Done

I can now cross one item off my bucket list!  The marathon is over and I crossed the finish line.  My time ended up being 4:27, which was a little longer than I was shooting for, but who cares!  The first half of the race I was thinking, "I love this course!  I definitely do this again."  Then by mile 15, I was starting to tire and had needed to use my inhaler (for my asthma) again and again.  And by mile 18 was having to convince myself to run and not walk.  But by mile 23, when I turned the corner onto State Street and saw that I had to run 2 miles uphill to the famous Eagle Gate in SLC before I got to turn toward the finish line, I almost came to a dead stop.  But I slowly made my way to the steepest block, walked up it with everyone else around me, and ran to the finish.

Looking back now, it was a good course.  But I started faster than I trained.  My pace was in the 8:30s.  But I felt good.  And I walked up two steep hills, so I was still trying to keep my pace around the 9s.  Oh, and I had to wait in line to use a bathroom, which took 4 minutes total.  By the time I finish the downhill portions and was half way I was too tired to keep up that pace and the elevation was starting to affect me.  I now realize going 2000 feet up in elevation to run a race is not going to help you get your best time.

But I felt so good crossing that finish line.  Even though this is the second marathon I've run in, it's the first I've actually finished.  Back in 2001, DH and I dropped out at mile 15 after I was stopping at every aid station along the way, sick to my stomach.  So the goal has never been accomplished in my mind and it's a relief to finally say, after 10 years, I've done a marathon!

Now excuse me, it takes me forever to hobble back and forth through the house!

Sorry no pictures, can't seem to get my photos to get onto blogger!