The first time....

I know a few runners that might enjoy this "firsttimers" reflection, but no one will enjoy it as much as Rob. So Rob, this is for you =-]

Grandmas 2009- my first marathon, (quite possibly my last) actually, my first race of any kind ever but definitely not my last! Today I had the joy of a 6 hour car ride and a chance to reflect, here are some of those thoughts...

Friday, after a stressful morning caring for 5 kiddos under age 9 with a goal to get myself ready while my kids cheerfully entertained each other (LOL) well, they didn't entertain each other and I wasn't very cheerful, just ask them. Got out the door, kids pushed me out the door, around 2pm with my sister in tow (what a trooper)- Grandmas here I come!

Got to the the DECC, wow, a gizillion people! What a party, its a shame I don't feel the need for a party. No spaghetti feed for me , at least not there. Off to Grandmas to eat and no surprise, no tables- off to the bar we go. Belly up to the bar and chose the seat next to the college kids on summer break in Duluth, now that was "fun?", definitely interesting. I learned a lot- none of it useful, but it was entertaining. Getting ready to head out, who do I find?- Dave K, Dave C and Kevin- now that was cool, 10,000 people and I find my old pals. We wished each other luck and off we go.

Got back to the room and had to go through the "sweatbag" and try to remember everything I was reading- I had no idea what to expect in the morning. Chip placed- bib placed- ready for bed. Woke up about every 2 hours, seemed to the hour, all night but that was cool with me- usually that would definitely be irritating but for some strange reason I just smiled.

Up 4am Saturday- yes, 4am-YUCK! Up and ready (spare you the details) off to breakfast in DaysInn lounge, surprise, another party going on =-] Never seen so many people eating bagels and bananas at 4:45am with such huge grins on their faces and joyous noise everywhere! May the stories begin.

Load the bus 5:30am. Sat and waited to fill up the bus- stories all around- I just listened, its true, I didn't talk I just listened! Bus got going and the realization of what was happening started to hit me, I was getting on this bus and driving like a half hour down the road and I had to run back, hmmm.

Passed the "Lemon Drop" hill (hope I said that right) and many people talked about how it didn't look like much right now but at mile 20 something it will look like a mountain, hmmmm. Pull up to the starting area- porta potties EVERYWHERE, there must be a lot of runners! I get off the bus into a sea of people and just follow, I have no idea what I am doing so I will just do what everyone else does, suddenly I am in line waiting for the porta potty =-]

About 7:15am I figure I will go and stand at the finish and look for a 5 hour sign- maybe just stick with them? As I am walking from behind me I hear "cute tatoo", thought maybe they were talking about my frog so I turned around. Cute girl standing behind me and I suddenly recognize her ( again a sea pf 1000's), I don't know her but my hubby use to be very good friends with her and thanks to FB I recently saw her, so I ask if she is Beth, she looks a little startled and I tell her I am Marks wife- I reconnect old friends- it was pretty cool.

I find my 5 hour sign and go stand there to wait, just wait, don't know what to expect, so I just wait. A lady named Tiffany and her friend Jessica start a conversation with me about running and experience with marathons- they are "maniacs", I am "crazy"! Suddenly, I notice this woman standing next to us, she is crying, hmmm. She tells us "everyone here has a story and every one of those stories is a journey and its amazing" she shares that she has run grandmas for the past 20 years and she thought this would be her first that she would miss. She had been in an accident and broke her legs and arm and thought she would never run again, she said her greatest concern in the hospital bed was that she would never make it here again and "here I am, I am here!" I wanted to cry with her.

Fighter jets fly overhead, National Anthem song and off we go! We walk! lol
Off we trot, me and David Crowder, smiling ear to ear. I am trotting my way along, enjoying the view and thinking how awesome this is, it would be better alone but what the heck I have lots of company, make the best of it- its a journey and a story. As the run is moving along now, I start looking at the people around me and I notice some incredible people. An older woman who is so hunched over (?osteoporosis) that she can't look up. A man hobbling like he could barely walk, his back read "50 runs in 50 states"- I congratulate him as I pass him, he smiles warmly and thanks me. A heavy set guy in his 60's already out of breath, he runs with me for a while and gives me pointers- I realize his talking to me may cost him some energy but he wanted to be helpful anyway, hope he made it. I start to see the journey we are all on, I smile again.

