since then, and my answer is this:

Running the St. George Marathon was absolutely the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. But it is also one of the most incredible things I have ever done. The running community is amazing. The atmosphere, the camaraderie, the love and support- there is nothing else I have ever experienced that is quite like it. I was carried down that course by more than my own legs on October 5^th. I was carried by the energy of the mass of runners, by the people who believed in my ability to finish, by people who stopped by in the days before the race to wish me luck and drop off gifts, by my family, my friends, and by complete strangers, who saw I was hurting, who saw I was in need and put their own pain aside to help me through.  I didn’t set any records for time. In fact, I was a lot slower than I thought I would be due to the cramping I experienced. But I made it! And when I crossed that finish line I felt liberated, empowered, like I could do anything! And at the end there was a powerful group waiting to celebrate my accomplishment with me.

 

On that day, and every day since, I have thought about this experience and it has given me a perspective I am so thankful for. Everyone should run a marathon because then you will understand what I learned that day-about myself, about other people, about life. You will learn something that only runners really know-it isn’t about how fast you get there. It’s about who’s waiting for you at the end!