Run a marathon. Check.

One more thing to cross off my list of things to do before I die.

I feel pretty awesome that I did it, and that it didn't even come close to killing me. There were only a few moments that were hard. The first half it was more a matter of I thought I was getting a blister. (which is turns out, I didn't end up getting any!) And the second half the main problem were the balls of my feet. I wasn't even ever really tired. The two major killers were at mile 19 and mile 26. For some reason at mile 19, I just wanted to cry. I wanted to stop running, sit down in the road and just cry. It was good Eliza was with me, because I just kept going. I didn't want to make her stop too.

At mile 26, I wanted to throw up, and almost did! The very last aid station I said, "To heck with it all--I am going to drink a whole cup of gatoraid!" Bad idea... the last 1.2 miles were a killer, all because of that one dumb move of drinking way too much gatoraid too fast. We had to stop a few times because I honestly thought I was going to throw up. The last .2 miles felt pretty long and I could see the finish line but just couldn't reach it!! We past Paul and his dad and sister who were cheering us on and Eliza and I grabbed hands and ran for it. Again, we had to stop because I almost threw up. Then, the end really was in sight--it was right there, just ahead of me. We grabbed hands again, and busted it through making it across the finish line in 5:53:26 which was a 13:29:00 pace (which means we ran about a 13 minute mile)

I never felt overly tired the whole race, it was all more a matter of pain in my feet and sometimes legs. After the race, I didn't feel super tired either. I actually felt pretty good. But maybe that was because I had just done something pretty awesome. And it was my 21st birthday. Why wouldn't I feel good? All in all, I am really glad I did it and I bet this won't be my first and only marathon. I already decided that I will do the Hobblecreek Half Marathon next year. I am not sure what my next actual marathon will be.... maybe the Fargo North Dakota in May of 2007?! (then I can see if North Dakota really does exist!!)