More Details Than You Probably Wanted to Know About the "COLFAX MARATHON"

         Here it is! The post that at least one of you have been waiting for! It has been such  a wild week . The Saturday before the marathon I went to run 8 miles but by 6.75 I was not feeling it and I just went home.  It was a sunny day and my kids were outside and when I ran past the trailer I just wanted to be with them.  Wrex asked me the question I had been thinking in my head, "Mom if you can't run 8 miles, how are you going to do 26?" The  following Tuesday was  my last run before the race an easy 4 miles. But I felt nauseous and I didn't finish that run either. In fact I felt nauseous all week and I wasn't sure if it was nerves or if I was getting sick. I told myself not to be nervous, that I was just going to go out there and do my thing, but I couldn't help it. Friday morning I got to pick up my mother-in-law at the airport. She escaped the San Diego fires to come help me with the kids on my marathon weekend. We realized two weeks ago that Ian had school this weekend and she valiantly came to our rescue. We picked up Grandma at the airport and went immediately to the runners Expo.  This is where you pick up your race bib and t-shirt and get to look at different vendors. It was held at the Bronco Stadium and it was so exciting. The air itself had energy in it, or at least that's how I felt. They opened the expo a few hours early for the Marathoners, and  I had elite status, which I've never had in my life. You see, this race had not only Marathoners but they had a half marathon, a relay race ( where a person ran 6 mile increments for their teams) and a 10 mile run. We all ran the same course but we started at different places.

My Racing Bib and my finishers Medal that I received at the end

        I was carbo loading on Friday and Saturday so I ate a lot, Between these two days I ate bagels, ensure shakes, OJ, pasta, bread, tomato soup, chicken gyros, dried mango, oatmeal with almond milk, lentil soup, sourdough toast, muffins, chicken Parmesan and lots of Gatorade. One of my books recommended eating 7-12 grams of carbs per kg of your body weight. So I was aiming for at least 400 grams of carbs in a day. Soooo filling, I still feel bloated.

My last supper
 

      I felt stuffed to the max both days. On Sunday morning I woke up at 3:30am, I put on sunscreen and my race outfit. I made myself a cup of coffee, a bagel and I downed another Ensure shake ( they have 50 grams of carbs in those things ) and a Gatorade. We arrived in Downtown Denver while it was still dark. I was in desperate need of a bathroom and there was a long line of fresh port a potties. Unfortunately, they were all zip tied locked.    I know, what's the deal? But  my manly man took out his pocket knife and unlocked that port a jon for me and the other potty dancing girl next to me. What would I do without him, my hero.
    The race started at 6. They had grouped us into "Corrals" organized from A to R. I was in corral E. Ian stayed with me until I left. He told me later that  I actually ran off with the "D's" I was a little too excited I guess.

This is Corral E and all of my photo bombing fellow racers

       Miles 1-13 were a breeze. We ran past the zoo, down the streets of Downtown Denver , through a fire station, into the Broncos Mile High Stadium. It was a blast. There were water and Gatorade stops every 2 miles. There were tons of spectators ringing cowbells and holding up funny signs like      "Way to go Dad, can you run by the store and bring home some milk on your way home" or "Run faster, I just farted." Our names were on our bib so every now and then I was cheered on by name which was actually very nice.  The racers weren't as talkative as I thought they might be. Most people had earphones on. I decided not to listen to music so I could take it all in. I wanted the complete experience and didn't want to miss out on anything.
         A lot of people passed me. I didn't let it bother me, I had a plan. I was sticking to my heart rate and walking at the water stations. I mean who can drink on the run? Not me. The relay runners were along side us the whole time. Some of them would pass you and then you'd realize that they had just started their race and you were already 15 miles in. But some people would pass me and then I would catch up and pass them. It was fun. I started feeling sore around 13 miles. We ran through a really beautiful neighborhood and there were people handing out strips of bacon and donuts. I thought it was an awesome idea but didn't think I could stomach it. There was a part around here where we were able to see runners behind us on the other side of the road and I counted 11 marathoners, so I knew I was in front of at least 11 and that was good enough for me. I thought that 5 hours was a reasonable finishing time for me. I would love to make it in less than 5 but 5 seemed reasonable. I did decide at some point that I needed to go all out. I tried to pick up the pace, but really I think I just picked up the effort. I didn't want to finish with any energy, knowing I could have done better. So I thought I picked it up from mile 13 to 18. I did have to stop twice to use the bathroom which were near the water stations. I suppose I was overly hydrating but better that then becoming dehydrated. Also, I stopped at mile 17 for a selfie. Two firetrucks were hoisting up the American flag in Downtown Denver and I thought about my brother Nate, the Naval Corpsman and I had to have a little  momento.

always time for a selfie

      Between miles 17 to 20 I started passing a lot of Marathoners. At this point I recall wanting to tell you all this. My shirt said " Train like you were picked for the Hunger Games" I was ready for my interview which never happened BUT, if I ever was interviewed, and they asked me which character I was most like in the Hunger Games this would have been my answer. "I think I'm most like Fox Face, because I have a strategy and I'm sticking to it. I've held back conservatively with my energy and now I'm passing by the people who started out too fast. Yes I know, I am quite clever and we both have red hair. ( and that's how I would combine my nerdlife with my running life. For you non nerds, FoxFace dies by stealing Peetas poisonous berries. Ah yes, pride comes before the fall)