Wow, its pretty warm- oh well, go girl!
Around mile 8 people are starting to crowd "my" shady area, everyone running as far to the left to get glimpses of shade that would offer a slight cooling. We turn a corner and there is this blast of cold air- HEAVENLY!! It doesn't last long but it was wonderful and worth mentioning, me and David Crowder sing His praises and run on.

Mile 11 or so, wish I was a guy- they are running off course left and right and doing there thing, I gotta go but until mile 11 the porta potty lines too long- at mile 12 its 3 deep so I stop and take my chance. Hmmm, stopping I suddenly realize I could pee my pants easily if the line doesn't move quickly, I do the potty dance, they probably think I am keeping my legs warm?! Really, who cares. I decide if I need to go again I am taking my chances in the woods. Lucky, I never had to go again =-]

Around mile 13, ankle hurts and I get slightly nervous, long way to go, I say a prayer that He will carry me through- the ankle pain is gone. Amazing!
Have no idea what mile it was but saw an ambulance heading my way and it stopped where a motorcycle was parked- we all looked, a runner was laying in the ditch, on his hands and knees, crouched over- freaked me out, said a prayer for him as I ran by. Not far down the road another guy laying in the ditch, people had blankets on him with his feet elevated and rubbing something on his forehead, it's a battlefield, a prayer as I ran by him as well.

Approaching mile 16- dedicated number 16 to the Friesens and specifically Olivia.
Mile 17- the Aults, specifically Z and E. Mile 17 water stop- change of music, a little Lenny anyone?

Mile 18- for my hubby, what a guy. "Can't get you off of my mind"- how fitting! I am singing loud and proud-" life is just a lonely highway, I'm out here on the open road....don't wanna live my days without ya...I got a pocket full of money and pocket full of keys without bounds...when I think of lovin I just can't get you off of my mind"- yes, I am THAT annoying runner! I play it twice cause it was that good!
Next- "American Woman"- LOOKOUT, girl singing LOUD. I got my groove on! Lenny Kravitz= good times!

Approaching Duluth!! I am going to make it!!
20 mile mark as I "run" by a guy I smile and say- "just a 10k left- ready,set, go"! He didn't look amused! lol

Mile 20 something- before Lemon Drop, college kids, again. This time they got the beer bong out and are chasing down the runners. A very drunk kid runs up to me, he is so happy for me (lol) offering me a sip of his beer- grabbing my hand and willing to run with me for a while, what a sweet kid =-]

Lemon Drop- yup, gonna walk it!
Top of Lemon Drop- people dropping like flies to stretch, no way I am stopping!

Get out the Dixie Chicks- haven't listened to them in years, going home with them. First song- "Ready to Run", lets go girls!Next,"Goodbye Earl" were throwing your sorry #@% in the trunk- YEA! Feeling fiesty. Heading down the hill into town- "Some days you gotta dance, live it up when you get the chance" good advice!
FWD. Serious moment ahead...

Coming around the DECC "Let Him Fly"- love the melody. Thinking, God you have done amazing things in my life. I don't recognize the person I was before You and I am so excited about the person You are making me today. I ran a marathon God, I ran a MARATHON, thank you Lord for changing my life- the tears flood my eyes....I wasn't expecting that.

Turning the corner, I look to my right and whom do I see- Dave K, I wave- don't think he recognized me at first. He ran out to me, grabbed my hand and told me "I am so proud of you" asked me "do you want me to run with you a bit" YES!, he ran with me- he shared their story a bit and rejoiced in mine until we saw the finish then he said- "see the balloons that is the finish, you run to the finish now, RUN!" squeezed his hand said thank you and ran home...FINISH!!!
My sister stood at the finish yelling my name, burnt in all her glory, yelling my name- thanks Sue!

I cross over and Sue is there handing me the phone, "its Mark"- choking back the tears, I say
"I Finished Mark, I did it!!"

Quite the journey in so many ways!