The Stingeries: 2nd Houston Marathon!

Monday, January 16, 2012

2nd Houston Marathon!

Yesterday I ran 26.2 miles. I have now run two marathons and LOVE that it's pluralized! This year was just as challenging as my first, if not more, at least mentally. I was not able to meet the time goal I set for myself and while I am slightly disappointed in that, I am choosing to be thankful for the blessings I experienced in this race.

I knew this race was going to be hard as soon as I hit mile 6. I had slept a lot the day before and was concerned maybe it was because I was starting to get sick...(which it was, I am coughing today). I also could tell I had no energy. This is not the feeling you want so early in the race and I am still not sure as to why it happened. I ate all the same foods, did all the same steps as I had before our 21 miler and other long runs.

I ran with some other Katy Fit coaches until around the half marathon distance and I knew I had to pull back. I also knew then that I was not going to be able to beat my previous marathon time... I continued a walk/run the rest of the marathon.

However, I was determined to finish. I was overcoming knee surgery and a break from running and I wanted to finish and have the accomplishment of running another marathon. I had been training since July for this and I knew that it was going to be hard, but that I was going to do it. Quitting was not an option - I wasn't bleeding profusely, dying of pain (beyond the regular marathon pain), and so I had, in my opinion, no excuse to quit.

Another awesome running picture from yours truly... at least I was at the finish line! That's my excuse for this one.

Someone (okay, more than one person) has asked me why I would run a marathon or why in the world I would run another. The only explanation I can come up with is an analogy to child birth. Your body is programmed to remember pleasure and not pain. Hence the reason (pre-epidural obviously) that women had more than one baby. You forget the pain you experienced during/after the marathon and are left with the intense feeling of pride and accomplishment in completing a feat that less than 1% of the population does. (Currently, that pain has not wore off and I am hating my back and hamstrings... mental note to re-read this post once the pain subsides... ;-) )

Thank you Lord for pain, because it means that I have feelings and I can experience pleasure, fatigue, energy, etc.

Thank you Lord for family, friends, and random people in the city of Houston who came out to support the marathon. Thank you for Nikki and Bo, Jenna, Jan, Sandra, Sam, Dustin, Maryam, Huy, Ruby, James, and Ramesh. You guys are amazing and you being out there to support means so much!!

Here are a bunch of the signs my friend Ruby made to have out for me. She and the rest of our Family Dinner crew were out at mile 24 to cheer me on!

Thank you Lord for the weather, because it could have been much hotter with the past few weeks and we had a cool start and I was able to get some sun and a fantastic tan line.

Thank you Lord for my legs, because I can run and bike. Even after having knee surgery last year, I was able to run and for that I am grateful.

Thank you Lord for my husband, without whom I could not have done this marathon. His support, encouragement, and belief in me made an indescribable difference. I have never met someone so selfless - someone so caring. He moved around the race course 5 different places. He kissed me and told me he was proud of me and that he knew I could finish when I stopped and started crying to him that I wasn't sure I could go on at mile 21.