Katie the MARATHONER

Whew! What an experience!!
Let me start my post-marathon blog from the beginning. I started training early in the winter upon Heather introducing me to a book called "The Non-Marathoners Marathon Trainer" and I said, "sure, lets run a marathon." Now here I am!!

My marathon training didn't even begin for a few months after that point, because in order to start the real training you had to be able to run for half an hour. Nope. So the pre-training took me a while, starting from walking for 90% of the time and walking 10% of the time with very gradual increases. I slowly built up my endurance and strength until I could run for 30 minutes, which I remember at the time to be a big achievement for someone who had never really run more than 20 feet in her life.

Then the real training began. It just tickles me to look back on these pictures, at how excited I was that I could run 3 miles! And then 5 miles! And my 8 miler was SUCH a big deal! I couldn't walk the next day! Then 10!! And 12!!!

As I worked out the bugs with my outfit, shoes, blisters, chafing, etc, I became more confident that this whole marathon thing could actually happen. After first 18 miler (which is the longest distance I was planning to do in my training), I remember being very excited and proud that I'd done it, but also the thought of doing 8 more miles after that seemed like death. I began to learn about the mental aspect of marathoning. I learned that a marathon is at least half mental. Physical strength and endurance can only get you so far, that's why they say if you can run 18 you can run 26.2. Because after 18 miles, it's a mental game. It's about overcoming negative thoughts like "I'm sooo tired" or "I have so far to go" or "I don't know if I can do this" or "Oh great my blisters are starting to hurt and it's only mile 12." You have to set short term goals, like getting to the next telephone pole or aid station, it's all about tricking your mind into letting your body do something completely crazy and pushing through the pain. 

Then for the last two weeks before the marathon, I did what is called tapering, meaning I pretty much cut way back on the amount of running to let my body heal the damage I've inflicted on it so far with my long runs and to essentially get a tune-up. I gotta say that this rest period (which also included eating lots of carbs to teach my muscles to store maximum glycogen) was the ticket. I've never started off a run feeling so at ease - all my usual aches and initial pains were gone! All my normal long-run issues like gnarly blisters and knee stiffness didn't ever show up, it was like magic!

30 seconds to the start:

And GO!

Started out nice and easy, feelin' great

Still feelin groovy

I apparently wasn't paying attention and thought I was at mile 9 

and then suddenly I was at mile 11! Oh SNAP! That was a good feeling.

This is Mel, age 74, who I ran with for a lot of the first half.

Halfway! And still going strong, no pain yet, which is encouraging.

I feel surprisingly good, it is a pleasant temperature and the route is lovely and scenic. 

Mom and Jessie drive up to take some pictures and deliver fresh socks and vaseline.

Chatting up old men and listening to Harry Potter on audiobook isn't quite cutting it anymore. Commence running music playlist.

This is the farthest I've ever run in training. Losing the spring in my step but feeling like 8 more miles is conceivable. (A feeling I definitely did not have after my last 18 mile run) 

Walk breaks becoming more and more frequent... Kendal calls and I talk to her for a bit. Why not?

Still waiting to "hit the wall" but I don't. Walking often, chatting with Bob. It's 70 degrees and brutally sunny at this point. If I'm defeated by anything at this point, it's the heat. I'm not used to running in it. But my legs haven't given out yet! Mika induced energy boosts keep me going. Constantly consuming energy gels and electrolyte replacement drinks. The aid tents are starting to pack up and the spectators have abandoned us stragglers. Getting a little emotional too.

Longest mile ever. ONE to go. Mel the 74 year old man is way ahead of me. Bob is a mile or so behind me. Headphones all the way up, full throttle mental mantras. One telephone pole at a time. 

 Cresting the LAST hill, looking out over the Capitol Way bridge, SO close

Finish line in sight (white inflatable arch in the distance), mental override of exhausted body, 

I have to finish strong.

Jessie and mom await at the finish

GO GO GO!!!!

8 minutes before the time limit

Oh Bob. 80 years old and his third marathon in the last 4 weeks? Marathon maniac is right.

Time for red robin and a serious nap. And the sorest week of my life. 

All part of the experience I guess.

Well, I can cross that of my list of things to do in my life.