For the entire series:
Part 1 Part 2
Part 1 Part 2
Finish Line - I'd love to tell you that friends and family gathered around me as I crossed the finish line. They didn't and I was 1000% fine with that. Having them cheer me on out on the course was much more important to me than at the finish line.
I just kind of walked around in a daze. It was over, but in a good way. All my hard work had gotten me to this point.
Now give me my f***ing medal.
After getting my medal, I wandered into the "secure zone". It was pretty expansive and people just kept handing me stuff. I took a bottle of ice cold Cytomax, thought for a minute and promptly gave it back. I downed some bottle water, ate a banana and then I saw people with popsicles. I must've looked like a parent looking for a lost child at that point. "Where are the popsicles? Where can I get a popsicle?" Long story short: it was the best damn popsicle I've ever had.
Seeing as though this was the P.F. Chang's Rock n Roll Arizona Marathon, you would think that Changers would have more of a presence. Maybe some double pan fried noodles in the "secure zone". Know what we got? A menu that previewed some of the new entrees coming soon. Really? REALLY????
I wandered into the Family Area and it took me awhile to figure out what my last name started with. After realizing it was "R", I looked and saw the "R" sign.....
...at the furthest possible point. Curse my ancestors!!!!!!
As I'm stumbling toward the R's, my sister and coach met me half way. All of a sudden, Vanilla and his lovely wife, Candis run into me. He claims he was there to congratulate me, but he conveniently had a Colorado Buffaloes jersey with him so he could take a picture. Damn point spread. *note - since Vanilla didn't have the kids with him, I had my punching opportunity, but I was too damn tired.
We grabbed a beer and then we headed up to north Phoenix to watch the Cardinals game at my sister and coach's friends house. I was a lump on the couch for a good 4-5 hours. All I had to do was flash my medal to someone and beer, water, pizza, pasta, etc. magically appeared! Voila!
I finished a marathon and the Cardinals pull off the impossible. It was a good day.
When I finished, I was pissed and bummed at the same time. I didn't really race, per se, but I covered the mileage. "26.2*" was going to be the title of this race report. After letting it sink in, though, I'm pretty proud of myself that I didn't wuss out. I gutted out a 4:57:14 race.
Tomorrow - Pictures! (whether you like it or not)
I just kind of walked around in a daze. It was over, but in a good way. All my hard work had gotten me to this point.
Now give me my f***ing medal.
After getting my medal, I wandered into the "secure zone". It was pretty expansive and people just kept handing me stuff. I took a bottle of ice cold Cytomax, thought for a minute and promptly gave it back. I downed some bottle water, ate a banana and then I saw people with popsicles. I must've looked like a parent looking for a lost child at that point. "Where are the popsicles? Where can I get a popsicle?" Long story short: it was the best damn popsicle I've ever had.
Seeing as though this was the P.F. Chang's Rock n Roll Arizona Marathon, you would think that Changers would have more of a presence. Maybe some double pan fried noodles in the "secure zone". Know what we got? A menu that previewed some of the new entrees coming soon. Really? REALLY????
I wandered into the Family Area and it took me awhile to figure out what my last name started with. After realizing it was "R", I looked and saw the "R" sign.....
...at the furthest possible point. Curse my ancestors!!!!!!
As I'm stumbling toward the R's, my sister and coach met me half way. All of a sudden, Vanilla and his lovely wife, Candis run into me. He claims he was there to congratulate me, but he conveniently had a Colorado Buffaloes jersey with him so he could take a picture. Damn point spread. *note - since Vanilla didn't have the kids with him, I had my punching opportunity, but I was too damn tired.
We grabbed a beer and then we headed up to north Phoenix to watch the Cardinals game at my sister and coach's friends house. I was a lump on the couch for a good 4-5 hours. All I had to do was flash my medal to someone and beer, water, pizza, pasta, etc. magically appeared! Voila!
I finished a marathon and the Cardinals pull off the impossible. It was a good day.
When I finished, I was pissed and bummed at the same time. I didn't really race, per se, but I covered the mileage. "26.2*" was going to be the title of this race report. After letting it sink in, though, I'm pretty proud of myself that I didn't wuss out. I gutted out a 4:57:14 race.
Tomorrow - Pictures! (whether you like it or not)
14 comments:
The Buffs jersey looked good on you. Photo evidence coming soon.
Congrats again. Can't wait to see the pics!
Damn your ancestors? Man, damn mine. My name is further back in the alphabet than yours. Also, at my marathon they had the women's bag drop off area all the way at the end of the street. I had to walk down and then all the way back to catch a bus to the start. Damn male chauvinists race organizers.
Keep wearing that medal....I wonder how long it will take before people stop bringing you stuff when you point to it
You raced 26.2.
I refuse to congratulate you a 4th time.
I guess I keep my $20 as there sure doesn't sound like there was a whole lot of punching going on.
I've run the Rock N Roll VA Beach 1/2 marathon for the past four years, and the 2008 race was the first time they had popsicles. Whoever came up with that idea is a genius!
Indeed, the best popsicle ever.
On a related note, the best beer I ever had is the one my friends handed me after I finished my first (and only, so far) marathon. I have no idea what was on tap, but it didn't really matter!
Yes, the popsicles were the awesomest. Can't wait to see the pictures.
Dude. You did it. You gutted it out, and you didn't quit.
I'm thrilled for you.
I chortled at "curse my ancestors!"
Awesome trilogy :)
Congratulations!
Can't wait for the photographic evidence that you really were there, haha.
Awesome race reports! Good job on gutting it out. Congratulations!!
I ALWAYS do that at the end of a marathon - see someone eating something delicious and whine to everyone "where can I get that?" The worst is when they're like "oh my family brought this for me" and it's not something free.
As yummy as PF Chang's is, I don't know that it's what I'd want to eat at the end of a marathon...
Great report Razz! You're no longer a marathon virgin (sniff). As for the popsicles, I did the same thing a few years back after running my first half marathon in years. However, I was out of the runner's section but managed to convince a volunteer to hand me one over the fence. Like you said -- Best. Popsicle. Ever!
You totally raced it. 26.2 is a long way, there's no way to keep some form of steady pace for that long unless you've done it many more times. Congratulations again!
First marathon's the best marathon! My time was about the same. The time doesn't matter. The fact that you ran and completed a marathon is what's important. Congrats.
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