This is Fox Face

      By Mile 20, I was hurting and exhausted. I couldn't imagine 6.2 more miles. I looked at my GPS watch and realized if I didn't run 10 minute miles, I wasn't going to make it under 5 hours. I decided that I had run the whole marathon,( I thought originally I would have to walk more of it)  besides the water stops and that I had to keep running, at least I would know I gave it my best. At 23 miles we ran uphill, it was cruel, and I had to walk it. At this point police officers were holding back traffic on certain roads and I can imagine the drivers frustration being held at a stop while the worlds most slowest Marathoner put puts on by. When I crossed 25 miles I really ran all out, which wasn't any faster than before! My head was that over heating type of hot, when your ears feel steamy and I had to pee but that was just going to have to wait. I ran back around the zoo and I saw Marathoners walking back to their car and they cheered me on telling me "It's just around the next bend, and I thought " LIARS" But I didn't care, I ran because I just wanted it over with. I ran through the finish line with purpose passing one more guy on my way in. I didn't cry, I certainly didn't keep running. I stopped in my tracks, threw my hands up  like " TAKE THAT sucka" and then I looked over and saw my friend Tarrah and her 4 kids cheering me on. Her son asked if I won and his mom said " yes she did." I walked through the rest of the vendors who were giving away free stuff because lets face it, I love free and I earned it.  Tarrah took pictures, I was just glad I didn't die.

 Ian and Tarrah's husband met us shortly after. I hobbled the rest of the day and my mother in law and Ian took care of me, making sure I ate and re-hydrated. I was so thirsty but had no appetite. Of course I still ate an amazing sandwich from D'deli and a Burger from Bob's Atomic Burger. Yeah, I know, not hungry right? Today I am still so sore. Everything hurts, but only when I move. The two stairs to get to my room feel like climbing Everest. Am I glad I did it? Absolutely. It was so much fun and I gained so much more respect and pride in myself. Things I didn't know were missing.

       I absolutely loved reading all of your comments and support on my facebook page. Thank you so much for following me on this experience. It shows me more and more all the people who love and care about me. I just wanted to say thank you because every comment or like has cheered me on to be the best me I can be. Thank you.

 

 

 

My Finishing time was 4:59:47 just 13 seconds under 5 hours and I couldn't be happier 

I placed 986 out of 1323 "finishing Marathoners" not everybody finished.

I placed 343 out of the 554 Females that competed

In my age division of 30-39 I placed 128, not sure of the total of people in my division.

So basically I led the way of the last 1/4 of Runners. I don't think I can ask for any better than that. I am seriously proud of myself

 

Legend of the Marathon....4 days left

      Well, it's only four more days until my marathon. My runs have gotten shorter and shorter as I taper down in preparation to run 26.2 miles. The night before last I had a dream that I was disqualified for running through peoples backyards. Last night, I fell asleep at 7 o'clock reading my marathon book.  I suppose I am literally obsessed at this point and even though they don't admit it I'm sure my family can't wait for this run to be over. Although, everyone is very supportive and can't wait to see me cross the finish line. Logistically, I still have no idea how my whole family is supposed to wait for me to run for five hours. What to do with 3 kids in downtown Denver for that long.... I am assuming that's how long it'll take me. I will be ecstatic, if it is any shorter! Hopefully you've seen by now that there will be a link on Facebook updating on my progress on Sunday. It's supposed to give live status updates so... we'll see how that goes. I don't have much else to say at this point other than I'm nervous, but I thought I would share a little history of the marathon mystique.

    This is an excerpt from" Marathon The Ultimate Training Guide" by Hal Higdon. " How far is this marathon? The fact is that technically speaking all marathons are precisely 26 miles 385 yards. Anything longer and the race is considered an ultra marathon. Anything less and either the course was mis-measured or something else. The first event to be called a marathon was held in 1896 at the first modern Olympic Games in Athens Greece. This long-distance  race was staged at the end of those games to re-create and commemorate the legendary run of Pheidippides in 490 BC.
     In that year, the Persians invaded Greece, landing on the plains of Marathon on Greece's eastern coast. According to the legend, and Athenian general dispatched Pheidippides , a hemerodromo, or runner messenger, to Sparta  (150 miles away) to seek help. It reportedly took Pheidippides two days to reach Sparta. The Spartans never did arrive in time to help, but the Athenians eventually overwhelmed their enemy, killing 6,400 Persian troops while losing only 192 of their own men. Or so it was recorded by Greek historians of the time. Some historians dispute those numbers, suspecting they are the typical exaggerated claims of the victors. Then there is the question of whether the messenger dispatched to Athens with news of the victory was the same Pheidippides, who ran to and from Sparta. ( okay here's the really important part) A hemerodromo by that or another name apparently did run a route that took himself along the coast and up across the series of coastal foothills before descending into Athens, a distance of about 25 miles from the plains of Marathon.  According to legend Pheidippides announced "Rejoice. We conquer! " As he arrived in Athens then fell dead . "

   And that's the legend of the marathon . Run til you die. But if it was the same running messenger. I might argue that the first 150 miles might have don't him in , not the last 25. So based on that story, the race of Pheidippides was recreated for the Olympic Games in 1896  by running from the plains of Marathon to the Olympic Stadium in downtown Athens. At which time the winner was a Greek Shepherd . The Boston Athletic Associaton team manager was present that day and he was so impressed that he decided to sponsor a similar event in his hometown in 1897 . Thus the beginning of the Boston Marathon. Which remains the oldest continuously held Marathon. Did you know that to race in the Boston Marathon you have to qualify?

    Yes friends I am soooooo far away from that. But as I go out on Sunday and give it all I got, I'm going to stick with the goal of  "don't die, like Pheidippides" wish me luck !